Kapitel 51: Punishment
The Potions Office also serves as Snape's private storage room and potion-making area.
After finishing a day's classes, Snape finally had time to attend to his personal affairs.
Of course, these personal matters also involved making potions or handling various materials.
At the moment, Snape was extracting the pus from a Bubotuber, a huge, thick, black, and wriggling mass covered with shiny bumps on its surface, resembling a slug.
As the yellow-green viscous liquid dripped, the entire office was filled with a pungent smell, reminiscent of petroleum.
Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door interrupted Snape's work.
Taking off his dragon-hide gloves, Snape impatiently opened the door. "If you can't give me a good reason, you'll be spending this week with Filch."
Snape looked at the young Slytherin in front of him with an expressionless face and warned in a cold tone.
He hated being disturbed while making potions.
The Bubotuber was very tricky to handle and couldn't be tainted by its own juice.
It was also extremely valuable.
If someone else had handled it just now, this medicinal material might have been ruined.
"Professor, Barry led four other students from our house in a fight with Ethan Adrian, a first-year Ravenclaw. Now, one of them has a big hole in his stomach. I don't know if he's dead."
The young Slytherin, who had come to report the news, looked at his Head of House and spoke tremulously.
"Whose stomach was blown open?"
Snape closed the office door and began walking toward the scene, his face as dark as coal. Although he had already guessed the outcome, he still asked the question.
He hadn't expected his own students to cause such a major problem.
Snape didn't believe that Ethan was the one who started the trouble. He knew exactly what kind of people his students were.
Besides, a first-year student couldn't possibly challenge five fourth-year students, even if he wanted to. Snape himself had nearly been driven to despair by four classmates.
Now, he could only hope that Ethan was unharmed; otherwise, Flitwick would not let this go easily.
"It was Colby Frey!"
"Who?"
Snape stopped abruptly and looked sharply at the student who had delivered the news.
" Colby Frey!"
After confirming it again, Snape fell silent and continued to the scene of the incident.
Although he knew that Ethan was undoubtedly a genius among this year's young wizards, with only Cassandra able to rival him, this outcome was too shocking.
He knew his own students well.
The same scene was playing out in the offices of the other Heads of Houses, but none of them were as irritable as Snape!
…
"Mr. Adrian, go to the Headmaster's office immediately. The password is 'Lemon Sherbet.'"
Professor McGonagall, who had already learned some of the situation from the student who reported it, felt the matter was too complex and could only be handed over to Dumbledore.
She also needed to rush to the hospital wing to assess the situation.
"Understood, Professor McGonagall."
Ethan turned and left without any overreaction, showing no signs of nervousness or fear.
When McGonagall and the other professors arrived, the five injured Slytherins had already been carried into the hospital wing by Madam Pomfrey. Only Ethan, the protagonist, and some onlookers remained at the scene.
"Professor McGonagall, it was the Slytherins who started the fight. Ethan was just defending himself. According to the law..."
"Miss Granger, I will investigate thoroughly."
Professor McGonagall interrupted Hermione and went straight to the hospital wing.
She still had a good impression of Ethan, a student with great talent in Transfiguration, but she was uncertain about how to handle his punishment.
On the familiar eighth floor, Ethan arrived in front of a large stone gargoyle and spoke the password.
The next moment, the stone statue seemed to come alive and split into two halves, revealing a spiral staircase.
Following the stairs, Ethan reached the door of the Headmaster's office.
Knock! Knock!
"Come in!"
When he pushed the door open, the first thing he noticed were the countless portraits of former Headmasters, a large colorful bird perched nearby, and Dumbledore at his desk.
"My boy, what's happened?"
Dumbledore still had no idea what had occurred. No one had informed him yet, or even attempted to inform him, and no one could enter the Headmaster's office without the password.
"I had a conflict with five senior Slytherin students, and now they're in the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall sent me to you."
"I see."
Although he didn't use Legilimency, with his experience, Dumbledore could already guess what had happened.
Slytherin students provoked Ethan, but he fought back, resulting in their serious injuries.
However, Ethan's indifferent attitude was something Dumbledore had never seen before. Other students who got into trouble would be more or less nervous, uneasy, or worried.
"Sit down and have a glass of pumpkin juice. We'll deal with this later."
Dumbledore tapped the table, and a glass of pumpkin juice appeared.
"Thank you, Headmaster."
Ethan sat down without hesitation, not fearing anything Dumbledore might say or do, and drank the pumpkin juice.
Before long, the four Heads of Houses arrived simultaneously, but their expressions were grim.
Ethan also stood up when he saw them. With the professors standing, he couldn't very well remain seated.
Professor Flitwick approached Ethan directly and said, "Ethan, I know this isn't your fault. Just tell me what happened."
Professors Sprout and McGonagall also gave Ethan encouraging looks, showing their support.
"I was just borrowing a book from the library and was on my way back to the Ravenclaw dormitory..."
Ethan recounted the entire incident, leaving out the specific spells he used. He didn't embellish the story to benefit himself, knowing there were witnesses present.
After Ethan finished speaking, Professor McGonagall informed Dumbledore of the current condition of the Slytherins.
"Breaking a wand is an extremely serious matter. Barry and the others were also seriously injured."
"So, Ravenclaw will lose 50 points. Ethan, you will be in detention for a month and will patrol the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid, starting tonight. Filch will escort you. If you have any objections, you can tell me now."
After a brief consideration, Dumbledore announced his punishment.
During this time, Dumbledore had occasionally observed Ethan. He knew that Ethan frequently visited the Room of Requirement, was hardworking, and was a very talented child.
At the same time, Ethan maintained good relationships with his family and friends, especially with the young witches in the school, which set him apart from Voldemort.
Given these factors, Dumbledore did not want to impose a harsh punishment.
After all, talented children are often given preferential treatment.
"I have no objections. I'm willing to accept the school's punishment."
Ethan wasn't about to refuse. Going to the Forbidden Forest openly to collect magical materials was hardly a punishment!
"Albus, is there no punishment for Slytherin?"
"They called Ethan a 'Mudblood,' and they started the fight. Although they're in the hospital wing now, they need to bear the primary responsibility."
Professor Flitwick spoke up, clearly not satisfied with a punishment that only his student would suffer.
When Snape heard the word "Mudblood", his expression changed visibly. It was a deeply painful memory for him.
Because of this, Snape hadn't spoken up during the entire meeting, allowing the situation to unfold. If it had been up to him, he wouldn't have let his five students off easily.
"Slytherin will lose 250 points, and the students involved will be placed in solitary confinement for one month, starting after they're released from the hospital."
With this decision, Dumbledore effectively ended Slytherin's chances of winning the House Cup that year.
Snape's mouth tightened, but he said nothing in the end.
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