Chapter 903: Snape's Secret Thoughts
Chapter 903: Snape's Secret Thoughts
Role-playing between couples can be fun, as long as no one else finds out. But if someone they know catches them in the act, and worse, takes a photo, it's a different story.
Bill understood this all too well.
Was there anything wrong with dressing up as a Christmas present to visit his fiancee? No, it was a romantic gesture to strengthen their bond.
And was there anything wrong with kissing his fiancee on the street? Not in the least, especially in France, where public displays of affection are as common as balding middle-aged men in Britain.
But why did he feel like going to Azkaban?
Bill sat in the potion shop, half-asleep and half-awake.
Beside him, Kyle and Conna were examining a photo together.
"Look at the red and gold color scheme," Kyle said. "A Christmas gift from Gryffindor, how thoughtful."
"And the colorful ribbon is so cute and playful," Conna added, covering her mouth to suppress a laugh.
She couldn't laugh out loud; the person in the photo was right there. It would be impolite.
But it was hilarious.
Conna's shoulders twitched as she tried to hold back her laughter.
"Good thing I had the foresight to carry a camera with me," Kyle continued. "I was able to capture this wonderful moment, and Mrs. Weasley will surely love it."
Bill's head sank even lower.
He looked at the wand in his hand, debating whether to cast the Killing Curse on himself or on Kyle.
Maybe he should just curse Kyle and destroy the photo, then cast it on himself and claim Voldemort attacked France.
At least that would preserve his innocence.
Even if Bill was a trendsetter, he didn't want Mrs. Weasley to see a photo of him dressed as a Christmas present.
He would become a laughingstock... for the next fifty years, or even longer.
He could even imagine Fred and George putting the photo in their shop window, on promotional posters, and on every product they sold, spreading it all over the world.
It was better to bite the bullet and bury everything here and now.
Destroy it, he was tired.
Bill tightened his grip on his wand.
"Enough!" Fleur stood up, quickly snatched the photo from them, tore it into pieces, and threw it into the nearby fireplace.
As the photo turned to ashes, Bill's eyes regained their sparkle.
Kyle didn't stop her, but after it was completely burned, he slowly took out a thick stack of identical photos and asked, "Do you want more?"
Of course, he had mastered the Duplicate Charm in his first year, so he definitely had backups.
Fleur rolled her eyes.
"You mistook me for Bill yesterday, didn't you?" Kyle asked.
"Yes," Fleur admitted without hesitation.
Bill had written that he would visit her at Christmas, so when Kyle knocked on her door, she instinctively thought it was him and eagerly opened the door.
But it turned out to be Kyle and Conna.
She had just finished witnessing a romantic moment between them and hadn't fully digested it, and now they were back again, on Christmas?
This made Fleur feel uncomfortable, especially knowing that Bill was on his way but hadn't arrived yet.
"Tsk... You made me lose sleep last night," Kyle said, waving the photo in his hand. "Apologize to me now, and maybe I'll consider letting you off the hook."
Fleur smirked.
Would she apologize? Of course not. She stood up and kissed Bill's head again.
Fleur didn't care if Kyle sent the photo to the Weasley family, or better yet, she hoped he would. That way, Bill, who had already suffered social embarrassment in Britain, could stay in France without a fuss.
"..." Kyle muttered and tossed the photo into the fireplace as well.
"Fine, you win."
He wouldn't give this to Mrs. Weasley, and there was no way Fred and George would see it. Bill had only come to visit his fiancee, and while their playfulness might have gone a bit far, it wasn't a crime.
But...
Kyle glanced at Conna, deep in thought.
Unfortunately, Conna didn't notice his gaze, as she was intently staring at a piece of vellum on the table.
It was the same vellum Kyle had taken out when he brought the photos, and it was one of the reasons he had come.
"I've never seen this potion formula before, and..."
Conna read the contents, "African Tree Snake Skin and Unicorn Blood... These two ingredients combined would be too much for a wizard to handle. You're not just making this up, are you?"
"This is from Headmistress Saxia of St. Mungo's Hospital," Kyle explained.
Conna blinked, surprised. "I guess my knowledge is not comprehensive enough."
"No, do you trust her that much?" Kyle asked, incredulous.
She had been so serious a moment ago, but as soon as she heard Saxia's name, she immediately dismissed her own opinion. That was a bit too quick.
"Of course. Headmistress Saxia is a living legend in the potion world, and in my eyes, she's even greater than Headmaster Dumbledore."
"Alright," Kyle said.
He had to admit that fans were often defenseless in front of their idols, and wizards were no exception.
"You're right, this potion is for dragons."
"Dragons?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "I have five dragons in the Forbidden Forest, and Headmistress Saxia visited me yesterday and gave me this."
"Wait, what did you just say?"
Before Conna could respond, Bill interrupted, his head snapping up to stare intently at Kyle, "What did you just say you were doing in the Forbidden Forest?"
