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Before Anthony had even finished speaking, the investigation team leader's expression changed.
"How dare you—"
"Because I've always been a law-abiding taxpayer, in the Muggle world and in the magical world," Anthony said seriously. "Whether as a cashier or as a Hogwarts professor, I've been dedicated and responsible in every job, while the Ministry..." He shook his head. "If you really cared about the troll, you wouldn't be spending so much time on me."
The leader argued, "The Ministry has always been committed to protecting student safety. It's Hogwarts that hasn't fulfilled its responsibilities!"
"Of course, I'm not questioning you, sir," Anthony said. "It's just that I recently learned a student died here mysteriously fifty years ago, and her soul still wanders the castle. If the Ministry back then had been as swift and decisive as now, I wouldn't have had to spend so much effort investigating."
"Wh—what?"
"I think he's talking about Myrtle, sir," the Auror said.
"I know what you're referring to, Anthony," the leader said heatedly. "Your accusation is completely unreasonable. If you'd done a bit more research, you'd know the Ministry had already decided to close Hogwarts back then!"
"There's no record of Hogwarts being closed," Anthony said with certainty. If the school had ever shut down, he couldn't have missed it when researching the school's history.
"Because the culprit was found!"
"Really? Then why haven't I seen any records?"
"Because Dumbledore saved him, you fool, just like he's trying to save you now. Dumbledore loves stuffing dangerous individuals and dark creatures into the school... always the same rhetoric, about how their hearts yearn for the light, how they're loyal good people, how they wouldn't do such things... But we, those of us who truly care about students, we know what unstable factors are. Hogwarts isn't his picnic basket!"
"Allow me to point out that aside from being a necromancer" (Anthony noticed the other's hand tighten on his wand), "I haven't noticed any of these 'unstable factors' you mention. Every staff member is dutiful and responsible."
"Of course, you're too busy letting trolls into the school to see the world around you," the leader said contemptuously. "Take that big gamekeeper, for instance. Ask him why he never graduated from Hogwarts."
"Hagrid?" Anthony asked in confusion. He'd never expected such an answer. Heaven knows, he'd been expecting the man to badmouth Snape.
"Weren't you asking how Myrtle died?" The leader stared at him intently. "Ask that Keeper of Keys. No one knows better than him."
"You can't possibly be saying Hagrid is a murderer!" Anthony said. "Allow me to point out, sir, that even Mrs. Norris looks more like a killer than Hagrid. At least students actually have grievances with her."
"Ha, what do you think, Professor? Isn't it always you innocent-looking types who are the most evil behind the scenes? Trolls... Acromantulas... Dumbledore's preferences have been remarkably consistent." The leader ignored the Auror's attempts to stop him, saying angrily in a low voice, "What does he think Hogwarts is, a magical zoo? Though that's hardly surprising, considering he was the first to turn the school into a sanctuary for dark wizards."
Anthony left the classroom full of doubts. Acromantulas—as far as he knew—didn't have large yellow eyes.
After telling Professor McGonagall the investigation was over, Anthony emerged from her office to see Tonks standing in the corridor chatting with Professor Sprout. She was gesturing enthusiastically about something when she somehow knocked over the torch above her head. Students on both sides quickly dodged, but a few people's essays still got caught.
"Oh! Sorry! Aguamenti!" Tonks exclaimed, and she and Sprout simultaneously extinguished her burning robes.
"Why are you still so clumsy?" Professor Sprout patted Tonks's arm.
She spotted Anthony coming out of Professor McGonagall's office and cheerfully waved him over.
"This is Tonks, Henry—last year's Hufflepuff graduate, now working at the Ministry," Professor Sprout said happily. She didn't yet know why Tonks had come to Hogwarts. "Like you, a loyal buyer of coconut sorbet. Tonks, this is Professor Anthony, our very popular Muggle Studies professor."
"Miss Tonks." Anthony nodded to her.
"Ah, Professor Anthony," Tonks said awkwardly.
Professor Sprout looked between them in confusion, frowning. "You know each other?"
"We met recently. Miss Tonks is part of the investigation team," Anthony said.
"What investigation team?"
Anthony shrugged. "Investigating whether I let the troll into the dungeon classroom."
"The Ministry is concerned about this already?" Professor Sprout asked in surprise. "I thought they'd at least wait for the Board of Governors to protest. But why didn't I receive notice of an investigation?"
"Perhaps only I needed one," Anthony said honestly.
"But—what—" Professor Sprout turned sharply to Tonks. "Tonks?"
Tonks had been looking down, trying to repair her robes. She looked up suddenly, somewhat aggrieved, and said quietly to her Head of House, "Confidential. I can't say."
Professor Sprout frowned deeply. "Why would anyone want to investigate Henry? He's one of the least likely people to have released a troll."
"It's nothing, Pomona. Probably because I wasn't at the feast and had no alibi," Anthony reassured her, changing the subject. "So who do you think is most likely to have released the troll?"
"Uh..." Professor Sprout began trying hard to think of a name.
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