The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 157 Oscar Weaver

I'm not sure I can read all the test papers today. Anthony said to Professor Bubaji. They had just finished dinner and were walking down the corridor to the staff room. The sky has not completely darkened yet, but the torch has already been lit, casting a small circle of dim light on the wall, making the stone bricks look old and tired. The sky was a soft lavender color.

Professor Bubaji looked a little surprised. She said, You don't have to do it all in one night, Henry.

Anthony said: But starting tomorrow, I will work with the students for pet adoption.

Oh... Professor Bubaji glanced at him, as if she wanted to say something, but her eyes were attracted by a few people at the end of the corridor, Who is that?

What? Anthony asked doubtfully, following her gaze.

He saw a somewhat familiar, tense face, and after recalling it for a while, he finally remembered who it was: Oh, Auror. The last time he came to school was to investigate the troll matter. And Anthony came up. The first time I met him was to go to Azkaban.

Then what is he doing this time? Professor Bubaji shook his head in confusion, After Quirrell left, wasn't the giant monster underground sent away?

Anthony said: How likely do you think it is to count how many people got a T for troll this year?

But the Auror was undoubtedly here for Anthony. As soon as he saw Anthony, he walked up to them and said in a deep voice: Mr. Anthony, can you please come with me?

Professor Bubaji said in surprise: What? What's wrong?

I'm sorry, Professor Bubbaji, please forgive me for keeping the confidentiality. The Auror said firmly, staring at Anthony nervously, as if he was ready to start a fight in the corridor at any time.

The students who had finished their meal passed by them like water flowing around a stone, turning back to look at them curiously from time to time, like a swirling whirlpool. As his eyes washed away, the Mr. Auror tightened his back and looked even more nervous.

Anthony was a little amused by him: Did I violate the confidentiality law again?

No, Mr. Anthony, the Auror said, We are here to ask for your help.

Professor Boubaji asked: Have you ever violated the law of confidentiality, Henry?

That's a long story. Anthony said to Professor Bubaji, and then nodded to the Auror, I'll go back to the office to clean up. In the meantime, maybe you can tell me what happened? Since You come to me, I guess I should be out of confidentiality?”

…

The Auror followed Anthony to the corridor on the second floor. Anthony saw that he glanced at the door with the garlic portrait with extra attention, hesitated again at the open office door, and then carefully stepped inside.

Anthony's office is no longer as empty as it was when he first moved in.

To the right of the entrance is a towering cat climbing frame with various jingling little toys hanging on it. Next to the cat climbing frame is a cat nest made of patchwork, and on the left is an empty hamster roller with a hamster wheel inside. Beautiful snuff box. There is a calendar hanging on the wall, and there is a stack of books borrowed from the library on the desk, with lesson plans spread out next to it. Parchment and pens are scattered beside the ink bottle, and above are the test points that Anthony compiled before the exam.

The cat jumped over and rubbed around Anthony. Anthony leaned down and scratched behind its ears casually: I thought you went for a walk? Good cat, I have to leave for a while.

The cat wrapped its tail around Anthony's leg and meowed softly.

Anthony turned to ask the Auror who was looking at the office: How long will it take?

Just a few hours, the Auror said, his tone more relaxed. He was looking at the photo of Anthony placed on the corner of the table, which was taken by students at the entrance to Diagon Alley in Muggle clothing.

Anthony was counting the number of students on the list, leaning against the open backyard door wall of the Leaky Cauldron, looking extremely calm. Behind him several students were trying to put piles of cockroaches on his shoulders.

That's good. Anthony said, putting the uncorrected test paper in his bag back on the table.

…

As Anthony dumped the contents of his bag onto the table, the Auror began to tell him what had happened.

During one of Dumbledore's routine visits, he was welcomed by the Minister for Magic, Mr. Cornelius Fudge. Afterwards, the two closed the door as usual to discuss some matters discussed by big shots - that is, Fudge asked Dumbledore for ideas on how to deal with various difficult matters - but surprisingly, when the office door was supposed to open, it It was still shut tightly, and one could faintly hear someone inside the room repeating It can't be, Albus, it can't be.

Just when people were wondering what happened, Lucius Malfoy happened to come to visit Fudge. His wife, Narcissa Malfoy, walked beside him and whispered Parkinson and There is something wrong with the brain. Things like that.

The Auror said: When Malfoy opened the door, he saw Professor Dumbledore. He asked Professor Dumbledore to step aside because he happened to be discussing Hogwarts education issues with the minister, but Professor Dumbledore said that he was very Happy to accept criticism in person, the three of them entered the office... When the door opened again, Malfoy said that the school board would deal with the matter, and Professor Dumbledore asked the minister to remember what he said.

Anthony asked: So what does all this have to do with me?

You see, Mr. Anthony, I was just about to reach this point, the Auror said. The Minister said that Professor Dumbledore mentioned a basilisk.

…

On the way to the Ministry of Magic, both Anthony and the Auror apologized to each other. Anthony apologized for his clumsiness, and the Auror, offended, tied Anthony to another broomstick and flew by his collar.

For some reason, the fireplace in the Ministry of Magic was not connected to Hogwarts. The two had to fly to the Ministry of Magic on broomsticks, and flying lessons were not within the scope of Anthony's tutoring.

Are you really a necromancer, Professor Anthony? the Auror shouted, the wind whistling past them, and the cold made his hand tightly holding Anthony's collar turn blue. In order to rush to the Ministry of Magic as quickly as possible, the Ministry of Magic provided two extremely fast traffic brooms, and in order not to be noticed by Muggles, they were flying in the colder high altitude.

Anthony also said loudly: Yes.

Really? Auror said in disbelief, I thought we arrested the wrong person again!

Anthony smiled and said, I thought you arrested the wrong person at the time.

