Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 277 It's cold outside, come in and listen.

On the evening of October 30th, Halloween, a night with a full moon.

This year's Halloween banquet was exceptionally lively, with the magical dome displaying a scene of dark clouds obscuring the moon, and a flock of bats fluttering in the air. The hall was illuminated by thousands of pumpkin lanterns and many orange lights that spewed flames, which floated lazily beneath the ceiling like brilliant ripples.

The food was exquisite and plentiful, and even though the students were stuffed during the day at Honey Duke, it didn't stop them from being so full at the dinner party that they were groaning with hunger again.

As the banquet drew to a close, the ghosts put on a spectacular show. They suddenly emerged from the walls and dome, gliding in formation and dancing wildly, seemingly unaffected by gravity, their movements resembling synchronized swimming without water.

With no drama club competition this year, Nick, who almost lost his head, successfully recreated the scene of being beheaded years ago, earning praise from all who heard it and laughter from all who saw it.

The professors were talking about the strange black dog they had encountered during the day. Lupin, who had been teaching for two months, seemed quite happy. Apart from being a little pale, he was as normal as usual. After drinking a few cups of mead, his complexion returned to its rosy hue, and he chatted and laughed normally with the other professors.

The steak was still rare, and the blood was bright red.

Melvin kept turning his head, looking somewhat curious.

If I remember correctly, today is the 16th of the lunar calendar. An Eastern proverb says that the moon is fullest on the 16th, so today is the full moon. For other wizards, it's a holiday to dress up as ghosts and monsters, but this professor can actually transform into a monster.

It seems that the color doesn't change just because it gets dark; it has a lot to do with the brightness of the moonlight.

"Remus."

Melvin raised his wine glass in a toast, a gentle smile on his face: "Look at Harry at the long table, he doesn't seem to be doing well. He might ask you about what happened back then soon."

"poor child."

The professors couldn't help but sigh.

Lupin took a sip of mead, his expression complex: "Halloween Eve, October 30th, is also the anniversary of James and Lily's death. Twelve years ago today, they were murdered in Godric's Hollow, and Harry has been an orphan ever since..."

"We left him at the Dursleys’ doorstep on Privet Drive the next day."

A look of reminiscence crossed Dumbledore's eyes. "Minerva stayed there for four hours."

"In the morning, the Ministry of Magic issued a notice saying that Voldemort had disappeared and fallen, and James and Lily had died as a result. Many wizards spontaneously gathered in Godric's Hollow to commemorate them. I heard that there were also Aurors on site to maintain order, and only wizards whose identities had been verified were allowed to approach. I remember that after the headmaster went back, he buried them behind the Dumbledore family cemetery, and someone erected a monument to them."

Hagrid immediately corrected him, "Almost all the wizards in the vicinity went to commemorate him. My friends, the patrons of the tavern, all spontaneously went to pay their respects..."

The professors pieced together their memories from that time, each contributing their own perspective.

"Take Harry back to see his parents sometime."

"I'll take him during the Christmas holidays. I haven't seen James and Lily in a long time."

"Actually, his relatives should have taken him back. If it weren't for that man's shameful betrayal, his godfather would have been the most suitable candidate."

"Ugh……"

Melvin listened to their remembrance without showing any emotion. He hoped that these people would gradually get closer to the truth. He wasn't just being dismissive and looking on with amusement. He also hoped that the truth could be revealed to the public, so that the entire magical world could recognize who the real traitor was and clear the name of that black dog.

After the banquet, he watched the students return to the lounge led by their class leaders, while he lagged behind and slowly made his way back to his office.

I settled into my chair, took out the Marauder's Map, and prepared to track down the stalker's tail and Sirius Black. The daytime attack on Hogsmeade had been unsuccessful, so it was highly likely that I would sneak into Hogwarts at night.

The raiders knew the castle’s secret passages very well, and Sirius could emerge from behind a statue’s pedestal at any time.

"Dong dong dong..."

There was a sudden knock on the door.

Melvin paused, tapped his wand lightly, and put away the old parchment scroll.

"Please come in."

A tall, slender figure entered through the door, standing in the shadows. He wore a long, pure black robe and had medium-length hair that was loose. At first glance, he looked somewhat like a Dementor.

Snape entered the room, expressionless, his cold, empty black eyes sweeping across the room: "I have something I'd like to ask you for help with, Melvin."

"Oh?"

"Be my witness."

……

Late at night, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts office.

