The Return to Hogwarts

However, she was quite old, and her steps were not as nimble as before. The thick layer of snow on the road also caused her considerable trouble. She staggered and stumbled through the snow, trying her best to catch up with Bellina, who was clearly moving faster ahead.

Ignoring the old woman chasing and calling after her, Bellina quickly walked away. She didn't know why she did this; she simply let despair drive her empty shell.

The chase lasted for about a hundred feet, until finally, Bellina stopped on a section of a dilapidated arched bridge.

The biting, icy wind that rushed towards her brought Bellina back to her senses. She forgot about the old woman who had slipped and fallen in the snow, clutching her back and crying out in pain. Instead, she turned her gaze to the ten-foot-wide stream beneath the arched bridge, its surface already covered with ice and snow.

Seemingly sensing that something bad was about to happen, the baby in her arms cried with all the strength in his small body, hoping that someone could save his life.

"Shut your mouth--"

The baby's piercing, mournful cries stirred up a raging fire of despair and hatred within Bellina, distorting her once beautiful face, now streaked with dust and snowflakes, into a狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) expression.

"You and I are both utterly wrong to exist in this world!"

With that, she lifted the baby above her head, and with anger and determination, stepped over the low railing of the arched bridge and plunged straight into the river!

"Oh, damn it!"

Having foreseen this scene, Ferrena struggled through the snowdrifts with her old arms and legs, enduring excruciating back pain. Taking advantage of the young woman's furious outburst at her child, she practically crawled to the arched bridge.

"Are you crazy!"

Seeing that the two were about to fall into the river, Ferrena risked her life and lunged forward, managing to tackle Bellina and her child to the ground at the last second.

After rolling around on the ground a few times, the coat wrapping the child loosened, and in the cold wind and snow, the baby's weak cries quickly became faint, until they were almost inaudible.

"Get out of my way, you old man! This is my business, it has nothing to do with you!"

Bellina tried her best to kick away the old woman who was clinging to her ankles.

"You woman, you're crazy."

Having been kicked twice in the cheek, Ferrena, who was on the verge of fainting, gritted her teeth, which were now only half intact. She clung tightly to Bellina's leg, determined not to let go. However, being old and frail, she was clearly no match for the strength of a young woman in her twenties who was consumed by hatred. She only managed to hold on for about ten seconds before being kicked in the shoulder blade. She felt a numbness on half of her body and unconsciously released Bellina's leg.

Fortunately, the earlier struggle brought Felina closer to the baby in the snow. So, she had a sudden idea. Before Bellina could get up from the snow, she rolled over and pounced on the crying baby, protecting the infant firmly beneath her.

However, Belina, driven to desperation, seemed possessed. She let out a wolf-like howl, rushed to Ferrena's side, grabbed her hair, and kicked her arm while cursing loudly, determined not to give up until she got her baby back.

Even though she was beaten until she saw stars, Ms. Ferrena, lying in the snow, did not waver in the slightest, determined to use her old body to protect the baby.

The rapid, relentless attack lasted for a full two minutes before it stopped. Bellina stood up, panting, and looked at the unfamiliar old woman trembling before her. Sometime later, the hatred in her eyes had faded.

"Why."

Belina asked blankly, "His father wouldn't even look at him, his grandparents wouldn't take him in, his birth was a mistake, he deserves to die just like me."

"You're the one who deserves to die, not this innocent child!"

Ms. Ferrena poked her eyes out and glared at Bellina fiercely.

"ho"

Belina shed tears, a bitter smile on her face.

"You're right, I'm a complete bastard. I'm the one who deserves to die, he's innocent."

Upon hearing this, Ferrena was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, the young woman beside her turned around decisively, took two steps to the other side of the arched bridge, stepped onto the railing, and leaped into the air.

This happened so suddenly that it wasn't until the cracking sound of the ice breaking and the splashing of the water reached her ears that the elderly Ferrena realized what had happened.

"Oh my god--"

Despite the aches and pains in her body, Ferrena, holding the baby in one arm and supporting herself with the other, struggled to her feet. When she reached the railing, all she could see on the ice, which had been smashed open, was a head.

"Someone come quick and help her!"

Frustrated and helpless, Ferrena shouted in all directions, but the howling wind and snow drowned out her cries, and her panicked voice disappeared completely within twenty feet.

It was unrealistic to expect a nearly 70-year-old woman to jump into the river to save someone, and Ferrena clearly realized this as well. She was so anxious that she was jumping up and down, pacing back and forth in front of the railing, shouting desperately, but there was no response!

"You are a good person, ma'am. I'm so sorry for what I just did to you. Please, please take care of this child—"

Before the icy river water completely submerged her head, Belina smiled through her tears.

