Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 384 He was the one who least wanted anything to happen to Harry.

As is widely known, Wissengamo recently held a public trial for the highly anticipated Peter Pettigrew case.

The cunning criminals are brought to justice, the vilified hero returns in triumph, and the truth, buried for twelve years, resurfaces in the world.

But behind this seemingly happy ending lies a hidden story that no one knows.

Dear readers, when you see this touching photo, have you ever felt puzzled?
Severus Snape, the cold and aloof Head of Slytherin House and Professor of Potions at Hogwarts, has surprisingly revealed a passionate and unspoken affection for a boy he has disliked since entering the school! (See image above for details)

Our special correspondent, Rita Skeeter, will reveal the inside story of the love triangle at Hogwarts.

Ron stopped reading when he got to this part.

It wasn't intentional; it's just that the content is truly outrageous, utterly absurd.

He subconsciously glanced at the other passengers in the carriage.

Sure enough, apart from Sherlock, who volunteered to read the passage, and Luna, who was staring out the window with a dazed look on her face as if she hadn't heard anything, the other friends were all shocked and looked incredulous.

“Dear Ron, please continue.”

Just then, Sherlock spoke up, gesturing for Ron to continue reading.

"Okay, okay..."

Ron realized what was happening, composed himself, and continued reading with a strange expression.

At the scene of the execution of the despicable criminal Peter Pettigrew by the Dementor's Kiss, this reporter, representing the Daily Prophet, risked being attacked by a curse and finally captured with my camera the most perplexing emotional entanglement unique to Hogwarts hidden behind this truth!
When Potter showed signs of weakness due to the Dementor's attack, Professor Snape, as if he had expected it, pulled out the finest Honeyduke chocolates he was carrying!
(Note 1: As is well known, most people will have a bad reaction when they face Dementors, but some people will have an exceptionally strong reaction. Harry Potter, the boy who defeated the mysterious man, is one such example.)

Perhaps due to his unique experiences as an infant, his reaction to Dementors seems to be stronger than that of others.

He once fell from his flying broomstick in mid-air while facing a Dementor during a Quidditch match.
(Note 2: Honeydukes' highest grade chocolate, valued at 1 Galleon per piece.)
As is well known, Professor Severus Snape was known for his aversion to sweets.

The evidence is his repeated public criticisms of Albus Dumbledore, the current headmaster of Hogwarts, who has a sweet tooth.

Snape said that if Dumbledore continued like this, his Tooth-Strengthening Potion would lose its effect.

But now, when the other professors were completely unprepared, he specially prepared such an expensive consolation for Potter—was this coincidence too deliberate?
This newspaper conducted an exclusive interview with a senior Ministry of Magic official (anonymous), revealing even more shocking inside information:

This potion master clashed with the already victorious hero Black during his youth, and the two were sworn enemies.

Later, the hero Black was unjustly imprisoned and spent twelve years in the Azka, thus failing to properly fulfill his duties as Potter's godfather.

Snape made numerous outstanding contributions in the later stages of the Wizarding Wars, shed his Death Eater status, successfully entered Hogwarts as a Potions Professor, and became the youngest Headmaster in Hogwarts' history a few years after entering the school.

It is said that Snape had given Potter various special treatments since he enrolled.

He repeatedly harassed Potter in public and arbitrarily deducted points from Potter's Gryffindor school.

"He's deliberately targeting Harry."

Oliver Wood, a seventh-year student at Hogwarts, said he was a strong man of average build.

"When Harry was in his first year, Professor Snape volunteered to be the referee in our Quidditch match against Hufflepuff."

During the game, he made several calls against Gryffindor.

Yes, I think he did it on purpose.

Several other teachers and students testified that Professor Snape disliked Potter and pointed out that he had no talent for Potions.

But... is that really the case?

"He always used the harshest language to cover up his trembling fingers, but in fact he was the one in the school who least wanted anything to happen to Harry."

"Someone inadvertently belittled Potter's eyes, and he went on to target that student for weeks," said a Hogwarts professor who wished to remain anonymous.

According to in-depth research, Professor Snape did not seem to be good at expressing his own feelings.

After Black was wrongfully imprisoned, and after Potter enrolled three years ago, Snape intended to use his position as Potions professor to get close to Potter and take over Black's role as Harry's de facto guardian.

