Chapter 52 – The Confession
Once Ackerly collapsed, the braver students cautiously gathered around again, whispering among themselves.
"He has to have troll blood—I swear that smell is something only a troll could produce!"
"Totally. I once defeated a young troll near my house. He was about that size!"
"But even if he has troll blood… he shouldn't be able to just turn into one, right?"
One student voiced a doubt, but it was quickly drowned out by the noisy discussion.
Professor McGonagall strode over with a severe expression and chased the onlookers away.
At last, Dumbledore rose to his feet, his expression calm and composed.
"Prefects, please escort your houses back to your common rooms and continue the feast.
All professors are to remain behind."
"Ravenclaw, follow me!" Senior Slughorn called out as she stood.
"Russell, where are you going?" James grabbed his arm when he saw Russell heading toward the teachers.
"This might have something to do with me," Russell said quietly. "I need to tell them."
He gently shook James off and asked him to explain things to Slughorn for him.
Dumbledore turned toward Snape, a trace of thoughtfulness in his eyes.
"Severus… what do you make of this?"
"Perhaps it's exactly what they said," Snape replied blandly. "A troll bloodline awakening."
"Is that so…" Dumbledore murmured, nodding slowly.
Just then, Russell walked up.
"Good evening," he said softly. "I think I may be able to offer a clue."
Everyone turned.
Russell stood there innocently, looking up at them like a child who'd wandered into the wrong room.
"Fythorne, this doesn't concern you. Go back and rest," Snape snapped at once. A flicker of unease flashed briefly in his eyes.
"And because of this disruption—Ravenclaw loses five points."
"Severus, I don't think that's necessary," Dumbledore said calmly. "Mr. Fythorne does not strike me as someone who lies."
He gestured for Russell to continue.
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Russell said hesitantly.
Then he took a breath.
"I mean… it's possible his transformation… might have something to do with me."
The moment Russell spoke those words, the surrounding professors were stunned.
Only Snape and Dumbledore looked as though they had expected this.
"Go on," Dumbledore said quietly.
"He probably drank a Troll Transformation Potion that I had hidden in my dormitory," Russell continued.
"How do you know?" Snape pressed sharply. "Did you drink it yourself?"
Russell glanced at him and shook his head.
He could tell Snape was trying to keep him out of trouble—but he also knew that nothing could be hidden from Dumbledore. It was better to tell the truth.
"I read the description. His symptoms match it exactly."
"Troll transformation potion…"
Snape's expression changed instantly.
"You got it from Morticia?"
He turned to Dumbledore in surprise, clearly unaware that Dumbledore even knew her.
"Yes," Russell nodded. "It arrived a few days ago. I hid it carefully, but somehow someone found it."
"If that's the case…" Dumbledore turned to Snape, "then you should have a solution, Severus."
"Of course," Snape replied coldly.
He withdrew a vial from inside his robes, removed the cork, and poured the potion into Ackerly's mouth.
The green tint on the boy's skin faded away. His swollen body shrank rapidly, like air leaking from a punctured bag, until he returned to his original form.
"I'll take him to Madam Pomfrey," Professor Corvey volunteered. "I'm quite experienced with this sort of thing."
No one laughed.
"Well… that joke clearly flopped."
He conjured up a stretcher and carried the unconscious Ackerly out of the Great Hall.
"This appears to have been more prank than tragedy," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "After all, no lasting harm was done."
Snape turned his cold gaze on Russell.
"Do you know who did this?"
"I'm sorry, Professor," Russell said. "When I hid it, I was the only one in the dormitory."
He was genuinely angry now as well.
"Whoever stole that potion wasted something very valuable. If I ever find who did it, I'll demand compensation."
"Very well, Mr. Fythorne," Dumbledore said gently. "I believe your housemates are waiting. You may return to the feast."
"Yes, Professor."
After giving the teachers one last look, Russell left the hall.
Dumbledore followed shortly after, but before leaving, he instructed Snape to come to the Headmaster's Office.
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Headmaster's Office
"Severus… what do you think?" Dumbledore asked once they were seated. "Was Mr. Fythorne telling the truth?"
"Why not drag him back and use Legilimency?" Snape replied coolly. "Wouldn't that be faster?"
"Severus, how could you suspect an old man of such cruelty?"
A faint sadness crossed Dumbledore's face.
Then he sighed.
"I already tried."
Snape stiffened.
"My Legilimency had absolutely no effect on him."
So it was true…
Snape cursed inwardly.
"Then there are only two possibilities," Snape said slowly.
"Either he was born with natural Occlumency… or he has already mastered it at an extremely high level, despite only being in his first year."
"Fortunately, I don't believe further probing is necessary," Dumbledore replied. "In my judgment, the boy did not lie. There would've been no reason for him to."
"So you think this was done to divert attention while someone else carried out something more important?"
Snape had a bad feeling about that.
"It's possible," Dumbledore admitted. "But more likely, it was just a reckless prank by someone who bears Mr. Fythorne a grudge."
He cleaned his glasses, weariness flickering across his face.
"The 'Chosen One'—Harry Potter—will soon arrive at Hogwarts."
He paused thoughtfully, then added with a knowing smile:
"And I also hear the eldest daughter of the Addams family—who was supposed to attend Durmstrang—is now set to enroll here next year…
Supposedly because of a certain Ravenclaw student."
"Severus," he asked lightly, "care to enlighten me?"
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