Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts

Among them was the expressionless Barty Crouch.

Both Bloodny and Volpe showed excited surprise on their faces.

The radio host over there was spitting everywhere into the microphone, excitedly announcing the final voting results to the listeners!

"The majority votes in favor of the charges being dropped; Severus Snape, Sanjini Bruch, and Elder Wolpe are innocent!"

Dumbledore's final pronouncement echoed in the courtroom.

Someone stood up and started clapping, and then more jurors rose from their seats and applauded enthusiastically!

Severus's gaze, however, remained fixed on Minister of Magic Bagno.

The female minister, with whom he had never interacted before, had already raised her hand in the vote against it.

And Severus could clearly see that she was the one who took the initiative to stand up and applaud first!

Severus was not surprised by the final vote. He knew that Dumbledore would not put him in Azkaban, and even if the vote was completely reversed, he would certainly have other ways to exonerate himself.

Bagno's statement, on the contrary, left Severus somewhat uncertain.

His actions of using public opinion to create momentum are essentially a slap in the face to the Ministry of Magic.

Especially Scringer, Crouch, and the Minister Bagno in front of them, because they were the ones who decided to issue the most wanted warrant.

This left Bagno, who could have peacefully awaited retirement, with a minor stain on her record before she left. In the future, if any wizards mention her as minister, they might bring up her foolish act of not investigating the matter properly and mistakenly issuing the most wanted warrant.

So, logically speaking, even if Bagno didn't hold a grudge against him, he shouldn't have been very fond of him. What does his current attitude mean?

Just as Severus was pondering, the voice of Minister Bagno rang out again.

"We just heard a truly heartfelt speech. Severus Snape proved with his actions and words that he was genuinely determined to make a change!"

Bagno delivered his concluding speech in an appreciative and praising tone.

"Albus Dumbledore vouched for him during the trial eight years ago, and today, he has saved himself!"

"This is enough to show that since the end of that long period of chaos, the Ministry of Magic has completely eliminated the negative influence left by the mysterious man! It also proves the decisions and choices we made during that Great Trial!"

"The most heinous villains are sent to Azkaban, while the reformed and repentant are given new opportunities!"

"We have every reason to believe that the future of the British magical community will be even brighter, and the future of wizards is very promising!"

The applause grew even louder and more enthusiastic.

Her voice was transmitted to every household in the magical world via radio.

Even Severus was somewhat stunned at this moment.

His nearly 10 years as minister was no small feat, especially considering he took over the dilapidated Ministry of Magic during Voldemort's most powerful period.

With just a few words after the court verdict, she almost completely reversed the negative impact of signing the maximum arrest warrant!

If she could simply shift the blame slightly afterward, stating that the application was issued by Scrinker and Crouch and that she was only responsible for signing it, the impact of this incident on her could be minimized.

Sure enough, you can say that British civil servants are inactive, but you can't say they lack the means!

Severus gave the minister a deep look, patted the still excited and unresponsive Bloody Volpe with both hands, and led them to bow to the judges on the platform to express their gratitude and respect.

This brought a very fitting end to the trial, which ended happily for all.

Meanwhile, outside the courtroom, Lucius had already used every word he could think of to describe Severus as cunning and treacherous.

The Weasleys cheered; though shocked by Severus's change, they were happy to see this outcome.

Most of the other British wizards who were also concerned about this matter were satisfied with and approved of the outcome.

Only a small number of people had some prejudice against Severus Snape (actually, it wasn't really prejudice), and no matter what he said or did, they didn't believe he could really become like that!

But regardless of public opinion, the verdict is already set in stone.

When the court session in Wizengamo ended and was dismissed, Severus chatted briefly with the now completely relaxed Henney Volpe, then told them to take Patty with them and left, while he turned and walked to a corner outside the courtroom.

Dumbledore was right there waiting for him.

After the two faced each other, Dumbledore smiled and praised them.