“You are his mother, so it’s your job to do this. How dare you expect an old man who’s almost lost all his teeth to do it!”

Ferrena is still trying to save the life of this foolish woman.

"Please, ma'am."

Before the river completely engulfed her, Belina closed her eyes, resolutely facing her death.

"The child's name is—Amosta Blaine."

The second update for the alliance leader

Chapter 139 Something happened here

"Your mother—I mean that woman."

After Professor Blaine finished telling the story of why he became an orphan, Harry, who had been staring at him with his mouth agape for a while, realized that he couldn't find a single word to refer to the woman named Bellina Data!

For years, the Dursleys had tried every means to ignore him, even abuse him, but even so, Harry had to admit that they were good parents because they treated their son Dudley exceptionally well.

And this woman named Bellina completely overturned Harry's definition of 'parents'!

"She was eventually..."

"died."

Amostamo stroked his fingers, his expression complex.

"By the time Grandma Ferrena finally found help, she had already been swept away by the water for who knows how far. Because the river was frozen over and covered with a thick layer of snow, no one knew where she had drifted to in the end."

This was the outcome that suited her behavior, Harry thought to himself, but he didn't say it aloud.

Outside, the downpour gradually subsided. The antique clock leaning against the wall opposite the two people jumped a large increment as the story unfolded. Amidst the increasingly noisy commotion outside the corridor, there were also some sobs, but no one ever barged into this private living room.

Harry looked down at the luxurious velvet carpet at his feet and suddenly realized that he wasn't so miserable after all. Admittedly, his parents were killed by Voldemort not long after he was born, but Harry was certain of one thing: his parents loved him and they gave their lives to protect him.

Do you hate them?

"No hate."

Professor Blaine shook his head and gave Harry an answer that left him speechless.

“I don’t resent them, just as I don’t love them; I just think it’s a very sad thing.”

The rain had stopped, but the sky was still over. Amosta stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and glanced at the crowd rushing downstairs in the courtyard. Then, he squinted and took a few deep breaths of the fresh post-rain air, and his mood gradually improved.

"And your maternal grandparents?"

After a long silence, Harry looked up and asked, "Have you inquired about them?"

"Them—"

Amosta smiled at the birds that flew past him, stretched, and said in a lazy tone,

"I inquired around and heard from their neighbors that not long after their good-for-nothing daughter showed up at their door with a child, they moved away. Apparently, they moved to a city in the United States."

Harry wanted to ask Professor Blaine if he had ever had the chance to visit his grandparents, but then he realized it was a very pointless question and quietly shut his mouth.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. After receiving permission from Professor Blaine, the door was opened, and the old butler, Lawrence, walked in slowly, carrying a stack of documents.

Lawrence, who was extremely courteous, didn't even glance at Harry as he walked past him. Instead, he went directly to Professor Blaine, who was standing by the window, bowed respectfully, and his face was filled with sorrow.

Harry didn't mind Lawrence ignoring him, nor was he surprised by the expression on his face; it was all obvious.

"Young Master--"

Lawrence's eyes were red-rimmed, and his voice was terribly hoarse.

“I’ve already said, Lawrence, my name is Amosta Blaine, not some ‘young master’,”

Amosta scrutinized the old butler who had seen two generations of the Blaine family's masters pass away, his heart filled with mixed emotions. This old butler was probably the only person in the house he was willing to say more than a few words to.

Lawrence hesitated for a moment, looking at the young man before him as if he were seeing Kurard Blaine twenty years ago.

"As you wish--"

Lawrence sniffed and nodded.

"In the two years since Mr. Blaine fell ill, he has secretly sold off most of the Blaine family's assets, including the Groning Drilling Company. His previous intention was to donate this money to charity."

Amosta raised an eyebrow, already guessing what Lawrence was about to say.

"--But just now, Mr. Blaine changed his will, leaving all his money, and this manor, to you."

Amosta smiled and asked with great interest,

"May I ask how much it costs in total?"

"Stocks in five companies, three estates in London and Birmingham, a villa in Mallorca, luxury cars, antiques from around the world, a yacht. The deal was rushed, and in the end, we only received..."

Lawrence quickly rattled off a number.

What a fine 'only got'! Amosta rolled his eyes, almost choking on his own breath.

Even Harry, whose concept of money had gradually shifted towards 'Garonne, Sickle, and Nate', widened his eyes and his heart skipped a beat when he heard the number!

Harry thought to himself, "If the Dursleys knew about this, they'd probably faint from jealousy."

“If you have no objections, these documents will need your signature,” Lawrence said, handing the documents to Amosta.