bioinnovel Chapter 419 Belvina's Punch Card
Chapter 419 Belvina's Punch Card
Chapter 419 Belvina's Punch Card
"Does Dumbledore know?"
What is the mysterious figure planning to do by summoning the Death Eaters?
"Is the mysterious figure trying to formally declare war on the Ministry of Magic?"
The questions from the Order of the Phoenix members bombarded Snape, suggesting that if he had known Voldemort's intentions beforehand, he could have deliberately sabotaged his plans.
"Of course Dumbledore knew; I informed him immediately."
Snape only answered the first question, then said, "I haven't even seen the Dark Lord, how could I possibly know what he's planning?"
The chattering group in the kitchen suddenly seemed to have been choked, unable to utter a single syllable.
Belvina stared intently at Snape, a growing sense of unease creeping into her heart as she thought about this unlikeable fellow.
If he could gain Voldemort's forgiveness and regain the Dark Lord's trust, Severus Snape would be able to see the sun rise again.
But if Voldemort doesn't believe Snape's fabricated lies, Hogwarts will lose its Potions professor, and Slytherin will lose its Headmaster.
Life or death was in Voldemort's hands, and Belvina couldn't help but feel worried for Severus Snape.
In the final moments of the meeting tonight, an eerie, somber atmosphere settled over the members gathered around the long table.
Of all the members of the Order of the Phoenix, Snape was arguably the most unpopular. Some hated him, some distrusted him, and some even regarded him as an enemy.
Regardless of how the members viewed Snape, at least at this moment, no one wanted him to die at Voldemort's hands—except for Mundungus Fletcher, who was fast asleep.
After the meeting, Severus Snape was the first to stand up and, with everyone's help, the first to leave the kitchen.
Immediately afterwards, Belvina also stood up and became the second to leave the cave-like kitchen.
"Severus," Belvina said from behind Snape, "Severus Snape."
Snape, clad in flowing black robes, clearly heard someone calling his name, but instead of stopping, he walked even faster.
Belvina quickly made her way down the long corridor and stopped Snape in the foyer.
"Severus," Belvina whispered, "be careful tonight."
She had intended to make a lighthearted joke in her usual way, but when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she couldn't help but remind Snape to be careful.
"I don't need you to teach me this, Black," Snape said coldly, his dark, deep eyes devoid of any emotion, for he had hidden his fear well.
"I was too talkative," Belvina said, stepping back into the hallway to distance herself from Snape.
The door to number 12 Grimmauld Place creaked open.
Severus Snape stood outside the door, while Belvina Black stood inside.
"The one tracking Harry was Avery, and the one who killed Lambert was Nott," Snape suddenly spoke from outside the door. "I—"
Before he could finish speaking, Snape had already descended the stone steps in front of Number 12. He strode onto the sidewalk and disappeared into the gentle evening breeze.
Although she hadn't finished speaking, Belvina could guess what Snape hadn't said: that he was the one who injured Sevich.
Belvina walked to the door, touched the door frame, and looked out at the empty sidewalk and road.
This farewell tonight may be the last time we see Severus Snape.
If they ever meet again, Belvina swore, pointing to the streetlights outside the door, that she would give Snape a warm welcome.
The door to number 12 Grimmauld Place creaked shut, shutting out the gentle evening breeze.
A pungent, foul odor suddenly wafted from behind Belvina. She didn't even need to turn around to know who was behind her.
"Mr. Fletcher, I think I should have told you not to smoke your stinky cigarette in my father's or grandfather's house!"
Belvina turned around and looked at the sleepy, unsteady Mundungus Fletcher.
"Belvina, how are you, Belvina?" Mundungus Fletcher immediately hid the filthy pipe behind his back.
Mundungus Fletcher was a short, stout man with a stubble beard. He always wore tattered clothes that looked like burlap sacks, and his ginger hair was long and messy. He looked filthy.
“I am not well, Mr. Fletcher,” Belvina said. “One of my colleagues is dead, another is seriously injured and is now lying in St. Mungo’s, and you are standing here unscathed, defiling my father’s house with that broken pipe in your hand.”
The tracking and attack that happened on Magnolia Road today cannot be entirely blamed on Mundungus Fletcher for dereliction of duty. After all, Harry has other people protecting him, and Fletcher is not an exception when it comes to bodyguards.
However, seeing Mundungus's completely unrepentant demeanor, and considering that he had left without permission to purchase a batch of stolen crucibles, Belvina was furious.
"Belvina, let me explain—" Mundungus hurriedly extinguished his pipe, but the foul-smelling green smoke lingered.
"What, are you trying to share your business acumen with me?" Belvina said sharply. "Are you planning to sell the stolen cauldron for a high price again? Or are you going to steal someone else's toad and then sell it back to them at a high price?"
