The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 317: Disputes Resurge Like Sprouts in Spring
Anthony held the letter in one hand and took out three or four mice from the bag with the other. He had just written a letter to Mr. Weasley, telling him not to worry about Ron's pet anymore.

The heads of the owls closest to him turned immediately, staring at the mouse with their round eyes. Two barn owls flew down from the farther horizontal bar and landed silently in front of him, vying for a closer position without making a sound. Many stores were closed for the Easter holiday, and these owls, who were usually busy delivering various order flyers or packages, had more leisure time - or boredom.

"To Arthur Weasley at the Burrow," Anthony told the owls. "If he's at the Ministry, just drop the letter off at the door."

More owls flew down, surrounding him in a low, comforting hum. The owls standing on the edge flapped their wings to keep their balance.

Anthony looked at the welcoming owls with some surprise, and even recognized a few private owls belonging to students. He was about to hand the letter to the one closest to him when he suddenly saw a familiar figure at the end of the horizontal bar.

"Is that you?" He hesitated for a moment, trying to identify the bird's face. "Fire Dragon Sanctuary?"

The owl shook its head, fluttered its wings proudly, opened its mouth slightly and called out.

"That's great," Anthony said, placing the letter and the mouse in front of him. "They're yours now."

The owl opened its mouth and grabbed the mouse without hesitation, swallowing them one by one with its neck shaking. Finally, it stretched out a leg, motioning Anthony to tie the letter up, and then flew out of the small window lightly, and soon turned into a small black dot, disappearing over the green distant mountains.

Anthony watched it fly away, opened the empty bag, looked at the owls that were still sticking their heads out to stare at him, and then slowly walked down the stairs. It was a warm and sunny day, the sky was blue, the lake was clear, and spring was in the air. He hesitated in the corridor for a while, and finally couldn't resist the call of the gentle breeze, walked through the hall, and went straight out the door.

In the bright sunshine, several students were lying under a tree with their books pressed against their faces to rest. Anthony knew they were not asleep because he could hear them talking in muffled voices through their books as he passed by, complaining about the piles of homework assigned by Snape, Mrs. Norris's alarming howling, and the detentions that Filch had imposed. Further ahead, groups of students who were bewitched by the spring like him were walking and laughing on the edge of the tall grass that grew silently. The tarred boats were upside down on the dock, like a row of shiny beetles, reflecting the light.

On the path between the pier and the lawn, Anthony saw a group of students gathered together. He walked closer and saw a figure in the center of the crowd that was out of place in this spring.

"If you continue to shout like this, Mr. Thomas, I'm afraid I'll have to deduct a few more points from you," said Umbridge in her shrill, girlish voice. "Students, I think you'll be happy to know that these vicious toys will no longer appear in school and endanger your health. Now why don't you do something useful, such as reading a book, writing an essay or something like that?"

The students were still gathered around her, with no sign of dispersing to do some "useful activities". Anthony noticed that several of them had colorful badges on their chests: two weird-looking snakes biting each other's tails, constantly changing colors, forming an endless pattern. He thought it was a new trend in Slytherin, until he saw many students he knew among them - most of them were Gryffindors - and then he realized that this was the student club dedicated to developing new ways to play Roger the Snake.

"You can't just take it away like that!" Katie said indignantly.

"Oh? Actually, I think I can, dear," said Umbridge sweetly.

"But..." a Hufflepuff student said uneasily, "But, it's not even on Filch's list of forbidden items in the castle!"

Umbridge raised her head slightly, looked at the other person, and said arrogantly: "You must not have looked carefully enough."

Thomas muttered, "I've almost memorized it."

Anthony said, "Then you must not have memorized the latest version, Mr. Thomas. It was added just before the Easter holidays." The professors had discussed the matter in the greenhouse. "But, Ms. Umbridge, I believe the list only regulates the interior of the castle. It does not make any comment on magical items outside the castle."

People turned their heads to look at him. Several students smiled and moved aside to make room for Anthony.

"Yes, quite right," agreed Umbridge in a coquettish voice, as if she had expected someone to talk to her. "However, what a terrible effect these magical props will have on children's cute little brains! I don't understand how you can allow it to appear for so long, Professor Anthony." She shook the colorful old Roger snake hanging between her stubby fingers.

Anthony asked, "What terrible effects would they have, Madam Umbridge?"

