Chương 49: Chapter 48 - Old Rivals.

[Chapter Size: 3500 Words.] 

Third Person POV 

Hogwarts. 

... 

... 

Professor Dumbledore was arriving at the teachers' table at that moment. After coming through the door beside the head table, where the staff usually entered, he found nearly everyone gathered in a lively conversation. 

He quickly noticed that Slughorn was speaking loudly, completely excited. 

"I swear to you all! I saw it with my own eyes! When I met him this morning, I already knew he was very different from the one we knew. I always believed that boy had potential, but this... this surpasses every expectation!" 

Some of the other professors looked at him with a certain disbelief that Slughorn had truly expected any potential when he had never spoken about that student in such a tone. From the nature of the conversation, Dumbledore immediately realized that the topic of the moment was Mr. Severus Snape. 

Shortly before, he himself had encountered Severus near the Black Lake alongside the other female students, accompanied by his phoenix, who seemed very satisfied to be sleeping there. The other blue bird was also present, showing itself off like a proud peacock determined to display the size of its own tail. 

He had already heard comments about what had happened during that morning's Potions class over lunch. According to Slughorn, Severus had brewed a potion using some kind of telekinetic magic while seemingly not even paying attention to the cauldron. 

Or, at least, that was the impression he gave. 

As Slughorn continued explaining the details, Dumbledore began to understand what had truly happened. There was far more involved than simple wandless telekinetic magic... 

That alone was already difficult to believe, but there was something that left Dumbledore himself even more skeptical. 

First, how had that boy learned Occlumency during the holidays? Dumbledore was certain that, judging by the angry outbursts for which the boy was known throughout Hogwarts, he had not mastered that art of the mind before the holidays. 

And, even more impressively, how had he managed to master the technique to the point of splitting his own mind in two to perform two tasks just as well as one? Not even Dumbledore was capable of doing something like that. In fact, he had never even heard of such a thing... 

He could focus on several things at once thanks to his experience, but completely dividing the mind to perform two complex tasks while maintaining one hundred percent of his attention on both simultaneously... After all, according to the Potions professor, he wasn't even looking at the potion while brewing it. 

That was beyond his capabilities. And yet, a sixteen-year-old boy seemed to have accomplished such a feat. 

Dumbledore had also heard the countless comments coming from the Gryffindor students after that class. Miss Evans herself had voiced her thoughts, questioning whether that was really the Severus Snape she knew. 

It did not surprise him that others were concerned, saying that this Severus no longer seemed like the same person. 

At the same time, it was difficult to believe that someone was pretending to be Severus. If it truly were an impostor, he was doing a terrible job. 

His appearance had changed far too much, and everyone was noticing him now, as was his personality. But his magical signature remained exactly the same. 

When he had encountered the boy on the shores of the Black Lake, he had no longer had any doubts about his identity. 

Even so... Nothing about that young man resembled the Severus he had known before. 

That only raised an even greater question. What had happened to him during those holidays to bring about such profound changes? 

That Severus was the kind of person Dumbledore had never seen before. And that was precisely what concerned him the most. 

In any case, he approached the table, greeting the professors. Meanwhile, Slughorn continued laughing in an extremely satisfied manner, as though he had just enjoyed the finest meal of his life. 

Dumbledore hoped there was already some clue as to what had truly happened to Severus Snape. 

After all, besides Slughorn, those who had taught the boy and were exchanging words and discussing the matter were Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, and Sprout. Perhaps one of them had discovered something that might help explain such a transformation. 

"Hello, everyone. I see you're having quite an enjoyable conversation," Dumbledore remarked with an amused gleam in his eyes as he approached the table. 

Slughorn's smile widened immediately. "Ah, yes! Professor Sprout was telling us how Mr. Snape managed to pull up a mandrake and make it behave like a happy baby. Can you believe it, Albus? A mandrake that didn't scream after being pulled from the ground! She said Mr. Snape made it laugh like a baby by tickling it!" the professor said, completely thrilled. 

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and turned his gaze toward Professor Sprout, who seemed a little embarrassed by receiving so much attention, since all the other professors, even those who did not teach young Mr. Snape, were intrigued by the student's changes. 

"It's true, Albus. I didn't expect to witness something like that either. It certainly would have spared my heart quite a fright at the beginning of class today." She sighed before continuing. 

