Chapter 10
Only by evening, an hour before the banquet began, did he finally finish deciphering.
"'Hidden in the mouth of the snake.' Hm. Nothing is clear," Severus concluded gloomily, exhaling as he closed the book.
What could that mean? On the surface, the legacy should be in a snake's mouth. But logically, 'snake' could mean something else. After all, Slytherins are called 'snakes.' It might be a statue or a painting. Or anything else that depicts a snake, or Salazar himself. He was a narcissistic type, after all. Most likely, the entrance is his image. The only issue is Parseltongue. I never studied it. What if it is needed to enter? I should find someone who knows the language and learn it. It is not some rare gift, after all.
His hand moved toward his wand by reflex, but Severus stopped himself.
With a wave of his palm, he calmly returned the books to their places with telekinesis.
Still turning Salazar's words over in his mind, he left the library.
The moment Severus stepped out, Lily quickly returned her book to the shelf and ran after him.
But when she turned a corner, she bumped into someone and fell to the floor.
"Why are you following me?" Severus's voice sounded indifferent, with a thread of irritation.
"I. I am not following you! And even if the Headmaster believed you, you are not Sev! What did you do to him?!"
She jumped up, drew her wand, and pointed it at Severus's chest.
"I ate him. Then I used a potion to take his appearance."
He pushed the wand tip aside and bared a terrifying grin that made Lily shudder.
"And what will you do? You ended our relationship yourself. So leave me alone, and stop following me. Otherwise, I will complain to the Headmaster."
He paid her no more attention and headed toward the Great Hall.
Lily gripped her wand tighter, staring after him with grim determination.
Even so, her hands were visibly trembling.
"I will prove you are not Sev!"
"Hey, Lily, what are you doing here?"
Four boys walked up to her.
One of them stayed a meter behind the others, looking a little dejected.
"James."
The moment she saw James, the fear from her encounter with Severus vanished at once.
"I was just lost in thought." Lily smiled.
Then she looked past them, puzzled by Lupin, who trailed behind, dejected.
"Did something happen?"
Seeing where Lily's gaze landed, the other three shuddered.
Their faces went white.
As one, they reflexively reached for their rears.
The Great Hall was where all meals were held, along with celebrations.
Among them were the beginning and the end of the school year.
Four long tables filled the hall, crowded with excited Hogwarts students, chatting happily.
At the far end stood the staff table.
Behind it hung a huge green banner bearing the Slytherin emblem.
Smaller banners lined the walls.
Entering the vast hall, Severus headed straight for the leftmost table, Slytherin's.
"Not bad." he thought with a smile, seeing the dishes practically overflowing the tables.
The festive atmosphere was contagious.
I think today I really can relax a little.
As he approached the table, Severus smiled at the huge number of ghosts drifting above the students.
"Hm?"
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar ghost, standing alone in the corner.
"Why is she over there by herself?"
Tilting his head, Severus went toward her.
Myrtle, the ghost of a fourteen-year-old girl, sat in the corner, only watching the chatting students from afar.
Longing and a quiet envy filled her face.
"Myrtle, why are you sitting here alone?"
At the sound of a familiar voice, Myrtle looked up with mild surprise.
After all, few ever spoke to her.
Among the students, she had a terrible reputation.
And she had nothing to talk about with the other ghosts. Many of them were hundreds of years old.
"Severus. I am glad you are okay, but you had better leave."
Seeing her sadness, Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Is something wrong? Or are you upset I did not visit you after I was discharged?" he asked with a smile, trying to pat her head.
His hand passed right through her, and Severus looked a little embarrassed.
"Forgot."
"No, that is not it. It is just. you are from Slytherin, and they do not like Muggle-borns there. If you talk to me, they will start."
"Oh, that is what you mean. Forget it. I do not have friends there, no one to lose. And I do not care what they think. So, mind if I stand here with you until the banquet starts?"
Myrtle looked flustered by such blunt honesty.
"Great."
Without waiting for an answer, Severus leaned against the wall and glanced toward the staff table.
"By the way, you have been here a long time. I am sure you know plenty of interesting stories."
"Stories?"
