Volume 1 Chapter 44 You're a Squib
"Isn't your conclusion too arbitrary?"
Jon did not directly say that Ron's reasoning was wrong. There was no problem with his logic, but there was some discrepancy in the final result.
"There are many reasons why . I think the possibility that Filch is an undercover agent is very small, but the possibility that he cannot use magic at all is very high."
"How is that possible!" Ron raised his voice. "How can there be people in a magic school who can't use magic? Muggles can't even see our carriage, let alone get on it."
Jon stared at him.
"Who says only Muggles can't use magic?"
Ron said it subconsciously before he could figure out what Jon was referring to at first.
"Besides Muggles, there are only wizards. How can a wizard not learn magic?"
Neville, who was standing by, understood what Jon meant.
"Jon's point is that there's a good chance Filch is a Squib."
Ron was stunned.
"Is he a Squib?"
Justin looked confused.
"What's a Squib?"
Neville explained to him: "Squibs are people who have magic in their bodies but have no way to learn and use magic. These people usually lived in the wizarding world before. They know the existence of magic and wizards, but they are not accepted by wizards."
"If Filch is a Squib, then he definitely cannot be an undercover agent of the Ministry of Magic, because according to the current magical laws of the Ministry of Magic, Squibs are not qualified to live in the wizarding world. Once discovered, whether they are pure-blood or half-blood, all memories of the wizarding world will be wiped out and they will be thrown into Muggle society to fend for themselves."
"And I heard that most of these people have become homeless in Muggle society. They don't have Muggle knowledge and skills, and they have lost their memories of the wizarding world and can't use magic. Many of them have even forgotten who they are, where they came from, and why they live in this world. They live like zombies every day."
"Given the current Ministry of Magic's policies and discrimination against Squibs, if Filch is really a Squib, then there is absolutely no possibility for him to become an undercover agent of the Ministry of Magic, unless he is under the Imperius Curse."
After Neville's detailed explanation, Justin finally understood why Squibs could not be undercover agents in the Ministry of Magic.
But the fact that Filch was a Squib, like Ron's guess that Filch was an undercover agent, came from the fact that he had never used magic in school.
Ron would naturally prefer to believe his own guess, even though it now seems that the theory of a dumb gun is more reasonable.
Seeing the dangerous look in his eyes that said "I just want to do something big", Jon couldn't help but say helplessly.
"It's just speculation. If you really think Filch is an undercover agent, you can tell Professor McGonagall and the others about it. Don't do anything rash on your own."
Ron curled his lips.
"The professors won't believe it. They all think Filch is a qualified administrator."
It can be seen from the original book that both Ron and Harry are troublemakers. Although Harry is gone now, Ron's character has not undergone as great a change as Neville's. His heart is restless, and he always wants to do something big to attract other people's attention.
Jon was not a pushover and wanted to stop Ron from causing trouble, but he was well aware of the current situation at Hogwarts. If something big happened because of a small matter, it would put too much psychological pressure on the students.
So in order to prevent Ron from seeking death and implicate the people in the carriage, he made a suggestion.
"In fact, the problem now is very simple. You suspect Filch is an undercover agent of the Ministry of Magic. But if he is a Squib, then the fact that he has never used magic can be explained, and the undercover theory is pure nonsense. So as long as we can prove whether he is a Squib or not, the problem will be solved."
Ron blinked.
"The key is how do we prove that Filch is a Squib?"
"It's very simple, follow me."
Jon put down the parchment in his hand, took Ron, Neville, Justin and the other two out of the dormitory and walked straight towards Filch's office.
Seeing his action, Ron's face showed excitement.
"Are you planning to duel with Filch? Yes! If we force him to take action, we will know whether he can't use magic or doesn't want to use magic at all!"
Neville had a worried look on his face. He felt that Jon shouldn't be so impulsive.
But no matter what they thought, Jon had already arrived at Filch's office door and knocked.
After they walked in, the administrator with fish-like eyes looked at them unfriendly.
"What do you want to see me for?"
Ron's face showed anticipation. He had already begun to imagine that John would draw his wand and challenge the old man Filch to a duel in the next moment.
Neville looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. He really wanted to stop Jon, but he knew that Jon's personality was such that once he made a decision, he would not change it easily.
Justin was watching the show eagerly, he found the wizard duel very interesting.
However, what Jon said next made each of their jaws drop.
"You're a Squib, aren't you, Filch?"
Jon's straightforward words caused the entire office to fall into an eerie silence.
Ron and the other two stared at him in astonishment, while Filch also looked stunned, standing still as if he had been petrified.
Although his body did not move , Filch's old face turned pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The fireplace in the office was warm, but one still needed to wear a sweater to feel most comfortable. Filch, who was only wearing a thin shirt, had beads of sweat on his forehead. He looked like he was being tortured by being exposed to the sun at 40 degrees.
He opened his dry lips and a strange "ho ho ho" sound came out of his throat. This state lasted for nearly two or three minutes before he screamed in an almost hysterical voice.
"What nonsense are you talking about! Who is a Squib? Are you trying to make me lose my dignity as an administrator by slandering me, so as to satisfy your fantasy of doing whatever you want in school? I tell you! Dream on! I will punish you! I will put you in solitary confinement! For a whole semester! The reason is that you slandered the faculty! Let all the students in the school see what happens to you if you do this!"
Jon remained calm in the face of Filch's anger.
"You dare not do this, because Professor McGonagall will never approve your punishment. There is indeed a rule in the school rules that prohibits slandering faculty members, but I am telling the truth. Professor McGonagall will never violate the school rules. And if that happens, all the students in the school will know that you are really a Squib."
Filch looked at Jon with his eyes that seemed about to pop out of his head. The panic and fear that were about to overflow in his eyes could not be hidden at all. Even Ron and Justin could clearly see that he was afraid.