"Belvina, I know I shouldn't have left—" Mundungus stammered, "but—but—I have a chance to make a big deal—you know that—"
Mundungus Fletcher blinked at Belvina, putting on a pitiful and aggrieved look.
However, this approach was completely ineffective for Belvina and only made her more irritable.
"You should be truly grateful to Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Fletcher," Belvina's voice suddenly softened. "If it weren't for his intercession, I would have sent you to Azkaban."
Upon hearing this, Mundungus Fletcher's filthy face lit up with joy.
He thought that with Dumbledore intervening, Belvina wouldn't dare to do anything to him.
"You know, Belvina, your International Department of Magical Cooperation has revised the standards for cauldron trade, which has greatly affected the price of cauldrons on the market!" Mundungus said excitedly. "As long as I sell this batch of cauldrons, I can—ah!"
Mundungus Fletcher's screams echoed between the foyer and the corridor.
He clutched his knee and calf in pain, feeling as if Belvina had broken his leg bones.
"Ah!" Mundungus Fletcher screamed again as his other leg was also hit, and he suspected that both of his leg bones might be broken.
Mundungus Fletcher, writhing on the ground in pain and covered in sweat, didn't know which injured leg to cover with his dirty hands.
"You're putting on quite a show," Belvina said dismissively. "Professor Dumbledore told me not to make things difficult for you regarding the Order of the Phoenix, and I can do that, but one..."
She leaned down to look at Fletcher, then changed the subject, saying, "If—and I mean if—I see any item related to the Black family circulating in the market, I'll take your life, Mundungus Fletcher!"
Mundungus Fletcher, curled up on the ground, nodded hastily; he dared not refuse.
"Get lost!"
Belvina pointed to the door, and it opened automatically with a whoosh.
Ignoring the excruciating pain in his legs, Mundungus Fletcher scrambled away from number 12.
Sitting on the stone steps outside the door, Mundungus continued to painfully rub his legs; he had never expected Belvina's reaction to be so strong.
Had he known this would happen, Mundungus would never have dared to neglect his duties, much less fiddle with his filthy, smelly pipe at 12 Grimaud Place.
To Mundungus Fletcher's surprise, he was so unpopular with the Order of the Phoenix that no one came to his rescue from beginning to end; everyone stayed in the kitchen and refused to come out.
When Mundungus's screams reached the underground kitchen, everyone heard them, but they all pretended not to hear them, except for Tonks.
"What happened? What's going on?" Tonks looked in the direction of the screams coming from above. "Was Mundungus attacked?"
Tonks had just stood up, but before she could even leave her seat, Kingsley pressed her back down.
"It's alright, nothing's wrong," Kingsley said calmly. "Belvina's up there, what could possibly happen to her?"
Clearly, Nymphadora Tonks doesn't know her aunt well enough.
Immediately afterwards, Mundungus Fletcher's second scream echoed into the underground kitchen.
This time, before Tonks could even ask, Sirius said to her, "It's okay, Belvina's playing games with Tanger, it's alright!"
"I'd better go take a look!" Tonks stood up again, but Kingsley pressed his shoulders down and made him sit back down.
It wasn't that Tonks was particularly worried about Mundungus; she just felt that since they were all members of the Order of the Phoenix, Belvina might have gone too far, since Mundungus had let out a pig-like scream.
"It's alright, don't worry," Lupin said. "Belvina knows what she's doing; it'll just be a little rough, she won't be seriously injured."
At this moment, Sirius mechanically turned to look at Lupin, his eyes seeming to question Lupin: Are you sure Belvina really knows what's going on?
Lupin fell silent instantly. He remembered Sirius's miserable state that night, and how Belvina had so decisively kicked his cane away.
While Sirius and Lupin were speechless and the others pretended not to hear, "Thug" Belvina walked back to the underground kitchen.
"What's wrong with you all?"
Belvina looked at the motionless and silent crowd with a puzzled expression.
"It's alright, we're alright," Sirius and Lupin shook their heads repeatedly, speaking in unison.
Everyone else in the kitchen, including Alastor Moody, pretended to be very busy.
Only Nymphadora Tonks, an honest girl, spoke up and asked, "Is Belvina—Mundungus—alright?"
"Mr. Fletcher? Mr. Fletcher just fell down, and I helped him up. Now he should go do his big business."
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Whether it was Sirius and Lupin, or the others who were pretending to be busy, everyone's expressions became very strange; they simply didn't believe Belvina's nonsense.
"Um—I'm hungry, Molly. I feel like the last time I ate was sometime in the last century." Belvina continued her fabrication without batting an eye. "I'm really starving."
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