The dungeon of Hogwarts.
The black stone walls were oppressive and solemn, lined with shelves filled with all sorts of glass jars, each containing various oddly shaped things.
Among the colorful liquids, specimens of snakes, scorpions, toads, and even eyes and organs of unrecognizable creatures were submerged.
In the center of the room, there was a large rectangular table, upon which were scales, glass vessels for measuring solutions, and beakers with dried herbs.
On the iron rack stood a few copper cauldrons, possibly brewing some mysterious magic potion, filling the room with its indescribably unique scent. It was the office used by the current Slytherin Headmaster, and it was rumored to have been Hogwarts' chamber for cruel punishments.
Now, after many years, it seemed to have returned to its former use. Mr. Marcus Flint, who had good connections at the Ministry of Magic, had been tied to a chair by Snape for hours.
Of course, Snape wasn't torturing Marcus Flint; he merely had a somewhat archaic way of completing his task to gather information, at least according to the report he intended to submit.
"Bubble bubble bubble~"
The potion in the cauldron bubbled.
From incessant babbling at the start.
To now being unconscious.
Marcus Flint probably endured dozens of rounds of Snape's unique form of hospitality — the assortment of bottles and jars on the table beside the long bench had already run out.
Besides an extra-large dose of Truth Serum, there were also other potions of various effects. The magical potion brewing in those cauldrons was likely to be Marcus Flint's dinner tonight.
This was certainly not an operation sanctioned by the school, nor was it compliant with the Ministry of Magic's regulations on torture and punishment, but the true Dark Wizard of Hogwarts, Snape, clearly didn't care about such morality.
The three words, Death Eater.
Need any more words?
"Slytherin doesn't need students like this, being lured to Hogwarts Village by a stripper's card — he's even worse than those Gryffindor fools!"
Snape raised his wand to cast a spell on Marcus Flint, for although he eventually reformed, the use of the Forgetfulness Spell was what distinguished him from other Dark Wizards. The connections of the opponent's family at the Ministry of Magic were indeed troublesome, but as long as the opponent remembered nothing, then it naturally ceased to be a problem.
Connections?
What good are they against a magic wand?
"Severus, I hope I'm not interrupting your work." Just as Snape had finished preparing a vividly colored potion, he turned around to find Dumbledore had somehow appeared in his office.
"Albus, how... why are you here?"
A startled Snape took a few steps back, discreetly hiding the potion behind him. Clearly, this was not a concoction whose effects he wanted Dumbledore to discover.
"I just wanted to be first informed of Mr. Flint's outcome." Dumbledore tilted his head slightly to glance at the bound Marcus Flint.
"It was the Imperio Curse, wasn't it? Without tying Flint up, I couldn't fulfill your instructions; he might suddenly attack me in a deadly ambush."
Snape preempted an explanation for why he treated Marcus Flint in this manner.
Imperio Curse.
One of the three Unforgivable Curses.
Victims felt a blankness in their mind; all thoughts and responsibilities vanished amidst immense joy and pleasure, following the voice in their head without question.
Even if commanded to kill their own parents, the cursed individual would comply with a smile, unless they possessed extraordinary mental resilience.
"Indeed."
Dumbledore nodded slightly.
Neither approving nor disapproving.
"Did you find any useful information in Mr. Flint's mind?" Dumbledore walked over to the unconscious Marcus Flint.
Under Snape's somewhat astonished gaze.
He raised his wand.
Aimed at Marcus Flint's temple, quickly extracting a strand of memory like a silver thread and storing it in a specially prepared container.
"The caster's methods are highly advanced and cautious; even while altering Flint's memory, they left no identifying information." Snape thought Dumbledore's behavior a bit inexplicable; did this imply suspicion of fabricated tales?
Was there a Death Eater's shadow behind this incident?
Did Dumbledore no longer trust him?
In an instant.
Snape's brow furrowed into knots.
"It seems the hidden little mouse, stealthily lurking, has good teaching skills. Flint, not a remarkably gifted wizard, was taught your Sectumsempra overnight and then used to kill our Defense Against the Dark Arts Class teacher."
Dumbledore accomplished Legilimency without eye contact, which explained much of the fear people held for him.
"Indeed, after foolishly scrawling Prince's name and then self-assuredly coming to us for identification, Flint was merely trying to stick up for family friends."