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It's hard for me to recall exactly what happened in the next few days. I learned so many things at once in Moody's office that night, they seemed to block my brain.Obviously, I have nothing to do with these things. As Dad said, I just happened to be asked by Mr. Potter to look for him. I happened to pass by there when Harry and Neville came back and became the first person to witness their return. Happened to be asked by Crouch Jr. to help him bring Harry and Neville back to his office, but that's how I was one of the closest people to the truth that night.

I was relieved that Dumbledore asked the whole school not to bother us, not to try to ask what we had seen, heard, or experienced that night.I didn't attract much attention compared to the finger pointing Harry and Neville got, and everyone thought I was just unlucky enough to run into a mad Death Eater.

After I returned to Gryffindor Tower, I learned from Harry and the others that many things happened during my coma.Cornelius Fudge brought into Hogwarts directly absorbed the soul of Barty Crouch Jr. Fudge refused to believe the news of the resurrection of the mysterious man, thinking that Dumbledore actually listened to "a man who takes pleasure in earning other people's attention." boy and a boy who is mentally unstable and possibly dangerous" ravings.

"And what about Mr. Crouch's death?" I asked, nestling in the floppy armchair. "Is he going to turn a blind eye to the death of a senior official of the Ministry of Magic?"

"He said it was pure revenge from his son," said Harry darkly. "Fudge is obviously a loyal reader of Rita Skeeter, and he felt that Dumbledore's announcement of You-Know-Who's return was to destabilize him as Minister of Magic." .”

"Then what about your father?" I thought that Mr. Potter should have been there at the time. "He's the director of the Auror office—Fudge should ask him to express his opinion?"

"Dumbledore dismissed Mr. Potter in advance," said Hermione. "I guess, just a guess, that Aunt Lily was transferred after the attack in Albania, and she might have mentioned You-Know-Who to Fudge at the time." Fudge was afraid of all the news about the resurrection of the mysterious man. In order to escape the reality, he simply transferred Aunt Lily to another department. Dumbledore should have foreseen this possibility, and he needs Mr. Potter to stay in this position .”

"It seems...my dad and Mr. Potter discussed this matter." I dully recalled the conversation between my dad and Mr. Potter when I went to visit my mother in St. Mungo last semester, "Dad said his attitude towards Fudge Not surprised, but asked Mr. Porter if he was surprised?"

"Neville, stop practicing." Hermione gently walked to another table and patted Neville on the shoulder, "Come and chat with us, okay?"

"No." Neville's face slumped tightly, as if he was about to eat the book in front of him alive, "I don't want anyone else to save me, next time I want to hold the wand by myself... I must--"

Harry shook his head at Hermione, who said nothing more, and sat back in her armchair with folded arms.Talus leaned over to guide Neville's slurred pronunciation, and Ron brought out Wizard Chess to ask who would play him.I expressed my willingness to try, and then he beat me to the ground.

"You're thinking about other things." Ron couldn't help clearing up the shattered pieces on the chessboard, "But it's not ashamed to lose to me, I play wizard chess very well."

Usually the leaving party is a favorite day for Gryffindors, as we have won the House Cup for the third year in a row - the whole Great Hall will be decked out in gold and red to celebrate the hard work of Gryffindors this year, but this year I Didn't want to take part in it at all.Participating in the banquet meant leaving Gryffindor Tower, facing the whole school, and facing Draco.

I tried not to think about what happened that night, but I couldn't help but think over and over again of Harry's list of Death Eaters who came back to Voldemort, the last "Lucius... Malfoy".Whenever I think of this, I feel my heart being clenched by a huge hand, and I know this is not the sequelae of the Cruciatus Curse.

"It's another year," Dumbledore stood up from the staff table, the whispers in the auditorium disappeared, and everyone looked at his face that no longer had the usual humor and warm smile, "It's over."

Sparse applause sounded, and soon the auditorium returned to calm.The real Moody sat nervously at the staff table, Dad looked as expressionless as usual, I haven't seen him since I woke up, and Mom left me a text to tell me she was here —What are they up to?Is it related to fighting against the mysterious man?Could it be already in danger?I found myself afraid to think about these questions at all, because one question would lead to another, and in the end they all came together to suffocate me.

"I have something to say to you tonight." Dumbledore looked at us calmly. "First of all, Barty Crouch. I hope everyone will raise their glasses to pay tribute to him."

Most of us stood up, we raised our goblets and said in one low voice, "Barty Crouch."