The Auror was silent for a while, then his lips were blue with cold, and his voice trembled as he asked: What is it like to be a necromancer?

Anthony thought for a while: It's like magic. He asked curiously, What does it feel like to be an Auror?

The Auror said: It's far worse than going to school, and I bet it's far worse than being a professor.

Isn't it bad to be an Auror? Anthony asked, I heard that many students in this class have career intentions as Aurors, but it seems that no seventh-year graduates have been selected by Aurors yet.

Then he heard a litany of complaints. The unlucky Mr. Auror complained that he was marginalized by his colleagues in the Ministry of Magic. He was always assigned jobs that no one wanted to do, but the salary was not higher than others. Before he became an Auror, he thought he could become a hero who punishes evil and promotes good and fights against dark wizards - just like Mr. Moody - but later he discovered that things were different from what he imagined, and what was even more irritating was that , sometimes he has different opinions but has to carry out the orders of the ministry.

I ran into my brother in the hallway today, he told Anthony. He said the students all like you, Professor Anthony, and he laughed at me when I warned him to stay away from you. That brat!

Who is your brother? Anthony asked.

The Auror announced a name he didn't recognize. Anthony asked: What grade is he in?

Fifth year, the Auror said, Gryffindor, I just finished my O.W.Ls in Muggle Studies today. He is not your student, is he?

No, said Anthony.

He was very upset, the Auror said, his teeth chattering from the cold. He said there were a lot of fun activities in your class. I assume he was referring to the photo on your desk, Professor Anthony? When was that from? matter?

This year, Anthony said, I took them to visit the Muggle world.

What? said the Auror, Muggle world? How did you get there?

Anthony glanced at the house that was passing quickly below them: Look, that's the Muggle world. You can go there anytime you want.

I wish I could go too, the Auror said. Anthony looked up and looked at him carefully. The wind blew all the Auror's hair back, revealing his still student-like face, and his wizard robes rustled like a student relaxing on the Quidditch pitch at the weekend.

Anthony asked: How long has it been since you graduated?

Two years, or one year, depending on how you count, the Auror said.

…

During the subsequent trip, because Anthony mentioned that photo, he was taking the students to visit a pet rescue center, and they also discussed the issue of pet keeping. The Auror told Anthony that his name was Oscar Weaver, a graduate of Gryffindor, who had a black cat when he was at school, but the cat was probably sleeping in his staff dormitory now.

You also have a cat, right? Oscar asked, The ginger one, the one in the office, is that yours? I saw the cat climbing the shelf.

Yes, that's my cat, said Anthony.

Oscar said: You take good care of it, but my black hair is not so smooth. What do you usually feed it?

Uh...white wine, Anthony said. Oscar looked down at him in surprise, his grip loosened and he almost dropped him.

Anthony tightened his grip on the broom in his apology and explained: Actually, you have seen it before today. It was the pile of bones I carried when I went to Azkaban.

Oscar asked in shock: Is it dead?

Yeah, I think so, Anthony said. Speaking of which, I also want to thank you. Thank you for allowing me to take it with me.

Oscar looked at him and shook his head. He said thoughtfully: I can understand, Professor Anthony. If Heihei dies, I will probably find a way to keep it by my side. She has been with me for eleven years, and I am used to her. She's purring... I can't imagine what it would be like to lose her.

From the look in his eyes, Anthony felt that he had misunderstood something. He didn't become a necromancer just to resurrect his beloved pet. But this misunderstanding seemed to make Oscar feel a lot closer to Anthony, and he even showed a little pity for Anthony.

Do you remember Mr. Oli, Professor Anthony? Oscar asked. He was the one who went to ask you why you didn't reply to the owl in the ministry. He was frightened to death after discovering that you were a necromancer. At that time, He just said you brought a skeleton cat and a transparent chicken, but we all thought he was talking nonsense.

I'm sorry for him, and I hope he's better now. Anthony said, adjusting the rope tied to himself, but since we're on the subject, Mr. Weaver, if I don't want to be presumptuous, I don't think so. I understand why I lived here for a year before someone from the Ministry of Magic came to my door...

Oscar said: Oh, this. In fact, we received a report a year ago that a wizard seemed to be playing tricks on Muggles in London. He apparated into the graves and then blew up the graves to pretend to be haunted... The people in the office were still looking at that. They laughed about the report for a while, saying that this was today's Wendelin - Wendelin was the witch who was deliberately caught and burned by Muggles many times - and then the matter was delayed for a while before they sent the warning letter send out.

What? Anthony said in surprise. He always thought that he was discovered because there was a skeleton cat and a wraith chicken living in the room, and he was puzzled as to how they found the two pets who could not leave the house. It was not until today that he found out that the culprit was himself. There was too much movement coming out of the coffin.

I have read your file several times. Oscar said, No one wants to deal with the necromancer, so after taking you to Azkaban - I think I owe you a thank you, Professor Anthony, you I was really cooperative at that time, otherwise I might not be able to keep this job - every time something happens to you, it will be my turn. So I can basically memorize your information.

He used his hands to lift Anthony up again: We are almost there, Professor Anthony.

Anthony mused: So my stable life that year was actually thanks to the efficiency of the Ministry of Magic.

Ah, it's also because you moved once. Oscar said, And for some reason, you don't seem to be able to receive owls. Professor Anthony, the owls you sent out many times came back in vain, and everyone was very angry. That’s why the ministry asked me to come to you in person today.”

oh……

Also, the ministry lost seven or eight owls in order to deliver the message to you. Oscar said. They originally wanted you to compensate, so they sent people there. But after they found out that you were a necromancer, no one cared. Those owls. He said to himself, It's strange, owls usually don't get lost...

Yes. Anthony said calmly.