The Hogwarts Emerald

Chapter 25 Dumbledore and Snape
In the headmaster's office, the silver utensils were smoking, and the rising smoke made it difficult to see Dumbledore's expression. He sat in a chair behind his desk, picking through the candies with his slender fingers, but he never chose any dessert.

Dumbledore is unable to determine the exact time of the attack. Although he is the headmaster of the magic school and has privileges on campus, he is unable to know the actions of everyone in the school.

Even the four giants who founded this school may not be able to do this.

Professor Sprout had just left here, and she told Dumbledore everything she knew about Daniel. After leaving the underground classroom, Dumbledore immediately went to ask the ghosts wandering around the school.

Hufflepuff's ghost, the Fat Friar, told Dumbledore that he had seen Daniel after lunch, and that Daniel, looking dazed, had returned to the common room, but the Fat Friar had not noticed when Daniel left.

And after that, the ghosts never saw him again.

The student and the ghost's words confirmed that Daniel Bell had disappeared in the afternoon. From the moment he "disappeared" to the moment he was discovered by Filch, he could have been attacked at any time during this period.

Few people usually passed by that remote underground classroom, and it was possible that Daniel had been lying there since the moment he "disappeared". If Filch hadn't discovered him by accident, he would have stayed there for a while longer.

Knock! Knock! Knock! There was a knock on the door. The door opened and Snape walked in.

"Well, Severus?" asked Dumbledore.

Snape shook his head and said, "Foley looks normal. All of his behaviors are consistent with his status as a professor."

"If anything, it shows that Foley is not as clever as he looks," said Dumbledore. "What did he say?"

"Of course he denied it. Who would admit such a thing?" Snape replied, "Foley said he had no need to do such a thing. He just came here to look for something."

"After knowing this, I have been observing him." Snape said, and then thought about the situation at that time and continued, "His behavior is a little too normal, and normal is a little abnormal."

"It seems that our Professor Foley has a strong talent for acting, and his desire to perform is also very strong."

"Indeed, his performance was just like an alchemical product that had been set up in advance, as if everything was within his expectations. This makes people even more suspicious of him," said Snape.

"If we hadn't paid special attention to him, his performance would actually be flawless and there would be nothing wrong with it," Dumbledore analyzed. "But we had been observing him for a long time in advance, and his behavior seemed a little lame in our eyes."

Snape also agreed that when you pay special attention to a person, his actions will be given new meaning. Snape continued: "After leaving the underground classroom, he went straight back to the office and has not left until just now."

"The school has been attacked. I will definitely pay more attention to the situation in the school, and the professors will also increase patrols. He won't get any good opportunities at this time. He needs to wait for a better time."

"Maybe he is trying to fish in troubled waters. He muddies the water first to divert your attention, which will make it easier for him to do his thing." Snape expressed his opinion.

"What you said makes sense as well." Dumbledore agreed with Snape's statement and continued, "In this way, he can follow the professor's team and search the castle openly. But in this way, the efficiency will be reduced."

"That's right. He will be assigned to patrol a certain area and cannot move around as he pleases. Go wherever he wants." Snape said after thinking about it.

"However, everything now is just our speculation. There is no definite evidence to prove that this matter is indeed related to Benedict Foley." Dumbledore finally chose the candy. "We can't send him to Azkaban just because of suspicion."

"If he really wanted to fish in troubled waters, then he succeeded." Snape said, "There's really nothing we can do to him now."

It would be nice to just go up and give Fu Li a [Avada bites the big melon], but Dumbledore's nose is still "alive", so he can't do such a thing.

The two were silent for a while, each thinking about different things in their hearts.

"Oh, by the way, do you understand what he is looking for?" asked Dumbledore.

"Not yet. Although he is seeking my help, he has not told me the whole truth." Snape said, "He has concealed a lot of things."

"He can't trust you?" Dumbledore asked. He was well aware of Snape's abilities, so he was a little puzzled.

Snape glanced at Dumbledore with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes and said, "It's not a question of trust or not. I feel like he's afraid that I will snatch this thing away. So, on the one hand, he wants my help, but on the other hand, he's on guard against me." "What a contradictory person!" Dumbledore sighed.

"I think there's something wrong with his brain," said Snape.

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked. He was curious about why Snape said that. "How?"

"It's not that there's anything wrong with his mind, but his enthusiasm for finding this object is not normal."

Snape thought for a moment before continuing, trying to be as objective as possible. He said, "He said this thing was enough to change the world, but he himself didn't really know what it was. He was just sure it must be stored somewhere in Hogwarts."

In fact, Dumbledore had doubts about this "thing" for so many days. If that was the case, he couldn't let the pure-blooded Welfare find it.

"Nothing can change the world. It is always people who change the world." Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

"No one can change the world," Snape said, "except people like you. You just change the world selfishly according to your own ideas."

Snape's eyes became empty, as if he was remembering something he didn't want to remember.

"I really want to see how a 'thing' can make a great wizard so obsessed." Ignoring Snape's words, Dumbledore continued.

"Foley himself looks like a headless fly, just running around in all directions. Your idea of ​​broadening your horizons is probably going to fail."

"Severus, people should always keep some hope and vision while living in this world," Dumbledore said earnestly.

"These words are nothing but foolish talk by clever liars trying to trick fools." Snape said with some disdain, staring at Dumbledore sharply.

"Hope is one of the best gifts in this world. Even in the darkness, hope will illuminate us and make us yearn for light." Dumbledore said with a smile, "It is because of love and hope that human beings can keep moving forward. Isn't it, Severus?"

Snape turned his head away with disdain, not looking at Dumbledore who was talking about love and hope. He was tired of hearing such words.

"Have you found the child who overheard your conversation that day?" Seeing that Snape didn't want to continue this topic, Dumbledore decided to change direction.

"A first-year brat, a smug and annoying brat." Snape's face didn't look good, but he still answered Dumbledore's question.

"Ah, let me guess, this 'self-righteous' and 'annoying' brat couldn't be Miss Esmeralda Drizzt?" Dumbledore asked with a smile. He could even imagine Snape's expression when he faced Ada.

After school started, Dumbledore also paid attention to Ada. Apart from some "exquisite mischief", he was quite satisfied with Ada and even considered whether to include Ada in his plan.

Snape did not seem surprised when he heard Ada's name. He would have found it strange if Dumbledore didn't know it.

When facing Dumbledore, many people have an illusion that they already know Dumbledore well enough, but what people see is often just the tip of the iceberg. What you see is always what Dumbledore wants you to see.

There is probably no one in the world who can see through Dumbledore's thoughts. Perhaps there has been such a person...

"Do me a favor, Severus, and take care of the child for me."

"She is from Gryffindor..." Snape was interrupted before he could finish his words.

"I also asked Professor McGonagall for help," Dumbledore continued.

Snape looked at Dumbledore expressionlessly. Dumbledore knew exactly what he meant: You've already found Professor McGonagall, so why are you looking for me? And what's more, it's a nasty little Gryffindor.

"It's not the same thing. If Miss Drizzt is accidentally involved in Benedict Foley's affairs, she will be left to you," Dumbledore explained.

(End of this chapter)