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Chapter 312: Former Death Eaters
Chapter 312: Former Death Eaters
"You are at Hogwarts now!"
Karkaroff's tone grew stern, as if he were forcing the issue.
"The Dark Lord's most loyal followers should all be locked up in Azkaban! But you are not! Not only that, you are right under Dumbledore's nose!"
Snape looked at him with a cold, empty gaze, as if he were looking at a dead man.
"The most loyal followers should all be in Azkaban? Is that so? Many of those in that prison were forced there because of you, Igor. Think about it."
Karkaroff's face turned ashen, as if something painful had been mentioned, but Snape's words were not done.
"As for me being under Dumbledore's watch, are you now doubting my loyalty to him? Don't forget who he trusted the most back then! I never believed that he was truly gone. When he rises again, won't my position be the most useful weapon for him?"
Karkaroff's pupils suddenly narrowed.
Harry, hiding nearby, felt his body stiffen.
His thoughts were in turmoil, and he had little information. He was still unclear about who the "person" they were talking about was.
But Harry's sharp intuition told him that Snape's words were definitely not right and certainly not good!
"You mean... you were planning this all along..." Karkaroff muttered, dazed. Snape, however, turned and walked down the stairs without looking back.
"Instead of worrying about me, you should think about yourself. You can feel it, can't you? The mark on your arm is becoming more active. If that day comes, will you be able to escape?"
His final question was barely audible, but both Karkaroff and Harry heard it clearly.
Especially Karkaroff.
After Snape left, his face slowly regained its composure.
He turned to look at the full moon hanging high in the sky, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
"I hope it is so."
Harry couldn't remember how he made it back to the Gryffindor Common Room.
When he finally lay in bed, he was drenched in cold sweat, feeling as if he had heard something terrible!
He didn't sleep well the entire night, only managing to doze off briefly around dawn.
The next day, he pulled Hermione and Ron to a corner of the common room.
Without any hesitation, he recounted everything he had overheard between Snape and Karkaroff.
Hermione, before focusing on the main points, gave Harry a sharp look.
"You told me last time that you had already found the secret hidden in the Golden Egg!"
"That's not the point, Hermione. Besides, knowing it now isn't too late", Harry said, waving his hand. "The real issue is the conversation between Karkaroff and Snape. Do you understand what they were talking about?"
It had been a while since the Christmas ball, and Ron and Hermione's relationship had gradually improved. They at least weren't making Harry feel uncomfortable anymore.
"This is definitely not a small matter. I've always thought that Karkaroff, like Snape, is not a good person."
Hermione, however, did not judge based on impressions alone. She carefully analyzed the conversation Harry had relayed.
"Karkaroff said that Snape being under Dumbledore's watch is equivalent to betrayal."
She pondered the words for a moment before suddenly asking them a question.
"If following Dumbledore counts as betrayal, that means Snape was previously on the opposing side of Professor Dumbledore. Which other faction in the Wizarding World fits this condition?"
Ron scoffed.
"How could that be? Professor Dumbledore is widely acknowledged as the greatest white wizard in the entire Wizarding World. No one dares to oppose him."
Harry, however, seemed to have realized something, and he couldn't help but shiver.
"Just because there isn't anyone now doesn't mean there wasn't anyone in the past."
With those words, even if Ron had a pig's brain, he could understand what Harry meant.
He opened his mouth wide, staring dumbfounded at Harry and Hermione.
"You mean to say that Snape was once a servant of the Dark Lord!"
"Other explanations don't align with the conversation Harry overheard last night", Hermione said seriously. "Not only Snape, but Karkaroff as well. Snape called him a traitor, which means he once had the same identity as Snape!"
Ron looked as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, his face filled with disbelief.
"The headmaster of one of the three major magic schools in Europe and the headmaster of Hogwarts! They were both once servants of the Dark Lord! This is a joke!"
"Given their past, why would Dumbledore dare keep them in the castle", Ron said, looking at Harry. "The person who put your name in the Goblet of Fire to see you die might be one of them!"
Harry's expression was conflicted.
He could feel that Hermione's analysis was correct, but Lily had repeatedly told him that no matter what Snape used to be, the current Snape was definitely a good person.
However, based on last night's conversation, the words Snape spoke didn't sound like those of a good person at all. Instead, they sounded more like the words of a spy lurking in Hogwarts.
Harry didn't agonize over this for long. He chose what he believed to be the best solution: tell the professor everything he had heard.
When it came to choosing which professor to tell, he played a bit of a trick.
After all, he had been breaking school rules when he overheard the conversation. If he told Professor Mcgonagall, he would likely face punishment.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, showed almost unconditional trust in Snape, so Harry naturally turned to Sherlock.
Sherlock, who was in his office and had already begun writing the final exam questions for the semester, listened to Harry's account.
His face didn't show the shock or disbelief Harry expected. Instead, he remained very calm.
His relaxed demeanor, sipping black tea and eating small biscuits, even made Harry wonder if he was telling a leisurely fable.
"Very well done, Harry", Sherlock nodded in approval. "Ignoring the fact that you broke school rules by sneaking to the Prefects' Bathroom at night, it was the right choice to report this to me promptly. Hmm, I might even award Gryffindor ten points for this."
(End of Chapter)
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