Umbridge narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled: "Oh, Professor Anthony, you have to know that it is not my usual style to put it so clearly - but since you insist, I might as well say so." She turned to the students who were glaring at her and raised her voice slightly, "Dear children, although I appreciate your creativity, I still think this is unfair, especially to the innocent Miss Parkinson and the victim Mr. Davis. Every time a student uses this kind of thing to play, it is another harm to them... Not to mention, the dereliction of duty of the faculty - whether it is the Quidditch referee or any professor who did not provide timely rescue - was deliberately ignored by the ill-intentioned prop maker..."

Thomas said: "Parkinson? Innocent? If she hadn't made the snake--"

"Madame Hooch changed the rules after that!" Katie said, "Also, the professors immediately went over to check on the situation—"

"Roger doesn't care—"

"That's enough!" Umbridge shouted sharply. The students who were talking at once fell silent. A few people who were chatting by the Black Lake were startled, turned their heads to look, and hurried away.

"Young ladies and gentlemen, remember that I am your friend," Umbridge said softly. "Everything I do is to prevent you from getting hurt. Don't rush to refute me. Think about it carefully... think about it carefully and patiently... sooner or later..."

"I'll grab you by the ankle and throw you into the Black Lake," a tall student muttered angrily.

Umbridge's eyes lingered on his face for a moment.

After the other party showed a look of regret, she calmly looked away: "Five points deducted from Gryffindor for disrespecting the Senior Inquisitor. In any case, if you think about it carefully, you will know who should be blamed for Mr. Davis' tragedy."

"Of course, it's definitely not those Slytherins!" said a Gryffindor fourth year sarcastically. "Yes, it's a Slytherin flag, and it's a Slytherin alchemical snake, made by Slytherin and brought to the Quidditch pitch by Slytherin. But, my God, Slytherin is so innocent!"

"If it weren't for Harry just--" another student blurted out.

He shut up when he realized what he had said, but Umbridge immediately asked, "Harry Potter?"

"Harry just called Professor Flitwick," Katie said uncomfortably.

Anthony was surprised to realize that, without realizing it, the fact that "Harry Potter is a Parseltongue" had become a secret known only to Hogwarts - just like "Anthony is a necromancer" was a secret known to all the house-elves in the school.

During the time when Roger the Snake was the most popular, almost every Gryffindor would play with the snake and call themselves a Parseltongue. In Roger's firm description, most Ravenclaws also accepted the logic of "Potter saved Davis" and no longer accused Harry of being a dark wizard who spoke Parseltongue. Hufflepuffs, after discovering that they had wrongly accused Harry, felt guilty and respected Harry's ideas, keeping the story of Roger the Snake as a secret. As for Slytherins, they were unwilling to admit that Harry was a Parseltongue.

In this way, although the whole school seemed to know that Harry Potter could speak Parseltongue, in these messy farces and silences, this matter was like a waste newspaper thrown in the corner of a drawer, gradually buried by Dumbledore's newly established club, the new Quidditch rules, more game news, heavy essay homework, and endless new things, until it was covered with dust in most people's memories. In the end, no one mentioned it anymore.

Umbridge still looked quite skeptical. "Really?"

"Yes," said Anthony, "Mr. Potter found Professor Flitwick and me."

Umbridge nodded slowly, maintaining a polite expression of doubt. Katie seemed even more nervous, and the student who had let the cat out of the bag tried to bring the topic back to the old snake: "Well, Ms. Umbridge... Roger Davis doesn't care if we joke about this..."

Umbridge tilted her head slightly and asked like the most innocent little girl, "And how are you going to prove it, dear?"

"Proof... proof?" "Of course." Umbridge said in the patient tone she gave to a child. "Look, you can't just tell me that Mr. Davis doesn't mind and I'm going to assume that he doesn't mind, right? If someone hits you and then tells me that you don't care, do you think I should believe that person?"

"No..." the student said dazedly, looking confused, "No, it shouldn't be, but...but..."

Anthony said, "But Mr. Davis himself was one of the makers of Roger the Snake." He nodded in the direction of the castle. "If you are looking for those 'unscrupulous makers', Ms. Umbridge, I am sure you can find a lot of confiscated Roger the Snake advertising leaflets in Mr. Filch's room... with all the makers' names proudly written on them." Anthony secretly thought this was a very wise move and would make it very convenient for professors to give detentions.

Before Umbridge could speak, Katie said, "If you still have doubts, let's call a witness. Hey, Davis!" She waved into the distance.

