Struggling to survive at Hogwarts

Chapter 196 The Old Bat's Silence

"How about we go out for some fresh air?" Ron was getting restless in the room.

"Wait!" Ron said softly, extending an arm to stop Harry and Hermione from going any further. "They don't seem to be finished with their meeting yet. Should we wait a bit before going down?"

At this moment, inside the conference room.

There was a huge table in the room. The head seat was empty, but at least two-thirds of the other seats were occupied.

"The Ministry of Magic has been pressuring the Daily Prophet to stop them from reporting any news on the matter, claiming that such news is Dumbledore's rumor, so most of the wizarding world is unaware that anything has happened," Kingsley reported on the Ministry of Magic's current actions.

“This is bad. If no one believes this fact, it could affect our plans,” Ephias frowned.

"What did Dumbledore say?" someone asked Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "I haven't heard from Albus in the last few days. I only know that he's very busy."

Everyone sighed inwardly, but none of them showed it.

They believed that Albus must also be making efforts somewhere.

"Besides Fudge and his group, is there anyone else in the Ministry of Magic who will stand by our side?"

“Yes, but not many,” Arthur shook his head. “Even if they support us, they can’t show it, because it would cost them their jobs—and even I can’t say anything about it.”

"Foolish Fudge!" someone couldn't help but mutter under their breath.

"And you, Snape," Sirius looked up at Snape, who was sitting silently across the table, "You've been so busy these past few days, you must have heard the news by now!"

Upon hearing Sirius's slightly provocative words, Snape finally raised his eyes and stared coldly at him.

Arthur, Kingsley, and the others tensed up, ready to stop the two at the last second before they started fighting.

"…No……"

Snape resisted the urge to jump up and kill the other man.

"No?"

Sirius exclaimed in an extremely exaggerated manner, and successfully saw the veins throbbing on Snape's forehead.

"So what do you do all day?"

"Sirius!" Arthur's tone was full of dissuasion, but Sirius ignored him.

Seeing the increasingly defiant look in the stupid dog's eyes, Snape gritted his teeth and said, "Teach Occlumency."

"what?"

Not only Sirius, but the wizard sitting next to Snape was also shocked.

"What have you been doing these days?"

"Here, Blake, teaches Occlumency!"

Snape's tone was menacing, as if he were about to draw his wand if anyone asked him that question again.

Upon hearing Snape's reply again, the room fell silent, even Sirius Black fell silent.

This statement reminded him once again of the fact that "Thea is Voldemort's daughter."

He still can't figure out how the girl who used to call him "uncle" suddenly became... his daughter?

Why did she sue Crouch in the first place?

And this was all under the premise that she already knew about her background. Could it be that she really considered him as her family?

"...How talented is she in this area? Has she learned it?"

Finally, someone asked the question, and everyone silently pricked up their ears.

Snape recalled Black's performance in class with a complicated expression...

Honestly, she was the most talented little wizard he had ever seen.

Even he couldn't master the brain surgery technique in about a month and a half.

“…He is exceptionally talented and has almost mastered it now.”

Everyone was shocked. They knew how strict Snape was as a professor, and to hear those four words from him was...

Currently, there is only one Blake.

"...How long did it take her?"

Someone asked tremblingly—he still clung to a sliver of hope.

Perhaps the mysterious man's daughter failed to inherit his talent for dark magic?

Snape's expression became even more complicated. "...A month and a half."

A silence.

The air seemed to freeze. Apart from the occasional crackling of firewood burning in the fireplace, almost everyone stood like a stone statue, all with jaws practically dropping off.

"Will she go to Hogwarts next semester? I think she's only... fifth year?"

Ephias's question made many people scoff, but at the same time they couldn't help but wonder, what if it was really possible?

After all, the mysterious person's actions were not those of an ordinary person.

Snape glanced around at the expressions of the people around him; some were indifferent, others looked expectant…

"She will continue to go to Hogwarts; the Mystic has made it clear."

The atmosphere fell silent again.

"Bang!" Someone slammed their hand on the table, the sound so loud that Mrs. Weasley outside the door was a little worried, but she didn't dare to go closer to listen.

"It's alright, Molly, don't worry!"

Lupin thoughtfully opened the door and spoke to Mrs. Weasley.

"That's good!"

Mrs. Weasley patted her chest and turned back into the kitchen.

"They've got their hopes up right!"

The person who slammed his fist on the table was furious.

"Would Dumbledore refuse her admission? After all, we can't just sit and wait for her to train the next generation of Death Eaters at the school!"

McGonagall's answer was beyond everyone's expectations: "There's nothing we can do; Hogwarts won't refuse any young wizard's admission."

"Then expel her? Expel her!"

Professor McGonagall shook her head again. "There is no reason to do that."

Everyone sighed.

"Then... what about Harry and the others?"

Kingsley's words made Sirius and the others raise their heads.

"What if she makes a move right here at Hogwarts?"

"Do not……"

Lupin instinctively wanted to refute Thea's claim that she wasn't that kind of person, but then he thought about her current status and what if the mysterious person had cast a soul-stealing spell on her?

"Dumbledore and we will protect Potter. No one can lay a hand on Potter at Hogwarts!"

Professor McGonagall's words were powerful and resonated with many people, dispelling their doubts.