Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts

If other people encountered this situation during this time, most would not continue to expend too much effort.

But Crouch was a man who valued his prestige and reputation, and he didn't want to be burdened with more political stains before leaving the Executive Division.

However, recently there was Snape's affair, then problems within the Aurors, and now someone has raised the Dark Mark. If things are not handled carefully, he may not even be able to maintain his apparent pacifism.

As the four of them smoked in the living room, discussing the situation within the Auror's territory amidst the swirling smoke, Kingsley suddenly frowned and looked up at the corner of the stairs.

"Who's there?"

His voice drew the attention of the other three as well.

In that instant, a hint of panic was clearly visible in Crouch's eyes!

"Sparkle! Is that you?!" he shouted, unusually loudly.

At this moment, a timid house-elf emerged from the stairwell, its ears drooping.

"Sparkle...Sparkle didn't mean to be here, Sparkle had no choice."

"Get back to the kitchen! Do you hear me? Now!"

Crouch roared.

Putting aside Kingsley and Robards, even Scrimgeour was somewhat bewildered by his sudden outburst of anger.

"Sorry, everyone." After shooing away the house-elves, Crouch looked wearily at the three of them. "That's enough for today. You continue with your internal investigations, and regarding the Dark Mark, remember to keep an eye on those reporters from the Daily Prophet and tell them not to talk nonsense! As for the dark wizard who used the Bone Resurrection technique, Scrimgeour, you will personally lead the investigation."

Having said all that, Scrimgeour and his companions had no intention of staying any longer, and the three of them used Apparition to leave Crouch's old house.

After everyone left, the huge mansion became completely quiet.

Crouch was the only one who was almost slumped in the sofa chair, and his house-elf Sparky, whom he had sent to the kitchen, had reappeared.

As soon as it came out, it kept banging its head against the wall.

"It's all Shining's fault! It's all Shining's fault!!"

"Stop! Blink!" Crouch shouted, trying to stop its self-harming behavior.

Flash stopped, slumped to the ground, and sobbed, crying very sadly.

As the head of the Executive Division, Crouch now completely lacked the aura and authority he once possessed. He was like a person whose strength had been completely drained, making it incredibly difficult for him to even speak.

After a long while, Shan Shan's sobs grew quieter and quieter.

Crouch's gaze fell on the corner by the fireplace, where there was clearly no one, yet he seemed to be able to see someone there, and he said in a cold voice.

"I hope you stay home obediently and that everything that happens outside has nothing to do with you!"

The room remained quiet, as if Crouch's words were merely a monologue.

The following day, under the Auror's control, the Daily Prophet indeed toned down its reporting on the Dark Mark from the previous night.

Few wizards knew about this news to begin with, and many had heard that something terrible seemed to have happened during the night, but few knew exactly what it was.

In the Daily Prophet, there was only one article about this matter, stating that dark wizards had been spotted in East Sussex, bluffing by casting a forbidden spell, and that the Aurors were already organizing a team to investigate.

Other newspapers seemed to have received the same reminder, and almost no one paid much attention to it. Only the unconventional "Singing the Dissent" mentioned it on its front page that day.

Lovegood, however, was clearly unaware of the full story. Instead of considering the Dark Mark, he used the incident to write a satirical article about the Aurors.

However, even though it wasn't reported in the newspapers, some wizards living near East Sussex still witnessed the scene firsthand.

However, these people lacked a wide-ranging means of communication and could only wait anxiously for news from the Ministry of Magic.

As dawn broke, three men arrived in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

They took a special bus and, on board, heard some rumors about what had happened the night before.

Crouch's experiences don't quite add up.

Barty Jr. was born in 1962. When he was 19, his Death Eater identity was revealed because he and Bella's gang tortured Neville's parents, meaning the incident occurred in 1981.

According to the background description, during this period, Crouch, who was originally a shoo-in for Minister of Magic, lost his chance to compete with Fudge because of this scandal.

