Before heading to the restricted area, Hermione proposes to go to Hagrid to figure out how to deal with the three-headed dog.

Because canines have always had a very sensitive sense of smell, Harry's invisibility cloak can only block vision, but it can't cover the smell on their bodies, and I'm afraid it won't have much effect on the three-headed dog.

Harry and Ron agreed, confident enough to get the words out of Hagrid's mouth. After all, Hagrid is known to be tight-lipped, but only if he doesn't encounter a bottle opener......

So, the three of them went to Hagrid's hut.

"Hagrid, what's wrong with you?"

Harry asked in surprise as he looked at Hagrid's large, bandaged face, half-scorched clothes, and a large patch of bald hair and beard.

"Ah, I'm fine, I accidentally burned myself when I added too much firewood when I was boiling water last night." Hagrid said with some humility.

Harry glanced at Hermione and Ron, thinking that there must be something wrong with this.

"Hagrid, did you do something against the school rules?" Harry asked.

"Nope! I absolutely didn't! Hagrid was startled and shouted in emotion, "Don't talk nonsense, beware of me suing you for slander!" ”

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows suspiciously, and leaned over to Hagrid's side to take a closer look.

"Something is wrong." "You don't just have burn marks, you also have animal scratches. ”

Hagrid hurriedly covered his coat with his hands, and jumped some distance behind him with an unnatural face, shaking the whole shack for a moment.

"Why, but... Maybe I accidentally scratched somewhere......" he stumbled.

"Hagrid, I remember you always wanted to raise a fire dragon." Hermione looked at him with keen eyes, "Burn marks, animal scratches on clothes...... You don't really have a fire dragon, do you? ”

"I didn't!" Hagrid blurted out, "You can see clearly, the scratches of manticores and fire dragons are different!" ”

After saying that, he regretted it and quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late.

"So you have a manticore?" Hermione asked, "And what are the traces of the fire?" I've read Mr. Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but it doesn't mention that manticores breathe fire. ”

"Well, I'll admit I did something wrong last night." Hagrid said dejectedly, "I tried to get the manticores to cross with the fire crabs. I was hiding nearby, but I don't know why it suddenly lit up, and then I was spotted by the animals......"

Harry and Ron looked sympathetic, tiptoe and patted Hagrid's belly for comfort.

At this time, Hermione quietly glanced at the two of them.

Harry suddenly remembered that he still had a task today, and quickly changed his attitude.

"Hagrid, you've been tossed to this point by a few fire crabs and manticores, and I don't think you're as good at dealing with animals as you say." He tilted his head and stared.

To be honest, his acting skills are a bit pompous, but Hagrid doesn't see it.

"Nonsense! I'm the best at dealing with critters! Hagrid felt that his specialty had been provoked and retorted unconvinced.

"But we can't see it." Sluggish as Ron also reacted at this time, and answered, "I think it's just a coincidence that you can subdue the three-headed dog!" ”

Hagrid's bearded face flushed and slammed the table in front of him.

"Just kidding!" He exclaimed, "The three-headed dog is the easiest to deal with, as long as you know how to calm it down, put some music on it, and it will fall asleep immediately......"

Before he could finish speaking, Hagrid's face suddenly appeared with horror.

"I shouldn't have told you this!" He said bitterly, "Forget what I said!" Hey—where are you going? ”

By this time, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already gotten what they wanted, and without exchanging a word along the way, they had been running from Hagrid's shack into the foyer of the castle before stopping.

They stood breathlessly in the quiet foyer, glancing at each other, their expressions gradually changing from confusion to determination.

"Without further ado, we must get to the penalty area as soon as possible to stop Quirrell!" Harry said, pulling the cloak out of his pocket.

Hermione and Ron nodded their heads and slipped into Harry's invisibility cloak.

Following the vague memories of their previous night trip, they soon came to the outside of the hallway on the fourth floor—the door had already opened a crack.

"Well, see," Harry whispered, "Quirrell is sure to have passed through Lowe without incident." ”

Seeing that ajar door, they seemed more aware of what they were about to face. Harry turned his head to look at Ron and Hermione under the invisibility cloak.

"If you want to back down now, I won't blame you." He said, "Voldemort is what I should have faced, and I don't want to bother you." You don't have to go with me to sabotage his plans, so that even if he does come back, you will have a chance to save your life. ”

"Don't say stupid things." Ron said.

"Let's go, let's go in together." Hermione shook her head and said firmly.

Harry took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Walking through this door, his mood was solemn, as if he had entered a life of destiny......

However, instead of the low barking of the three-headed dog, they were greeted by darkness and dead silence.

"Hermione, didn't you say that the three-headed dog must be able to smell us, and the invisibility cloak is useless to it?" Harry lowered his voice and asked Hermione, "There's no movement now, is it because the Cloak of Invisibility is able to block out the scent?" ”

Hermione frowned and took two steps forward, suddenly lifting the Cloak of Invisibility.

"Hermione!"

"Hermione, what are you doing!"

However, Hermione didn't care about the two people's worries, and instead stretched out her wand in the dark room-

"Luminos!"

A little light lit up from the tip of Hermione's wand, illuminating the dimly lit room.

Harry and Ron were stunned to see a huge three-headed dog that almost filled most of the room standing motionless.

It poked its head forward angrily with its eyes wide open on one head, and the eyes on the other two heads were closed, as if it hadn't fully woken up.

The three-headed dog maintained this movement, without the slightest movement, and even lost his breathing.

Harry mustered up the courage to walk up to it and pat it on the body, only to find that the three-headed dog's supposed soft fur and flesh were now stiff like wooden blocks.

"Quirrell petrified Lowe with a curse we didn't know about, Harry." Hermione whispered, "We need to be ready, he's far stronger than we thought. ”

Her tone was heavy.

……

……