"I believe you have heard some comments about Mr. Crouch, there are good sides and bad sides." Dumbledore continued, "It is impossible for a person to do the right thing all his life. We need more people today. Remember, he protected two Hogwarts students from being killed by Voldemort, and carried out his belief in the fight against the Dark Arts to the last second of his life."

"The Ministry of Magic doesn't want me to tell you these things, and the parents of some of my classmates may also be shocked by my actions." He looked at everyone who was silent and said, "But I think you have the right to know the truth, and I also feel that Crowe It would be disrespectful to say Mr Kee's death was his son's vengeance. I know a lot of people don't believe it - or don't want to believe Voldemort is back, but the truth won't be buried forever in the dust by a lie , one day we will face this reality, although it is understandable to escape, I hope, I sincerely hope that you are not forced to accept it hastily at the last moment."

Every face looking at Dumbledore was full of shock and horror...not every one, I saw Draco turn around and say something to Crabbe and Goyle, he didn't look like that at all Going to listen to what Dumbledore had to say.I forced myself to keep turning my head to listen to Dumbledore's speech, but I still couldn't help thinking that if Mr. Malfoy did indeed kneel down and kiss You-Know-Who's hem that night, then Draco really didn't need to get a copy from Dumbledore now. He heard the news of the mysterious man's resurrection from his mouth.

"We must mention a few others when we are on the subject." Dumbledore turned his eyes to the Gryffindor table, "Neville Longbottom, whose name is well remembered by all of you, I I know you read a lot of gossip about him, but I want you to remember that he never tried to escape the misfortune that Voldemort inflicted on him, and this time he managed to escape his clutches; Harry Potter, as a conspiracy In part, his name was thrown into the Goblet of Fire by the Death Eaters, but he was strong and fearless to complete all the items of the Triwizard Tournament, and showed extraordinary courage in the face of Voldemort - few wizards able to do this; and Miss Alice Snape, who, in the face of a murderous Death Eater, bravely chose to protect her wounded companion, raising her wand in front of them without any hesitation ... I have the utmost respect for the courage of these young men, and I hope that all of you here will never underestimate the dangers we face, and never underestimate the power you have."

Many people stood up and raised their glasses to us. I lowered my head and took a quick sip of the liquid in the glass, feeling my face burn.

After everyone sat down again, Dumbledore said again: "The meaning of the Triwizard Tournament itself is more important at this point in time-we gather here for mutual understanding. Those who are sitting here today Every guest, as long as they are willing to come back, Hogwarts will open the door to welcome - I need to emphasize that we can only be strong if we are united, and we must establish unbreakable trust and friendship in order to face Voldemort. At this moment, more than ever before, we need to put aside our prejudices and unite as one, so that we can fight to the end-this is not a war for a few, many of you are You have been directly or indirectly killed by Voldemort, your family has been torn apart because of Voldemort, this time you will no longer know it from textbooks or the words of your parents."

"I believe—I really hope that I am wrong, and I hope that you can grow under the light and splendor forever, but when the darkness comes back irresistibly, I hope you are ready and choose the right path—— Countless people have given their blood and even their lives on this path, and you will live up to their sacrifice."

I had been lingering in the auditorium for a while after dinner, but I still ran into Draco leaning against the wall in the corridor.He was playing with a small ball in his hand - the constellation ball I gave him for his birthday last year. After seeing me, he stood up straight and put it in his pocket.

I shook my head at Hermione, motioning for them to go first.

"I thought you were never going to come out of the Gryffindor tower in your life," he said oddly.

"Madame Pomfrey said I need to recuperate." Of course it was an excuse, I avoided his gaze unnaturally, "She wants me to take a good rest."

"Oh, I almost forgot." He sneered, "You bravely protected Potter and Longbottom, even at the expense of being tortured by the Cruciatus Curse. You are really moving Gryffindor."

"Does this have anything to do with Harry or Neville?" I didn't want to argue with him any more about Harry, and turned away wearily, "If you were sitting there and you were about to be attacked without fighting back, I would, too." Protect you—everyone is the same."

"Hey, don't you want to say a word to me anymore?" He grabbed my hand to prevent me from going up the steps, and some younger students looked at us curiously, but were scared away by his fierce eyes, " Do you believe in that madness—is that what it means?"

"Crazy talk?" I stopped trying to get him to let me go, looked up into his eyes and said, "What crazy talk? Is You-Know-Who already back, or is your dad on the Returning Death Eaters list?"

His expression twisted instantly, almost gnashing his teeth: "Do you have evidence?"

"No, at least not now." I shook my head, "but you're right, I believe those words."