But in 1981, Bagno had only been a minister for a little over a year, and she still had nine years before her retirement. Crouch was already competing with Fudge for the next minister nine years earlier?

This is clearly illogical.

But that's how the background is written, so I'll just go with that.

It will be uploaded to Sanjiang tomorrow, and I estimate it will be available for purchase in a few days. I'm already prepared to update it frequently.

Chapter 78 Knight Bus

After leaving Sherwood Forest, Severus and his companions left without using Apparition.

Neither Severus himself nor Lupin I ever went to Eastbourne, and if they wanted to use Floo Powder, they couldn't find a suitable Floo network in Nottingham.

So, with Granger by their side, they opted to take public transportation.

Severus raised his wand by the roadside, and soon after, a deafening "bang" resounded.

A three-story, bright purple bus suddenly appeared in front of the three of them!

Staring at the words "Knight Bus" written in large gold letters on the windshield of the bus, Granger was still dumbfounded after witnessing the wonders of Severus and Old Lupin's magic on the road.

"What's your mindset when you're filling a patient's tooth?" Severus suddenly asked Granger in a low voice.

Granger swallowed hard and replied.

"It's a very normal mindset, and most of the time I even feel a bit bored."

"Now, just think of this as if you're on your way to a patient's home to fill their teeth. Keep a calm mindset, treat everything as normal, and don't let the other people in the car realize that you're not a wizard."

Upon hearing Severus's words, Granger nodded in agreement.

Old Lu Ping then boarded the bus first, where an elderly female ticket seller was waiting for them at the door.

"Welcome aboard the Knight Bus, an emergency passenger service for witches or wizards in distress. My name is Nora Polk, and I am your ticket seller tonight."

The witch was warm and enthusiastic, and welcomed Severus and his companions.

"Gentlemen, where are you going tonight?"

“Eastbourne,” said old Lupin.

“Nottingham to Eastbourne, that’s quite a journey. A single ticket costs 1 Gallon and 7 Sickles.” Polk looked at the three of them. “There are three of you, so it will cost 4 Gallons and 4 Sickles in total.”

Old Lupin, the first to board, reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. He picked out 4 Galleons and 4 Sickles and paid them to Polk.

"We're all here. Are there any beds left on the second floor? We want to get some rest."

“Of course, gentlemen!” Polk said with a broad smile after receiving the money.

Then, old Lupin led the way, with Granger trying his best to restrain himself from looking around, and they went up the stairs to the second floor of the bus.

Severus didn't go up immediately, but instead took out a Galleon from his pocket and handed it to Polk.

"Please also prepare a cup of heated chocolate and a toothbrush and towel for each of the three of us."

He could see that old Lu Ping was struggling financially.

In his youth, this expert, who was once employed by the Ministry of Magic, did enjoy a period of glory. However, after Lupin became a werewolf, his family moved around constantly, and old Lupin never had a stable job.

Now, Lu Ping is self-reliant. His mother passed away from illness years ago, and Lu Ping has been living alone and destitute with no source of income.

After taking the money from Severus, Polk finally got a good look at the man's face.

She was stunned for a moment, then a look of surprise appeared on her face.

"Ern! Ern!! Look! Who is this! Who is this!"

She shouted excitedly, attracting the attention of the driver sitting at the steering wheel.

When he saw Severus's face, he immediately shouted as well.

"My God, who is this! It's Severus Snape!"

Seeing their strong reaction, Severus could only helplessly make a shushing gesture, indicating that there were still people resting on the first floor of the bus.

Fortunately, the two of them still had some professionalism and did not react any further. However, Polk forced the Galleon that Severus had handed her back to her.

"I'm a huge fan of 'Blood Ties: Vampires and Muggles'! I even listened to the entire Wizengamot trial, your speech was fantastic! The hot chocolate, toothbrush, and towel today are on me!"

