Hogwarts: The Exemplary Wizard I Am Chapter 719: Snape's Scar - Novel Cool

Chapter 719: Snape's Scar

Chapter 719: Snape's Scar

As expected, by the end of the final Potions class on Friday, the Felix Felicis potion ended up in Conna's pocket.

Her Polyjuice Potion was almost perfect, and even Professor Slughorn couldn't find any faults with it.

Kyle's potion was also impressive, but compared to Conna's, his cauldron contained a slightly darker potion.

This was because he added the African Snake Skin a little later, which had no effect on the potion itself. If it weren't for Conna, the first place would undoubtedly have been his.

However, to be honest, neither Kyle nor Conna was particularly interested in the Felix Felicis potion as a reward from Professor Slughorn.

Both of them already had access to the potion, and they had their own means of obtaining it.

There was no need to mention Conna; as long as she asked, Professor Snape wouldn't hesitate to provide her with a few bottles.

As for Kyle, he had a good relationship with Madam Pomfrey, the Matron of St. Mungo's Hospital, and with the addition of the Basilisks he had previously sent, acquiring some Felix Felicis wouldn't be a difficult task.

Therefore, this reward wasn't as appealing to them, and it didn't matter much if they didn't get it.

Moreover, what was more important was that ever since Kyle wore the Ravenclaw Diadem, he had developed a certain aversion to the Felix Felicis potion.

The feeling of being in control of everything was indeed a little intoxicating, and Kyle was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation...

Unless necessary, things were fine as they were.

...

On the first weekend of the new school year, a light drizzle fell from the sky, making it cold and damp. However, this day was also the day for Quidditch team tryouts, and the pitch was bustling with activity.

Apart from those who genuinely wanted to join the teams, many more were there to watch the spectacle, and if possible, they might also gather some intelligence on their rival houses' teams.

Since it was Gryffindor's turn in the morning, Kyle didn't go to the pitch. Instead, he accompanied Conna through the grounds to Hagrid's hut.

Hagrid had been in a strange mood these past few days, always looking grim. Recently, he hadn't even been going to the Great Hall for meals.

Kyle took this opportunity to visit and see what was going on.

When they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid was absentmindedly watering the pumpkin patch by the gate.

Inside were pumpkins as big as cartwheels, and by Halloween, they would be used as decorations in every corner of the castle.

However, Hagrid seemed to be thinking about something else. He poured an entire bucket of water onto a single pumpkin, creating a small puddle on the ground.

"Hagrid, if you don't focus, we'll have to buy pumpkins for Halloween," Kyle called out.

Hagrid turned around at the sound of Kyle's voice.

"Oh, it's you, Kyle, and Conna," he greeted them, holding the bucket. "Hello."

"Hello," Kyle said, walking to his side and asking directly, "What's been on your mind lately?"

"I'm... fine," Hagrid replied, his eyes darting around. He took a couple of steps forward, preparing to water the pumpkins. "You know you're not very good at lying, right?" Kyle said.

"Why are you watering pumpkins on a rainy day if you don't have something on your mind?"

Rain?

Hagrid finally noticed that his hair was completely wet.

"Oh, why didn't you tell me earlier?" He quickly put down the bucket and tried to scoop up the puddle with his hands.

"Do I need someone to tell me it's raining?" Kyle muttered.

However, seeing Hagrid's flustered state, Kyle took out his wand and helped to clean up the pumpkin patch.

Although he felt it wasn't necessary, Hagrid must have had his reasons for doing this. Helping was enough.

...

"Come on, what's going on?"

When they returned to the hut, Kyle asked again, "What's been bothering you lately?"

"I don't know..." Hagrid whispered, "Maybe Dumbledore choosing me as the Care of Magical Creatures professor was a mistake."

"Why do you think so?" Conna asked.

"Because this year, only five students chose my Advanced class," Hagrid said, sounding a bit comforted yet unable to smile.

"Five? That's all?" Conna was incredulous, which meant only one student from each house had chosen Hagrid's class, and even that seemed too few.

After all, even for the History of Magic class, there were ten students.

"Hagrid, have you set the standards too high?"

"If an 'A' is considered high." Hagrid sighed.

Kyle fell silent. An 'A' was the minimum requirement for the Advanced class, and it seemed there was no way to lower the standards further.

"Among those five students, are Harry and his friends among them?" Kyle asked tentatively.

"Harry, Hermione, and Ron, all three of them chose my class," Hagrid said, finding some solace but unable to smile.

This meant that aside from the three friendship votes, only two students had chosen his class. Thinking of this made Hagrid feel even more dejected.

"Dumbledore choosing me as a professor was a mistake!" Hagrid's voice trembled.

"Well... it's not that bad..." Kyle stammered.

He didn't know how to comfort Hagrid, and even this outcome had his help.

If it weren't for his insistence on keeping the Blast-Ended Skrewts out of Hagrid's class, there might not even be these five students. After all, that creature was truly unlikable.

Kyle turned to Conna for help, but she just spread her hands and silently averted her gaze.

