The heavy black wooden door closed silently behind them, shutting Stern's suffocating despair and madness inside.
The light in the corridor wasn't exactly bright either, but at least it lacked the dim, oppressive atmosphere of the interrogation room.
The middle‑aged official was pacing outside the door; hearing it open, he turned at once, a smile appearing on his face.
"Has your meeting ended, Miss Vanderbilt?"
"Of course." Elise nodded and smiled. "Thank you for the care you've provided."
"You're too polite. If you need anything, just say the word—I'm at your service at any time." The official sounded almost honored as he rushed to speak.
Just then, the grey‑haired Auror, who had been standing by the door like a statue, fixed his eyes on Vid and suddenly spoke:
"May I ask, this gentleman is…?"
Vid looked over calmly and said, "Lawrence Galekich."
Elise turned and frowned. "Auror, do you have any objection to my bodyguard?"
The grey‑haired Auror's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, locked firmly on Vid, suspicion and scrutiny in his gaze.
The young man opposite him, however, had an unusually calm and clear look in his eyes, remarkably steady, without a trace of excess emotion.
After a brief exchange of glances, the grey‑haired Auror seemed to have confirmed something and lowered his eyes.
"No, I of course have no objection."
He bowed slightly to Elise and said, "It's just that everyone who goes in or out of the interrogation room has to be properly registered, that's all."
...
Only when the two members of the Vanderbilt Family had gone far enough that even their footsteps had faded completely at the end of the corridor did the official, who had barely managed to keep a smile on his face, suddenly let his expression sink.
"You were far too rash just now, Samuel Goldstein!"
The middle‑aged official reproached him. "That's the eldest young lady of the Vanderbilt Family. Do you know how much in donations we have to take from them every year? She brings a bodyguard to look at a prisoner, and you have to stick your nose in?"
The grey‑haired Auror did not answer immediately. He walked into the interrogation room with a blank expression.
Stern was still collapsed in the chair, his eyes vacant, his whole body exuding a kind of dazed calm after an emotional outburst.
Samuel Goldstein drew his Magic Wand and traced several complex trajectories in the air; a fine blue glow fell onto Stern's body.
The middle‑aged official was, after all, also a member of the Auror Office, and he recognized the Magic Spell. He frowned, and only when he saw that the blue light produced no reaction did he finally breathe out in relief.
But Samuel Goldstein did not relax. He stepped forward and turned Stern's head, the tip of his Magic Wand shining with a strong white light as he carefully examined the prisoner's eyes.
He then pried open Stern's jaw, inspecting his teeth and the inside of his mouth, as well as the instinctive swallowing of his throat and the rise and fall of his chest with his breathing.
Only after he had done all this did he let go, leaving Stern's head to droop weakly again.
The middle‑aged official's face relaxed completely, and he almost let out a short snort from his nose.
"You're worried the prisoner's been swapped? By Elise Vanderbilt?"
He shook his head, as if finding the idea utterly unreasonable.
"Do you know who she is? The entire Magic Congress has to give her family some face! If she wants information, would she need to resort to such a high‑risk method?"
"Honestly, if the Elise family really made a request, the people upstairs might well pack this prisoner up and deliver him to their door."
"Goldstein, you're suffering from professional paranoia—you see a criminal in everyone. If you weren't such a bundle of nerves, your sister wouldn't be up there while you're stuck down here in this damp hole rotting away!"
Even under his sarcasm, Samuel Goldstein showed no sign of taking offense. He only said quietly:
"I'm just being cautious. Didn't the United Kingdom have a scandal recently? A high official of the Ministry of Magic, years ago, used Polyjuice Potion to swap his son out of prison."
The middle‑aged official also remembered that story, but then shook his head again:
"That was his son, his own flesh and blood! And this Scourer bastard has what to do with the Vanderbilt Family's eldest young lady? You're really overthinking it!"
Samuel Goldstein seemed to think of something, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile that was part sarcasm, part bitter.
"A noble status doesn't mean a position is automatically right. Human feelings and allegiances are the hardest things in the world to predict. What we can do is not bet on which big shot's mood and stance are where today…"
He stopped at the door and turned his head slightly, the corridor's light casting deep shadows over his face.
"…but to guard against every possibility."
The middle‑aged official stood where he was, his face a mix of displeasure and a faint unease stirred within.
Seeing Samuel Goldstein about to leave, he couldn't help but raise his voice and shout:
"Sounds nice… But why don't you try climbing up there! Staying in this interrogation room that stinks of rot—no matter how capable you are or how steadfast your principles, what good does it do? Who'll ever see you?!"
Samuel Goldstein's steps paused for a moment, but he said nothing and walked straight out.
...
"What's wrong? You look so grim." Elise watched Vid's expression and asked, "Did that Scourer's story disturb you?"
Vid's gaze swept over the crowds coming and going in the atrium of the Magic Congress, and he said softly:
"Not exactly disturbing… It just reminded me of someone else… someone whose life was also ruined by Love Potion…"
"Ah…"
Elise let out a quiet sigh. She didn't pursue who that person was, but instead said:
"The Magic Congress has always officially banned the abuse of Magic Potions, especially Love Potion. But it doesn't seem to have much effect. Even the students in school sometimes secretly brew a cauldron."
After speaking, she paused, then half‑jokingly, half‑seriously added:
"You'd better be careful, Vid. For all you know, there might be a girl at Hogwarts who wants to use Love Potion to snag you."
"I won't fall for such a crude trap," Vid said.
Elise pressed her lips together in a small smile. "Then remember—on Valentine's Day, don't eat anyone else's chocolate."
Then she shifted the topic naturally. "So, what are you planning to do next? Go and rescue Professor Abigail?"
In Stern's testimony, the Scourers' higher‑ups seemed convinced that Abigail had a good relationship with Vid Gray. They had even considered using the former professor to gain Vid's trust.
But later, they began to doubt Abigail's loyalty, afraid that once sent out, she would not only fail to carry out the mission, but might turn around and go against the organization. So they abandoned that half‑formed plan.
After that, Abigail even became a discarded pawn…
Elise didn't really know whether Serra Abigail had truly been so popular back at Hogwarts. But it was obvious that when Vid saw that piece of information, his emotions shifted very noticeably.
As Elise asked, her gaze brushed over Vid's face like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, then quickly drifted off into the distance. Yet in less than a second her eyes circled back of their own accord, quietly settling on his face again.