The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 138 The Troubled Harry Potter

It took Anthony a while to understand why he had become the first choice for other professors to get information: there were rumors from students, Mrs. Hooch was outside the castle dealing with players from both houses who were suspended on the court during the game, and Snape claimed that he had Heavy Work had disappeared, and Professor Flitwick had left the office early and was calming the students in the Ravenclaw common room.

Looking around Hogwarts, it seems that Anthony is the only idle professor.

Anthony cautiously opened the door, looked left and right in the empty corridor, turned around and picked up the cat that was playing with the tassels on the sofa cushion, and with his other hand put the mouse that had woken up and was lying in a corner in a daze into his pocket.

Come on, let's go for a walk. He said.

The mouse pawed at his pocket curiously, sticking its head out and sniffing the air with its nose. Anthony touched its head with his fingertips, then carried the cat quickly from the staff-only stairs to the first floor, and walked straight through the bustling hall, trying his best not to look like he had escaped from the castle.

On this mild sunny afternoon, everything outside the castle seemed alive. Along the path beside the black lake and into the woods beside the mountain, small yellow and blue flowers bloom everywhere. Small flying insects were flying around in the grass by the lake, and a few pet toads were lying on the side, opening their mouths from time to time to feed themselves a meal. Anthony stared at them for a while, unable to tell the difference, wondering if there was Neville's Leif inside.

The students returning from Hogsmeade walked back along another road, talking and laughing loudly, unaware of the exciting and secret rumors in the castle. Anthony walked along the secluded path to the other end of the Black Lake while talking to the cat: Did you scratch Professor Quirrell while I was away at school? This is not good. Now I don't even dare to let you go out alone... …”

The cat looked at him with yellow eyes, and finally bit his ear impatiently.

I just told you to get rid of this bad habit. Anthony tilted his head and smiled. The cat didn't exert any force. After biting him, it just rested its head on his neck, feeling a little fluffy and itchy.

Seeing that there was no one around, Anthony put down the cat and mouse, looked at the vast lake, and walked forward slowly.

Even though today is a rare good day, when the wind carries water vapor across the shady side of the Black Lake, it will still look cold and damp. Not to mention that under the lapping of the lake water, the waves splashing from the rocks occasionally fall on the narrow trail, making it extremely slippery. Probably for this reason, students usually gather lively on the other side where the sun shines warmly, where the cold water of the Black Lake sparkles with golden light.

Just as he was enjoying the silence, Anthony suddenly noticed three short figures appearing in front of him. Harry Potter's muffled voice drifted along the wind: ...treat me like a monster.

That's just because Parseltongue is historically associated with dark wizards. Ron said worriedly. And, honestly, it sounds like you want the snake to strangle Davis or something. The… Hey, we know you didn’t mean it, okay? I just meant it to sound like it.”

Hermione said, Well, Harry, people will forget about this in two days and start caring about someone's new relationship. They always do that.

I know, it's just... Harry said, and then he saw the cat walking proudly. The cat's tail was raised high, and he jumped to the railing on the other side, passing by the three Gryffindors with a don't touch me look.

Professor Anthony? Hermione said, turning to look in the direction Anthony was coming from.

Anthony followed the mouse: Good afternoon, Miss Granger. I guess you don't want to stay in the castle for some reason?

The boy who spoke snake language threw a stone into the black lake: Yeah, because I'm going to eat all my classmates soon.

Then you have a really good appetite. Anthony said, stopping beside him and looking at the tall castle and its twisted reflection in the water, Want to chat, Mr. Potter?

Professor, I didn't! Harry suddenly turned his head to look at him, his voice unconsciously filled with grievance and anger, I don't know what happened at all! I mean, I know now, I can and It's... not normal for a snake to talk, but I didn't let the snake attack Davis at all...

Anthony raised his hand placatingly: Potter, no one thinks you let the snake attack Davis.

No? Harry said, his voice lowered, You should see my classmates, Professor Anthony. Even Ron - Ron yelled I didn't aggrievedly, but Harry continued , —also said I sounded like I was encouraging the snake to do something bad.

