Faced with Horace Slughorn shouting loudly, Albus Dumbledore simply smiled faintly and didn't respond.
As if Slughorn had just made a joke to him.
Meanwhile, Link was quietly making a rather ill-intentioned guess in his mind, that Dumbledore simply didn't want to give Slughorn a raise.
After all, as long as he didn't respond, he could just pretend he hadn't heard it.
Dumbledore seemed to notice Link's strange gaze. As they walked along the country path together, he asked, "What do you think of Slughorn?"
Hearing that, Link recalled how the man had acted arrogant at first and then suddenly respectful, and couldn't help but smile.
"He's… an interesting person, I suppose."
"You mean he's both vain and shameless?" Dumbledore said.
"After all, the moment he heard you were Link Flamel and that you were willing to acknowledge him as your teacher, his attitude changed instantly."
Link raised an eyebrow without saying anything.
Seeing that, Dumbledore continued, "I must say, your first impression of him is correct. Horace does enjoy material comforts, and besides that, he likes associating with famous, successful, and powerful people."
"He takes great pleasure in the feeling that everything is arranged by him, though he never wants to hold real power himself, preferring to stay in a secondary position."
"He always says that way he's freer and more at ease, because the risks he bears are smaller."
"Back when he was still at Hogwarts, he would always pick certain students he liked and give them special attention."
"And to earn his 'favor,' you needed to stand out in some way."
"Sometimes it was because of ambition or intelligence, sometimes because of charm or talent. And he has a rather unusual ability to always pick those who will later rise to prominence in various fields."
"Horace built a club centered around himself, made up of his favorite students. He lets them get to know each other, build useful connections, and in the end, he always gains some benefit."
"Maybe a free crate of his favorite candied pineapple, or the chance to recommend a clerk to the Goblin Liaison Office."
Link didn't show much surprise at Dumbledore's description.
Because as Dumbledore spoke, memories related to Slughorn were slowly waking up in his mind.
And also because he had seen far too many people like Slughorn.
Whether in his previous life, or in present-day Britain, or in any existing system, none of them could escape the shadow of a society built on personal connections.
And Slughorn was the ultimate embodiment of that kind of society.
He was like a giant spider, spinning a thread here and another there, weaving a web around himself, drawing in plump, juicy flies to his side.
"I'm telling you all this," Dumbledore continued, "not to make you dislike Horace, but to show you his truest side."
"Having a full understanding of a newly appointed professor is a right you have as one of the four board members of Hogwarts."
"Of course, he will definitely try to recruit you as well."
"After all, in his words, you are 'the most talented and outstanding wizard in hundreds of years.' I imagine he's already determined to pull you into his circle."
"If that happens, his collection cabinet will gain another prized item he can boast about for the rest of his life."
"But I don't think I need to worry about that. You'll handle it just fine, won't you?"
In this regard, Dumbledore had complete confidence in Link.
With Link's mind and cunning, if Slughorn's social skills were truly strong enough to pull him into that network...
then Slughorn wouldn't have needed to hide everywhere and keep moving house before.
To someone like that, even Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters would probably just seem like third-rate forces.
It was precisely because of this confidence that Dumbledore didn't even look at Link's expression as he spoke.
He knew Link must be thinking the same thing.
But there was one thing that kept drawing his attention.
It was the Flamel family crest brooch pinned to Link's chest.
As far as Dumbledore knew, this was a core brooch created by the Flamel family using advanced Auror technology.
The number of functions it contained was something even Dumbledore didn't dare guess.
Back in Beauxbatons, Link had relied on the spatial positioning function of this brooch to summon the Hunter Group and Aurors stationed in Britain.
And now, it was flashing with a faint blue light in a steady rhythm.
"This means someone is sending me a message," Link explained as he took off the brooch and began checking it.
"Earlier, I didn't want to interrupt you while you were talking. But now that you've finished, I'll just..."
His words suddenly stopped.
