Under the dome of Hogwarts, a roar like a landslide and a tsunami swept through.
Seeing Charle defeat Snape and walk out of the Slytherin Head of House's office, whether it was Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, they all cheered for Charle in a frenzy.
The thunderous applause was endless, and everyone looked at Charle as if they were looking at a hero returning after completing an incredible task in a myth.
The first-year Hufflepuffs were even more excited, their faces flushed and tears welling up in their eyes.
Seeing Snape lying on the ground like a dead dog, the fear and shadow in their hearts towards him shattered!
So Snape wasn't that great after all, he just bullied ordinary students like them.
When he met a genius like Charle, wasn't he just beaten down like a dead dog?!
Even the professors who rushed over upon hearing the news showed stunned expressions.
Even Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, who had witnessed Charle's strength, were filled with shock.
Their battles with Charle were to assess Charle's performance in Transfiguration and Charms, and the practical combat aspect was not strong.
But in wizard duels, the situation changes in an instant.
Having strong theoretical power but no practical combat experience, it's hard to say if it can be fully utilized.
Compared to Charle, Snape, in the eyes of several professors, undoubtedly had a great advantage in terms of magical attainment, practical combat experience, and ruthlessness.
This was why they rushed over in a hurry, wanting to protect Charle.
But they really didn't expect that Charle would so cleanly beat Snape like a dead dog.
Judging from Charle's condition, apart from being a little tired and pale, he didn't seem to have suffered any injuries.
It seemed that their estimation of Charle's strength was probably conservative.
This little wizard was still holding back when fighting them, he didn't use his full strength at all!
"This is truly..."
"A monster."
This thought surfaced in the minds of the professors simultaneously.
But at this moment, Dumbledore's face showed a rare seriousness and solemnity.
It was clear that his mood was different from the other professors, and it certainly couldn't be called joy.
The reason was simple: Snape was his man, or rather, the most useful chess piece in his hand!
Among the four Hogwarts houses, the four Heads of House were, of course, all people who loved Hogwarts and loved peace.
But loving Hogwarts didn't necessarily mean loyalty to Dumbledore, nor did it necessarily mean they would act entirely according to Dumbledore's ideas and hints.
Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout were not members of the Order of the Phoenix, and they didn't even participate in Dumbledore's secret society, so their attitude was naturally evident.
Although Professor McGonagall was a member of the Order of the Phoenix and the Head of Gryffindor, she was in the same line as Dumbledore and could be called Dumbledore's confidante.
Logically, she should have been the person Dumbledore trusted the most.
But she was not a puppet, but an excellent witch with a rigorous and fair personality, principles, and a strong sense of morality.
For this reason, some private calculations and plans simply couldn't be told to Professor McGonagall, otherwise, it might even cause a rift with her.
Precisely because of this, in the original work, regarding the matter of Harry Potter being Voldemort's seventh Horcrux and that Harry Potter had to die first to destroy Voldemort, Dumbledore did not reveal it to Professor McGonagall at all, and didn't even mention the matter of Horcruxes to Professor McGonagall.
He only told Snape about this.
As for why he chose Snape, the reason was quite obvious.
This was a person who would do anything for Lily.
Did Snape have principles?
No, his principles, besides the glory of Slytherin, were to protect everything of Lily.
But precisely because of this, Snape was too useful.
There was no need to worry about his sense of morality, no need to worry about whether he had any ideas, anyway, any dirty or tiring work could be thrown to Snape under the guise of protecting Lily's child.
Whether it was Potions, secret plans, or having him be a spy for Voldemort, as long as Harry Potter was controlled, Snape would obediently do these things.
Such a powerful chess piece who was also a Potions Master and unscrupulous was impossible to find even with a lantern!
But now, Snape was publicly beaten by Charle in front of everyone. Could he still stay at Hogwarts?
It would be much more troublesome for Dumbledore to use this chess piece.
Besides the matter of Snape causing Dumbledore's mood to sink, what made Dumbledore even more vigilant was Charle's current prestige among the Hogwarts students.
It had only been a day or two since the start of school, and all the students were already cheering for Charle.
The professors were all applauding him.
This momentum was too strong, even more dazzling than the Savior Harry Potter, whom Dumbledore had painstakingly planned to promote!
This was troublesome.
In Dumbledore's heart, like Voldemort, he firmly believed in that prophecy.
The prophecy had also been confirmed once, Harry Potter had indeed made the flourishing Voldemort vanish into thin air!
But Voldemort has many tricks up his sleeve, and he will surely make a comeback. When that time comes, only Harry Potter, as foretold in the prophecy, will be able to defeat Voldemort!
What does it matter how talented Charle is now?
He is not the Child of Prophecy, so he is destined to be nothing more than a supporting character paving the way for Harry Potter, a stepping stone for Harry Potter to eliminate Voldemort.
What happens after Voldemort is eliminated is none of Dumbledore's concern.