Anthony had to say fairly: Well... that does sound like it. He looked at Harry's expression and quickly added, But look at what happened: the snake was attacking Mr. Davis, and you talked to the snake , the snake let go of Davis. I think it is not difficult to add the inference that 'Potter let the snake let go of Davis'.

What did I say? Hermione said to Harry. Anthony guessed she had said similar things to Harry before.

Harry said worriedly, They think it's because of something Professor Flitwick did.

Okay. Anthony said, But no matter what, since you didn't really do anything, the classmates will find out the truth sooner or later. Then you can tell them, 'What did I say?'

Harry raised his eyes to look at him, then lowered his head, looking silently at the bottomless black lake.

I believe you, Potter. Anthony said softly, Unless you give me a reason not to believe you, I am going to follow the path with the simplest logic. Davis is a smart student. , when he wakes up, I believe he will also thank you.

He failed to mention that Davis probably didn't hear Harry talking to the snake at all. When not recalling the hiss of evil, this becomes immediately clear.

Harry forced a smile and said, Thank you, Professor.

…

When Anthony came back from a walk, he happened to meet Professor McGonagall in the professor's stairwell. He talked to her about Potter's seeming suspicions from his classmates - Anthony found it hard to understand why he suspected Harry, he had no motive to hurt Roger - and Professor McGonagall told him that she had informed Dumbledore It's more profitable. The principal will come back as soon as possible.

Although it seems from the letter that Dumbledore doesn't understand why Harry is a Parselmouth (Albus does not remember any blood relationship between the Potters and Slytherins), Professor McGonagall believes that he can at least calm down These disturbing rumors.

Isn't the principal not in school? Anthony asked.

Professor McGonagall nodded: Yes, I should really propose that he attend every Quidditch...Durmstrang College proposed to open up the exchange of research on dark magic. Albus has a meeting today. Her emphasis was unconscious. The ground fell on You, causing Anthony to take another look at her.

Not in the past? Anthony asked.

Professor McGonagall said: Don't speculate on Albus's schedule, Henry. You will find that he is never at school and always at school.

But Dumbledore did not show up until dinner time, and Professor Flitwick and Snape (quite wisely) did not attend the dinner in the Great Hall. Thanks to Professor McGonagall's serious look and several students on the long table who were observing the professor's face and whispering from time to time, Anthony did not lose his interest in enjoying the fried chicken legs due to overly curious inquiries.

Even Filch lowered his voice and asked Anthony when Potter would be expelled. Before Anthony could speak, Professor McGonagall told Filch very clearly that even if she herself was expelled, she would not allow students to be forced to leave the school because of some nonsense. She kindly advised Filch not to broach the subject again.

Filch wasn't the only one who felt Harry was going to be expelled, at least Professor Trelawney was on his side.

I saw a huge snake wrapped around each of our heads. She said mysteriously, The ominousness followed a person closely and came to the school... It was a boy. I saw it, He's a boy.

Try this carrot, Sybil, Professor Sprout said kindly.

Anthony noticed that Harry and his friends were not at the Gryffindor table.

As he was leaving, Anthony heard several Hufflepuff students discussing the incident. They believed that Harry didn't come to dinner because he was planning to send the other Quidditch players to the school hospital one by one so that Gryffindor could win the Quidditch Cup. Thousands of snakes would soon emerge from the Slytherin cellars, each one big enough to swallow a Flint in one bite.

Slytherin used tricks to get them to a draw. Potter must be unconvinced. One person said.

But what did Davis do? the person next to him retorted, Potter should have let the snake attack Flint.

Calculate the points. If Ravenclaw wins, it will be detrimental to Gryffindor. said the student who introduced the Quidditch Cup into the discussion in Parseltongue.

Another person came over and joined the discussion: Maybe Potter just wanted the snake to attack Fleet. Maybe that's what he said to the snake, so the snake got off Davis. If it wasn't for Fleet That spell Professor Levy used, maybe we're going to attend Flint's funeral.

