Chapter 344: A Late-Night Visitor! Knock Knock — Someone Comes Calling in the Dead of Night
The visitor was not Ethan.
It was Yaxley — the Ministry official whose face had been so thoroughly rearranged.
Snape looked down at him. Those cold, cruel eyes stared back at him — the eyes of a wolf that had finally stopped pretending otherwise. Fixed on him, unblinking.
In an instant, Snape felt himself dragged back from somewhere far away and slammed into the present. A dull, burning ache flared along his left forearm. The Dark Mark, like scalding blood moving beneath the skin.
The face that had been alive with anger, wariness, and contempt only moments ago went still.
Smooth as stone.
Nothing readable left in it.
"..."
Snape stepped aside without a word and let Yaxley in.
In that brief exchange of looks, an understanding had already passed between them.
Yaxley limped across to the sofa Snape had just vacated and dropped himself into it. Several small dark-brown stains bloomed against the dark green upholstery.
"..."
Yaxley exhaled heavily. He caught Snape's cold gaze drifting downward and looked down himself, then grinned — an ugly, lopsided thing.
"Just a few stupid deer and rabbits from the Forbidden Forest. Plenty of them in there. After spending so long pretending to be the good man, you've got to let it out somewhere." He tilted his head. "Honestly, I don't know how you keep the act up."
Then those bayonet-sharp eyes lifted and fixed on Snape's with pointed curiosity.
"…As long as I remember that a moment's impulse isn't worth ruining the Dark Lord's plans," Snape said, his lips barely moving.
He stood over Yaxley, his expression still as water.
He had recognised the man the moment he appeared at the opening feast. He was certain the recognition had been mutual.
The Death Eaters were making their move.
More urgently than before. Probably because of the damage Ethan had dealt to Voldemort. It had made the loyal ones restless.
On the other side of the room, Yaxley went still at the words. He looked at Snape for a long moment before slowly leaning back into the sofa, the hand gripping his wand beneath his robes easing slightly.
Tch. If there were other Death Eaters he could actually use, he would never have come to this unreadable man in the first place.
As it stood — hmph. He would make do.
Crossing one leg over the other, Yaxley said in the tone of someone addressing a subordinate, "You know about Ethan. The Ministry suspects he's connected to the one they're calling Mr Lamp."
Snape's eyebrow twitched — barely.
With considerable effort, he suppressed the comment that had nearly slipped out.
Now they figure that out??
In all of magical history, how many people had ever been that unsettling? You could count them on one hand. Of course, there was a connection.
"Oh, and Dumbledore too," Yaxley added with a derisive snort. "The new Minister actually dares to suspect the greatest asset on the light side. Hard to tell whose side he thinks he's on."
"…Indeed," Snape said after a pause.
The new Minister is sharper than expected, he thought privately. Pity. Like every politician — correct process, completely wrong conclusion. Still can't tell who the real enemy is.
"So you came to me for advice?" Snape said.
"Your advice?" Yaxley pointed two fingers at his own eyes and smiled thinly. "No, no. I trust my own eyes, my friend."
"…Very well."
"I came about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor."
Snape's expression twitched.
So. When you stripped everything else away, it all came back to Ethan, didn't it? Mr Lamp, the Spiral Being — both of them Ethan in disguise.
Professionals don't lose composure, Snape reminded himself. Keeping his face carefully grave, he turned to his Death Eater "colleague" with an expression of weighty concern.
"What's going on?"
"The Minister seems to think this peculiar Defence professor may also have ties to Ethan," Yaxley said seriously. "Looking at it now… the possibility is quite high."
Given the face the man was wearing, honestly. He wasn't even trying to hide it.
Absolutely shameless, Yaxley thought darkly.
"You're a professor here. You have easy access to him, and it won't raise suspicion. What I need to know is whether this Defence professor is a threat or an asset."
From where Yaxley was standing, he certainly didn't look like an asset. He looked like someone actively trying to bring about the extinction of Hogwarts.
"If he can be persuaded to join the Dark Lord's great cause — wonderful." Yaxley's voice lowered. "If not… well. He'll have to be dealt with in advance."
"…"
Snape was quiet for a moment. He studied Yaxley's still-healing face and felt a question form, which he did not voice.
You? Hurt Ethan?
Do you have any idea what you're actually dealing with?
"What do you want me to do?" Snape said.
"Simple. Keep track of the man's movements and any plans he might have. I'll handle the rest."
Snape nodded slowly. "Fine."
Yaxley smiled, satisfied and superior. He stood, clapped Snape on the shoulder the way a superior dismisses a subordinate, and left.
"…"
Snape watched him go with barely restrained distaste. The moment the door shut, he cast ten successive Scourgify charms on himself.
"Ethan's movements…" he murmured, letting out a short, dry laugh. "I can promise you this much."
"If you simply walk up and ask him directly, he'll tell you everything. Enthusiastically. Down to the last detail."
That was simply who Ethan was. Transparent to the point of absurdity. And he actively welcomed chaos and ill intent — because it gave him room to operate, and to practise what he called his great art.
Knock. Knock.
Another knock at the door.
Snape's eyes narrowed. He assumed it was Yaxley again, back with something else. He yanked the door open, already impatient.
"What now—"
The words died.
A spiral face filled his entire field of vision.
Ethan raised a hand in greeting. "Hell—"
SLAM.
Snape threw the door shut and gripped the handle with both hands, chest heaving as he stared into space.
His heart was trying to punch its way out through his ribcage.
…E — Ethan!!
He yanked the door back open, teeth clenched, his features twisted into an expression that particular face had likely never made before.
"—lo," Ethan finished calmly, hand still raised. He regarded Snape with effortless composure. "Good evening, Professor Snape. How has your night been?"
"Fine," Snape said through his teeth. "Until now."
"Wonderful to hear."
He had sensed nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Without another word, Ethan opened a portal and stepped through into the office.
"..."
Snape closed his eyes. Breathed in, deep and slow. Reminded himself that he was on the side of the light, and that disposing of a body was considerably more trouble than it was worth.
He turned around.
What greeted him was a scene of extraordinary domesticity.
The fireplace crackled warmly. Steam curled from a cup of tea sitting on the low table. And the Spiral Being was reclining with perfect ease in the dark blue sofa, teacup in hand, taking a leisurely sip.
"..."
Snape stood very still.
It had been a long time — since the potions, since Lily — since anything in this room had felt like this. Warm. Quiet. Almost like somewhere a person might actually want to be.
He might even have let himself feel it.
If this were not, infuriatingly, his own office.
…Wonderful.