Chapter 43: Snape’s Stance
Montage, this term originates from French, meaning organized editing.
When different picture segments are pieced together, they usually produce meanings not possessed by the individual picture segments alone.
Selected different segments as material, organized and edited according to the narrator’s specific conception, guiding the audience to think through implication, linking independent segments into a related story. This technique of organized editing is called montage.
In the Muggle Studies professor’s office, strands of memory segments were extracted and put into glass bottles, labeled, with custom silvery white mist floating, faint fluorescence revealing several scattered pictures.
——A professor wearing a purple headscarf, dressed strangely, hurrying past the corridor, looking sneaky;
——The strangely dressed professor sorting a haystack, with the sleeping troll beside the haystack;
——The ugly, strong troll wandering the corridor, a thick wooden stick dragging white marks on the ground;
——A first-year student in magic robes jumping out to subdue the troll, posture heroic;
——The troll lying on the ground, the professor wearing a purple headscarf leaning against the wall side sobbing.
Melvin was planning in his heart to find time to procure a batch of test tube racks, organize the glass bottles holding memories, browse them in order again, very satisfied with his work’s success.
Several segments faintly pieced together a fairly coherent story.
“The plot is there, but the main line is not complete enough.”
Melvin packed up the glass bottles and quartz projection mirror, pulled open the drawer to take out the notebook, picked up the pen to suck up ink, and began writing and drawing on the paper.
Night gradually deepened.
Several desk lamps illuminated the desk, ink carrying thoughts leaving traces on the paper, because it was a draft, revisions and deletions were inevitable, Melvin too lazy to use magic to clean ink stains.
There was a revision in the center of the paper, the first half of 「Home Alone」 crossed out, changed to 「School Alone」.
Home Alone?
First-years stay.
……
November 1, Friday.
Despite the Halloween banquet held last night, Hogwarts has no Halloween holiday, so classes proceed as usual today.
Melvin’s two years he was teaching for mock exams had finished one round of review, formally starting the second round of review, the advanced class students very self-disciplined, and this weekend they could go to Hogsmeade to relax, the little wizards just symbolically complained a couple sentences, then threw themselves into a tighter review plan.
“Dumbledore ultimately decided not to report last night’s matter to the Board of Governors.
“No one will be dismissed or expelled because of an accident.
“But this man-harming troll cannot continue staying on campus, Professor Quirrell, please handle the troll as soon as possible, the weekend is coming right away, sell it or entrust it to a friend, don’t drag it to next week.”
Deputy Headmaster McGonagall solemnly instructed, expression exceptionally serious.
Quirrell nodded repeatedly, stammering promises to Professor McGonagall that he would handle the troll, his face now haggard, figure somewhat thinner, but puffiness filling that part, compared to three months ago at the start of term, the whole person much more gloomy.
Snape beside him was even more sullen, perhaps because his left leg was bitten, looking somewhat irritable.
Last night in the Great Hall, after Quirrell publicly announced the troll’s escape and pretended to faint, Snape judged this might be his method to divert attention, suspected other wizards cooperating with him to steal the Philosopher’s Stone, thus hurrying to the fourth-floor corridor, nearly adding a meal for Fluffy.
The three-headed dog has no poison glands, but the wound contaminated with Fluffy’s saliva, ordinary healing magic has limited effect, only able to apply medicine periodically and wait for the wound to heal slowly.
Several professors learned his leg was bitten by Fluffy, all expressing understanding, they all believed Snape went to the fourth floor to guard the Philosopher’s Stone.
While Quirrell, as the guarded object, had very complex feelings toward Snape.
At the start of term, Snape had stared at him intently, he thought Snape was Dumbledore’s man.
Later learning Snape’s history, combined with his actions, Quirrell after meticulous analysis, discovered things were not so.
This former inner circle Death Eater, long lurking inside Hogwarts, seemingly surrendered to Dumbledore, actually often ignoring the headmaster’s instructions, one thing on the surface, another in secret.
For example that Potter, the entire Wizarding World knows Dumbledore cherishes Potter. Setting Potter’s parents’ grave next to the Dumbledore family grave, hiding him all these years in places dark wizards cannot spy, strictly protecting his safety, at enrollment instructing the gamekeeper to personally pick up and drop off……
While Snape in the first class of term directly targeted Potter, wishing to directly expel him.
If Snape is not Dumbledore’s man, then why does he care so much about the Philosopher’s Stone matter?
Right, he also wants to steal the Philosopher’s Stone!
Quirrell’s gaze silently swept over his injured leg, looking up and down, increasingly affirming his speculation.
Snape doesn’t know about the Dark Lord possessing him, sees him as a rival also coveting the Philosopher’s Stone, so always targeting him…… pity the Dark Lord too cautious, unwilling to trust even former inner circle Death Eaters, otherwise they could join to plot stealing the Philosopher’s Stone.
“……”
Melvin watching Quirrell’s changing expressions, decided to also clip out this segment’s memory, clearly a black wizard with ulterior motives plotting mischief.
Half an hour later, lunchtime ended, owl post arrived on time, students’ letters and packages more numerous, also several owls landing at the high table position.
Melvin took the envelope from the owl, cut two pieces of beef ribs to feed the post, then began opening the letter to read.
「Dear Professor Levent:
I don’t know how you’re doing at school, but the process of making the enlarged projection mirror is not going smoothly.
You can’t imagine how many difficulties I encountered making the enlarged projection mirror, originally melting a small piece of quartz I still thought simple, didn’t expect with size increase, difficulty multiplies, I don’t even remember how many times I failed. But thinking of your wonderful vision, I feel failure is nothing.
Difficulties in craftsmanship are nothing, the process of purchasing materials even more arduous, because raw materials rare, demand for making projection mirrors too large, Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley potions merchants actually jointly raised prices, I had to borrow some family funds to complete procurement. These people have no merchants’ professional ethics, I strongly condemn this.
But don’t worry, I have overcome all difficulties, I have more integrity than these material resellers. Your ordered goods are completed, Saturday delivery at the old place.
Your reliable and sincere partner, Wright.」
“……”
Melvin silently read it twice, only then reading the words from between the lines, the whole letter writing “settle the final payment” four words.
Wright probably consulted Borgin to write this letter, looks like the large projection mirror’s cost higher than expected, otherwise wouldn’t force the technology-pursuing Monkstanley like this.
The owl post couldn’t read the wizard’s expression, didn’t know what the wizard was worrying about, swallowed the beef ribs in the plate into its belly, flapped wings patted its belly, emitted satisfied cooing, leisurely flew away, other owls also slowly left.
In a few seconds, the entire Great Hall filled with the sound of owls flapping wings.
