strictlysupreme Chapter 278 Leave it to me
Chapter 278 Leave it to me
Chapter 278 Leave it to me (5K) (2/2)
After leaving the school infirmary, Lynch briefly said goodbye to Ron and Hermione, who were still worriedly discussing Harry. Watching the two Gryffindor students hurry away, he stood alone in the somewhat empty corridor.
He opened his palm, and the Stone Tower Merchant Guild badge he had retrieved from Harry lay quietly in his hand, its metallic surface gleaming coldly in the light of the corridor wall lamps.
He stared at it for a moment, then closed his fingers and put it away again.
He did not turn his feet toward the principal's office.
At this moment, a dialogue with a vastly unequal power dynamic is likely unfolding in the principal's office.
Lynch's thinking was clear: there was absolutely no need to go to the principal's office to join in the fun now.
Even a fool could foresee the outcome: faced with an enraged, universally acknowledged most powerful white wizard, the officials sent by the Ministry of Magic would practically have no knees or backs. They would tremble under Dumbledore's wrath and agree to almost any of his demands, such as strengthening the castle's defenses and holding those responsible for negligence accountable.
However, note that it is "almost".
The one thing they absolutely would not and could never agree to was removing the Dementors surrounding Hogwarts.
The reason is as simple as it gets: Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban had already severely damaged the credibility and reputation of the Ministry of Magic.
Fudge and his department now need to do whatever it takes to salvage their crumbling reputation and demonstrate to the public their "tough" and "in-control" stance.
Sending out Dementors, terrifying creatures, to hunt down Black at any cost is a facade they must maintain.
Moreover, not long ago Black successfully infiltrated Hogwarts—although he wasn't caught on the spot—which actually "proved" that the Ministry of Magic's strategy of heavily guarding Hogwarts was "correct."
Therefore, no matter how angry Dumbledore is, the Ministry of Magic will never back down an inch on this core "stance".
Remove the Dementors?
Don't even think about it.
If that's the case, why should I participate in a negotiation that's destined to fail to achieve its most crucial objective?
It only adds to the noise.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Lin Qi didn't linger. He turned around and walked towards the teachers' common room.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door, warm light and low voices of conversation flooded in.
Sure enough, most of the professors in the school were there, led by the three deans: Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sprout. Even the usually eccentric divination professor, Sybil Trelawney, was there, using her unique, ethereal, and indistinct voice to describe the "ominous signs" she had seen before the competition began.
The air was filled with the aroma of black tea.
The professors, each holding a teacup, were clearly discussing the thrilling scene that had just unfolded on the Quidditch pitch. Each of them wore an expression of lingering fear, worry, or analysis.
The newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, was also among them, but he sat far from the center of the crowd, almost with his back against the innermost wall, huddled in a rather inconspicuous armchair.
He held a warm mug in both hands, his face paler and more haggard than usual, as if he had not fully recovered from some kind of discomfort. He listened quietly to the discussion without interrupting.
Lin Qi's entrance temporarily interrupted the conversation in the lounge, and almost everyone's eyes were instantly drawn to him.
"Oh, Professor Lynch! You've arrived!" the chubby Professor Sprout greeted him warmly, his face filled with genuine admiration. "Come and sit down! Felius was just praising you to us, saying that your buffer spell was cast at the perfect time! Through that curtain of rain, silently and precisely! By Merlin's name, that's no ordinary skill!"
Professor Flitwick straightened his small frame in his seat and chirped in agreement, "Truly outstanding! From a young age, Jim's learning and control of spells has always been astonishing!"
Faced with his colleagues' praise, Lynch simply smiled modestly and responded politely, "You flatter me, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick. The situation was urgent, and I just did my best. Fortunately, the result wasn't too bad."
His gaze swept across the room subtly, and then, instead of choosing to approach the center of the heated discussion, he seemingly casually walked to the corner near Professor Lu Ping and sat down on another chair not too far from him.
The conversation in the lounge was like a flickering flame in a fireplace, with topics that kept drifting.
The professors then expressed their regret over the Gryffindor Quidditch team's fate, believing that they had a chance to win but were unfortunately defeated due to the unexpected external factor—the invasion of the Dementors.
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and then gulped down two large mouthfuls of tea.
The topic quickly shifted back to the culprit who caused all of this.
"The thought that Black, Sirius Black, still roaming around—" Professor Sinister said in a slightly trembling voice, "that a vicious Death Eater could escape from Azkaban—that's unbelievable in itself! And to think that he's now wandering around Hogwarts with ill intentions—it's chilling."
The other professors, including Professor McGonagall, also became serious when Black was mentioned, expressing their agreement, and a sense of unease about the potential danger filled the air.
Lin Qi sat to the side, holding a cup of black tea he had never tasted before. He nodded at appropriate times or briefly echoed with a "It is indeed worrying" or "It is a pity about the game," behaving like a colleague who listened attentively and agreed with the mainstream view.
