HP: I AM SHERLOCK HOLMES

Compared to Quirrell’s good teaching attitude, temporary substitute Snape might have had a terrible attitude, but he actually taught considerable content. It was hard to imagine that only in the second half of the term did first-years encounter the Disarming Charm in practical class.

The incantation was ”Expelliarmus,” and as the name suggested, it caused the opponent’s wand to leave their grip. Most wizards typically relied on wands to accurately guide and control magic, as wands enhanced and focused magical power, making spells more accurate and effective.

Wandless magic was much more difficult and unstable, prone to accidental consequences and even danger. So ”Expelliarmus” naturally became one of the most basic yet practical offensive spells.

Its power varied according to the caster’s magical ability. Both Sherlock and Harry showed exceptional talent in this subject, especially Harry. This was arguably the first time he’d displayed traits befitting the ”Savior of the Wizarding World” outside of Quidditch.

Even Hermione, already recognized as the class genius, couldn’t match this. Snape’s gaze fixed intently on Harry’s green eyes. After a moment, he said in his usual low tone:

”A very standard Disarming Charm, Mr. Potter.”

Harry was flattered to receive Snape’s approval. Although he’d received advanced potions from Snape at Christmas and learned from Sherlock about the professor’s past with his mother, he didn’t dare let his guard down.

Because Sherlock had made it clear that Snape had always loved his mother, Lily. Harry was protected solely because he was Lily’s child. Nothing more.

Sure enough, Snape, who had been praising Harry moments before, suddenly changed his tone:

”However, since your Disarming Charm is so standard, why won’t you help your classmates? Finnigan was right beside you, yet his Disarming Charm produced an explosive effect. Should I call him a genius or an idiot? Potter, due to your inaction, Gryffindor loses another five points.”

There was the normal Professor Snape. Harry couldn’t help but breathe a long sigh of relief.

Besides Harry himself, everyone else had long grown accustomed to Snape finding reasons to deduct points from Gryffindor. Or rather, it would be strange if he didn’t deduct points one day.

So even though Seamus had already been deducted points once, and now the same incident was unreasonably blamed on Harry for another deduction, the young lions weren’t surprised. They just silently chanted:

”That’s so you!”

”I have to say—though completely unsurprising—how unlucky to be deducted points twice for the same thing!” Seamus complained after class. ”Who knows when Professor Quirrell will return? Great Detective Holmes, give us a prediction!”

Great Detective Holmes was Sherlock’s nickname among students. Interestingly, this title originally spread from other houses. After Christmas, when Sherlock had helped Hannah Abbott solve a problem, word gradually spread about the Great Detective Holmes. Sherlock had subsequently received several more consultations, and all were successfully resolved.

Combined with flying lessons, Halloween, and other daily events, the nickname spread throughout the school. Ironically, his own Gryffindor house was the last to know, since the young lions typically charged ahead without considering consequences, rarely needing Sherlock’s consultation.

This contrasted sharply with Hermione. Her initial nickname was ”Gryffindor Know-It-All,” which became ”Miss Know-It-All” once her reputation spread beyond the house.

”Probably after Easter,” Sherlock replied confidently to Seamus’s question.

”Though personally, I hope he never returns.”

”No way!” Seamus’s eyes widened in surprise. ”You want the old bat to keep teaching us?”

”Old bat” was Snape’s nickname, earned because he always wore black robes while gliding around campus, appearing suddenly when points needed deducting. The Weasley twins had coined it, and it quickly gained acceptance from all students, including Slytherins.

”He’s a good teacher,” Sherlock said seriously. ”His teaching level far exceeds Professor Quirrell’s. Frankly, Professor Quirrell isn’t fit to be mentioned in the same breath.”

Seamus looked awkwardly at the others. Neville and Dean turned left and right respectively, pretending to admire the scenery.

”Come on, mate—”

Ron cleared his throat, receiving Seamus’s pleading look, ready to speak. But Hermione suddenly agreed: ”Sherlock’s right. Though Professor Snape likes to deduct points randomly, following him teaches real skills.”

She glared fiercely at Ron, who immediately fell silent. No choice—he was eating from her hand and depending on her to check his homework.

