บท 165: Chapter 165: The Path to a Legendary Wizard Begins with a Name
The screeching sound of wheels rubbing against the ground rang out as a double-decker bus came to a stop on Lily Street. A youthful and vibrant girl stepped off the bus.
"You should head home soon! Even though the Ministry of Magic has increased patrols, I still feel like Sirius Black is in London," Hermione advised as she turned back to the window where Ino was seated.
"Alright! I'll head home now. See you at the start of term!" Ino waved his hand in a goodbye gesture.
A few seconds later, the Knight Bus suddenly disappeared from the roadside.
"There's still four days until the start of term..." Hermione pouted as she walked towards a brightly lit house not far away.
…
"Hogsmeade again? That'll be three Sickles," the ticket seller, Stan Shunpike, leaned against the beam of the bus, speaking with a knowing look.
To be fair, the Knight Bus fares are quite expensive in the wizarding world, so not many people take it, which allows Shunpike to remember every passenger.
Similarly, because Ino often took the Knight Bus, he had become familiar with the talkative ticket seller, forming a relationship that was almost, but not quite, friendship.
"Not Hogsmeade, this time. Take me to Spinner's End."
"Oh, I get it! I get it!" Shunpike said with an understanding expression, quickly operating the fare machine on his chest. "Spinner's End, four Sickles."
After paying, Ino sat on the moving bed and closed his eyes to rest.
Today's encounter with Harry had reminded him of something he had almost forgotten: Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Rather than let the Dementors cause a stir, it would be better to notify Snape early.
Leaving Sirius aside for now, Peter Pettigrew could be dealt with directly on the train, ensuring he wouldn't have a chance to escape.
This would not only repay Snape for the favor but also ensure that the third school year wouldn't have too many disruptions, allowing him to deal with the Basilisk smoothly.
Even though fifty years had passed, Myrtle's death still troubled Dumbledore, even though he wasn't the headmaster at the time.
Ino began to recall the scene in Newt's courtyard. When it came to the Basilisk, Dumbledore's answer was firm: it could live, but it had to leave the castle.
"It's a nice idea, but I can't take care of it..."
Thinking of Dumbledore's inexplicable look, Ino couldn't help but laugh. It seemed like another misunderstanding. He had probably been classified as a Slytherin heir and even linked to Parseltongue.
He also felt that the surname Swinburne seemed to naturally attract trouble, making him want to return to his old orphanage to ask the old matron where the name came from.
In the magical world, a name itself carries a certain mystical power.
The most direct example is Voldemort, whose name causes fear among all wizards in the British Isles. If hearing or saying the name causes fear, there must be some mystical magic involved.
Similarly, Dumbledore's name also seemed to have a mysterious effect, bringing calm and reassurance to those who heard it.
Suddenly, a word flashed through Ino's mind: "legendary."
A legend is a term used to describe people and things with poetic or mysterious qualities, and it carries strong symbolic significance, such as heroes, wars, love, etc.
A living legend seems to possess a mysterious power, making those who utter their names feel corresponding emotions.
This is akin to Voldemort's killing and fear, Dumbledore's love and sacrifice.
Even in Narnia, when the animals mentioned the White Witch's name, they would instinctively feel bone-chilling cold and terror.
"Perhaps a true legendary wizard possesses more than just incomparable magic and great power. Magic and power might only be the starting point..."
Ino murmured, looking out the window.
The Knight Bus sped along the road, and the scenery outside the window flashed by in a bizarre way, like distorted slides.
The screeching sound of the brakes interrupted Ino's thoughts.
"Spinner's End, arrived!" Shunpike's distinctive voice echoed in the bus.
…
Spinner's End, No. 19.
This was the address Ino had deliberately asked Dumbledore for while in Newt's mansion, just to make it easier to find Snape.
However, after living for a dozen days, he had gradually forgotten about Sirius until Harry reminded him today.
Walking down the somewhat dirty and chaotic Spinner's End, it was hard to imagine such an old street existing in late 20th century London.
The only good news was that although it was very dilapidated, it had corresponding house numbers.
"17...18..." Watching the house numbers pass by, Ino finally found No. 19, Severus Snape's residence.
A brown wooden house, even the design of the window frames was from the previous century, with old wooden lattice windows.
The stained glass on the windows had long been blurred by time, but this blurriness gave it a hazy charm in the old Spinner's End.
"Knock! Knock knock!"
Ino stepped forward and knocked on the door.
After about ten seconds, the door was suddenly opened from the inside.
Snape stood there expressionless, dressed in his usual black, flowing robes.
"I don't recall telling you this address."
"Sorry to bother you, Professor Snape!" Ino apologized.
"I asked Headmaster Dumbledore for the address. I'm here today because of something important. I'm afraid if I wait until the start of term, I'll miss an excellent opportunity."
Snape did not respond immediately but silently scrutinized the student before him. After a moment, he said:
"Follow me."
…
Following Snape into the house, Ino controlled his eyes well, not rudely looking around.
They walked to the living room, and once seated, Snape spoke first:
"Tell me about this important matter."
"Professor! Before I say anything, I hope you can remain calm. This is very important."
As Ino spoke, he placed his wand on the table beside him, within easy reach.
Seeing this silent gesture, Snape sneered, "I admit you have the strength to defeat most adult wizards, but that's not enough against me..."
Though mocking, Snape casually pulled out his wand and threw it aside, placing it just out of easy reach, a little over a meter away.
This was also a silent gesture.
Seeing this, Ino hesitated no more and spoke directly, "You know I have a talent for divination. Recently, the Daily Prophet reported that Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban..."
At this point, he paused deliberately, observing Snape's unchanged expression before continuing.
A quarter of an hour, or perhaps longer, passed.
"...So, this entire thing is a gross miscarriage of justice. We may not talk about Sirius Black's foolishness, but at least we can't let the real culprit go unpunished."
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