John was brought to the Headmaster's office, where a full lineup was already in place.
Dumbledore, Snape, Moody.
A three-way interrogation, huh?
On the desk in front of Dumbledore lay a wand.
Snape's expression was grim, while Moody leaned on his cane, silently watching John approach.
It seemed they had just finished discussing something, as Dumbledore snapped back to attention and smiled at John.
"Professor Dumbledore, may I ask why you've called me here?"
John glanced at the wand but didn't pay it much mind.
It wasn't his, after all.
Or so he thought—big mistake.
Because Dumbledore picked up the wand and asked, "John, is this yours?"
John froze for a moment, then frowned and shook his head. "Professor Dumbledore, that is not my wand."
To prove his point, he took out his own wand, showing that he had it with him.
Hearing this, Snape turned to Moody and, in his usual sarcastic tone, said, "It seems you've made a mistake in your investigation."
"I don't make mistakes!" Moody responded gruffly.
His magical eye spun wildly, but Dumbledore stepped in to prevent another argument.
Behind his half-moon spectacles, Dumbledore's gaze locked onto John. The moment their eyes met, John felt something trying to invade his mind.
With a cold sneer in his heart, he activated Occlumency, shutting the intrusion out.
Using Legilimency, on a student.
Dumbledore had actually tried to use Legilimency on him.
A chill crept into John's heart as he looked at Dumbledore and asked, "Professor Dumbledore, do you have any other questions?"
Dumbledore gave John a long, deep look.
Moody, in his usual gruff tone, said, "This wand was found in a room on the 3rd floor, right side corridor. That room—quite the luxurious setup."
His words carried an accusatory edge, and he bellowed, "The last spell cast by this wand was a Confundus Charm! And it was found in that hidden room—maybe some clever little wizard thought no one would ever find it!"
He stomped toward John, shouting, "But he was too stupid! He had no idea I could see right through his secrets!"
"You're suspecting me?"
John's expression turned icy. He hadn't expected Moody to discover the Constellation Society's chamber—let alone break into it.
Moody's tone made him uncomfortable; it was the tone of an interrogator speaking to a criminal.
Just as Moody was about to press further, Dumbledore stopped him.
"Professor Moody, please calm down."
Dumbledore stopped Moody, his gaze carrying a complexity that others couldn't quite decipher. "John, can you tell us where you were last night?"
John knew he was in trouble. Keeping his expression neutral, he replied, "Of course. If it comes to this, I don't have a reason to lie."
He turned to Moody, his tone laced with coldness. "I was in the Constellation Society's chamber last night, but I can tell you with absolute certainty—I have no idea where that wand came from."
"John Wick, perhaps you don't even bother telling a clumsy lie." Moody's magical eye locked onto him. "But that only makes you more suspicious."
"Pardon me," Snape interjected, his usual sarcastic tone evident. "John Wick is someone who holds himself in very high regard. He wouldn't stoop to… deception in matters like this."
The last two words seemed to be directed at someone in particular.
Moody turned his head and grunted, "Oh, Severus, perhaps you've forgotten—some wizards love to act all high and mighty. But that isn't evidence, is it?"
Snape frowned at him, and Moody didn't back down.
John lifted his gaze to Dumbledore. This old man was the real decision-maker here.
Dumbledore stood up from behind the desk, his expression calm as he asked, "John, give me an answer."
"It wasn't me, Professor Dumbledore." John shook his head. He wasn't about to take the fall for this.
Dumbledore seemed to relax slightly. "I believe John. He wouldn't do such a thing, nor would he harm his friends."
Moody looked like he wanted to argue, but Dumbledore's voice grew firmer. "Alastor, I believe we should grant our students a sufficient level of trust."
Moody's lips moved slightly, but in the end, he could only glare at John viciously.
John, unafraid, glared right back.
With that, the misunderstanding was cleared.
Dumbledore did not ask why John had built a secret chamber in the school, nor did he press further to uncover the fact that "John Wick is the only student in the school capable of crafting wands."
He merely thought that this outstanding Slytherin student still had a chance to be guided back.
John turned and left, the distance between him and Dumbledore growing further and further until he disappeared behind the door.
