After reaching an agreement with Lovegood, Severus initially planned to leave immediately.
However, Lovegood proactively asked them to stay a while longer, as Luna had come up to report that she wanted to take Harry to a nearby stream to catch Blibbering Humdingers.
Severus had no reason to refuse this. After all, he had always hoped Harry would interact more with children his own age.
Afterward, he and Lovegood continued refining the details of The Quibbler's coverage. By evening, when Luna's mother, Pandora, returned home, they even warmly invited Severus and the others to stay for dinner.
Being married to Lovegood, Pandora was clearly not a conventional witch either. She was graceful and open-minded, with a bold enthusiasm for experimenting with and researching spells.
When she first arrived home and saw Severus, she was startled and instinctively grabbed Luna's arm, ready to flee with her daughter.
It wasn't until Lovegood explained the situation and Severus sincerely apologized to her in person and cleaned up the mess that Ghost Snape had done that the atmosphere eased again.
This also shows that while the Lovegood Family is eccentrics, they are all very good people.
Snape, who was a Death Eater before, had seemingly held back out of past camaraderie but still blew up their house and dangled them in midair to intimidate them.
Now, Severus merely came to apologize, and they were willing to accept it, even hosting him without bearing a grudge. This left Severus deeply moved.
Even Ghost Snape remained silent after entering, and did not say anything about Severus's 'unauthorized' apology on behalf of his past self.
Pandora personally cooked, using the fish Harry and Luna had caught from the stream as ingredients, and they enjoyed a lavish dinner.
The two children seemed utterly delighted, as it was rare for them to be so lively.
The adults were in high spirits as well. Lovegood emotionally brought up a barrel of apple cider from the cellar. Except for Sanguini, who wasn't fond of alcohol and drank blood-replenishing potion while taking care of Patty, the other four drank heartily.
Pandora listened as Sanguini recounted his and Patty's story and was moved to tears.
It was obvious that Worple had a low alcohol tolerance. After just a few drinks, he began hallucinating Slughorn standing before him, apologizing tearfully and saying that he had no choice but to instigate Sanguini to steal the potion.
Meanwhile, Severus spoke earnestly and solemnly to Lovegood, emphasizing a few things.
"I know you can't stop Pandora from experimenting with spells, but you must remember what I'm telling you. When she continues those dangerous experiments later, you must keep an eye on her… you absolutely must!"
Lovegood, whose face had turned red due to the alcohol, looked at Severus in confusion.
"Why do you keep stressing this? You know Pandora… she's always been like this since her school days. It's her passion."
Severus knew he had to add weight to his words.
"Do you know Trelawney?"
"The Divination Professor at Hogwarts?"
"Yes, I heard a prophecy from her some time ago. They are not one of her usual false claims, but a real prophecy." Severus reminded solemnly, "Before Luna turns ten, you must watch over Pandora. Be careful with her spell experiments!"
This time, Lovegood clearly took it seriously, and he nodded solemnly.
"I understand."
Happy times always pass quickly.
The small gathering lasted until 10 p.m., and even though the Lovegoods tried their best to keep them here, Severus did not choose to stay at their house.
But at the same time, as someone who had been raised with over a decade of safety awareness in his past life, Severus had no intention of driving while drunk.
He had Sanguini, the only one who hadn't drunk that night, take the wheel. Though Sanguini seemed nervous, he had secretly practiced driving during the nights he went to visit Patty.
If he could handle a motorcycle, a car wouldn't be much harder once he got familiar with it.
Sanguini cautiously suggested test-driving along the mountain roads near the Lovegoods' house a couple of times first. After Severus saw how smoothly and steadily he drove, even better than himself, he no longer had any concerns.
Just as Sanguini parked the car by the roadside and Severus opened the driver's door to give him some final instructions about the lights and buttons-
Suddenly, he sensed a gaze fixed on him in the darkness.
Severus turned his head. At the center of the downhill road, about twenty meters away, stood a tall figure.
The man seemed to blend into the night. Apart from a faint outline, his features were indiscernible.
But at the first glimpse of that silhouette, Severus knew exactly who it was.
He narrowed his eyes and gently closed the car door behind Sanguini.
