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Chapter 936: Snape's Memory
Chapter 936: Snape's Memory
Kyle and the Weasley brothers' voices carried, naturally drawing the attention of others.
"Oh, Kyle..."
Mrs. Weasley rushed over and hugged him tightly, sobbing, "Dear, we were just looking for you... but there were too many people in the Great Hall."
"It's alright, Mrs. Weasley," Kyle said, "How are you?"
"We're fine, just..." Mrs. Weasley glanced at Bill unconsciously and let out a trembling whimper.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury." Bill walked over and said, "Mom always makes a fuss over things."
Kyle noticed that Bill's right ear was missing... not an external injury like Fred's, but the entire ear had shrunk to the size of a grain of rice, appearing as if it had vanished.
"Is this Dark Magic?"
"Yeah, a dangerous curse," Bill nodded. "Speaking of which, it's fortunate that the potion Fleur and Conna brought from France contains a broad-spectrum curse antidote. Otherwise, I might have lost more than just an ear."
"Right..." Bill glanced down the corridor behind him and asked, "Where's Conna? Did you find her?"
"I did," Kyle said. "She's fine, just knocked out by Snape's sneak attack. She might need to sleep for a few more hours before waking up, or I can go find Professor Slughorn later and ask if he has an antidote for the Drink of Despair."
"Phew, that's good," Bill thought, quickly guessing what had happened.
It seemed that Snape didn't want Conna involved in his affairs but didn't want to harm her, so he fed her the Drink of Despair.
"I think it's better if you don't go to Professor Slughorn for the antidote," Bill sighed and said. "Having your only relative suddenly become the enemy of all your friends is undoubtedly torture for Conna."
Bill tried to put himself in her shoes... imagining if Mrs. Weasley or Fleur turned their wands on them during the battle...
No, Bill shook his head vigorously.
He couldn't bear to think about it; the mere flash of that image in his mind almost drove him insane.
"Especially that bastard Snape, who saved Voldemort at the last moment when he was about to be destroyed!" Charlie added from the side, his face turning red.
He hadn't intended to speak ill of Snape in front of Kyle, but he couldn't hold it in.
If asked who he hated the most right now, Snape would definitely be in the top two, even surpassing the Death Eater who had left a scar on his chest, second only to Voldemort himself.
And he wasn't alone in this sentiment; there were certainly many others at Hogwarts who felt the same. Everyone wanted Snape dead.
So, at this moment, it was better for Conna to continue sleeping, sparing her from facing the overwhelming hatred directed at Snape.
"Don't worry, I know what to do," Kyle smiled and didn't continue the topic.
"Do you want to get something to eat? I just saw the house-elves heading back to the kitchen."
During the battle last night, the house-elves had fearlessly joined the defense of Hogwarts. As soon as the war ended, they promptly returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Neither the pain of war nor the joy of victory could dampen the house-elves' enthusiasm for work.
It seemed that in their minds, work took precedence over everything, and their current task was to prepare breakfast.
But this was a good thing; after a grueling night of battle, most people were already famished. Having a hearty breakfast would undoubtedly be a blessing.
This was evident in Fred and George.
They practically flew down the stairs, and if it weren't for Mrs. Weasley being there, Kyle thought they might have jumped straight from the second floor.
Even Bill and Fleur stopped arguing.
When they arrived at the Great Hall, the professors had restored it to its original state.
Those who had sacrificed themselves in the war were placed at the front, where the staff table used to be, facing the four long tables below.
Just the tables, without separating the Houses... at least not today.
Students, professors, and alumni who had come to help all sat together.
The house-elves had already served steaming hot buttered toast, but few were eating.
Perhaps they had no appetite; for most wizards experiencing war for the first time, even with their stomachs growling from emptiness, they couldn't bring themselves to eat.
Only when they couldn't bear it any longer, under Madam Pomfrey's stern insistence, did they reluctantly take a few bites of toast, swallowing it down with a vitality supplement.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Like Fred and George.
This was their first experience of war, but they weren't affected at all. They sat there, devouring toast, freshly baked sandwiches, and boiled potatoes.
When they saw Kyle, they waved enthusiastically.
"Come and have breakfast..."
"Don't be shy..."
"There's more if you want..."
Seeing their enthusiasm, Kyle felt like he was back in his humble home rather than Hogwarts Castle for a moment.
In comparison, Cedric was much more normal, sitting motionless, mechanically stuffing potatoes into his mouth, his eyes vacant as if his soul had been sucked out.
Kyle walked over and sat down between them.
This scene reminded him of a few years ago when they hadn't graduated yet and were having breakfast together like this.
