The Cruel Yet Innocent Cleaning Charm

Thursday.

After the afternoon Potions Class.

In an empty room beside the Potions classroom.

"Professor Evans, why did you call us here?" Ron did not understand why Professor Evans had invited him and Neville to her parent-child time with Harry.

"I just felt that perhaps I should share this with you." An unfathomable light flickered in Lily's eyes.

After gazing deeply at Harry, she began to speak of Zacharias. "Last night, Severus and I found Zacharias Smith hanging upside down in a corner.

He had fainted, and we couldn't wake him no matter what we did."

"How did he faint?" "Ron!" Ron and Neville spoke one after the other, but neither drew Harry's attention.

He shook his head. "Neville, you don't need to worry. My mum must have already known it was me before she started telling this story."

Then he frowned and glanced at Neville. Why does Neville's 'Sword Mind Clarity' seem to have failed again?

That means Mum isn't here to hold me accountable this time.

Could Zacharias's fainting involve some other secret?

"I saw a strong trace of James's style in what was done to that child."

"My dad's style?"

"Cruelty laced with a childlike innocence, even carrying the air of a righteous knight punishing evil.

He could make a simple Scourgify produce beautiful pink bubbles.

Yet they were used to plug someone's throat.

Then, when the victim was about to suffocate, he hurriedly stopped.

Like an innocent, ignorant child dismembering a small animal with sticks and stones.

These were things I only gradually came to realize after I died, in the Afterlife.

Only then did I understand that although Dark Magic was evil and could only be used with malicious intent,

ordinary spells could also be filled with profound malice."

"Is that why you left my