Hogwarts: I am Snape

Chapter 64 More Similarities

Seeing the puzzled look on Barty's face, Snape waved his wand, sighed heavily, and said in a voice full of appreciation and agreement, "Sigh, every time I see you, I am reminded of my past self."

"When we were in Volpugis, you always stayed quietly by yourself, just like I used to like to huddle in a corner."

“But you haven’t been to the gatherings in a long time,” Little Barty said in a low voice. “They all say you betrayed us, don’t they?”

“No, they betrayed me,” Snape said sarcastically. “I used to be like a believer, hoping to gain recognition and a sense of belonging there. But as time went on, I realized that to them, I was just a dispensable servant.”

"What does that prove?" Little Barty curled his lip, looking disdainful. "We can only officially join after graduation..."

"Do you really think so?" Snape glanced at Barty Jr.'s left arm, seemingly casually. "Murcyber obviously doesn't think so, even though he's currently rotting away in Azkaban."

Little Barty gave a soft hum.

“You know what?” Snape leaned forward, looking into Barty’s eyes, “we have a lot in common, for example, we both have very disappointing fathers… extremely disappointing…”

“Is that so?” Barty’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “My father is not a Muggle.”

“Yes, yes,” Snape said, clapping his hands dramatically, “who doesn’t know the famous Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement—Mr. Barty Crouch?”

“But you never mentioned him at school, as if he didn’t exist.”

A look of disgust flashed across Little Barty's face, as if someone had reopened a wound.

Snape suddenly stood up and plopped down on Barty Jr.'s hospital bed. The two were so close they could almost hear each other breathing.

Snape stared directly into Barty's eyes and said in a low voice:

“All along, although we’ve all pretended that our fathers don’t exist, in a sense, I’m even a little envious of you. At least your father isn’t a complete bastard.”

"That's not much better..." Little Barty muttered softly, a hint of wavering in his voice.

"Do you think he loves you?" Snape suddenly asked.

Little Barty froze for a moment, then slowly shook his head without saying a word.

“My father didn’t love me either, he didn’t even love my mother,” Snape said in a low voice. “I hate him.”

Little Barty's pupils dilated instantly.

“So,” Snape’s face hardened, “I made him lose what he cared about most.”

"What is that?" Little Barty couldn't help but ask curiously. He seemed very interested in the answer to this question.

“He’s a frustrated, short-tempered Muggle,” Snape didn’t answer Barty’s question directly. “He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”

“When I went back to school this time…” Snape paused deliberately before continuing, “I could see the Thestrals in front of the school carriages…” “You mean…” Barty Jr. propped himself up with his hands in shock, muttering, “Professor Kettleburn said in class that only those who have seen death can see Thestrals…”

“No, your guess is wrong.” Snape looked at Barty Jr. meaningfully. “Let me ask you another question: Do you think your mother loves you?”

Barty nodded almost without hesitation.

“You know what, there’s one more thing we have in common,” Snape said sincerely, “that is, we both have a mother who loves us.”

Snape gently patted Barty on the shoulder and said softly, "Barty, I'm not kidding, we really are alike."

“Wolpugis and his gang, the Death Eaters, and even the Mystic, will never truly understand you and me. We are the real kind of people.”

“I am willing, and I can help you,” Snape said, extending his right hand to Barty Jr. “to take away what your father cares about most, and to ensure your mother continues to love you. Are you willing?”

Barty stared at the hand, remaining silent for a long while. Finally, he slowly extended his right hand and grasped Snape's hand.

“When you are fully recovered, and if the time is right, I will share my story with you, Barty.” Snape released Barty’s hand.

When I came out of the school hospital, it was already bright outside, and the sunlight was shining brightly on the corridor.

Snape rubbed his sore eyes, intending to walk down the corridor to the Great Hall to get something to eat, and then return to his dormitory for a good night's sleep.

Along the way, he thought that after his "wonderful performance" in the duel, his classmates would avoid him like the plague.

But to his surprise, several classmates nodded and greeted him in a friendly manner as they passed by, something that had never happened before.

As he walked through the hallway, looking puzzled, a tall Hufflepuff sixth-grader strode over and invited him to have breakfast together.

“You’re fantastic, Severus,” Bertram Aubrey said enthusiastically, handing Snape a glass of hot pumpkin juice. “The duel the other day was truly exhilarating; look at Potter’s bare bottom…”

“Ah, thank you, Bertram.” Bertram was a little too enthusiastic, which made Snape feel a little uncomfortable. “I’m glad I didn’t scare you.”

“I should be the one thanking you!” Bertram grinned happily. “To be honest, I was a little startled by you at the time. But then I thought about it, and you didn’t strip anyone else of their robes.”

He lowered his voice, his tone full of satisfaction: "You know what? Potter hasn't been to school for the past two days. It's been so satisfying. Seriously, if I could beat them, I would have taken matters into my own hands."

"And Blake, what did you say to him? The expression on his face when he conceded defeat..."

"What did they do to you?" Snape raised an eyebrow, somewhat understanding Bertram's behavior.

Bertram slammed his fist on the table angrily, his face turning red: "Just because I was grouped with Lily Evans in Divination class, Potter and Black actually stopped me in the hallway after class, saying that I was overestimating myself and having wild ideas, and they cast a curse on me."

He gestured as he excitedly said, "That curse made my head twice the size, and I spent two whole weeks in the school hospital! During that time, my headache was almost unbearable..."

(End of this chapter)