The students from different houses often mingled during mealtimes. Fred and George would occasionally visit Hufflepuff, and Kyle and Cedric would sometimes join the Gryffindors.
Kyle took a big bite of his sandwich and casually offered one to Cedric.
"Spare that potato, it's almost flattened by your mashing," Cedric exclaimed.
"Oh, Kyle?" Cedric was startled and looked up, only to realize he was surrounded. "Fred, George... When did you guys get here?"
"Before breakfast," Fred, with a mouthful of mashed potatoes, mumbled, "If you had looked up then..."
"...you wouldn't be asking such a silly question," George finished for him.
"Sorry, I..." Cedric opened his mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment.
"No need to explain, let's eat," Kyle said, taking another bite of his sandwich. As he looked at the breakfast on the table, he unconsciously thought of the question he had pondered in the Screaming Beverage Shop.
Sandwiches, boiled potatoes, toasted bread... He remembered that on his first day at Hogwarts seven years ago, these were the breakfast options.
And now, they were still the same... Even the sandwiches hadn't changed much in taste, still with fried eggs and bacon.
Oh, wait, the house-elves seemed a bit rushed today. The eggs and bacon were slightly overcooked, with a bit more char than usual.
Kyle couldn't help but feel grateful for Neville as he thought about the breakfast he had been having since becoming a professor.
The previously passive options now seemed more appealing when taken proactively.
"What's next on the agenda?" George asked naturally, as if they were still in school.
"No plans," Kyle replied.
"I just want to find a place to rest," Cedric said, rubbing his pale face.
The battle was over, and with the exhaustion suppressing his joy, he felt his arms growing heavier, even struggling to hold the sandwich steady.
It was already challenging for him to be sitting there after fighting all night.
George's question was casual, and although he seemed energetic, he, too, had reached his limit.
Otherwise, given Fred and George's personalities, they would have set off fireworks in Hogwarts to celebrate this hard-won victory.
"Oh, Ron, dear!"
At that moment, Mrs. Weasley suddenly screamed and rushed towards the Great Hall, embracing Ron as he entered.
"I've been so worried about you. Thank goodness you're safe."
Ron initially felt a bit embarrassed, but the feeling was not unpleasant. Just as he reached out to hug Mrs. Weasley, his body felt lighter.
Mrs. Weasley threw him aside and hugged Harry instead.
"And you, Harry, dear... I'm so glad you're alive."
Ron shrugged and put his hand back down.
Well, he should have expected this. After all, Mrs. Weasley had hugged him first.
Before seeing them, Mrs. Weasley's heart had been heavy with worry, but now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Harry's arrival also brought renewed liveliness to the Great Hall.
Kyle and Harry, one who had defeated the current Voldemort and the other who had killed the former Voldemort, both saviors, were now together.
This undoubtedly gave everyone more hope.
"Even if the Dark Lord returns, we won't be afraid!" someone exclaimed impulsively.
But this statement instantly cooled the hall's fiery atmosphere, making it somewhat desolate...
It was then that everyone finally realized a situation they had been deliberately ignoring.
Voldemort had only been driven away, not killed. He could return at any moment or appear anywhere.
The atmosphere in the Great Hall changed.
Those who had been shouting Voldemort's name fell silent, reverting to calling him the 'Dark Lord.'
Meanwhile, another name's mention increased.
"Damn Snape..."
"If it weren't for that traitor, we could have killed the Dark Lord this time..."
"Shameful betrayer..."
Like Charlie, most of them despised Snape, the man who had saved Voldemort's life.
Except for Harry, who should have been the one to hate Snape the most, but he had not seen that particular memory.
Harry now knew what Snape had done, and he understood that Snape's actions were not to aid Voldemort but to help them.
To be precise, he was helping Harry.
If Voldemort had been killed then, Harry would have become the only Horcrux, and no one could predict what would happen next.
Every time Harry thought of this, his feelings became incredibly complex.
He struggled to continue hating Snape, but he couldn't convince the enraged crowd. When he wanted to say something, Hermione beside him would gently shake her head, pressing his shoulder.
"It's no use, whatever you say now won't convince them," she whispered.
From a distance, Kyle noticed Harry's conflicted expression and raised an eyebrow slightly.
He suddenly remembered that when they drove Voldemort away, he had encountered Harry in the corridor, where Harry had said many incomprehensible things to Neville.
Moreover, Harry should have known that he was a Horcrux of Voldemort, so when he heard Dumbledore's words in the Shrieking Shack, he looked confused but not surprised.
Apart from Dumbledore, it seemed only Snape knew about the Horcrux.
Could it be that Snape had given Harry his memory...
Kyle paused, but how was that possible? How could Snape have given his memory to Harry while he was still alive?
