The Return to Hogwarts

Snape said through gritted teeth,

"The moment he left, Black burst into the castle. Do you think this is just a coincidence, Dumbledore?"

The atmosphere became very tense, and many young wizards unconsciously shifted their bodies due to unease. Snape's appearance made many of the young wizards who were secretly eavesdropping even worry that he would pull out his wand and fight with Headmaster Dumbledore in the Great Hall.

"He went to spend Halloween with his friends, huh?"

Snape pressed on relentlessly.

"Did you ask who his friend was, Dumbledore? If you ask me, it must be an old friend!"

Strangely, when faced with Snape's questioning, Dumbledore did not order him to shut up. Instead, a strange light appeared in his eyes, and his silver eyebrows twitched, as if he was thinking about something.

"If you're really curious, Severus—"

After a long while, Dumbledore's brow relaxed as he suddenly realized that Black's intrusion into Hogwarts Castle was a very good opportunity.

"Why don't we go take a look now? I don't think Blake will stay in the castle anyway."

Snape's eyebrows furrowed instantly. He stared at Dumbledore with suspicion and confusion, suddenly wondering what kind of trick this was.

“Come on, Severus, Fox will give us a ride.”

Once he made up his mind, Dumbledore became decisive. He gave Professor McGonagall, who was coming downstairs, an instruction, and then tossed a sentence to Snape before striding up the stairs with brisk steps.

Professor McGonagall, looking worried, walked over to where the Slytherin students were sleeping. Harry, who had been holding back for a while, quickly turned around, his emerald green eyes full of confusion.

"Harry!"

Ron burrowed over like a Floppy caterpillar, and Neville, who had been kicked by Hermione, reluctantly moved aside.

"Snape suspects that Professor Lupin helped Black, doesn't he? But how could that be? What evidence does he have to think that?"

Ron's rapidly blinking eyes were proof enough of his surprise.

Although her relationship with Ron hadn't improved much, Hermione still impatiently offered her opinion upon hearing this.

“It’s quite obvious, Ron. From their conversation, we can tell that Professor Lupin knows Black. That’s not surprising. If Professor Lupin and Black are about the same age, then they probably studied at Hogwarts together. Professor Snape was probably at the school back then too, and they knew each other!”

"Thank you, if you hadn't reminded me, I almost wouldn't have realized it!"

Ron glared at Hermione and said rudely.

"But what does that prove, Hermione?"

Although somewhat disgusted that Professor Lupin and a scoundrel like Black had been classmates, Harry couldn't help but defend Lupin, lowering his voice as he said...

"Hagrid was even Voldemort's classmate!"

"But the key point is,"

Hermione ignored Ron's defiant gaze and solemnly addressed Harry.

"From Professor Snape's words, we can infer that Black and Professor Lupin probably had a fairly good relationship in the past, but later... I guess it was because Black sided with the Man of Varian that Professor Lupin parted ways with him. But because of this, Professor Snape didn't trust Professor Lupin."

“Snape should go back to his dormitory and take a good look in the mirror,” Harry couldn’t help but sneer. “Maybe he was much closer to Voldemort than Black was!”

Two months have passed since the start of the school year. Compared to the annoying Snape, Professor Lupin's character is obvious to all. Most young wizards believe that Snape is just using this as an excuse, that he only resents Lupin for taking the place he wanted. No one really thinks that Professor Lupin is the traitor who helped Black get into Hogwarts.

"but--"

After the discussion ended, Harry faced the mysterious starry sky and murmured in a voice only he could hear.

"Who exactly did Professor Lupin go to see?"

Chapter 186 Why are you here?

"problem occurs?"

Remus followed Amosta's gaze toward the door, repeating his words in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Amosta did not answer. He adjusted his posture, leaned back in his chair, and smiled as he waited for the wooden door to close before being knocked on. However, what actually happened was much more intense than he had anticipated.

boom!

As if someone had detonated a bomb at the door, the fragile door of Amosta's residence instantly turned into a shower of debris amidst the intense roar. The rapidly expanding blast wave, carrying smoke and dust, swept through the foyer and surged into the living room, reaching Amosta in an instant.

hum!

A milky-white barrier appeared out of nowhere, blocking the bullet-like sawdust and billowing dust. Amosta stood up from the stool in astonishment, truly not expecting the old dean to be so excited.

"Sorry, did I disturb the old classmates' reunion, Lupin?"

Ignoring Dumbledore's equally surprised attempts to stop him, Snape rushed into the room with a sinister grin. But the moment he emerged from the dust and saw the two people seemingly having a meal in the living room, Snape's expression, which had been one of great revenge, froze instantly!