"So you chose that group," he said slowly.

"Then what do you want me to choose?" Thinking of his performance in the auditorium just now, I found that I could only ask him sharply.

"They're doomed, okay?" Draco took a step closer to me and whispered, "I wanted to warn you a long time ago—but considering your mood, you shouldn't have been with those bastards long ago. Together! There's still time, Alice, there's still time for you and your father... The Dark Lord is back, and the scum will be the first to die! Those Muggle-loving people and the mud—"

"Mud what?" I looked at his suddenly pale face, "Why don't you finish? Those Muggle-loving people and Mudbloods, you want to talk about this, don't you?"

"I'm not the-" He looked me in the eyes and said, "I was so excited just now, I just-"

"Did you say it?" I looked at him sadly, "Is that so? We have been avoiding this for so many years. But you have always thought so in your heart, Muggle-born wizards are of low blood, They shouldn't exist in this world, and wizards should only intermarry with wizards to maintain the so-called purity—then tell me, my Muggle-born mother is on the 'first to die' list?"

"You are different." He opened his mouth, and said something completely irrelevant, "You have the blood of a wizard..."

I laughed: "So if my parents were Muggles, you'd call me a Mudblood too. You'd also think I should be killed by You-Know-Who, or you couldn't wait to join his organization and become one of his men, Do it for him, eh?"

"You're not a Mudblood, don't call yourself that." He stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. "I said that by accident, I didn't mean to—"

"You also think this word is dirty," I struggled to shake him off, "but you are willing to use it to call my friends and my mother-what do you want me to do? Draw a line with my mother from now on, pretend She never gave me half of my blood? Is this what you just said 'too late'?"

"I want you to live! Alice Snape!" he yelled at me. "Do you think there will be another Boy Who Lived this time and the Dark Lord will be wiped out? No! If you can't stop him from regaining his strength, what else can stop him? Do you still place your hopes on that old lunatic Dumbledore?"

"Yes." I raised my head and said to him, "We believe in Dumbledore, and we choose to resist."

"Then you'll die," he said through gritted teeth. "Do you think they know the Unforgivable Curses? Do you know how many wizards have been tortured enough to ask him to give them an Avada Kedavra? You—"

"I know."

"You don't know anything! You thought it was a hero, it was just a meaningless death—"

"That's by no means meaningless—"

"That's pointless!" he roared. "I can't take it...you lie there like you can't wake up, they say you got Cruciatus...when you're tortured, you believe Where is the group of people? They toasted you hypocritically and safe and sound-you are the only one who suffers, why can't you understand! They didn't protect you at all!"

"I can protect you." He held my hand eagerly, "Alice, the Dark Lord trusts my father. Professor Snape has always been the person the Dark Lord wants to win over. A few words from him, and no one will hurt you, never again, and we can have a new life in perfect order—"

"Why can't you fight with us?" I asked, "Ask yourself, Draco, do you really think that the days when people were being killed and people were panicked were better than the lives we are living in now? ?”

He widened his eyes in disbelief: "Are you asking me to betray my father? You actually..."

"Didn't you just ask me to give up my mother?" I asked, "What difference does it make?"

He opened his mouth, but no more words came out.

After the awkward silence between us, I suddenly calmed down and looked at the bloodshot eyes in his widened eyes, "Maybe the truth is...Draco, you chose your way, I chose mine .Actually we made a choice a long time ago, but we both pretended we could still go together—we thought it wouldn't exist if we covered the crack in the middle with planks, but Dumbledore was right, and one day we would Faced with this reality, the mysterious man lifted the wooden plank, we can no longer pretend that nothing happened, and go on like before."

He took a few steps back, his face pale: "You mean, we're done like this? To the end?"

"I don't know." I felt very tired, as if my ears started to buzz intermittently again, "I really hope you can think about it, Draco, think about what Dumbledore said, and choose the correct one. the way-"

He sneered, shook his head, reached out and took out the little constellation ball from his pocket, and turned to look at me again: "I guess this should be the last birthday present you gave me... Not anymore, is it?"

"I don't know." I shook my head with tears in my eyes.

"Then I see." He nodded, took a few steps back and turned around to stride away.

He stopped passing an open window and dropped the constellation ball in his hand violently.

Outside the window, the golden light drew an arc in my eyes at an extremely slow speed and then disappeared into the night sky. It may be that the distance is too far, and I did not hear the sound of glass shattering.Draco didn't say another word, he didn't even look out the window, I stood there watching his back disappear down the corridor.