"Still can't find anything?"

"We've expanded the search radius to half of Bristol and only detected three suspicious Apparition traces. However, after tracking them, none belonged to Snape."

"He absolutely couldn't have acted alone! And what about that child who's been seen with him these past two days? Any leads on his identity?"

"Nothing. It's hard to track underage wizarding children who haven't reached Hogwarts age. We can't confirm which family the boy called 'Dudley Dursley' comes from."

"What about Slughorn? Did he say anything?"

"Whether facing Aurors or reporters, he insists he knows nothing about the so-called potion or what Snape is planning. He claims he only procured ingredients for a batch of Draught of Living Death for Snape and helped him find distribution channels… nothing more. He denies any involvement in the actual brewing process."

"And we're just supposed to take his word for it? He met with Snape twice in three days! Both times at his house!"

"Well... there's nothing we can do. Slughorn has deep connections. We couldn't even detain him properly. Just bringing him to the Ministry prompted over a dozen prominent wizards to send us letters, including high-ranking officials within the department."

"So the trail ends here?"

In the temporary Auror investigation office set up in Bristol, Robards's expression was grim.

After the Ministry issued the highest-level arrest warrant, he and Kingsley had led their team to set up operations here, overseeing the manhunt for Severus Snape.

But now, night had fallen, and despite conducting a full-scale Apparition trace across Bristol and interrogating everyone who had contact with Snape recently… even learning that Severus had spoken to three of the Weasley children in Diagon Alley days earlier, prompting Aurors to interview Arthur, George, Fred, and Percy at the Ministry, they had hit a dead end.

They didn't find any leads and had no idea where Severus and his group had gone or who was with him.

The matter was at a stalemate from the very beginning, and the Aurors couldn't find any suitable entry point.

This made Robards feel frustrated.

He had always seen Scrimgeour as his role model, so he is determined to bring all Dark wizards to justice, including former Death Eaters like Snape and Malfoy, who had escaped punishment after Voldemort's fall.

Now that Snape had finally slipped up, giving them a chance to catch him, Robards couldn't accept failing due to his own incompetence.

Just as he spread out all the clues on his desk under the bright fluorescent lights, hoping to re-examine them for a new angle, the office door suddenly opened.

Kingsley walked in, surrounded by floating, neatly organized documents and several evidence bags.

"New developments!"

Robards immediately stood up, his gaze fixed on Kingsley.

"What did you find?"

"If Snape's initial purpose in coming to Badminton Estate was to take that Muggle away, he could've done it on the first night. There was no need to stay for two more days."

Kingsley waved his wand, letting the documents settle onto Robards's desk as he continued, "This means that either he was doing something else at the estate or he only decided to take the Muggle after arriving."

"So following this lead, I questioned Henry Martin in detail about Snape's movements after his arrival. He told me that last night, Snape took his student out for a walk without notifying anyone."

"A walk?" Robards flipped through the documents on the desk, but his attention was obviously focused on what Kingsley said.

"This is clearly an alibi and an excuse." Kingsley said himself.

"I investigated the route from Badminton Estate to Bristol and got a lead from a Muggle taxi driver. He said around 9 p.m last night, he picked up a tall man with a pipe and a cane, accompanied by a boy in a newsboy cap, near the Bristol police station and dropped them off at the estate gates."

"That's them!" Just from the description, Robards was certain it was them.

"Exactly. It was Severus Snape and his student, Dudley. I just returned from the Bristol police station. A sergeant named Nelson Gordon had clearly been hit by Confundus Charm recently… he claimed he met Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Watson yesterday and 'helped them do their part'."

Kingsley pointed at the items on the desk.

"These. Snape used the Confundus Charm to confuse him last night, pretending to be a detective, and had him escort them into the station to retrieve these information."

At this moment, Robards was completely focused on the documents and evidence, and he soon found out what they were.

"These are the Muggle police's investigative records on the victim before we arrived! And the items they found in her room!"

He turned to Kingsley in shock.

"Why didn't the Muggles voluntarily hand these over to us from the start?"

Kingsley's voice was grave.

"They assumed we'd ask for them. But none of us even considered consulting the Muggles."

Of course, Robards wasn't the type to reflect like Kingsley. He believed the Muggles should take the initiative to report about such things immediately instead of waiting for wizards to inquire.

But his mind was sharp, and from Kingsley's discovery at the Muggle police station, he quickly grasped the implications of Severus's actions.

"He didn't take these investigative records... nor did he deliberately erase the Muggle sergeant's memory... He wasn't there to destroy evidence!"

Robards was stunned by his own conclusion.

"He was investigating... He was solving the case himself!"

"Exactly. This proves that when he first arrived at Badminton Estate, he likely didn't know who was behind the poisoning either. He was searching for the culprit. It was only after finding these at the police station that he learned something… prompting what he did today."

Kingsley's words made Robards re-examine the evidence.

A tulip-shaped brooch, bearing traces of a Reparo Charm.

A notebook with a page torn out.

And a whole clove of garlic.

"What did he find from these things?"

"We are clearly lacking some crucial information, so we have no way of knowing what Snape discovered."

As Kingsley spoke, Kingsley pulled out a photograph from the files. It was a clear shot of the mark on Patty's neck that was suspected to be left by fangs.

"The only possible connection is the garlic and this wound. The Muggle victim seemed to be using garlic to ward off a vampire."

"But if she knew she needed garlic to defend against a vampire, why didn't she just ask her family for help?" Robards frowned and questioned.

After staring at the information and evidence and pondering for a while, Kingsley suddenly shook his head and said seriously, "We can leave further investigation of these leads to the junior Aurors for now, but from the fact that we did not coordinate and communicate well with the Muggle police, I've realized something."

Robards looked up at him, and Kingsley met his eyes.

"Our connection with Muggles is too weak. Nearly all our investigative efforts focus solely on the Wizarding World. The fact that Snape thought to consult the Muggle police means he's already spotted this flaw."

"And if he's planning an escape, there's a high chance he'll exploit this weakness. He won't use magic at all, but use Muggle means instead!"

Robards was a little skeptical.

"Are you sure? Don't forget what he used to be, a Death Eater! Not to mention Muggles, these people wouldn't hesitate to exterminate Muggle-born wizards! Even during his years at Hogwarts, he rarely left the castle. How would he even think of this?"

"He has changed!" Kingsley asserted, "When I first him at Gringotts, he felt like a completely different person! I don't know what happened to him, but we can't let his past behavior cloud our judgment!"

"What are you planning?" Robards stared at Kingsley, sensing his partner had a specific strategy in mind.

"You stay here and keep searching for leads on the wizarding side. I'll request the Ministry to contact the Muggle Prime Minister and arrange an identity for me. If Snape is escaping through Muggle means, then I'll use Muggle means to track him!"

Kingsley's voice was calm, he'd already worked this out on the way back.

For a moment, Robards didn't respond. He studied Kingsley for a long moment before suddenly saying.

"I thought you'd hold back out of consideration for Dumbledore's influence."

Kingsleon raised his head and looked at him, his eyes, which were usually warm as he always treated people with kindness, now showed contempt.

"You think too little of me, Gawain."

"I believe in Dumbledore. If Dumbledore also believes in his Head of Slytherin House, then I will not have any doubts and firmly believe in Snape's innocence."

"Since I firmly believe this, why would I hold back in the investigation?"

"On the contrary, I must thoroughly investigate the truth. To prove Dumbledore right. And to prove Snape's innocence."

After saying that, he turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

Only Robards was left, deep in thought.