"I arrived before everyone else and stepped out for a moment. You can't imagine what I felt when I returned to begin the lesson after preparing a few things in the other greenhouse. Suddenly, Mr. Snape was out of his seat and standing in front of several mandrakes, completely ignoring both his classmates and even me. He simply placed his hands on one of them and pulled it out of the pot before anyone could do anything." She paused briefly. 

"At the very moment we all expected to hear the mandrake's scream, accompanied by the students' cries of panic... something simply unbelievable happened. The mandrake behaved like a baby... I had never seen anything like it. I pulled it out myself after Mr. Snape left, and it screamed with all its might. Whatever happened... the boy was the one who did it... He has a gift, I saw it with my own eyes!" Professor Sprout still seemed astonished as she recalled the scene. 

Professor McGonagall frowned. "Mr. Snape has been acting extremely recklessly in all of my classes," she said, clearly dissatisfied. 

"Oh, come now, Minerva. You practically shouted for him to show you his Animagus form," Flitwick commented with a quiet laugh. 

"That is not what happened," McGonagall replied immediately. 

"Very well... You were only upset because he paid far more attention to your class than you expected, answered every question correctly, and even forced you to award him points," Flitwick replied with a laugh. 

The professor merely sighed. "He demonstrated an excellent command of the material from the textbooks during the holidays. There was no reason not to reward him for that," she admitted. 

"But that doesn't change the fact that his behavior during my class was inappropriate. Because of that, I took back all the points I had just awarded him." McGonagall crossed her arms. 

"Theoretical knowledge is one thing. Practical application is something entirely different. Mr. Snape has never shown any remarkable aptitude for Transfiguration, so I believe it would be better for him to pay attention to my explanations instead of trying to do everything on his own," she concluded. 

"Ah... I think he can still surprise us quite a bit." Flitwick smiled mischievously. "Minerva, we're no longer talking about the same Severus as before." 

"And I can explain why!" The other professors immediately turned their attention toward him. "I taught the Patronus Charm to the boy this morning. After seeing it cast only once, he almost managed to reproduce it and nearly achieved a corporeal Patronus!" 

Silence fell over the table. 

"Can you believe that? A Patronus practically learned just by watching." Flitwick shook his head, still impressed by the memory. 

"It was a shame he couldn't make it fully corporeal. I would have loved to find out what form it would take." 

Dumbledore remained silent for a few moments. 

"You're saying he almost cast a corporeal Patronus?" he asked, even though it was obvious, visibly interested. 

"By the slimmest margin, Albus." Flitwick nodded. "I'm certain he would have succeeded if he had tried two or three more times. All that was missing was fully aligning his happy memory." 

He smiled. "On Wednesday I intend to continue training with him. If he still hasn't managed it on his own by then, I believe we'll be able to complete the spell." 

"Interesting... So he not only made a mandrake behave like a baby, but also caused a plant to grow?" Dumbledore asked after hearing part of the conversation before arriving at the table, turning his attention back to Professor Sprout. 

"Yes. He told me that he now possesses druid-like abilities. I've never seen anything like that." Her words surprised everyone, including the Headmaster. "Mr. Snape manipulated an Aureorea Flower, a plant that simply cannot be affected by growth magic. And yet, he made it bloom right before our eyes..." 

Dumbledore listened as the professors continued discussing the matter. Meanwhile, his eyes naturally drifted toward the Slytherin table. 

He soon found Severus sitting beside that little first-year girl. There was no sign of the blue bird. 

Fawkes, however, had conveyed to him that he had sensed its presence in the castle during the previous evening's dinner, despite never actually seeing it. 

Perhaps it was hiding in the dormitory, or perhaps it possessed some sort of camouflage ability, since it had disappeared after that encounter by the lake... 

In any case, that Ice Phoenix also stirred his curiosity. Where had Severus found it? 

And, above all... Why had so many changes happened to him over the course of a single summer? Something else also caught his attention. 

Severus no longer stayed with the students he used to spend time with. The sixth-year Slytherins seemed to have separated themselves from the seventh-year group. 

Dumbledore also noticed the looks some of those students were directing at Severus. They were not friendly. 

Especially after hearing more about the confrontation between Lestrange and Snape the day before. And seeing him beside a Muggle-born and protecting her, he certainly did not seem like one of Voldemort's agents... 

