"Is something wrong?"
Remus followed Almastra's gaze towards the door, repeating his words in confusion, "You mean what?"
Almastra did not reply. He adjusted his sitting position, leaning back in his chair, and waited with a smile for the wooden door to be knocked on as expected, but what actually happened was much more intense than anticipated.
Bang!
As if someone had detonated a bomb at the door, the fragile door panels of Almastra's residence shattered into splinters in the intense roar, and the expanding shock wave carried with it smoke and dust from the entrance hall to flood into the living room, soon reaching Almastra.
Buzz!
The suddenly appearing milky barrier blocked the bullet-like sharp wooden shards and choking dust, causing Almastra to stand up in shock from the stool, surprised that the old headmaster would be so agitated.
"I'm sorry, did I interrupt the old classmates' gathering, Lupin!"
Ignoring the equally surprised interruption by Dumbledore, Snape grinned as he rushed into the room, and as he stepped out of the dust, seeing the faces of the two seemingly dining in the living room at a glance, Snape's expression of imminent revenge instantly froze!
The floating dust in the air slowly settled down, the crescent moon lens glinted for a moment and then disappeared, Dumbledore shook his beard helplessly, carefully stepped on the wet broken stones and wooden debris, and followed into the living room.
One second, two seconds, three seconds... Silence became the main theme in the living room.
Remus was taken aback by Snape's impulsive awkwardness, Dumbledore crossed his hands and pressed them against his belly, curiously staring at the storm above the ceiling, with Almastra's lips tightly sealed and Snape's cheeks flushed, they locked eyes across the room. The atmosphere inside was peculiar and comical.
Cough cough.
Seeing the professor's face look like he swallowed a few snails, Almastra blinked his eyes innocently, and then a brilliant smile appeared on his face,
"Long time no see, Professor Snape. Are you here to join me for Halloween, too?"
"Almastra Blaine!"
Snape snapped his wand tighter, his face trembling slightly, looking from Remus to his proud student whom he hadn't seen in over half a year, and finally couldn't contain himself as he roared.
"Tell me, why are you here!"
......
"Now you see, Severus?"
Dumbledore drew his wand to restore the destruction caused by Snape, and then looked at him with mildness, saying.
"Remus did not help Black break into the castle; he spent the whole night here with Almastra. I assume you wouldn't think that Almastra is also Black's accomplice, would you?"
Dumbledore's short sentence had already conveyed the most important information to everyone. Stimulated by the shock, Remus's rosy cheeks turned pale immediately, and the knuckles of his hand on the table turned white as death. He opened his mouth, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
"Yes, Remus,"
Dumbledore answered the question in his eyes with a calm tone.
"Right here, right now, Black broke into Hogwarts tonight. He tried to get into the Gryffindor common room to do something."
Hearing this, Almastra's eyelids twitched.
During the summer break, the mark he had placed on Harry was still there, which meant Harry had once again escaped a disaster.
"--Fortunately, Black failed. No harm to the little wizards, but one portrait was severely damaged."
Dumbledore continued,
"We've conducted a search within the castle, but so far we haven't found any trace of Black. Remus, if you don't mind, I'd like you to return to the castle now and help Miller and the others continue the search for Black."
Without hesitation, Remus left directly, not even bothering to say goodbye to Almastra.
The raging storm had been going on for several hours, and it finally subsided. The sky above was swept by fierce winds, with layered clouds, and the almost full moon shone through the layers intermittently.
"You've known all along--"
Only after Remus left and Snape felt deceived did the anger in his heart explode out. He shifted his gaze away from the always innocent Almastra and staring at Dumbledore with a stern face.
"You've known that Almastra was in Hogsmeade, Dumbledore, but you never told me!"
"Oh, sorry, Severus, are you upset that I kept Almastra's whereabouts from you?"
Dumbledore, standing in this low-ceilinged living room, had his head almost inserted into the rolling thunder clouds above the ground. In order to avoid embarrassment, he sat directly in Remus's place. When he heard Snape's question, a smile appeared on his wrinkled cheeks.
"If that's the case, Severus, I must defend myself for a moment... Although my memory is not as good as before, I don't think I ever remember you asking me to keep an eye on Almastra's whereabouts?"
Snape's breath caught, and his expression seemed like he had swallowed several juicy snails.
"Then you, Almastra?"
Snape panted and glared at Almastra's innocent face, biting his lips and spitting out one word after another.
"You obviously left Hogwarts; why did you come back? And how did you end up mixed up with that..."
"Uh, actually--"
Almastra scratched his cheek, revealing a clear smile. Before he could spin some ghostly stories about Hogsmeade's mountainous and secluded location, where a weary man of years had fought and battled for the right to settle here, Snape interrupted him in an angry tone.
"I need you to tell me the truth, Almastra!"
Almastra blinked his eyes, still showing an innocent face, and in a daze, he seemed to have returned to the past when he was caught sneaking illicit potions by Snape in school...
"I think I shouldn't disturb this heartwarming reunion moment."
Dumbledore was quite considerate and walked out of the house, making sure to close the door behind him.
"For the money," Almastra said succinctly, "Black's bounty, fifty thousand Galleons!"
It's hard to say, but Snape wasn't really surprised by that answer. He's not the first to know what Almastra is capable of. During their school days, Snape knows all too well what kind of things Almastra has done for money.
"Haha, fifty thousand Galleons..."
Snape glared at Almastra, as if scolding a younger colleague who had gone astray, and said angrily,
"Do you think you can get your hands on that money, Almastra? Hm? Black... that dirty, smelly guy. But since he was able to escape from Azkaban, do you think you can deal with him?"
"What do you mean, Professor Snape?"
Almastra laughed, meeting Snape's angry gaze with a light tone, yet exuding an immense sense of confidence.
"I'm afraid you have some misunderstandings about my abilities, Professor. In the wizarding world now, except for that old man outside who is eavesdropping on our conversation, I don't think there are any other wizards worth my serious attention. In fact, you should be more concerned about whether Black can deal with me."
Almastra's almost arrogant words left Snape stunned. He sized up Almastra, looking at the young man who was both his most admired student and a younger brother-like figure, and suddenly felt a bit strange.
"The growth of young people can be too dazzling, Severus."
As Dumbledore watched the clouds dissipate and the pure and pristine sky above, he smiled and said, "And we always tend to overlook it subconsciously."
Almastra lowered his eyes and smiled, non-committally, not saying anything.
But Snape was left in a state of confusion by Dumbledore's heartfelt compliment. Indeed, Almastra was the most outstanding young wizard Snape had ever taught, or even seen in his thirty years of life. In fact, he thought even he might not be able to contain Almastra anymore. But...
No one but Dumbledore could handle... Almastra's brazen self-assessment had even been recognized by the greatest wizard of the age, which truly left Severus Snape a bit bewildered...
"Reading Hall"