"I'm raising dragons. What's the big deal?"
"You're not making any sense!" Bill exclaimed, "It's understandable to exaggerate a little when trying to impress a girl, but five dragons... Even Charlie, who works in the reserve, hasn't taken care of five dragons at once!"
"It's hard to explain in just a few words," Kyle said. "You'll understand when you visit Hogwarts."
"Oh, by the way..." He turned to Conna again, "The new Headmaster of Hogwarts is no longer Dumbledore, but Professor McGonagall. And after Christmas, I'll be the new Professor of Ancient Runes."
"What?"
"What did you say?"
Both witches, except for Bill, looked at him in surprise.
"How come you don't know?" Kyle asked, looking at Fleur in particular, "Didn't Madame Maxime tell you? She attended the new Headmaster's inauguration ceremony."
"No," Fleur shook her head, "In fact, we haven't been in touch much recently."
Then she turned to Bill, giving him a reproachful look, "Why didn't you mention such a big event in your letters?"
Bill looked a little aggrieved.
Why would Fleur, a French witch, care about the change of Headmaster at Hogwarts?
And why did they mention Dumbledore in their letters?
Despite his thoughts, Bill kept quiet, considering Fleur's expression.
He was also a bit confused. He knew about the change in Headmaster, but how did Kyle become the Professor of Ancient Runes?
No one had told him.
And what about the five dragons?
Kyle wasn't one to boast, and with his relationship with Conna, he didn't need to resort to such clumsy lies.
This was probably true.
But the very fact that it seemed true made it even more unbelievable.
How could a wizard possibly raise dragons? Even Gringotts only dared to do it secretly.
If anyone found out, they'd be sent straight to Azkaban.
Bill nervously got up and drew the curtains in the shop.
"No need to be so tense," Kyle waved his hand and proceeded to explain the situation.
The main point was the inauguration of Professor McGonagall as Headmaster.
Due to the complexities involving the Time-Turner, it was impossible to explain in a few words, and it wasn't appropriate for Fleur to know all the details. So, Kyle attributed the acquisition of the Legal Dragon Keeping Certificate to the help of Newt and Dumbledore.
It wasn't a matter of trust; with her relationship with Bill, Fleur was practically family.
However, this matter involved some of Dumbledore's secrets, which made it a little inconvenient to discuss.
Even so, it was still astonishing.
Conna's mouth hung open as she listened, her expression adorable as if she were hearing a fairy tale.
And as for Fleur... Kyle wondered if he was imagining it, but she seemed to be showing signs of reverting.
Was raising dragons such a big deal?
"I can't believe I missed out on so much," Conna said with a hint of melancholy.
"You..." Kyle glanced at her, as if he wanted to say something.
"Never mind," Conna suddenly spoke up, changing the subject, "Professor McGonagall being the Headmaster is great too."
"Yeah," Kyle nodded.
"Tsk," Fleur rolled her eyes but didn't say anything, instead, she turned to Bill and gave him another affectionate bite.
"Hey!" Bill protested, "I don't feel any love in your kiss; it's like I'm just an apple."
"But you're a sweet apple," Fleur laughed, her mood noticeably brighter.
Kyle smacked his lips, suddenly feeling a little stuffed... Was this how Fleur had felt earlier?
Indeed, she had a valid reason to be upset.
The original text can be found in Chapter 6 of the book/online forum.
But why was Kyle getting fed dog food with Conna right there?
He wanted to be an apple too.
"Conna..." Kyle turned his head.
"Do you have Unicorn Blood?"
"What?"
"Unicorn Blood," Conna repeated, "These are the two rarest materials here. I have African Tree Snake Skin, but I rarely use Unicorn Blood. You should have some, right?"
"Yes, I do," Kyle took out a bottle containing blood that shimmered with a silver glow, like melted silver Sickle.
As for how Kyle came to possess such blood... it was a gift from Hagrid.
All Kyle had done was ask Hagrid to keep an eye out and collect some blood if a unicorn ever got injured.
Kyle's request was casual; unicorns have the unique ability to inspire no hostility in any creature, even the most aggressive Hungarian Firebirds.
And unicorns themselves are not fragile creatures; they rarely suffer any harm under normal circumstances.
So, Kyle had initially planned to purchase it in Diagon Alley.
Although unicorn blood contains an elixir of immortality, once it flows from a wound, the curse dissipates within seconds, so it's not considered a prohibited trade item. Many potions require it, including the famous Elixir to Induce Euphoria, which lists unicorn blood as an essential ingredient.
Of course, the price is genuinely high, almost ten times that of dragon blood, and it's not easy to come by.
Kyle never expected Hagrid to bring him some that very evening, and it wasn't a small amount either.
According to Hagrid, while unicorns rarely attack each other, the period around Christmas is an exception. This is when they seek mates, and to demonstrate their strength, they may even fight off competitors.
