The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 15 Conversation in the Castle

"I need you to keep a close eye on Mr. Lynch."

Dumbledore looked very serious. He stood by the window, his deep blue eyes staring intently at Snape.

Snape's voice was cold and deep: "I will find him, and you will know everything you want to know."

"Let me save you some trouble," Dumbledore said. "I haven't completely returned freedom to Mr. Lynch."

He continued, "His sphere of influence is now the entirety of Hogwarts, and he will not be fully free until he helps me completely destroy Voldemort."

Snape stared wide-eyed at Dumbledore: "What...did you say?!"

"I will be opening a new course at Hogwarts, and Mr. Lynch will be joining Hogwarts as the professor for that new course."

The anger that Snape had been trying so hard to suppress finally erupted from his heart. He slammed his fist on the headmaster's desk: "Has time finally caught up with you? Have you lost your damn sanity?"

Not only have they released Jim Lynch, but now they're bringing him into the school!

He's dangerous! Dumbledore! Not just to dark wizards! He's an extremely dangerous presence for anyone!

He's a madman!

You can't use jackals to guard the sheepfold just because there are tigers outside!

Who knows if that madman will kill us all!

Don't you know?

That boy is starting school this year!

You promised me you'd keep him safe!

I can't allow that madman to be in the same place as him!

Dumbledore waited quietly for Snape to unleash his anger, his calm gaze fixed on him.

Under that gaze, Snape's anger gradually subsided, and he quickly regained his composure after a brief loss of composure.

"You don't need to worry about the danger from Lynch." Dumbledore's words were no longer roundabout; he directly addressed Snape's concerns.

"Four hours ago, in the presence of Professor McGonagall, Mr. Lynch and I signed an unbreakable oath."

He swore that he would not step outside the boundaries of Hogwarts until Voldemort was completely destroyed, or until he received my permission.

At the same time, Mr. Lynch agreed that he would not take anyone's life in any form, directly or indirectly.

In exchange, I will intervene after Voldemort is completely defeated and overturn Wizengamot's sentence of life imprisonment at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore lifted his right sleeve, revealing his arm, and with a slight effort, golden chains appeared on his arm.

Snape saw the golden chain wrapped around Dumbledore's right arm, one end embedded in his forearm, the other end extending and disappearing into thin air.

Snape said thoughtfully, "So... this time, he's on our side?"

"Yes," Dumbledore replied, "he's on our side, but I fear it's only temporary."

Snape frowned. "Are you worried he's faking it?"

"No." Dumbledore shook his head. "I believe he is not pretending. His hatred for dark wizards and Voldemort is real and enduring. He will wholeheartedly help us fight Voldemort."

After a pause, Dumbledore continued, "I admit I'm thinking too much and too far ahead, but I have to think about what will happen after I defeat Voldemort."

He looked at Snape and began to open up without reservation: "Jim Lynch has been hiding a lot of things. His identity has been exposed, but his secrets are still shrouded in mystery."

I kept him in the Forbidden Forest for almost ten years. During that time, I allowed him to communicate with the outside world, had house-elves take care of his food, and even allowed him to borrow books from the Hogwarts Library.

I may never have seen him during this time, but I personally checked every letter that came in and out, and every package that was delivered. Hagrid patrolled outside his stone house almost every day.

I have never let my guard down around him.

But I made the same mistake as Voldemort: I underestimated him.

Even while imprisoned and under close surveillance, he still extended his reach beyond Hogwarts.

Yesterday, when he presented me with concrete evidence of Voldemort's return, my shock wasn't solely directed at Voldemort.

I was also shocked at how he could produce this evidence.

I sent people to the Dark Forest of Albania, trusted wizards, and several elite Aurors trained by the Ministry of Magic, on several occasions, but they never brought back a single useful clue.

He was confined to the Forbidden Forest, where even mailing a letter required repeated checks, yet he obtained a photo of Voldemort through a friend.

