The Evil Thoughts of Hogwarts and the Genie

Chapter 81 Dumbledore is suspected to be Voldemort

Before today, Edmund's attitude towards Dumbledore supporters like Hagrid was lukewarm, and he didn't expect to gain any benefits from them. But after meeting Hagrid and being treated so "lightly," he suddenly realized something noteworthy:

Dumbledore has no heir.

Moreover, even though he possessed considerable and substantial resources, he rarely used them to generate revenue, nor did he use them to cultivate a successor.

That's such a waste.

It wasn't that Edmund was actually interested in Dumbledore's connections—he just suddenly thought that it would be quite interesting if he became Dumbledore's successor without Dumbledore's knowledge, wouldn't it?

Will the other party be furious that Edmund has ruined his "lifelong reputation"? It's worth a try.

Therefore, Edmund was extremely friendly at this moment, and his eyes were clearer than ever before, as if he were just curious.

Hagrid sighed helplessly after hearing his words, hesitating to speak. Clearly, all three questions had stuck in Hagrid's mind, and he didn't want to talk about any of them if possible.

"Your words, ah, really sound like what outsiders would say." The half-giant shook his head. "I respect him because he is respectable! Not because I have benefited from him."

Edmund smiled, responding with childlike indifference.

"So you did get some benefits after all."

If a Slytherin had said that, Hagrid would have been furious. But seeing Edmund squinting his Dumbledore eyes and joking with him, Hagrid had no choice but to suppress his displeasure.

The big guy was clumsy with words, and he knew it himself. If he continued to dwell on this topic, he would spend a whole day and still not be able to explain himself clearly.

"You've only just started school, you don't quite understand yet. Edmund, you just need to remember this: Dumbledore is the only old wizard who cares about the weak, who cares about Muggles. There's no one as great as him."

Edmund did not reply. The other party's attitude was far too blind.

But he wasn't going to argue. What was the point of arguing? Even if he emphasized, "This is just Dumbledore's political proposition, and you just happen to benefit from it," what good would it do?

Edmund was stating reality, but isn't Hagrid also stating reality? Perhaps Dumbledore really is the only headmaster—a politician—willing to accept half-giants and werewolves into the school for wizarding education? And how important is this to a marginalized group like Hagrid? Does this even need to be emphasized?

"I'll remember that," Edmund replied softly. "Let's talk about the past, Hagrid. Don't be angry at my rudeness; I'm like that with everyone."

He shrugged childishly, and Hagrid nodded understandingly. But his expression beneath the beard remained hesitant.

"What's there to be curious about? Sigh, that was a long, long time ago."

Edmund nodded. "Someone died, died in the school, and we students knew nothing about it. That's too cruel."

Upon hearing this, Hagrid shuddered emotionally, like a mountain trembling.

"Hmm, alright. Come to think of it, it's been almost 30 years." The half-giant's eyes welled up with tears again. "It was a girl who died. I remember she was a fourth-year student. That girl was killed by a villain who claimed to be the heir to Slytherin."

Edmund: "..—

It.

The atmosphere was just right, and Edmund didn't interrupt Hagrid, letting the sentimental half-giant drift into his memories.

As Hagrid recounted his story, Edmund's expression grew increasingly tense. Although from the moment he heard "Slytherin's successor," he felt it was Voldemort—but as the various clues converged, Edmund still silently asked himself countless questions:

"It's you again?!"

It's always you.

"Why are you everywhere?!"

In summary, the story is not complicated. Aside from Hagrid's sometimes rough, sometimes emotionally charged but ultimately meaningless information, this past is not complicated at all:

Hagrid, a boy who loves keeping magical creatures of extremely dangerous levels, once brought food to feed his "best friend"—a giant eight-eyed spider—hidden at school after a dinner party. As a result, he was caught by another "best friend (person)" and wrongly accused of murdering a girl as the "Slytherin heir." He was stripped of his wand, expelled from school, and forbidden from using magic again.

After hearing this recollection, Edmund remained silent for a long time.

"...First of all, you are a Gryffindor."

The genie was unsure if his voice carried a hint of despair.

"Secondly, Satan, this sounds utterly foolish."

Hagrid's shoulders slumped completely; clearly, the memory had overwhelmed him.

"...I did try to explain." The half-giant's voice trembled, but his tone remained calm. "But, well, they—I mean those people in the Ministry of Magic—were clearly terrified and desperately wanted a clear answer to give those parents who were making such a fuss an explanation."