Seeing no further opposition, Hermione nodded satisfactorily, then turned to Sherlock with a overlooked question:

”How do you know Professor Quirrell will return soon?”

”Because I stabbed him—two weeks’ rest plus Easter holidays should be sufficient.”

The friends first froze, then burst into laughter. Ron was the most dramatic, laughing until tears came: ”Hey mate, didn’t expect you to make dark humor jokes! If that were true, let me never find a girlfriend before twenty!”

Neville, Seamus, and Dean were all laughing heartily. Harry looked around and wisely joined their laughter. The air was filled with laughter.

Hermione frowned. ”That joke isn’t funny at all.”

Obviously, she didn’t believe it either. Sherlock didn’t argue. Sometimes telling the truth meant no one would believe you.

Before Easter arrived, Sherlock first resumed nighttime Hogwarts exploration with Harry—clearly with Dumbledore’s tacit approval. Since the second Quidditch match had ended, he also restored morning training to normal intensity.

Besides training, Sherlock took Harry to the library on weekends. The original Sherlock-Hermione duo became a Sherlock-Hermione-Harry trio.

Ron found this incomprehensible, while Hermione was quite pleased. The Savior following the Lion King had finally gotten on the right track.

However, Hermione and Ron didn’t know Sherlock’s real purpose for taking Harry to the library. Dumbledore had already sent detailed information about the Philosopher’s Stone through Watson.

Though the entrance to the Stone’s protection was on the fourth-floor corridor, the main body lay beneath Hogwarts castle—seven rooms with protective measures forming a series of chambers.

Several professors, including Dumbledore, had each set up mechanisms:

Hagrid’s three-headed dog Fluffy, bought from the Baskervilles.

Professor Sprout’s magical plant, Devil’s Snare.

Professor Flitwick’s charm-enhanced flying keys.

Professor McGonagall’s giant chess set created with Transfiguration.

And Quirrell’s troll.

When the rooms were being set up, first-years hadn’t yet enrolled, and Dumbledore hadn’t suspected Quirrell. As he’d first told Sherlock, he still considered Quirrell a talented Ravenclaw. Besides, including Quirrell was meant to increase defensive diversity.

Having different professors create different types of magical mechanisms was originally intended to make the defense system more varied, capable of handling various situations. This goal had at least been achieved.

After Quirrell came Snape’s and Dumbledore’s own challenges. Snape’s dedicated room naturally featured potions. But according to Dumbledore, for Sherlock, this would be the simplest challenge.

As for Dumbledore himself—the old man hadn’t specified in his letter to Sherlock via Watson, only saying he wouldn’t disappoint.

Sherlock remained noncommittal. On one hand, based on current analysis, reaching the final room with Harry would be sufficient. What Dumbledore had set up didn’t matter.

On the other hand, knowing the test questions in advance made solving the professors’ challenges as easy as an open-book exam for Sherlock. He was even beginning to regret asking Dumbledore for the questions. Knowing them took all the fun out of it!

As for the known challenges, the most difficult was ironically the troll placed by Quirrell, the double agent. Sherlock had once faced a mountain troll—the largest type—in the underground classroom. So, he knew defeating a troll wasn’t easy.

According to Bear Grylls’s Survival Handbook, the author had once single-handedly subdued a troll while extremely hungry. But Grylls’s method clearly wasn’t suitable for him—that guy wasn’t normal.

Fortunately, Sherlock’s current goal was merely to pass through the troll-guarded room, not necessarily fight it head-on. This gave him much more operational flexibility.

The two weeks of Snape substituting for Quirrell had provided Sherlock with some ideas from another angle. He needed to properly train Harry’s direct combat abilities, hoping he could truly contribute in the upcoming Harry-Voldemort battle.

When concentrating on a task, time always passed quickly. As the first Sunday after the spring equinox full moon of 1992 arrived, Easter came.

Like Christmas and All Saints’ Day, Easter originally had strong religious connotations. But over time, it had gradually become a celebration-focused traditional holiday. The holiday’s symbols were Easter eggs and Easter bunnies, with lilies as the main flowers.

Compared to Halloween and Valentine’s Day, Easter’s popularity among Hogwarts students ranked second only to Christmas, because it meant another holiday.

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