Action: Kyle glanced at Harry again, noticing that he wasn't cursing Snape like the others, not even Ron, who usually had the worst temper.
This was highly unusual.
Kyle's eyes lit up, and he abruptly stood up.
He realized that if he wanted to help Conna, he might not need to find Snape; there was an easier way.
"Where are you going?" Fred asked curiously from the side.
"To the Headmaster's office," Kyle replied.
"Then go ahead," Fred immediately lost interest, thinking Kyle had some grand plan.
Kyle didn't pay him any mind and quickly made his way out of the Great Hall, heading straight for the eighth floor of the castle.
Harry wouldn't carry his memories with him, and if Kyle's suspicions were correct, Snape's memory must still be in the Headmaster's office.
Kyle easily found the stone gargoyle.
After a night of battle, it was still intact, not even budging from its spot—what luck!
"I don't know the password," Kyle said, "but I have something important to do inside."
He was just testing, and if it didn't work, he'd have to grit his teeth and ask Fawkes to take him in.
Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.
"Be my guest, no password needed today," the gargoyle seemed to guess Kyle's thoughts and jumped aside, opening the passage behind it.
"Thank you."
Kyle took a step forward and climbed the spiral staircase to the top, then reached out and pushed open the oak door to the Headmaster's office.
"Creak..."
It was like suddenly stepping into a noisy bar; as soon as the door opened, a deafening cacophony of noise hit him.
The portraits of past headmasters on the walls were celebrating the victory, their cheers echoing throughout the room.
Kyle saw a wizard with a big beard banging on a drum... Next to him was a rarely seen medieval wizard, probably another headmaster, waving his wig in excitement.
Dumbledore was gone, replaced by a crying and laughing Dilys Derwent.
As for Armando Dippet and Phineas, they were even more boisterous, hugging each other like old friends and running back and forth between the portraits, singing and dancing.
"Headmasters..." Kyle cleared his throat and spoke loudly, "Voldemort has only been driven away; he will return sooner or later, and it's a bit early to celebrate."
The atmosphere in the Headmaster's office suddenly turned cold, and everyone looked at Kyle, the mood killer.
"I wish someone would make a wand that works on portraits soon," Armando Dippet muttered, "so I could shut you up before you open your mouth."
"My apologies," Kyle smiled, "but I'm telling the truth. If we want to celebrate, we should find and kill Voldemort as soon as possible."
As he spoke, he glanced intentionally at the portrait behind the chair.
It was Dumbledore, who seemed to ignore Kyle and turned his gaze elsewhere, then left the portrait shortly after, going who knows where.
Alright then.
Kyle shrugged, knowing he probably wouldn't get any clues from Dumbledore's portrait.
If that's the case, so be it.
He walked towards the desk.
When he entered, he had noticed the old Pensieve on the desk, obviously recently used.
Kyle approached it.
Sure enough, the Pensieve contained memories emitting a blue glow, and when someone approached, these memories would swirl rapidly, forming a vortex within the Pensieve.
Kyle's hand, which was about to reach for the bottle, paused slightly, his gaze fixed on the Pensieve with a hint of curiosity.
Snape's memories... Taking a quick look shouldn't be a problem.
It's just a confirmation.
Kyle quickly convinced himself and leaned into the Pensieve.
He fell headfirst into the sunlight, and before his feet could touch the warm ground, he flipped upside down, and the entire world seemed to turn upside down.
"Bang!"
The next second, Kyle took a few steps back, forcing himself out of the Pensieve and back into the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts.
There was no need to confirm; this was Snape's memory, probably because Harry hadn't finished watching it earlier, and it was the worst part.
Luckily, Kyle thought, I reacted quickly.
When he realized something was wrong, he immediately covered the runes around the Pensieve, forcing himself out of the memory.
Otherwise, he might have experienced an Upside-Down Charm, or worse.
As his vision flipped, he saw several familiar faces, one of which belonged to Sirius Black.
He was much younger and more spirited then, with a rebellious streak.
If Kyle remembered correctly, Snape and the Marauders had a falling out because they used the Upside-Down Charm to hang Snape upside down and pull down his pants.
The Marauders, the Upside-Down Charm... Two of the three conditions matched, and Kyle didn't want to test the third.
Even if it was just a memory.
Kyle looked at the Pensieve again and couldn't help but smirk. He had to admit, Sirius was a real troublemaker in school, and it was only because Snape had a good temper that they managed to coexist until graduation.
If it were him... He might have killed them all.
Kyle narrowed his eyes and took out his wand, lifting the memories from the Pensieve and placing them into a glass bottle.
...
(End of Chapter)
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