Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world.

Chapter 256 Conflict at the Board of Trustees

Although the other two members of the trio have some conflicts and seem on the verge of falling apart, Harry's role as a glue has not yet been lost.

Therefore, when the two noticed his expression, they immediately stopped arguing and came closer.

Hermione asked, "What's wrong?"

"Look here." Harry waved his wand, moving the orb of light summoned by the glow charm over to the top of the quest scroll. On the map, several small arrows circled the three people, with one arrow on the left front slowly turning.

The trajectory is strange.

Hermione and Ron, who had just arrived, both saw that although the arrow turned very slowly, it was clear that it was turning left and right, and that as time went on, the speed of the turn was getting faster and the amplitude was getting smaller.

It's like, in the direction the arrow is pointing, something is gradually approaching, and as it gets closer, the other party is also gradually confirming this location!

"See!"

Ron suddenly shouted, startling Harry and Hermione again. They quickly shrank back and lowered their voices, saying, "What did I say again?"

Vaughn's mission was definitely not well-intentioned. How could he possibly just assign us to find a snake egg? Perhaps this arrow represents the legendary giant rune serpent!

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"I wouldn't be surprised if Neferpitou knew we were egg thieves beforehand and came to intercept us—Vaughn is absolutely capable of doing such a thing!"

This time, Hermione didn't argue; she looked at Harry.

In the small group, Harry always made the final decision.

Although he had poor grades, was lazy, lacked self-control, and studied sporadically, much like a lazy bum, he possessed a quality that Hermione and Ron did not have.

He is always very decisive.

It's the same this time.

Harry pondered for only a few seconds before ordering, "Extinguish the glow charm! We'll hide and wait for that—that thing to get closer!"

"what?"

Ron looked at Harry like he was a madman: "Didn't you hear me? Runeboding! That's a terrifying creature that can pull two groups of upperclassmen into illusions, and you actually want to stand there and wait for it—"

Harry interrupted him: "The rune is just your guess. Even if it really is, it's already close. What can we do? Run away? Do you think we can escape in the jungle?"

“Harry is right,” Hermione added. “Judging from the direction of the arrow, what it’s pointing at is probably coming for us. Maybe, as you said, the runeboding snake already knows we’re going to steal its eggs. In that case, there’s no point in running away. We might as well observe what’s coming.”

"Merlin's socks!"

For the first time, Ron was a little annoyed by Gryffindor’s courage, though he preferred to call it recklessness.

However—Harry does have a point—

In the end, Ron only complained a couple of times before following the two who had extinguished the glow spell and secretly hiding behind a big tree, observing the map on the quest scroll and the direction the arrow was pointing.

Before long, as the arrows on the map swung smaller and smaller, and faster and faster, finally, a clump of bushes in the distance began to sway.

The three stared at the spot, gripping their wands tightly. Ron, who was already terrified of the jungle, flared his nostrils and began to breathe heavily.

The swaying of the bushes was getting closer.

Soft rustling sounds.

Harry was on edge. He noticed that Hermione next to him had raised her wand and her lips were moving slightly, as if she was silently chanting some spell.

Then----

Swish!

About 20 feet away, a clump of bushes was parted, and a thin figure crawled out of the darkness hidden by the foliage.

The moment she saw the figure, Hermione, who was ready, quickly stood up, waved her wand, and was about to utter the spell she had been preparing.

But Harry, seeing the figure, was startled for a moment and quickly stopped her: "Hermione, stop!"

As he spoke, he ran out from behind the tree where he was hiding, exclaiming in astonishment, "Colin Creevey? What are you doing here?"

Bang!

His response was met with bright spotlights and a thin plume of smoke rising into the air.

The flash of burning magnesium briefly illuminated the jungle, and Ron and Hermione, who rushed out behind Harry, finally saw that the figure that created the flash was indeed a short, thin, and somewhat malnourished little wizard.

They heard him shout excitedly, "Mr. Potter, wonderful! You're here!"

at the same time.

In a hastily prepared meeting room in the castle, Vaughn, who was attending the meeting with Professor McGonagall, frowned slightly.

"What is it, Mr. Weasley?"

Noticing the change in his expression, Professor McGonagall, who was sitting upright, looked straight ahead and asked in a low voice.

Vaughn's brow relaxed, and he didn't say much, only smiling and saying, "It's nothing, Professor. We've been sitting for too long. May I ask when the meeting will end?"

Professor McGonagall did not answer, but simply advised, "The meeting may be a little boring, but it's a necessary procedure. Please be patient, dear."

