Weilan quickly organized his thoughts:
"First, the ticket. Peter actually claimed his ticket came from Mr. Malfoy! He clearly told Black that his ticket came from his 'fiancée.'"
"Second, this ring as a token. Someone who hires a killer would want to clear themselves of suspicion as much as possible. Why would he give the killer an item that marks his identity?"
What's more, Weilan had overheard Mr. Malfoy saying that this ring was a family heirloom of the House of Malfoy.
Who would give a precious family treasure to a sacrificial pawn!
"Finally, the footprints. The explanation still doesn't make logical sense!"
"Let's not even mention there were no Peter's footprints inside. Just consider the footprints outside—"
"Peter killed someone. His first reaction should be to avoid suspicion. So why did he choose to remain in human form and leave the scene? Wouldn't transforming into a rat be the best option?"
"Those small footprints outside, from the very beginning, gave me a feeling of being out of place, as if..."
James continued Weilan's thought:
"They were deliberately placed?"
Weilan didn't respond to James's guess, but slowly stated his final conclusion:
"I suspect Peter was under a magic spell, or was being threatened."
"What Peter is saying now is very likely a script prepared by the real killer from the start."
"I personally believe the killer is deliberately using Peter as a pawn to frame Mr. Malfoy for the murder."
Weilan turned around and found Narcissa Malfoy had approached him at some point.
Her pale, delicate face was faintly suspended under the streetlamp, and glistening tears sparkled in her eyes.
"Go on."
Her lips moved, and she stared fixedly at Weilan as if he were a lifeline.
Weilan spread his palms: "That's it. I've stated my final conclusion."
"No!"
Narcissa's tone became urgent. She took a step forward, then restrained herself and lowered the hand she had extended towards Weilan.
Weilan had no good feelings for the House of Malfoy. In fact, in his first year, because of his orphan status, Draco Malfoy frequently picked on and bullied him.
That was a painful period he couldn't bear to recall, until Weilan, relying on his memories from his previous life, found the Half-Blood Prince's old textbook in the Potion classroom's storage cabinet, and everything gradually improved.
From the notes in the old textbook, he successively learned spells like "Sectumsempra" and "Levicorpus." Although he received detention for seriously injuring Little Malfoy, the nasty boys of Slytherin never dared to bully him again.
The distant memory ended, and Weilan's gaze returned to Little Malfoy behind Narcissa.
This young master was as arrogant as ever, unwilling to lower his noble head, merely standing silently in his mother's shadow, not moving a single step forward.
"Mr. Potter, these are my deductions. If there's nothing else, I'll return to my box to continue watching the match."
Weilan withdrew his gaze from Malfoy and, ignoring Narcissa's obstruction, bowed to James, preparing to leave.
"Wait!"
Narcissa finally set aside her aristocratic arrogance and demeanor, blocking Weilan's path with a swift stride.
Clink, clink, clink—
Narcissa reached for her waist, and with the crisp, attention-grabbing sound of Galleons, Weilan's listless, drooping eyelids suddenly widened.
"Mother!" Little Malfoy's face showed anger and incomprehension. "How could you..."
Narcissa turned her head and fiercely rebuked her son: "Shut up, Draco, you don't understand anything!"
Dozens of gleaming Galleons were clutched in Narcissa's palm.
Normally, it would be enough for Weilan to give a deep bow and utter, "Madam, your wish is my command."
But now was not normal.
"I refuse."
Weilan pushed the hand full of Galleons away from him.
Narcissa caught up to him a second time. This time, the emerald ring on her left ring finger lay quietly with the Galleons in her palm.
Her right hand was still tightly clutching a document, which she also handed to Weilan:
"You're a smart child, I can tell. If you can't say too much... at least, give me a piece of advice?"
Some streetlamp light spilled over, and James remotely glimpsed the document Narcissa handed to Weilan:
"What document is that? Has something happened to Mr. Malfoy?"
Weilan did not reach out to take the document, but watched James rush over, let the latter take the document, and begin reading it.
James was allowed to read this document.
Because this case involved the House of Malfoy, and investigating cases was Auror James's job, it was perfectly acceptable for him to examine the information submitted by Narcissa Malfoy.
Weilan, however, was not allowed to read this document.
He was merely a student detective who was investigating the case "on a whim."
And given the influence of the House of Malfoy, anyone who dared to frame a Malfoy...
Weilan couldn't say for sure, but he believed it would be wise for him to extricate himself now.
Besides, Malfoy wasn't like Harry, Hermione, or Ron, who had helped Weilan a lot at Hogwarts.
Weilan had no necessary reason to help Malfoy.
Weilan therefore refused Narcissa again:
"Madam Malfoy, I am just a student. More professional detectives and lawyers might be a better choice for you."
"There are no better choices..." Narcissa suddenly lowered her head and sobbed.
Her action caused Little Malfoy, who was still at a distance and confused, to panic.
He sprinted over, raised his magic wand, and stood between Narcissa and Weilan:
"Costa, what did you do to my mother?"
Seeing this, Weilan also drew his magic wand and held it in front of him.
The atmosphere was tense, and James, who had by now finished reading the entire document, raised his head:
"Malfoy, put down your magic wand! Your father is in big trouble!"
James then shook the document in his hand at him:
"Your father has been imprisoned in Azkaban! The Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement approved all the documents in just over twenty minutes!"
Azkaban?
That word made everyone present shiver involuntarily.
Black, who was closest to James, was the first to snatch the document, reading it word by word in disbelief.
"This is impossible? Twenty minutes! When did those incompetent fools at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement become so efficient?"
"Not necessarily impossible."
Weilan, deep in thought, took over Black's words:
"What if someone had already arranged all their connections within the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"
Narcissa was still wiping away tears, James and Black looked at Weilan in shock, and Little Malfoy's face was filled with endless terror.
Weilan had no interest in helping Malfoy, but he didn't want James to misunderstand the situation:
"Such a fast approval speed indicates that the killer's initial goal was to frame Mr. Malfoy into Azkaban prison!"
"Girlfriend, fiancée, inheritance—those were all actors hired by the killer!"
"The House of Malfoy couldn't possibly have no connections within the Ministry of Magic, and the fact that Madam Malfoy still needs to ask for my help can only mean that the situation is too tricky to be handled through internal connections within the Ministry of Magic."
Narcissa's tear-filled eyes almost pleaded as she looked at Weilan:
"Please, child, no private detective is willing to take on a case involving family feuds... You are very smart, even if it's just to provide me and Draco with a breakthrough!"
Weilan's temper flared up instantly:
If private detectives weren't willing, did that mean he was? He still wanted to protect himself and enjoy his youth, middle age, and old age in peace!
So he refused Narcissa one last time:
"Madam Malfoy, you are truly mistaken about me. I am just an ordinary little Wizard, with no extraordinary insights to offer you."
