Chapter 148 The Stage
The sunshine in the castle is still bright, and the crowds are still lively.
Outside a small dark room in the castle, the students were following the opened door of the small room and looking at a group of people inside.
"It can't really be Filch?"
Among the students watching outside, seeing this situation, Harry was a little uncertain and asked Neville beside him.
Neville shook his head: "I don't know. But it doesn't seem to have much to do with us."
"But they want to take Filch and Dumbledore away together! It's fine if they take Filch away. Does this matter have anything to do with Dumbledore!"
Harry thought this was the most ridiculous thing in the world!Could it be that the people in the Ministry of Magic think that Dumbledore ordered Filch to do this?how can that be possible!Dumbledore and Malfoy have no hatred in the past and no hatred in the present.
Even if Malfoy really offended Dumbledore in some unknown place, he only needs to deduct points directly!No matter how bad it is, you can just do it yourself, there is really no need for Filch to do it!
This matter, no matter how you look at it, is not close to anything.
"I don't! I really don't!"
Filch sat on the chair, shouting palely, holding Mrs. Norris in his arms. Because he was too nervous, Mrs. Norris was strangled by him until she was almost out of breath.He didn't even notice it.
A tall man with seaweed-like messy hair, triangular eyes, dry and white lips, and a cruel smile on his face walked in this small office.
Chains, soldering irons, whips, twine...
He lightly touched the chain hanging from the ceiling with his long and skinny fingers, and the smile on the corner of his mouth became brighter and he said, "Expert! Mr. Filch, the quality of the torture equipment here is really very good." nice!"
Looking at the oil sticking to his fingers, he nodded in satisfaction and said, "Well, you also take good care of it. It seems that neither of us will be bored on the way back."
"No! These things are not mine! They, they are just left over from the previous castle administrator, and have nothing to do with me!"
Filch panicked, with steam in his eyes.
The man didn't even look at him, he just watched these instruments of torture silently, just like walking in the Louvre to admire those art treasures.
And standing at the door, a tall, short-haired man looked at the students watching outside, and then at the watch on his wrist: "When will Jins come to the end? Don't leave, wait until we get back to the department." , I can’t make it to lunch.”
"Then you can have a meal in the Hogwarts cafeteria. I haven't eaten in the school cafeteria for so many years. Don't you miss it?"
Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he shook his head and said, "I forgot, you are not a student of Hogwarts."
"Jins is here. If he wants to stay and remember his youth, we two should go first." The short-haired man said coldly, "It's not in the same department anyway."
Hearing this sentence, the skinny young man immediately sneered and said, "Then you want to escort... escort Professor Dumbledore to the ministry?"
The tall man fell silent for a moment, without saying a word.
Filch looked at the two people who were chatting, and himself who was not valued at all, and felt even more sad for a moment.Tears swirled fiercely in the eye sockets several times, and almost fell down.
"So I've worked hard on you today, Kings."
After Dumbledore finished processing the last document in his hand, he spoke to Kings.
Jin Silai looked at the old man in front of him, his eyes were full of helplessness.
Professor McGonagall frowned and stood beside Dumbledore. Seeing that Dumbledore was about to get up, she couldn't hold back the desire to say something after all, so she spoke.
"Albus, this matter is very problematic. I don't believe that this is something that Argus can do, and I don't even believe that this matter can be implicated on you with reasonable grounds."
What Professor McGonagall said was already very euphemistic.But the meaning of the expression is also very clear. This is obviously a rough frame-up. Why do you still follow the other party's train of thought?
The portraits of the principals all opened their sleepy eyes, or pretended to be sleepy.
The atmosphere in front of them made them look forward to it more.
They have been locked in the picture frame for too long. When Dumbledore was young, he was still lively, but after all these years, Dumbledore is also old.It was almost time to come to the wall to accompany them.So they're also looking forward, looking forward to something more dynamic.
"Minerva. During my absence, the security of the school is in your hands."
Dumbledore didn't seem in the mood to answer Professor McGonagall's question.He just smiled gently, and in the reflection of that smile and the sunshine in the office, Professor McGonagall and Kingsley actually noticed a trace of death-defying emotion.
The hearts of the two of them froze immediately.Neither of them knew what it was that made Dumbledore suddenly have such an idea.
"Kins! What the hell happened?!"
Professor McGonagall looked at Kingsley Shacklebolt suspiciously.
"It's not like this, Professor." After coming, before he even came to explain the situation, Jin Silai, who was asked by Dumbledore to watch him deal with the official documents quietly, seemed to have finally found a chance to speak.
"It's actually not that serious, but Lucius urges a serious inquiry into the matter. He thinks it's a disgraceful attack on nobles by the Squibs and other groups. He even dragged several other People from the 28 families put pressure on Fudge."
Hearing this, Professor McGonagall said with a cold face: "I think Fudge must have been persuaded by them without persisting for too long."
Jin Silai frowned, then nodded helplessly.
"This... is actually not difficult to understand. After all, Dumbledore didn't mean to hold the Ministry of Magic in his own hands. Fudge may have finally discovered that he was a little, too cautious a few years ago."
If possible, Jin Silai naturally wanted to embellish his boss.But obviously, this has little effect.
"I think it's better for him to be more cautious. There are not many ministers who have had close contacts with the nobles. In the end, there are not many ministers who will not become the puppets of the nobles."
Professor McGonagall was full of anger, so he didn't think too much when he spoke.
It was difficult to see any red on Jin Silai's dark face.
"Don't say that, Minerva, Kingsley is also from the 28 family."
