This Is Simply Preposterous

After Scott raised his question, Roger chimed in, "I'm also confused. I don't recall us having any interaction with that Miss Travers."

Jacob looked up at the two of them, then lowered his head again, remaining silent.

Lisa Turpin, sitting beside him, snuck a glance at Professor Flitwick, looking as if she had something to say but was holding back.

"It seems you might know the answer, Miss Turpin." Scott's gaze shifted toward her.

Professor Flitwick also spoke up, "If you know something, Miss Turpin, it would be best to tell us."

His expression was very serious at this moment.

"The same goes for you, Mr. Kent. Only by knowing the whole truth can I determine the appropriate punishment for you all."

Lisa Turpin flinched, then spoke up with trepidation, "She... Miss Travers said you shouldn't be meddling in Jacob's business, and she looked at her with that condescending gaze."

"So that's what it was." Scott nodded in realization.

Facing Professor Flitwick's questioning look, he stood up and bowed slightly, "Please wait a moment, Professor. I would like to ask Jacob a few questions."

Professor Flitwick nodded and gestured for him to proceed.

Scott gave Professor Flitwick a grateful smile and sat back down.

"Jacob, I hope you will answer me truthfully," he said to Jacob. "What is the truth about what happened on the night of the opening feast? And why did you end up hanging around with Travers and Rowle and the others later on?"

"This... this story has to start with a trip I took to Diagon Alley before school started..."

Jacob kept his head down, but he began to recount his experience honestly.

Because of his intermittent sobbing, his voice was somewhat broken, but he expressed himself clearly enough.

He had met Jasmine Travers in Diagon Alley during the summer holidays.

At the time, Jacob had bought a box of ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, and in the crowd, he had spilled the ice cream on Travers.

"I apologized to her immediately, and she smiled and said it didn't matter," Jacob said. "Oh, Professor McGonagall, who was leading us to Diagon Alley, was there too. She used magic to help Travers clean her clothes."

To the Jacob of that time, the incident was just a minor episode, and he hadn't given it another thought afterward.

He just hadn't expected to run into Travers again on the Hogwarts Express heading to school.

But this time, Travers showed none of the kindness and friendliness she had displayed during the summer.

"I even wanted to be friends with her, but the way she looked at me was like she was looking at a bug," Jacob said.

Scott listened to his account in silence.

He believed that, up to this point, everything Jacob said was the truth.

This was likely the first time a boy full of longing for the wizarding world had felt the malice of pure-blood wizards toward Muggle-borns.

After all, reality is not a fairy tale.

"That was when Caitlin Rowle entered the compartment, and Travers started crying immediately," Jacob continued. "She told Rowle that I was bullying her. Rowle wouldn't listen to my explanation at all and kicked me out of the compartment."

Hearing this, Scott asked him, "So, the incident on the night of the opening feast—was it Rowle trying to stand up for Travers after being deceived by her, and then falling down the spiral staircase of the tower to frame you?"

"That's exactly it!" Jacob looked up, his eyes burning as he looked at him. "But no matter how I explained it, no one believed me! They even kicked me out of the dormitory!"

Professor Flitwick sighed with some regret, "Oh, several prefects reported this matter to me. Miss Clearwater said it might have been an accident."

"And then?" Scott asked. "Why did you end up hanging around with them later?"

Roger added, "We saw you walking with them more than once. Scott called your name several times, but you didn't take the opportunity to come over to our side."

"I didn't dare!" Jacob's voice carried a distinct sob. "Travers said... she said if I didn't do as she told me, she could easily find my family in the Muggle world!"

"That is preposterous!"

Professor Flitwick couldn't help but slam his hand on the table. He was clearly hearing this for the first time, and he said angrily, "She is intimidating you! You shouldn't have believed her; you should have told a professor!"

"No!"

Jacob shook his head rapidly.

"Travers said if I told a professor, her House-elf could get to my house in no time at all!"

He said in terror, "She even has photos I kept in my bedroom!"

Roger asked in surprise, "How did she know your home address?"

"The day we went to Diagon Alley, her House-elf followed us and found my house!" Jacob's body curled up in fear. "She told me that herself!"

Professor Flitwick began to shriek in fury, "Preposterous! This is absolutely preposterous! There has never, ever been such a lawless student! I will have Professor Snape expel that girl himself!"

He then comforted Jacob, "Don't worry, don't worry, Mr. Kent! Now that I know about this, I will certainly ensure the safety of your family!"

"Lulu!" He snapped his fingers.

With a loud crack, a House-elf appeared in the office. It was wearing a clean, tidy tea towel, staring with green eyes the size of tennis balls, and bowed to Professor Flitwick.

"Honorable wizard master, Lulu is at your service!"

Its voice was highly excited, as if it felt that being summoned by a wizard was a great honor.

"I need you to go and protect a family, Lulu," Professor Flitwick told it. "If any other House-elf appears near that family, you are to drive them away."

Lulu immediately shrieked in agreement, "Protect a family? No problem, Lulu will do it! Lulu will drive away all the bad elves!"

"Now, write your home address on this piece of paper, Mr. Kent." Professor Flitwick tapped the parchment on the desk and said to Jacob.

Jacob stood up immediately, picked up the quill on the table, and began to write. As he wept, he said excitedly, "Thank you, thank you so much, Professor!"

Professor Flitwick handed the written note to Lulu and said to Jacob, "Don't worry, only Lulu and I will see this note."

Jacob said in a panic, "No, I'm not worried, you don't have to do this."

"No need to say more, it's decided." Professor Flitwick waved his hand and gestured for Lulu to depart.

Lulu bowed once more and quickly vanished from everyone's sight.

Watching Lulu leave, Jacob let out a long sigh of relief, appearing much more at ease.

"Now, let's get back to the main topic." Professor Flitwick asked him, "That girl, Miss Travers, what exactly has she been doing at school? And how does she plan to take revenge on Trollope and Davis?"

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