Sanguini hadn't seen anyone, and he just noticed Severus's strange reaction.
"What's wrong, Mr. Snape?"
Severus smiled faintly, then patted the car door and spoke softly, "Nothing. A friend has come to see me. You go first, don't go to the village to find an inn. Drive straight to the place we agreed to meet tomorrow. I'll catch up soon."
Harry, who is sitting in the passenger seat, visibly paled at his words, his earlier excitement from the Lovegoods' home completely gone. At this time, he seemed to have a premonition of something, and his face turned as pale as Sanguini's.
"Professor… you won't be late, will you?"
"I'll get there before you and wait."
Severus made the promise, then urged Sanguini one last time.
"Release the clutch, step on the gas, and drive off. But also pay attention to the road ahead, don't hit my friend standing there. We can't afford the compensation!"
Hearing this, Sanguini didn't hesitate. He shifted gears, released the clutch, and pressed the accelerator. The engine roared as the car sped down the mountain road!!
The headlights illuminated the path ahead, and both Sanguini and Harry saw the dark-skinned, bald Auror standing in the middle of the road!
Kingsley didn't stop them. He didn't even glance their way as the car rushed past him.
Harry couldn't help but lean out the window to look back, but the car was moving too fast. All he saw was the endless night, and the two figures left behind were already swallowed by the darkness!
"It's fine! Mr. Snape is very strong! There are only a handful of people in the entire Wizarding World who are stronger than him! That Auror is no match for him! He'll be fine!"
Sanguini kept muttering to himself, though it was unclear whether he was comforting Harry or himself.
…
At this time, on the mountain road.
"Severus Snape!"
Only after the car's taillights had completely vanished into the night did Severus turn his attention to the figure standing before him. He stepped forward slowly, his wand slipping into his hand from his sleeve!
As he faced the elite Auror from the pure-blooded Shacklebolt Family, he greeted him with a faint smile.
"Shacklebolt. Should I say long time no see, or what a coincidence meeting you here?"
The night was pitch-black, without a single glimmer of light. A strong wind howled, whipping through Severus's long-sleeved shirt and Kingsley's robes.
Severus noticed Kingsley undoing the top button of his robe, a sign he was preparing for a duel. However, this Auror, who was known for his loyalty and kindness, still gave sincere advice even though he knew that his words were likely futile.
"Come back to the Ministry with me! Whatever reasons lie behind these acts, I promise that you will receive the most fair trial!"
"The most fair trial?" Severus's voice was light, but very clear, "I have never committed any crime. The Wizengamot has no charges to bring against me, Shacklebolt. I don't need your fairness."
"Then why? If you are innocent, why did you interfere with the Auror's investigation and take that Muggle away?"
Kingsley's voice was very loud. It was unclear whether it was the effect of the Felix Felicis or his own agitation, but his breathing was noticeably rapid.
"Because fair magical laws don't treat everyone fairly." Severus's gaze was calm.
"You're helping the real culprit escape justice?" Kingsley felt he was finally seeing the truth!
"There is no culprit. No crime. No one was harmed. In this matter, there are no villains and no wrongdoing. If you abandon this foolish notion of dragging me to the Ministry, I can explain everything."
The moment Severus finished speaking, Kingsley gave his answer and firmly shook his head.
"Impossible! You must return to the Ministry with me! It's useless if I'm the only one who believes in you. You need Scrimgeour to believe you, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to believe you, the Wizengamot jury to believe you!"
Severus's smile turned sarcastic.
"You know as well as I do, Shacklebolt… they don't always believe in the truth."
"But only by convincing them can you truly be cleared! Only then can the people you're protecting be safe! Dumbledore will speak for you, so you must trust him… trust his influence in the Wizarding World!"
"Of course I trust Dumbledore, but I also have to make my own preparations. I will go to the Ministry, when the time is right. There will be a trial at the end of this, but not now."
The air grew heavy with silence.
After a few seconds, Kingsley slowly raised his wand, positioning it vertically before him.
"Then there's nothing left to say, Snape."
"Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Two streaks of crimson light tore through the darkness.
Even the dim sky was stained a faint, bloody red!