The dust floating in mid-air slowly settled down, and a fleeting glint of light flashed across the half-moon mirror. Dumbledore shook his beard helplessly, carefully stepping on the rain-soaked gravel and rotten wood, and followed into the living room.

One second, two seconds, three seconds. Silence became the dominant theme in the living room.

Remus was stunned into silence by Snape's impulsiveness and awkwardness. Dumbledore pressed his hands together against his beard and stared with interest at the storm on the ceiling. Amosta, with his lips tightly pressed together, and Snape, with his cheeks flushed, looked at each other. The atmosphere in the room was strange and comical.

Cough cough--

Seeing Professor Snape's face, which looked as if he had swallowed several slugs, Amosta blinked innocently, then a bright smile spread across her face.

"Long time no see, Professor Snape. Are you here to celebrate Halloween with me too?"

Amosta Blaine!

Snape gripped his wand tightly, his face twitching slightly. He glanced between Lupin and his prized student, whom he hadn't seen for half a year, before finally letting out a roar.

Tell me, why are you here!

"Now you understand, Severus?"

Dumbledore drew his wand and restored all the damage Snape had caused, looking at him gently as he spoke.

"Remus didn't help Black break into the castle; he stayed at Amosta's all night. I don't think you believe Amosta is Black's accomplice, do you?"

Dumbledore's short sentence conveyed the most important information to everyone. Stimulated, Remus's face, which had been flushed from drinking, turned pale in an instant, and the knuckles of his hand, which was pressed against the table, turned ashen. He opened his mouth and stared at Dumbledore, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

“Yes, Remus,”

Dumbledore answered Remus's questioning gaze with a calm tone.

"Tonight, Black broke into Hogwarts and tried to get into the Gryffindor common room to do something."

Upon hearing this, Amosta's eyelids twitched.

During the summer vacation, the mark he placed on Harry was still there, which meant that Harry had escaped again.

"--Fortunately, Black did not succeed, no young wizards were harmed, only one portrait was severely damaged."

Dumbledore continued,

“We have launched a search in the castle, but we haven’t found any trace of Blake yet. Remus, if you don’t mind, I would like you to return to the castle now and help Minerva and the others continue the search for Blake.”

Without saying a word, Remus left without even having a chance to say goodbye to Amosta.

The thunderstorm that had raged for several hours finally stopped. High in the sky, strong winds swept through the clouds, and the nearly full moon appeared and disappeared among the clouds.

"You knew all along—"

Once Remus left, Snape, feeling tricked, immediately erupted in anger. He averted his gaze from Amostella, who had maintained an innocent expression, and glared at Dumbledore with a livid face.

"You knew Amosta was in Hogsmeade, Dumbledore, all along, but you didn't tell me anything!"

"Oh, sorry, Severus, are you angry that I kept Amosta's whereabouts a secret from you?"

Standing in the living room, where the ceiling wasn't high enough to touch the ground, Dumbledore's head was practically embedded in the rolling thunderclouds. To avoid embarrassment, he sat directly in Remus's seat. Hearing Snape's question, a smile appeared on his aged face.

“If that’s the case, Severus, I have to defend myself a bit. Although my memory isn’t what it used to be, I don’t seem to recall you ever asking me to keep an eye on Amosta’s whereabouts?”

Snape gasped for breath, his expression looking as if he had swallowed a few juicy slugs.

"And what about you, Amosta?"

Snape, panting, stared at the innocent-looking Amostella, pursing his lips and uttering each word slowly and deliberately.

"You clearly left Hogwarts, so why did you come back? And how did you end up hanging out with that guy?!"

"Well, actually it's like this—"

Amosta scratched his cheek, revealing a clear smile. Before he could even begin to fabricate some nonsense about Hogsmeade being a secluded paradise nestled by mountains and water, a place he longed to settle after years of hard work and exhaustion, Snape interrupted him angrily.

“I need you to tell me the truth, Amosta!”

Amostella blinked, maintaining her innocent expression, as if she were suddenly transported back to her school days, to the time Snape caught her secretly brewing forbidden potions.

"I think I shouldn't disturb this touching moment of reunion."

Dumbledore, with great tact, walked out of the room and thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

“For the money,” Amosta said succinctly. “Black’s bounty, fifty thousand Galleons!”

Well, Snape wasn't too surprised by this answer. It wasn't like he had just met Amostella. Back in school, Snape knew all too well what Amostella had done to get him some Galleons.

"Ha, 50,000 Galleons--"

Snape glared at Amostella, as if reprimanding a misguided junior, and said angrily.

"Do you think you can get that money, Amosta, huh? Black, that filthy, stinking bastard, but since he managed to escape from Azkaban, do you think you can handle him?!"

"What do you mean by that, Professor Snape?"