His actions toward Porter were actually a carefully designed reverse attraction tactic, intended to draw Porter's attention.

Details from the trial scene corroborate this inference—when Black received the Order of Merlin, Snape's venomous gaze fixed on his hand could have frosted the walls.

But when he handed the chocolate to Potter in an instant, the curled fingers revealed the gentlest curve of his life.

This extreme contrast cannot be explained by simple dislike.

Will Snape's unconventional way of expressing himself be accepted by Potter?

Will the victorious Blake engage in a duel with his nemesis to protect his godson?

What role does Headmaster Albus Dumbledore play in this situation?
Is it a well-intentioned but ill-intentioned scheme?

Beneath the surface of the truth, there are always undercurrents. When you next see Professor Snape's somber figure with his black robes billowing, please remember this historic moment captured in the photograph.

Stay tuned for Rita Skeeter's in-depth puzzle-solving!

Ron finally finished reading the report.

Outside the car window, the scenery of towns and villages flashed by.

Inside the train carriage, the most frightening thing is when the air suddenly becomes quiet.

In the end, Hermione was the first to break the silence.

She took the newspaper from Ron, and as she carefully read the article, she frowned and said:

"Unknown, burning emotions?"

A meticulously designed reverse attraction tactic?
How exactly did such a report pass censorship?
To fabricate such an absurd story based solely on a piece of chocolate is truly outrageous!
All of this is based on subjective conjecture and malicious speculation, lacking both logic and a chain of evidence.

Doesn't she have even the slightest bit of basic professional ethics?

She completely ignored NTC!

Qiu Zhang's beautiful face was also filled with disbelief.

She took the Daily Prophet from Hermione, examined the photo carefully—the one deliberately created an ambiguous atmosphere through filters and composition—and then turned to Harry, softly comforting him:
"Harry, don't take it too seriously. This is really too outrageous. I don't think anyone will take it seriously."
Photos can be deceiving, especially the Daily Prophet—I've heard of Rita Skeeter, she's always been one to spout nonsense, but…”

She looked at Harry, hesitated, but finally spoke:
"It's a bit strange that Professor Snape carries such expensive chocolates with him. Could it be that he actually has hypoglycemia?"

As she spoke, she herself began to realize that her explanation was somewhat untenable.

"I think it's probably just a coincidence."

Harry looked helpless when he heard Cho Chang say that.

Whether Snape happened to have a piece of chocolate with him, or prepared it in advance out of consideration for his mother, it doesn't matter.

In this kind of matter, actions speak louder than words, and Harry was genuinely grateful for Professor Snape's actions.

The key point is that this reporter named Rita Skeeter is really good at talking nonsense.

Snape and Sirius Black were vying for his attention?

How did she come up with that?

"Hahahahaha!"

Ginny let out a string of silvery laughter, but the laughter was full of sarcasm:
"Did this woman hit her head on the Whomping Willow? How could she associate Snape with the word 'gentle'?"
And you're talking about extreme contrast? I think the contrast between extreme disgust and extreme hatred is more like it!

His venomous gaze towards Sirius was genuine, but expecting him to be gentle with Harry was utterly absurd!

Her reaction was the strongest of the three girls.

Because she was the person involved in the incident where the report "inadvertently belittled Harry's eyes." Ron's expression was a mixture of shock, disgust, and a hint of amusement.

"Holy crap! I'd rather believe she wrote that Snape had a crush on Dumbledore!"
At least... uh... never mind, even that idea is disgusting!

He shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the eerie images Skeeter had conjured up in his mind.

Just as everyone was condemning the absurdity of the report, a clear, ethereal voice rang out.

Luna turned her ethereal gaze back from the window. "Hmm, I think Miss Skeeter's writing is quite interesting."

"interesting?"

Everyone turned to look at Luna.

Hey sis, where did you find it funny?

This report is practically a Thames away from being "interesting," isn't it?

"So you were listening too?" Ron said in surprise. "I thought you were just looking at the scenery."

“I am listening.”

Luna pointed to the report and said with a serious expression:

"You see, she said that Professor Snape's unusual behavior was a reverse expression of his affection for Harry."

