Chapter 937: Keeping Watch Over the Pensieve
Chapter 937: Keeping Watch Over the Pensieve
Ever since the news of Voldemort's defeat and escape spread, Hogwarts became a bustling hub of activity, attracting more and more people, both familiar and unfamiliar, from all directions.
Among them were parents of students seeking information, curious onlookers, and even some brave souls who had come to witness the spectacle, as it was no ordinary affair when Voldemort was involved.
Upon arriving at Hogwarts and confirming the truth of Voldemort's escape, these visitors eagerly shared the news with others, further increasing the number of people gathering at the school, creating a chaotic atmosphere.
If there was one place in Hogwarts that remained relatively peaceful, it was the Forbidden Forest. Brilliant sunlight pierced through the lush forest, casting its rays upon the thick layer of fallen leaves.
Dragons soared in the sky, yet their presence didn't disturb the neighboring Hogwarts Castle. The people within the castle seemed oblivious to the situation outside, continuing their conversations and celebrations, calmly going about their business.
"As you can see, this is the truth of the matter," Kyle said softly, gazing at Conna, whose face was streaked with tears, in the garden. "Professor Snape wasn't a die-hard Death Eater. He was on our side, and his situation was even more perilous."
Conna had woken up half an hour ago, sitting there in a daze, lost in her thoughts.
Kyle had just entered the garden, carrying the Pensieve, allowing her to witness the truth—or, to be precise, a partial truth.
Before returning to Hogwarts, Kyle had made some modifications to Snape's memories, removing certain unpleasant scenes, such as the part where Snape had almost experienced something terrible.
He felt that Snape wouldn't want Conna to witness the grudges and dark history from his school days.
Kyle initially intended to split the memories in half, but later realized it was impossible. Many events revolved around a crucial figure—Lily Evans.
Without including Snape's school life, his decision to infiltrate the Death Eaters would appear illogical and implausible.
Thus, Kyle abandoned this seemingly simple approach and opted for a more complicated method.
To achieve this, he spent considerable effort editing the memories so that the version Conna was currently watching maintained a logical flow while still preserving some of Snape's dignity as an elder. Otherwise, he would have returned much earlier.
To be honest, after going to such lengths, if Snape continued to target him, it would be a matter of bad character.
Of course, this was assuming Snape survived.
Kyle turned to look at Conna, and she happened to glance back at him.
"I actually knew," Conna said, wiping her teary eyes. "When I first saw him in the Astronomy Tower, I thought the same. But at that time, I didn't dare believe it; I thought it was just my wishful thinking."
"Is it possible that it was just wishful thinking on your part...?" Kyle asked, carefully choosing his words as he looked at her.
"Professor Snape infiltrated the Death Eaters for over a decade without being discovered. How could you possibly see through him with just one glance?"
"Maybe, I can't say for sure," Conna replied, her gaze fixed on the Pensieve. "And I didn't see through him entirely. I just felt that his eyes were different from those of other Death Eaters."
"His eyes?"
"Yes," Conna nodded. "When he looked at Bill and the others, his eyes were calm, lacking the madness and hatred I saw in the eyes of other Death Eaters."
"Is that so?" Kyle pursed his lips, neither confirming nor denying her words.
He couldn't say for sure if it was true or not.
Even if he hadn't encountered Snape on the battlefield, he wouldn't have stared into his eyes. He rarely did so, even during their school days.
Staring into the eyes of a Legilimency master was like seeking excitement. The only ones who would dare to do that, or who had done it without consequences, were Conna and Harry in his first year.
"Well, if you say so," Kyle smiled. "But based solely on his eyes, you dared to conclude that Snape was a good person and even pursued him. What if he was truly a Death Eater? What if he decided to kill his own kin to prove his loyalty?"
"I didn't think that far ahead at the time," Conna said. "I just wanted an answer. Uncle Snape wouldn't kill me, would he? And the facts proved that I was right."
"You were just lucky," Kyle couldn't help but say. "Look at the Crouch family. Barty Crouch Jr. tried desperately to kill his father, perhaps as a way to demonstrate his twisted loyalty to Voldemort. But in the end, he was..."
Kyle sighed, not finishing his sentence. He shook his head slightly, "If he were truly a Death Eater, family ties wouldn't have mattered."
"I understand," Conna's voice was soft, sensing Kyle's somber mood. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Kyle shook his head. "I just feel conflicted."
"Because of Barty Crouch?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "I always thought he got what he deserved, but seeing him so distraught, and the times he tried to end his life along with Barty Jr., I can't help but feel a bit of sympathy."
Conna remained silent.
She had never met Barty Crouch, and not knowing him personally, she didn't know how to comfort Kyle.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore," Kyle shook his head, taking a deep breath. He said half-jokingly, "Wizards generally live longer, and Barty Crouch is still relatively young, having narrowly escaped death. If he can sort himself out, he'll have plenty of time to start anew."
