Being mercilessly scolded by Snape, Dobby couldn't help but burst into tears.
He didn't understand why, when he was clearly doing this for Harry's good, no one believed him.
Large tears rolled down from his light bulb-sized eyes as he said pitifully.
"What Dobby says is true! Dobby absolutely cannot watch Harry Potter go into danger!
This year at school, there's a great conspiracy targeting Harry Potter!"
"Then close your eyes."
"What conspiracy exactly? Speak!"
"Dobby cannot say! Bad Dobby, bad Dobby!"
Saying this, Dobby immediately jumped up, about to bang his head against the wall again.
But with Snape here, how could he succeed?
He waved his wand and cast a spell, and Dobby immediately froze in mid-air as before.
This time, he couldn't even speak.
Snape was very familiar with house-elf behavior.
Precisely because of this, he knew that under existing contract conditions, using normal methods wouldn't likely get answers from the creature.
Now he needed to consider which method to use to solve this problem.
Legilimency? Veritaserum? Or... try them one by one?
Thinking of this, Snape couldn't help but lick his lips, actually becoming somewhat excited.
Hermione nearby didn't notice this detail. Seeing Snape's silence, she couldn't help but ask.
"Sir, should we send it to Headmaster Dumbledore?"
She asked this because just a short while ago, Sherlock had asked her to seek Professor Snape's help.
First, to explain the whole situation clearly, and second, to request his assistance in solving the problem.
She had found this somewhat surprising at the time.
Before coming to Privet Drive, she had made suggestions about this problem. Dumbledore was the first choice, followed by McGonagall and Flitwick.
She had even considered Sprout.
Only Snape hadn't appeared on her candidate list at all.
The reason goes without saying.
But Sherlock specifically asked her to seek Snape's help.
Though puzzled, she still did as Sherlock requested.
The result was that Professor Snape, upon receiving the message, came to Harry's current residence with lightning speed.
His speed was so fast it made Hermione gasp.
This showed how seriously he took this matter.
What surprised Hermione somewhat was that Professor Snape had even greeted Harry's Aunt Petunia.
Clearly, these two had known each other for some time.
However, Snape's attention wasn't on Aunt Petunia.
After greeting her, he immediately rushed to Harry's bedroom and easily resolved the troublesome house-elf.
Although the entire process took less than a minute, Hermione was clear that without Professor Snape, they would have had no way to deal with Dobby.
"Miss Granger, I'm not so incompetent as to be stumped by a mere house-elf." Snape said coldly.
Only then did Hermione realize she had misspoken and quickly tried to explain.
"Professor, I didn't mean that..."
However, Snape didn't listen to her explanation at all, turning directly to Sherlock.
"Mr. Holmes, you were... somewhat useful this time.
Though your methods were crude and lacked any technique, at least you didn't cause a disaster and managed to bumble through this trouble."
Sherlock smiled slightly. "Professor, your words are as sharp and unique as always, which bears some resemblance to my persistence in pursuing truth."
Snape seemed not to have expected Sherlock to respond this way. He was silent for a moment, then said coldly.
"Enough with the chatter.
Your performance this time was barely adequate, but don't expect me to praise you lavishly.
In the wizarding world, the practicality of your methods remains questionable."
After saying this, he looked at Harry again.
Harry immediately tensed up.
"Pot—ter, I hope that brain of yours, stuffed with mud, can occasionally produce something useful."
Noticing Harry's green eyes, his cold gaze softened slightly.
"Compared to your previous ridiculous actions, this time you've finally made some progress, knowing to seek help from others immediately.
However,... don't expect me to forget your past stupidity."
After saying this, he waved his wand and disappeared with Dobby before the three of them.
He had actually used Apparition to leave directly.
"What a convenient ability."
Seeing this scene, Hermione couldn't help but praise it, her eyes showing a hint of envy.
Compared to using flying broomsticks, this magic was truly convenient!
Unfortunately, they couldn't learn this magic until they were 17.
They'd have to wait another four years...
Harry looked completely surprised. "Just now... did Professor Snape praise me?"
Seeing his incredulous expression, Sherlock laughed.
"Harry, I've told you before that Professor Snape is a good person with petty kindness—though sometimes he's indeed not very straightforward."
Harry immediately gave Sherlock a sideways look, thinking. 'Aren't you the same?'
'The pot calling the kettle black!'
