Upon returning to Hogwarts, Jane Yu was quickly summoned to the Headmaster's office.
What greeted her was yet another confrontation between Sirius Black and Severus Snape.
Sirius was trying his best to appear as the caring and affectionate godfather, fussing over Harry and casting various healing spells on his already-healed arm.
"I hardly think Potter is going to perish from a mere scratch on his arm," Snape remarked coldly, watching the scene with a look of utter disdain.
"The precious savior of the wizarding world, of course, deserves the Headmaster and his dog of a godfather to wait on him hand and foot over a few centimeters of injury."
Sirius was about to explode but caught sight of Jane standing at the door, watching everything.
"Jane!" He rushed over anxiously. "I heard about the Dark Lord's return—are you hurt?"
Jane felt perfectly fine.
Aside from the injuries caused by her forced Apparition, she was really in good shape.
And those injuries had long since healed with the help of potions.
Snape, who had ensured the potion supply, sneered. Jane could read the sharp-edged threat in his knife-like gaze:
"Of course, our brave and fearless Miss Yu, why would she ever worry about injuries?"
"Instead of worrying about whether she's hurt, perhaps you should be concerned about whether the Dark Lord is."
"After all, she's no longer satisfied with a simple Imperius Curse. Only by fully unleashing the Killing Curse can her skills truly shine."
Jane was struck dumb by the familiar feeling of being so thoroughly mocked that she was left speechless.
Sirius ignored Snape and began casting healing spells on her repeatedly, all the while cursing Voldemort for being inhuman:
"I always knew he wasn't human, but I have to say, he's really a bastard—"
Snape's lips twitched, and he let out another sneer, his frequency of sneering today unusually high:
"Indeed, if we're comparing who's more of a dog, you could certainly share some experience with him."
This time, Sirius couldn't hold back. It was nearly impossible for him to heed Dumbledore's advice to maintain a semblance of peace with Snape. He lunged forward, ready for a showdown between man and dog, but Dumbledore intervened just in time to hold them back.
"I think you should set aside your past grudges and differences for now," Dumbledore said, his stern gaze sweeping between the two. "We share a common goal. Shake hands, Severus, Sirius."
Both men pulled faces as if they'd just been told to swallow a potion of undiluted poison.
Sirius reluctantly extended a hand, moving so slowly it seemed he was walking to his execution.
But instead of shaking it, Snape reached into his robes and pulled out a thick stack of invoices:
"This dog... Mr. Black, perhaps before shaking hands, you should settle your debt for my cauldrons."
Sirius was seething, but under Dumbledore's watchful gaze, he grudgingly refrained from attacking.
"You—you—bat! Do you really care about this much money—"
Snape sneered, "Yes, since you know it's 'this much money,' are you too poor to afford it?"
Sirius's face twisted as if he'd just eaten a vomit-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean. Infuriated by the provocation, he pulled out his coin pouch, yelling:
"Of course not! I have money! But just because I have it doesn't mean I'll give it to you! If not for the Headmaster—for the greater good—I wouldn't pay a single Knut—"
Jane recalled the last time she'd seen him yelling that he'd rather jump off Gryffindor Tower than pay Snape a single Knut—
She sincerely advised Sirius to stop making such bold declarations.
They always came back to bite him. Why bother?
Look at him now—how awkward!
The boomerang had come full circle and hit its target dead-on!
Even his godson Harry wore an expression of secondhand embarrassment!
...
Soon, the Weasleys arrived, bringing Percy with them.
Their faces were pale, and they looked anxious and uneasy.
Mrs. Weasley rushed over the moment she saw Jane and Harry:
"Thank goodness you're both alright. When Albus sent us the news, I almost fainted—"
Mr. Weasley's face was equally drained of color, but he quickly began to encourage Jane:
"Well done, splendid work!"
"You thwarted his plan, protected yourself and Harry—the entire wizarding world owes you a debt of gratitude—"
Jane's face fell.
Such praise... she found it hard to accept.
Did these people even understand the trouble she'd caused?
She'd stirred up a hornet's nest by crossing Voldemort... and they were praising her?
But Mr. Weasley clearly didn't see it that way. He thought her unhappy expression was because she felt she hadn't done well enough:
"You don't realize how remarkable you were! Peter Pettigrew and the Dark Lord... no one else could have returned alive!"
Sirius also noticed her gloom and immediately chimed in:
"Not to mention, you shattered his cauldron and turned him into a giant baby! Voldemort the Infant?"
"Is he going to show himself like that? Will his followers take orders from a baby?"
Everyone burst into laughter, even Snape, who imagined the scene, allowed a small smirk to cross his lips.
Dumbledore began assigning tasks, sending Sirius to contact old allies and Mr. Weasley to persuade people in the Ministry...
Once everything was arranged, Percy hesitated before speaking up:
"What about me? I mean, what should I do?"
His parents looked at him in surprise. Mr. Weasley hesitated before responding:
"I didn't think—you, Percy—I thought with Crouch gone, you'd be swamped with work—"
Percy's eyes briefly flicked to Jane, as though in deep thought. After a few seconds, he spoke:
"It is busy... but that work isn't the most important thing. I'll get it done on time... so what should I do?"
Mr. Weasley stared at his son in shock. Hearing this from Percy was like seeing pigs fly.
"Why—? Is this why you insisted on coming to the school?"
Percy's face turned its familiar shade of pink, and he stammered:
"Because of Mr. Crouch... his son... how could there be such a father and son... I'm afraid I'll turn out the same..."
He had always looked up to Mr. Crouch, dedicating himself fully to work and career advancement—
But he never imagined that the man he respected most would neglect his family, become estranged from his son, and cause such tragedy.
The story of the Crouch family had hit him like a bucket of cold water, jolting him awake and filling him with deep fear.
"Good lad." Mr. Weasley stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "You've grown up, Percy."
Dumbledore watched the father and son embrace, then suddenly smiled:
"All you need to do is stay true to yourself. That's all we ask of you."
Percy awkwardly extricated himself from his father's embrace and turned to thank Jane:
"If it weren't for your suggestion, Mr. Crouch might still be under the Dark Lord's control—the consequences—I can't even imagine—"
At this, Harry, who had been standing quietly in the background, suddenly gasped!
It was only now that his mind seemed to piece everything together!
Quickly connecting the sequence of events, he finally understood the deeper meaning!
Months ago, Jane had already noticed something off about Moody, leading her to test him with the Imperius Curse!
Later, she feigned distraction, using the Christmas Ball partner selection to prompt Malfoy and Nott to steal the African tree snake skin!
The dance was a ruse; her real goal was to expose Barty Crouch Jr., who had run out of Polyjuice Potion ingredients!
She had even suggested Percy visit the ailing Mr. Crouch to uncover the conspiracy between Barty Jr. and Voldemort!
These dual strategies were nothing short of genius!
Unfortunately, the enemy had retaliated at the last moment, not only targeting him as a victim in front of the Aurors and Dumbledore—
But also dragging Jane into the mess, causing her undue trouble!
As he lamented the Ministry's incompetence, Harry couldn't help but feel a profound sense of admiration.
If he had been the only one taken, he would have long since died at Voldemort's hands, reduced to mere fodder for his resurrection!
But Jane was different—
At the critical moment, she delivered a heavy blow to the enemy! Forcing them to flee in disgrace! Leaving Voldemort in a grotesque, inhuman form!
And now she was even sulking, lamenting that she hadn't done enough!
Is this what the world of the strong looks like?
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