Chapter 24
The day before school started, after gathering his few belongings and setting up the defensive and signaling charms he had managed to cast on the building over the holidays, Severus returned to the training room toward evening and took out the parchment he had taken from the Marauders.
"What is this?" Nagini slithered up to him and stared at the thing in his hand in bewilderment.
"Yes, I took it from one of the annoying four," he said, pointing his wand at it. "I solemnly swear that I am planning a prank, and nothing but a prank."
But, strangely enough, the parchment remained completely clean, which puzzled him a little.
"Interesting." he grinned bloodthirstily and pointed a finger at it. "Open up!"
For the first few seconds there was no response, until red lines suddenly began to seep from the tip of his index finger, slowly spreading across the parchment. Finally, as if giving in, words started to appear on its smooth surface.
"Mr. Moony asks Longnose to stop trying to get through the security, and demands that the map be returned to its rightful owners.
Mr. Prongs joins Mr. Moony and would just like to add that Snot is not only a thief, but also a freak.
Mr. Padfoot is amazed that such a weakling managed to get his hands on the map.
Mr. Wormtail advises the damn slob to finally wash his hair."
Severus did not pay any attention to the insults. He only nodded with mild surprise, twirling the parchment in his hand.
"I thought they were fools, but to make something like this. interesting."
"And they love you very much," Nagini hissed, irony thick in her voice after she read the words.
"That is true," he said, not stopping as he calmly pushed through the artifact's defenses. "The tracking and scanning enchantments are pretty good. but the defenses are weak. They used their own personal fingerprints without blocking them, and without hiding the path to them. So getting to the core is a matter of seconds. Apparently, I should not have praised them."
A few seconds later, the words appeared on the parchment again:
"Mr. Moony humbly asks Mr. Snape to stop this!
Mr. Prongs demands that Nosey remove his hands from the map!
Mr. Padfoot agrees with Mr. Prongs.
Mr. Wormtail apologizes for his earlier rudeness and begs you not to touch him."
Severus chuckled and only increased his pressure. The previously simple lines began to change into symbols, and those symbols were absorbed into the parchment.
"Mr. Moony humbly requests.
Mr. Prongs demands.
Mr. Padfoot insists.
Mr. Wormtail begs."
He did not bother reading the rest, and simply destroyed three of the four personality prints.
"Open up," and the moment those words left his mouth, new text appeared on the parchment:
"Mr. Wormtail greets the Master and thanks him for keeping him alive."
After that, the small parchment began to unfold, and on the surface that had been blank, Severus saw familiar outlines of Hogwarts' interior, along with the names of people in small frames moving around the grounds. For example, in the upper left corner he saw the Headmaster's office, where a nameplate reading "Albus Dumbledore" paced back and forth. In the lower corner, a nameplate reading "Horace Slughorn" emerged from the Slytherin Head of House's office and headed toward the stairs. Severus noticed many other staff names, and even Filch's cat, labeled simply "Mrs. Norris," not to mention the area around the castle and the many secret passages leading beyond the school grounds.
"No, I was wrong. They really surprised me. I cannot even believe those idiots managed to create something this interesting. I was just thinking about making an artifact like that." Watching the moving nameplates put a satisfied smile on his face. "Well, since they decided to give me such a nice gift, I will gladly accept it and use it for my own purposes."
He touched the parchment with his wand, and it closed, without offering any more words.
The rat's Animagus form suits him perfectly. I would not be surprised if he ends up betraying them just as easily. Still, Severus did not care much about the lives of Potter and company, so he did not dwell on it. Tossing the map into the wallet he had bought to replace the bag, he left the training room.
The next day, silently cursing the Ministry of Magic again for its idiotic Apparition rules, Severus finally reached King's Cross Station. Following the route from memory through a crowd that kept trying to step on his feet, he made it to platform 9¾, between platforms nine and ten, with the passage hidden in the column supporting the roof above the platforms.
Maybe I am too old to understand this, but why take the train to Hogwarts at all? Would not it be easier to use the Floo Network and teleport straight to the castle, since it is safe and fast. he thought in bewilderment, passing through the pillar and finally letting out a relieved sigh.
Behind the barrier on platform 9¾, there was an identical station with only one red train, and far fewer people, which could not help but please him.
And only a few minutes later, he found a free spot that had not yet been taken by Slytherin students, and could finally relax. But the blissful solitude did not last long.