"Okay, well... don't be discouraged, Hagrid. I think it's just that most people don't understand Care of Magical Creatures," Kyle said firmly.

"But when Professor Kettleburn was here, many students chose his Advanced class."

"Hagrid wiped his eyes with a dirty handkerchief, 'Thank you, Kyle, thank you for coming to comfort me at this time, but don't worry, I understand.'"

"No." Kyle shook his head. He suddenly thought of something else. "Hagrid, do you know what's different this year compared to previous years?"

"Different? What do you mean?" Hagrid was puzzled.

"The Dark Wizard." Kyle said, "This year, the Ministry of Magic announced the news of the Dark Wizard's resurgence, so most students subconsciously chose subjects that could improve their strength when selecting classes. That's why they ignored the Care of Magical Creatures class."

"Is that so?" Hagrid looked up.

Fortunately, his voice no longer carried the tone of despair. Kyle was truly not good at comforting a giant.

"Of course." Kyle said seriously, "Think about it, last year, quite a few students chose your class, how could it be that you're not capable enough?"

"But..." Hagrid was still puzzled, "Clearly, magical creatures play a significant role, and Dumbledore even used Fluffy to guard the Sorcerer's Stone. How could they not help them?"

"Because you can't bring Fluffy to the classroom." Kyle said, "Think about what they're learning—Hagrid, Hippogriffs, fairies, sniffles, and if you're lucky, maybe unicorns and fire lizards. They can't expect to ride unicorns to deal with Death Eaters, can they?"

Hagrid was somewhat convinced by this argument, and even Kyle and Conna believed in this explanation, because last year, there were indeed quite a few students who chose Hagrid's class, almost twenty of them.

The only change during this time was that the Ministry of Magic publicly announced the resurgence of the Dark Wizard, so it might indeed be the reason.

Divination class could predict the future, even if it wasn't always accurate, but at least it was a consolation, especially compared to the Care of Magical Creatures class.

Before fifth grade, only XXX level and below magical creatures were allowed to be studied, and it was normal for them to be looked down upon.

More importantly, most wizards also didn't carry magical creatures with them, and they relied more on wands.

"That's their loss, Hagrid." Conna spoke up.

"You're right." Kyle nodded, "One day, they'll regret this decision."

"Yes."

Hagrid was persuaded and became motivated again, "Give up on the Care of Magical Creatures class? They'll never know what they missed, and I've decided to let these five students experience something different."

"Something different?" Kyle pondered, "Wait, Hagrid, you're not planning to bring Fluffy to the classroom, are you?"

Given Hagrid's character, it was indeed possible for him to do such a thing.

Moreover, there was another problem—Kyle had secretly taken Fluffy out, and he hadn't had time to return it to the Forbidden Forest yet.

If Hagrid found out about this, it would be a bit difficult to explain.

"No, of course not."

Fortunately, Hagrid didn't plan to do that. He shook his head and said, "Since Fluffy has gotten used to the environment of the Forbidden Forest, I haven't seen it in a long time. Moreover, Dumbledore wouldn't agree to students facing overly dangerous magical creatures."

"So I plan to let them experience the Thestral in the first class."

"The Thestral?"

Kyle was taken aback. If he remembered correctly, last year at this time, they were also learning about the Thestral, and Umbridge was teaching the class... Was there a difference?

Seeming to notice Kyle's confusion, Hagrid explained, "This year, we're no longer just observing from a distance. I've decided to let them touch and understand the Thestral up close, and I'll also teach these five students how to ride them."

"With this, when they encounter danger at school, they can immediately seek help in the Forbidden Forest." Hagrid clenched his fist, full of confidence.

...

"Kyle, do you think Hagrid will succeed?" On the way back to the castle, Conna couldn't help but ask.

"Not sure." Kyle shrugged, "To be honest, Hagrid's idea is good, but he doesn't seem to be good at thinking."

Conna couldn't help but laugh. "If Hagrid heard this, he'd definitely be upset."

"That's why I didn't say it just now." Kyle looked back, "This is Hogwarts, if students need to seek help in the Forbidden Forest, it means the Death Eaters have completely taken over the school."

"Instead of running across the grounds to the Forbidden Forest, why not grab a flying broom from the broom shed?"

"Moreover, not everyone can see the Thestral."

Conna thought about it and realized it was indeed the case. Hagrid's decision could only be described as making the best of a bad situation.

This chapter is organized by Liuxiaoshuba~~

"Never mind, as long as Hagrid can get motivated again, that's good enough." Kyle waved his hand, not paying much attention.

He didn't plan to make the Care of Magical Creatures class more meaningful, it's not realistic, as long as Hagrid has something to do, don't keep thinking about only having five students in his advanced class."

When they reached the castle gate, the Gryffindor Quidditch team also happened to be returning from the pitch.

"Hey, Kyle." Harry waved, "By the way, I haven't thanked you yet."

"Thank you for what?" Kyle asked.

"It's because you let us buy the Potions book." Harry said, "Professor Slughorn insisted that I attend his class, and without the book, I wouldn't know what to do."

"By the way, did you know beforehand that Professor Slughorn would teach Potions?"

