Rumors

"What's the Cruciatus Curse? You're only a first-year; you haven't learned about these things yet. When you reach fourth year, your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor will tell you that it's one of the three most dangerous Unforgivable Curses in the wizarding world, the pinnacle of Dark magic.

Who at Hogwarts could use Dark magic? The students certainly don't have that kind of ability, and most of the professors have worked and lived here for years, so everyone knows them well. But there's one professor—the newcomer. He's incredibly powerful, and most importantly—he has a record!"

Betty kept laying out her reasoning beside Lynn's ear, practically spelling out who she thought the culprit was.

Lynn's expression had already returned to calm as he looked at Betty.

"Does everyone think Professor Foxx is the culprit?"

Betty widened her eyes and spread her hands. "Who else could possibly be suspicious?"

"But what's the motive? Why would Professor Foxx attack Hubert?" Lynn asked.

"The whole wizarding world knows what he's researching. Maybe his Dark magic experiment this morning needed a test subject, and unlucky Hubert just happened to appear in front of him."

Lynn had lost his appetite for lunch. He stood up and spoke to Betty before leaving.

"No matter what happened, there needs to be evidence. Before anyone sees Professor Foxx committing a crime or finds conclusive proof, everything you've said is nothing but baseless rumors."

Betty looked somewhat aggrieved as she watched Lynn's retreating back in confusion.

"Why are you speaking up for him? He's a murderer, a prisoner who used to be locked up in Azkaban!"

Lynn walked straight out of the Great Hall without paying Betty any further attention.

He knew that even though Betty had once helped him teach Hubert a lesson, the two of them still stood on the same side.

They were both from pure-blood families. Perhaps Betty was far better mannered than Hubert, but their fundamental interests and perspectives were the same.

Voldemort's followers were mostly pure-blood wizards, because Voldemort's ultimate goal could bring them enormous benefits.

Other than the Weasley family and the Longbottom family, nearly every pure-blood family could practically be equated with Death Eaters.

Since Professor Foxx had killed five Death Eaters back then, he had effectively made enemies of all pure-blood wizards.

Even though Voldemort had fallen many years ago, the interest groups had not disbanded.

Perhaps the pure-blood families whose immediate relatives had not died at Professor Foxx's hands did not bear much of a grudge against him, but they certainly did not mind creating a situation where everyone kicked a man when he was down.

Lynn could already be certain that within three days, some students' parents would put pressure on Hogwarts. They would have the Daily Prophet follow the story and demand that the Ministry of Magic thoroughly investigate the matter. Their ultimate goal was to drive Professor Foxx out of Hogwarts.

Of course, it would be even better if he got sent back to Azkaban.

In truth, there were only two questions now.

The first was: who had really attacked Hubert?

From beginning to end, Lynn had never believed Professor Foxx had done it, and not merely because he trusted the professor's character.

Anyone with a functioning brain in Professor Foxx's position would not do something like this.

There were no cameras at Hogwarts. The culprit would not be so easily caught.

Lynn could not even be sure who the person who attacked Hubert had truly been targeting.

Was it to teach Hubert a lesson? To frame Professor Foxx? Or for some other reason?

The second question was: why had Professor Snape deliberately spread the news that Hubert had been attacked with Dark magic?

The excuse that the professor had accidentally let it slip might fool children, but Lynn certainly did not believe it.

Snape had absolutely said it on purpose.

But why?

Did he also have a grudge against Professor Foxx?

Lynn suddenly froze at that thought.

He remembered that before Snape had defected, he had been a die-hard Death Eater. Maybe the two of them really did have a grudge!

That afternoon, there was another Herbology class.

During class, he saw Mark and Michel as well.

There were still traces of bumps on their bodies. It seemed they had already gone to Madam Pomfrey for treatment.

Both of them spotted Lynn as well, but the instant their eyes met his, they quickly looked away in fright.

Lynn had no interest in dealing with them. Wearing dragonhide gloves, he carefully tended to the dittany they had planted during the previous lesson.

"Be careful not to damage their outer skin. If dittany is injured during its juvenile stage, the effects it can produce once it matures will be greatly reduced..."

Lynn listened very attentively to Professor Sprout's lesson.

He was not worried about Professor Foxx, because worrying would not accomplish anything.

Professor Foxx was an adult wizard. He surely had his own plans and methods. If he needed Lynn to worry over something like this for him, then there would be no point in Lynn studying Dark magic research under him.

Ever since Lynn had earned praise and points from professors in every class, he had started keeping a low profile in lessons. He rarely took the initiative to raise his hand and answer questions anymore.

He had stood out purely to earn points for himself, not to earn points for Slytherin.

Still, he remained active in Potions class. Lynn intended to go head-to-head with that heartless man with no wife to the bitter end. He refused to believe Snape was incapable of praising anyone.

Snape also seemed to be playing along with Lynn. Though he never praised Lynn even once, he took every opportunity to award Slytherin points, openly and unashamedly favoring his own House.

After the afternoon classes ended, Lynn returned to the dormitory where he lived alone. After practicing curses in his room for more than an hour, he finally put away his wand and went to the Great Hall for dinner.

The Great Hall was especially lively today.

Because the rumors had spread at just the right time, every young wizard in Hogwarts now knew about the attack that morning, as well as...

The prime suspect.

"I knew it! Luckily, my dad warned me to stay away from him before I came back to school. Otherwise, I might have been the one lying in the corridor this morning!"

"I wonder whether Professor Dumbledore knows about this. He'll definitely see that old man's true colors and throw him out of the school!"

"Hmph, how could it be as simple as throwing him out? Using an Unforgivable Curse on a human is a violation of wizarding law! He'll be locked back up in Azkaban and spend the rest of his life with those disgusting Dementors!"

Lynn could not bear to remain at the Slytherin table after only a short while.

Frowning, he grabbed some bread from the table and left the Great Hall.

The rumors had spread far too quickly. These young wizards had practically no judgment of their own; they believed whatever others told them.

Now, it was not just the pure-blood young wizards of Slytherin. Even the other three Houses believed Professor Foxx was behind the attack!