The smile on his face vanished, his brows tightened slightly, and his entire expression turned serious.
Dumbledore asked, "What happened?"
"It's from the French Ministry of Magic," Link said flatly as he lowered the brooch. "Their retaliation has arrived."
———
[Ten Minutes Later]
Inside a secret chamber in the British Ministry of Magic.
Link and Dumbledore slowly emerged from the flames.
Seeing this, people like Newland and Percy quickly gathered around to greet them.
Dumbledore responded with a smile, while Link merely nodded expressionlessly, then focused his attention on the blonde woman tied to a chair in the center of the room.
Link had already learned the details from the message Newland sent him.
So he immediately recognized her as the blonde office lady who had visited Newland's home earlier.
But compared to before, she had completely lost her former calmness and composure.
Although her clothes were mostly intact and she didn't seem to have many external injuries, her expression was blank, and she radiated a sense of despair, as if she had been completely broken.
"Ahem…"
Percy coughed awkwardly and explained, "That's because we used Veritaserum and Legilimency a bit too harshly."
"But don't worry, we've already given her preliminary treatment. At worst, she'll just be a bit forgetful. She won't become an idiot."
Link nodded.
"So, did she reveal anything useful?"
Hearing that, Percy's expression became even more awkward.
He hesitated for quite a while before finally saying, "Unfortunately, Lord Flamel, her brain has been placed under a restriction."
"Although we used appropriate amounts of Veritaserum and Legilimency to bypass it, that also means the information we could obtain is limited to the fact that she comes from France."
"So in other words, you didn't get anything useful at all?"
At Link's words, Percy, Newland, and the others all looked uneasy, and the atmosphere in the chamber turned heavy.
"Newland, you've done well. There's no need to be like this."
Link looked at Newland and spoke in a gentler tone.
Newland let out a sigh of relief.
After the initial excitement faded, he had already calmed down.
Capturing a French spy like this wasn't entirely a good thing for him.
Especially when she couldn't provide much useful information.
This could easily make Link suspicious of him.
After all, flies don't land on seamless eggs. The fact that the French targeted him meant he must have had some kind of vulnerability.
If Link really thought that way, then forget about promotions and raises... he'd be lucky if Link didn't make things difficult for him.
But judging from the current situation, Link didn't seem to think that way. At least on the surface.
"Thank you for your trust, Lord Flamel.", Newland bowed respectfully.
Link waved his hand, "I said, there's no need. You've made a contribution. Your internship in the Auror Office will end early, and you'll be officially appointed. Also, I'll personally give you a bonus of 500 Galleons."
"Really?"
Newland asked excitedly, then quickly realized his loss of composure and covered his mouth, repeatedly thanking Link.
But the smile on his lips couldn't be hidden.
After all, he had already given up hope on any reward.
Yet Link still gave him everything.
500 Galleons aside... that was indeed a large sum, enough for him to buy several sets of potions to help his mother recover.
But the most important thing was becoming a full member early.
After this promotion, he would be the second among the new batch of Ministry recruits to be officially appointed.
Second only to Cedric, and far ahead of Sigefin.
From now on, he could openly mock Sigefin as a senior.
That was what thrilled him the most.
Even now, he could already feel envious and resentful gazes being directed at him.
'That had to be Sigefin!'
'Only that guy could be so petty!'
Thinking this, Newland felt so pleased he could barely breathe.
Nothing made him happier than seeing Sigefin unhappy.
However, when he raised his head slightly and turned toward that resentful gaze with a proud expression, what he saw was Percy's slightly twisted face.
'Uh...'
Newland froze for a moment.
He truly hadn't expected that the one feeling resentful toward him would be Percy.
That didn't make sense.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out, so he quickly restrained his smile and turned his head slightly, avoiding eye contact with Percy.
For now, he couldn't afford to offend someone like Percy.
But in the next moment, he understood why.
