bioinnovel Chapter 207 Not only crazy, but also ruthless
Chapter 207 Not only crazy, but also ruthless
Chapter 207 Not only crazy, but also ruthless
"Severus, so you missed me that much? It makes me feel a little embarrassed."
A soft laugh drifted from the corner of the corridor.
The person arrived before the voice.
Belvina turned the corner of the corridor and strolled over slowly.
The women's watch on her left wrist was undamaged, and there were no wounds on her right finger joints. She even took the time to change her clothes.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Belvina said to Dumbledore and McGonagall. "Something came up and I was held up."
"I'm quite curious what could possibly be worth delaying for someone who teaches Muggle Studies," Snape said curtly, his tone laced with contempt and disdain.
The Muggle Studies Department is at the very bottom of the Hogwarts food chain; it is neither magical nor fantastical, and is condemned by a host of pure-blood wizarding families.
Snape already looked down on the course, and the fact that the professor was Belvina made it a case of 1+1>2.
"Alright, you two," said Dumbledore. "I've already told you, you two should stop arguing."
Belvina ignored Dumbledore and walked straight to Snape, saying, "Professor Snape, if you have any complaints, you can just say them directly. There's no need to beat around the bush."
"I know you think I helped Sirius Black sneak into the castle," Belvina said, lifting the hem of her long dress. "Look, there's someone hiding under this skirt!"
Belvina took another step forward, looking directly into Snape's deep eyes.
She continued, "If that's still not enough, Professor Snape can search my bedroom, my bathroom, and even my suitcase."
The corridor in front of the Gryffindor Tower was silent; which of the professors present was unaware of the feud between Snape and the two Blacks?
Over the past two years, Belvina and Snape have clashed more than once or twice, but they have both restrained themselves out of respect for Dumbledore.
But this year, Sirius Black suddenly interfered, and the relationship between Belvina and Snape became even worse, sometimes not even giving Dumbledore any face.
"Let me make this clear from the start: what if you can't find Sirius Black here with me?" Belvina continued, her tone and attitude even more intimidating than Snape's.
"Have you two had enough? The important thing now is to find Sirius Black!" Professor McGonagall said sternly.
"I didn't send you here to make a scene about pre-arranged deals!"
At this moment, Lupin also strolled over slowly.
He said, "Sorry, the two of us—Belvina and I—we were just checking the secret passages in the school, so we're late."
Professor McGonagall reprimanded first, Lupin interrupted later, and Dumbledore and the other two heads were also present. Under normal circumstances, Belvina and Snape should have taken the opportunity to back down and let the matter drop.
But the two of them seemed to be deaf and blind, unable to hear or see anything, their only concern being their nemesis in front of them.
"Do you take me for a fool, Black?" Snape said slowly. "You think you can make me believe your nonsense with all that posturing?"
"Go search if you don't believe me. I'll stand here and wait for you." Belvina retorted without backing down. "If you can't find him, I'll settle the score with you!"
"Is your brain filled with Flobber worms?" Snape scoffed. "Even if your brain were a troll's, you wouldn't hide a fugitive in your room."
Belvina scoffed, "There's nothing wrong with being a little slow-witted; it's better than being a mad dog that bites indiscriminately. Don't use your poison-filled, rotten heart to judge others. Not everyone is like you."
The two women were incredibly venomous. Snape launched a personal attack on Belvina, to which Belvina immediately retorted that Snape was an untrustworthy traitor.
"Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, do I need to remind you again?" Snape scoffed. "Belvina Black."
"Ha! Little Avery, Moorselber, Evan Rozier, do I need to call out more names?" Belvina said slowly. "Ah, I remember you were quite close to Wilkes. I heard he was surrounded and killed by Aurors, and his death was particularly gruesome."
No one's past is clean, elder brother, don't laugh at your younger brother.
Belvina was born into the Black family, whose members were Voldemort's supporters.
Snape was even more direct; he was a Death Eater himself, and had the Dark Mark branded on his arm.
Watching the two clashing like oil and water, listening to them dredging up old grievances, even the great Dumbledore was quite troubled. Getting Belvina and Snape to shake hands and make peace was harder than climbing to heaven.
Dumbledore had tried everything, from gentle persuasion to intimidation, but all to little avail.
Belvina was relatively easy to talk to and generally didn't cause trouble, while Snape was completely unresponsive and ignored all advice and warnings.
The two had finally started to improve their relationship last school year, but the arrival of Sirius Black and Lupin caused their gradually improving relationship to deteriorate rapidly, even worse than before.
It would be virtually impossible for Dumbledore to maintain impartiality in this matter unless Voldemort were to immediately "resurrect" and return.
"Shut up!" Dumbledore said sternly. "Now we're going to inspect Belvina's common room." Dumbledore looked at Lupin, then added, "And Remus's common room too."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dumbledore led the way and left, not giving Belvina and Snape a chance to continue.
Seeing this, the other professors followed suit, as they didn't want to listen to the two arguing anymore.