In the corner of the office sat a square water tank, inside which lived a sickly little green monster with sharp little horns, baring its teeth and making faces at the outside. But when the three wizards on holiday cast their gazes over, it immediately shrank back into the corner, hiding behind a clump of messy water plants.

On the desk sat an old kettle, seemingly a find from a secondhand store. Inside the dusty can was small packets of cheap tea, which could be tossed into the kettle to brew, with no tea leaves visible.

Lu Ping sat in the main seat behind his desk, pouring tea for the two late-night guests in turn. The steaming heat moistened his dry eyes, easing his physical and mental fatigue.

His expression was one of utter helplessness: "Is there anything that can't be said tomorrow?"

Melvin shrugged, pointed to the unfriendly newcomer beside him, indicating that it had nothing to do with him, picked up his teacup and sipped his tea, leaving the conversation to the two of them.

"I can not wait anymore."

Snape's thin face was filled with malice, his thin lips twisted into a terrible smile. "When you were examining Ron Weasley's injuries during the day, what clues did you hide from us? Something about Sirius Black, right? You two used to be best friends, and you didn't want to betray him, not even now."

"I'm just not quite sure."

Lupin spoke slowly, “The child’s injuries were indeed nothing serious. There were no traces of dark magic or any lingering curses; they were just ordinary scratches.”

"Then what are you hiding? What are you unsure about?"

"I'm not sure of Sirius's intentions, and I'm not sure of the truth of what happened back then."

Faced with Snape's questioning, Lupin remained calm. "When it happened, I was on a mission in Yorkshire. By the time I returned, James and Lily were already buried, Pettigrew was dead, and Sirius was in prison..."

When Lupin mentioned losing all his friends overnight, his brow furrowed slightly, and his heart ached faintly—a symptom of a werewolf transforming.

“Severus, we were classmates, we spent a few years together, and as enemies who hate each other, you should know them well enough. Sirius has many flaws: stupidity, recklessness, stubbornness, and arrogance, but he would never betray James.”

Snape remained noncommittal, his nostrils flaring slightly and his eyes flickering.

“During those years, they fought side by side countless times. They could completely trust each other with their backs. James told me many times that before Sirius was afflicted with the Killing Curse, no enemy curse would attack him from behind, and I had no doubt about that.”

Lupin took a sip of tea, which eased his throbbing heart a little, but he still frowned. "If Sirius was a Death Eater mole, if he served Voldemort, he had countless opportunities to kill James. He wouldn't have needed the Allegiance Charm or gone to the trouble of being a Secret Agent!"

“What do you mean!” Snape raised his voice, his half-dead tone suddenly becoming urgent. “Are you saying that it wasn’t Black who revealed the location of Sanctuary, that he didn’t kill Lily! That he didn’t blow up Peter Pettigrew, and those twelve Muggles on that street!”

Harry raised his eyebrows. He didn't know that Snape was such a warm-hearted person, that he would actually feel angry for the victims of that year.

"I mean, there are secrets hidden here that we don't know about."

Lu Ping said frankly.

"Who else could it be but him? Back then, it was that arrogant Potter who trusted the wrong person and insisted on making Black the confidant, which led to what happened later..."

Snape's rebuke echoed in the room.

Melvin listened quietly, picked up his teacup and took a sip, his mood perfectly calm.

Upon closer examination, Snape was one of the main culprits behind the tragic deaths of the Potters. He was the one who leaked the prophecy, which led Voldemort to go to great lengths to hunt down the Potters. Snape was aware of his crimes, so he despised himself and everyone who caused Lily's death, including Sirius Black.

Having spent years in the underground classroom, his mind has become even darker, and he sees Blake, the whistleblower in the open, as a sinner, so he cannot accept Lupin's explanation.

"Calm down, Severus."

Lupin's voice was unusually calm. "I'm willing to tell you this not because I'm afraid of the threat of the truth serum, but because I trust you, because Dumbledore trusts you, and because I believe in your feelings for Lily."

"boom!"

Suddenly, a knocking sound came from outside the office door.

"Who's there!"

Snape whirled around and waved his wand, and the door opened with a bang.

The bright light illuminated the corridor in front of the door. In the dimly lit castle passageway, there were picture frames upside down on the wall, motionless armor and statues, and no shadows or people were visible anywhere else.

Melvin put down his teacup, got up and went to the door, peeking out with half his body out.

"..."

Wearing an invisibility cloak, the professor shouldn't be able to see him, right?
Harry stood stiffly in the doorway, holding his breath, afraid to make a sound.