Because Link spoke again, "As for you, Percy, continue strengthening the investigation. Find all those rats from France."
Link's tone was completely different from before, deep and full of authority. "Also, how is the task I assigned you earlier... clearing out the remaining Death Eaters?"
"Apologies, Lord Flamel. We've already done our best," Percy said, bowing.
"Over the past month, we've conducted intensive interrogations of Lucius Malfoy and turned Britain upside down, but we still haven't found much. I believe… there may not be any so-called remaining Death Eaters."
"You believe? Since when do you get to believe? Don't forget, Peter Pettigrew still hasn't been captured!"
Link's tone suddenly sharpened, "Increase the effort and continue the search. Expand the search range to all of Europe. I suspect those Death Eaters have already left Britain!"
At these words, Percy's eyes nearly popped out.
He stared at Link in disbelief.
After all, conducting searches across national borders without authorization violated international wizarding agreements.
But seeing Link's stern gaze, Percy ultimately closed his mouth and lowered his head in submission.
"Link, what about this female spy? What do you plan to do with her?" Cedric Diggory spoke up, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.
"How about handing her over to the International Confederation of Wizards? We could also issue a condemnation. That would count as a counterattack against the French Ministry of Magic."
Link turned to look at Cedric.
It was indeed a good idea.
Or rather, making use of something otherwise useless.
After all, the spy had no intelligence value left.
The restriction in her brain had already blocked almost all possible avenues.
This kind of 'deletion-level' seal was beyond even masters like Link and Dumbledore.
In that case, it would be better to throw her out and let the British Ministry regain the moral high ground, easing international pressure.
But Link had another idea.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"No, let's keep her for a while. I have a feeling that if we keep her, we might hook even bigger fish."
"You mean… she's not the only spy who came to Britain?"
Cedric's expression turned serious.
Link smiled and nodded, turning away as he spoke, "In any case, everyone stay alert. Next, we're probably about to face a tough battle."
Hearing this, Percy and the others all bowed in farewell.
Dumbledore simply watched Link calmly.
Although he had followed along tonight, he hadn't said a single word, acting only as an observer.
And as an observer, he had indeed noticed some differences.
For example, Link had truly grown from a student into an outstanding leader.
And his team, though young, possessed a unity and vitality that the Ministry of Magic had never had before.
This was a brand-new group full of hope. Dumbledore firmly believed that such a group would be able to lead the British Ministry of Magic, and even the entire British wizarding world, through the coming difficulties.
And perhaps restore it to greatness.
While he was still thinking, Link had already walked over to his side.
Dumbledore smiled gently at him, and then phoenix flames once again wrapped around their bodies.
———
[Spinner's End]
Inside a run-down red-brick house was a small sitting room.
Though it was called a sitting room, it felt more like one of those padded cells in a mental hospital or detention center designed to prevent prisoners from harming themselves.
The walls were covered with books, most of them old volumes bound in black or brown leather. A candle lamp hung from the ceiling, casting a dim circle of light.
Within that circle were a worn, fraying sofa, an old armchair, and a wobbly table, all crowded together.
It was already late at night. Even the magical flames in the fireplace, which gave off a cold aura, were close to going out. Only a few flickers remained, struggling to provide a faint chill to the small room.
And Severus Snape sat on the nearly rotten sofa, staring blankly at the fireplace in front of him.
He looked utterly exhausted.
His face was pale like a drowned corpse, yet beneath his eyes hung heavy dark circles.
Creak~
The candle lamp hanging from the ceiling suddenly began to sway for no reason.
The movement snapped Snape out of his daze.
Because this was the warning of a triggered alarm spell.
His eyes instantly became sharp and deep again. In that moment, the old cold and harsh Snape seemed to return.
His wand appeared in his hand. Without a sound, he stood up and moved to the door, standing to the side as he carefully unlatched it.
The door opened, then was caught by the chain, leaving only a narrow gap.
Outside stood two figures completely cloaked in black robes.
