Harry Potter: From Muggle Cousin to Conceptual Wizard

Chapter 137 Snape and Dumbledore's Night Talk!

Inside the headmaster's office, Dumbledore, through Peeves' live recording and the Pensieve's live broadcast, clearly witnessed Voldemort's main soul parasitizing Ecclesiastes.

I felt both relieved and extremely cautious.

He was relaxed because Voldemort was finally under his control, but tense because Voldemort was a ticking time bomb, lurking in the castle and ready to explode at any moment, so he had to be on guard.

It seems he'll have to change his sleep schedule from now on.

……

Despite his injuries, Snape finished teaching a morning class and rushed back to his office, where he locked the doors and windows and began brewing potions.

Unlike Ecclesia, Snape made potions purely to heal his own injuries.

However, while physical injuries can be healed with a magic potion, the guilt and regret in one's heart are beyond cure.

The only reason he's still alive and thinking about saving himself is because he's driven by his belief in avenging Lily and protecting Harry Potter.

Of course, he wanted to protect Harry Potter, simply because Harry was Lily's child.

He cherished the similarities between Harry and Lily, while also resenting the similarities between Harry and James.

His feelings for Harry were contradictory and complex, making it difficult for him to have a normal conversation with Harry.

Although he can't communicate well with most other people either.

In a sense, he felt that the torment he suffered today was not entirely unjust.

It felt very different from when the Marauders, consisting of James, Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew, bullied him.

Dudley had a legitimate reason to act, and he was more measured, stronger, more violent, and ruthless than the Marauders.

Snape had to examine and change his attitude toward Dudley and Harry from now on, and at the same time, he planned to find the right people to get an explanation.

In the evening, after dinner.

After drinking a special potion, Snape's injuries were more than 70% healed. With his usual expressionless and indifferent face, he slowly walked up to the eighth floor of the castle and arrived at the headmaster's office.

He gave a novel command to the stone beast statue guarding the gate with its dripping spout, and entered the principal's office through the passage the statue had cleared.

Noticing the entrance passage was open, Dumbledore quickly waved away the images playing on the Pensieve, then calmly sat in the headmaster's chair and picked up a chocolate frog to eat.

Seeing Snape walk in with a gloomy face, Dumbledore felt a sense of unease. Remembering that Dudley should have attended Potions class with the Gryffindor freshmen today, a completely tactless joke slipped out:

"Severus, you're not a ghost, are you?"

Snape was taken aback at first, then quickly connected several things in his mind, his expression turning even more grim and his teeth clenched even more:

"Dumbledore, you really do know everything! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!"

"what?!"

Dumbledore was terrified. He seemed to have misunderstood Snape's words. He stood up nervously and walked over to Snape. "Dudley told me he would be careful! Severus, you... you're not dead, are you?"

“You…” Snape stared wide-eyed at Dumbledore, who was about to poke him with his finger, and roared, “Hmph! You’re disappointed, I’m not dead!”

"That's it!" Dumbledore exclaimed with exaggerated relief.

"What do you mean, 'better than'?!" Snape grew even angrier. "Do you really think that teaching assistant you appointed can defeat me? Can kill me in class? Cough cough cough..."

Snape's anger aggravated his still-healing injuries, and he started coughing as he roared.

Seeing this, Dumbledore dropped his playful grin, took out his Elder Wand, cast a powerful healing spell on Snape, and said solemnly and gently:

“Severus, I’m not sure if Dudley is stronger than you right now, but I’m very sure you’ll be the one who gets hurt, because you can’t get over your own mental block.”

"Why...why did you tell them about what happened before!" Snape's anger subsided somewhat, but he was still indignant.

Dumbledore's expression grew increasingly serious: "Severus, Dudley and Harry have the right to know the truth! This is something you, I, and even the entire wizarding world owe them!"

Moreover, I gave you face and didn't tell them about your shameful behavior when Voldemort set off to attack Harry's family!

You only have Ms. Lily in your heart, and you only ask Voldemort to spare Lily, but you tacitly agree to Voldemort's plan to kill Harry and James!

James did bully you in the past, but he also saved you from the clutches of wolves and never intended to kill you. He doesn't deserve to die, does he?

Not to mention, there's also Harry, this innocent child!

Your love has always been narrow! It's time to reflect on that! Getting a beating from Dudley is better than keeping your regret bottled up inside!

Snape was once again made to feel emo by Dumbledore. After a long silence, he suddenly burst out:

"It's you! It's you! You promised me you'd keep Lily safe, but what happened? Lily still died!"

"You broke your promise first, you failed to protect Lily, giving Voldemort the opportunity. What could I do? Ah! I ask you, Voldemort wanted to kill Harry Potter, what could I do? What could I possibly do…"

Snape cried out, his voice trembling with emotion by the end.

"Back then, I certainly didn't do everything perfectly. I wasn't tougher and didn't hold the position of the confidential person in my own hands. That was my mistake, and I should reflect on it and apologize to you."

Dumbledore's tone lowered, then suddenly rose, "But you were the one who told Voldemort the contents of the prophecy. When you planted this seed of evil, you should have known that one day, the sword would fall on the one you loved!"

Snape couldn't hold back his tears any longer, and he slumped to the floor of the headmaster's office, speechless.

Dumbledore felt a pang of pity and softened his tone again: "If we examine it closely, Voldemort's growth is also related to me. Therefore, we should remember our mistakes and look forward."

"Look ahead? I can't see it! I can't see Voldemort's end, and I can't see what fun there is in a world without Lily!" Snape shouted as he got up.

“Believe me, Severus,” Dumbledore replied quickly. “I see it! I see Voldemort’s doom, and I see the possibility of my loved ones returning to this world!”

"What?!" Snape forgot his grief and tears, and asked sternly and forcefully, "Are you sure you know what you're saying? I don't want you to joke with me like this at any time!"

Dumbledore looked directly into Snape's eyes and answered with unusual firmness:

“Severus, I’m very sure, absolutely certain. And I’m working towards it, and I hope you’ll join me. I need your wisdom and ability!”

Snape gave Dumbledore a deep look and asked, "What do you need me to do?"