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Chapter 383: Poisonous
Chapter 383: Poisonous
After October, the weather cleared up. Albert, leaving Fred, George, and Lee Jordan to their homework, took his own Tom out for a walk alone.
Some say that walking a cat is not a good idea, but Albert had taken his cat out for walks several times before. Tom stayed close to him whenever they went out, and if he wandered too far, he would be summoned back with a Summoning Charm.
After a few experiences of being summoned back by the Summoning Charm, Tom knew better than to stray too far.
As the human-cat duo passed by the fourth floor, they encountered Professor Quirrell.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's complexion was far from pleasant, perhaps due to Voldemort's possession or the torture he endured from the dark wizard for failing to steal the Philosopher's Stone.
"Good morning, professor," Albert greeted.
"Good morning," the professor replied dryly.
Before Professor Quirrell could refuse, Albert quickly brought up the topic of the ghost choir from the first-year Halloween feast, curious about a certain aspect.
Professor Quirrell opened his mouth, truly not in the mood to encounter Albert. Every time they met, the boy would bring up strange yet intriguing questions that couldn't be ignored.
"The voices of the ghosts are deadly because their screams carry a curse. I believe that's the angle the choir directors took, but as for the other reasons, I'm still unsure myself," Quirrell said slowly and hesitantly. "I'll let you know once I figure it out!"
With that, Professor Quirrell quickly walked away, afraid that Albert would ask another bizarre question.
Watching the professor's retreating figure, Albert picked up Tom and scratched under his chin, muttering softly, "Tom, you're really not pulling your weight here."
Perhaps Dumbledore's decision to have the professors set up protections around the Philosopher's Stone had paid off, or perhaps Quirinus was biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to steal the stone without being noticed by the other professors.
Either way, Quirrell was still lurking in the shadows, and his efficiency was infuriatingly slow.
Of course, one could also attribute this to the cautious nature of Ravenclaws! If Quirrell were a Gryffindor, he would have charged headlong into the challenge without a plan. Instead, he took the time to gather information and carefully decipher the protections set up by the professors one by one.
Despite the slow progress, it was undeniable that Quirrell had done a commendable job, smoothly navigating the protections set up by the professors, except for the one laid by Dumbledore.
If it hadn't been for Harry's timely appearance, Albert suspected that Quirrell would never have been able to retrieve the stone from the mirror.
Yes, Albert believed that there was a possibility that Dumbledore had orchestrated the entire scenario, setting up Harry Potter to face Voldemort.
Along the way, Albert encountered a minor hiccup.
Tom and Mrs. Norris crossed paths, one fat and the other skinny, creating a stark contrast.
The two cats stared at each other and bared their teeth as a warning. Albert thought they would start fighting and prepared to scoop up his cat, but Tom lifted his paw and swiped at Mrs. Norris, who dodged the attack. Tom then quickly ran to Albert's side, seeking protection.
"Alright, that's enough," Albert said, finding the whole situation amusing. He took out some fish treats from his pocket and placed them in front of Mrs. Norris before leaving with Tom.
Perhaps it was due to the recent exercise, but Tom's stamina had improved significantly. At the very least, he didn't tire out and plop onto the ground on their way downstairs.
Along the way, several girls still wanted to pet Tom, but he rejected their advances. The cat even complained about Albert giving his fish treats to another cat.
Albert took Tom out of the castle and headed toward Hagrid's hut.
He didn't let Tom wander into the surrounding bushes, as the ground was muddy from the rain the day before. If Tom got himself dirty, Albert would have to spend time giving him a bath, which was no easy task, even for a cat accustomed to regular grooming.
Tom was levitated by Albert's Hover Charm, floating in mid-air. He had gotten used to the sensation and no longer panicked like he did the first time. His legs paddled in the air as if he were spacewalking.
Albert knocked on Hagrid's wooden door, and soon, scratching sounds came from within, followed by the voice of Fang.
A moment later, the door opened to reveal Hagrid, wearing an apron and humming a tune as he prepared lunch.
Tom meowed in surprise at the sight of Hagrid.
"Your cat?" Hagrid glanced at Tom and moved aside to let Albert in.
"He's quite chubby," Hagrid commented.
"Yes, Tom is a bit on the plump side. I've been trying to figure out a way to help him lose some weight," Albert admitted.
Albert placed Tom on the table, and Fang curiously padded over, placing his paws on the table and craning his neck to sniff at Tom inquisitively. Startled, Tom scurried to Albert's side and crouched there.