"All right!"

Vaughn shrugged, concealing his inner turmoil behind a detached expression.

Just as his thoughts were churning, he sensed a strange "accident" appearing in his little world!

Vaughn was in a conference room.

It has a long history and is filled with traces of Celtic culture, especially the walls, where towering trees are painted, with their canopies extending all the way to the ceiling.

They gathered around and coiled, making the entire conference room seem like a small clearing nestled in the woods.

A crystal lamp burning with magical fire hangs down, adorned with lush green leaves—that's mistletoe.

This is typical Celtic Druid element, an original religion from Muggles, who were once part of the magical world.

However, no one cares about these things from the past anymore. Just like in this meeting room that imitates a forest sanctuary, none of the wizards present care about the actual significance of what they are talking about.

"—I absolutely will not agree to any more dueling clubs; the practical class was already an exception!"

"That's right, absolutely not!" The speaker was a plump witch with orange-red hair. She glared fiercely at Vaughn, who sat opposite her. "Weasley boy, don't think I don't know what Dumbledore is planning. That old madman has been plotting to overthrow the pure-bloods, and I will never let him succeed!"

Faced with the fat witch's roar, Vaughn smiled but didn't reply, simply following Professor McGonagall's instructions to be a quiet listener.

After all, he wasn't a faculty member and wasn't qualified to speak on the board of directors.

Yes, what's happening right now is the Board of Trustees meeting.

Besides Vaughn and Professor McGonagall, there were 12 other people present. They were the members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, consisting of 4 representatives of pure-blood families, 4 representatives of wizarding families, 2 prominent figures from society, and 2 representatives of the Ministry of Magic.

The plump witch with orange-red hair is Alecto Carlo, the younger sister of the Carlo siblings in this generation, representing the pure-blood family.

One of them, a former Death Eater!

That explains why she called Dumbledore "the old madman".

Professor McGonagall's expression darkened. "Alexios," she said, "Mr. Weasley and I are here today out of respect for the Board of Governors, not because we've committed any crime that you're pointing your finger at us and berating us. It has nothing to do with Dumbledore either. I hope you'll watch your attitude!"

The Deputy Headmistress had been at Hogwarts for decades, and everyone present, except for the two old wizards, was her student, including Alecto Carlo. Alecto Carlo's expression remained unchanged. From the day she succumbed to Voldemort's violence and destruction, her heart was completely corrupted by twisted desires, and she decided to follow Voldemort. All the goodness in her heart had vanished.

Love and respect are also beautiful things.

In Alecto Caro's eyes now, Minerva McGonagall is no longer the professor she respected during her student days, but a hateful, arrogant old witch!

However, she didn't care, but the other "respectable people" present did.

Not far from Alecto Caro, in the dim shadows, a gloved hand tapped the table with the head of a silver cane.

Then, as the humanoid silhouette in the shadows leaned forward, the Malfoy family's signature pale hair appeared in the soft glow of the crystal chandelier overhead.

"Alecto, calm down."

As always, Lucius Malfoy tilted his head slightly, creating a superior air—a typical haughty posture. Even his smile was so perfect it looked fake: "This is Hogwarts. After all, Dumbledore is still the Headmaster. As a member of the Board of Governors, you should show him at least some respect. And Professor McGonagall—"

As he spoke, he nodded slightly to Professor McGonagall: "Professor, I apologize to you on behalf of Alecto. You know, she has always been like this, outspoken and blunt."

Ha, there's not even the slightest hint of apology!

Vaughn watched coldly from the sidelines.

Professor McGonagall's already serious expression became even more tense.

Lucius Malfoy ignored this and continued, "However, although Alecto's words were inappropriate, his meaning was what we all agreed on. I must say, Professor, the Board of Trustees has been quite tolerant of Mr. Vaughn Weasley's various underhanded tactics."

"Before the semester started, he and Isabella Rozier had some wild ideas about curriculum reform, turning Defense Against the Dark Arts into a practical course—and look at it now, it's become a frustrating disaster!"

"A disaster?" Professor McGonagall's parched lips tightened even more. "How could you say such a thing, Mr. Malfoy? Where did you get that conclusion?"

"Of course one"

Alecto was about to say something.

Lucius Malfoy raised his cane to stop her, and gave Professor McGonagall a forced smile and a snort: "Of course it's the changes in the school. Think of Hogwarts before, Professor, how peaceful and serene it was. Young wizards strolled in the arcades and read in the courtyards. Everywhere there was the tranquility and elegance of knowledge."

