Hogwarts: Voldemort, don't stop me from studying

Chapter 974 Big News 10
Faced with the overwhelming roar and countless hateful gazes that seemed to turn into tangible blades, Laila's body almost collapsed in an instant.

But in a very short time, her expression underwent a stunning transformation.

She didn't panic or confess; instead, she took a step forward into the face of the crowd's anger, her body trembling slightly, her fists clenched, her eyes red-rimmed, and she almost forced out a suppressed roar from her chest:

"Aunt! Why?! Even you have sided with Grindelwald?"

The sound echoed in the courtyard:

Grindelwald—Grindelwald—Grindelwald—

This word seemed to possess some kind of magic, instantly freezing everyone in place.

Before those who trusted Serafina and thought the accusations were absurd could react and refute them, Leila let out a choked sob that sounded like a cry mixed with laughter:

"Why didn't the recording continue? Are you afraid everyone will see that Grindelwald personally came to pick Hawthorne up just as he was about to be arrested?"

“Niccolò Hawthorne has long since sided with the Malays! This is an undeniable fact! Otherwise, why would Grindelwald have stepped forward?”

She raised her bloodshot eyes, tears streaming down her face, and her trembling, emotional cry sounded like a sob of blood:
"I've always believed in you, Aunt! Even when I hated you the most, I still believed you were a steadfast warrior!"

"So today, you've also become a member of the Magic Congress, wreaking havoc, by using these dubious items?"

An unexpected bucket of dirty water was poured over her head, leaving Serafina completely stunned. Her ears rang, her blood rushed to her head, and a wave of dizziness washed over her.

Her first feeling wasn't even anger, but a chilling sense of absurdity. Serafina opened her mouth, but no sound came out; only a breath caught in her chest, causing her pain.

Lyra gave no one time to react, speaking in a broken tone:

“I know…maybe you don’t mean any harm…maybe you’re just being used by those schemers lurking in the shadows…”

"But Aunt, how could you doubt me!"

“You know perfectly well…you know how hard I’ve struggled all these years! You know that Hawthorne has always hated you and ostracized you. While you were living a life of leisure in the manor, it was I who humbled myself to protect your safety!”

Serafina's thin, trembling hand pointed at Laila, her lips quivering, her voice broken and fragmented: "You...I...you..."

Countless intense emotions were stuck in her throat; she felt like her lungs were about to explode with anger. Just as she was about to speak, her still-recovering body felt a strong weakness, and her vision blurred.

Leila ignored her and instead walked towards the crowd below the stage, firing off a barrage of questions:

"If...if it really was me! How could a mere assistant to the chairman so easily and consistently tamper with Chairman Hawthorne's orders for years without the chairman's knowledge—does that make sense?!"

"Do you really think I, Leila Picqueli, can control everything in Congress?!"

Her gaze swept over the officials below the stage who had just been shouting angrily, even directly naming the loudest ones. Her voice suddenly rose, and she roared with extreme indignation:

“Johnson! Did I cover your ears to stop you from reporting your fieldwork to the Chairman? Mrs. Evans, did I forbid it? And you all—”

Her finger traced across the crowd, and those she pointed to instinctively flinched away.

"Do I really have the power to block all of Chairman Hawthorne's communication channels and cut off his contact with every director and every member of parliament?! If I were truly that powerful, I would have become the President of Congress long ago!!"

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, and the scales of doubt began to tip slightly once more.

Lyra took in everyone's expressions, and as she spoke with grief and indignation, her heart was as clear as a mirror.

In her extreme calm, Lyra realized earlier than anyone else:

No matter how eloquent her words, they could only buy her a little time and make the crowd back down for a moment. But it was like pouring a bucket of water on a raging fire; the fire was only suppressed slightly, and it would soon sweep in with even greater ferocity!

Most importantly—memories can be verified, and documents and handwriting can also be examined. Given enough time, everything in Serafina's possession can be verified.

Because those are simply facts.

They wove a giant spider web, trapping Hawthorne inside, so that he could only see what they wanted him to see and hear what they wanted him to hear.

But now, Lyra herself is no longer part of the web... She stands at the forefront, all attacks coming her way, and under the scorching sun, the forces in the shadows can no longer form a tight protection.

As for herself, apart from words and performances, she has no concrete evidence to support her so-called "innocence" and "efforts" that can withstand repeated scrutiny.

Leila looked around, tears silently streaming down her face: "For so many years... I've devoted every single day to keeping Congress running and dealing with the endless crises... I thought my efforts would at least be seen by my fellow citizens and my colleagues..."

Moreover, besides what we see before us, doesn't Serafina... or the person who secretly orchestrated all of this, possess even stronger evidence?

Leila didn't dare to gamble.

Continuing to refute and argue is like a long rally race. Even if she can pull people's hearts toward her side time and time again, she will eventually slide into the abyss because she lacks a solid foundation.

By then, even the last bit of support she can hold onto might crumble.

Leila's lips trembled slightly, as if she were utterly exhausted, and she said, "I never imagined that today, just some parchment of unknown origin and fragments of memory, could erase all of this and condemn me as a sinner..."

—We have no choice but to retreat for now.

She let out a soft sigh.

After working so hard for so long, she was knocked into the abyss at the last moment. Her anger and disappointment were beyond words.

But since there was no way to salvage the situation, and violent resistance was tantamount to suicide, she could only seize the sliver of opportunity she had created to escape this swampy predicament!
As long as she isn't arrested and imprisoned on the spot, that's a victory! Her battlefield isn't in this tiny prison cell; as long as she trades space for time, there's still room for maneuver!
"If you truly believe all of that, if all the people think I am guilty..."

Leila took a deep breath, tears streaming down her face, and slowly stretched out her hands, saying each word clearly:
"Then arrest me!"

“I am willing to accept the most rigorous trial! But I believe that Wisengamour will be able to prove my innocence!”

When the last word landed, Leila was only five steps away from Fontana.

At this moment, none of the remaining officials in Congress can make a decision immediately.

Lyra seems innocent, but Serafina isn't the type to betray her country... Could this all be a conspiracy? Were they all being used?
So what is the truth?
The rapidly changing situation has made it difficult for many people to distinguish right from wrong and black from white, and those who are not smart to begin with feel that their minds have become a mess.

Faced with Lyra's surrender, the people at the front even subconsciously took two steps back.

Then, several Aurors reacted and pushed through the crowd to walk towards Lyra.

However, when Leila said "guilty," her eyes actually glanced quickly at someone in the crowd—

He was her most loyal confidant, a man with old-fashioned glasses who looked rather dull.

In the chairman's office, where he usually works as a clerk in charge of managing files, he watched the conflict on and off the stage with a shocked and bewildered expression, as if he had never understood what was going on.

The man received the signal; his pupils contracted slightly, and his eyes silently asked, "Does it really have to come to this?"

Lyra's eyelashes blinked very slightly and rapidly, conveying a command as cold and resolute as a blade:
【immediately!】

(End of this chapter)