How did he get that photo?

He claimed that the yew wood desk was his way of bypassing surveillance and communicating with the outside world, and implied that the desk was one that Hagrid had overlooked.

What he didn't know was that on the afternoon the table was delivered, I was the one who personally inspected it.

And I assure you, the yew desk currently in Jim Lynch's stone house is not the same one I examined back then!

Dumbledore walked back behind his desk and sat down in a chair.

He sighed softly, leaning back in his chair: "At that moment, I understood two things—"

First, I cannot keep Jim Lynch locked up forever;

Secondly, Jim Lynch will become the biggest variable in the wizarding world after Voldemort.

Snape leaned forward, looking at the old man before him, and asked, word by word, "Since you saw his threat, why did you release him? Especially at this critical moment when Voldemort has reappeared."

Why? Dumbledore, tell me why.

Dumbledore held up two fingers: "Two reasons."

The first reason is that Voldemort is a threat that is right before our eyes. Voldemort's danger is directed at all life. If he gains power, then not only the wizarding world, but also the Muggle world will suffer a devastating blow.

Eliminating Voldemort is the most important thing right now.

The second reason...

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "The second reason is that I see a possibility in Jim Lynch, a possibility... to eliminate his danger..."

Snape scoffed. "Are you about to promote your love magic again?"

"The magic of love is real, and its power is immense. It enabled the boy to defeat Voldemort, and it may also eliminate the danger posed by Jim Lynch."

"Are you really willing to risk losing everything just because there's a possibility? Aren't you afraid that everything will spiral out of control? You're too arrogant, Dumbledore. You always think you can control everything, but you can't!" Snape's voice gradually rose.

"Of course I'm afraid of things going to get out of hand," Dumbledore continued. "That's why I need you to keep an eye on him. I need you to find out everything hidden in the fog called Jim Lynch."

Dumbledore slightly raised his right arm. "While I can still control him, Severus, help me find the answers to these questions."

I need to know if there's any way Jim Lynch can salvage the situation.

Help me, Severus, this is for the child's future too...

Snape remained silent for a long time, his lips pressed into a pale line. He turned and walked towards the door, his wide black robe billowing out like bat wings.

"I will keep a close eye on Lynch, as long as you can ensure the child's safety..."

Snape's deep voice faded away in the headmaster's office.

Dumbledore sighed softly as he watched Snape's figure disappear outside the headmaster's office.

He then got up again and went to the window.

His gaze was fixed on the lake through the glass.

On the lake, Lin Qi's figure gradually receded into the distance, almost reaching the opposite shore, becoming a tiny dot that was barely visible.

On the water, Lynch paused, as if sensing something. He turned to look and saw Hogwarts Castle standing on the cliff, its gray silhouette revealed under the cover of dark clouds.

Lynch turned and continued walking. His goal for the day was to use the unbreakable oath on his arm to precisely measure every inch of the Hogwarts border.

He kept walking, at a moderate pace.

Sometimes the crows would perch on his shoulder, sometimes he would release them into the sky, and sometimes they would fly over the walls of Hogwarts and circle outside.

Lynch patiently walked along the wall, as if nothing could stop him from completing a walk around Hogwarts.

Until he walked to a clump of wild cornflowers.

He stopped, closed his eyes, and a crow landed on his shoulder. He remained motionless, like a stone statue, intently sensing the air.

He stood there for a long time, so long that dark clouds had covered his head. Fortunately, it was a dark cloud, not a cumulonimbus cloud, and no rain fell from the sky.

After a long time, the windows of Hogwarts Castle began to light up with faint, sporadic lights.

Lin Qi quietly opened his eyes.

He looked around and a smile appeared on his lips.

The crow took off from my shoulder, circled a few times in the air, and memorized the place.

Leaving the wall, Lynch headed towards Hogwarts Castle.

He was going to the castle hall for a meal, and after walking along the boundaries of Hogwarts all day, he was starving.