His gaze mostly fell on the professor who was speaking, or on the flames in the fireplace, and he didn't outwardly look at Lupin in the corner at all.
However, on his shoulder, the motionless raven clone, seemingly just an ornament or a pet, provided Lynch with a unique, almost all-around view, clearly conveying all of Lupin's subtle reactions.
The instant Professor Sinister clearly uttered the name "Sirius," Lynch "saw" Lupin's fingers, holding the mug, tighten imperceptibly, his knuckles turning slightly white. His already somewhat hunched back seemed to stiffen even more, and he subconsciously, very slightly adjusted his posture, as if the seat had suddenly become uncomfortable.
Subsequently, during the discussion about Blake's brutality and danger, Lupin became noticeably distracted.
His gaze was lowered, fixed on the surface of the liquid in his glass. He no longer paid attention to the conversation around him. His brows furrowed slightly as he fell into some personal thoughts. A silence, shrouded him, seemed out of place with the slightly noisy and worried atmosphere in the lounge.
Lin Qi took it all in, but remained outwardly calm, slowly turning the warm teacup in his hand, seemingly oblivious to the unusual behavior of his colleague in the corner.
The aimless conversation in the teachers' lounge was interrupted by a series of hurried footsteps and the sound of the door being pushed open.
Snape stood in the doorway, the hem of his black robe damp with the outside moisture, his face even more somber than usual, as if ink could be wrung out from it.
His arrival brought the casual conversation in the room to an abrupt halt, and all eyes were on him.
"The Ministry of Magic has left," Snape announced in a low voice, without any pleasantries. "Dumbledore has also gone to London." He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, or perhaps, with a hint of sarcasm, relayed the Headmaster's intentions. "He intends to meet with Fudge in person to try and 'persuade' the Ministry to adjust the Dementors' patrol routes to a place far from the Hogwarts border."
This outcome was clearly expected by most professors—the Ministry of Magic would not easily remove the Dementors, but Dumbledore would not stand idly by either.
Snape continued relaying instructions, his dark eyes sweeping over Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick: "The Headmaster wants you two to each lead a group to the key points on the border of Hogwarts immediately to install new warning magic. We need to ensure that if those—creatures—cross the border again, the castle will be alerted immediately."
Professor McGonagall nodded immediately and seriously, and Professor Flitwick also straightened his small body to show that he understood.
After finishing his business, Snape abruptly changed the subject, his brow furrowed and his tone clearly displeased: "Also, has anyone seen Hagrid?"
Professor McGonagall adjusted her glasses and replied, "Hagrid went to look after his—well, magical creatures. He's worried the dark aura from today's large gathering of Dementors might frighten them." Looking at Snape's somber expression, she added, "What do you need him for, Severus?"
Snape's lips twisted into an almost mocking smile, his voice growing even colder: "It seems our gamekeeper isn't entirely focused on his duties. I just saw a hippogriff strolling leisurely in the clearing behind the castle. Someone needs to inform him to take that dangerous creature back to where it belongs as soon as possible, lest—anything goes wrong."
His words were full of accusations of Hagrid's mismanagement and dissatisfaction with the approach of "dangerous creatures" like hippogriffs to the castle.
Professor McGonagall sighed, clearly frustrated by Hagrid's occasional oversights and the long-standing discord between Snape and Hagrid.
"I'll try to inform him," she said, her tone reassuring but also revealing a hint of disapproval of Snape's exaggeration.
Snape seemed to have received a response that was not entirely satisfactory but acceptable. He said no more, but simply swept his deep black eyes around the lounge again, lingering briefly on Lynch, then giving Lupin a fierce look before turning around, his black robes billowing as he silently disappeared like a bat.
The atmosphere in the common room became somewhat somber and formal because of the news Snape brought and his arrival.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick immediately stood up and began to discuss in hushed tones the manpower and the deployment of warning magic.
She preferred to be in charge of the early warning arrangements in the Forbidden Forest with Lady Hodge, which would also allow her to inform Hagrid about the hippogriffs along the way.
Just then, Lin Qi, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, spoke up, his voice calm and steady as he joined the discussion:
'
"Leave the Forbidden Forest to me, Professor McGonagall."
All eyes were once again focused on him.
Lynch calmly explained, "I live there, so I'm more familiar with the terrain. It's also easier to set up warning magic there." He paused, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping in the direction Snape had left, and continued, "As for that hippogriff, I'll just bring it to Hagrid on my way back. There's no need to specifically notify him to make the trip."
""
Professor McGonagall considered for a moment. Professor Lynch had indeed lived in the cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest for a long time and knew that area like the back of his hand, making him the perfect person to be in charge of the early warning magic there. Moreover, he could also handle the hippogriff issue at the same time, saving her trouble. She nodded and readily agreed, "Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Professor Lynch."
The matter seemed to be settled.
