Chapter 561: A Desperate Reason
Chapter 561: A Desperate Reason (Requesting Monthly Votes)
Felix knocked on the basement door. Snape, wearing his perennial black robe, had his curly black hair plastered to the back of his head, and his immobile black eyes always reminded Felix of the roasted fish they had eaten in the courtyard on a cold day.
The door opened silently, and the person standing there moved aside, revealing Professor Burbage bent over a table. Her hair was a mess, like a pile of straw, and her wide glasses perched on top like a pitchfork. Professor Burbage was carefully examining a flower pot.
"Did I miss anything?" Felix asked cheerfully.
"You came just in time, Felix", Professor Burbage said excitedly, her face still glued to the flower pot. "I told Severus we had to wait for you to witness this..."
"There's nothing to witness", Snape said.
He slammed the door shut, strode to the table, and took a glass bottle from his robe pocket. "Move over", he said coldly, and Professor Burbage hurriedly stepped aside, holding her breath as Snape carefully unscrewed the bottle cap and dripped a single drop of liquid into the flower pot.
A magical scene unfolded.
A small bump appeared in the brown soil, revealing a faint trace of tender green. Under the silent watch of the three, a palm-sized green sprout began to sway gently in the flower pot after a few minutes.
"What is this?" Felix asked.
"A Rejuvenating Potion, a magical potion that promotes plant germination", Snape explained.
"Don't you need to add a Regeneration Potion? I remember that using both potions together can restore most withered plants to health", Felix asked curiously.
"There's no need to waste it", Snape said. "The seeds Burbage provided are already well-nourished."
"Can I take it back with me?" Professor Burbage pleaded, her eyes fixed on the sprout in the flower pot.
"Oh, no", Felix said immediately. "We agreed on this."
He intended to take the plant for analysis, mainly to observe changes in the soil's nutrients and the subsequent growth of the plant. Burbage knew this, but she was reluctant to let it go. She now looked pitifully at Snape. "Severus..."
"I only made one bottle of this potion", Snape grunted. "At someone's request, using the simplest ingredients."
Felix comforted Professor Burbage. "There's no need to rush, Keridi. We have plenty of time. From the seed's germination, growth, flowering, and fruiting... for now, we just need to understand the first step. Compared to a normal growth cycle, we can speed it up by at least half a month, right?" he asked Professor Burbage.
"Absolutely, definitely", she said confidently.
"That's enough", Felix said. "Don't underestimate it. Thoroughly understanding this process is a remarkable achievement, worthy of an Order of Merlin..."
Professor Burbage left with a radiant face. She now wanted to apply to Headmaster Dumbledore for a plot of land to build an experimental greenhouse.
"Sprout will definitely be able to help, and she'll be happy to", Snape said dryly at the door, hoping she would bother him less in the future. Turning around, he found the culprit sitting leisurely on the sofa, flipping through a magazine.
"What are you thinking about now, another new 'ace up your sleeve'?" he said sarcastically.
"I was wondering if the Avada Kedavra curse can kill bacteria in water... Okay, I was joking, forget it", Felix said quickly, seeing Snape's expression. "There's something I need to tell you. Mr. Scamander found a way to make Blast-Ended Skrewts reproduce stably. He wrote in his letter that Skrewt larvae are now rampant and asked if I needed any..."
Snape thought for a moment.
"Skrewt larvae's mucus is corrosive, but if handled well, it can remove specific potion ingredients' properties, making it an excellent auxiliary ingredient."
"Then you should publish a few articles to help promote it", Felix said.
Snape nodded; this was what he wanted. The office fell silent, and Snape stared at the specimen jars on the wall. "Someone told me you have Ravenclaw's Diadem..."
"Did Dumbledore tell you?" Felix asked.
"No, it wasn't him", Snape said.
Felix frowned. Only Dumbledore knew about this. He had never shown it, mainly because he found it too shameful and had been using it secretly. Valen had worn it for a while during the initial stages of learning, but Valen didn't know what it was. Besides that—
"Did someone from the Ministry of Magic tell you?" Felix mused aloud. "But even in the Ministry, not many people know about it. Such important files are usually not given much attention unless someone deliberately searches for them... Oh, I see."
Voldemort had extended his reach into the Ministry of Magic.
"What is it?" Snape asked softly, a question he had been wanting to ask. "It can't just be a simple relic of Rowena Ravenclaw. While legend says her diadem can enhance one's wisdom, the Dark Lord's interest in the diadem far exceeds the legend itself."
Felix fell silent. The fewer people who knew about the Horcrux secret, the better. But since Sirius had found out... He hesitated, his main concern being that Severus might deduce that Harry was a half-Horcrux. Sirius was also a potential risk, but Sirius's knowledge of Horcruxes was limited, especially the fact that living beings could be used to create them, something Severus had a chance to discover about the snake.