This way of expressing affection is not particularly rare; many ancient and magical creatures use this method, often employing hostility to express their affection.

The fact that he specially prepared the most expensive Honeydukes chocolates in such a chaotic and dangerous situation is itself a strong signal of attention, isn't it?

Ordinary concern wouldn't make someone think of buying a 1-gallon candy.

She analyzed the situation carefully, her large eyes sparkling with wisdom.

"As for the look he gave Sirius, it was filled with intense negative emotions, especially towards the person he was trying to gain custody of..."

Well, in my opinion, this actually confirms Miss Skeeter's theory.

Just as two male horned snorkeling beasts vie for the same patch of moss under the moonlight, it is an artistic process of males fighting each other.

At times like these, the hostility is particularly intense.

So I think she's captured some hidden fragments of truth, because the magic of love is inherently complex!

Dumbfounded.jpg
After Ron finished reading the report, the carriage fell into a brief silence.

After Luna spoke, silence descended once more, and it became even more eerie.

In this situation, everyone's eyes unconsciously focused on Sherlock.

When in doubt, consult Sherlock.

Besides, it was he who had just made Ron read this report.

But to everyone's surprise, Sherlock immediately asked a question that seemed completely unrelated to the matter:
What does NTC mean?

"NTC?"

Everyone looked at each other.

Only Hermione paused for a moment before realizing what was happening, and then said, "NTC stands for the three elements of news: New, Truth, and Communication."

Hermione's words reminded everyone that she had indeed said that, but...

Sherlock's focus seems a bit off, doesn't it?

"Thank you for sharing, Hermione."

Sherlock nodded. "But I have to tell you, don't be so angry."

It would be unrealistic to expect this reporter to have professional competence at a level that meets all professional standards.

Of the factors of authenticity, accuracy, and effectiveness, only the last one is truly useful to her.

Taking things out of context, quoting from afar, and creating division—that's what journalists like her excel at.

Her pathetic logic and so-called evidence aren't even up to the level of a first-year history of magic paper.

Hearing Sherlock's seemingly infrequent praise, Hermione puffed out her chest.

"but……"

Sherlock suddenly changed the subject: "Her imagination and courage are commendable—at least she is right about one thing: Professor Snape did indeed prepare this chocolate on purpose."

"Was this really intentional?" Hermione looked surprised. "So, you knew she would write it this way?"

"It's obvious."

Sherlock shrugged. "If you had seen her report on Minister of Magic Fudge before, you probably wouldn't be so surprised now."

The two different reports finally clarified the background and details of this trial.

Harry then recounted the trial process in detail, after which everyone began sharing their holiday experiences with their friends.

The fire crossbow bolts were inevitably brought up.

Qiu Zhang already knew this during their holiday correspondence.

However, she and Luna were the only two people in this carriage who hadn't actually seen it yet.

"Harry, bring it out and let everyone see it!"

Despite having seen this top-of-the-line flying broomstick more than once, Ron still gets as excited as ever when the topic comes up.

Harry readily agreed and showed the Firebolt to Cho Chang and Luna, who both praised it highly.

The difference is that Cho Chang's praise stemmed from the perspective of Quidditch matches.

Luna, on the other hand, believed that riding it would definitely get her to the moon.

That does fit their personalities.

Next, seeing that Sherlock and Harry were surrounded by beautiful women, Ron wisely gave up on joining in the fun and picked up the Firebolt to play by himself.

A little while later, the door to the private room was suddenly pulled open.

Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch team captain who had just appeared in Rita Skeeter's article, strode in.

"Hi Harry, how was your Christmas?"

His eyes seemed to be only on Harry. After saying that, he sat down opposite Harry without waiting for Harry's reply.

Hermione had to squeeze closer to Sherlock.

She was about to speak when Wood ignored her completely and continued speaking to Harry:

"I heard you went to sit in on that crucial case, it must have been so exciting—but let's not talk about that now."

He suddenly lowered his voice and looked at Harry mysteriously, saying:
"I thought about it a lot during the holiday... Well, to be honest, I've been thinking about this ever since the last competition ended."

What would you do if the Dementors came again in the next match? I don't want to lose a great Seeker.

Thankfully, they've left, but I still want to make sure you're okay for the next match, right?

Harry: |(*′口`)
(End of this chapter)