Snape! You Have No Heart!

Linley wasn't lying.

Less than two hours later, someone called them to the Deputy Headmistress's office.

Not only Mark and Michelle, but Linley was also summoned.

In Professor McGonagall's office, besides her, the Head of Slytherin, Professor Snape, was also present.

The expressions on both their faces were calm, giving no indication of their mood.

As soon as Linley and the others entered, Professor McGonagall directly questioned them.

"Do you know what McLean went out to do early this morning?"

Mark and Michelle certainly wouldn't dare lie in front of the professors, especially since their relationship with Hubert wasn't that good.

"He, he went to the owlery to borrow a school owl to buy something," Mark said nervously, swallowing hard.

"What was he buying?" Professor Snape's eyes were like sharp knives, as if trying to peel open their skulls and see into their thoughts.

Mark trembled all over, his lips pressed tightly together, unable to speak for a long time.

Michelle secretly glanced at Linley from the corner of her eye.

Linley had been standing by the side, observing coldly the entire time, not saying a word.

"He was buying something from Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley," Michelle finally said the truth after mustering up her courage.

Instantly, the expressions of both professors changed!

They knew very well that Knockturn Alley was a place, and they knew what kind of things were generally sold at Borgin and Burkes.

"Explain clearly! What was he buying?" Professor McGonagall's voice even became a bit sharp, as if she were extremely angry.

Under these circumstances, Michelle completely sold Hubert out. She spilled out all the plans they had conspired about before, like beans pouring from a can.

"He wanted to buy Essence of Insanity!"

Michelle said loudly, "He thought someone like Linley entering Slytherin was an insult to all Slytherin wizards! He wanted us to pretend to make up with Linley, then use the excuse of treating him to dessert to put Essence of Insanity into his food!"

After Michelle uttered the words "Essence of Insanity," Snape's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"How dare he do such a thing!" Snape's voice was so gloomy it could freeze a person to death.

As a Potions Master himself, he naturally knew what kind of potion Essence of Insanity was.

This potion was classified as a forbidden substance by the Ministry of Magic because it looked very similar to Liquid Luck, appearing completely harmless. However, after consumption, it could cause mental derangement, turning a person into a madman.

Although this effect was not permanent, it was despised by countless wizards, and it was a potion explicitly prohibited by the Ministry of Magic!

Now, his student actually intended to use such a potion to harm a classmate, which made Snape feel like his lungs were about to explode with anger.

Professor McGonagall now looked like a furious lioness. She coldly glared at Mark and Michelle, who were lowering their heads and not daring to look at her, and delivered their verdict.

"Slytherin loses fifty points! The two of you! From today onwards, you will go to Filch's office every night for detention – one month! No! Two months!"

Snape's lips twitched involuntarily, but in the end, he said nothing, tacitly agreeing to Professor McGonagall's punishment.

The matter wasn't over yet.

Professor McGonagall and the others hadn't forgotten why they had called Linley and the others here.

Snape turned his gaze towards Linley, who had been calmly playing the role of the "victim" without speaking.

"Belloc, did you know about their plans beforehand?"

In the office, including Mark and Michelle, their attention was once again focused on Linley.

Linley blinked his eyes and said innocently, "How could I possibly know, Professor? They suddenly came to make up with me yesterday, and I was happy about it for quite a while."

While speaking, Linley secretly equipped himself with a title: Newbie Freshman.

[Newbie Freshman]:
1. When this title is equipped, those among the students who consider their status higher than yours will subconsciously make things difficult for you.
2. Teachers will show you double the care.
3. Your learning efficiency will triple when studying basic magical knowledge.

Note 1: The effects of this title only take effect when equipped.
Note 2: This title will disappear when you advance to your second year.

At the same time, Linley's acting skills were leagues ahead of Mark and the others.

His eyes were slightly red, and tears seemed to well up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"I actually always wanted to be friends with them. I know they look down on me because of my background, but I thought that could change. As long as we are sincere, won't we become friends in the future? Yesterday, I thought they could finally accept me. But I never expected them, them..."

Linley pursed his lips, as if trying hard to suppress his tears. His wronged expression was probably enough to make even Dou E feel inferior.

Mark and Michelle's jaws almost dropped. So, it wasn't you who pinned Hubert against the wall and beat him up that day?

Professor McGonagall's heart melted upon hearing this.

She already knew that Linley was an orphan and that living alone was not easy. She was the one who conducted the home visit for his admission.

From another perspective, she was the one who brought Linley into Hogwarts. Yet, after arriving at Hogwarts, he still had to endure discrimination and bullying from his roommates.

Professor McGonagall now felt that she was a very incompetent teacher.

Her anger and seriousness melted away from her face, and she spoke in a gentle, apologetic voice.

"I'm sorry, Belloc, it was our failing as professors that this happened..."

Mark and Michelle's jaws dropped again; they had never seen Professor McGonagall like this before.

However, Snape, standing nearby, interrupted her.

"Wait, McGonagall, I haven't finished my questions yet."

Snape's gaze remained icy, as if completely unaffected by Linley's acting and title.

"I understand that you actually left the common room this morning before Hubert did, and you arrived at the scene so quickly after Hubert's incident. Can you tell me where you were during that time, Belloc?"

Seeing Snape's wife-less face, Linley couldn't help but think to himself:

Snape, you have no heart!

However, even though Snape wasn't affected, Linley wasn't afraid of his questions because Hubert's attack indeed had nothing to do with him.

"I have a habit of going for a morning run every day. And since coming to Hogwarts, I've fallen in love with magic. After my morning run, I practice spells by the Black Lake outside the castle. Cedric, a senior from Hufflepuff, can vouch for me; he practiced spells with me this morning."

Through the portrait in Professor McGonagall's office, Linley's witness, Cedric, was quickly summoned.

The esteemed readers all said, "Next time for sure," and "I was careless, I didn't dodge."

As a result, the recommendation votes plummeted yesterday. I said, "Young man, you have no integrity." The esteemed readers all said, "Sorry, sorry, I don't know the rules." He said he was just talking nonsense.

He wasn't just talking nonsense, though. "Next time for sure," "This free ride is well-trained." Later, he said he had practiced for three or four years and left after reading. It seems he came prepared.

Is this good?

This is not good!

I urge all you esteemed gentlemen to be like a mouse and cherish your lives.

Reflect carefully.

Don't be so clever in the future.

When reading, prioritize harmony and integrity.

Don't just read without voting.

Thank you, friends!