The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 38 Punishment
The warm winter sun shines into the principal's round office, casting a long spot of light on the ground.Fawkes stood on the perch, tilting his head and looking at Anthony and Snape in front of the table.

"I must thank you, Henry." Dumbledore said seriously, "Madam Pomfrey just sent the news that Mr. Longbottom is fine."

Anthony said bluntly: "This is not a harmless matter. I demand that these students be punished until their minds, filled with arrogance and ignorance, suddenly realize that others are alive."

Snape snorted coldly: "160 points, Professor Anthony. I dare say this is the most points deducted since the beginning of school."

"What are you talking about, Snape?" Anthony asked in disbelief. "Longbottom is almost dead! The boy who did it, he and the group of people were standing on the ice watching!"

The portraits of past principals pretending to be asleep on the wall opened their eyes one after another and stared at them.

Snape nodded calmly: "Yes, I understand." He waved his hand impatiently as the portrait made a sound, as if trying to shoo away a fly.

Dumbledore said solemnly: "I'm afraid we must inform Mr. Malfoy, Severus. Such vicious events are extremely rare, especially when they are still in their first year."

He raised a hand to stop Snape from interjecting: "I also hope you can arrange a confinement and have a good talk with these students. Henry is right, they don't understand the preciousness of life, but Mastered so much magic.”

"Confinement?" Snape repeated.

The door to the principal's office was suddenly pushed open again.Professor McGonagall's face was ashen as she walked in quickly, anger burning in her eyes.Anthony had never seen her so angry.

"Confinement?" she asked firmly, "I thought it was at least a break from school."

Snape said softly: "Don't worry, I even need to consider whether to actually arrange confinement. Someone - in fact, several school governors - have contacted me. They are all willing to further support education at Hogwarts career, and believe that the school is the most solid backing for students.”

"You can't..." Anthony turned to Dumbledore sharply, "Headmaster! I suggest expulsion! At least - at least the principal culprit..."

"Malfoy would be willing to add a few extra galleons, I bet he has too many at home." Snape interrupted with a sneer, "Besides, Dumbledore, they are still children." He chewed the words slowly. Every stress in the sentence.

The calming hum of the silver instruments suddenly stopped.The principal's office was silent.Fox shifted his position, and the perch made a soft creaking sound.

Dumbledore sighed: "Severus..."

"Or is the child's future and soul suddenly unimportant?" Snape asked. "Longbottom almost died, yes, but wasn't he also saved? Wasn't it, Minerva?"

Professor McGonagall glared at Snape, and Snape looked back without any sign of weakness.

For some reason, Professor McGonagall's chest heaved violently several times, and she actually looked away first.

"It wasn't the children who saved it, Severus, they just stood there." Dumbledore said calmly, "They didn't realize what they had done wrong."

Anthony stood beside them with a frown.Their demeanor made it appear that they were not debating whether Malfoy should stay or go.

He interrupted: "Sorry, I wanted to ask how Mr. Longbottom is doing now?"

"Oh, I was still lying in the campus hospital when I left." Professor McGonagall turned to him, her stern face relaxed slightly, "A little weak, but it's not a big deal. Mainly because I was scared."

It's not a big deal, Anthony repeated in his mind, the medical treatment in the wizarding world is appalling.Generally speaking, the principle it adheres to is that as long as the person is still breathing, no matter what accident happens, he can survive.The wizard's medicine is like a powerful safety rope, pulling out all adventurers who mistakenly enter the forbidden land of death.

With such medical protection, it’s no wonder they don’t think “almost dying” is a serious matter.

The incident ended with Snape imprisoning everyone involved for a month.Anthony was not happy with the result, but Dumbledore agreed, and Neville Longbottom, the Head of House, accepted the result with a frown without further protest.

"Talk to them, Severus," Dumbledore said gently. "We don't need any more tragedy."

……

When Anthony walked into the office and saw a mess, he realized that his cat was back on his own.

His fur was soaked and his temper was so bad that he pushed all his ceramic teacups to the ground.Anthony burned the fire brightly and sat cross-legged in front of the fireplace with the cat in his arms: "I'm sorry."

It is his summons.At that time, his heart was full of saving people, and his strong desire undoubtedly affected it.

He touched the cat, transforming it into its true form as a skeletal cat, and wiped it dry easily.His ginger fur looks soft and dry again.

But even though the wet fur was no longer stuck to his body, it was still lying on his lap.

Anthony asked it: "Do you want to see the boy?"

The cat moved its ears.

So Anthony took the cat and went to the school hospital to see Neville.Madam Pomfrey initially did not allow him to enter, but after he promised to be quiet, she firmly refused to allow the cat to enter the hospital.

"Let it in, ma'am," Neville pleaded as he lay on the bed. "It saved me."

Madam Pomfrey sighed, looked at the cat for a while, and nodded: "Hold tight, Professor Anthony, don't let it jump anywhere in the hospital. Besides, it's only half an hour. The patient needs to rest."

……

"Thank you, Professor Anthony." Neville whispered, "And, thank you, um..." He looked at Anthony pleadingly.

"I didn't give it a name." Anthony shook his head, "Thank you Madam Pomfrey and yourself. You have a very strong will to survive, and you saved yourself."

Neville weakly smiled a small smile, and then Professor McGonagall also walked in.

She nodded to Anthony and turned to Neville: "Mr. Longbottom, regarding the solution to this matter... We are all very angry about what happened to you. Professor Anthony deducted 160 points from Slytherin, all Those involved in this incident were fined one month of confinement. In addition, they will also receive a suspension warning. The school has sent owls to your parents..."

"Oh, no," Neville muttered.

"...Your grandma replied that she would rush to Hogwarts as soon as possible." Professor McGonagall paused for a few seconds and said softly with a complex expression, "Merlin, Neville, Merlin."

(End of this chapter)