A certain Hogwarts professor of runes

Chapter 731 Extra: Snape

Snape and Harry stood beside a neatly trimmed hedge, with a very respectable manor house not far away. Behind them were several Aurors and a dozen or so strikers, fewer than the enemy's numbers according to intelligence, but everyone present seemed relaxed.

"I really don't want to see Draco Malfoy in there," Harry said softly.

"Maybe he's not here," Snape said.

“But I went to the hospital this morning, and his assistant said he went home,” Harry said urgently. Snape stared at him coldly. “I didn’t know you developed this indecisive habit.”

"Oh, I think it's because I've been busy taking care of my youngest daughter," Harry said casually. "She's so naughty, much more boisterous than the other two were when they were younger, and Ginny and I are having a hard time keeping up." As expected, when he finished speaking, he noticed that Snape's expression became inscrutable.

"Ginny and the children are on the island," Harry added.

"I will go," Snape said expressionlessly, "with a gift."

As Snape walked toward the cast-iron gate, Harry was still pondering their relationship. Their connection should have been severed completely upon graduation, and as expected, they only saw each other a few times on the floating island in the following years. But for some reason, after the birth of his third child, he insisted on choosing a professor with whom he had a strained relationship during their school years as his youngest daughter's godfather—so that each of his three children would have a godfather.

But he did do it, perhaps because he had encountered it while visiting graves.

Harry realized then that Snape had never let go, even though he had achieved great things. He stubbornly stayed at the school instead of giving up his teaching position because it held almost all of his life's memories, both good and bad.

Even Hagrid would leave Gromp behind every summer, disappearing for a month or two, and the headmaster of Beauxbatons School was similarly unpredictable. But Snape remained alone. According to Neville, Professor McGonagall seemed to be trying to match him with Emily Vance, but history always repeats itself; the two inherited the competitive spirit of Slytherin and Gryphon, fiercely vying for dominance in the House Cup in recent years, completely failing to spark any romance.

Rosalie will be starting school next year. But Harry is thinking about Sirius's second child, the one who almost stole the name "James." Luckily, his and Ginny's first child was born two months early, a fact Sirius resented, and he ultimately insisted on becoming "James's" godfather.

Harry waved, and the Aurors and batters took their positions.

……

At this moment, the living room of Malfoy Manor was bustling with activity.

A group of people dressed in black robes sat crookedly around a long table, complaining about the unfair treatment they had received over the years and the hardships of life. The brightness in the living room had been deliberately dimmed, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the Death Eaters' meetings of yesteryear. The fireplace roared, but the space right next to the fire was empty.

Lucius Malfoy sat stiffly in the first seat on the left, watching Selwin and two other burly, stocky wizards chat across from him.

"What, Lucius?" Selwyn shouted. "We need fresh blood, or we'll rot. None of us here are acting in our own self-interest. We're discussing something of paramount importance—the fate of all pure-blood families—so the more people who join, the better. Isn't that right, Vincent, Gregory?"

Lucius looked at his son's former best friend with a complicated expression and nodded sheepishly.

Selwyn was therefore very pleased with himself.

"Let the young people see the world. Where's Draco, old friend?"

“He can’t come,” Lucius said. “Can’t come,” Selwyn repeated so everyone could hear, then looked puzzled. “What could be so important? Let me think—oh, right, he’s a big shot now, very busy, and countless people are counting on him to conquer one or two more Muggle diseases so those non-magical scum can live as long as wizards… but some of our family and friends are going to rot in Azkaban…”

Crabbe and Gore's honest faces suddenly flashed with hatred.

Lucius narrowed his gray eyes and said coldly, "I think you deserve some credit for this, Selwyn." "Oh, don't be ridiculous," Selwyn retorted immediately, clearly prepared. "Leaving aside Snape, who was the best at hiding, you, Lucius, have revealed so many secrets. Compared to the two of you, what I did was insignificant."

He stood up, leaning against the chair with his back to the fireplace, as if intending to sit down. Everyone stared wide-eyed—that seat had been empty for twelve years. Was Selwyn trying to take it?

The living room was filled with furtive, anxious glances.

But Selwyn simply stood beside the chair, raising his voice, and said, "Twelve years ago, we reached an agreement with Mr. Hyp, thanking him for freeing us from Voldemort's enslavement." He gave a slight bow to the chair, "For years, we've tried to keep a low profile and avoid trouble, but what's the result? We've been seen too many times as marginalized figures by a bunch of nobodys… Now it's time to unite and exert our influence! Ladies and gentlemen, there's more than one Dark Lord, but pure-blood families will live on forever!"

Lucius sensed a dangerous signal and quietly leaned back in his chair.

Selwyn's speech struck a nerve with many, prompting them to reminisce about past glories. At that moment, Selwyn pressed his hands down, and the crowd immediately fell silent. He smiled with satisfaction.

"The reason pure-blood families are so unapproachable is because we've signed countless magical contracts over the long course of history. Of course, most of them have now been transferred to the Ministry of Magic, and I don't intend to take them back; I have other ways to make money..." he said vaguely, "but negotiating with the Ministry for a share shouldn't be a problem. I plan to talk to Kingsley..."