"Hagrid, what are you up to?" Albert asked, eyeing the giant as he stirred his spoon in the pot.
"Mushroom soup," Hagrid replied excitedly. "Care to try some? The mushrooms are fresh and delicious."
"Fresh mushrooms?" After feeding some dog food to Fang, Albert approached Hagrid and peered into the pot of mushroom soup, then glanced around the room. His gaze landed on a basket in the corner.
"Where did you get the mushrooms? Did you buy them?" Albert asked casually as he walked towards the basket.
"Buy them? No, no," Hagrid shook his head. "After the rain, the Forbidden Forest is filled with all sorts of delicious mushrooms. I gathered some on my way back this morning."
"Are they edible?" Albert inquired.
"Of course!" Hagrid asserted, pointing at a peculiarly shaped mushroom that resembled an animal's brain. "These grow after the rain. Want to stay and sample my cooking?"
Albert raised an eyebrow, thinking that they resembled saffron milk caps.
If they were indeed saffron milk caps, they needed to be cooked before consumption, as eating them raw could lead to poisoning.
However, Albert soon voiced his skepticism about Hagrid's claim of edibility. "Hagrid, I must remind you that according to common sense, brightly colored mushrooms are usually highly toxic." Albert spotted a vividly red mushroom with unique white spots, resembling something out of a fairy tale or cartoon.
Indeed, a poisonous... mushroom.
"Oh, this one?" Hagrid casually identified it as the "Drunken Mushroom." "It's quite something. Eating a small amount will give you a pleasant tipsy feeling, like you've had one too many drinks." Clearly, Hagrid had sampled it himself.
Albert racked his brains, vaguely recalling some similar records.
Yes, a poisonous mushroom. A small quantity could be used for potions, but direct consumption would likely induce hallucinations and insanity.
Albert glanced at the basket again, suspecting that most of the mushrooms Hagrid had gathered from the Forbidden Forest were toxic. Perhaps Hagrid himself had a strong resistance to toxins, but if Albert consumed even a little of this mushroom soup, he might end up being carried into the school hospital.
"Hagrid, I really must caution you..." Albert began, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
He walked over to open it and found Harry and Ron standing there.
The two boys stared at Albert in surprise, clearly not expecting to see him answer the door.
"Harry, Ron, would you like to join me for lunch and try some of my freshly made mushroom soup?" Hagrid turned and invited them in with a smile.
"Mushroom soup?" Harry and Ron echoed, their attention momentarily diverted from the cat and dog on the table to Hagrid's offer.
"No, thanks," Albert declined, as he watched Hagrid ladle a generous portion of soup into a bowl, filling the room with a rich, mushroomy aroma.
"It sure smells delicious," Ron commented.
"Let me try some," Harry said, stepping forward to inspect the bowl of soup, which looked quite appetizing.
Albert's eyebrows twitched. If the famous Harry Potter were to die from eating poisonous mushrooms, it would indeed be a joke for the ages.
"How about you two?" Hagrid offered, serving a bowl to Harry as well.
Just as Harry was about to take a bite, a hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him.
"If you don't want to end up poisoned, I suggest you don't eat that," Albert advised Ron gravely.
Ron jumped, nearly dropping the wooden spoon he was holding.
"Nonsense!" Hagrid exclaimed, taken aback. "I've eaten it, and I'm fine." He scooped another spoonful into his mouth, chewed, and looked at Albert in confusion.
"The fact that I'm fine doesn't mean others will be," Albert countered, shaking his head. "However, if you don't believe me, feel free to examine the mushrooms Hagrid gathered from the Forbidden Forest. I'd wager most of them are poisonous."
Harry regarded Albert skeptically, thinking that he probably wasn't joking or being needlessly alarmist.
"Really?" Ron asked, his confusion mirrored on Harry's face. He glanced from Harry to Albert and then moved towards the basket, though he had no idea how to differentiate poisonous mushrooms.
"Typically, brightly colored mushrooms are toxic," Albert warned.
"Ron doesn't look too good," Hagrid remarked.
"Really?" Hagrid asked, his brow furrowing. "They taste amazing, and he's already eaten half a bowl without any issues."
"If you don't believe me, go ahead and eat it," Albert shrugged, indicating that he had said his piece, and if they chose to disregard his warning, there was little he could do.
(End of Chapter)
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