"A brilliant speech, and an unexpected change, Severus. Many people will remember what you said in court today for the rest of their lives."

"That way, my every move will be watched by others, to see if what I said today was sincere or a complete lie, right?" Severus shrugged.

Dumbledore simply looked at him calmly.

"People always have to be responsible for what they say. It's just that some people feel that lies spoken easily will not bring them any consequences, while others carefully consider every word they say."

Severus smiled too.

"Then I'm definitely the latter, you believe me, right?"

Dumbledore did not answer; he simply turned away and said something.

“At least Harry Potter believed it. I gave the boy a choice, allowing him to go back to his aunt’s house, but he still chose to follow you. He said you taught him a lot.”

Severus followed the old man on his own initiative. He knew that Dumbledore had deliberately waited for him here, and it certainly wasn't just to say some polite words.

"This shows that Harry is smart and didn't go astray in that kind of family environment."

“Horace sent me a letter before today’s trial began, in which he agreed to teach at Hogwarts in your place, but your last words clearly gave him exactly what he wanted,” Dumbledore continued.

"It's about saving face, Professor Slughorn likes that."

“You’ve gained the Dursleys’ trust, your position has been filled, and Mr. Potter has no objections, so there’s nothing wrong with your initial request to me. However, besides the court hearing today, there’s someone else who wants to meet with you privately.”

Dumbledore led Severus into the Ministry of Magic's elevator and to the top floor.

As he stepped out of the elevator, Severus felt a slight unease; he knew perfectly well which department's office was on the top floor.

It does not belong to any particular office, but belongs solely to one person; all the wizards working on this floor are serving that one person.

This is—the Minister's office!

Chapter 64 What can the Ministry of Magic give me?

Just as Severus had expected, the person Dumbledore brought him to see was none other than Millison Bagnore, the Minister of Magic who had just participated in the trial.

Severus didn't actually have much ill will towards this minister, who was quite politically astute but seemed to have little interest in dealing with the Ministry of Magic's various long-standing problems.

The main reason why Bloodny and Volp would have faced such a difficult situation without his intervention was due to the entire wizarding world.

Just as the Ministry of Magic is a small government, its various flaws are naturally also flaws of wizarding society.

If there is no love story between Bloodny and Patty, their very identities would lead to discrimination and injustice among wizards.

Vampires are inherently inferior to humans, not to mention crippled Muggles.

It is precisely because of these social problems in wizarding society that the Ministry of Magic has been extremely indifferent to this vulnerable group.

Severus was able to change their final fate by relying on public opinion, simply because people enjoy tragic love stories.

The core issue of discrimination has not changed at all, nor is it something that Bagno, the soon-to-retire Minister of Magic, can control.

Comparatively speaking, during this trial, Bagno did not pursue too many thorny issues (such as the kidnapping of minors by Severus and Volpe), and in the final vote, he took the lead in raising his hand, all of which indirectly helped Severus and Severus.

Therefore, when Severus was taken by Dumbledore to meet this minister privately, he still maintained the proper courtesy.

"Thank you for your vote today, Minister Bagno."

After sitting down on the sofa in the minister's office, Severus took the initiative to express his gratitude.

Compared to her demeanor in court, the minister's attitude was much more gentle when they were alone in private.

"No need to thank me, Professor Snape. As I said in court, you proved yourself. I simply made the right decision."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Bagno cut to the chase without further ado.

"I asked Headmaster Dumbledore to introduce me to you privately because there is something I would like to ask you to help me with."

Severus couldn't help but glance out of the corner of his eye at Dumbledore, who had already begun to savor the Ministry of Magic's desserts.

He knew that the old man wouldn't just let the matter with Xue Ni go; he would definitely seek insurance from him later.

Can I listen to it first?

"I don't know if you've been following what's happening in Wales lately."

"Wales?"

Severus recalled the news he had seen a few days earlier. During the days when he and Bloodny Wolper were on the run, the front pages were almost entirely filled with their stories. But when he first took Harry to Diagon Alley, he vaguely remembered that he had actually seen a report about Wales in the newspaper.