Another person said: I don't think we will be invited to Flint's funeral. The conversation quickly turned from Harry Potter's Parseltongue to the funeral of the pure-blood Slytherin family.

…

Anthony was trying to find the positioning collar he had made for his cat when there was a knock on his office door.

Come in! he shouted, opening the office door with a wave of his wand.

To his surprise, it was Harry Potter standing outside the door. Anthony looked at the time: there was still more than an hour until curfew.

Mr. Potter?

Harry stared at the striped teapot and piles of parchment on Anthony's desk, and said uncomfortably: Professor Anthony, Professor Dumbledore is not in school, Professor McGonagall is in solitary confinement...um...Neville Suggest that I talk to you, and Hermione asked me to promise that I will definitely come...

Anthony quickly let him in.

Sit down, Potter. He pushed the chair to Harry, Hmm...milk, pumpkin juice or hot chocolate? He didn't expect this at all - how could he be so good that he could actually become Dumbledore or Michael? Professor Ge's alternative.

No, Professor, Harry said, standing as relaxed as possible in his office, I just—could you—do you know the password for the Headmaster's Office?

Anthony said: If Professor Dumbledore is not in the school, I doubt if you can really get any help by going to the Headmaster's Office.

I... Harry hesitated, I heard that the Sorting Hat is in the principal's office.

Anthony thought about it. He went to the principal's office several times, and every time he was either dealing with some troublesome things, or he was completely distracted by Fox's eye-catching figure, and he couldn't remember whether there was a hat in the principal's office.

He asked: What do you want to do with the Sorting Hat? He poured two cups of tea from the teapot, put one cup in Harry's hand, picked up the other cup and took a sip himself. Harry hesitated for a while, then picked up the teacup and took a sip, then slowly sat down.

I just want to find it, Harry said stubbornly.

Then what? Anthony asked, smiling slightly, Resort yourself to another house because you heard that other houses are more likely to win the Quidditch Cup?

Harry was amused by him. He said: As long as we work hard, it is possible to win this year's Quidditch Cup.

Then what are you worried about? Anthony said, It sounds like you are quite satisfied with your life in Gryffindor.

Harry said: Because I am very satisfied! Hermione told me that the founder of Slytherin is the very famous Parseltongue. He is called Parseltongue... so the symbol of Slytherin is a snake...

Just because you and the founder of Slytherin speak the same foreign language, you suspect that you should be sorted into his house? Anthony said, Relax, I don't see any logical connection here, Potter.

Someone said - I heard - that Parseltongue was the hallmark of a dark wizard, and Hagrid said that all wizards who turned evil came from Slytherin. So, as long as I wasn't sorted into Slytherin, This means I won't be bad in the future, right? He looked at Anthony longingly, expecting his confirmation.

This time it was Anthony's turn to hesitate. Facing this anxious first-year Gryffindor, he didn't want to have a long talk about how the future depends on his own choices, how it's difficult to define good or bad people, and how he shouldn't rely on the academy to judge good and evil.

So Anthony just said, Why did you become evil?

I don't know, because I'm a bad guy? Harry shrugged. Anthony guessed he heard comments like Potter was able to defeat the Dark Lord because he was the bigger Dark Lord. When Anthony was studying the history of modern magic, conspiracy theories of this type appeared endlessly in various pamphlets.

No one is inherently a bad person. Anthony assured him with more than twenty years of life experience. And, although I am not your professor, judging from the gossip I heard, all your professors (he (Excluding certain unfair evaluations), they all think you are a humble, studious, and kind-hearted good student.

He looked at Harry's surprised and disbelieving eyes and recalled: Did you help Mr. Longbottom get the memory ball back during the flying class? Your dean, Professor McGonagall, was very proud of this. Sparrow Professor Te said that you completed your thesis very seriously; Professor Flitwick also praised you many times in private; not to mention Hagrid...

Harry said: It's actually Hermione...Hermione helps us - me and Ron - check the papers, and she's always the first to complete the task in class. She's previewed all the questions the professor asked. Already...

Anthony smiled and said: Look, now I can also tell others. Harry Potter is a person who can praise his friends without hesitation.