It was through a world of beautiful dreams did I woke up in the infirmary.
I was expecting someone to be beside me, but to my surprise, I found I was alone. I was hit with a sense of loneliness, missing my family a bit.
It felt out of nowhere for me to suddenly feel it, but reincarnated or not, I seem to miss them. No matter how many letters I exchange with them, I can't help but feel that I am alone in the world. Especially after my brief encounter with death.
Oh! I am suffering from PTSD.
With a wave of my wand, I had diagnosed myself.
[Name : Arjun Prasad.
Condition: Magical exhaustion aftereffects, broken rib [healed], cursed burns on ankle [healed], Poison [Healed], Jinx of insanity [Healed].... ]
"When the fuck did I got poisoned? And what the fuck? Cursed burns. Not a single fire was seen by me. What's the deal with the long list? I only remember one spell hitting me."
At least, I remember being hit by a purple spell that made me feel like killing everything, which might be the Jinx.
Madam poppy who opened the curtain, scolded me, "Then, you are a poor duellist and an idiot. What were you expecting for your opponent to openly?"
Before I can say a word, I was levitated and hung upside down, "And most importantly, M Arjun prasad, what were thinking of by fighting a dark wizard? Especially the insane mad men who dares to hunt Unicorns and drink their blood."
Not a dark wizard, but a Dark Lord. The clarification doesn't matter much when I am hospital ridden. Besides, if Dumbles wants to keep this matter hushed, I can't do anything about it. Just the brief duel with the weakened Voldemort [Just after being hit by the curse of the unicorn] showed me I am in over my head.
So, the question comes down to one thing: Why did I survive?
With a wave of clock charm that gives the time based on the astrology, I saw it has been 3 days since that night.
I turned to see Madam Poppy checking on students.
Teenagers who messed up their magic secretly cure themselves at night to avoid embarrassment, making it the busiest time in the Hogwarts infirmary.
"Muffilto."
I felt the sounds I was making a turn into a buzz. But, my senses didn't stop there. They went haywire as liquid lava was tearing through my body, unable to breathe for a second and even felt the need to piss.
Passing by George of a dozen dicks, I realized that the rule to allow the students to visit the infirmary at night is right.
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Looking at the gargoyle statue that stands between me and the headmaster's office, I started thinking about how to proceed from here.
As far as I know, this statue changes shape every year and also the means to open it.
Avada Kavedra
Remembering the rain of green flashed I experienced, I took out my wand, "Fuck the magical exhaustion."
----------------Severus Snape Pov, Headmaster's office------------
".....So, your ploy at dragging Draco into the crossfire worked. He has been chilly, scared and even, putting distance between himself and children of the death eaters. He has taken the solitude of the Neutrals, though, I must say that it surprised that he didn't inform Lucius yet."
As for simple things like checking the mail of students, I didn't even need to do it myself. The only other option is the house-elves. But, for the House elves of wizard families to enter Hogwarts, they need the permission of Headmaster.
Considering that Dumbledore seems to be silent in that regard, it means that Draco didn't contact his family in this way.
Interesting, it seems my godson, for the first time in his life, is keeping a secret.
"He won't inform Lucius yet. At least not until her visits them for Christmas."
The surety of which he says that sends a chill down my spine. The confidence he has regarding that is not because of magic. No, it was because the old headmaster can read people down to their core with no magic.
Such is the wisdom of Dumbledore.
I couldn't stop the disdain and disgust at the way he uses that wisdom. Ensuring that the sheep live happily while chaining himself with as many means as possible. In the short decade I spent here, I understand it now.
Dumbledore has a pathological fear of his own power.
"So, Severus, how are Harry and his friends taking the encounter?"
Remembering their actions after Dumbledore's plan, I could only sneer to show my contempt.
"Ron Weasely seems to have become an ostrich that is burying his head in the sand, wanting to avoid the fact that he met the dark lord. Though he seems to accompany Potter and Granger in making plans to prove me being possessed by the Dark Lord. You know how that idiotic girl, Granger, works. She took it upon herself to search for books on possessions and Unicorns."
I wontedly stopped at this point to have the old man bend a bit for the information on Potter. It is suffocating to be called and used as servant by Dumbledore. So, it could be said that this is a petty revenge.
Dumbledore just smiled while sipping his tea, not even bothered my petty action.
It makes me wonder how can he clung to his goodness. After all, this very goodness made me do these petty insults, knowing I can get away with it. Remembering the times under Dark Lord, where every action has to display utmost respect, lest one die. I am sure I won't dare to do such a petty thing.
So, I indulged in my pettiness, "Dumbledore, you know that your so-called kindness is the one that gives courage and initiative for the people to turn dark, as you put it."
