Snape's Invitation

"Is your mind still clear?"

Snape's cheeks twitched, looking both angry and speechless.

"I think your mind is the one that's not clear. While I am a Slytherin student, I am also a professor to students of all four houses. I'll be happy regardless of who wins."

"It doesn't look like you're happy from your face."

Snape muttered, not bothering to argue with Li Wei, and turned back to his original objective.

"Li Wei, do you know you owe me one?"

"...I don't recall owing you anything?"

Li Wei frowned and tried to recall, but he couldn't think of anything he owed Snape. If anything, Snape owed him a favor.

"The position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts was originally mine!" Snape sounded quite indignant as he said this. "Dumbledore gave it to you because of your existence. You stole my position."

"...Snape, are you insane?"

Even Li Wei found himself amused.

Was this some new form of 'fishing for compliments' in the wizarding world?

He had taken up his professorship normally, so how did it become him stealing Snape's position in Snape's eyes?

"What, you don't admit it?"

"Do you take me for an idiot?" Li Wei looked at Snape with a hint of disdain. "Dumbledore would never have made you the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Did you think I didn't know that?"

Seeing that he couldn't fool Li Wei, Snape's expression instantly darkened.

He didn't know what agreement Dumbledore and Li Wei had reached, which made him feel very insecure.

"What did you and Dumbledore talk about?"

"I'm afraid that's none of your business. Alright, if there's anything you need me to do, just say it directly.

Considering our past as fellow students, I'll consider helping you. You don't need to go through all this trouble."

Snape looked at Li Wei with some surprise at his words—when did this guy become so easy to talk to?

Did he change his tune after just one conversation with Dumbledore? Could he have been brainwashed by that cunning old man?

Snape's expression shifted, and he temporarily put the matter aside.

"Very well."

He suddenly became very serious, even tidying his clothes.

But no matter how he adjusted them, combined with his greasy hair, which was oily enough to fry an egg, he just looked sloppy.

"As I said earlier—the students' standards are getting worse and worse. They simply can't grasp what true magic is.

After teaching these little trolls for nearly three months, you must have experienced this yourself, right?"

"We should form a club, a place that truly teaches combat arts, where you and I can teach those fools something truly valuable! Let them see what a real wizard's duel is."

"A Duelling Club."

Li Wei pondered for a moment and agreed.

According to his original plan, he definitely wouldn't have wanted any detours.

But now that he had decided to temporarily focus all his energy on his teaching life, Snape's suggestion was quite timely.

"Alright, I'll go talk to Professor McGonagall about this."

"You'll go?"

Snape suddenly let out a scoff.

It was partly because he had achieved his goal, and partly because of Li Wei's concern for Professor McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall would probably be happier to see me than you right now. I'll go. You just need to agree to this."

With that, he lightly flicked his wizard robe and strode away, his attitude much better than last time.

"Doesn't want to see me? Didn't Dumbledore say he would help me explain clearly?"

Li Wei frowned slightly, then quickly thought of something—that Headmaster probably made all sorts of promises to him, but it was likely a different story when it came to Professor McGonagall.

After all, he still needed to keep the Basilisk for a student's trial and find two victims—I doubt he'd dare tell Professor McGonagall about things like that.

"Old Bee."

Li Wei couldn't help but mutter.

Just then, the house-elf Barton suddenly appeared beside him, his usually calm expression now looking rather grim.

"Master, something just happened that I need to report to you."

"Barton? What's wrong?"

Li Wei sensed the magic power flowing from him and guessed that he might have fought someone somewhere. This was Hogwarts, and the Basilisk had already been sealed away. Who else could he have fought?

"It's Dobby."

Barton's expression was complicated.

"He seems to think we deceived him—because of the Basilisk attack, he wants to protect Harry Potter in his own way."

"Is that so? How does he plan to protect him?"

"During the Quidditch match just now, he tried to use a spell to injure Potter with the Bludger, but I stopped him. He looked very angry and then disappeared somewhere."

"Injure Potter? Why?"

"He seemed to think that if Potter was sent to the hospital, he could avoid the Basilisk's attack and be safe."

Li Wei immediately understood why Barton's expression was so subtle—with such a dangerous creature thinking like that within the school, this matter was, in a sense, quite tricky.

Moreover, Dobby's actions were actually a reminder to the wizards—just how dangerous house-elves truly were. They could apparate despite restrictions, cast spells without wands, and their small stature made them unnoticeable—they were practically born assassins.

Back in the Middle Ages, wizards had conquered this dangerous race through war and forced them into servitude. Since then, house-elves had survived as servants to wizards. Dobby was undoubtedly a dangerous exception—he knew how to partially circumvent the restrictions of his contract. This might be a good thing if used for righteous purposes, but if he harbored thoughts of harming a student, it would become extremely dangerous.

"Master, I left something on it. I can take you to find it."

Li Wei, however, shook his head at this moment. "I cannot apparate within the castle. Catching him will be harder than killing him."

"...What do you think I should do?"

Barton's expression became hesitant—Dobby's actions, in his view, had already crossed a line—house-elves were absolutely forbidden from laying hands on wizards. If Li Wei ordered him to kill him, he really didn't want to kill this foolish kid he had only recently met.

"If he doesn't trust us, so be it. Go keep an eye on him. Besides Potter, don't let him harm any other students."

"Don't we need to protect Potter?"

"Don't worry, he cares more about Potter than we do, his views are just extremely twisted."

"Perhaps he's already with Potter now. If he changes his mind later, you can still lend him a hand."

"Thank you for your mercy, Master."