Sword Pointed at Dumbledore! The Shire Goes Berserk!

Chapter 96 Sword Pointed at Dumbledore! The Shire Goes Berserk!

When Charles spoke, everyone who heard it was stunned, wondering if they had misheard.

Even the portraits, ghosts, and even Dumbledore himself in the castle were taken aback.

Dumbledore stared at the Ciel, wondering where the Ciel got his courage from.

Did you think that once you beat Snape, you could continue to challenge yourself?

If that's true, then he's incredibly arrogant.

Dumbledore's gaze grew increasingly cold.

"Wasn't I clear enough, Charles? You are suspected of harming your classmates and teachers in a dangerous manner. Although there may be some reasons for this, the harm you caused is real."

"Therefore, in order to ensure a harmonious, friendly, and fair environment at Hogwarts, you will be punished..."

Before he could finish speaking, Charles took another step forward.

"It seems the principal didn't understand what I meant, so let me explain it more clearly."

"The question I'm asking, 'On what grounds,' refers to you, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Before you reflect on your actions, admit your mistakes, and accept punishment, what gives you the right to punish me?"

"I don't believe you are qualified to make a fair judgment."

These words caused a buzzing sensation in the minds of those who heard them.

A series of horrified gazes were cast at Charles.

Even Quirrell and Voldemort, who was possessing Quirrell, looked at Ciel as if he were a madman.

"Is he crazy?"

"He dares to speak to Dumbledore like that? Is he questioning Dumbledore's qualifications as headmaster?"

Voldemort paled in Quirrell's mind.

He always thought that he was the craziest and most dangerous person in Hogwarts history when he was a student there.

He opened the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin, killing a female student in the process, and then successfully framed another student, causing her to drop out of school.

He also created horrific Horcruxes while in school, committing multiple murders in the process!

But all of that pales in comparison to what Charles did today.

A first-year wizard questions whether the Hogwarts Headmaster, Wizengamot, is qualified to make a fair judgment.

"It's only been a little over a decade, and the magical world has truly gone mad!"

Voldemort couldn't help but sigh.

"Today's show was really interesting."

At that moment, Dumbledore suddenly unleashed an aura as deep and terrifying as the ocean, as if the sky were about to collapse.

"Charles Evans, do you know what you're saying?"

Charles, however, remained completely unmoved.

Dumbledore is terrifyingly strong; the power of his magical aura is something even the current Shire cannot match.

If it really came down to a direct fight, Ciel estimated that apart from transforming into an ancient dragon to hold his own against Dumbledore for a short time, his only option would be to Apparate to escape.

But at Hogwarts, in front of so many people, Shire was absolutely certain that Dumbledore would not make a move.

Firstly, Dumbledore wouldn't stoop to fighting a first-year student; it would be beneath his dignity.

Secondly, there are so many people present. If Dumbledore really wants to take action against him, unless he alters the memories of everyone present, his persona will truly collapse.

Thirdly, Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts, and he has the greatest authority there. However, the fact that he could succeed as headmaster also means that Dumbledore is not without limitations at Hogwarts.

If he dares to kill a student, Hogwarts' own defensive magic will immediately activate and strip him of his headmaster's authority.

The headmaster cannot intentionally harm students; this is a rule written in "Hogwarts: A History of the School".

That's why the Shire wasn't intimidated by Dumbledore's imposing presence.

He gave a cold laugh.

"Of course I know what I'm saying. If the principal still doesn't understand, then I'll explain it to you one by one."

"So, first of all, it's..."

Shire waved his wand, and Snape's arm was lifted up in the Slytherin Headmaster's office behind him.

Beneath the torn sleeve, a conspicuous black magic mark of a skull and snake intertwined was revealed.

Dumbledore's heart skipped a beat, and the next moment, the Charles asked in a low voice.

"Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin, Professor of Potions at Hogwarts, I found the Dark Mark on his arm while I was fighting him."

"According to what I read in the book, this is a mark that is branded on the core members who follow the Dark Lord, symbolizing the highest honor among the Death Eaters."

"So, Snape was a key member of the Death Eaters. Do you, Headmaster Dumbledore, acknowledge this?"

When Shire said those words, the young wizards at Hogwarts immediately erupted in uproar.

The first-year wizards were confused and most of them didn't know what the Dark Mark and Death Eaters meant.

But of course they knew of the Dark Lord's reputation.

Even Muggle-born wizards have been given a good lesson in how terrifying the Dark Lord is these past few days because of Harry Potter. He's someone whose name can't even be mentioned in the wizarding world.

Now, according to Shire, Snape actually has the mark of a Death Eater on him?

The older students gasped in shock.

They understood far better than the younger wizards what this symbol and the core members of the Death Eaters meant.

"Skulls and snakes, are those really the Dark Mark?!"

"There's no mistake, otherwise Snape would have definitely washed it off, but he failed. Once the Dark Mark is applied, it cannot be removed!"