"Also, there's something else—"

"I've made contact with one of the Queen's stewards, and Mr. Edwin revealed that the Queen has been talking about the court mage lately—ladies and gentlemen, I think I don't need to say what this means, right?" Selwyn glanced around, and even Lucius's eyes were burning with desire, a symbol of titles, noble status, and unique position.

But then Lucius recalled the conversation at breakfast, and a bucket of cold water seemed to have been poured over him, instantly calming him down. Selwyn was still giving his speech, but his mind was elsewhere. He seemed to hear faint footsteps, and his gaze turned to the heavy wooden door. He rubbed his eyes, and the bronze handle seemed to be slowly turning open.

"Click".

A gust of wind blew in, and Selwyn, engrossed in his story, looked up in surprise. A figure stood in the doorway, the hem of his black robe billowing in the wind. The person remained motionless, seemingly adjusting to the dim light, but everyone in the living room recognized the face and immediately began to murmur amongst themselves.

"It's Snape!"

"Isn't he a teacher at a school, and also researches potions..."

"I heard he sided with Porter."

Snape strode in, glanced around, and then looked at Selwyn. Selwyn skillfully concealed his surprise, forcing a smile, and said, "Severus! Long time no see. I heard you've become someone else's godfather, ha ha!"

Snape remained expressionless, without a trace of a smile. The others in the living room didn't laugh either; their gazes shifted between the two men before settling on Lucius Malfoy. He seemed equally surprised by Snape's arrival, but perhaps it was just his imagination, but his face, illuminated by the fireplace, appeared somewhat pale.

Snape stood before Selwyn. To be precise, he stood before the chair with its back to the fireplace. He pulled the chair out and sat down. The drawing room fell silent instantly; some people were startled, their mouths slightly agape, emitting unconscious hissing sounds.

Snape sat upright in his seat, observing the expressions on everyone's faces, and then said, "I bring a message."

"What is it?" Selwyn asked instinctively.

Snape lowered his eyelids and said, "None of your business."

"How could this have nothing to do with me?" Selwyn exclaimed, then he saw something on Malfoy's pale face, and fear seeped into his body little by little, like a drowning person sinking deeper and deeper. He finally couldn't control his leaden legs and stumbled back to the chair next to him.

"Is it an Auror outside the door, or...?"

Snape made no response.

Selwyn stared wide-eyed, his lips trembling uncontrollably. He suddenly jumped up, overturning the chair to the ground. Then he turned and ran towards the door, followed by several people who hurriedly left the long table.

"If I were you, I wouldn't choose to run away," Snape said in a low voice. But Selwyn couldn't hear this. He was the first to rush out of the living room—he didn't use the fireplace because it might be under surveillance by the Ministry of Magic. He ran towards the back of the manor, where there was a fountain and a place near which people could Apparate.

One of the men who had been following Selwyn stopped. He was a short, stout man, a few steps from the door. His expression kept changing, his mind a mess. He didn't know whether to listen to Snape. For what he had done, he would be locked up for at least ten years.

Then the air in the entire living room seemed to freeze, including the short, fat man at the door with a desperate look on his face. The sweat on his forehead froze on his face. Then a circle of silver light passed through his body, brushing over everyone present like a silver veil. They immediately felt a splitting headache.

"Don't resist," Snape's voice said.

Lucius was the first to obediently give up resistance. No matter who came—whether it was an Auror or a Hyp—he had no desire to resist; it wasn't something he was good at. Besides, Narcissa, Draco, and Scorpius were there too. Then, like a drowning man surfacing to breathe fresh air, he slumped into his chair, gasping for breath, only belatedly realizing that his clothes were soaked with cold sweat.

Silver ripples spread like the tide, and a surge of courage welled up in Lucius's heart. But this courage was not for resistance or fighting; rather, it was for following the master of the silver light to fight against evil... It was strange, the Malfoy family didn't need that thing.

As the fourteenth wave of silver ripples swept across the living room, the door was violently pushed open from the outside. Three Aurors erected a shimmering magical barrier and took the man from the doorway away without uttering a single word.

"Is that... Potter outside?" someone asked timidly.

Before Snape could speak, the door was pushed open a second time. Everyone gasped when they saw the face clearly—it was Harry Potter, leading the team himself. A silver Patronus appeared and disappeared behind them, and they seemed to hear the "clatter" of hooves.

Not seeing Draco, Harry breathed a slight sigh of relief. He calmly said, "By order of the Minister of Magic, Selwyn, Parkinson, Nott, and Roll are suspected of serious violations of the law. They are to be brought back to the Ministry for questioning."

Everyone bowed their heads in awe.

After an unknown amount of time, the door slammed shut from the outside with a loud bang, and everyone wore expressions of relief.

Snape said calmly, "The serpent of Slytherin should not crawl in the gutter, but fly in the sky. In case you don't understand—" He paused and took several parchments from the pocket of his black robe.

"I have prepared some materials."

He began to read dryly from the parchment, as if reciting a lengthy report. Although his mind was no longer on the subject, Snape vaguely sensed a familiar feeling. Years ago, he had read several tedious reports in a similar manner, though back then it was in the conference room of Black's old mansion.

No one interrupted him. The fire in the fireplace behind him burned brighter, the firewood crackling intermittently, and the flying sparks illuminating the area behind him. Everyone sat upright, trying to glean anything useful from the emotionless report.

For some of them, this scene was also familiar.

(End of this chapter)