"Tell me about yourself," Kyle said, turning to Conna again. "Do you remember what happened after you chased after Professor Snape?"
Conna thought carefully for a moment before replying, "I remember most of it, but I don't think it's of much use."
"Now that I think about it, Professor Snape could have easily shaken me off halfway, but he didn't. He maintained a distance, as if intentionally leading me to that place."
"Where?"
"The corridor leading to the North Tower," Conna replied. "The one we take to get to Divination class, opposite the Quidditch pitch. It's quite secluded, and usually, there are hardly any professors or students there."
"Even when I chased after Professor Snape, there wasn't a soul in sight."
"That's quite a plan," Kyle muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?" Conna asked, not quite catching his words.
"I think Professor Snape deliberately led you there, wanting you to find a safe place to weather this war," Kyle explained. "He even took the risk of handing you over to Sirius Black, his former enemy."
"But he probably didn't expect that Sirius would, by chance, encounter some Death Eaters who were up to no good. They chased him all the way to the Quidditch pitch, not far from here."
"Death Eaters up to no good?"
"Oh, it's just a minor detail, not important. Just know that Professor Snape isn't a Death Eater."
Kyle waved his hand, changing the subject. "To be honest, many wizards out there have strong opinions about him. If you hear any harsh words, don't take them to heart. After all, they don't know the truth; they only saw Professor Snape rescue Voldemort."
"I know what to do," Conna nodded.
This memory came just in time, allowing her to finally let go of a heavy burden in her heart. Otherwise, she wouldn't have known how to face the other wizards.
"Do you remember anything else?" Kyle asked.
"No," Conna thought for a moment. "When I caught up with Professor Snape, I had many questions for him, but before I could ask, I was hit by his Stupefy spell."
"When I woke up, I was here," Conna said, looking around. Her gaze fell on the Romanian Longhorn lying on the ground not far away, and then shifted to the Ironbelly with half its wing missing beside it.
"Is this... inside your trunk?"
"How did it change again?"
With so many dragons, Conna's first thought was of Kyle's trunk, but she vaguely remembered that his trunk didn't seem this big, and it wasn't this monotonous either.
She recalled that there was also a cliff with reversed time next to the forest, where it was night during the day, and you could just see the Moonmad Beast dancing.
But now, all around were lush trees, tall and short, stretching as far as the eye could see, completely different from what she remembered.
"Well, I did put you in my trunk initially," Kyle explained, "but later, I found this place to be quite nice as well."
"Where is this?" Conna asked curiously.
"The Forbidden Forest," Kyle replied. "After becoming a professor, I applied for a garden, and the school approved it."
"The Forbidden Forest? That's impossible..." Conna blurted out, "Dragons flying over the Forbidden Forest, they could definitely be seen from Hogwarts Castle."
"That's a long story," Kyle said, not offering further explanation. Instead, he led Conna in another direction, allowing her to see Hogwarts Castle in the distance with her own eyes.
This was more convincing than any explanation, and Conna immediately believed it was indeed the Forbidden Forest.
"Incredible," she marveled, looking at the Pensieve in her hand again.
"You've already watched it twice," Kyle reminded her. "I think instead of watching it a third time, we should head to the Great Hall for lunch. You haven't eaten anything for almost a whole day, right?"
It was already close to noon on the second day, and Conna had been unconscious all along, naturally not having eaten anything. If you added the preparation time before the war, it was indeed almost a full day.
"Well... okay," Conna agreed.
Conna actually wanted to watch the memory again, but after Kyle's reminder, she did feel hungry. Reluctantly, she lifted her head and handed the Pensieve to Kyle.
Kyle took the Pensieve, first returning the memory inside to the glass bottle, and then skillfully placed the Pensieve back into the trunk.
Kyle had no other intentions; he simply wanted to ensure that Dumbledore's precious alchemical item was in safe hands.
Voldemort had just been defeated, and Headmaster Severus Snape had fled. What if the Ministry of Magic didn't allow Professor McGonagall to resume her position as Headmaster but instead appointed a new one at random?
Such a valuable item must remain in the hands of someone trustworthy. When Dumbledore returns from Nurmengard, Kyle would return it to him.
Yes, he was just temporarily safeguarding it, preventing others from taking it secretly. That's all.
Kyle thought to himself, his actions becoming more justified.
Afterward, he led Conna away from the garden, heading towards the castle.
Conna was quite interested in Kyle's cabin, feeling that the furniture arrangement was somewhat familiar... Oh, right, the dormitory.
The layout here was exactly the same as in the dormitory, giving no indication that a professor lived here.
"I'm feeling nostalgic," Kyle shrugged, "The dormitory is quite nice, isn't it?"
Conna smiled but remained silent.
