HP North Star's Radiance

Halfway through his sentence, Snape's gaze suddenly shifted to the doorway, and he gently raised his hand. Seeing the professor's movement, Prarese immediately shut his mouth and followed his gaze outside.

"Damn it, damn it, Longbottom!" Amicus stormed in, panting heavily. "Heh heh—Headmaster Snape, what's with that Room of Requirement?!"

Snape raised an eyebrow and said casually, "Amicus, you look really disheveled—have a seat."

With that, he waved his wand, and a chair and a teacup floated down from the sky. Amycus grabbed the teacup and gulped it down, panting heavily.

“Crawb reported to me that those bastards are hiding in the Room of Requirement,” Amicus said menacingly, giving Alice and Frank a vicious dressing-down. “Now, those students aren’t afraid of us anymore! They run to that room whenever they make a mistake!”

How could Amicus not be in a sorry state? He was constantly fighting a dodgeball against those DAs, and even his time for drinking, sleeping, and enjoying himself was being squeezed!

Praris, always eager for drama, chimed in, "When I was a member of the action team, I did go into that room, but I didn't know how to get in... Since Crabbe reported it, how come he didn't say how to get in?"

Amicus's face was gloomy, like a bear that had failed to deceive anyone, exuding a mournful aura: "I told you, but it was no use."

Crabbe confidently explained how to enter the Room of Requirement, but Amicus tried several times without success.

“Perhaps there’s a difference,” Praris speculated, his helpfulness towards his colleagues evident. “When we first went into Requirement, there was no one inside, but now there is. I think that’s the difference—when there are people inside, you can’t get in from the outside?”

Did Amicus want a reason? No!

What's the use of knowing the principles of the Room of Requirement? Even if Praris explained the principles of potions to him, he still couldn't make potions for the Dark Lord! What Amicus wanted was a way to enter the Room of Requirement and wipe out that group of DAs!

“Headmaster Snape!” Amycus said, using a dubious statement, “You’re the headmaster.”

“That’s really strange,” Praris said. “Professor Carlo, why don’t you tell us something that no one knows?”

Snape gave her a light but firm rebuke: "Plares!"

Praris, who had been reprimanded by the teacher, shrugged and took two steps back to show that he was behaving himself.

Amycus had heard from his sister about Praris becoming a Death Eater and knew that the girl was now favored by the Dark Lord. It was ultimately just a joke, and since Snape himself had already "hit" the child, Amycus didn't press the matter further.

He said with a stern face, "You are the headmaster of Hogwarts, nothing in the school can be hidden from you, so you must know how to enter the Room of Requirement..."

"Presumably?" Snape said in his smooth, sarcastic tone, "Amycus, you're asking me how to get into a room, which implies a very pathetic assumption: that you think I'm interested in, or have the time to, document every door in the castle that might throw a tantrum and hide away."

"The Dark Lord entrusted you and your brother with the power to monitor the students, yet you have failed time and time again. Now, you're telling me you're stopped by a mere door! This makes me wonder if you... are just making excuses for your incompetence."

Amicus's face turned pale and then purple, clearly speechless from being rebuked. He said, his expression grim, "Of course I can catch them, it's just a matter of time—Prince, have you made your potion?"

That's incredibly rude! They can't even do their job properly, so they attack Praris!

Praris looked at Amicus with a calm expression and said softly, "I just saw my master not long ago, and he was generally satisfied with my report. Professor Carlo, it seems you are quite concerned about this matter... What, are you curious about my mission?"

Curiosity is out of the question; if he dares to say the wrong thing, he'll probably have to learn a lesson from the Dark Lord!

"No, no, no," Amicus quickly added, "I just wanted to remind you not to slack off!"

Prareas treats Pansy with gentle care.

Prarese treats Carlos with the opposite of what he likes.

Chapter 280 Choosing Death

London, a stone and plaster shop.

(Stone and Plastered.)

A gentle-looking woman in an apricot-colored trench coat stopped at the door. She glanced around before stepping into the store.

The shop is a world of pure white plaster, filled with regular plaster heads, statues taller than life-size, palm-sized plaster figurines, round wall decorations, miniature animals... all arranged in a unique and rich way in the pure white world.

In a corner of the shop, a middle-aged man with a stubble beard, wearing an apron and holding a chisel, sat on a small wooden stool.

“Ms. Purnell.” The man stood up quickly, dusted himself off, and peered behind Purnell before speaking, “The children and Mary are in the warehouse. How are things today?”

