Chapter 246: The Drama at the Shrieking Shack Begins
Nicolas Flamel's teaching style differed from Antonius's.
If Antonius's style was gradual and progressive, then Nicolas Flamel's teaching style was inspirational. He could maximise Sean's ability to expand his thinking while learning, drawing inferences from examples. It was hard to say which was better. Each had their own focus and merits.
After the lesson ended, Nicolas Flamel couldn't help but praise: "No wonder Antonius always compliments you. Your learning ability is truly remarkable. Teaching a student like you is probably what every teacher dreams of. It's really very smooth."
"Thank you for the praise, Teacher Nicolas."
Regarding how to address Nicolas Flamel, since he had begun teaching alchemy, it would naturally be inappropriate to continue calling him by name. Therefore, Sean directly addressed Nicolas Flamel as 'teacher', and Nicolas Flamel tacitly accepted this form of address. Sean had thus established some relationship with this contemporary premier alchemist.
"Alright, if you have nothing else to do, you can go about your own business. I have Lisa here, so there won't be any problems."
"Good, farewell then, Teacher Nicolas."
"See you tonight, Sean."
The two bid each other farewell, and Sean packed up his things and left the classroom.
Just as he was returning to the Slytherin common room, he happened to see Professor Lupin hurrying toward the outside of Hogwarts.
After just a glance, Sean continued walking toward the Slytherin common room. But as he passed Snape's office, Sean's eyes suddenly involuntarily filled with a layer of white mist, and scene after scene of light and shadow appeared before him.
A haggard, dishevelled middle-aged man. Sean didn't recognise him, but inexplicably, he felt an indescribable anger and hatred toward this person.
Professor Lupin with scars on his face.
Harry and Hermione, at a loss.
Ron holding a constantly struggling rat, his hands scratched bloody.
Then the scene shifted to Harry and Hermione casting spells at him.
The scene shifted again. It was Professor Lupin transforming into a werewolf and Peter Pettigrew escaping as a rat.
Finally, the scene froze on more than ten werewolves surrounding him. They had captured the transformed Lupin and were eyeing him and Harry and the others behind him with predatory intent!
The white mist in his eyes dispersed. Sean looked at his hand pressed against Snape's office door. He had already realised what was happening and directly knocked on Snape's office door. But as Sean had guessed, there was no one left in Snape's office.
Sighing, Sean searched briefly in Snape's office and found the prepared Wolfsbane Potion bottled up. He then turned and left Hogwarts castle directly, walking toward the Whomping Willow.
If it were only Sirius Black and Lupin and the others, having obtained Animagus abilities, he would have absolutely no desire to get involved. They would naturally find the truth themselves. But from the prophetic images just now, Sean already knew he was seeing everything from Snape's perspective. In other words, he would later suffer attacks from numerous werewolves. Having seen this scene, Sean couldn't possibly let his Head of House fall into danger.
Moreover, the two werewolves he had killed last time had only given Sean two very crude, low-level spells, which made Sean quite displeased. Perhaps it was because those two werewolves hadn't yet transformed, so the panel only extracted two crude, low-level spells. Or perhaps Sean was simply unlucky with bad draws.
This time, Sean wanted to see if solving all those ten-plus werewolves would give him some surprises from the panel.
With this thought, Sean left Snape's office, closed the office door behind him, and headed directly toward the outside of Hogwarts. When he walked out of the dungeons, he had already cast a Disillusionment Charm and was silently rushing toward the Whomping Willow.
When Sean arrived at the Whomping Willow, he saw some traces of struggle and dragging, as well as many footprints.
Following the footprints into the cave under the Whomping Willow, he made his familiar way to the Shrieking Shack. Hearing the sounds from inside the Shrieking Shack, Sean walked toward the second floor.
But just as he had climbed a section of stairs, a wand was pressed against his back.
"Who are you?"
Hearing this familiar voice, Sean breathed a sigh of relief: "Professor, it's me."
"Sean?" Snape pulled off Harry's Invisibility Cloak from himself and looked at Sean, who had also dispelled his Disillusionment Charm: "Sean, what are you doing here?"
"I saw you leave Hogwarts castle, Professor, so..."
"Nonsense. I left Hogwarts castle at noon. Did you also come out at noon?"
"I..."
Without continuing to listen to Sean's nonsense, Snape said directly: "I don't care whether you followed Potter here or have other purposes. Since I've encountered you, don't wander around. Stay by my side."
"Yes, Professor."
Looking at Sean, who agreed so readily, Snape frowned, very unaccustomed to such an obedient Sean. However, he didn't say much more and directly pulled Harry's Invisibility Cloak to cover both himself and Sean. The two of them silently went up to the second floor and witnessed the drama unfolding there.
Shrouded under the Invisibility Cloak, Sean finally understood why his Head of House had silently approached behind him earlier without him noticing at all. It turned out Snape had somehow obtained Harry's Invisibility Cloak. With this Deathly Hallow concealing them, naturally he couldn't detect his Head of House's approach.
Earlier, Sirius Black had dragged Ron and Peter Pettigrew in his arms into the Whomping Willow's tree hole. Harry and Hermione, anxious to rescue Ron and encountering the Whomping Willow's obstruction, had casually thrown aside the Invisibility Cloak, allowing the later-arriving Snape to pick up Harry's Invisibility Cloak and follow.
The two came to the second floor of the Shrieking Shack. At this moment, Sirius Black and Lupin were explaining the situation to Harry, while Harry's group was in a state of "I don't believe it, this is impossible, Scabbers is so pitiful, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening."
Watching the somewhat out-of-control scene, Snape's hand gripping his wand tightened slightly. He could no longer wait and was preparing to act.
But just then, Sean suddenly grabbed Snape's hand. Under Snape's puzzled gaze, Sean whispered: "Wait a bit longer, Professor. I think what they're saying might not necessarily be false."
With the Invisibility Cloak concealing their voices and sufficient distance, they weren't worried about being overheard.
Snape looked at Sean, then at Lupin and Sirius Black. He forcibly suppressed the hatred in his heart and continued watching the situation unfold.