But before that, no one's brilliance can overshadow Harry Potter, otherwise, if Harry Potter doesn't accumulate enough prestige by then, the great cause of confronting Voldemort might be affected!
Therefore, the words that Dumbledore had stopped mentioning many years ago, but which had always guided his every action, echoed in his heart.
"For the greater good."
For the greater good, he could leave the Philosopher's Stone here as a test, knowing that Voldemort would break into Hogwarts, regardless of the potential casualties among the young wizards during the process.
For the greater good, he could manipulate the academic lives of so many students into a backdrop for Harry Potter's path to becoming the savior, no matter how hard they tried, the brilliant person who won the House Cup was destined to be Harry Potter and Gryffindor.
For the greater good, he could arrange for the Harry Potter trio, set up numerous trials, and guide them onto the path they were meant to take according to the plan.
So now, for the greater good, what's wrong with sacrificing Charle a little, and suppressing his brilliance?
"Although it will cause him some grievance, it is also for Charle's own good."
"He is too brilliant, receiving such praise and possessing such strength at such a young age is not necessarily a good thing for the future. His temperament needs to be tempered."
As Dumbledore's thoughts flickered, Madam Pomfrey from the hospital wing hurried to the Slytherin Head of House office.
She first checked on Draco Malfoy's condition.
Upon seeing Malfoy's fractured wrist and ankle bones, Madam Pomfrey's pupils constricted slightly.
"His wrist and ankle bones are broken."
"Although they can be healed, he will likely need at least two months of rest."
"Also, there's a high possibility of leaving some psychological trauma, and he may not be able to participate in high-intensity competitive activities in the future."
"In other words, the possibility of him playing Quidditch is not high..."
Hearing Madam Pomfrey's diagnosis, the faces of several professors also showed regret. The cheers of the older students who had experienced the passion of Quidditch also quieted down a bit.
Not being able to play Quidditch is indeed a significant loss for boys during their time at Hogwarts, and everyone could empathize.
Next, Madam Pomfrey walked over to Snape.
Initially, upon seeing the wounds on Snape's body, Madam Pomfrey felt a slight sense of relief.
"Professor Snape's injuries are not serious. There is a penetrating wound from a spell, but the wound is small and did not injure any internal organs, it's merely a flesh wound."
However, when she pulled back Snape's eyelids and saw his chaotic and frantic expression, Madam Pomfrey's optimistic expression instantly vanished, and her face became extremely solemn.
"This is troublesome."
"His physical injuries are not serious, but his mind seems to have a problem, and it's not a small one."
"Professor Snape has suffered a mental breakdown. I am not skilled in this area of treatment, so he needs to be sent to the psychiatric ward at St. Mungo's Hospital."
"But honestly, even there, this is considered a very serious mental problem, and complete recovery may not be possible."
"Even if he recovers, I'm afraid Professor Snape will find it difficult to handle demanding teaching duties afterwards..."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire room gasped, and there was a commotion.
Eyes filled with shock couldn't help but turn towards Charle.
Everyone was curious about what magic Charle had used. Had he directly incapacitated Snape?
Upon hearing this, Dumbledore couldn't help but clench his fist.
He hadn't expected Charle to be able to cause such severe mental problems for Snape.
Snape's Occlumency was by no means ordinary. How on earth did Charle do it?!
This was truly troublesome. He had thought Snape was merely unconscious and could be easily treated.
He was only worried that Snape would find it difficult to remain at Hogwarts and would likely have to serve him elsewhere.
But now it seemed that the issue was no longer whether Snape could stay at Hogwarts, but rather that his abilities and potion-making skills might never be usable again.
This most useful and capable chess piece of his had been incapacitated by Charle just like that!
Just as everyone was in an uproar, Dumbledore finally spoke.
His face bore an expression of seriousness and sternness that most students had never seen before.
His azure eyes behind his spectacles were like blocks of blue ice, casting sharp and cold glances towards Charle.
"Charle Evans, you were too impulsive!"
"You clearly called a classmate to find the professors and Heads of House. You could have waited for us to handle it, and Hogwarts would have given you a fair answer."
"But why did you come here yourself and get into a big fight with a classmate and a professor, leading to such a serious situation now?"
"A first-year student will henceforth bid farewell to Quidditch. I dare not imagine how much joy will be missing from his future life; he might become melancholic from now on."
"A Potions Master renowned in the academic world has developed mental problems, and it's unknown if he can be cured. Do you know how many people are waiting for Professor Snape to brew potions to solve their problems?"
"You, you are truly..."
Dumbledore sighed deeply.
"You need to quickly explain what you did to Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy, what spells you used, and do your best to help with their treatment. This will reduce your guilt and punishment."
"As for the specific punishment, you'll have to wait for the school board's discussion."
"I'm afraid your classes at Hogwarts will have to be temporarily suspended. This is for your own protection."
As Dumbledore finished speaking, the scene instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone stared blankly at Dumbledore, unable to believe he would make such a decision.
"Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"Why should Charle be punished!"
"He shouldn't be punished, he stood up for his classmates!"
"That old bat Snape went too far, and Malfoy is a tattletale, he deserved it!"
A chorus of voices rose, but as Dumbledore's icy blue eyes moved, his gaze sweeping over them, a heavy pressure fell upon everyone.
This century's strongest wizard, despite his usual gentle demeanor, sometimes even appearing eccentric and without airs, was different now.
But if he truly wanted to do something, then at Hogwarts, no one could disobey.
This was Dumbledore's authority at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore's tone grew heavier.
"As I said, Charle Evans's punishment will be decided later."
"As for what the punishment will be, that is something I need to discuss with the school board."
Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick stepped forward.
"Dumbledore, Charle doesn't deserve this..."
Dumbledore's expression softened slightly, a concession to the two heads of house, but his words remained as firm as before.
"Minerva, Filius, as I said, any decision on punishment needs to be discussed with the school board. You don't need to rush to plead for Charle Evans."
"I will give him a just punishment."
Hearing the firm resolve in Dumbledore's words, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick both sighed inwardly, their hearts heavy.
If the punishment were truly minor, Dumbledore wouldn't have said this.
Moreover, Draco Malfoy's father was on the school board. How could he possibly let Charle off so easily?
It was likely that Charle would face expulsion, and might even be sent to the Wizengamot for trial.
Thinking of this, the two professors made up their minds. No matter what, they absolutely could not let Charle be expelled from Hogwarts.
They would mobilize all their connections, and even gather student signatures at Hogwarts, to ensure Charle was protected.
But now, facing a determined Dumbledore, they could only sigh inwardly, powerless against his authority.
Only Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff, stood firmly in front of Charle, even reaching out to hold his hand in comfort.
Professor Sprout looked up at Dumbledore.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I don't think my student did anything excessively wrong."
"If you ask me, the only wrong thing he did was involve that tattletale Draco Malfoy, but broken limbs are so easy to heal. Which Quidditch player hasn't broken a hand, leg, or rib during practice?"
"This is probably not enough for the school board to convict Charle."
"As for Professor Snape, I firmly believe he got what he deserved."
"Besides, Charle is just an eleven-year-old wizard. What profound and mysterious mental magic could he possibly possess to cause Professor Snape to have a mental breakdown?"
"I think Professor Snape is inherently gloomy. Perhaps he couldn't accept the fact that he was defeated by a student, which is why he broke down. What does that have to do with Charle?"
When Professor Sprout spoke, challenging Dumbledore's authority, Charle's gaze shifted.
Hufflepuff wizards were known for their resilience and were generally good-natured, rarely causing trouble.
As the Head of Hufflepuff and the Herbology professor, Professor Sprout's personality was typically Hufflepuff, always acting low-key.
But now, to protect her student, Professor Sprout was directly confronting Dumbledore's authority.
The unity of Hufflepuff was evident from this.
And after Professor Sprout stepped forward, all the students from Hufflepuff House also gathered around Charle.
No words were spoken, but this was already a clear indication of their stance through action.
Dumbledore clenched his hand, his mood growing heavier.
This scene should have been arranged for Harry Potter, allowing him to solidify his identity as the Savior time and again amidst the support of the crowd.
But now that Charle had pulled this off, wouldn't the trials and defeat of conspiracies that Dumbledore had planned for Harry this year become mere child's play?
Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He was determined that Charle Evans must be punished this time.
Expulsion was out of the question, as this was a chess piece with infinite potential, capable of clearing countless obstacles for Harry Potter.
But at the very least, Charle had to be suspended from classes for a few months or even half a year, making him fade from the students' sight. This way, Dumbledore could let Harry shine and gain the honor befitting the Savior.
During this time, it also created an opportunity for Harry Potter to interact with Charle.
Saved by Harry Potter during his most difficult time, Charle would surely help Harry Potter wholeheartedly and become his most loyal friend, right?
Among the crowd, Quirrell noticed this subtle change in Dumbledore's expression.
In his mind, Voldemort let out a "tsk," his voice filled with disgust and hatred.
"Here we go again. Every time that old bee's mouth twitches, it's when he's angry."
"It's about to be settled. Sprout and these foolish Hufflepuffs can't stand against that old bee, Dumbledore. He understands these professors and students too well; he can fool them in just a few moves."
"But this is good too. Charle Evans will suffer a loss at Dumbledore's hands this time. With that, I believe if I remind him again, he'll recognize Dumbledore's ugly, hypocritical face and will definitely turn to my side."
"To be able to defeat Snape at this age, with his help, my return will be much simpler!"
Just then, under everyone's astonished gaze, Charle withdrew his hand from Professor Sprout's grasp, stepped forward, and looked directly at Dumbledore.
He spoke, asking a question with extreme contempt that left everyone's minds blank.
"Dumbledore, you say I should be punished?"
"By what right?"
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