Ms. Priscilla said softly, "It's a sunny day."

After a brief exchange, Ms. Priscilla walked quickly to the warehouse Mr. Jones had mentioned.

The Jones family, located in the suburbs of London, mainly engaged in the construction and decoration business and had a dedicated warehouse for storing large, completed sculptures.

Now, this warehouse has become one of the strongholds of "Potter Watch," and it also hides many Muggle-born and persecuted wizards.

“How interesting! Do you think I wanted to stay here!” Millison shouted, hands on his hips. “I wouldn’t have gone back to England if it weren’t for Ms. Lopez!”

Lee Jordan retorted, "Then leave! You pure-blooded Slytherin, who knows what you're doing here!"

Ms. Priscilla frowned before she even entered the room. Her voice was low but not weak: "Jordan, didn't I emphasize that there should be no infighting?"

Jordan curled his lip indignantly, believing that Ms. Prie was taking sides.

Grace Jones and her mother Mary were fiddling with the radio's audio processor. Without looking up, she said, "Jordan... don't do that. In Ms. Lopez's article, Millison is the co-author."

Because of his friend Astoria, Jones had no prejudice against Slytherin.

Dean spoke up for Lee Jordan: "The situation isn't good right now, so it's understandable that Jordan is anxious."

In this warehouse, apart from Milison and Ms. Priscilla who had just entered, almost everyone was a Muggle-born wizard, so you can imagine how they treated Milison.

These guys had been persecuted by the search party, and Milison knew it was inevitable, but… she rolled her eyes: “Can’t you learn from Grace? Get this straight, I’m me, not some mysterious man’s lackey! Don’t take your anger out on me—Ms. Purnell, how’s Anna? Where’s my aunt?”

Ms. Prie sighed: “Millison, dear, Ms. Becky has found a connection willing to help, but there are some conditions.”

Becky Burst's friend introduced her to... Director Stella Stewart. This witch was one of the few non-Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic, and her reputation was quite good.

Stella's statement on behalf of the Ministry of Magic infuriated everyone, but according to rumors circulating privately, it was she who secured a 48-hour safety period for Quidditch matches from the Ministry, ensuring the safety of the participants.

This is a politician with an ambiguous stance. Every Quidditch enthusiast present knows her, and they also know that this is the only chance to rescue Anna without going to the Ministry of Magic.

Since Stella had accepted Becky's bribe, she made it clear that she wasn't one of the Death Eaters and wouldn't be so easily persuaded.

"So?" Milison asked nervously.

Ms. Prie said, "She demanded that Ms. Lopez come forward and admit that she was merely invited back to the country and had not been persecuted in any way..."

“That’s impossible!” Lee Jordan immediately stood up. “Ms. Lopez wouldn’t do that!”

Anna is also a former Quidditch player, current commentator, and journalist whom Lee Jordan admires.

The Death Eaters wouldn't let Anna go without something in return, and Stella couldn't convince them with a clear explanation. In other words, Anna's only chance of survival was to do this.

Ms. Prie slowly closed her eyes: "Yes, Ms. Lopez wouldn't do that, so Stewart gave Ms. Burst a chance to meet with Ms. Lopez."

"Anna, you brat, can't you just leave me alone?!" Becky was furious. "Say a few nice things to the reporters, and then we'll go back to Brazil together!"

"I can't do it," Anna said in her hoarse voice. "Ms. Becky, cough cough cough, you forgot, I'm a journalist too—the news isn't used like this, our duty is to reveal the truth to the world."

Becky's chest heaved with rage: "You're about to die! And you're still talking to me about the news! They'll definitely kill you!"

Anna smiled and said, "To die for the truth is a death well-deserved."

Becky couldn't understand these Ravenclaws blinded by their ideals. She patted her chest, trying to calm herself, and said earnestly, "Anna, you're only twenty-eight! Your life has just begun! Only by surviving will you have the chance to realize your dreams—yes, those news stories and Quidditch!"

Anna calmly shook her head, looking as if she had made up her mind.

"And what about Millie?" Becky unleashed her final weapon, gritting her teeth. "Why do you think I went back to England? That girl forced me to come back and help me find you, and now she's in London! Aren't you going to leave her behind?"

Anna paused, slowly lowered her head, and remained silent for a long time. Just when Becky thought she was about to succeed, Anna finally spoke.

"Millie... she's a good girl, I'm so sorry." Anna's voice was very soft. "I'm so sorry I can't continue teaching her. I will write a will, and all the books and Quidditch-related property will be inherited by her. Becky... thank you for all your support and help over the past ten years, and please tell my husband that I love him."

