Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts.

Chapter 20 Victim

"Do you really know how to use this?"

"Am I stupid? Am I an idiot? I haven't even graduated from Hogwarts?"

No, that's not what I meant.

The young man, whose face was abnormally pale, weakly explained under the tree.

At the top of the tree, a short, bespectacled wizard sat on a branch of the cedar tree, holding the alchemical telescope he had bought from Diagon Alley in front of his eyes, carefully observing the manor in the distance.

This telescope, crafted using a special alchemical process, was by no means cheap, costing the short wizard a considerable sum and putting him in a bad mood.

However, it is ultimately worth the price.

Even though they were more than two thousand meters away from the Duke's manor, they could still clearly see the extinguished fireplace in the living room through the window glass!

"They're coming today?" the young man asked anxiously.

“If they hadn’t come today, they wouldn’t have needed to go to those people yesterday.”

“Seriously, Elder,” the young man took a deep breath, “do you think we really should?”

However, the short wizard suddenly interrupted him at this moment.

"Shut up! They're here!"

The young man immediately shut his mouth tightly, as if it were sealed shut with thread.

“We were right, it’s Kingsley Shackle still leading the way.” The short wizard stared intently at the wizards who kept emerging from the fireplace flames. “His two henchmen are Chann Seewich and John Prout, and that useless apothecary from the Ministry of Magic.”

“Arsene Giger? They invited that idiot! If he comes, that's the best news, wait.”

"That boy is from Diagon Alley! What is he doing here!"

"Who?" the young man couldn't help but ask.

At that moment, the short wizard saw the last figure emerge from the fireplace flames, and he instinctively stopped breathing.

He quickly put away the expensive binoculars he had bought, and his short, stout body moved with the agility of a monkey, climbing down the cedar tree in no time.

The young man's already deathly pale face turned even paler, and he nervously swallowed.

"Who is it?"

"Snape! Severus Snape!" the short wizard uttered the name in a fit of rage.

The young man looked at him in horror.

"Didn't you say that he... he wouldn't agree to come?"

"Logically speaking, he rarely even leaves that castle! How could he possibly be interested in getting involved in something like this? Why did he come here?"

The short wizard was also pulling at his hair, completely baffled, and his face was extremely ugly.

But soon, he looked up at the young man again.

"We must make up our minds, Blood Nymph!"

The young man was extremely anxious and stammered.

"Things have already blown up big enough, we really, really need to..."

"You're the one who caused this mess! Now it's your turn to make a decision!" the short wizard said fiercely.

The air grew quiet, broken only by the young man's heavy breathing.

After a long while, his voice finally stopped stuttering.

"Okay, then let's do it. I promised. I promised."

Severus brushed the ashes off his robe and stepped out of the fireplace, which was clearly much more elaborate than those in an ordinary home.

Harry, who had arrived earlier, was looking up in amazement at the enormous, luxurious crystal chandelier hanging from the eight-meter-high ceiling.

As a noble manor, all the decorations here exude understated luxury and sophistication. Even the well-traveled Severus couldn't fully recognize the value of all the furniture.

Kingsley had already contacted the wizards remaining here, and his expression turned grim, as if he had heard some bad news. "If they can really be cured by those Muggle doctors, then what are we for?"

At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed in a casual robe, with an elegant demeanor, walked into the reception room.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Shaker,” greeted the owner of the estate, the current Duke of Beaufort.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Kingsley, who was usually good-natured, suppressed his displeasure and stepped forward to shake hands with the man.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Somerset. We have come here specifically to invite the magician, an expert in healing, to try to awaken your daughter."

“Thank you so much for your hard work,” Mr. Somerset said casually. “What about the killer? Do you have any further leads?”

"My colleagues are investigating, and the department is taking this matter very seriously. I believe we will solve the case as soon as possible."

"How did you get in? Why didn't you use the main gate? My butler just stood there like an idiot for a full half hour," he said, frowning.

Kingsley chuckled twice.

"Maybe he didn't see us? Well, neither did we notice him. It's quite a coincidence that we both missed each other."

Mr. Somerset didn't seem to care too much about it. He glanced at the robes worn by the people present, and finally fixed his gaze on Harry, muttering something.

"There are even children here! Good heavens, what is the government doing? And the uniforms of your professional departments are really something else. Is all the taxpayers' money being spent on this?"

He shook his head, refusing to engage in any further conversation with Kingsley, and turned to speak to an elderly man dressed as a butler beside him.

"Rost, you go with them."

The butler nodded respectfully and bowed as he watched Mr. Somerset leave.

Kingsley, fearing that Severus and the others might misunderstand, leaned close to them and whispered something.

"The Muggle Prime Minister assigned us the identity of experts in a special department of the Muggle government, who handle special cases. They don't know our true identities."

No one else said anything, but the apothecary from the Ministry of Magic and Gigg were clearly angered by Mr. Somerset's attitude; they frowned and looked grim.

After Jian Dan met with the owner of the manor, the butler led them to the room where the victim, the duke's daughter, was.

Upon entering the room, I saw a doctor and two nurses operating some kind of equipment.

"Please step out for now, sir and madam. From now on, we will take over this area."

Kingsley said sternly.

When they saw a group of people wearing strange robes walk in, both the doctors and nurses were stunned.

Despite the housekeeper's repeated apologies, they all put down their equipment and left the bedroom.

"Please close the door, and you may also leave, sir."

Kingsley finally looked at the butler.

The butler insisted.

"I can't leave! I have to stay here. You have no right to be alone with Miss!"

Kingsley took a deep breath. He didn't say anything more, but turned to look at his men.

The Auror understood immediately and decisively drew his wand.

"Confusion."

He recited the incantation, and the next second, as if he suddenly remembered something he needed to do, the butler turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him.

After thoroughly clearing out any unauthorized persons from the room, they began to observe the victim lying on the large four-poster bed.

She is a young and beautiful girl, who looks to be no more than twenty years old.

However, at this moment, her eyes were tightly closed, and even her breathing seemed to have stopped, as if she were dead.

"Who wants to go first, gentlemen?"

Kingsley looked at the three pharmacists present, while the Ministry of Magic employees and Giggs all turned their gazes to Severus.

(End of this chapter)