"He really is a Death Eater, and a core member at that. Why hasn't someone like that been imprisoned in Azkaban? How is he still teaching at Hogwarts?!"

A cacophony of voices rang out uncontrollably.

There were indeed rumors among the students that Snape was a Death Eater, but this was only circulating in a small circle and there was no evidence whatsoever, so it did not cause any significant stir.

After all, this is Hogwarts with Dumbledore, how could there be Death Eaters here? Everyone firmly believed this.

But now, the mark on Snape's hand has shattered their trust.

The students, especially those whose families had died as descendants of Death Eaters or had been persecuted, were now in a state of high spirits.

Neville Longbottom of Gryffindor, his face flushed red, looked at the mark with uncontrollable hatred.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, is this really true?"

"That's the mark of a Death Eater? Why would Hogwarts have Death Eaters, and one of them even became the Head of Slytherin?"

"How could this be? My parents, my parents were driven insane by the Death Eaters!"

Such questions arose one after another at Hogwarts.

A shadow fell over Dumbledore's heart.

After Snape was driven to the brink of a mental breakdown by the Shire, another unexpected thing happened.

Snape's Death Eater identity was exposed by the Ciel in public?

This is really troublesome.

You know, some things are nothing on the scale, but once you put them on the scale, they weigh a ton!

Previously, although there were rumors about Snape's Death Eater identity, there was no concrete evidence, so everyone turned a blind eye out of respect for him.

Now that it's been exposed, it's impossible for others to pretend they don't know anything.

Dumbledore was at his wits' end, still trying to come up with an excuse.

But at this moment, Shire did not give Dumbledore a chance to explain, and stepped forward again to question him.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, do you even know that Snape is a Death Eater?"

"If you knew, then you deliberately concealed the fact that Snape was once a core member of the Death Eaters, and without any relevant notification, you placed Hogwarts under the threat of the Death Eaters, and even allowed the young wizards to be directly taught by the Death Eaters."

"Then I would like to ask, what was your intention in not reporting this information?!"

"If you didn't know Snape was a Death Eater, then can I assume that under your leadership, Hogwarts' hiring process had serious flaws?"

"Snape is a Potions professor and the Head of Slytherin. Such an important position, why wasn't he properly checked before being hired? Wasn't his Dark Mark detected?"

"Then I have even more to ask: is it that you couldn't find out, or that you didn't investigate, or that Headmaster Dumbledore knew all along but still chose to appoint Snape to this position?"

"Is it incompetence, dereliction of duty, or ulterior motives, Headmaster Dumbledore? How are you going to explain this?!"

The sharp words were like swords, blocking Dumbledore's escape routes one by one, causing fine beads of sweat to appear on Dumbledore's forehead, which was unusual for him.

He tried his best to defend himself.

"Past identity should not become a burden in the present."

"What's past is past. Snape was a responsible Professor of Potions and Head of Slytherin, and I can assure you of that."

These words, however, elicited a sneer from Charles.

"Can't the past affect the present?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore, what exactly is your stance that allows you to say such things?"

"What happened in the past has had a real impact on the present, and that impact continues."

"The crimes committed by the Death Eaters in the past have caused countless people here to lose their fathers or mothers. Some of you have even lost your parents and become orphans because of the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters."

"The crimes they committed in the past still haunt the magical world. Countless people dare not recall that period, and the damage they caused to the magical world has not yet been healed."

"Principal, you're saying that the past shouldn't be a burden on the present, and that the past is the past?"

Charles looked at some of the students present, whose eyes were bloodshot and whose fists were clenched tightly.

"I want the headmaster to look at them, look at Neville Longbottom, whose parents were brutally tortured to the point of madness by the Death Eaters using the Cruciatus Curse, and look at Harry Potter, the boy who survived, but the price of his survival was that his parents sacrificed themselves that day to fight against the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters..."

"Look at how many people here still harbor hatred and pain."

"Is the past truly over? Have past crimes truly been forgiven? Principal, no matter how respected you are, what right do you have to forgive them on their behalf?"

Shire asked Neville and Harry Potter.

"Do you forgive me?"

Neville's eyes were bloodshot, Harry Potter's lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead was throbbing with pain, and many students who had lost loved ones because of the Death Eaters gritted their teeth and growled.

"I won't forgive..."

"How could we possibly forgive these beasts!"

Dumbledore fell silent; he was completely thrown into disarray.

But Charles didn't give him any time to gather his thoughts.

"Alright, I believe we have the answer to whether Snape, as a Death Eater, is fit to teach at Hogwarts."

"Then, as you just mentioned, Headmaster, Snape is doing quite well at Hogwarts."

Charles gave a mocking smile.

"I really didn't expect that, seeing so many people clapping and cheering for Snape to be knocked to the ground, you, Headmaster, would actually say that Snape did a good job."

"So that means you, Headmaster, were completely unaware of what Snape was doing, right?"

