Speaking of his shampoo, the corners of Snape's mouth curled up involuntarily.
"It's much better than the Potters'!"
"Like Lucius Malfoy, he's a loyal user of Potter's Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, and the result? A receding hairline."
"Nowhere near as impressive as mine."
"Alright," Dumbledore gestured for him to stop, "speaking of Lucius Malfoy."
"I just remembered something." He frowned. "You're familiar with the boy Draco Malfoy, right?"
Snape asked, "Is everything that happened today related to the Malfoy family? Or related to him personally?"
Dumbledore was stunned. He wanted to ask how to break the news about Draco's father to him.
Should he say directly: "Your dad is dead, only his head is left, come to my office later."
Or be more tactful: "My condolences. Pay attention to the Daily Prophet in the next couple of days."
But Snape seemed to think otherwise. He had been scrutinizing everyone who got close to Harry.
"I knew it. First provoking, to get the boy's attention."
"Then deliberately feigning weakness, being bullied, to arouse the foolish brat's sympathy and empathy."
"Then making a splash in flying lessons and Quidditch, making the boy feel a kinship."
"But all this—"
"That's not what I mean." Seeing Snape getting more and more ridiculous, implying Draco was seducing Harry, Dumbledore quickly said, "I mean how to inform the boy of his family member's death."
It wasn't that he lacked the wisdom or language skills to do it.
But this matter would greatly impact Draco Malfoy's future, and he wanted to be careful.
The muscles on Snape's face twitched. "Lucius is dead? You were called to the Ministry today to discuss this?"
There were two factions among the Death Eaters. One consisted of true believers in the Dark Lord, believing in the organization's doctrine, obsessed with Dark Magic and slaughter.
The other simply sought protection and power.
He and Lucius belonged to the latter faction. He bought in with his superb potion skills and didn't have to go out killing people. Lucius relied on connections and money.
Plus, they were schoolmates and had spent several years together at Hogwarts, so their relationship was better than one might imagine.
"How did he die?" Snape's voice lowered subconsciously.
Dumbledore, noticing this, was slightly surprised. Better postpone Sirius's release for now. Lest Snape gets provoked.
"Here's what happened..."
While Dumbledore told Snape about everything in the Forbidden Forest and his speculations, the key to Sirius's release—Peter Pettigrew, also known as Scabbers—was currently inside a crystal box.
Basil had just discovered it too.
He had just casually checked the Headmaster's office, and on the desk next to Lucius Malfoy's head, there was a transparent crystal box inlaid with turquoise.
Inside was Scabbers, who should have been sleeping on Ron's pillow in their dormitory.
Good heavens, so Dumbledore was hiding in our dorm just now!
Hope he didn't sit on my bed.
No, the sheets have to go.
"No! It has to go!" Voldemort, currently possessing a quail, thought the same thing.
But he was referring to the hiding place of the Gaunt ring Horcrux—the Gaunt shack outside Little Hangleton.
Other Horcruxes: Hufflepuff's Cup was in Gringotts, Slytherin's Locket was in that seaside cave.
The Lestrange vault was at the deepest level of Gringotts; seventeen-year-old him didn't have the power to get it. Nor would he necessarily guess it was there.
That cave was in the cliff wall next to a village where their orphanage took them for an outing.
Young him might be able to think of this location.
But as the most important Horcrux, made from both his mother's legacy and a Slytherin heirloom, the magic set up there was a headache even for him at his peak.
Seventeen-year-old him, even if he wanted to revisit the old haunt, wouldn't be able to find the cave again.
But the Gaunt shack... the magical traps inside relied on the magic originally present in the dwelling, which had declined and was later repaired by him.
The curse on the Gaunt ring was the same.
For a descendant of Slytherin, it was practically harmless.
In the past, he was the only one (Isolt Sayre, founder of Ilvermorny, was also a Slytherin descendant. But her two daughters... Martha Steward II, a Squib, married but her descendants were No-Majs; Rionach Steward, who inherited Parseltongue and wizarding talent, never married or had children), so naturally, he didn't worry.
But now, there was another seventeen-year-old him.
So, he was flying towards Little Hangleton.
And longing for a large bird like an eagle to swallow him so he could change bodies.
But unfortunately, he had been flying openly for almost a mile, and no raptor coveted his flesh.
Damn it, quails are so fragrant and juicy!
"Mmm, delicious." Ron swallowed the roasted quail on his plate in one bite. "What a pity, I wanted to try if those spider legs were edible!"
Just now, Dumbledore's Patronus Phoenix had descended into the Great Hall, announcing that the crisis was over.
And ordered Draco Malfoy to go to the Headmaster's office.
Emphasizing that this matter had nothing to do with Malfoy himself, but was a family matter.
Then, the long tables pushed to the walls returned to their original positions.
A dazzling array of food appeared instantly.
And Ron was feeling a bit triumphant because he had overcome his fear of spiders.
Also because of Draco Malfoy being called to the Headmaster's office.
He said, "It must be related to his family. But we all know Dumbledore is a good man, a great figure. Even the most despicable scoundrel, as long as they haven't committed a grave mistake, he gives them a chance. Let alone Malfoy, who is still a student."
"Maybe tomorrow!" Ron's eyes were full of longing. "I'll hear the news that Draco Malfoy has been expelled. No, probably they'll say he has family matters and needs to leave school temporarily. And then never come back!"
"What a pity, I won't get to see him get beaten to a pulp by Harry in the final match."
"Shut up!" Harry got inexplicably angry.
"You'd better shut up. Or you'll feel guilty later," Basil hinted.
Ron was a good person too. When he later found out Malfoy's dad died, he would definitely regret today.
Even Basil, knowing Lucius Malfoy deserved it, felt a bit uncomfortable seeing Draco Malfoy in the Headmaster's office, grief-stricken and crying while holding his father's head.
In the room, Dumbledore had vanished.
He had gone to Azkaban.
To get Sirius and Narcissa, who was in prison under Polyjuice Potion, out.
Basil just found out too, that the Lucius Malfoy he saw in the Daily Prophet that day was actually Narcissa.
So, Quirrell ran to Malfoy Manor back then and subdued them?
Ridiculous.
But fortunately, Narcissa was still alive.
"I don't believe it!" On the other side, Ron replied with a laugh.
But not everyone was as happy as him.
Hagrid was weeping.
Sitting in a corner of the High Table, eyes teary, beard soaked.