"Is it related to his immortality?" Snape whispered.
He carefully observed Felix’s facial expressions, though he found nothing, the brief silence was enough for him to deduce part of the truth.
Snape didn’t press further but changed the subject, saying, “The Dark Lord learned of this news through the Ministry of Magic’s spies. He asked me to probe you indirectly, but I think—why not ask you directly? I have enough troubles and don’t want to waste time…”
Felix smiled, “This is indeed the most time-efficient method. Voldemort might even praise you for your efficiency.”
“I don’t plan to report immediately,” Snape said, “The Dark Lord takes this matter very seriously, even more so than the object in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. He confided in me that he will find an opportunity to arrange for spies to assist me.”
“Come to the school?” Felix found it amusing.
The plan sounded good, but with Snape around, it seemed a bit ridiculous. Felix didn’t take it too seriously. If he were to capture the spy now, it might expose Snape’s cover. Felix suspected that Dumbledore might go along with it, waiting for the spy to walk into a trap. Then, it would be a matter of who would come to the school.
He felt a strange sense of anticipation.
Voldemort now had only one Horcrux to rely on, and the sense of insecurity must have reached its peak. However, it was unclear whether the golden cup was with Voldemort or with Bellatrix Lestrange. From all perspectives, Voldemort wasn’t someone who would entrust his life to his subordinates. So…
Felix tried to simulate Voldemort’s current thoughts: If I were him—under Voldemort’s circumstances—what would I do?
First, I must ensure the safety of the Horcrux.
I know for certain that three Horcruxes have been destroyed: the diary, the snake, and the ring. The status of the diadem and the locket is uncertain. The diadem might be at the school, though I don’t yet know it’s with Felix Hep. As for the locket—“Where do you plan to spend the Christmas Break, Severus?” Felix looked up and asked. Snape stared at him in surprise and reluctantly replied, “I have some business to attend to with the Order of the Phoenix…” Felix looked away, understanding—so I suspect the locket was stolen by a former servant. Regulus has been dead for over a decade. If the Horcrux hasn’t been destroyed, it’s most likely in the Black Family Manor, which I can’t enter.
What else?
I know there’s some connection between me and Harry Potter at the school. For the past two months, I’ve had to use Occlumency to protect my mind… though it’s frustrating, it’s the best method for now… because I’m not sure if this connection extends to the other Horcruxes. Damn, that half-told prophecy! Damn Harry Potter! I must ensure that my only Horcrux remains under my watch, and it must never be separated from the golden cup, unless there’s an unavoidable reason…
Felix tried hard to think. He needed to find this reason. He continued to ponder:
There are two other wizards in the Wizarding World at my level. If I fall into a trap, it could be disastrous, so I must be cautious. However, I know one of them won’t live much longer, and I can wait patiently… but when the time comes, I won’t hesitate to finish him off when he’s at his weakest. It will be a wonderful feeling. The key is that he holds a Horcrux crucial to me…
Felix suddenly saw the light.
Is this Dumbledore’s plan? To use the Horcrux to lure Voldemort? But it seems there’s no place for me in this battle, a one-on-one confrontation between Dumbledore and Voldemort…
“What can I do?” Felix asked himself. “Ah, it’s so simple, I should have known.” He said happily.
Of course, the plan was to seize the last Horcrux.
This was the unavoidable reason—Voldemort and the golden cup Horcrux would have to be separated. No one would be foolish enough to bring their other life into a life-or-death duel, even against a weakened opponent. The only person Voldemort could trust would be Bellatrix Lestrange.
Snape glared at the self-talking Felix, completely unaware of his complex thoughts.
“Want to play a round of Exploding Snap, Severus?” Felix asked, in a much better mood.
…
Of course, they didn’t play any cards.
Felix left the Potions Classroom office. The notice board in the hall still displayed the list of student clubs, but that was from three weeks ago.
Christmas was approaching quickly.
Felix planned to visit Newt’s place during the holidays to update his ‘resource library’ and also to travel the world to gather some rare magical creatures. As he passed a large suit of armor in the corridor, he suddenly stopped to examine it closely, sensing some magic within.
The helmet of the armor slowly lowered, meeting Felix’s gaze.
Felix: “…”
“Clank, clank, clank…”
“Huff, huff, huff…”
Felix stopped tapping the armor and turned to see Filch’s pale, furious eyes, asking somewhat awkwardly, “Mr. Filch?”
“It’s Professor Hep, I thought you were… I was just chasing Peeves. He somehow got a bubble gun, and the ceiling is full of colorful bubbles… probably a new Zonko’s product. I have to report it…” Filch muttered.
Felix remained silent as Filch left. “Clank! Clank!” He tapped the armor twice more. The armor seemed to finally give in, opening its helmet and starting to retch.
