Chapter 34: Ignorance And Arrogance
“……”
Not even pretending anymore.
Melvin quietly sized up Quirinus Quirrell.
This Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor clearly didn’t take the Devil’s Snare seriously at all, didn’t care about the vines’ growth situation, but was eager to go inside. Compared to the childish Devil’s Snare, he cared more about the ingenious spell set by Professor Flitwick.
Upon learning that the second room was just catching a flying key, Quirinus Quirrell immediately breathed a sigh of relief, even somewhat looking down on such a design.
So what if the real key was mixed in with thousands of fake keys? These fake keys wouldn’t attack or alert anyone; no matter how many, they were just useless junk.
A Transfiguration-made chessboard with a carefully placed endgame?
Quirinus Quirrell chuckled inwardly; it was utterly worthless.
Entering the fourth room, a nauseating stench assaulted the nose, even somewhat stinging the eyes. A massive mountain troll sat in the corner.
Before it could charge forward baring its teeth and claws, Quirinus Quirrell had already cast a Stupefy, then pretended to check it over before turning back to tell them the troll was fine.
Dumbledore said nothing, and the others were even less inclined to linger, quickly entering the next room.
Snape’s setup was utterly ordinary: he refilled the potions on the table to seven bottles, added a roll of parchment, and the flames blocking the front and back doorways would rise when leaving.
Quirinus Quirrell glanced at the riddle on the parchment scroll out of the corner of his eye; even though it made his head spin, he couldn’t solve it and could only memorize it first, planning to study the decryption privately afterward.
Snape seemed to notice his actions and sneered, “Potions carefully brewed by me, then urged on by magical flames… If some unlucky fool picks the wrong potion, even a fire dragon coming would just turn to fuel.”
Quirinus Quirrell’s body stiffened, his right hand trembling slightly as he subconsciously gripped the dangling headscarf. A few seconds later, he suddenly relaxed, as if receiving some assurance.
Noticing his actions, Dumbledore’s gaze fell on his headscarf, then shifted away imperceptibly.
“Only the last room remains. I originally planned to set nothing up, but Melvin gave me new inspiration…”
Dumbledore’s words drew everyone’s gaze to Melvin. He raised the box in his hand and gave the professors a brilliant smile: “The things in the box are rather dangerous, and setting them up is a bit troublesome, so I won’t invite everyone to watch.”
Dumbledore nodded: “Melvin and I will go in to set it up; it won’t take long. Please wait a moment.”
……
“These night moths hide in the corners. The room’s will-o’-the-wisps provide faint light sources, not letting intruders fall into complete darkness. If someone rashly lights a torch or Lumos… the sound will alert the monster hidden in the darkness.
“The slanted floor and swaying suspension bridge will disrupt control of balance. This constant process of adjusting one’s center of gravity will leave their body and mind suspended in midair. Sudden scares will prompt adrenaline secretion; the body will tire quickly, their limbs will start to tremble, and unease and fear will envelop body and mind.
“The later setup involves psychology knowledge, the uncanny valley effect and the Zeigarnik effect… Everyday objects placed here will produce disharmony; this disharmony will breed eeriness.
“Ultimate fear relies on the balance of loss of control and immersion, just as I said before: using the environment to gradually strip away rational thinking ability… step by step guiding the intruder back to humanity’s most primal instinct, that is, awe of the unknown.”
“……”
The young professor’s lecture came from inside the room, his voice laced with uncontainable excitement.
Adrenaline, psychology effects…
The others’ gazes subconsciously swept over Snape. Though they didn’t understand these terms, Melvin’s reasoning display last time was enough to inspire awe for Muggle knowledge.
Despair, eeriness, horror…
Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout exchanged a glance and drew slightly closer. The Hogwarts dungeon temperature was a bit low; they already felt that atmosphere of enveloping fear.
Quirinus Quirrell gripped his headscarf again, receiving the expected comfort as desired.
But this time, unable to see the scene inside the room, he couldn’t relax no matter what, only repeatedly affirming the Dark Lord’s power in his heart to gain solace.
“Sensory overload will collapse the intruder’s sanity;
“Inconspicuous water droplets will bring psychological pressure;
“High-intensity scares and low-intensity suppression alternate in cycles;
“The intruder can never adapt to the abyss of fear…”
The young professor’s words filtered through the doorway, like the devil’s whispers circling in the narrow space. That room inside hiding the Philosopher’s Stone seemed to have become a grim, terrifying hell filled with evil curses.
Quirinus Quirrell tightly gripped the headscarf, his inner depths unable to find peace.
……
The Quidditch Pitch was especially lively on the weekend.
The weather was clear, the morning mist dispersed quickly, visibility became sharp, and the brand-new broomsticks awaited riders to break them in. Harry decisively invited several roommates to play together and, out of politeness, casually invited Granger.
Granger predictably refused.
She had originally planned to go to the library to pick out a few hefty books to memorize, as relaxation after a week of hard study.
Harry and Neville expressed admiration.
Seamus and Dean expressed horror.
Only Ron rolled his eyes and couldn’t hold back a snide remark: “We’re not going to relax and play; we’re going to practice flying skills! Who knows if Flying lesson will have a final exam? I remember a certain miss struggles even with takeoff, right?”
Then Granger thought for a moment and agreed he had a point, and finally Granger accepted their invitation.
Thus the group expanded. Hermione actively led the way at the front, popularizing flying knowledge while guiding them—from improvements to flying broomsticks to the evolution of Quidditch, from the first broomstick to the first match, the origins of various rules detailed and specific.
Harry and the others were very interested in this knowledge. After walking the whole way, they gradually accepted having such a know-it-all miss join the group.
“You’re so long-winded!”
Only Ron was a bit impatient. Originally, five people dividing up Nimbus 2000 time was tight enough; now with six, he was very displeased.
Ron, relying on his Quidditch exposure since childhood, said sarcastically: “Little wizard from a Muggle family, what do you know about Quidditch? Who knows if these facts of yours are made up.”
Hermione gave him a flat look, didn’t retort, and pulled a hefty book from her shoulder bag—《Magical Quidditch Ball》.
Ron was still stubborn: “Who knows about this book—”
“Author Kennilworthy Whisp.” Hermione pointed to the author on the spine, “Respected Quidditch sports expert. You should have seen him on a Chocolate Frog Card.”
“……”
Indeed seen him.
Ron opened his mouth but couldn’t retort.
Hermione put away the thick book, strode forward, expressionless, steps brisk.
Feeling someone might ask, here’s an answer.
Hermione won’t fall in love with Ron.