"But what about now? Those children no longer discuss schoolwork, books, or exams. They no longer hold quills or parchment, but wands. And all they talk about are spells that can fight magical creatures—explosion spells, eye-curing spells, cutting spells—"

Merlin then realized just how shocking it was to see a group of innocent children spouting such horrific things!

He clutched his chest, looking as if he could hardly bear it.

Watching his performance, McGonagall's wrinkled old face darkened so much it looked like it could be squeezed dry, and she couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Mr. Malfoy, when did you see the scene you're talking about? I don't remember the Board of Governors ever visiting the campus."

Lucius Malfoy dismissed it: "Indeed, there was no tour, but my child, and the children of several other members of the Board of Governors present here, are also Hogwarts students, and they wrote to lament the terrible changes that have taken place on campus—"

Before he could finish speaking, Professor McGonagall said coldly, "You mean Draco Malfoy wrote you a letter crying and complaining?"

"----Yes!"

"But as far as I know, Draco Malfoy really enjoys practical classes—perhaps I should tell you more about it. Draco was very mischievous in his first year, daydreaming in class, not liking to do his homework, and getting involved with Goyle and Crabbe bullying other students. Last semester, I was often worried that he would go down the wrong path again—"

On the other side, Lucius Malfoy subconsciously glanced away, but quickly turned back, looking coldly at Professor McGonagall as she said, "But this semester, since the reform of the practical courses, I am very pleased with Draco's changes. He has become less aloof and no longer looks down on his classmates."

"Just two days ago, for the first time in over a year, I saw him go into the library and borrow some books that I thought he would never have borrowed in seven years of schooling. The reason was that he wanted to learn about the magical creatures that had appeared in the practical classes. He wanted to know their habits and characteristics—the Draco Malfoy of the past would never have had such patience and ideas."

"At the same time, he showed considerable courage during the first trial run of the practical course. I heard from Vaughn and Isabella that when faced with the giant wolf's attack, he did not abandon Goyle and Crabbe in the critical moment, but chose to fight alongside them."

As Professor McGonagall recounted the story, Lucius Malfoy's expression gradually began to waver.

At that moment, Alecto suddenly let out a sharp cry, interrupting Professor McGonagall: "Giant wolves! Yes, giant wolves! How dare you put those dangerous, dirty animals into practical lessons, placing them next to those young wizards?"

She stared at Vaughn menacingly: "Weasley boy, humph, I can guess your scheme without you even saying a word. You're definitely planning to use the giant wolves to infect the students, turning them into members of your werewolf army, part of your wicked plan!"

Upon hearing this, the other members of the board of directors exchanged bewildered glances.

After a pause, the two prominent figures, including an elderly wizard who was also a member of the Wesleyan Moor, said tremblingly, "But Miss Carol, according to Mr. Weasley's research, giant wolves don't seem to be able to contract wolf disease—"

"Does he really mean it when he says no?"

"We, along with the Ministry of Magic and Wizengamor, certainly won't believe Mr. Weasley's one-sided story. However, based on our extensive research, including from several apothecaries, werewolf research experts, and numerous wizarding notes from different eras that study werewolves, there are corresponding records."

The old wizard defended himself.

But Alecto clearly wouldn't listen. She roared, "That's all fake, part of his conspiracy! This brat has already controlled the werewolves! Don't forget, he even wants to start a werewolf class and send those wolf cubs into Hogwarts. The so-called conclusion that the giant wolves can't be infected might just be evidence he's using to lull you into a false sense of security!"

The meeting room fell silent once again.

The research on giant wolves not being infected with wolf disease could not possibly be a conspiracy by Vaughn. In fact, since Vaughn proposed in his paper that giant wolves have lost their infectivity, there have been people who have questioned him.

But those doubts quickly disappeared after subsequent verification.

Not to mention, there are a large number of notes and documents as evidence that the apothecaries and werewolf research experts may have colluded with Vaughn, but the wizards who left those notes were at least 50 years old and could not possibly be accomplices, right?

The reason why the issue of the giant wolf appearing in the practical class did not escalate to the point of provoking widespread opposition is that everyone generally accepted the research results presented by Vaughn.

Logically speaking, there's no need to bring up the giant wolf again.

But, as Alecto said—who knows if the giant wolf is just a smokescreen thrown by Vaughn Weasley to lull everyone into a false sense of security?