"Excuse me for disturbing you, but is this seat free?" came a calm, yet arrogant voice, forcing Severus to lift his eyes from his book and look at the intruder.
"Go ahead, sit."
"Then. YOU?! YOU AGAIN! Do you even know what my cousin put me through because of you?!" The intruder turned out to be an old acquaintance of Severus's, and also Bella's cousin, Regulus Black.
Severus only smiled at the young man's indignation.
"Should I care?"
"How could you.!" Regulus, unable to restrain himself, tried to grab Severus, but the next moment he froze and went abruptly pale. All he managed to make out were a pair of yellow eyes with vertical pupils, a blurry green silhouette, and then a chill slid over the back of his neck.
"What is going on here?" a sharp voice rang out, and two boys approached the pale Regulus, one of them wearing a prefect's badge on his chest. By then, Nagini had already returned to Severus's shirt, still staring straight into Regulus's eyes with her gaze narrowed.
"Nothing happened. My friend just felt unwell, he only needs to rest a little," Severus said, standing up and helping, or rather, using his greater strength to sit the Slytherin opposite him.
"Hmm. who are you?" the prefect, a fair-haired boy with delicate features, asked with mild surprise.
"Oh. have I really changed that much?"
At the smug smile on Severus's face, both boys began to study his features. A few seconds later, the second one froze in shock, as if he could not believe his own eyes, and started rubbing them vigorously.
"Snape?"
"Well, at least one of you remembered, and that is good."
"Snape? No, you just look. like Snape."
Finally, Regulus himself began to stare at Severus's face, since before that he had only recognized him by his hair and eyes.
"How can you change so much in just one holiday?" His gaze slid down to Severus's stronger build, lingering for a few seconds on his broad shoulders and chest.
Severus did not look like some Apollo from myth, but compared to his former skinny physique he really did seem like a different person, and his slightly corrected nose played a noticeable role too.
Regulus did not stare for long. In the next instant, the burning bodies of the wizards Severus had killed that day flashed through his mind, and his face lost all color again.
He had snapped earlier because of his training with Bella, which had become much more brutal after that day. But now, calming down and regaining a shred of rationality, he realized how stupid he had just been. If Severus could deal with five wizards in seconds, wizards Regulus could only defend himself against, then Severus would not have needed to lift a finger to deal with him. The realization alone made Regulus tremble.
"I cannot believe it is you. Spill it. What miracle cure did you take?" the boy beside the prefect asked, eyes shining.
"A side effect of one potion, nothing more."
"Can you make another one like that?!"
"Of course. A thousand Galleons." Both boys stared at Severus in shock at the number, while Regulus remained lost in his thoughts.
"Why is it so expensive?!"
"I told you, it is a side effect. If I want to achieve it again, I need Galleons for research. I have to buy ingredients, and I have to spend my own time."
"That makes sense," the prefect nodded, then glanced at the pale Black. "Will you keep an eye on him until we get to Hogwarts?"
"No problem," Severus replied with a smile. Regulus, finally coming to his senses, almost burst into tears at the thought of having to sit directly across from someone so terrifying all the way to Hogwarts. Just as he was about to protest and move, he noticed a pair of yellow eyes with vertical pupils watching him. "I will keep an eye on my good friend."
"Leave me alone! What have I ever done to you?!"
"Thank you for your assistance," the prefect said, ignoring Regulus completely as he left the compartment.
As soon as the prefect was gone, Severus knocked twice on the table, and two illusions shaped like Slytherin students appeared in the empty seats. Regulus's eyes widened in shock. They looked alive, but the moment he touched one, his hand went straight through.
An illusion, and so realistic? he thought, refusing to believe it.
"Well." Severus's sharp voice nearly made him jump. "Let us talk."
"Oh. about w-what?"
"Do not be afraid, I do not bite. Maybe in the future you and I will even become relatives."
"Merlin, do not let that happen!"
"Come on, tell me."
"A-about what?"
"About Bella, of course. What she likes, what she does not like, her dream, and so on. In short, everything you know. And as for me. I will teach you an interesting combat spell, not that nonsense they teach at Hogwarts."
"And. that fiery one, the one you used to deal with those wizards?" Regulus asked, swallowing.
"Of course I can. It has a fairly simple formula, but until you can execute it, your magic will not be enough."
"It does not matter. I am sorry, Cousin Bella. I will tell you everything I know if you teach it to me."
"Fine. Remember the formula."
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