"Over the years, Snape has used countless vicious words to insult, belittle, and ridicule the young wizard."

"Unless you're from Slytherin, it's hard to get his approval for even the best potions. In fact, if he's in a bad mood or doesn't like you, you won't get the points he deserves, no matter how perfect the potion is."

"For students other than Slytherins, it was commonplace for him to deduct points for no reason, accompanied by insults to their intelligence and dignity."

"Without recognition or praise, only suppression, is this how a professor should behave?"

"I'd also like to ask the Headmaster, aside from the Slytherin students, how resilient must a young wizard be to maintain their interest in Potions under such a blow?"

"Then I can only say that he did a really good job of monopolizing Potions in Slytherin and making students from other houses lose interest in Potions."

"So this is what you meant when you said Snape was doing a good job as a professor?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

He's the one who's in the wrong.

Didn't he know what Snape was doing?

He really knew, he just didn't take it seriously.

Before Shire caused such a commotion, he never imagined that Snape's few insults to the students would cause such a huge uproar.

Anyway, no student has ever failed to graduate because of this, and Snape is my most capable pawn, so why should I upset Snape over such a trivial matter?

Charles's sneer intensified.

"Also, Headmaster, you mentioned the harmonious, friendly, fair, and just atmosphere at Hogwarts."

"What a joke, what a huge joke."

When has Hogwarts ever been harmonious and friendly?

"Can you honestly say that the idea of ​​inter-school rivalry doesn't exist? How many junior wizards who didn't even know each other before have become enemies simply because they were assigned to schools they didn't get along with?"

Have you considered ways to resolve this issue?

"No, you seem to think this is a Hogwarts tradition that doesn't need to be changed, that it should be left to its own devices, and that you even think it's a sign of harmony and friendship."

"And fairness and justice? That's a joke!"

"Fair? Snape can deduct points from students at will, and he can insult them at will. Is that fair?"

"Fairness? Slytherin has won the House Cup for six consecutive years. Is it because Slytherin is far superior to the other houses? I think all the upperclassmen and professors here understand what's going on. It's simply that Snape can arbitrarily add points to Slytherin's score and arbitrarily deduct points from houses that threaten Slytherin's score."

"Then I'd like to ask, is it really fair and just that the efforts of students from other houses for the House Cup are meaningless, while Slytherin can win it without lifting a finger? It might be one thing if this happened once or twice, but now it's happened six times in a row! Where is the fairness and justice?!"

"If this continues, who will want to work hard for the House Cup? Everyone knows it's all predetermined by Slytherin; everything we do is just to add a little fun for Slytherin and Snape!"

"I just don't believe it. Has no one raised this issue before? And what measures have you taken, Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Charles's voice grew louder and louder.

"If you knew all this, then you were condoning Snape's actions, condoning insults, verbal abuse, and psychological humiliation; condoning cheating, favoritism, and injustice; you were tacitly allowing Snape to teach all the students at Hogwarts a life lesson—hard work is useless; having connections is the key to success!"

"Considering that Snape was a Death Eater yet still held a high position at Hogwarts, I have reason to suspect that there is a huge secret behind this, and I have reason to suspect that there is a relationship of mutual benefit between you and Snape."

Dumbledore's expression changed drastically, and he vehemently denied it.

"Nonsense!"

Charles chuckled.

"So you didn't know these things?"

"Then I must ask you even more, Headmaster Dumbledore, after all these years you seem to know absolutely nothing about the school's situation. Snape does whatever he wants, have you been sidelined by him?"

"The most powerful wizard of this century, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Headmaster of Wizengamot, and holder of the Order of Merlin—Albus Dumbledore..."

"What exactly have you been doing all these years as headmaster of Hogwarts?"

Have you protected the mental health of your students?

"Have you ensured fairness within the college?"

"Under your leadership, has Hogwarts become a haven of learning and enlightenment, or a breeding ground for bullying, discrimination, prejudice, and injustice?!"

Just as Shire was giving his impassioned speech, the entire Hogwarts fell silent.

Then a hat, seemingly out of nowhere, fell down and landed in front of Ciel.

Upon hearing this, Sherford instinctively reached into the Sorting Hat and pulled out a jewel-encrusted, ornate, and gleaming sword.

The sword of Gryffindor symbolizes the courage of Hogwarts students to rebel against authority and fight against injustice.

It will not only appear before Gryffindor, but also before every student who demonstrates this precious courage.

And now, it has revealed itself to the Charles!

The Shire held the Sword of Gryffindor, its blade pointing directly at Dumbledore.

"You just said you were going to punish me?"

"I'm sorry, but until you explain these things clearly, I do not acknowledge or agree that you have any right to punish anyone!"

"Because facts have proven that either you're biased or incompetent; neither of these qualities disqualifies you from judging others!"

"You have no right to judge me until you announce your own punishment!"

(End of this chapter)