When Quirrell confidently reported to Lord Voldemort that the Biting Cabbage and Giant Devil's Snare juice must have come from the Weasley twins, the basket of "garlic" beside him suddenly revealed its true form.
To everyone's astonishment, it wasn't garlic at all—it was the Biting Cabbage and Giant Devil's Snare, transformed by Mirror Grass to look like garlic!
In the very next moment, the Biting Cabbages snapped open their razor-sharp teeth and lunged at Quirrell, who happened to be the closest. Simultaneously, the Giant Devil's Snare unleashed a spray of its toxic juice.
Quirrell shrieked in agony.
In a blink, his body was covered in wounds and festering sores, exuding a nauseating stench that wafted high into the air.
This bizarre and chaotic scene quickly caught the attention of everyone at the Quidditch Pitch.
Professor McGonagall, who was providing commentary, turned visibly dark in the face—like the bottom of a burnt cauldron. She roared into the microphone:
"Fred!
George!
What have you two done?!"
The Weasley twins stood there, completely dumbfounded, nearly in tears. They stammered:
"It wasn't us!"
"We swear it wasn't!"
"We're about to play a match! Why would we pull a prank now?"
"Professor, you have to believe us!"
Despite their frantic pleas, even their fellow Gryffindors silently lowered their heads. It wasn't that they didn't trust Fred and George—it was just that the twins had too many "honors" to their names.
Frankly, no one would be surprised if the twins popped out of their own graves during a funeral just to throw a Dungbomb for one last laugh.
At that moment, Fred and George scanned the crowd in confusion.
Who had dumped such a massive blame onto them?
Suddenly, a collective gasp swept through the stands.
"Harry!
He's about to fall!"
Sharl's gaze snapped upward from Quirrell.
Harry had already slipped from his broom, clutching onto it with both hands. But judging from his trembling arms, he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.
Sharl's eyes widened in surprise.
In the original timeline, Harry had endured the bumpy ride for quite a while before eventually falling—and even managed to catch the Golden Snitch on the way down.
So why was his stamina failing so much faster this time? Even though Snape's counter-curse had been more effective and Quirrell's jinx had lasted for a shorter time than it had originally, Harry seemed weaker.
Then, a thought struck Sharl.
He remembered the "study materials" he had given Harry.
Had Harry pulled an all-nighter cramming and drained his energy?
If so, Sharl realized, he might bear some indirect responsibility for Harry's fall.
As that sense of guilt crept in, Harry's grip finally gave out.
He plummeted toward the ground.
Cries of alarm rang out across the pitch.
Some students covered their faces, unable to bear the sight of Harry crashing to his death.
For a moment, Sharl instinctively raised his wand. A Levitation Charm, or even a Soil Loosening Spell, could cushion the fall.
But he stopped himself.
Professor Sprout beside him hadn't moved.
Dumbledore, seated in the VIP box, remained calm.
If Harry actually died from falling during a school Quidditch match, it would be the biggest joke in wizarding history.
If Sharl acted now, he might once again land in Dumbledore's crosshairs.
Being watched by one "two-faced man" was already more than enough.
He wasn't ready for another Dumbledore.
Just as Harry neared the ground, a voice rang out:
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
It was Hermione Granger.
She waved her wand expertly, casting the Levitation Charm with precision.
Harry's fall slowed dramatically. Though he still hit the ground hard, it was gentle enough that he could sit up.
"Ugh!"
Harry groaned as he sat up and coughed. A glittering Golden Snitch flew out of his mouth and landed in his palm.
The stands erupted in deafening cheers.
"One hundred seventy to sixty!"
"Gryffindor wins!"
The Gryffindor team swarmed Harry, lifting him up and tossing him into the air in celebration.
But that wasn't the end.
From the stands came another excited cry:
"Hermione!"
The young wizards lifted her up, cheering just as wildly.
"Amazing Levitation Charm!"
"Hermione, you saved Harry's life!"
"You're the real MVP today!"
Even Ron blushed, stepping forward to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said awkwardly. "You know… about before Halloween. I shouldn't have said those things. You're actually… really nice."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears.
Since the beginning of the school year, this was the first time she truly felt like she belonged in Gryffindor.
Up in the stands, Dumbledore looked on with a warm smile, even wiping away a tear.
"This is friendship."
But Sharl, watching from a distance, felt… nothing.
No ripples in his heart. Just a passing emotion.
"So the original Golden Trio has officially formed," he thought.
"The gears of fate might deviate a little… but in the end, they always turn the same way."
"The Savior Trio's training game begins now."
He quickly snapped out of it. He had no intention of joining them.
The savior's adventures had nothing to do with him.
Shifting his gaze back to Quirrell, Sharl noticed the professor was already being carried to the Medical Ward. Judging by his condition, he'd be out of commission for a while.
Sharl exhaled deeply.
This was his chance.
If Quirrell recovered, he might resume targeting him.
So, while the Quidditch Pitch was still celebrating and the stands echoed with cheers, Sharl quietly slipped away.
Let them have their moment of glory.
The quiet of the Greenhouse greeted Sharl like an old friend.
Returning after a week's absence, he stepped into his experimental plot. To his pleasant surprise, his plants hadn't suffered from Professor Sprout's week-long punishment. If anything, they had grown even more lush and vibrant.
His eyes immediately fell on the Piranha Algae tank.
The reward light orb had grown noticeably larger. At this rate, it would be ready for harvest by the Christmas holidays.
But what truly caught his attention was the Luminous Mushroom field.
The second batch had fully matured. Dozens of plump, glowing reward light orbs floated like ripe fruit, waiting to be picked.
A wave of gratitude washed over Sharl.
Clearly, Professor Sprout had been secretly helping him care for the plants during his absence.
Taking a deep breath, Sharl's eyes shone with anticipation.
On his system panel, a platinum glow had appeared next to Lumos.
Could it be?
Would today finally mark the advancement to Platinum Tier?
He didn't hesitate.
With arms outstretched as though embracing the light, he stepped into the field.
The reward light orbs, one by one, converged toward him like rivers flowing into the sea, flooding his body in radiant energy.
[The Luminous Mushrooms you cultivated have reached maturity.]
[You have received a reward: Night Vision slightly improved (Iron Tier).]
[You have received a reward: A very small amount of Lumos insight (Iron Tier).]
A surge of transformation coursed through Sharl.
His eyes burned, as if overwhelmed by light. A torrent of knowledge related to Lumos rushed into his consciousness.
On the system panel, the platinum light surrounding "Lumos" and "Night Vision" grew stronger, swallowing the golden hues that had been there before.
The harvesting process took time.
As the last orbs dimmed and vanished, Sharl stood silently, his body tingling with energy. One tear slipped down his cheek—but not from pain.
He opened his system panel, heart pounding.
There it was.
[Night Vision (Platinum Tier): Advanced!]
And right beneath it, another dazzling announcement:
[Lumos (Platinum Tier): Achieved!]
All the effort—tending the mushrooms, using the Pruning Charm, casting the Soil Loosening Spell, and tirelessly practicing Lumos—had paid off.
Finally, Sharl had entered the Platinum Tier.
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