Ancient Wizards Return to Hogwarts...

Chapter 215 Helena Ravenclaw's Resolve

"Mr. Lint, please return to your seat." Snape's tone was unusually gentle when speaking to Rice.

"Someone put a firework in Mr. Weasley's cauldron, and that's what caused the accident." Rice did not do as Snape said.

His voice echoed in the underground classroom, and the students all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, for fear of being caught up in this terrifying storm.

The Slytherin students hung their heads and remained silent, pretending not to hear. The Gryffindor wizards also kept their heads down, staring intently at the various objects on their desks, but their ears were all perked up.

This is a direct confrontation between a Slytherin student and Snape; just recording the conversation could fetch a fortune in the house! If being put in solitary confinement were enough to witness this "duel," the number of Gryffindor students signing up would probably break down Filch's office doorstep.

Upon hearing the word "fireworks," Ron and Harry's eyes widened instantly, and they instinctively looked in Malfoy's direction.

Malfoy's face drained of color for a moment, and he quickly built up his mental defenses, constantly telling himself: It's okay, there's no evidence anyway, right?

"Interesting." Snape's voice finally took on a hint of coldness. "So, Mr. Lint, who do you think put this firework into Mr. Weasley's cauldron?"

He kicked the ball back to Rice's feet.

Rice responded by coming to Malfoy's table and extending his hand to him.

"May I see your wand?" Rice asked, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Feeling guilty, Malfoy naturally wouldn't agree to his request.

But Rice wasn't really asking for his opinion; he was just asking politely. Malfoy didn't want to be dignified, so he helped him be dignified.

Rhys beckoned, and Malfoy's wand flew out from under his robes and landed in Rhys's hand.

Malfoy was clearly not prepared for this situation. A look of panic flashed across his face as he abruptly stood up and tried to snatch his wand back from Rice's hand.

"Petrify them all." With a casual incantation, Rice petrified Malfoy, who lay stiffly on his back on the stool with his arms pressed tightly to his sides.

After seeing Malfoy's actions, most people already knew what was going on. What was rather strange was that Rice's actions had already crossed the line of classroom discipline set by Snape. Normally, Snape would have locked up such a person long ago, but now he was just standing on the podium with his arms crossed, watching coldly.

Many young wizards realized that Rice had obtained special "access" from Professor Snape.

"I once saw a very simple spell in a book called 'Thirteen Magical Detective Tricks,' called the Flashback Spell. It can make a wand reveal the spell it just used," Rice said softly. "We'll know the truth soon enough, Draco."

Rice's voice echoed in the underground classroom: "If I have wronged you, I am willing to apologize to you and voluntarily request Professor Snape to impose solitary confinement as punishment."

As for what would happen if Malfoy weren't innocent, Rice didn't mention it, but Malfoy's eyes were already filled with fear—how could he not know what spell that wand had been used with last time?

Rice was so certain because he had already discovered the magic that remained on the fireworks remnants, belonging to Draco Malfoy.

Rice raised his wand and joined it with Malfoy's wand.

"Flashback before the spell".

Under the influence of the spell, a wisp of gray smoke emerged from where the two wands met, forming the shadow of a firework. The shadow firework then floated up, flew forward a distance, and disappeared.

Rhys threw Malfoy's wand back onto his table and lifted the petrification spell from him.

With the petrification spell lifted, Malfoy slumped into his chair. Rhys had already used a flashback spell to confirm his "drug administration," and there was no point in him trying to deny it now.

Fine, I admit defeat, I accept the punishment.

Malfoy decided to go all in, figuring that since Professor Snape was the Potions teacher, he wouldn't get any real punishment.

Rice saw through Malfoy's thoughts, and a fire of anger ignited within him. Then he did something that shocked all the students.

boom!

Rice slammed his fist on the table, making Malfoy's wand bounce up.

"If you can't behave in class, get out of here! What do you think brewing potions is?! Do you think this is your playground?!"

Faced with Rhys's attack on Draco, Snape unusually remained silent. After Draco was proven guilty, Snape desperately wanted to kick him out of the classroom. But considering his public image, he forcibly suppressed his anger: Snape needed to maintain a good relationship with Lucius to facilitate infiltrating the Death Eaters again if Voldemort returned. Rhys essentially helped him vent his frustration by speaking his mind.

No professor could tolerate Draco's behavior, especially since the course was a rather risky laboratory class. If it had been Potter who was caught red-handed, Snape would have gone to Dumbledore to complain about him and then put him in solitary confinement until the end of the school year.

Now that Rice has made things clear for him, many things will be easier for him.

Malfoy was startled by Rice. He looked towards Professor Snape and found the professor with his arms crossed, eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought.

After a few seconds, he seemed to have made up his mind.

"Slytherin, ten points deducted. Draco Malfoy, from today onwards, you will be in my place for solitary confinement every Friday night until you understand what classroom discipline is. Also, write me a letter of guarantee, and make sure it's a full foot long."

Snape made the decision to punish Malfoy.

Malfoy looked incredulous, but since Snape had already made his decision, it was a done deal.

After class, Daphne walked out of the Potions classroom with Rice, all smiles.

"That was awesome! I've been wanting to teach that guy a lesson for ages! The look on Professor Snape's face when he announced the results should really be painted and hung in the Great Hall. It's just a bit of a shame that we didn't get to test the drug in the end..." Daphne glanced nervously at Rice, wondering if he still meant what he said.

Rice naturally understood Daphne's implied meaning. He pretended to think for a moment, then took out a parchment scroll that looked like it was covered in the marks of time from his pocket.

Rice was about to explain the origin of the parchment scroll, but he swallowed his words, because a young and beautiful ghost emerged from the wall and floated in front of him.

"I have something to do. You can look at what's written on it first. If you don't understand anything, you can ask me later." Rice lifted a tapestry in the corridor and walked into the hidden door behind it—there were hidden doors like this all over the castle. If used well, they could greatly save time getting to the classroom.

Daphne wanted to follow, but found that Rice had already locked the hidden door from behind the main entrance.

Looking at Helena who came in with him, Rice nodded in satisfaction.

"Nana, are you ready?"

Helena Ravenclaw nodded; she was prepared and ready to meet her mother.

"That's wonderful." Rice stepped forward; he was now leading Helena to the dungeon.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Second update delivered, goodnight everyone.

The next update will be at the usual time.

Daphne and Mrs. Greengrass:

(End of this chapter)