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Chapter 255: A Man of Responsibility
Chapter 255: A Man of Responsibility
Facing Silke's questioning, Sherlock merely shook his head with a bitter smile.
He got up from the sofa, not looking at the girl standing in front of him, whose eyes were covered by a black ribbon, but instead gazing out the window of the office.
"There are many things I can't tell you", he said softly. "It's not because I don't trust you, nor because I'm worried about something. It's just a secret I'm destined to keep for the rest of my life."
"I'm not a hero", he continued, "and in that, I'm not like your father. He can make selfless sacrifices for the Wizarding World, even neglecting his family. I often call him a fool, but I actually admire him for it. He can do things I can't."
"But even though I can't be that selfless, I have my own principles and boundaries. If I can help with something, I'll do my best. But if helping could put me or those around me in danger, I won't do it."
"However, if something is entirely my fault, I can't just walk away as if it has nothing to do with me."
Sherlock turned his gaze to Silke, meeting her eyes, which were covered by the black ribbon.
"What I'm trying to do now is to clean up the mess I've created. I need to ensure that, even with my interference, those who should live will still live, and not die because of some unforeseen influence they don't even understand."
Silke seemed to clench her teeth, her lips pressed together. She then asked, "What if, even if you risk your life, someone in this castle still dies? What will you do?"
Sherlock blinked, then smiled gently.
"I'll feel guilty and ashamed, but that's all. I'll still continue with my life. After all, if I'm willing to risk my life for this, and someone still dies, I can live with that."
"At least, I won't be the kind of person who hides from their own mess, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. I'm a man of responsibility, right?"
Outside, the autumn sun had risen to its zenith, and the bright sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a rainbow of colors into the small office.
Silke stood in the warm sunlight, staring at Sherlock with a mix of anger and frustration.
Sherlock's face, still tinged with a hint of melancholy, broke into a warm smile.
Seeing that smile, Silke's expression softened. Then, to Sherlock's surprise, she bent down and embraced him tightly.
"Your well-being is more important than any sense of responsibility."
...
There was only a week left until Halloween, and the Triwizard Tournament was about to begin.
The last weekend before the holiday arrived quietly.
It had been three days since all the students at Hogwarts experienced the collective nightmare, and no student had repeated the dream during the following nights. This allowed the students to quickly forget about the incident.
After all, the Triwizard Tournament was drawing near, and the young wizards, who had been eagerly anticipating it for two months, were becoming even more impatient.
However, on the first night of the weekend, at midnight, the four headmasters, along with Sherlock and Silke, gathered in front of the tapestry of "Troll Slaps Barney" on the eighth floor of the castle.
The small silver raven, which had been guarding the tapestry for three days, fluttered lightly onto Sherlock's arm. It had been diligently watching over the entrance to the Room of Requirement, ensuring that Fidelius had not left during this time.
On their way, Professor Mcgonagall and the others had already noticed the strange tension between Silke and Sherlock. Silke seemed to be angry about something and hadn't spoken to Sherlock at all during the journey.
Sherlock only gave a forced laugh and didn't offer any explanation. He had intended to explain a bit, to reassure Professor Mcgonagall and the others that Silke was just throwing a tantrum, but he was well aware that saying such a thing would only make Silke's mood worse.
The reason for Silke's anger was quite simple. After she had given Sherlock a tight hug without any warning, he had lectured her for a full two hours, saying things like, "You're a big girl now", "You said it yourself, treat me like Vera, not Amy", and "How can a girl so easily get close to a boy?"
This had made Silke, who had been feeling more relaxed, furious again. She didn't even eat lunch and gave Sherlock a cold shoulder, and she was still angry even now.
Sherlock was not some insensitive brute; he could see that Silke had feelings for him that went beyond the ordinary. However, he couldn't bring himself to cross that line, to do something that even a former villain like Snape would find despicable.
Getting back to the matter at hand, their mission tonight was clear: to completely take care of Fidelius hidden in the Room of Requirement. Before they came, Sherlock had already explained the complete plan to Professor Mcgonagall and the others. The process was actually quite straightforward.
Before her argument with Sherlock, Silke had suggested that since they knew Fidelius's location, they should simply inform the German Ministry of Magic and let them send people to capture the Straw Golem.
However, after much thought, Sherlock decided to keep the information to himself. Apart from worrying that the German Ministry of Magic's actions at Hogwarts might affect the students, Sherlock didn't trust those German wizards. It was their fault that Fidelius had escaped in the first place. Who could guarantee that the people sent to Hogwarts this time wouldn't have issues of their own?
After confirming with Silke that she could control the Straw Golem once it was fully subdued, Sherlock decided that Hogwarts would handle the matter internally. The four headmasters had no qualms about this, and each of them was as powerful as the top Aurors from the Ministry of Magic. They were more than capable of dealing with a dark creature like Fidelius, who typically operated in the shadows.
(End of Chapter)
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