Before long, they found an empty classroom. Looking out the classroom window, they could see the Quidditch pitch, with several gold and red figures struggling to move through the air.
The winter sun shone through the window and bathed them in warmth.
"You have prepared very diligently," Draco drawled. Gold and red were Gryffindor's colors, and among the figures on the pitch, there must be one who was Potter.
"Thank Merlin, he has finally stopped thinking about that wretched mirror," Hermione muttered.
"What?" Draco asked.
"The Mirror of Erised. Harry found it while wandering around an empty classroom. It is said to be able to show people their deepest desires," Hermione said excitedly. "Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to see it. They moved it before the holidays were over, and I do not know where it went."
Draco raised an eyebrow. He had heard of it before, but never seen it. It seemed Hogwarts had many treasures he had not yet discovered.
"All right! Let us not talk about that anymore. Let us talk about Nicolas Flamel! At Christmas, Harry found Nicolas Flamel's name on the back of a Chocolate Frog card! I found even more in the Christmas present you gave me." She excitedly opened the thick book she had been clutching tightly in her arms, pushed it in front of Draco, and showed him the long passage about Nicolas Flamel.
"Just as you guessed, he is six hundred and sixty five years old! No wonder I could not find him in the books about modern wizards." Hermione said gleefully before Draco could finish reading.
"What are you planning to do?" Draco looked up at her and asked calmly.
Nicolas Flamel has finally been discovered. Miss Know It All's reading acumen certainly has not disappointed, Draco thought.
"We do not know. We are simply curious about it. Professor Dumbledore should be keeping it well hidden now..." Hermione stammered.
"You have not forgotten that someone once tried to steal it from Gringotts, have you? Do you think Quirrell released the troll from the dungeons merely as a prank?" Draco retorted. "Not long ago, when you suspected Professor Snape, you thought he was plotting some grand conspiracy..."
"Yes, I did suspect Professor Snape... Just a few days ago, Harry overheard Professor Snape threatening Quirrell," Hermione said vaguely, her expression becoming hesitant. "But why would Professor Quirrell steal the Philosopher's Stone? He has no grudge against Harry, so why would he cast a curse to try and harm him? Sometimes, looking at Professor Quirrell's pitifully innocent appearance, it is truly hard to believe..."
"Hermione, I think you might be going down the wrong path. Why not broaden your perspective and work backward from the outcome?" Draco interrupted her, subtly reminding her, "Who in this world truly hates Potter to the core, to the point of wanting him dead? And who so desperately craves immortality, hoping for an endless supply of life? He might be lurking in the shadows somewhere in this world, barely clinging to existence..."
Hermione understood immediately. Her eyes widened suddenly, and she cried out the name: "Voldemort!"
This direct address made Draco extremely uncomfortable.
"Do not say that name!" he said with a grim face.
However, Hermione did not care about any of that.
She stood up and eagerly grasped Draco's hand, letting him feel its soft warmth. "Yes, you are right. Quirrell did not do these things for himself. He might have done them for someone else, for his master! He could very well be Voldemort's servant!"
"Do not say that name!" Draco said again, annoyed.
You cannot blame me for being overly sensitive.
In the past, members of the Dark Lord's search party, including the werewolf Greyback, had found the Potter trio by making such a Gryffindor like, reckless slip of the tongue.
This had triggered a series of tragedies.
Irreversible damage.
This could have been avoided.
"Sorry." Hermione glanced at him, a look of confusion on her face.
She did not dwell too much on Voldemort's name. She had more important things to do right now.
She released Draco's hand and paced back and forth. As she walked, she thought, "I need to tell Harry quickly to be wary of Quirrell... We need more evidence... Otherwise, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore will not believe us..."
"Yes, I agree," Draco said lazily, secretly holding the hand she had just held.
Miss Know It All's fighting spirit is truly high. Her burning passion for battle is ready to ignite at any moment.
"Draco, thank you. I have to go. I have much to do!" Hermione smiled at him and quickly ran out of the classroom, startling the Grey Lady who was floating toward the door.
