Meanwhile, at the staff table, Jacob Rosier frowned.
Lucius, who had been talking to him, noticed his reaction and glanced back. "What are you looking at?"
Jacob Rosier shook his head. "Our Chosen One was looking at us just now-" He hesitated, then asked tactfully, "I hear he grew up with Muggles. You've met him, Lucius. Have you noticed anything abnormal about him?"
Abnormal?
Lucius thought for a moment. "I haven't had much contact with him. I've only heard Draco mention him a few times. Aside from his fondness for Muggles and his troublemaking, which bear some resemblance to his father, everything else-his grades are average, and he has no particular talent for magic. He's nothing like his father. I suspect his mother's blood tainted him."
That explained it!
Jacob Rosier nodded. No wonder the boy had looked so vacant and dim-witted just now.
He paid the boy no further attention and quietly returned to their earlier topic. "Are you sure there's no problem with us coming here openly?"
"I'm a school governor of Hogwarts. I've made a special trip to support my old school in welcoming a foreign delegation. What problem could there be?"
"You're hardly that public-spirited."
"..." Lucius's lips twitched. In the end, he held back his curse and said expressionlessly, "Relax. We're also here today at Severus's request. Everyone knows he's on excellent terms with my family." At the mention of Snape, Jacob Rosier's frown deepened. He had met the Potions Professor earlier that day-the first time in many years he had encountered him at close quarters.
Frankly, he disliked the man. He was cold and impossible to read.
More importantly, when the Death Eaters had been brought to justice over a decade ago, Dumbledore had staunchly vouched for Severus Snape.
As a former student of