HP: Wormwood and Lightning Wood

West followed Snape like a little tail all the way back to the Great Hall, and only sat down at the Slytherin table after watching Snape return to the teachers' table.

"Vester, where did you go yesterday?" Draco asked. "You didn't come back to the dorm all night?"

West sighed, "I've gone to chase after my wife, and I'm not going back."

Draco had three big question marks above his head, but West started eating breakfast, so he didn't ask any more questions.

As breakfast was drawing to a close, a flock of owls flew in.

Hermione's owl Minerva dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of her.

It was a grizzly owl, its majestic expression trembling as it landed on the table and began to drink the pumpkin juice from Hermione's cup.

Minerva was a birthday gift from West to Hermione, which made Ron envious for days.

"The Azkaban case has finally been redressed! Sirius Black has been exonerated of treason."

"Peter Pettigrew's crimes exposed! Ministry of Magic admits to wrongly sentencing Sirius Black to thirteen years."

"Death Eaters break out of prison! Minister Fudge sends Dementors to protect students and hunt down the Death Eaters."

After breakfast, the first class was divination.

As soon as Draco stepped into the classroom, he began to complain – it was a mix of an attic and a tea shop, somewhat dilapidated, with twenty small round tables on the floor.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat at the same round table, while West, Draco, and Theodore sat together.

Professor Trelawney came out, wearing large glasses and a gauze shawl, her slender neck and arms adorned with countless necklaces and bracelets.

She urged the students to take their seats quickly, saying, "Welcome to Divination class, children. You've chosen Divination, the most difficult course of all the magical arts. I must warn you from the outset: without 'vision,' there's very little I can teach you; in this respect, books can only take you so far..."

West was lost in thought, wondering what Severus was doing.

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione and laughed—Hermione seemed quite surprised by the professor's words.

"Only a few people possess the talent for divination," she continued, then suddenly looked at Neville, "How is your grandmother?"

Neville was startled and nearly fell off the cushion. He nodded, trembling. "I think it's okay."

Professor Trelawney performed some mystical divinations for several students, causing them to become somewhat anxious and fearful of impending doom.

She then had the students divide into two groups, take a teacup from the shelf, and use the tea leaves to perform divination.

West casually handed the teacup to Draco. Draco and Theodore eagerly flipped through "Understanding the Future," trying to predict West's fate.

Ron, standing nearby, was deciphering Harry's teacup.

"Hmm... here's a bowler hat... are you going to work for the Ministry of Magic?"

"What is this? A hippopotamus... no, a sheep..."

The two burst into laughter.

Trelawney, somewhat annoyed, snatched Harry's teacup. "Let me see."

"Falcon... darling, you have a mortal enemy." She said to Harry with a serious expression.

"Everyone knows Harry and Vader are mortal enemies," Hermione said loudly.

Trelawney glared at Hermione, then looked at Harry's teacup. "Hmm... Bird, oh dear, this is good news, your romance is on its way..."

"It's not unusual for teenagers to date," Hermione said, her tone slightly displeased, clearly thinking the professor was being charlatan.

Harry listened attentively, his ears turning red as he secretly glanced at Draco out of the corner of his eye.

Draco was showing West a teacup. "A scythe... what's that? Let me see..."

Theodore turned to the page. "Hmm...death is imminent..." He pursed his lips, closed the book, and glanced awkwardly at West, somewhat embarrassed. "I think this might not be entirely accurate."

West waved dismissively.

"Oh dear!"

Trelawney's voice boomed behind the three of them.

She snatched the cup from Draco's hand, "You're about to..."

She abruptly looked at West, her eyes unfocused, her body stiff, and said in a hollow, mechanical voice, "You will die... death is coming... toward death..."

The students stared at her in horror, and the classroom fell into a deathly silence.

West frowned. Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class.

Hermione yelled angrily, "Nonsense!" She slammed her teacup on the table and left the classroom.

West glanced at Trelawney, who was lost in thought, smiled noncommittally, and left the classroom.

The remaining students looked at each other, and without waiting for the professor to speak, silently put their teacups back and quickly left.

Trelawney stood stiffly for a long time, then suddenly shuddered violently, as if her soul had just returned to her body, and her eyes lit up again.

She looked at the empty classroom and scratched her head in confusion.

West excused himself from the following Transfiguration and Magical Creatures classes. He had other things to do.

"Severus." He returned to the cellar, where Snape was already standing in front of the fireplace waiting for him.

"Come here," Snape said.

"Wait, let me change my clothes first," West said. "I'll borrow your room, Severus—or I can change here if you don't mind."

"...Get in there," Snape said.

When West reappeared, he had returned to his seventeen-year-old appearance, wearing a fitted dark green robe with the Somerset family crest embroidered on the collar and the Somerset head's ring on his thumb.

He was now half a head taller than Snape, with handsome features and a clear outline. His long, red curly hair reached his waist and was tied with a green ribbon embroidered with gold patterns, making him look like a captivating and beautiful siren from a folk tale.

Snape was momentarily stunned, until he heard West chuckle softly, "Severus?"

West walked up to Snape, his eyes practically overflowing with joy. He took Snape's hand, bent down slightly, and reverently placed a kiss on the back of his hand.

"Is it beautiful?" West asked, looking up with a smile.

Snape snapped out of his daze, awkwardly withdrawing his hand. "...It's alright."

They arrived at Malfoy Manor through the cellar fireplace.

Having received Snape's letter in advance, Lucius and Narcissa were already seated in the reception room, ready for anything.

When Lucius heard from Snape that the Somerset family wanted to see him to discuss a collaboration with the Malfoys, he was completely bewildered.

The Somerset family has been living in seclusion for many years.

Even though the collateral branches that recently took up positions at the Ministry of Magic seem to be becoming active again, the main branch of the Somerset family has been absent for a long time, and he doesn't know how his friend got involved with the Somerset family.

Lucius had a bad feeling.

He took Narcissa's hand, and the two waited in silence.