"It can't be Professor Fawley!"
Ron was the first to say the name, but he was also the first to firmly believe the professor would never do something like this.
"If it were the professor, no matter what he wanted, with his reputation in the wizarding world, he could have done it in a safer, more reliable way. Why would he need to use something this extreme?"
"Ron, you can't let your emotions cloud your judgment..."
Hermione looked conflicted.
After so many years in politics, she had seen every filthy method imaginable. Even she herself could hardly be called spotless.
Before the truth came out, she trusted only evidence.
Even if the suspect was the man she regarded as her idol.
Harry saw the conflict between them and sighed.
Time had changed too much.
They were no longer the simple children they once were.
"Until the truth is clear, suspicion is only suspicion. Since that's the case, we'll keep investigating along this line."
"If the enemy really is the professor, then no matter what, we have to stop him."
Harry said this to Ron.
Then he looked at Hermione.
"If the enemy isn't the professor, then I think a situation this serious has already reached the point where we must ask him for help."
Hermione thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"So how do we investigate?" Ron asked.
Harry thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Since we suspect the professor, why don't we just go and ask him directly?"
"You know where the professor is?" Ron asked at once.
Harry shook his head, but said, "There may be one person who does."
"Who?"
"We shouldn't stay here."
Hermione glanced almost imperceptibly at the Aurors searching the area.
"My residence isn't convenient, and Harry, you can't go home for the time being either. Ron, do you have a place in Britain where we can change clothes and treat our injuries?"
Ron was still scratching his head, but years of tacit understanding made him push down his confusion immediately.
"Yes, yes, yes. The house behind the restaurant is mine."
"Good. We'll go there first!"
The three of them Apparated at once and returned to Ron's home in a sorry state.
It was a small house, not large, but rather cozy.
The moment they stepped inside, Ron hurried forward, pulled down the calendar on the wall, and covered it.
But sharp-eyed Harry had already seen the portrait on it and gave him a teasing smile.
Ron punched him in embarrassment.
"Stop wasting time. Hurry up and treat your wounds, then change your clothes."
Hermione rolled her eyes at their childish bickering, casually pulled a tracksuit out of her waist pouch, and was about to take off her torn clothes right in front of them.
Ron's eyes widened at once.
"What are you doing?"
"Changing clothes," Hermione said calmly. "Didn't we used to do this all the time?"
"No!"
Ron's face flushed bright red. He quickly pushed her into his bedroom and shut the door.
When he turned back, Harry was looking at him with a face full of amusement.
"After all these years, you're still chasing Hermione?"
The two chatted while changing clothes in the living room.
The tiny wounds all over their bodies looked frightening, but the bleeding had mostly stopped by now, so neither of them paid much attention.
"Maybe... it's some kind of inertia." Ron shook his head blankly and threw a shirt over himself like a jacket.
"Anyway, I've never met anyone else who made my heart move more."
Feelings could not be forced.
Harry patted his shoulder in comfort.
Hermione was a strong woman, always firm and hardworking as she moved toward her ideals. It was indeed hard for her to consider marriage or romance.
But Ron did not really seem unhappy either. He had stayed like this for years, and even seemed to find some pleasure in it.
A while later, Hermione came out of the room, though her expression looked a little odd.
Ron thought for a second, then froze.
It's over. My room is full of Hermione posters and newspaper clippings!
Hermione glanced at him, then looked at Harry.
"Who were you talking about?"
"I've already asked him to come as soon as possible..."
As Harry spoke, there was a knock at the door.
He quickly went over and opened it.
The first thing they saw was a head of neatly combed platinum-blond hair.
The man's silver-gray eyes looked deep and unreadable.
But there was always the faintest trace of a smile on his face, making it impossible to tell what he was feeling.
"Good afternoon, Potter. Oh, and you two as well."
Draco Malfoy gave them a slight bow.
"Come... come in."
Harry invited him inside, only to see that Ron and Hermione were looking at him strangely.
They had once been enemies with Malfoy, but they had also fought side by side.
As time passed, that relationship had become much more muted.
Now that they met again, things inevitably felt a little stiff.
"Malfoy should be the last person who had contact with Professor Fawley."
Harry explained directly. Only then did the other two understand and turn to look at Malfoy.
Malfoy took in their reactions but said nothing.
As Vice-President of the Wizards' Confederation, he had long since grown used to hiding his emotions. Or rather, he had become immune to looks like this long ago.
"I can't say for certain that I was the last one, but I definitely lost contact with the professor later than you did."
"At a time like this, you're still comparing that?" Harry could not help retorting.
Malfoy's slightly raised chin stiffened. The corner of his mouth twitched, and his grip on his cane tightened a little.
An enemy was still an enemy.
Just a few words were enough to ruin his composed state of mind!
"To be precise, I received the professor's last letter on July 2, 2020. After that, every letter I sent him was returned intact."
"What did the letter say?" Ron asked curiously.
"That isn't important!"
Malfoy suddenly raised his voice, startling all three of them.
The professor he adored so much had sent him one final letter, and all it said was goodbye.
How could he possibly say that out loud?
"What matters is that the professor has been gone for three whole years!"
"Then do you have any clues about the professor's whereabouts? For example, did he mention in the letter where he wanted to go, or what he wanted to do?" Hermione asked one question after another.
Malfoy fell silent for a while.
Then he shook his head.
"Then what difference does it make that you lost contact with him later?" Harry said in surprise.
"Enough."
Malfoy spoke in a low voice filled with anger, and a trace of indescribable sorrow flashed through his eyes.
"The three of you really are as irritating as ever!"
"Tch. Looks like you weren't that close to the professor after all." Ron waved his hand in distaste. "Since you hate us so much, then leave. We won't waste the time of someone as busy as you."
"I'm not leaving."
Malfoy raised his chin again and swept a smug gaze over the three of them.
They thought they were using him. Little did they know, he was using them!
"You contacted me in such a hurry to ask about Professor Fawley. That must mean something related to him has happened, or rather, that you want to find him, correct?"
All three of them froze, suddenly unsure how to answer.
Although they had not truly exposed anything, that reaction alone made Malfoy even more certain of his guess.
"I'm willing to help you, as long as it means finding Professor Fawley. How does that sound?"
"No way."
Ron shook his head firmly. "If we really find the professor, you'll definitely defect to his side without the slightest hesitation!"
"So it doesn't sound like anything good."
Malfoy looked as if he understood.
Then he smiled and shook his head.
"I once said the same thing to the professor, but he said..."
A hint of remembrance appeared in his eyes. "He was happy to become someone else's role model, but if that was all I thought, then it meant I hadn't learned the essence of what he taught."
The essence of Professor Fawley?
The three of them could not help widening their eyes, staring closely at Malfoy for fear of missing even a single word.
Malfoy was very satisfied with their attitude and smiled faintly.
"'I never believe blindly in authority.'"
Such powerful confidence.
The three of them heard the unspoken meaning in those words. The professor did not need followers who blindly worshiped him. He believed that even if they saw the truth, they would still follow his ideals unwaveringly.
Even though they were approaching fifty, they still felt their hearts surge.
Malfoy was not surprised by their reaction.
Back then, he had... cough, cough!
"I only want to see the professor again and confirm his condition. I promise that I will always act in accordance with my duties as Vice-President of the Wizards' Confederation. Is that acceptable?"