Finally, at this point, Severus experienced the benefits of being a celebrity.

Compared to before, when he was universally disliked wherever he went, the situation changed drastically after that trial.

He coughed lightly in his mind twice, deliberately showing off to Ghost Snape.

Severus did not refuse; he simply thanked him.

"Thank you for your kindness, ma'am."

"I wish you a pleasant journey!"

Severus then went up to the upper deck of the bus, where there was no one else but old Lupin and Granger.

Old Lupin was cleaning his glasses with his wand, while Granger, finally free to indulge his curiosity about his surroundings when no one was around, was examining a quirky, animated Sisters Band poster stuck to the car window.

“We should be able to reach Eastbourne around 7 a.m.,” Old Lupin estimated the time after seeing Severus come up. “But there’s not much information on that plank. We’ll need time to look for clues once we get to Eastbourne.”

Severus lay down on the soft bed and asked old Lupin what was going on.

"Does Lupin rarely go home?"

“Apart from his mother’s funeral, he has hardly ever come back over the years. He just writes me a letter every week, telling me about his experiences while he was wandering,” Old Lu Ping said calmly.

“He has been like this since he was a child. He is sensitive to his werewolf identity and feels that it is because of him that his mother and I have lived such a turbulent life. He silently bears all the pressure himself.”

"But actually, none of this is his fault."

Granger lost interest in the poster and comforted old Lupin.

“All children are the same. Hermione always thought she had a little secret, but Jane and I both knew that she was actually very concerned about her front teeth. We just pretended not to know anything and didn’t touch her sensitive area.”

Old Lu Ping shook his head, his voice low.

“He didn’t dare to see me because he was afraid that his identity would disrupt my life, but as his father, I have also been running away all along. I feel very guilty towards Remus.”

The atmosphere inside the carriage became somewhat silent. Severus, who was lying quietly to the side, could vaguely guess that old Lupin was probably feeling guilty about something.

He whispered a joke to Granger before the bus started moving again.

"Robert, don't forget to say goodnight to Nahan Temlit in the poster before you go to sleep. He'll play you a lullaby."

Granger stared in surprise.

Can I choose the song myself?

“Of course, radio host Severus Snape will be at your service,” old Lupin said, making a rare witty remark.

Laughter erupted from the men inside the carriage; they were enjoying this moment of peace.

Chapter 79 The Hidden Death Eaters

It wasn't until the Knight Bus officially started operating that Granger truly witnessed the wonders of magical creations.

He stared intently at the buildings outside the car window. Mailboxes, streetlights, and houses were no longer obstacles in front of the car; as the car drove straight toward them, they would automatically move aside to make way.

After the car has passed, they will jump back and return to their original state!

Granger found the scene somewhat surreal; he couldn't even imagine that just yesterday he was on vacation with his wife and daughter, and today he was about to embark on a magical adventure with two wizards.

Severus, who didn't go to sleep immediately after finishing his hot chocolate, noticed Granger's unnatural state.

He didn't say anything. Any normal person who has witnessed the wonder of magic will inevitably feel that this world is unreal.

The scenery outside the window kept changing. It was said that the Knight Bus could travel 100 miles with each jump, but Severus had no way to verify it. He simply lay down on the soft bed, and as drowsiness washed over him, he fell asleep.

When he woke up again, he drew back the curtains and saw that the sky outside the car was already bright. The ticket seller, Polk, was waking the three of them one by one.

"Gentlemen! We've arrived in Eastbourne! But something unexpected happened here last night!"

Severus sat up in bed and took the damp towel that Polk handed him to wipe his face.

"What happened here?"

"The Daily Prophet says a group of dark wizards gathered here last night, murdered three Muggles, and cast a forbidden spell! But Mr. Dawes, who got on the bus here, says someone used a bodily resurrection spell here last night!"

Polk's voice was visibly trembling.

Upon hearing this, Severus paused for a moment and slowly put the towel down.