Snape's face carried a trace of suspicion, but also some shock. As a master of Legilimency, he could naturally tell that Altair was not lying. He glanced at McGonagall, remembering what she had told him before, and gained an entirely new understanding of Altair's talent.
Professor McGonagall, meanwhile, looked grim.
She had always worried that Altair might go astray.
Especially after he had been sorted into Slytherin yesterday, that worry had kept her from sleeping well all night. And now trouble had already broken out the very next morning.
On the first day of school, he had used a jinx on one of his classmates.
It was not an especially aggressive spell.
But still...
"Miss Granger, I think perhaps you can tell us what happened here?"
McGonagall looked at Hermione, her expression extremely stern.
It seemed clear to her that Hermione had been the cause of the conflict. After all, a little lion had come to eat in the little snakes' territory. If something really had happened, Hermione would certainly not have had the stronger claim.
Hermione was a little nervous. She glanced at Altair, then truthfully recounted what had just happened.
She still did not know what Mudblood meant, but from Snape's reaction she had guessed it was not anything good, so she deliberately repeated Pansy's exact words.
Sure enough, the professors' expressions shifted slightly.
"Even so, you should not have pointed your wand at a fellow student, Altair. I think you could have made a better choice."
Professor McGonagall looked at Altair and let out a faint sigh.
"No one insults a Shelby, Professor McGonagall."
Altair met her gaze and said, "I may come from the Muggle world, but my family is my honor. She should count herself lucky this happened in a school. If this were the Muggle world, and someone insulted the Shelby family to a Shelby's face..."
Altair turned to look at Pansy and gave her a chilling smile.
"She would already be dead."
His tone was calm, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, as if he were merely stating a fact.
Altair had lived in this world for eleven years. Before that, he had not known it was the world of Harry Potter. For all those years, he had truly lived as the heir of the Shelby family.
The heir to a gang family that controlled Birmingham's underworld.
From childhood to now, the people Altair had been exposed to were all gangsters of one kind or another. Crime bosses, gunmen, killers, and the like.
So when he said those words, he spoke with complete naturalness and absolute certainty.
No one around him thought he was joking. In fact, they instinctively believed him.
The nearby young witches and wizards all sucked in sharp breaths. Malfoy and the others were trembling even more. Remembering what had happened the night before, they felt all the luckier for it.
Pansy's face had turned pale, and she stumbled back two steps, not knowing what to do.
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes and felt a headache coming on.
He clearly knew what kind of family the Shelbys were. Hogwarts had gained a young wizard like this, one in Slytherin no less, and one with extraordinary talent on top of that. That was the real source of his headache.
"And besides, she was the one who provoked us first. I do not believe there is anything wrong with Hermione eating here."
Altair turned back and looked at Dumbledore as he continued, "This is Hogwarts. Hermione is a Hogwarts student. Of course she has the right to eat here. The relationship between the four Houses ought to be friendly, cooperative amid competition, not hostile and sharply divided."
"Well said, Altair."
Dumbledore smiled at him, and inwardly let out a long breath of relief.
For a child who could say something like that, perhaps this Altair was not a bad boy after all.
It was simply that the upbringing he had received from childhood was very different from that of most others. But none of that was an impossible problem. Dumbledore believed Altair could find the proper path during his future years of study and life at Hogwarts.
"You are quite right. Hermione may certainly eat here. Hogwarts is the home of every young witch and wizard here. You are all family. You are all friends."
"However, your way of dealing with Miss Parkinson was somewhat too extreme. Of course, Miss Parkinson was indeed speaking without thought."
"I believe you have both recognized your mistakes. So then, if you can forgive one another, shall we let the matter end here?"
Dumbledore's face was full of kindly smiles. He wanted to see how Altair would answer.
"I believe she has already received her punishment, and in future she should not speak that way to others so lightly. Of course, I am willing to apologize for my rash behavior. After all, she is a girl, and a gentleman should not be so rude to a lady."
Altair looked at Pansy, a trace of coldness still lingering in his eyes.
Pansy was frightened. She felt no real apology from him at all. Still, she could only force a bit of a smile and say cautiously, "I... I forgive you too... I was wrong just now. I... I apologize to you... and to Miss Granger..."
She looked so aggrieved that she seemed on the verge of tears, but Altair felt nothing at all for this foolish girl.
"Very well. Then we shall consider the matter closed. But if there is a next time, I will give a proper punishment."
After saying that, Dumbledore turned and left.
Snape said nothing. He only gave his own little snake a deep look before turning away as well.
McGonagall, however, hesitated for a moment. She reached out and gently touched Altair's head, then said, "If you would like, you may come to Gryffindor for meals from now on. I think they would be happy to be your friends."
McGonagall felt that the atmosphere in Slytherin was too cold. If Altair could spend more time around the warmth and enthusiasm of the little lions, perhaps it might do him some good.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall."
"Yes. Now eat your breakfast. You still have classes later."
McGonagall smiled, then went back to her own meal. Seeing this, the other young witches and wizards also returned to their seats, though they continued whispering among themselves and stealing glances over from time to time.