Then something clicked in Neville’s mind, he understood what the elf was trying to say
You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue… resourcefulness… determination… a certain disregard for rules,” he added, his mustache quivering again. “Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. That is because you have more of the qualities of Gryffindor in you.”
He has a knack for reading and quite a remarkable thirst for knowledge. Yet instead of putting him in Ravenclaw, that is because he had more qualities of a Slytherin than that of a Ravenclaw.”
The old man continued, “Also, one’s future cannot be ascertained by the house they go into. You seem to have this bad image of Slytherin, but they are all not that bad. Look at Ronan here, he is a Slytherin and is quite a good friend of yours.”
Neville nodded. Then Dumbledore sat down on the desk, “Now you should all go and get yourself checked, I will have to draft a advertisement to get a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,”
Hearing this, Ronan scoffed, “Yeah right,” Harry and Neville got up, but Ronan remained seated in his seat. Neville looked at him, So he simply answered, “I need to discuss something with Professor… You guys go ahead,”
Dumbledore who had been writing the letter all this time looked up, his eyes twinkling. But as Harry and Neville came to the door, it burst open and Lucious Malfoy walked in with weak a malnourished elf walking behind him. “So,” Lucious said “Is this is you new office now?”
The pale then took out a stack of papers, “The eleven governors of the school had held a meeting recently. We have decided to kick you out of the school, considering the ongoinng attacks. It seems that you have lost your edge, Dumbledore,”
“You will be happy to know that the attacks would stop from today onwards,” Dumbledore said, “We have managed to catch the culprit as well. As far as my termination is concerned, I think that governors would reconsider the decision when I will give them the good news.”
Dumbledore then turned to Ronan, “Look at Ronan for example
Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury. “So… have you stopped the attacks yet?” he sneered. “Have you caught the culprit?”
“The same person as last time, Lucius,” said Dumbledore. “But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary.” The old man then showed Lucious the diary, and it was when Ronan noticed that elf behind Lucious signaled Neville. The elf signaled towards the diary, then towards Malfoy.
“A clever plan,” said Dumbledore in a level voice, still Enterprise, OK women staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. “Because if it weren’t for these three and Ron Weasley here” Malfoy shot Johanson a swift, sharp look “the school would ultimately would have gotten closed.”
“Don’t you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?” asked Neville, catching Ronan off guard.
Lucius Malfoy rounded on him. “How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?” he said.
“Because you gave it to her,” said Neville. “In Flourish and Blotts, before you and Mr. Weasley started fighting, you picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn’t you?”
“Oh, no one will be able to do that,” said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry. “Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go give out any more of Lord Voldemort’s old-school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you. . . .”