The two walked leisurely towards the castle, and along the way, Conna wanted to speak several times but held back. It wasn't until they passed the Black Lake and were about to reach the castle that Kyle finally noticed this. He turned to her and asked, "Is there something you want to say?"
"Nothing, nothing..." Conna subconsciously shook her head in denial, but soon she became conflicted again, asking in a low voice, "Are all the memories you showed me real?"
"Of course," Kyle replied without turning around, continuing to walk forward. "I've said it many times, haven't I? These are Snape's memories that he gave to Harry, which I accidentally found and brought with me. How could they be fake?"
"So..." Conna's voice grew even softer, "Does Uncle Snape really like that witch, Lily Evans?"
Kyle's steps halted, and a slight smile curved his lips. "You've asked the right person. Whatever you want to know, I can tell you."
"What I asked just now."
"Of course it's true, and it's guaranteed authentic," Kyle assured her. "Remember when Snape summoned his Patronus in Dumbledore's office? Do you recall what he said?"
Conna recalled, "Uncle Snape said his Patronus had changed."
"Exactly, that's the evidence," Kyle said. "Usually, a Patronus changes only when one experiences a significant emotional upheaval or a major blow."
"Like when Tonks fell in love with Lupin, her Patronus changed from a hare to a wolf. And Lily Evans's Patronus was a doe, just like Snape's... Or should I say, just like Snape's and hers."
"But... but..." Conna's face was filled with conflict. "She's Harry Potter's mother..."
"They weren't when they were in school," Kyle explained.
"Does Harry Potter know?" Conna asked cautiously.
"Of course," Kyle glanced at her. "I've told you, these are Snape's memories that he gave to Harry. I just happened to find them. They were in the Pensieve, obviously already viewed by someone."
"Oh..." Conna responded absentmindedly.
"What's wrong? Do you feel uncomfortable?" Kyle asked with a smile.
"Of course not," Conna shook her head repeatedly, speaking with gravity. "Uncle Snape is an adult wizard, and he has the right to choose whom he wants to protect.
"I just feel that his attitude towards Harry Potter is strange. Why did everyone end up thinking they were enemies when he was supposed to be protecting him?"
Snape's dislike for Harry was almost completely unconcealed; any wizard with a normal IQ could see it.
Moreover, the points Snape deducted from Harry each year were enough for most students to go from the start of school to graduation... and still have some left over.
This was something Conna couldn't understand.
"Who knows," Kyle said. "Maybe Snape didn't want Harry to find out."
"I still find it incredible."
"That's because you've experienced too little," Kyle said. "I suggest you spend more time at the Three Broomsticks when you have nothing to do."
"Why? What does the Three Broomsticks have to do with it?"
"You can broaden your horizons and exercise your mental endurance." Kyle walked up the stone steps of the castle.
"If this matter spreads to the Three Broomsticks, I estimate that a second version will emerge within five minutes."
"A second version?" Conna was taken aback. "What is it?"
"Snape and James's grudges, and Lily Evans coming between them." Kyle revealed a mischievous smile. "You'll never guess how wonderfully imaginative those drinking customers can be.
"The matters between Snape and Harry may seem bizarre to you, but to them, it's as mundane as water... After spending more time with them, you'll find that before you know it, you'll be able to accept any news without batting an eye."
"Are you serious?" Conna clicked her tongue.
"Of course," Kyle affirmed.
"But how do you know all this?" Conna looked at him as they stopped at the bustling entrance of the Great Hall.
There were many outsiders, and their reasons for being there were almost all related to helping Hogwarts, fearing Voldemort's resurgence. So, even if Professor McGonagall was reluctant, she wouldn't drive them away at this time.
It was a matter of etiquette.
The only issue was that the Great Hall was a bit too crowded.
"Let's go to the kitchen," Kyle suggested. "Or to the Hufflepuff Common Room; it's better than staying here."
"I agree," Conna agreed without much thought. She didn't want to have lunch with so many unfamiliar witches and wizards; it felt strange.
"You still haven't answered my question from earlier." As they walked towards the kitchen, Conna asked again, "How do you know so many secrets?"
"Secrets? I don't think it counts as that," Kyle muttered. "I know these things because I've experienced them firsthand."
"Experienced firsthand..." Conna's face turned serious as she thought of something, and she looked at Kyle suspiciously. "What have you been doing at the Three Broomsticks... Is there something noteworthy there?"
"I haven't been staying at the Three Broomsticks all the time," Kyle asked. "Who told you that?"
"No?" Conna was taken aback. "But you just said..."
"Oh, I wasn't talking about the Three Broomsticks," Kyle clarified with a smile. "I was referring to another place called the Valley Bar. I lived there for a month."
"The Valley Bar?" Conna frowned, trying to remember, but she was certain she had never heard of this place.
"Oh, it's in Godric's Hollow," Kyle explained with a smile. "It's also a bar located in a wizarding village, similar to the Three Broomsticks."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