Yesterday, Kyle happened to come across an injured unicorn with a pierced front leg, bleeding profusely.
He mentioned that there might be more available soon, and he could help procure some if needed.
"How do you know I have unicorn blood?" Kyle asked curiously.
"Here," Conna pointed to an inconspicuous mark on the vellum.
"Not only do I know you have unicorn blood, but I also know you've brewed this potion before." She picked up the vellum and sniffed it, "The cauldron exploded, right?"
"How do you know all this?" Kyle was a bit incredulous.
His cauldron had indeed exploded, mainly because when he added the unicorn blood, the entire potion started to boil, causing it to splatter everywhere. This happened consecutively twice.
"African Tree Snake Skin and unicorn blood will conflict when combined, just like the Cleansing Charm and Blasting Charm. Of course, your cauldron would explode if you add them directly."
Conna explained, "You should mix the unicorn blood with ginger root powder to create a buffer."
"But... Headmistress Saxia didn't mention that."
"Isn't this common knowledge?" Conna said matter-of-factly.
Kyle opened his mouth but remained silent.
He felt that his potion-making skills were quite good when he was in school, but now, not long after graduation, the gap between him and Conna seemed to have widened significantly.
"Leave it to me." Conna naturally took the vellum.
"And give me that too." She pointed to the unicorn blood in Kyle's hand, "It's a waste for you to keep it."
"Sure." Kyle obediently handed over the bottle in his hand.
"Ha!" Beside them, Furong smirked with schadenfreude.
It was her first time seeing Kyle being embarrassed.
Even the Triwizard Tournament champion couldn't prevent his potion from boiling over?
Her potions had never exploded.
Kyle naturally heard Furong's taunts but didn't pay much attention.
The potion class at Busbyton was similar to the Care of Magical Creatures class at Hogwarts, where even combining all the grades, they couldn't gather a hundred students.
She didn't know a thing about potions.
"By the way, I have something for you too." At this moment, Conna suddenly spoke up.
She walked to a nearby shelf, retrieved a bag, and placed it on the table.
Kyle opened it and saw it was filled with Galleons, probably over a hundred.
"I don't need money." Kyle returned the bag to Conna, "I also opened a shop in Diagon Alley. Although there aren't many customers usually, the income is still quite good."
"No customers but still good income." Furong dragged out the word, "Your 'good income' probably means earning one Galleon, right?"
Kyle ignored her and pushed the bag back, "You keep it, I really don't need it."
"But this was meant for you." Conna said, "This is from Uncle Severus recently, and he said it's some sort of compensation."
"I don't know why the compensation for you is sent to me, and he didn't even let me tell you. But since you're here, just take it."
Kyle looked at Conna and then at the bag of Galleons.
He finally realized what had happened.
Previously, Snape had visited his shop regarding Malfoy's matter and broke an ebony wood shelf.
The agreed-upon compensation was one hundred and fifty Galleons.
Later, Snape insisted that he had already paid, but neither Kyle nor Dobby received the money.
This matter became a mystery.
Apparently, he had sent the Galleons to Conna.
Kyle remembered that he had once said, 'My money is your money,' intending to provoke Snape. Unexpectedly, Snape had used this statement and directly given the compensation to Conna.
Thinking of this, Kyle took the bag in his hand.
"Since that's the case, I'll take it!"
"Is this bag yours, or did Professor Snape send it together?"
"It's from my uncle." Conna said, giving Kyle a suspicious look, "You're not up to something, are you?"
"No, of course not, why would I? I'm now Professor Snape's colleague. How could I have bad intentions towards him? You're overthinking it!"
"It's best if you're not." Conna sighed.
She hadn't mentioned Snape at all, but Kyle had confessed without being asked.
She regretted giving the bag to Kyle.
"Forget it." Conna shook her head. Anyway, she was in France, and whatever happened between the two men was none of her business.
After chatting for a while, Furong was curious about how Kyle had become a professor at Hogwarts at such a young age.
In Busbyton, there had never been such a young professor.
Kyle didn't know how to respond and could only attribute it to Dumbledore and the current headmaster.
While they were chatting, Conna kept glancing at the vellum on the table.
Since it was Headmistress Saxia's potion recipe, she couldn't wait to try it as soon as she got the key ingredients.
And this urge became more and more pressing, even with Kyle, whom she had been thinking about day and night, right beside her, she couldn't completely calm down.
"Excuse me, you guys continue chatting."
A few minutes later, Conna couldn't hold back any longer. She stood up, took the vellum and unicorn blood, and headed towards the basement.
"Wait, I'll come too."
Kyle had intended to follow and take a look, but Conna seemed not to have heard him. After entering the basement, she closed the door.
The solid door almost hit Kyle's face.
"Hey..." The half-Veela's mocking laughter came from behind.
"Do you have nothing better to do?" Kyle said irritably, "Go eat your apple."
"Mind your own business!" Furong glared at him provocatively.
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