He was eavesdropping peacefully and didn't want to disturb the three professors, but when he suddenly heard Snape express his feelings for his mother, he was shocked as if struck by lightning and accidentally bumped the door.

Under Professor Levent's deep, dark gaze, Harry felt goosebumps all over. Even through the thin veil of invisibility, it felt as if they were staring at each other at close range, and that not only his body but also his thoughts were being seen through.

Harry broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead and back. He was afraid that Professor Levent would catch him red-handed. If he heard such a terrible secret, he would be killed to cover it up, or he would definitely be caught by Snape's Oblivion Curse.

He had no doubt that Snape, who was proficient in dark magic, was also skilled in the Oblivion Charm.

The good news is that Professor Levent is different from other professors; he always has a unique perspective on things, and even when he discovers something, he doesn't expose it on the spot.

"It's cold outside, come in and listen."

Melvin spoke in a low voice, subtly pulling him into the office and closing the door behind him.

Harry's head buzzed. The Forgetfulness Charm was gone, and if he was discovered, it would definitely be a matter of murder to silence him.

"It's nothing, Lady Lorice was just passing by on her patrol."

Melvin spoke fluently and was skilled at lying and diverting attention. After sitting down, he immediately changed the subject, "Actually, I also think what happened back then was strange."

Harry stood in the doorway, eyes wide, now truly too afraid to move.

“I’ve been thinking about why Wormtail only had one finger left. Think about it, even Muggle corpses could be pieced back together after that explosion. There’s no reason why Wormtail would die without a complete body. Did he use his body to shield himself from the explosion? At that close range, even if he couldn’t interrupt the spell, he could have cast a defensive spell, right?”

Melvin looked serious and analyzed the situation meticulously.

"..."

Snape frowned and nodded. "And that fat guy doesn't have the courage."

"Something's also not right with Sirius Black."

Melvin said slowly, “According to your account, he went insane after that night. But according to what I learned from the Aurors when I was investigating Azkaban, many prisoners went mad and talked nonsense during the long torture of the Dementors. They had little consciousness left in their heads. But Black was normal. He spoke to the guards in a coherent way and would occasionally read books and newspapers and do Sudoku and crossword puzzles in the newspapers.”

Snape pondered, "The Auror witch during the day, Tonks also said, those Dementors didn't seem to have any effect on him."

Lupin glanced at Melvin, and not only did his heart clench, but his head also began to throb.

Why isn't Sirius affected by the Dementors? Doesn't he know that?
Of course, it was Animagus who tricked the Dementors, saving him from constant torment!

The Animagus was also the reason he was able to escape from Azkaban and escape the pursuit of the Aurors and Dementors.

They also used Animagus form to attack Ron during the day!
“I have another question,” Melvin said, looking at Lupin. “The Faithful Charm is so important, and there are no restrictions on the choice of the Secret Keeper, so why not choose Dumbledore?”

The other two pairs of eyes in the room also turned to Lu Ping, one bright and one dark, and both of them were also puzzled.

The most powerful wizard of the time, the leader of the Order of the Phoenix who would never side with Voldemort, is also their kind and reliable headmaster, willing and able to take risks, and will not refuse their requests.

If Dumbledore had been chosen as the Secret Keeper back then, all of this could have been avoided.

Lupin sighed: "Dumbledore also suggested it to James, Severus. You know James's personality. We were too young then, we didn't think things through, and we thought friendship was more important than anything else."

“I only see stupidity!” Snape said impatiently.

"You're the stupid one..."

Although Harry secretly disagreed, he secretly agreed with it.

“I have indeed found some clues, suggesting that Littlepenny may still be alive, but I need to verify that.” Lupin rubbed his eyes wearily. “That’s enough for today, okay? I will let you know as soon as there is any progress in the investigation.”

For some reason, Harry felt that Professor Lupin's expression was somewhat ferocious when he spoke, but his tone carried a hint of pleading.

Snape remained silent, glancing up at the window. The full moon had broken through the clouds, casting its slanting light into the office, its soft glow carrying a hint of coldness.

Just as they were about to take their leave, a guardian spirit bathed in moonlight descended into the room. It had long, elegant feathers and a noble bearing, vaguely resembling a phoenix. Instead of a cry, it uttered Dumbledore's voice from its small beak.

“Severus, Melvin, come to Gryffindor Tower immediately! Black has broken into the castle.”

(End of this chapter)