"Yes. Like this one a ghost once told me: 'One evening, a Gryffindor student stayed late for detention with Filch. Running through the pitch-dark corridors toward his common room, he had not eaten dinner, and his stomach growled. He slowed down, rummaging through his pockets for something to eat, but besides a lemon drop, which he hated, there was nothing. As he cursed himself, his stomach growled again. He looked at the candy. Just as the boy was about to eat it, footsteps sounded.'"
At that moment, Severus lowered his voice, making it darker and more ominous.
Nearby Ravenclaws swallowed hard, and even Myrtle stared.
".The boy shuddered and cried in panic, 'Who is there?!' But only approaching footsteps answered. He cried again, 'Who is it?!' Again, nothing but silence and footsteps, growing louder every second. The Gryffindor backed away. He wanted to run, but he tripped over something and fell. Curling into a ball, he squeezed his eyes shut as the steps drew nearer. And in one moment. they stopped, right by the student's ear."
More listeners joined in, Hufflepuffs included. Everyone waited for the climax.
".The boy heard strange rustling, then a smacking sound, and satisfied muttering, 'Mmm. lemon.' The student recognized the voice at once. He opened his eyes and saw." Severus paused dramatically. "Headmaster Dumbledore."
At the twist, students' eyes widened. Some older ones only smiled, but Severus was not done, his grin widening.
"Stammering, the boy whispered, 'H-headmaster?' as if he could not believe his eyes. Then a wrapper fell on his face. The Headmaster looked at him. Squinting, making the student fear again, he said softly, 'You cannot prove anything.' Then he lifted his gaze from the Gryffindor and vanished into the darkness. The boy was found unconscious in the corridor the next day. Whether it was the real Headmaster or a prank on a first-year, no one ever knew. But remember, if you stay out after curfew and wander dark Hogwarts corridors, always carry a lemon drop. Because. you might run into. the 'Headmaster'?"
At the last questioning word, first- and second-years shuddered and hurriedly rummaged in their pockets. Older students barely held back laughter.
"That is the story."
"I-I-Is it true?" a shaggy twelve-year-old boy stammered, looking at Severus.
"Of course not. I just made it up," Severus replied with a smile.
Then, lowering his voice and turning serious, he added, "But you had better carry a lemon drop anyway."
The students burst into laughter, embarrassing the boy.
Ahem. Ahem.
"You told quite an entertaining story, Mr. Snape." The laughter died instantly.
"Did you like it, Headmaster?" Severus turned with a smile.
Dumbledore stood there, stroking his long beard. He smiled kindly and nodded.
McGonagall, standing behind him, frowned in disapproval.
"Of course. But why choose me?"
"Well. that day I saw a saucer of lemon drops on your desk. And you are the only professor who indulges in sweets, so I picked you as the main character," Severus explained, sounding embarrassed.
"I hope I did not offend you?"
"Of course not." Dumbledore reached into his sleeve and pulled out a candy with a lemon drawn on it.
Under the students' shocked stares, he popped it into his mouth.
Lowering his glasses slightly and squinting, he looked at the paling audience and calmly walked to the staff table, smacking contentedly.
McGonagall only sighed deeply and shook her head as she followed.
What a cheerful old man. Severus thought with a smile, looking at the pale first-years.
Then he turned back to Myrtle, who was now red-faced from all the attention. "Well, will you tell us something similar? I am sure you have plenty of stories."
"Well." Flustered, Myrtle pulled herself together as quickly as she could.
"I will try."
"Great." Severus pointed his palm at the Gryffindor table, pulled a chair toward himself, and calmly sat on it.
"Hey! Go get a chair from your own house!" a sixth-year grumbled, standing and coming over to take it.
A few other Gryffindors got up with him.
"You forgot where we are?" Severus asked, an insolent smile on his face.
The sixth-year stopped short and glanced toward the staff table.
McGonagall glared at him as if she could incinerate him.
"Come on, take it by force. I do not mind taking another fifty points from Gryffindor."
"Damn you! But you had better not wander the corridors alone."
"Are you threatening me, openly?" Severus asked calmly. "Looks like you do not care about your house. Or did you forget that wizards, especially powerful ones like our Headmaster, have much better hearing? Sit down."
He paid him no more attention, and nodded to Myrtle.
"Begin."
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