Dumbledore reminded with a smile on his face.Then Professor McGonagall reacted, but then shook his head helplessly and said, "It's not just Jins who is here."
No one who teaches at Hogwarts comes from a noble family.Snape's mother was an aristocrat, but Snape himself was a half-blood who was not recognized by the aristocrats.
As for the people who work in the Ministry of Magic, there are very few of those official positions that are not controlled by the nobles.Fudge was the chosen minister, and it was supposed to belong to Barty Crouch too.
Another 28.
For some reason, Professor McGonagall suddenly thought of Luke. If this kid really wanted it, would he easily have a chance to become a candidate for the Ministry of Magic?
Looking at Jin Silai's somewhat embarrassed face, Dumbledore smiled and said, "Don't worry, Jin Silai, I am also a minor nobleman."
Jin Silai shook his head in embarrassment.
Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall and Kings who were still a little puzzled and embarrassed, shook his head and explained: "Even if there is no such thing as this time, I will find a reason to leave the school temporarily."
"Why?!" Professor McGonagall was even more puzzled.
"Because the current stage does not need me for the time being. I have set up the stage for such a long time, but it is not for my own performance!"
Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore with sharp eyes, as if he had passed through the years and returned to the year, the young, energetic, and confident Dumbledore at all times.
But the next moment, she felt as if she saw an old Luke.
Hell... Did the Dumbledore family and the Gaunt family intermarry?
Professor McGonagall really wanted to ask something, but seeing the same expressions of Dumbledore and Luke, he was not interested in asking questions.
"Anyway, you always have your reasons! I don't care!"
Professor McGonagall was about to go out angrily. Under the gaze of the two, she stopped before taking two steps, and then walked to Dumbledore's table with a dark face.
He picked up two stacks of documents and walked out again.After a while, the sound of the door being slammed shut was heard.
"Professor McGonagall, what's the matter?"
Jin Silai asked with some doubts.
Dumbledore only thought it was fun: "Maybe it's because he saw me and thought of a certain little guy."
Jin Silai's expression changed instantly, as if he had thought of something terrible.
"It's not what you think."
Dumbledore said helplessly, but didn't say anything more.
Then he pondered for a moment, and just when Kings came to think that Dumbledore had discovered some loophole in the plan, he spoke.
"Kings, nobles, what do you think of Luke Gunter?"
When Jin Silai was faced with this somewhat abrupt question, but also somewhat connected with the topic just now, he fell silent.It seems to be hesitating, and it seems to be thinking.
Dumbledore didn't rush, just waited quietly.
After a long time, Jin Silai opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.
"You are the legendary Mr. Gunter! I have long admired you!"
The skinny young man stepped forward to hold Luke's hand, and said with a smile on his face.
The expression on his face made Filch, who had been on tenterhooks all morning, fall into confusion.
'Is this guy really the one who threatened me just now? '
Filch couldn't help asking in his heart.At the same time, the tension faded away for a moment, and the strength in his hand was relaxed, and then Mrs. Norris jumped out of his arms, arched her back, and yelled at Filch viciously, as if I can't wait to give Filch two big competitions.
But in the end, she still lay down next to Filch, watching the two people at the door vigilantly, as if she was careful when they would attack suddenly.
But now, in the eyes of the two staff members of the Ministry of Magic, how could the value of a squib and a cat compare to the opportunity to have a word with Luke?
"Hello, Mr. Gaunt, Graf Joliot, I heard your story a long time ago, but I didn't expect to have the opportunity to meet you this time."
The tall, short-haired man also followed, holding out his hand to Luke with a solemn expression.
Luke took this opportunity to quickly pull his hand out of the hideous skeleton and said, "Hello, Mr. Jorio."
The two shook hands, and then let go with a sense of proportion.
"The Jorio family is looking forward to your future stories. I sincerely hope that you can leave a legend in our world again."
Graf Joliot said very sincerely.
But before Luke could respond, the skinny young man said again: "Me, and me, I'm Dora Carney, and I'm also looking forward to your future stories."
After finishing speaking, he glanced at his companion provocatively.
But this time he was surprised to find that Graf, who should have been arguing with him, ignored him at all, but quietly bowed and saluted the 11-year-old child in front of him seriously.
"Please get up, two, today is a private occasion, so it's not as restrained as this."
Luke had a decent smile on his face.But the so-called decent is still the feeling of superiority.
The students in the lower grades still felt that Luke was cool, while the students in the upper grades felt envious, while others felt depressed.
"Hey! Ron, don't you often say that you and Luke are great nobles? Why didn't those two guys salute when they saw you just now?"
Seeing the painting in front of him, which looked like a picture of a monarch meeting his courtiers, Xi Mo asked half jokingly, half puzzled.
Ron's face, which was already a little red from running, instantly became three points redder.
"This... No, there is a reason. Oh, you don't understand even if I tell you, so I won't tell you. If you understood a little bit, you wouldn't ask such a boring question. Your question is very boring..."
Ron chattered on and on, and there was no point in the whole sentence.
Seamus was stunned by his torment.On the other hand, Neville shook his head silently and said, "It's different. The Gaunt family is a special existence in itself."
"What's more, part of Luke's reputation has already spread. Although there are good and bad, it is definitely not unknown."
Recalling the things grandma sometimes asked about Luke in her letters, Neville said seriously.
Seamus looked at Neville beside him, and then remembered that Neville also said that he was also a member of the so-called great nobles.
Looking at the two people around him and Luke over there, Seamus fell into a moment of confusion.
Is the gap really that big?