My Hogwarts has a serious problem.

Chapter 317, Section 314: The Death Eaters

"Professor, was that person a Death Eater?"

Lynn followed behind Snape and asked in a low voice.

Snape glanced back at him.

"You saw his tattoo?"

"A python emerges from a skull, the Dark Mark. I read about it in a book. It's said that only Voldemort's most trusted lieutenants would brand this mark on their left arm."

Snape didn't take Lynn back to Borgin Burke's magic shop. Instead, he led him through Knockturn Alley into Diagon Alley, making several turns.

He sneered upon hearing Lynn's words.

“That’s right, only the core ironclad followers can obtain the mark of evil.” As he spoke, he stared intently at Lynn and gave him a piece of advice, “I know you are very courageous and capable, Lynn, but I still suggest you don’t call that person by his name. Being different from others is never a good thing.”

Lynn blinked and looked at Snape: "Why, Professor? Isn't the Man of Darkness dead?"

"Everyone says he's dead, but I never believed he could be killed so easily."

Snape led Lynn through the narrow alleyway and turned from Knockturn Alley into the bustling Diagon Alley.

"Only those who know him will know how terrifying that person is."

Once inside Diagon Alley, Snape shut up. No one but a fool would openly discuss such matters in a crowded place.

However, Lynn disagreed with him. He simply couldn't connect the Tom who was grieving over the death of an innocent little girl in his office every day, which was driving him to depression, with the terrible being Snape spoke of.

It can only be said that Voldemort ruled over these Death Eaters by relying on their fear of him, rather than by using ideals and personal charisma to attract the Saints, as Grindelwald did.

Snape spent all the money he earned from selling potion recipes in Diagon Alley, buying all sorts of potion ingredients to replenish his reserves.

"If he was a Death Eater, why has he ended up like this?"

On the way back, Lynn couldn't help but ask again.

Snape seemed quite happy to tell others about the miserable fates of his former colleagues.

"After the fall of the Varian, although some die-hards and simple-minded fools were imprisoned in Azkaban, most Death Eaters escaped the Ministry of Magic's accountability thanks to their family influence and superb acting skills. Most of these people are still living well now. However, not all Death Eaters have their own family businesses, or the ability to manage their own family businesses."

The family we just met, Shabul, once had a glorious past, but by this generation, only he remained. He squandered all the wealth left to him after graduating from Hogwarts. If he hadn't joined the Death Eaters with his pure-blood status, he probably wouldn't even have had a chance to eat.

More than a decade after Mystic's downfall, the Death Eaters were purged. Shabul, being quite clever, like most others, lied that he was under the control of the Imperius Curse and that's why he was recruited by Mystic. Although he escaped imprisonment, he lost the aura of being Mystic's lackey and ended up on the streets.

In recent years, he has also developed a gambling addiction and lost more and more money. His broken leg was caused by creditors who came to collect debts.

So he was still quite shrewd; even at his lowest point, he knew to hide some money to secure his future, otherwise he would have truly been a cripple for life.

After hearing Snape's story, Lynn felt no sympathy whatsoever for Shabul.

In his past life, he saw a quote online that was absolutely true: "Gamblers never die a good death!"

Lynn returned to Hogwarts with Snape, lost in thought. He had no interest in Shable, who had become a useless person, but he was very interested in the "former" Death Eaters that Snape mentioned who had escaped punishment from the Ministry of Magic and were still living leisurely lives as high-ranking figures in the wizarding world.

After returning to the castle, Lynn said goodbye to Snape.

Neither of them consciously mentioned why Shabul said Snape was his colleague at the end, nor did they ask Snape why he knew so much about the Death Eaters.

Those who know these things already know them, and those who don't don't need to say anything.

Going out of Knockturn Alley with Snape was just a minor incident.

Lynn's main purpose in staying at the castle this time was to help Tom rebuild his own body.

The potion in the House of Requirement, after seven days of brewing, was finally ready to be "cooked".

"Come on, Tom, you'll have to open it yourself."

Lynn timed it perfectly and directed Tom to begin the pot-opening ceremony.

Tom took a deep breath, floated above the pot, gripped the lid tightly with both hands, and then forcefully lifted the lid off.

Inside was a pot of light red liquid boiling, a color that could easily lift one's spirits, like a big pot of strawberry-flavored milk.

"Does this mean we've succeeded?"

Tom stared nervously at the large pot of potions, feeling that what he had boiled was not some normal liquid.

Lynn held the potion-making manual Dumbledore had handwritten for him, compared the effects, and then nodded in affirmation.

"Light red color, boiled, smells sweet and fishy, ​​yes, that's it, but we're still one last step away."

Lynn picked up his wand and then gently waved it above the giant cauldron.

The liquid in the pot remained unchanged, but it gave one a vague feeling that it was different from the previous liquid, though one couldn't quite put one's finger on what the difference was.

Umaru sat on a small stool nearby, her chin resting on her hands as she stared longingly at the potions in the cauldron.

"It looks like it should taste good. Would you like me to try it and see how it goes?"

Lynn looked at her with disdain: "Tom is going to soak his whole body in this potion in the end. Are you sure you want to taste his bathwater?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mai immediately shook her head like a rattle drum.

"Then forget it."

"Hey! This is a momentous occasion, my imminent return to the human world. Can you please be a little more dignified?!"

Lynn flicked Xiaomai on the head: "It's all your fault for changing the subject and asking to drink someone else's bathwater."

Umaru hugged her head, blinking her big, watery eyes innocently.

"But it really looks like strawberry-flavored milk."

Tom, scratching his head, stared speechlessly at the brother and sister. He felt all his initial tension vanish. It was supposed to be a very important ceremony, but they made it sound like he was going to take a milk bath.

(End of this chapter)