"It's nothing." Kyle said matter-of-factly, "Professor Slughorn is one of the few renowned Potions masters, and he's best at keeping himself safe. In any case, he wouldn't be a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"You should have told me earlier." Harry muttered under his breath. "If I had known, I wouldn't have chosen Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Kyle laughed quietly without saying a word.

The two returned to the castle.

"Kyle, hey, Kyle!"

Kyle turned his head and saw Susan Bones rushing towards him, a scroll of parchment in her hand.

"This is for you." She thrust the parchment into Kyle's hand, panting as she asked, "Have you heard about Hannah?"

"Yes, I've heard." Kyle nodded.

On the third day after the start of term, Death Eaters launched several attacks, resulting in numerous deaths, including Hannah's family. She had not been seen for many days.

"I hope she can hold on." Susan said with concern. "And I don't think going home is the right choice right now. There's no safer place than Hogwarts at this moment."

"Yes." Kyle nodded.

After Susan left, he opened the parchment, which contained a line of thin, slightly slanted writing.

Dear Kyle,

Please come to my office after lunch. I hope your start of term has been smooth.

Your faithful

Albus Dumbledore

P.S. The password is Acid Pops.

...

"Is Professor Dumbledore looking for you?" Conna said, reading the letter over Kyle's shoulder. "It can't be anything dangerous, right?"

"Who knows." Kyle said, walking towards the Great Hall.

The letter said to come after lunch, so there was no need to rush.

...

Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office on the eighth floor.

The atmosphere here was somewhat off. Albus Dumbledore sat there, with Severus Snape standing before him, his face as dark as water.

"So, is this your purpose?" He said in a detached tone, "To have Harry or Kyle inquire about Professor Slughorn's secrets."

"We must know how many Horcruxes Tom has made." Albus Dumbledore tapped the table. "You know, Severus, this isn't actually that dangerous."

"Not dangerous?" Severus Snape unconsciously raised his voice. "Professor Slughorn has been hiding this secret for years.

As far as I know, since the Dark Lord's resurrection, he hasn't dared to stay in one place for more than three months, only living in Muggle houses... Is this what you call not dangerous?"

Albus Dumbledore was silent for a moment. "I never thought, Severus, that you would care about Kyle."

"Don't talk nonsense." Snape glared at him. "You know who I'm talking about."

"Yes, I know." Albus Dumbledore said softly. "This guilt has tormented you for sixteen years, since Lily..."

"Don't mention that name!" Snape roared, his voice so loud that it woke up Fawkes, who flapped its wings vigorously to express its displeasure.

In the portrait, Finneas Black opened his eyes for a moment, then continued to pretend to sleep.

However, Albus Dumbledore seemed unconcerned. He rubbed the ring on his finger and asked softly:

"Do you want to see her again? Perhaps you can get her forgiveness."

"Are you mocking me?" Snape looked at Albus Dumbledore coldly, struggling to suppress his anger. "She's dead. How can I possibly see her again... Wait..."

At this moment, he suddenly noticed the ring on Albus Dumbledore's finger.

"That is..."

"Yes, it's the thing we found in the Gaunt House." Albus Dumbledore extended his hand, showing the ring to Snape.

"But... isn't there a curse on it..."

"It's been removed." Albus Dumbledore said, taking off the ring and placing it on the table. "Perhaps you didn't notice, but I was wearing it at the start-of-term feast."

The Philosopher's Stone...

Snape's mind was filled with a single thought.

The Philosopher's Stone, which could bring back the souls of the dead, was right in front of him. With this object, he could see Lily again, talk to her, and... apologize...

Unconsciously, Snape took a few quick steps forward.

But for some reason, the closer he got to the Philosopher's Stone, the heavier his footsteps became.

When he finally reached Albus Dumbledore, just a hand's reach away from the Philosopher's Stone, he couldn't move a finger no matter what.

He was afraid.

He was afraid to see Lily, afraid of her disappointed... even hateful gaze.

If she didn't forgive him, what then?

It was because of his betrayal, telling half of the prophecy he overheard at the Hog's Head to Lord Voldemort, which led to the Potter family's murder, that Lily wouldn't forgive him. Snape had been avoiding thinking about this for these past years, always seeking redemption.

If he used the Philosopher's Stone, it meant he had to reopen this wound.

Looking at the Philosopher's Stone just within reach, Snape's face paled, and after struggling, he took two steps back.

He bumped into a table, knocking over several silver utensils.

"Take it away!" Snape shouted hysterically. "Take it away."

Albus Dumbledore wasn't too surprised by this scene, or perhaps this was what he had anticipated.

"Severus..." Albus Dumbledore picked up the ring and put it on his finger again. "Sometimes we all need a bit of extra courage. Although reopening the wound will be painful, it also means there's a chance for healing."

"Shut up, Albus, shut up!" Snape panted heavily, not really listening to what he said.

Just then, a knock on the door sounded.

"Sorry, I have something to attend to." Snape walked towards the door, quickly, not even glancing at Kyle who had just entered.

(End of Chapter)

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