I can already feel the familiar lecture on kindness and good in all people about to come to my face.
Thankfully, Mr. Prasad seems to prove my words by blowing up the entrance to the office.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM
"Fuck you, Dumbles. I don't care about your tests for Harry, but don't you dare drag me into them?"
Ah! The battle hangover. Such a painful and familiar mind state. Even as I look through his mind, I am surprised by the images flashing in his mind regarding the battle.
[Author's note:
Battle hangover= PTSD]
To think he can use such complicated spells, and most importantly, it seems he got his hands on my spell, Muffilto.
A surge of pain, guilt and nostalgia went through me when I remembered the occasion I made that spell for Lily.
It took not even the few seconds that took Mr Prasad to come toward the table. In that brief time, I searched through my mind and found where I stored a copy of the spells. But, the only one so accessible to him is only my school textbook in the Potion's room.
Feeling irritated at my things being searched and stolen, I immediately hang tied up Mr Prasad and hang him upside down in the ceiling. So that he can cool from his battle hangover.
However, I still heard his mutter, "What's with the Hogwarts staff and their need to hang students upside down? First Poppy and now professor Snape."
"You know, Mr Prasad. I hang you upside down so that you can cool down and act like a proper Slytherin, not like an idiotic Gryffindor like Weasley."
If it wasn't for the battle hangover, I wanted to use my wand for the Legilimency spell, rather than the superficial wandless use.
I wonder if Mr Prasad knew that battle hangover, a condition which brings the images of battle to the front of mind, can protect against the superficial legilimency.
Looking at Mr Prasad's eyes that are boring in to me, I am sure he knew. Instinctively, my wand turned to his eyes, wanting to pry his secrets.
However, a single word changed the situation: "Severus."
It was the same as the countless times he called me. The same kind and grandfatherly tone. But, I could feel the intention behind it. It might have flown over Prasad's head, but as a fellow legilimency master, I can recognize the message attacking my mind.
I am sure my face must have twisted into a sneer as I thrown Mr Prasad into the chair beside me, facing Dumbledore.
At least, the time upside cooled his emotions, considering he was back to his normal Slytherin self. I searched for his eyes since his mind state returned to normal but he started avoiding.
Hmph, He knows about the intricacies of mind arts.
In fact, I have a feeling that he trained in them. If he did, then it is a miracle for a mind whose has not matured to succeed in mind arts. Unfortunately, the thing unknown to many, mind arts requires the growth of the body [Brain] to truly succeed in them.
I decided.
I will pry the secrets out of his mind when the chance arises. As a master of mind arts, I have complete confidence in reading his mind without leaving him as an idiot.
It won't do for the sole competent student I had in years to turn into a thumb sucking, drooling idiots like Longbottom couple.
"Sugar or no sugar?"
Arjun Prasad used accio to bring the sugar cubes to himself without a wand and added them to his coffee cup. "I prefer sugar in my coffee, sir. I am not so much of a fan of bitter things."
Dumbledore nodded in appreciation and said, "I used to be the same, until I felt the true wisdom in bitter things."
While Dumbledore words seem to be normal, it hides the various events in his long life. At least, in this instance, I know the meaning of the sorrow hidden behind those words.
So, the stupid conversation of tea and coffee continued making me want to use incendio to burn down this infernal conversation.
To my luck, Mr Prasad also seems to have enough of this and said, "Headmaster, while I like to take about the fresh teas and coffee from around the world. I must ask you this, why drag me into this farce you are conducting in Hogwarts?"
That was the same thing I wanted to know. Allowing the dark lord to enter the school was insanity. Even worse is sending students and a half giant for an encounter with him.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore is exactly the wizard capable of that insanity. Especially the sting from my wand hand, where the dark mark lives, made me remember my past, where I have been used as a spy by him.
SIGH
"It seems like you are thinking too much about me and too less of the dark lord. I really had a no clue that he was possessing Quirell when I recruited him. If you are asking if I had few doubts regarding Quirell, then you are right. But, even I can't recognise the dark lord who was weakened for decades and hides. Unfortunately, the moment the recruitment was done, my hands were sealed."
The teachers' contract states that the teachers give part of their accomplishments to Hogwarts. An idea that was needed when Hogwarts was first established, to truly make it a school. A school of magic that advances, spreads and conserves magic.
In exchange, the Headmaster representing the Hogwarts handles the protection and support of the teacher.
Of course, the teacher's status can be cancelled when he breaks the code of teachers, but it is just a legal enforcement. As if the constraints of law can stop wizards of Dumbledore's level.
No, it can specifically stop Dumbledore.
However, the true reason is something else.
"The unicorns. The curse of the Unicorns, you are affected by it."