What's the point of just arguing without actually fighting?
Before long, the group arrived at the Muggle Studies classroom on the fifth floor. Belvina went into the classroom first, turned on all the lights, and then opened all the boxes and cabinets for everyone to inspect.
Dumbledore stood at the door of the common room, showing no intention of going in to inspect it carefully.
With Belvina's attitude so certain, it would be a miracle if you could find anyone by searching for her.
"So, did you find him?" Belvina pressed on relentlessly. "Is Sirius Black here?"
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"Who would hide a fugitive wanted by the Ministry of Magic in their room?" Snape retorted, still believing Belvina was an inside man, despite having no proof.
As he spoke, Snape's gaze fell on the only unopened box in the room, but he did not ask Belvina to open it, and his deep eyes immediately looked away.
Belvina caught this moment and said, "Are you looking at this suitcase? Do you need me to open it for you?"
Before she finished speaking, Belvina had already started to unfasten the metal buckle on her suitcase.
Seeing this, Snape turned and left without saying a word, Dumbledore and Lupin also left the room immediately, and even the short-legged Professor Flitwick ran out in a flash.
The room was filled with open cabinets containing snacks, books, teaching aids, and clothes of various styles, but no underwear was visible.
It was obvious that all of Belvina's personal clothing was packed in that unopened suitcase.
All the male professors tactfully left, including Snape.
The female professor who remained in the room wouldn't be so tactless as to insist on inspecting Belvina's private clothing.
Furthermore, no one had originally intended to search Belvina and Lupin's room; they were merely following Dumbledore's orders.
I'm just here to go through the motions.
If even Belvina's personal belongings are to be searched, that's not following procedure; it's offending her to the point of no return.
Professor Sprout stepped forward and placed Belvina's hands on his, saying gently, "Alright, stop fooling around."
We all believe you, so hurry up and put it away. What kind of image is this, displaying it like this?
"During the Sorting Ceremony, didn't the Sorting Hat consider placing you in Gryffindor?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Personally, I think Gryffindor is a better fit for you than Slytherin."
After Professor McGonagall finished speaking, she left the room. Professor Sprout nodded in agreement and then followed her out.
A blush crept across Belvina's cheeks in the room. Even though she was tough and thick-skinned, she was unwilling to show her underwear to others, simply because she was sure no one would do so.
After completing the procedures with Belvina, the professors, led by Dumbledore, went to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Compared to Belvina's dazzling array of clothes and endless snacks, Lupin's room was shabby enough to make even a thief weep.
Lupin followed Belvina's example and opened all the boxes and cabinets.
Most of the chests and cabinets were empty; the patched-up clothes didn't even fill one wardrobe.
Destitute, down on his luck, and shabby—all the words used to describe poverty can be applied to Lupin without feeling out of place.
In Lupin's room, there was also a cabinet that was not opened. The cabinet kept shaking and making noise, attracting the attention of everyone present.
"That's a Boggart," Lupin explained. "It was found by chance in the castle." As he spoke, Lupin made a gesture as if to open the cabinet and let the Boggart out.
"No need," Dumbledore waved his hand. "That's enough."
Then Dumbledore looked at Snape and said seriously, "Severus, I reiterate to you, I do not believe that anyone in this castle would help Black break in."
Snape remained silent, his expression blank. The Potions Professor had long anticipated that the search would yield no results, just as he himself had said: Who would hide a wanted criminal in their room?
Snape was angry, not at Dumbledore, nor at Belvina and Lupin, but at himself.
While searching the two professors' rooms, Snape suddenly realized that they were stalling for time, and he had been tricked. Sirius Black was probably already long gone.
"If there is any further doubt, you must provide evidence, Severus," Dumbledore continued. The headmaster had thoroughly humiliated Snape tonight, completely siding with Belvina.
Then, Dumbledore looked at Belvina and said sternly, "Belvina, I trust Severus as much as I trust myself. So I don't want to hear you bring up the past again."
Well, Dumbledore wasn't entirely on Belvina's side either; the headmaster was still trying to treat everyone equally.
Or perhaps, Dumbledore's inner scales actually tipped more towards Snape?
Dumbledore left the room first, and before leaving, the headmaster gave Belvina a deep look, as if he had already seen through her thoughts.
With Dumbledore's departure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and Professor Flitwick also left one after another, leaving only the three antagonistic individuals in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
"You must always speak and act with evidence, Severus," Belvina said slowly and deliberately. "Don't bring your old habits into the present."
Snape glanced at Belvina and Lupin, then said, "You know best whether you've done certain things or not. Don't treat everyone like fools."
Snape flicked his sleeves and said to Lupin, "Lupin, it seems Potter doesn't hold much weight in your heart."
After uttering a nonsensical remark, Snape walked out of the classroom without looking back.
"I still don't think we need to do this," Lupin said slowly, looking at the empty classroom.
"I think it's absolutely necessary," Belvina said with a laugh. "Look how grumpy Severus looks!"