Chapter 179

As soon as they entered the room, Vitold bowed slightly to the man in the mirror. However, the man barely acknowledged him, turning his focus instead on Severus, who stood silently, returning the gaze.

The two engaged in a silent staring match that lasted about twenty seconds, all under Alegria's tense and displeased gaze—irritated that the "boy" dared not show proper respect to the leader.

Just as Alegria prepared to apologise for "Severus's" behaviour, the man in the mask finally spoke "This is our first meeting…"

"Oh! It's a pleasure to meet you," Severus smiled awkwardly, as if coming to his senses. "I was just admiring your mask."

"Hmm? Have you seen one like this before?" the man asked, pointing the tip of his fan towards his mask.

Squinting in thought, Severus studied the mask for a few more seconds before shaking his head regretfully. "My teacher studies history, and I saw something similar in a book, but no, not quite the same. That one was flatter, and the design was a little different."

"A pity," the man sighed, his interest waning. He snapped his fan against his palm and continued, "No matter. I called you here to ask a few questions and to give you a task."

"A task?"

"Yes. You need to prove your skills. The Medi Department is a research division, and I can't appoint you as head without evidence of your abilities. You'll need to convince others as well," the leader explained, his eyes scrutinising Vitold's reaction.

Severus, however, remained unfazed. "I'm fine being the deputy," he replied calmly, causing Alegria to almost stumble in shock.

"Watch out for—!" Alegria began, his anger flaring at the notion that Severus's ignorance might jeopardise his own position within the Diamond Department.

"Why?" the masked man smiled slightly, gesturing for Alegria to quiet down. "The higher the position, the more responsibility."

"I understand, but in the Medi Department, you'll have the freedom to pursue your own projects, provided they are valuable to our organisation," the leader clarified.

"Hmmm… Fine. What's the task?" Severus asked, his tone laced with mild reluctance.

"We'll send you research on a particular recipe. Your task is to solve why it has no effects."

"Alright. I'll do my best," Severus replied, his confidence returning with a renewed smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now, let's talk about what happened last week. Tell me everything," the man commanded coldly, his previous friendliness replaced by an icy tone.

"Well, that day, I was preparing for the TOAD exams and needed to gather ingredients from home. While I was there, some suspicious wizards knocked on the gate, demanding to be let in. I refused and contacted my teacher, but they managed to break through the barrier. Fortunately, the teacher's creatures and the house-elf fought them off, although one of them wounded me before my teacher returned. I don't know what happened afterward, as I was recovering in bed, but my teacher dealt with them. He assured me they wouldn't bother me again."

"They broke through the barrier?" the man asked, his voice as cold as before.

"Yes, they used a dagger to do it, but it won't work again. My teacher reinforced the barrier," Severus replied, his voice swelling with pride, though it was clear that Vitold found this irritating.

"Did your teacher say anything else about the attackers?"

"He called them 'Queens,' but that's all I know."

"Understood." The man tapped his fan against his palm a few times before turning to Alegria. "Search the entire country. I want no trace of them left on our territory. Is that clear?"

"Yes, I'll handle it immediately!" Alegria exclaimed, dropping to one knee. Inside, however, he smiled, knowing it was he who had allowed the Queens to make their attempt on Severus. Now, he was playing the role of a righteous subordinate.

"Now, tell me more about…"

For the next hour, the leader questioned Severus about Hogwarts, particularly Dumbledore and the other professors. He also probed into Severus's ideas and future plans. Severus could see that the leader was a careful interrogator, skilled at asking seemingly innocuous questions that, which when pieced together, would form a comprehensive dossier. It was no surprise that the "Black Star" had taken a special interest in "Amon," especially after the dramatic execution.

Severus, however, either feigned ignorance or gave vague answers, revealing little about "Ichiros."

By the end of the meeting, Severus had managed to cast a "point detection" charm to trace the source of the mirror's transmission.

While he couldn't pinpoint the exact location, he determined it was somewhere in Beijing, China. If only he had an "Archmage"-ranked core, it would have been easier to trace the location unnoticed. However, the conversation had disrupted his concentration, and he had to be mindful of his responses.

Despite his efforts, Severus couldn't fully locate the leader's position in one attempt. But now, he was confident that in their next meeting, he would succeed.

The fan disappeared from the man's hand as he clapped. In a friendly tone, he said, "That's all for today. It was a pleasure meeting you. You're free to go now. I have some matters to discuss with Vitold."

Severus returned the smile. "Thank you, Leader. I won't disturb you any further. Have a good day," he said, turning to leave. However, he paused at the door and turned back, awkwardly adding, "Uh, excuse me, may I know your name?"

"Arnold."

"Alright, Mr. Arnold. See you next time." With that, Severus left, leaving the two wizards alone. One felt a growing sense of dread, while the other remained composed.

After a moment of silence, the leader chuckled. "An interesting young man… quite the pretender. I almost believed his act."

"Leader…"

"Silence," the man snapped, his fan reappearing with a wave. "Focus on the Ministry of Magic. Don't think I haven't noticed your lack of progress."

"Yes!" Vitold stammered, swallowing the apology he had prepared for Snape's behavior.

"And stop keeping tabs on him for now. It's a pointless exercise at this stage," the leader added. Surprised, Vitold nodded. "You're dismissed. Do not bother me for the next week unless it's urgent," the man said before disappearing.

Vitold remained motionless for a while, reflecting on everything that had transpired in the past hour. He wasn't foolish—an idiot wouldn't be appointed as a squad leader. Slowly, he began piecing it together. "Could it be… that boy was pretending all along?" Alegria muttered in shock, realizing he had been completely outplayed like a naïve child.

After leaving the headquarters of the "Steel" Department, Severus and his group returned to Gloucestershire, where Nagini awaited them.

"For the next few months, and perhaps until the end of the school year, they won't bother us," Severus remarked with a smile, addressing Eileen, who sat quietly beside him. This time, Severus hadn't brought Nagini along; concealing the snake under his tailored suit would have drawn too much attention.

"That's good," Eileen replied in her usual tired, strained voice. After several lessons with Severus, she had learned to sense life energy and recognized that the wizards in that organization were not weak. She was particularly wary of their leader, whose power was only slightly less than her own.

"But… why did you get involved with them?" she asked, her tone curious.

"I'll explain later. I need to prepare," Severus said, standing and loosening his tie. "We'll talk tonight."

"Hm?" Eileen tilted her head in confusion, glancing at Nagini, who remained silent.

"Where's he going…?" she asked aloud, puzzled.

"On a date," Nagini replied with irritation, surprising Eileen. She had assumed that she and Severus were involved, and that his desire to help her regain her human form stemmed from his feelings for her. But now, she was beginning to understand.

As the realization dawned, Eileen's dark eyes sparkled with amusement. A smile slowly spread across her lips. Despite her tragic life, due to her brother's actions, she had always been a true aristocrat who valued family above all. She had no regrets, especially with a son like Severus. She didn't blame her father or family, only her own weaknesses and blind faith. This had been a hard, painful lesson she would never forget.

Still, she mused, if Severus line were to be restored, would one woman really be enough to carry on the legacy?

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These two chapters are smaller right?

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