"Werewolves who formed a society in Wales?"

Upon hearing that Severus actually knew about this matter, Bagno's expression relaxed slightly.

"That's right, it's those werewolves."

"At the beginning of this month, a wizard reported that werewolves had been spotted gathering near Denbyshire, Wales. The Ministry of Magic subsequently sent Aurors to investigate, and they discovered that there were more than 10 werewolves whose identities had been confirmed! They appear to be members of a society led by someone, engaged in some secret activities!"

"But before the Auror could conduct a detailed investigation, the werewolves that had gathered suddenly disappeared, having somehow gotten wind of the situation."

Bagno's expression was extremely serious.

It's no wonder she was so serious. More than 10 werewolves had gathered together in an organized manner. Upon closer examination, this matter was far more serious than the Bloodnipatty incident.

If things go wrong, it could turn into a large-scale case of violent assault or even murder, and she, as the Minister of Magic nearing retirement, would truly be disgraced in her later years.

"The Auror subsequently deployed additional personnel to continue the investigation, and they later discovered some more clues in North Yorkshire, England."

“Three wizarding families living there have lost their children! All of them are under the age of eight, the youngest being only five. Then, the Aurors found traces of werewolves there, but they quickly lost them too!”

"When Auror found another clue about werewolves, it was a week ago in Nottinghamshire."

Upon hearing this, Severus, who had been listening attentively with no change in expression throughout, couldn't help but interject.

"Did the Auror not investigate this time?"

Bagno shook his head, proving that the Aurors weren't that stupid.

“Scrimgeour had begun to suspect that there were problems within the Aurors. As soon as he received the news, he reported it to Crouch. Crouch then came to me and wanted me to arrange for forces outside the Aurors to contact the werewolves. So I asked Headmaster Dumbledore for help.”

Dumbledore, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

"I recommended Remus."

Hearing this name, which was familiar to both Severus and Snape the Ghost, both of them were momentarily stunned.

Then, Severus's expression shifted slightly, while Snape the Ghost's face turned extremely ugly.

"Oh, it's Lupin. Indeed, he is the most suitable candidate."

“Apart from me and Dumbledore, no one else knew that Remus Lupin had taken on this job,” Bagno said in a deep voice. “His operation started well; he successfully infiltrated the werewolves in Nottinghamshire and learned that they were the ones who stole the three children.”

"But three days ago, he completely lost contact with us! We have no idea whether he is safe or not."

“I can’t entrust this matter to Auror to investigate. If the news leaks out, not only will we not be able to find any clues, but it could also put Lupin in danger.”

She looked up and met Severus's eyes, making her request earnestly and solemnly.

“Yesterday, Dumbledore recommended that I ask you for help with this matter, and at that time I was still hesitant. But after hearing your statement in court today, I know you are trustworthy, Professor Snape!”

After she finished speaking, the office fell silent for a moment.

Severus, of course, did not agree to such a straightforward decision.

He didn't dislike the Minister of Magic, but he certainly didn't like him either.

This matter could have a huge impact if things go wrong, and it would be extremely serious for Bagno.

Saying that Severus is her lifeline might be an exaggeration, but if Severus doesn't agree, she really doesn't have any better options.

Therefore, the current situation is that the minister is asking him for help.

Under the watchful eyes of the Minister for Magic and the Headmaster of Hogwarts, two of the most powerful wizards in the British wizarding world, Severus calmly picked up the tea in front of him and took a sip.

When politicians make requests, the response must naturally be political.

As he placed the teacup back in its saucer, he asked calmly.

"If the Aurors can't participate and I have to investigate, what can the Ministry of Magic offer me?"

Chapter 65 Lupin is there

The Severus problem is actually quite subtle.

This can be interpreted as, if the Auror doesn't participate, but instead takes the risk, what kind of assistance can the Ministry of Magic provide him during this time?