"You can live!" Becky couldn't understand at all. "How could anyone not want to live?"

“I’m quite well-known, not just in Britain,” Anna said with a determined look. “If I died because I reported on the Death Eaters, then my death might awaken some ignorant people and draw the world’s attention to the Death Eaters’ persecution of Muggle-born wizards.”

"Becky, my generous sister, of course I want to live. Who would choose death for no reason? But the world is raining, and I always miss the sunny Quidditch pitch... Tell Millie not to worry about me! Let's go! Let's get out of here!"

Becky Burst met Anna ten years ago, when she was still called Anna Prince, and she sped across the Quidditch pitch like a nimble eagle.

Without much hesitation, Becky met with Anna, sponsored her, and forged a lasting friendship with the young witch. In the days that followed, Anna became part of Becky's network, bringing her both overt and covert benefits and information—a worthwhile deal.

It's just a business deal that fell through, nothing to be sad about. Even without Anna, there would be Anne. So what?

But... Millie will probably be sad.

Becky walked silently down the dungeon corridor, whispering to Stella, "Anna won't."

Stella asked calmly, "The specifics—what were her exact words?"

Becky, of course, answered all her questions without reservation.

"It's a pity, a choice made purely out of emotion rather than reason," Stella said with a hint of regret, "but it was made with an astonishing, unwavering determination."

Prarese's plan was perfect, and Stella couldn't have come up with a better one. When Burst came to her, she was even planning to profit from the situation from both sides! But while the plan considered life and death and the emotions that ordinary people have, it failed to account for the biggest variable—determination and ideals.

Stella couldn't understand this fearless belief, but she admired Anna for managing to thwart Praris's plans.

"To finish the report with death?... I respect Ms. Lopez's decision. Ms. Burst, I've given you a chance, but it seems we can't cooperate. This matter ends here, and we're even."

That's how it is when you ask Stella to help; she won't work for nothing, and even if it fails, there will be a price to pay. Slytherins understand Slytherins; Becky wouldn't be foolish enough to ask for the price she offered back. She could only convince herself that if she didn't go through with this, she wouldn't be able to get her niece to give up the rescue.

Ms. Prie gave a brief account of what happened.

Milison stared at her blankly, as if unable to process what she had just heard: "What?"

“Anna is determined to stay at the Ministry of Magic,” Ms. Priest said with a pained expression. “She wants you to return to Castelobsha immediately and continue your studies.”

Ms. Prie tried to describe the matter in the gentlest terms possible, but it still couldn't alleviate Millison's pain.

“How could that be?” Milison said in a daze. “Anna has her journalism and commentary career, her lover and friends, and… I’m waiting for her to come home!”

She kept repeating these words over and over, completely unable to accept Anna's choice to die.

In this situation, even the Muggle-born wizards who were most prejudiced against Slytherin, and even Lee Jordan who had a personal grudge against Milison, couldn't help but look away.

Daylight saving time is about to begin, but why does Milison still feel cold?

Stella's letter hadn't reached Hogwarts yet, and Prasris was unaware of the matter for the time being, as she was currently preoccupied with her own problems.

In just a few days, Voldemort was no longer satisfied with her theoretical research and was eager to see the results.

Praris tried to subtly let him know that potions are something that can't be rushed; if you don't know how, you don't know how; if you haven't made it, you haven't made it; and even if you have a knife to your throat, you can't suddenly learn how—but Voldemort really would put his wand to her throat.

Ah, if you put it that way, it can still unleash some potential! And so, even faster than Voldemort's punishment came the first version of the experimental potion. This potion didn't even have a name yet.

A barely perceptible hint of contempt flashed across Voldemort's face—under the threat of death, nothing is impossible! No one is truly incapable of surrendering!

He hissed, “Praris, tell me what it does.”

“Master, I believe that we must first secure our internal stability before we can fight external threats,” Praris said calmly. “Before we can strengthen the soul, we must first stabilize it.”

Before admitting that he hadn't created the potion that could turn Voldemort's soul into "diamonds," Praris tried his best to justify himself, making it seem reasonable and well-founded.

“Therefore, I developed this potion to stabilize the internal environment of the soul.” Praris was a little guilty, but he pretended very well and looked very professional. “It can soothe the pain, anxiety and magical fluctuations caused by instability or defects in the soul, making the user feel calm and have clearer thinking.”