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After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic Hufflepuff students, Vison returned to his office.
As for the photo, Vison had it specially framed and placed on the bookshelf in his office — but he turned it over.
It was still a very memorable keepsake. However, before this photo spread, it was better to keep it safe.
After all, if Slytherin students or professors discovered it, it would inevitably cause unnecessary trouble.
The current era was not like his student days, when things were turbulent.
Most Slytherin students were now quite normal, and the idea of "pure-blood supremacy" was not as widespread as Vison had once thought.
Just as he finished tidying up, a sudden gust of wind pushed open his office window.
Laiyi flew in from outside and landed lightly on Vison's desk.
As a Thunderbird, Laiyi normally wouldn't summon storms or lightning unless necessary — it would be too conspicuous. So the weather today remained normal.
Besides, summoning storms and lightning consumed the Thunderbird's energy.
After spending time together, Vison discovered that the Thunderbird's intelligence was far higher than a dragon's.
After so long, Torch still struggled to understand Vison's words.
So far, Torch only understood basic commands: roll over, sit down, dinner time.
His intelligence might not even match a Bowtruckle's.
But Laiyi was different. By now, Laiyi could already understand most of Vison's commands.
For example, at this moment, Laiyi had been keeping an eye on Quirrell from afar.
Because of the Thunderbird's heightened sensitivity, if Quirrell — or Lord Voldemort, who was hiding with him — even slightly sensed Laiyi, Laiyi could immediately detect it and withdraw.
"What's wrong, Laiyi?" Vison asked as he took a small bag of dried fish from his drawer and handed it over.
"Did the person I asked you to watch make any moves?"
Laiyi shook its wings softly and chirped.
Though Vison couldn't understand bird language, thanks to the magical contract between them, he could roughly grasp Laiyi's meaning.
"Quirrell left Hogwarts?" Vison guessed.
Laiyi nodded, then shook its head, while snatching the dried fish from Vison's hand.
"..."
Vison sighed. Right now, he really wished he could learn Thunderbird language.
Finally, after a few minutes of back-and-forth, Vison pieced together the message Laiyi was conveying.
Quirrell had walked a wide circle around the Black Lake and was now heading toward the Hogwarts gate.
Actually, Vison had already noticed that Quirrell had been wandering all over Hogwarts lately.
Why? Vison guessed it was because Quirrell hadn't yet discovered the hiding place of the Philosopher's Stone — so he was searching blindly.
Now, it seemed Quirrell was planning to temporarily leave Hogwarts for the weekend.
"Rest well, Laiyi."
Vison waved his wand, and the box in the corner opened. Laiyi obediently flew inside.
Vison quickly donned his robe, preparing to personally track Quirrell.
——
All the way to the gate, Vison found no sign of Quirrell.
Only Filch and his cat were there.
That was normal — Filch was, after all, the school caretaker.
Filch sat on a stool, vigorously polishing a pair of shiny handcuffs.
Vison never liked Filch much, but more than dislike, he actually felt a kind of sympathy.
For a Squib, working in a place full of wizards like Hogwarts wasn't easy.
"Professor Vison, going out?" Filch stood up, holding Mrs. Norris and squinting at him.
Vison paused and smiled politely. "Mr. Filch, have you seen Professor Quirrell? I need to find him."
Filch nodded. While he had little patience for students, he still showed respect to professors.
"Professor Quirrell? Oh, he just left," Filch said expressionlessly. "Left in a hurry, without even saying hello.
But if you want to find him now, Professor, it might be a little difficult. He disappeared all of a sudden."
Disappeared suddenly? Apparition? Or a Portkey? Vison wondered.
Once outside Hogwarts' wards, Apparition was possible.
Which meant he had no way to track Quirrell any further.
Vison nodded and thanked him. "Thank you, Mr. Filch."
Filch's face broke into a rare smile, though it was tinged with bitterness.
"You're welcome, Professor Vison," he rasped, voice hoarse. "Glad I could help."
Vison nodded again and turned to leave.
——
Sure enough, tracking a wizard wasn't easy.
On his way back, Vison couldn't help but sigh.
At that moment, he noticed a cat lying lazily on the grass, basking in the rare sunlight.
Its tabby pattern glimmered in the sun, quite striking.
Vison stepped closer.
The cat, sensing him, lifted its head warily — but when it recognized Vison, the suspicion faded.
Vison blinked, then realized who this was.
Wasn't this Professor McGonagall?
The tabby cat stretched lazily — something only McGonagall would do in cat form — then elegantly stood, transforming back into her human self before him.
Vison smiled and greeted politely, "Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall."
She nodded, crossing her arms, her expression serious again. "Good afternoon, Vison.
This is my rare break time. What are you up to?"
"Just taking a walk, Professor," Vison shrugged.
Break time?
Coming from Professor McGonagall, that word felt strange.
In Vison's mind, McGonagall was either working or on her way to work.
Had he disturbed her rest?
Feeling a little guilty, Vison shifted awkwardly.
But McGonagall's tone softened, even showing rare relaxation.
"Animagus is a fine magic, Vison.
Turning into a cat is especially pleasant in weather like this."
"Yes, Professor," Vison echoed quickly.
Though he too had learned Animagus, he rarely used it as often as McGonagall.
After all… his Animagus form was a hedgehog.
Why a hedgehog?
Vison still couldn't figure it out.
——
Vison continued walking after their brief chat, pondering the news about Quirrell.
He needed to report this to Archer and Plant Poison — his two most reliable allies these days.
Archer, with his sharp precision and agility, and Plant Poison, whose expertise in magical herbs had grown formidable.
Together, along with Godric — Jin Jialong, whose magical power now rivaled the might of Hogwarts' founders — they formed a team that could stand against even dark forces.
But tracking Quirrell was another matter.
If Quirrell was now using Apparition outside Hogwarts, then tailing him directly wouldn't work.
Perhaps Archer's tracking spells could help, or Plant Poison's network of enchanted plants.
Even Godric's raw magical force might force Quirrell's hand.
Vison made a mental note: tonight, they would meet in the Room of Requirement to discuss the next steps.
Laiyi, resting in his box, would be needed again soon.
But for now, even magical creatures deserved their rest.
And as he glanced back one last time at the spot where McGonagall had been sunbathing moments ago, Vison couldn't help but think:
Maybe, just maybe, he too should take a rare break — even if only for a few minutes — before plunging back into the dark tides rising around Hogwarts.
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