"Kurat?"
Liam immediately recognized the name.
At King's Cross Station, after Panessa had lost her duel against Cassandra, Kurat had been the one foolish enough to try attacking her afterward.
But there was a problem.
A major problem.
Kurat wasn't capable of casting the Killing Curse with that level of precision.
Not even close.
Through his magical sight, Liam had already seen the boy's magical reserves before.
Blue-level magical power.
Decent for a student.
Pathetic for a Dark Wizard capable of accurately launching a Killing Curse from that distance.
No.
The attacker could not have been Kurat.
However...
The crushed corpse outside did roughly match Kurat's build.
A thought suddenly surfaced.
"Polyjuice Potion..."
Liam murmured quietly.
Professor McGonagall immediately turned toward him.
"Polyjuice Potion?"
"Yes."
Liam nodded.
"The corpse I killed today is approximately the same size as Kurat."
His silver eyes narrowed.
"I think Kurat is genuinely dead."
"And the Dark Wizard was disguised as him."
"Using Polyjuice Potion to infiltrate Hogwarts."
McGonagall's expression changed instantly.
The theory fit perfectly.
Two students missing since morning.
A disguised infiltrator.
Everything suddenly made sense.
"If that's true..."
McGonagall looked toward the Great Hall.
"The students gathered here may still be in danger."
Without another word, she drew her wand and hurried inside.
Liam followed.
The Great Hall was packed with students.
Dozens of conversations filled the room.
None of them realized a possible Death Eater might be sitting among them.
Liam activated his magical sight.
Instantly, colorful streams of magical power appeared throughout the hall.
White.
Blue.
Various shades in between.
Polyjuice Potion could alter appearance.
It could alter voice.
It could even fool close friends.
But it could not change magical power.
That was something far deeper.
A wizard's magical signature remained the same.
Liam calmly scanned the crowd.
Most students showed exactly what he expected.
Weak magical reserves.
Normal levels for children.
Then—
He found it.
Near the Gryffindor tables.
A fifth-year student.
Outwardly ordinary.
Inwardly absurd.
Cyan magical power filled nearly half his body.
A level that surpassed most Hogwarts professors.
A level completely impossible for a fifteen-year-old student.
Liam's eyes narrowed.
Found you.
At the same time, McGonagall had begun issuing orders.
"I'll have the prefects inspect everyone's belongings."
"If someone is disguised using Polyjuice Potion, we may find evidence."
Then she lowered her voice.
"If we discover the spy, can I rely on you to help subdue him?"
Instead of answering, Liam calmly drew his wand.
A split second later—
"Petrificus Totalus."
The spell flashed across the hall.
Everyone jumped.
A fifth-year Gryffindor student suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
Stiff as a board.
The entire Great Hall exploded into chaos.
"WHAT HAPPENED?"
"Why did Liam attack him?"
"Isn't that a fifth-year?"
"What's going on?"
McGonagall stared in shock.
"Liam?"
Ignoring the confusion, Liam flicked his wand.
The immobilized student floated through the air and landed directly before them.
"Professor."
Liam pointed at the body.
"I think this one is suspicious."
McGonagall looked between Liam and the student.
"You're certain?"
"Very."
"Do we have any Polyjuice antidote available?"
Liam asked.
McGonagall frowned.
"Severus should."
"Then please fetch Professor Snape."
Without waiting, Liam removed the student's wand and slipped it into his pocket.
McGonagall immediately raised her own wand.
"Expecto Patronum."
A silver tabby cat burst from the tip.
The magical messenger sprinted out of the Great Hall.
Students stared in amazement.
Most first-years had never seen a Patronus before.
Twenty minutes later, Snape arrived.
His black robes billowed dramatically behind him.
Without asking questions, he pulled a small vial from his pocket.
He forced the potion into the immobilized student's mouth.
Seconds passed.
Then the transformation began.
The student's face twisted violently.
Bones cracked.
Height increased.
Features shifted.
Within moments, the supposed fifth-year Gryffindor had become an entirely different person.
A gaunt middle-aged wizard with a cruel face.
Snape's expression immediately darkened.
"Evan Rosier."
The name caused several professors nearby to tense.
Liam looked toward him.
"You know him?"
"My classmate."
Snape's voice was cold.
"Death Eater."
That explained everything.
Snape flicked his wand.
The Petrification Curse weakened slightly, allowing the prisoner limited movement.
Then he stepped forward and jabbed Rosier in the face with his wand.
"Severus Snape!"
Rosier spat the words like poison.
"You filthy traitor."
"You enjoy being Dumbledore's lapdog?"
Snape's eyes became dangerous.
"Azkaban should suit you nicely."
His voice dropped lower.
"I'm sure the Dementors will welcome you."
Rosier laughed.
Actually laughed.
"Dementors?"
"Who cares?"
Then his face twisted into pure malice.
"The woman you loved was still killed by the Dark Lord."
"Hahaha!"
"That's your punishment, Severus!"
The atmosphere instantly froze.
Every professor present stiffened.
Snape's face went completely blank.
Which was somehow even more frightening.
"Avada—"
Green light began forming at the tip of his wand.
"SEVERUS!"
McGonagall reacted instantly.
"Expelliarmus!"
Snape's wand flew from his hand.
The interruption broke the curse.
Rosier immediately lunged.
If he could grab Snape's wand, he might still escape.
Unfortunately—
Someone else was faster.
Liam's wand had already moved.
"Diffindo."
A silver flash sliced through the air.
For a brief moment, nobody understood what had happened.
Then Rosier screamed.
Blood exploded across the floor.
His right arm separated completely from his body and crashed onto the stone floor beside him.
The severed limb twitched once.
Then went still.
Rosier collapsed onto the ground.
Rolling.
Screaming.
Howling in agony.
The Great Hall fell utterly silent.
Every student stared in horror.
Even the professors looked shaken.
Liam lowered his wand calmly.
His voice was ice-cold.
"You should be grateful."
He looked down at the writhing Death Eater.
"The fact that you're still alive means I'm already showing restraint."
....
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