His gaze then swept across the other tables in the Great Hall. The rumors had already spread throughout the entire school. That evening, the main topic among practically all the students was Severus Snape. 

Meanwhile, Dumbledore recalled Professor Sprout's words. According to her, Severus had claimed that his eyes had changed because of a magical awakening related to druidic or nature-based abilities... Druids were a type of magic that had disappeared from the world long ago. Could that really be the case? To think that it might have returned... That should not necessarily be a bad thing either. 

And not only had his magic and appearance changed, but so had his way of thinking. 

That deeply intrigued the Headmaster. There were far too many questions. And Severus certainly knew that everyone around him was trying to find answers. Even so, he seemed to simply ignore all the attention. 

At that moment, Dumbledore saw the Marauders rise from the Gryffindor table. As they left the Great Hall, they cast a few discreet glances toward the Slytherin table. 

From Severus's point of view, those glances were even more intense than those of the other students. He did not even need to turn his head to know who they were. 

When he finally looked, he saw only the Marauders leaving the hall. His eyes gleamed. He remained seated with Heloisa for another ten minutes. 

"Well... I'm going to head out. I still have a few things to take care of," Severus said to Heloisa. 

Before leaving, he left Articuno beside her. "If anyone bothers you again, let me know." His gaze hardened for a moment. 

The first-year boy who was nearby and had been intimidating Heloisa immediately looked away, not even daring to meet his eyes. 

Severus then left the Great Hall. As he walked through the corridors of Hogwarts, his thoughts remained focused on Heloisa. 

He did not want to see her continue in that situation. He needed to find some way to help her. 

But how could he stop the students from continuing to insult her for being the daughter of non-magical parents? 

He considered it from every possible angle. Simply spreading fear throughout the castle or starting to beat up students was certainly not the best solution. 

If he could find some way to make people simply stop using the term "Mudblood"... Perhaps he could solve the problem before it became even worse. 

Suddenly, Severus thought of something. 

Voldemort had managed to instill such profound fear that many people did not even dare to say his name. They claimed that saying "Voldemort" would draw his attention, and no one wanted that. 

Severus himself had already spoken Voldemort's name, and absolutely nothing had happened. 

But... What if there were some truth behind that legend? What if something like that were actually possible... 

If it were truly possible to create an enchantment of that kind... Then perhaps it would also be possible to do the same with the term "Mudblood." 

If he could impose a magical restriction on that word... But that would require an unbelievably powerful enchantment. It would have to affect all of Hogwarts, preventing anyone from uttering it. 1

How could he accomplish something so absurd? Severus remained deep in thought. 

It would not be an easy task. Even so... The idea fascinated him. 

"Damn... So much to do," he muttered to himself. 

'Are you alright?' Articuno asked, sensing Severus's troubled mind at that moment. 

'I am. I'm just thinking too much.' Severus replied with a laugh as he descended the stairs toward the dungeons. 

He needed to find a way to deal with everything he wanted to accomplish at the same time. But he would have to establish priorities. 

Perhaps it would be better to leave projects like the golem for later. 

At the moment, he wanted to develop a few spells. Besides that, he still needed to exchange letters that very night with Newt Scamander and Garrick Ollivander. He needed to begin the conversation with the latter about making his own wand. 

He knew he would have been able to cast the Patronus completely if not for the limitations of his current wand. 

Not that it would stop him. He would still try to master the spell that week. He felt he was very close to completing it. He simply needed to strengthen the memory he was using and channel a greater amount of magic. 

But at that moment, there was another priority. After all, he had come down to the dungeons for a reason. 

To settle this once and for all. Severus walked down the corridor until he reached a completely deserted passageway. He stopped right in front of a section where there were two large pillars on each side, perfect for someone to hide behind. 

"Come on, Potter and his dogs... How much longer do you intend to stay hidden?" The moment he spoke, four expressions of surprise appeared simultaneously. 

Two students stepped out from behind each of the pillars. At last, all four of them stood before him. 

They all watched him cautiously. 

James Potter showed obvious irritation. 

Sirius Black stared at him with almost instinctive hatred. 

Peter Pettigrew seemed torn between fear and caution. 

As for Remus Lupin, he simply watched him warily. 

"Are you really Snape?" James asked, demanding an immediate answer. 1

Severus merely looked at him. He did not respond. 