Edmund smiled coldly.

"You didn't do this. According to you, Dumbledore also approves of this, and he actually allowed this to happen right under his nose?" Could it be that I was wrong all along, and that Dumbledore is actually the heir to Slytherin?

Wait, is it possible that Dumbledore is Voldemort?

"Huh?" Hagrid was about to begin his emotional expression of gratitude towards Dumbledore when Edmund unexpectedly made the latter the one to be blamed. He stammered in panic:

"Wh-what?"

"How could you think that—Edmund!" He slammed his large, fan-like hand on the table, as if slapping a disobedient puppy. "Professor Dumbledore—he's the only one who believes me!"

Tears streamed down Hagrid's face as he spoke earnestly:

"You're too young, you don't understand!" But what didn't Edmund understand? "Back then, I was just a little wizard of unknown origin, with only an unusually tall stature! You have no idea what kind of pressure he endured to save me, to prevent me from being sent to Azkaban!"

Edmund looked at his tear-streaked face, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

"And what's the price?"

"—You're fired, Hagrid. If you are truly as innocent as you claim, then what did he protect? Only your personal safety? Is that within his capabilities? If he had done his best, couldn't he have saved you?"

In fact, it simply doesn't work.

Hagrid cried even harder, but unfortunately, he was neither persuaded nor angered by Edmund.

If Hagrid were to get so angry that he raised his hand to hurt the rude Edmund, then this magical half-giant, Dumbledore's loyal follower, would become the genie's puppet and battery.

But the burly man with his vulgar manners didn't do that.

Hagrid just kept emphasizing: Dumbledore had it tough; he wasn't the headmaster or an Auror, and he really tried his best; moreover, the times were turbulent, and for some reason, the Ministry of Magic was very rude to Professor Dumbledore—"And what about your parents? I simply can't imagine, Hagrid, how heartbroken they must have been!"

As Edmund had suspected: Hagrid was an orphan. His father had died a year before he was falsely accused.

Just as Edmund guessed, the reason Hagrid defended Dumbledore more than himself might be because he had developed an empathy for this unfathomable old man and regarded him as a spiritual father.

How pathetic.

Edmund was quiet for a moment before muttering softly.

"That's not fair."

"This is a complete miscarriage of justice—they even broke your wand, Hagrid, I pity you!"

He had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. According to Hagrid, if this had happened while Dumbledore was avoiding war,

Given that Grindelwald and the Malays were still at their peak before 1945, it's not surprising that he couldn't protect an innocent student.

But this did not stop Edmund from continuing to whisper.

"...But if you didn't do it, then who did?"

Edmund looked at Hagrid with a pained expression, his gaze filled with concern and regret.

"Back then, that incompetent headmaster and the foolish Ministry of Magic treated you like a criminal, but since Dumbledore hasn't been able to clear your name even now, doesn't that mean the 'Slytherin's successor' has never appeared again?"

"Clearly, it's happy to have you as a scapegoat—that sounds ominous, Hagrid! He might know you—he—"

Edmund stared into his blue eyes and "suddenly realized."

"That 'Tom' you mentioned earlier, what's his real name?" Edmund's voice trembled slightly. "Is it possible he framed you? How did he know you were feeding the giant spiders?"

But the conversation that followed was not as sincere and simple as it had been.

At the mention of "Tom," Hagrid stopped crying. He kept rubbing his trunk, making noises similar to an elephant playing in the water. The simple and sentimental half-giant suddenly calmed down and guiltily shut his mouth.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Edmund's face darkened as he saw the other wasn't playing along. "Do you think what I said is wrong? Or do you have someone else you suspect?"

Hagrid didn't speak, only staring at the nearly extinguished fireplace with his beetle-like eyes.

After a long pause, Hagrid let out a long sigh and said guiltily:

"I've said too much, Edmund."

The half-giant, who had been framed, expelled from school, and had his wand broken, yet had guarded this magic school for most of his life, showed signs of weariness.

"This is absolutely not something you should be troubled by. Sigh, I shouldn't have said it; it will only upset you." Hagrid shook his head.

"That's all in the past, all in the past! Edmund! Instead of wasting your time on me, why don't you talk to me about yourself—and if you don't mind, you can bring your friends next time!"

Edmund remained expressionless.

