Chapter 177 It's not a threat, it's cooperation
"I'm sorry, I was impulsive this time, but I really didn't expect things to escalate to this point." Harry explained very earnestly, "I never meant to suspect you, but there were too many coincidences, especially after the Quidditch match.
The night I was hospitalized, I personally saw you and Professor McGonagall bringing Colin in, and you even asked Dumbledore not to let the matter get out.
Hermione also refused to believe you were Slytherin's heir, and she helped us brew Polyjuice Potion hoping to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
And a buffer period of over a month was given; if we could find any evidence that you weren't the heir during this time, we would immediately stop.
But what we didn't expect was…"
"But you didn't expect me to be at the crime scene again when Justin got hurt, did you?"
Harry nodded awkwardly. This is what you call the unpredictability of life. He never would have imagined that all the coincidences stemmed from the harmless-looking dragon cub in cat's skin crouching next to Aaron.
"Sigh!" Aaron let out a long sigh, lamenting, "Actually, I can understand you guys, and I can accept your actions, but I feel particularly sad inside.
I always considered you my friends, but now it seems I might have been wishful thinking."
Aaron looked at the three of them with disappointment, immensely grateful that the Sorting Hat had placed him in Slytherin. If he had been in Gryffindor, he didn't know how much he would have worried.
"Actually, this is just a misunderstanding." Ron said with a laugh, trying to smooth things over, "Our apology is sincere, so why don't you forgive us just one more time?"
"Heh heh!" Aaron curled his lip in disdain, "You've got some thick skin; those two are too embarrassed to say that."
Ron turned to look at Harry and Hermione; one was looking down in silence, the other was on the verge of tears, and he awkwardly swallowed.
"It's a bit difficult to forgive." Hermione mustered her courage and looked directly into Aaron's eyes, "But what's done is done, you have to give us a chance to make amends, don't you!
Everyone's goal is to find the real culprit behind the scenes, and with the three of us helping, you'll have an easier time."
"No need." Aaron refused unceremoniously, "It would be good enough if you didn't drag me down."
"But we already know all your plans…"
"Hey! Let me correct you, not all.
There are some things you don't know yet, for example, who the heir was fifty years ago, and possibly the final location of the Chamber of Secrets."
"What about the Gryffindor common room then!" Hermione said, "You can't possibly investigate that place, can you!"
"And my sister." Ron immediately added, "I won't let anyone else investigate her, and I certainly won't let Malfoy carry out your plan."
Hearing this, Aaron's face instantly darkened, "What do you mean by this? Are you threatening me?"
"No, please don't misunderstand." Harry quickly said, while not forgetting to wink at the two of them: We're here to ask for forgiveness, not to bargain.
Ron gave a forced smile, "Sorry."
Hermione, however, gritted her teeth, ignoring Harry's wink.
She knew what Harry meant, but she also knew what kind of person Aaron was.
No matter how grand their explanations for their actions were, it wouldn't change the essence of deception. It was impossible to get the other party to forgive them with just a few words.
"It's not a threat, it's a collaboration.
You need help, and we can help you, and we hope to be of help to you."
Aaron took a deep breath, his fingers tapping on the table, making a 'tap-tap-tap' sound.
The three remained silent, waiting quietly for Aaron's response.
After half a minute, he stopped tapping and said meaningfully, "Do you believe that even without your help, I can still find the real culprit?"
Hearing this, Harry and Ron's hearts sank slightly, but Hermione felt a sense of relief; not a direct refusal meant there was room for negotiation.
"But with our help, you can find Slytherin's heir faster."
"That's true."
Aaron neither confirmed nor denied. He had absolute confidence in his character, but Slytherin's image had already suffered a comminuted fracture in the hearts of students from the three other houses.
Even if he could enter the common rooms of the other three houses, his investigation would definitely be constrained.
"Collaboration is possible, but I have a few conditions."
"Tell us."
"First, you must not reveal my plan to anyone, not even a little bit."
"No problem, we agree." Harry said immediately. They understood the gravity of the situation; until Slytherin's heir was found, no one could be trusted, not even Dumbledore.
"Secondly, when investigating, you must not let personal feelings get involved." Aaron said, giving Ron a meaningful look.
"Ginny, she…" Ron was about to say something else but was glared at by two sharp gazes, and immediately changed his words, "Understood, I'll be strictly business."
Aaron nodded in satisfaction, "Also, anything you find, you must tell me, but I will not tell you any clues."
Harry hesitated a bit; this didn't seem very fair to them.
"Okay." Hermione said, but seeing Harry's confused look, she rolled her eyes speechlessly, "What's there to hesitate about? We're still gaining from this."
Harry was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.
Their investigation time was the same as Aaron's, but what they found was incomparable.
But last night, they had almost synchronized with Aaron's progress, essentially standing on the shoulders of a Giant. What more could they be dissatisfied with?
"Finally, return the Christmas gifts I gave you.
Those were for friends, which you are not now." Aaron said indifferently, "Collaboration doesn't mean I'll forgive you.
I gave you a chance last year, but you didn't cherish it."
The three nodded with shame, placing the three gift boxes on the table.
"Wow, thank you for not opening them; perhaps the memory will be even more profound." Aaron said meaningfully, then slowly opened the first box, which contained a prize ticket.
"Take this to the broomstick shop, and you can upgrade your Nimbus 2000 to the latest model.
I personally prefer a fair game, although Flint would definitely curse me if he knew, but thanks to your performance last night, I don't have to be scolded."
Rip!
Aaron tore the prize ticket into pieces and threw it into the trash can.
Harry forced a smile, but his heart was bleeding.
The Seeker's equipment could, to some extent, determine the outcome of a match. He seemed to see next term's trophy sprout wings and fly from his hands.
Ron patted his shoulder and said in a low voice, comforting him, "It's okay, even without a new broom, you're still the best Seeker."
"Thank you!"
"This one is yours." Aaron handed a gift box to Ron, "Why don't you open it and see."
Ron forced a smile and nervously opened the box.
A brand new brown wand lay in the box, as if welcoming its new owner.
"My grand-uncle is a professional at making wands; he clearly remembers every wand he's sold." Aaron explained, "This wand was adjusted by him according to your father's measurements.
Well, are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied." Ron's eye twitched slightly, squeezing out a smile uglier than a cry.
What good was satisfaction? No matter how good the item was, it wasn't his anymore.
Crack!
The wand was broken in half, more thoroughly broken than the one in Ron's hand.
Hiss!
Harry and Hermione turned their faces away, unable to bear it. It was like killing the heart! Just now, they seemed to hear the sound of a heart breaking.
Harry walked up to Ron, looked at him wanting to cry but unable to, and began to comfort him, "With your talent, even with an old wand, you…"
Halfway through, Harry couldn't continue making things up.
Everyone who knew understood what kind of wand Ron was using now; even the simplest Levitation Charm came out with explosive effects.
At this moment, a complete wand would be more like a desperate rescue than a timely help in the snow for him.
"It's okay, just pretend nothing happened."
Ron's eyes were red, and he choked back a sob or two, forcing himself not to look at the broken wand, wailing silently in his heart,