They seemed to have been about to knock when the sudden movement startled them, making them both step back.
The one in front even shielded the other behind them.
But when she saw the deep, cold eye behind the crack in the door, she let out a breath of relief.
She pushed back her hood, revealing long blonde hair and a face that was weary but still beautiful.
"Narcissa!"
Snape said as he removed the chain and opened the door wider, letting the light inside fall on the person behind her. "And Draco? What a surprise."
"Severus," Narcissa Malfoy whispered nervously, "can I speak with you? It's urgent."
"Of course."
Snape stepped back and let them in.
They both looked extremely tense. Sweat soaked through their robes, making Draco's face look flushed and overheated.
Seeing this, Snape lightly pointed his wand at the fireplace.
The magical flames that were about to go out suddenly blazed up again.
A strong chill spread along with the flames, lowering the temperature in the room even further.
After doing all that, Snape turned back and looked at Draco and Narcissa, who had clearly relaxed a bit.
"So, what can I do for you?"
"There… there's no one else here, right?"
Narcissa asked softly, looking uneasy.
"Oh, of course not." Snape rummaged through a cabinet. "Would you like something to drink? You're very anxious. Perhaps some wine would help."
Narcissa nodded, took the wine Snape handed her, and drank it in one go.
"Lucius, you should have some too, then get some sleep later. You look terrible, like you haven't slept in ages."
Snape glanced at the bottle in his hand and shook his head.
"No. I don't want to drink. And I can't sleep."
That answer clearly surprised Narcissa.
But then, as if she realized something, she asked worriedly, "You've started having nightmares again?"
"Nightmares?"
Draco looked up in confusion.
But his mother shook her head, signaling him not to ask further.
Snape had always had trouble sleeping.
Because from time to time, he would have continuous nightmares.
And the content of those dreams was his unbearable school years.
And the moment of Lily's death.
This was a secret known only to a very few people close to Snape, and Narcissa had no intention of revealing it to her son.
Hearing her question, Snape seemed to fall back into that dazed state.
In a voice almost like sleep-talking, he said slowly, "This time, the nightmare is completely different. It's a completely dark dream, but in the sky, there's a huge face."
"That face is smiling. I can't see clearly whether it's a man or a woman, but it feels familiar… even warm."
"I think I must know her. She just floats there in the sky, constantly saying to me, I love you, I love you, I love you…"
Narcissa frowned slightly.
She felt that Snape's mental state was approaching the edge of collapse.
The pain caused by Lily's death was simply too great.
Even though Snape was a master of Occlumency, it seemed that pain was driving him close to madness.
Narcissa opened her mouth slightly, wanting to say something to comfort him.
But at that moment, Snape suddenly looked at her and said, "If you think about it strictly, it doesn't count as a nightmare."
"Because that dream feels too good. It's like returning to the best time of my life, so beautiful that it makes you unwilling to leave. And that's exactly why it's terrifying."
"That kind of beauty is completely abnormal. I'm afraid that if I fall asleep again, I might never want to wake up."
Caught off guard, Narcissa didn't know what to say and could only give an awkward smile.
After saying all this, Snape's eyes had fully cleared.
He slowly took out another glass, then said calmly, "Well then, enough small talk. I think it's time to talk about business. After all, you didn't come here just to check on my health, did you?"
At these words, Draco nervously pressed his lips together.
Narcissa rubbed her hands together repeatedly, then finally took a deep breath.
"Severus, I'm so sorry to disturb you like this, but I had to come see you. I think you're the only one who can help me!"
"So, what exactly is it?"
Snape nodded, then pulled Draco over to sit on the soft chair beside him and poured him a glass of wine as well.
He could tell Draco was even more nervous than his mother, his whole body trembling.
But Draco didn't drink the wine like his mother.
Instead, he grabbed Snape's arm and pleaded in a trembling voice, "Professor, my father… my father… please, you have to save my father!"