Of course, he wouldn't say this aloud, instead saying somewhat regretfully.
"Too bad he didn't leave behind the letters that the elf intercepted. I really want to know what everyone wrote to me."
"There will be opportunities."
"I say, you two..."
Hearing Sherlock and Harry discussing Professor Snape, Hermione couldn't help but cough.
Both turned to look at her.
"Gentlemen, though I hate to interrupt, now is not the time to discuss this matter."
Hearing Hermione's somewhat annoyed statement, Sherlock and Harry looked at each other and smiled.
Harry even said sincerely. "Hermione, actually, if you hadn't said that, Professor Snape would definitely have praised you too."
Hermione said angrily. "Who cares!"
Harry shrugged. 'Great, another person who wasn't straightforward.
Why am I surrounded by such people?'
Before he could voice this thought, an owl whirled in through the bedroom window.
After dropping a letter on him, it whirled away again.
Harry couldn't help but be stunned.
'Such perfect timing?'
'Dobby's matter had just been resolved, and someone was sending him mail?'
But when he opened the letter, his face immediately darkened.
[
Mr. Potter.
We have received intelligence that at twelve minutes past eight this evening, you used the Hover Charm and Freezing Charm at your place of residence.
As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to use magic outside of school.
Further offenses may result in expulsion from school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C).
Please also remember that according to Section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense.
Have a pleasant summer!
Mafalda Hopkirk Ministry of Magic Improper Use of Magic Office
]
Harry: (╯°□°）╯︵┻━┻
After a moment of silence, Harry's temples throbbed with bulging veins, and rebellious flames burned in his green eyes.
'What did the Ministry of Magic mean?
It was clearly Snape who used the magic—what does this have to do with me?!'
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Harry's face as black as the bottom of a pot, Hermione couldn't help but ask.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow, recognizing the envelope—it bore the Ministry of Magic's seal.
So, he immediately deduced what had happened.
Before Harry could answer, just like when Snape had disappeared earlier, the bedroom suddenly filled with harsh "pop-pop" sounds.
Then a small witch with fluffy gray hair appeared in their view.
"Mr. Harry Potter... oh?"
When she saw that Harry wasn't the only person in the room, the witch looked surprised.
However, she quickly adjusted and said politely to the three.
"Hello, I'm Mafalda Hopkirk, Assistant in the Ministry of Magic's Improper Use of Magic Office.
So can someone tell me what exactly happened here?"
After saying this, she added another sentence.
"I assume you must be Gryffindors?"
Upon seeing Mafalda Hopkirk, Sherlock looked her up and down and immediately deduced her personality.
[A woman serious and responsible about her work, kind and gentle in nature, highly curious, age... hard to determine]
The subsequent developments completely matched his deduction.
When Hopkirk asked what exactly had happened, Hermione was the first to answer.
"Respected Ms. Hopkirk, I'm Hermione Granger, Harry's friend.
Though we are indeed Gryffindors, this is a misunderstanding.
The one who cast the spells earlier was Professor Snape from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, not Harry."
"Miss Granger, you're referring to Professor Severus Snape?"
"Yes, he just left using Apparition."
"Very well, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and this..."
Hopkirk looked at Sherlock.
"Sherlock Holmes."
"Very well, Mr. Holmes... wait, Holmes? You're saying you're Holmes?"
At this point, Hopkirk suddenly stopped.
She looked at Sherlock with a surprised expression.
Seeing her reaction, Sherlock immediately understood.
"Do you know Mr. Abbott or Mr. Peasegood?"
"I know both of them you mentioned."
Hearing Sherlock's words, Hopkirk smiled. "In fact, we have quite a good relationship."
"It seems those two cases caused quite a stir at the Ministry of Magic."
Hopkirk sighed. "Exactly so."
When she heard that Sherlock was Holmes, Hopkirk's attitude subtly changed again.
"Mr. Holmes, both you and Mr. Potter agree with Miss Granger's account, correct?"
"I personally suggest you could use the Prior Incantato charm to verify."
"That might cause the Ministry of Magic to make a second misjudgment."
When she said the word "misjudgment," both Harry and Hermione breathed sighs of relief.
This was clearly a biased attitude.
"I'll verify with Hogwarts immediately."
Hopkirk looked somewhat excited.
As she spoke, she took out a quill and began writing furiously.
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