Anthony turned his head and didn't see Roger. On the path, Tracy was with a few Slytherin girls, who looked like they had just returned from Hogsmeade. The girls walking in front heard Katie's shout and looked over, then turned to look at Tracy. Tracy frowned slightly, leaned forward a little, and said something to them. The girls nodded and continued to walk forward. Tracy walked half a step behind them, holding the paper bag in her hand, as if she didn't notice Katie at all.

"Davis!" Katie ran a few steps and stood in front of Tracy.

Tracy acted like she had just seen Katie: "Bell. What are you doing here?"

"Can I ask you to do us a favor?" Katie lowered her voice. "Please, Davis?"

Tracy looked in their direction again.

"I don't know how I can help you," she said coldly. "You don't want me to help you cast a spell on those Gryffindor guys, do you? In that case, I'd be happy to do it for you." The Slytherin girls laughed sarcastically.

Katie said angrily: "No. I just need you--" She pulled Tracy's arm hard and pulled her in front of Umbridge and Anthony, "Tell Ms. Umbridge that Roger really doesn't mind the matter of Roger Old Snake. You won't doubt her, will you?" Katie said the last sentence to Umbridge.

Umbridge said sweetly, "I suspect no one, Miss Bell, but children are easily deceived."

"I'm not a child anymore!" Katie said angrily.

"So, Miss Davis," Umbridge tilted her head, "Mr Davis is indeed not bothered by this... malevolent magical item?"

Tracy's eyes swept across the classmates and Anthony around her, lingered on Umbridge's smile for a while, then glanced at Anthony, and finally lowered her eyes: "I don't know."

"How could you not know?" Thomas questioned.

"I don't know if Roger minds..." Tracy said slowly, "but I do."

"what?"

"As Roger's relative, I feel disgusted every time I see someone using this kind of thing as a joke," Tracy said, looking a little pale, as if she was really feeling sick. "I mean, this toy is really too vicious."

Katie looked at her in disbelief, her mouth slightly open, and seemed briefly speechless.

Umbridge said triumphantly, "You are saying that, as a relative of the victim, you feel yourself hurt by this joke, right? If I wanted to confiscate the props, would you object?"

Tracy was silent for a moment.

"You look very ill, Miss Davis, and I think you should go away and get some rest," Anthony said. "You don't need to answer these questions."

"No, Professor Umbridge, I have absolutely no objection," Tracy said with a smile, not looking at Anthony. Her address seemed to make Umbridge even more satisfied.

"Good girl," she said gently, "I know you. You are the daughter of Albert Davis." She turned to the students surrounding her, wearing the Ouroboros badge on their chests, "It looks like this is the deal. Have a good afternoon - remember, do some useful activities."

She pushed the students aside and walked away. Roger the old snake hung his head in her grasp, swaying with her steps, his tongue almost touching the tall grass stems.

The Slytherins said with satisfaction, "Let's go, Tracy. You've taken too long."

Katie said, "Davis, how could you--"

Another student sneered, "Katie, she's a Slytherin!" He glanced at Tracy angrily, "Slytherins are such a bunch of despicable people, you should have known it a long time ago! I really don't understand why you thought of letting her testify!"

"She's Roger's family!" Katie argued. "Besides, she took Muggle Studies. I thought, I thought—"

Tracy stood there with her back straight and her face pale.

The Slytherin next to him urged impatiently: "Don't listen to their nonsense, Tracy. We should go."

"I never thought Roger would have a sister like you!" Thomas said with disgust. "Come on, Katie, let's think of something else - thank you, Professor Anthony, I know you want to help."

Anthony nodded. "However, Mr. Thomas, Roger the Snake is indeed a magical item that is forbidden to be used in the castle. Be careful not to break the rules."

"Okay, Professor," Thomas said. He and his friends walked towards the woods, their heads pressed together, muttering indignantly, discussing how to stop Umbridge's increasingly excessive control. Katie glared at Tracy and the Slytherin next to her, turned around and caught up with her friends, letting the Slytherin girls giggle deliberately behind her.

"What a bunch of idiots." One of the Slytherin girls said after putting away her smile, "It's so funny that they thought Tracy would help her. Let's go." She turned around and walked towards the castle with the bag in her hand. Several other people followed her, talking and laughing, laughing at the third-year Gryffindor's fantasy.

Tracy said, "Okay." She raised her eyes, glanced quickly at Anthony, then lowered them and whispered, "Okay."

"Miss Davis," Anthony said.

Tracy's face became even uglier. She kept her face tight and asked calmly, "What's wrong, Professor Anthony?"

"Miss Davis," Anthony said gently, "it's all right."

(End of this chapter)