“By the way, Professor Hup, I wanted to ask—” Filch, who had already left, returned with an awkward and ingratiating expression. However, when he saw Felix's movement, he froze. Felix also felt a headache; he just wanted to check this strange suit of armor.
At that moment, the armor dramatically clutched its stomach and spat out a red envelope, which slowly floated down in front of the two of them.
“Oh,” Felix whispered, recognizing what it was. The Howler began to smoke and then burst into flames. He stepped back a few paces and reached out, confining the sound to the entrance hall. A few seconds later, the amplified, cheerful voices of the Weasley Twins echoed:
“Whether you're Peeves—”
“Or Filch—”
“Or a little brat who failed the exam—”
“Or—”
Fred and George Weasley's voices alternated:
“You are the great—”
“Of course, the mischievous—”
“The adventurous—”
“The one who's been caught countless times—”
“The indomitable—”
“The incorrigible—”
“Top troublemaker!” The voices merged here, and Filch's face turned purple. The Howler continued to roll merrily in the air, “Take action quickly! We've provided ample assistance, provided that you and I are on the same wavelength!”
“Bang!” The Howler exploded into a ball of fire, and colorful fireworks shot out, finally disappearing.
An awkward silence followed.
Felix patted the dust off his clothes. Although he was seething with anger inside, he maintained a calm demeanor and asked, “Mr. Filch, did you forget something?”
“Oh, uh, yes,” Filch mumbled, his flabby face twitching unnaturally. As he passed Felix, Felix heard him muttering curses at the Weasley Twins.
Taking advantage of Filch heading toward the office, Felix quickly slipped out of the castle. Stepping on the stone stairs and breathing in the dry, cold air, he finally relaxed.
Felix noticed that Filch had something to say to him and had probably prepared for a long time, but the timing had been awkward. He would talk to Filch later. If he heard that the Weasley Twins were in detention, he would definitely remember this day.
Felix continued down the stairs. In the distance, he saw Valen having a great time. He smiled and then changed direction, passing through the greenhouses and the vegetable patch to reach the edge of the Forbidden Forest. After a few apparitions, he stood at the entrance of the cave where Grawp spent the winter.
Inside, there were loud thumping sounds, and small pebbles rolled down from the cracks in the ceiling. Felix caught a whiff of a musty, straw-like odor.
“Grawp—bite—lion—” The voice was deafening.
“Shut up! You idiot!” Hagrid shouted, “Go brush your teeth properly.”
Another thud sounded, as if Grawp was venting his frustration.
“Ouch—” Hagrid clutched his face and ran out, gasping for breath, with his mole-skin coat torn in several places.
“Are you okay, Hagrid?”
“Felix?” Hagrid said, surprised, as he pulled pebbles from his beard and smiled, “I'm fine. Little Grawp was just playing around. He's improving quickly; even when he gets angry, he tries not to hit me…” His voice grew softer, “Though there's still a chance of accidental injury.”
“Are you showing him movies?” Felix glanced into the cave, but from this angle, he could only see a massive, dirty foot.
“Yeah,” Hagrid said happily, “Little Grawp loves creatures, just like me! I plan to take him to the Forbidden Forest to meet some friends when the time is right, without a leash… but not now. I can only show him movies. He's never seen a lion and is very curious. I also plan to give him the books you gave me.”
Felix was momentarily lost in thought, remembering the set of books he had given Hagrid on his first visit, which featured various non-magical animals.
Suddenly, there was another thud from the cave. Felix saw the large foot thumping the ground like a drum.
“Quiet! I'm talking to Felix!” Hagrid shouted into the cave.
“Felix? Felix—Hermi—Hagrid—Siri—Harry—Ron—” Grawp growled from inside.
Hagrid sighed, “His English is still not standard, and he's quite stubborn. He thinks Harry sounds better…”
“Is there something at the school?” Hagrid asked gruffly.
“Oh, no. It's a personal matter,” Felix replied, “I want to know the location of the giant tribe—of course, I know they've retreated into the mountains. I mean, which direction did they go?” He quickly added when he saw Hagrid about to speak.
“You're not planning to go after them, are you?” Hagrid muttered anxiously, “They… they've had a tough time; there aren't many left.”
“I have no reason to, but I think it's necessary to check on their condition. After all, they've been out of the wizards' sight for a long time.”
Hagrid hesitated for a moment, “Alright, I can only tell you the general location. Do you have a map?”
“I've collected a bunch…”
…
When Felix reappeared, he was at the edge of the Black Lake.
Valen was skating on the ice. Some student had transfigured a pair of ice skates for it, and from the movements, it was skating much better than most of the Hogwarts students.
“Valen, one more!” a student shouted excitedly.
Valen happily took out its unique wand, waved it casually, and a gust of wind swirled the snow on the ice into a rolling snow dragon. Valen charged straight into the whirlwind, with the yellow cap and scarf flying high in the air amidst the swirling snow.
(End of Chapter)
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