It was past dinner time, but he figured it wouldn't be a problem to get some dinner from the house-elves below the castle; these creatures would do their best to fulfill any request.

He walked through the castle gates.

Suddenly, Lin Qi turned his head to the side, and from the darkness to the left of the door, a low and gloomy voice rang out.

"I heard Dumbledore has finally gone mad... I didn't believe it at first, until I saw you here..."

Lynch smiled. "Severus Snape, my old friend. Did you come all this way to wait for me? I'm so touched."

Snape emerged from the darkness and walked toward Lynch.

"How could I miss it? The renowned 'Mist Hangman' has transformed into a professor at Hogwarts. Even I want to witness this special moment."

Snape's words were full of sarcasm.

Lynch didn't reply; he stopped smiling and stared intently at Snape.

He stared for a long time, and Snape's face grew increasingly tense.

Just as Snape was about to utter another sarcastic remark, he heard Lynch sigh.

"Ah... my old friend, you look so old. You must have suffered a lot these past years..."

The unexpected greeting disrupted Snape's preconceived notions.

"What...I...you...what?!"

Snape's fingers curled unconsciously, and he opened his mouth several times, but could not utter a complete sentence.

Lynch continued, "From the day I learned of Lily's death, I knew you would never forgive yourself. Sure enough, I stayed in the Forbidden Forest for almost ten years, and you never came to see me once. Were you afraid that I would evoke your memories of the old days?"

You've become someone else. I remember the last time I saw you, you were brewing potions for Voldemort at Richmond's manor. You were shrouded in darkness, but you were full of vigor. I was impressed by how you commanded those scumbags.

But look at you now, you look like a walking shell, where is the elegant Potions Prince you once were?

Time and memory, when combined, become the cruel things in this world.

It's the same for you, and for me.

The wand slipped from Snape's hand, and he abruptly raised it, pointing it at Lynch. A hoarse, gasping sound escaped his throat: "How...how dare you..."

Lynch raised his hand, extended his index finger, and gently brushed the trembling wand away from his face.

I understand how you feel, and I understand your worries.

Don't worry, my friend.

I will not hurt that child.

Have you forgotten?

Lily is also my friend; we've known each other since we were little.

During my first year at Hogwarts, she patiently helped me practice spells, and I learned many of my spells from her.

I may not care about that child as much as you do, but believe me.

It won't be much less than yours.

Snape looked at Lynch with a blank expression. He saw those dark eyes, calm and firm, just like the boy who made that advice and prophecy back then.

Snape's body trembled violently, and he turned his face away, averting his gaze from their eyes.

Lynch reached out and patted Snape's arm, saying in a gentle tone:

"Go back and rest, my old friend."

No rush, I'll come visit you again tomorrow.

Go back and calm yourself down; a good night's sleep will make you feel much better.

Snape left.

Watching Snape stagger away, a complex emotion flashed in Lynch's eyes.

He then turned and continued toward his destination, the crow silently landing back on his shoulder.

......

The principal's office on the top floor of the castle.

Dumbledore sat behind the table, his fingertips tracing a round badge with a clenched fist pointing to the sky. He looked at the design on the badge and fell into thought.

On the wall, the portraits of the past principals all look like they are sleeping soundly, but unfortunately, their slightly trembling eyelids betray the fact that they are pretending to be asleep.

Suddenly, the door to the principal's office was pushed open.

Dumbledore looked up and saw Snape walk in, pale and looking utterly lost.

He sat down without saying a word in the guest chair in front of the principal's desk.

Dumbledore looked at him quietly.

It was a long time before Snape finally spoke.

The hoarse voice echoed like a dry well: "He will give me a formal visit tomorrow."

Dumbledore asked with concern, "Severus, are you alright?"

Snape turned and stared at Dumbledore: "He split me in two, pulled out my soul, and left it to bake in the sun, don't you think?"

"But you did it, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did it."

Snape said through gritted teeth.