Ultimately, it's the werewolf class that everyone is truly wary of.

However, the old wizard still chose to stand on Vaughn's side, and he continued to argue: "The werewolf class was just something Dumbledore mentioned casually, and that's not our topic today, Ms. Carol."

He changed his form of address, seemingly to indicate his stance: "Today's discussion is about the Dueling Club; anything else is meaningless. And I must remind you, Mr. Weasley, while a Hogwarts student, is also a member of Wizengamot and the Order of Merlin. Until he clearly violates the rules, or until the Board of Governors unanimously agrees that his demands or actions violate the rules, you should treat him with respect, rather than making unfounded accusations against him!"

"Ha, Sir Merlin's Order! Respect!"

Alecto shrieked with laughter: "Didn't a few months ago, the Order of Merlin have a fake? What was his name again?"

A representative of a pure-blood family responded with a smile: "Giddro Lockhart, Ms. Carole, he was awarded the Order of Merlin, Third Class, for outstanding academic achievements. Three months ago, he was stripped of his honor by the Order for fraudulently claiming others' research results!"

Alecto's laughter grew even sharper.

The old wizard was a little embarrassed. He glanced at Vaughn and said, "Speaking of which, it was Vaughn who exposed the fake. It was Vaughn who reported it and brought it to trial in Wizengamo."

Nowadays, the example of counterfeit goods has actually become a weapon for others to use to subtly satirize Warn—it's somewhat darkly humorous.

"Did you hear that, dear school board member? The Order of Merlin isn't as sacred as you make it out to be. Who knows if today's recipient of the Order of Merlin might one day turn out to be another academic fraudster?"

Alecto said sarcastically, "A cunning and scheming man who fabricated an academic background to carry out his treacherous plans, wouldn't you say, Mr. Weasley?"

In an instant, everyone's eyes were on Vaughn.

Vaughn, now the center of attention, remained calm but broke his silence. He glanced at Alecto Caro's orange-red hair and gave a faint smile: "It seems you have many misunderstandings about me, Aunt Alecto!"

The English magical world, though not small, is also quite large. The blood ties between purebloods are always intricate and difficult to guard against.

Yes, the Carroll and Weasley families are related in some way, but it's a very distant relationship. If we're really going to talk about it, we'd probably have to go back to Vaughn's great-grandfather's generation.

Alecto Caro was furious about Vaughn's attempt to "claim kinship."

Her swollen, fat face visibly turned ashen, and her thick lips parted as if she wanted to say something.

But after greeting her, Vaughn completely ignored her and looked at the others, pausing for a moment before asking, "It seems that we can't move forward today without clarifying the issue of the giant wolf—distinguished members of the Board of Trustees, is there anyone else, like my Aunt Alexios and dear Mr. Lucius Malfoy, who has concerns about the existence of the giant wolf?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lucius and Alecto's gazes swept over the others.

The board members exchanged glances, and then the other two pure-blood family representatives and three wizard family representatives slowly raised their hands.

Including Alecto and Lucius, seven out of the twelve board members had “concerns” about the giant wolf.

Professor McGonagall's face first flushed red, then turned ashen.

The vice-headmistress, who had spent her entire life teaching at Hogwarts, couldn't understand the situation at all. Or rather, she could understand the pure-blood families' opposition—after all, they always had. But when did wizarding families start siding with pure-bloods?

The number of people raising their hands exceeded Professor McGonagall's expectations, as did those of Lucius Malfoy and Alecto.

It was no surprise that two pure-blood family representatives raised their hands. It was also understandable that one of the four wizarding family representatives did not raise his hand; that guy had always been Dumbledore's right-hand man, and everyone already knew his background.

but----

The two instinctively looked toward the two representatives from the Ministry of Magic.

Why didn't they raise their hands?

Noticing their gazes, the one of the two Ministry of Magic representatives, the one with the air of a Muggle scholar and seemingly of higher status, adjusted his glasses: "Minister Fudge, after careful consideration, believes that Mr. Weasley's research on the giant wolf is correct. Therefore, the Ministry of Magic supports Mr. Weasley's request!"

As he spoke, he smiled and nodded at Vaughn.

Vaughn nodded in return.

Fudge was indeed a political animal; when Dumbledore brought Vaughn's terms, the guy agreed without hesitation.

Fudge, who was always greedy, didn't even make any more demands. Once it was confirmed that Vaughn was willing to include him as one of the organizers of the international magic school potions exchange activity, Fudge rushed to the German Ministry of Magic this morning.