Now, that was insulting, "Listen Mr Prasad. No matter what the Slytherin students say their opinions on the headmaster because of their prejudices, you must be cunning enough to gleam the truth out of them. If you were smart enough as I thought you to be, you would know how impossible that Headmaster would—"
"Impressive, Mr Prasad. You are right, I have been cursed by unicorns, though it is not the full extent like Dark Lord."
That was surprising. A creature of light like Unicorn, cursing the so-called light of Hogwarts.
Quite the irony.
Dumbledore kept sipping his tea while explaining, "Though I did not know the Dark Lord was possessing Quirell, I knew for a fact that Quirell contacted him. So, when Quirell applied for the teaching position, I had been blinded by my pride."
Under the look of surprise from Mr Prasad, Dumbledore snorted, "I am a human too. I am also plagued by all manners of desires and sins. So, I was blinded by my pride in my power and believed I can stop Quirell. So, I recruited him, ready to capture him when he tries to attack the unicorn. You see, the unicorn's blood is one of the most potent boosters for dark beings like dementors, boggarts…"
"And a ghostly Dark Lord."
"And a ghostly Dark Lord who was weakened since that fateful night."
I felt a chill down my spine at that. To think that fate exists and is powerful enough to destroy a Dark Lord is scary even to me. Even more dangerous was the fact that I have been the pawn to ensure that. Along with death of Lily.
"So, I have been held responsible by the Unicorns. After all, I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts and was their ally. My actions of using them as bait and even failing to protect them, made me a victim of a curse like the Dark Lord."
Mr Prasad, to my surprise, asked the menial question rather than many horrific things he heard in the conversation, "So, what is the so-called curse of the unicorn? And who casts it?"
I answered it, feeling like a teacher since I got a competent student, "Rather than call it a curse, it is better to call it the consequences. You see, the magic changes according to the intent it is imbued with. So, a powerful and pure Magical creature like a Unicorn detesting and wanting to kill, can make the blood that is taken from it a potent poison. But it doesn't end there."
Pointing at the cursed sword that is falling on the Headmaster, "It can turn the person's life miserable. So unlucky that he might die any minute."
However, no matter the bad luck that occurs, it means nothing when the target is so powerful that it would feel a mosquito bite.
In evidence, the headmaster casually waved his hand, sending the cursed sword back to its position in the office.
But it didn't there. His magic continued it's work by restoring the seal that wore off passaging time. In fact, inscribing an alchemical restraint.
All from the wave of hand.
I saw multiple fields of study in that- Transfiguration, Alchemy, Charms, and Warding.
The open mouth of Mr Prasad made me happy. "Do you realize how lucky you were to survive the encounter? "
My student seemed to think for a while and said, "Thank you for brewing the Felix Felicis and using it for saving my life, Professor Snape."
Such a talent. He took a single a hint to understand the entire workings of the night. A weakened Dark lord, plagued by the curse. And obviously the students dosed with liquid luck.
In the back of my mind, a safehold I constructed after decades of hard work, I uttered the fate moved by the prophecy.
It is no wonder that they survived. Still, I am getting more and more curious about why he is not questioning the existence of a dark lord being alive and possessing one professor of Hogwarts.
Also, the test around the miracle of magic, Philosopher stone.
Deducing all of this is easy with the hints and clues Dumbledore is pouring down the throats of the idiotic children.
Unlike Gryffindor, my student effortlessly connected the dots.
Still, that puts me at the edge. Wandless casting is nothing impressive for me. Lily and I did that when we didn't even step foot into Hogwarts.
No, the fact he was cunning about things.
It was something that even I couldn't do until I suffered years in the Slytherin House.
One can be brave, noble, or even hardworking from birth. But one can't be cunning.
Cunningness is something that is taught in the environment. No matter how much my student seems to be likeable, I know that something is off about him.
After he went out of the room, I realized I haven't yet understood the reason he came tonight.
Is it luck or something else that made it slip into mind?
"No need to worry about him Severus. The sorting hat himself vouched for his personality."
Once more Dumbledore read me without his mind arts. I squashed the feeling of weakness and glared back at the old man.
"Oh! Then do you know why he came for this farce today? Because, he might believe, he slipped it past our eyes. No, on second thought. I believe he wantedly shown us. He knew we had dosed him with luck. So, I don't get the point of this conversation."
"Ah! You mean that. No Need to worry Severus, it was nothing about an enquiry from a student who wants to know about the type of debt he can recover from what he is owed."
That differed completely from anything that happened in this room.
Seeing as the Headmaster continued with his work on Hogwarts finances, I knew I won't get much more.
I once more said to myself, I will pry the secrets out of Arjun Prasad and one more, Albus Percival Brian Dumbledore.