But Lynch then made another request, speaking casually as if it were just a casual remark: "However, setting up a warning spell requires covering a considerable area, so for efficiency, it would be best to have an assistant." His gaze swept halfway around the lounge, finally settling on the figure who had been trying to keep a low profile. "Professor Lupin, if you have no other plans, could you please assist me?"
This request surprised everyone, including Lupin himself. He clearly hadn't expected Lynch to call him out; his hand holding the mug paused slightly, and he looked up, a fleeting look of surprise crossing his face. After a brief moment of astonishment, he quickly regained his composure, a gentle yet slightly weary smile playing on his lips, flawless.
"Of course, Professor Lynch." Lupin's voice was as gentle and polite as ever, although his smile might have concealed a hint of helplessness and deeper consideration. "I'd be happy to help."
In this situation, it was neither reasonable nor emotionally appropriate for him to refuse a colleague's—especially one who had just demonstrated powerful magical abilities—on a serious matter.
Professor McGonagall, seeing that Lupin agreed, also thought the arrangement was good—one was an unfathomable expert in ancient runes familiar with the Forbidden Forest, and the other was a colleague who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and was theoretically skilled in dealing with various magical creatures and protective magic. The two working together to handle affairs in the Forbidden Forest seemed quite reliable.
"Then it's settled." Professor McGonagall made the final decision. "Professor Lynch, Professor Lupin, the early warning magic in the Forbidden Forest direction will be your responsibility. Professor Flitwick, we'll be in charge of the other border directions of the castle."
Everyone stood up and began preparing for their respective tasks. Lynch also stood up and gestured for Lupin, who had just put down his mug and straightened his old robe, to leave the faculty lounge one after the other, amidst the encouraging or worried gazes of the other professors.
Stepping out of the warm indoors, the crisp, cool air after the rain rushed down the corridor.
Lynch and Lupin walked side by side.
"How about we go to the back of the castle first, deal with the lost hippogriff, and then head to the Forbidden Forest to set up an early warning spell?" Lynch spoke up, breaking the silence. His suggestion sounded reasonable, prioritizing the known "minor troubles" at hand.
Lupin was pulled back from his thoughts and immediately nodded in response, his tone gentle: "Of course, this arrangement is appropriate."
He really had no reason to object.
So the two of them headed towards the back of the castle.
Silence descended once more, broken only by the sound of footsteps and the faint whisper of wind emanating from the distant forbidden forest.
The silence didn't make Lynch uncomfortable, but he could clearly feel the subtle tension emanating from Lupin beside him.
Lupin's mind was clearly racing as he tried to decipher Lynch's intention in specifically mentioning his companion.
Was it to explore the application of Defense Against the Dark Arts in warning magic? Or was it because he, as the "new professor," needed to familiarize himself with the environment? Or perhaps—was it related to a topic discussed in the lounge earlier?
Countless thoughts flashed through Lupin's mind, only to be dismissed one by one. Even when they rounded the corner of the castle and saw the enormous figure leisurely strolling in the clearing, head down, searching for a mouse hole in the grass—the chestnut-headed harpy—he still couldn't reach a definite conclusion.
Lupin took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing the chaotic speculations.
Although this magical creature appears docile, it is, after all, a Level XXXX dangerous creature and must be handled with caution.
Lupin instinctively reached for his wand inside his robe.
But the next moment, he remembered what he knew about these magical creatures—that displaying weapons or making threatening gestures could easily provoke them.
He forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his wand.
“Professor Lynch,” Lupin turned to Lynch, his tone cautious, “according to records, the hippogriff (Hippogriff) values etiquette. Please allow me to try communicating with it first; if that fails, we can consider other methods.”
Lin Qi nodded indifferently: "Okay."
Lupin took a deep breath, slowly stepped forward, and stopped at a safe distance from the winged, hippogriff-like creature.
He bowed slightly, giving the proud creature a solemn bow, keeping his gaze cautiously at eye contact, but not daring to look directly into its sharp eagle eyes, as a sign of respect.
Time passed second by second.
The hippogriff merely tilted its head, coldly scrutinizing Lupin with its orange eyes, without returning the bow, and impatiently rubbed its hind hooves on the grass.
Lu Ping sighed inwardly, knowing that the communication had failed.
He remained vigilant, slowly retreating back to Lin Qi's side, a hint of helplessness on his face.
"It seems it's not in a good mood today, or perhaps it just—doesn't like me. We might need to find a way to calm it down without hurting it, or guide it back. Do you have any good ideas, Professor Lynch?"
"I do have one." Lin Qi's lips curled into a very faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Leave it to me."
After saying that, before Lu Ping could react, Lin Qi walked straight toward the winged, hippogriff-like creature.
His steps were unhurried, without bowing or any defensive or obsequious gesture.
Lupin's heart leaped into his throat. He immediately drew his wand, ready to deal with any possible attack.
However, what happened next stunned him.