Professor McGonagall had remained silent the entire time. Her bloodless lips were tightly pressed together, and only after hearing that John was in the clear did some color return to her pale face.
"I'm heading out, Dumbledore," Moody said before leaving.
Snape, however, did not leave. Looking at Dumbledore, who had fallen into deep thought, he said, "This whole incident seemed overly targeted."
He didn't specify at whom, but Dumbledore understood.
"Alastor may be somewhat biased. You know the kinds of people he has faced over the years," Dumbledore replied.
Snape said in a low voice, "And what about John Wick?"
He continued, almost to himself, "His room has practically become a sacred place for those who follow him."
Moody had mentioned the search of Slytherin, and though it had angered Snape, it also made him notice certain things.
Dumbledore fell silent at those words.
With his usual sarcastic tone, Snape continued, "I know what you are thinking.. It's quite similar, isn't it? Just like that person's followers… As if it were a law—every Dark Lord always has a group gathered around them…"
"Severus." Dumbledore interrupted him. A rare weariness appeared on the old man's face.
Snape knew he couldn't continue and left the headmaster's office.
He had helped John because he believed John wouldn't do such things. But at the same time, he was reminding Dumbledore—not to repeat the past.
The unmarked wand still lay on the desk.
Dumbledore stared at it, his mind drifting to the memory of John slicing through the lake with a single stroke of his sword.
"Ancient magic… John, you are even more studious than I imagined."
A silver instrument puffed out a misty cloud, shrouding Dumbledore's figure in an ethereal haze.
In the drawer, a golden Time-Turner lay quietly.
...
John stepped out of the headmaster's office, his expression dark.
"Who could it be?"
With a heavy heart, he hurried toward the 3rd floor.
There, he found that the anti-theft spell on the door had once again been tampered with.
He couldn't be sure whether Moody had done it—or if it was the person trying to frame him.
Alternatively...
Maybe it was Moody who framed me.
John had indeed suspected that possibility.
If that were the case, then why would he do it?
For Harry's sake?
Ever since arriving at school, John had noticed Moody's hostility toward Slytherin.
At first, he thought it was merely an old Auror's distaste and bias against Slytherin, but now it seemed there was more to it.
Taking out the Marauder's Map, John saw Alastor Moody gradually receding into the distance.
Either Moody knew about the Marauder's Map and used a powerful Confundus Charm to change its name, or he himself was targeting me for some reason.
Either way, Moody was no longer trustworthy.
John's eyes grew dark with thought.
The next day.
Entering the secret chamber, John saw several worried faces.
"I'm fine," he said calmly, meeting Daphne's concerned gaze. "This time, whatever happened was aimed at me. Whoever is responsible, we must all remain vigilant."
He spoke to everyone in a low voice, "Constellation Society has been exposed."
This was not good news. The group fell silent.
Percy spoke up, "The second task had an incident, and Mr. Crouch was also implicated. He needs to go back and handle the fallout."
John nodded. After a moment of silence, Cedric said, "John, there's some bad news."
He looked at John and hesitated before saying, "In the Hufflepuff common room, some students believe… you're imitating the Dark Lord."
At those words, Malfoy was the first to erupt in anger. "Who said that?!"
In truth, Cedric had understated it—it wasn't just "some" students; it was most of them.
Neville also quietly raised his hand. He hesitated, then murmured, "There are rumors in the Gryffindor common room as well."
"A bunch of fools," Daphne said coldly, without any attempt to be polite.
Neville lowered his head in shame.
John hadn't expected the rumors to spread so quickly—just overnight.
People were speculating that Dumbledore would expel John, and some even believed that John had built the secret chamber as a way to one day take over Hogwarts, completing what the Dark Lord had failed to do.
"Rumors die in the face of strength," John said calmly. "Once enough time passes, they'll realize how foolish they were."
Even Fleur was indignant on John's behalf. After witnessing his ability to split the lake, many students now believed that if anyone could become the third Dark Lord, it would be John.
Suddenly, John had a realization—perhaps this was exactly what Moody wanted.
To use public opinion to bring him down.
__________
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