If he were facing Dumbledore himself, Edmund would have bluntly asked him why he was changing the subject.

But Hagrid was too good at crying. What could he do if this stubble-bearded giant continued to weep and sob without saying a word? He would only be making a fool of himself.

"Looks like someone wants you to keep this a secret," Edmund muttered softly, noticing Hagrid shudder. "Oh well, never mind!"

He shook his head good-naturedly.

“I don’t mean to make things difficult for you, Hagrid. I’m just very, very shocked that this could happen so close to me.” Edmund smiled gently. “Well, it’s hard to imagine.”

"If I were treated like that, I would give anything to make the person who framed me pay the price."

Before he could say another word, Hagrid laughed.

"Don't think like that, Edmund!" The hand, as big as a fan, patted Edmund's shoulder, making him feel half a head shorter.

"I am very happy now!"

Edmund remained expressionless.

Hagrid's smile was genuine. The most terrifying thing was that he truly had no complaints.

Yes, he failed to graduate from Hogwarts, his wand was broken, and he wasn't even considered a wizard.

But it was precisely because of this, and because of Dumbledore's protection, that he bypassed the other procedures and remained at Hogwarts. He was able to continue working in the place he loved most and felt most at home.

"I have the Forbidden Forest, I have Tooth, I can serve Professor Dumbledore, and every now and then, I can make friends with young wizards!" Hagrid said cheerfully.

"I also saw you, Edmund! You're a better boy than I expected."

Edmund: "."

What else could Edmund say? Proceed with the original plan to lure Hagrid into making a wish?

Come on. Even the genie would think this is a bit unethical.

Oh, I didn't mean to discriminate against Hagrid's intelligence. Really, I didn't.

Edmund forced himself to sit for a while longer, chatting with Hagrid about James Porter and Pollyanna Cobbot, before taking his leave as it was getting late.

Hagrid only realized he had prepared a gift for Edmund just before leaving.

Edmund was quite exasperated; he had no expectations whatsoever. How could one expect a gift from a half-giant whose desires were so low that he considered guarding the hunting grounds his life's goal, who treated hidden weapons—no, rock cakes—as desserts?

The result was completely different from Edmund's expectations.

Hagrid placed two cushions made of unicorn tail hair—note that these weren't decorated with unicorn tail hair, but woven directly from it. The raw materials alone would probably cost nearly a hundred Galleons.

"Rich! Really rich!" Edmund realized then that guarding the hunting grounds in the Forbidden Forest was actually a lucrative job. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Before he could even leave the house with Hagrid's two gifts, the big man slapped his forehead and thought, "No, two cushions aren't enough for the three of you." Clearly, he had also taken Edmund's "friends" to heart.

A short while later, Hagrid pulled out another dreamcatcher that was suspicious in both its design and materials.

Considering that the person in front of him was not even 14 years old and already kept an eight-eyed giant spider, Edmund hesitated for a moment, but still didn't say anything. It really was made of spider silk. Should he accept it or not?

"Thank you so much. I didn't even prepare a gift for you."

Edmund said earnestly. Hagrid shook his head, laughing and telling him not to be so polite, clearly treating Edmund like a relative's child.

Hey.

Edmund finally abandoned his initial plan to use Hagrid to target Dumbledore. After all, he wasn't completely ungrateful. Although he had no preference for this kind of honest and reckless "goodness," it would be too tasteless for him to devise a plan against such a person.

Edmund is not going to bully idiots like the "Slytherin Heir".

But precisely because of this, as he stepped out the door, he turned back and asked another question:

"I'm sorry to spoil your fun in the end. But I really want to know where that tragedy happened."

Don't get me wrong, Hagrid. I just want my friends to avoid that place as much as possible, at least not to fool around there.

"

This time, Hagrid didn't hesitate. He readily told Edmund that he didn't remember exactly either, but Edmund could simply ask the victim himself!

Edmund almost thought he was going to make a move.

result,

"Myrtle?" Edmund was stunned. "The dead woman—she's become a ghost?!"

Do British Ministry of Magic officials eat shit on a daily basis? How could they possibly make a wrong judgment?

Oh well. I'm used to it.

This made things easier for Edmund. He could simply ask the other party directly. He didn't need to continue worrying about that one in ten thousand possibility: "The Slytherin heir" wasn't Dumbledore, right?

Dumbledore isn't Voldemort—he couldn't possibly be that unlucky, at least not twice, right?