"What is it? Did Snivellus lose his tongue after learning how to wash his hair?" Sirius mocked from beside him. 

Severus looked over all four of them. In his mind, that group was not much different from a gang of ordinary criminals. 

People who caused trouble simply because they could. Had they been born in a medieval kingdom, they would probably have been raiders. 

If they had been men of the sea, they certainly would have become pirates. 

And if they had been nobles, they would have been the kind who used their status to commit countless crimes, certain they would never face any consequences. 

That was exactly how Severus defined those four boys. 

"Maybe he's afraid to open his mouth... Or maybe he's lost his nerve," James mocked as he saw that Severus remained silent. 

Meanwhile, Severus barely paid attention to the taunts. From the moment he had found them, he had been probing all four through his warg abilities. 

He sensed exactly the same thing he had noticed in Professor McGonagall. 

Animagi. Every one of them possessed a sleeping animal within. 

All of them... Except Lupin. In his case, Severus did not sense an animal—he sensed a beast. A wild presence that constantly growled within the boy. 

A faint smile appeared on his face. 

"Well, well..." he thought to himself. "It seems I'm a registered Animagus... while you're all illegal animals." 

"What are you laughing at, Snivellus?" Black snapped him out of his thoughts as he drew his wand and pointed it directly at him. 

Severus's eyes immediately turned cold. At the same time, the atmosphere around them began to change. 

"Ah... Sorry." His voice remained perfectly calm. "I think I had forgotten just how disgusting you all are." 

"What did you just say?" James growled. 

"I'm saying that all it takes is one look at the four of you," Severus replied without changing his tone. 

"Four students who always tormented an easy target whenever you were together... but who never had the courage to face that target alone." He took a few slow steps forward. 

"I don't know every method you use. But from my memories, I'm certain there's much more to it than just numbers. Perhaps an Invisibility Cloak... after all, the attacks almost always came out of nowhere." His eyes swept across each of them, catching the group by surprise. 

"Look at yourself, Potter." His gaze settled on James. "You like to imagine yourself a hero. But in the end, you're nothing more than a spoiled boy who bullies anyone he doesn't like... especially when the target is weaker, easier..." He paused briefly. "...Especially when it's a poor half-blood with a bad reputation." 

Severus then turned his gaze toward Sirius. "Black isn't much different. He's just as insane as every other member of the Black family. You do everything simply out of cruelty. That's hardly surprising, considering the family you come from. Genetics speak for themselves. You enjoy being cruel..." 1

Sirius took a step forward, almost lunging at him. But Severus kept speaking. 

"And then we have Pettigrew." His eyes fell on Peter. "A rat. A coward. Someone who only exists because he hides behind his friends." 

Finally... His gaze met Lupin. 

"And you... Another coward. You use your condition as an excuse to close your eyes while your friends break every rule in this school." 

Lupin looked away for a moment. 

"You asked what I said." Severus looked back at all four of them. "So I'll repeat it. The four of you are a pack of cowards. You're members of the House of Courage." He shrugged. "That's actually rather amusing... When..." 1

A spell shot down the corridor. Sirius had finally lost his patience. 

Severus did not even draw his wand when he saw the red light flying toward him. He merely raised a hand and, with a simple slap, knocked the spell aside. 

The spell exploded violently against the stone wall. That corridor had been chosen precisely because it contained no portraits and no students passed through it. 

Severus looked back at them. But this time, his eyes were far more dangerous. At the same time, the temperature in the corridor began to plummet, and the air grew heavy. 

A white mist escaped from the mouth of anyone who breathed. It was as though a Dementor had just entered the place. 

The Marauders were momentarily stunned. Severus had simply deflected a spell with his bare hand. 

He had not even used a wand. The magic had merely changed direction upon receiving the blow, exploding against the wall. 

What kind of ability was that? But what truly made them hesitate were Severus's eyes. His gaze became even colder, and the green glow within them intensified. 

He took a step forward. The freezing air seemed to grow even harsher around him. "You'd better not cross my path again." His voice was calm, yet heavy. 

"And don't make the mistake of thinking I'm still the same target you four used to enjoy bullying." He stopped only a few meters away from them. 

"That's over. If you insist on provoking me again..." Severus kept that icy gaze fixed upon them. "...I guarantee that you'll be the ones who regret it." 4

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