She quickly said "I am sorry" to the Grey Lady and left in a hurry.
Draco shook his head, finding her reckless manner somewhat amusing.
He gazed at her receding figure, his thoughts drifting to another matter: what role did Professor Snape play in this whole affair?
In his past memories, he had no idea that Professor Snape had once used a spell to protect Potter.
He was unaware that Professor Snape had also threatened Quirrell, who intended to harm Potter.
When Draco was relentlessly targeting Harry and his friends in his previous life, Professor Snape's attitude had been one of tacit approval and even encouragement.
Professor Snape's behavior was so perplexing and unfathomable. He was once very kind to Draco and was a frequent guest at Malfoy Manor.
At the same time, he enjoyed Professor Dumbledore's deep trust, at least until he killed Professor Dumbledore.
When he rejoined the Dark Lord's camp, he was able to gain the Dark Lord's trust without hesitation, even though he had been living under Dumbledore's protection all these years, yet he had completely absolved himself of any responsibility.
Regardless of which side Professor Snape ultimately belonged to, he was quite shrewd. Not every opportunist could survive in such a precarious situation and emerge unscathed.
Before confirming Professor Snape's true allegiance, Draco could maintain a facade of respect and affection, but found it difficult to confide in him.
Draco was not an ungrateful person. Over the years, Professor Snape, as the Head of Slytherin, had shown exceptional favoritism and preferential treatment to all students of his house.
As someone who enjoyed privileges, Draco, like most Slytherin students, found it difficult to think negatively about Professor Snape.
When Draco was injured by Sectumsempra and was on the verge of death, it was Professor Snape who saved his life.
Draco's unfinished mission for the Dark Lord, though relentlessly probed by Professor Snape, was ultimately completed by Professor Snape himself, for which he made an Unbreakable Vow to his mother, Narcissa.
This was truly a mysterious person.
After Christmas, the Quidditch pitch was decorated with banners from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
Professor Snape, who was always unpredictable, volunteered to serve as referee for the match, just as Professor Dumbledore had suggested.
Draco might have initially thought that Professor Snape's purpose in acting as referee was to vent his anger on Potter, but after learning that he had protected Potter before, this prediction about Professor Snape seemed somewhat shaky.
Is it possible that Professor Snape decided to act as referee in order to protect Potter?
Draco posed the hypothesis, then was immediately struck by its irony. It was like a poorly executed, lame joke that failed to elicit a laugh.
As the students entered the stands in twos and threes, he heard Weasley in front of him complaining to Hermione: "I wager he wants to give Hufflepuff a few more points."
"Oh, come on, Ron, the referees in a match have to make fair calls," Hermione said, sounding unsure of herself.
Potter was not significantly affected by the message Hermione brought. He obtained the Golden Snitch in just five minutes after the start of the match, breaking the historical record.
Hufflepuff suffered a crushing defeat.
Gryffindor won the match in far too short a time! So short that no one, whether benevolent or malevolent, had time to unleash their fury on Potter. Draco noticed that Professor Snape's face was ashen.
In fact, the entire Slytherin and Hufflepuff crowd was crestfallen. Slytherin's captain, Marcus Flint, even angrily spat onto the pitch.
No one wanted their house to lose. Although Draco had some personal ties with Potter and the others, everyone knew that Gryffindor's victory meant they were one step closer to winning the championship.
After Slytherin lost to Gryffindor last time, they had been hoping that Gryffindor would lose to Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, so that Slytherin would still have a chance to win the championship.
Now, the hope of winning the championship had undoubtedly become much slimmer.
Just then, Draco heard Flint yelling at Slytherin's Seeker, Terence Higgs, "You need to work harder. Slytherin cannot afford another failure!"
"What does this have to do with me? It is not merely my fault!" Higgs retorted.
"Is this your attitude?" Flint snapped. "Is this the attitude a Slytherin who strives for excellence should have...?"
Amid Flint's curses, Draco, along with Crabbe and Goyle, surged into the Great Hall with the crowd, uncontrollably fantasizing about catching the Golden Snitch in a Quidditch match.