"No need to thank me, young one; we had a great conversation today. By the way, Professor McGonagall asked me to inform you that every new student must enter Hogwarts through the Black Lake using the Hogwarts train.
I hope you will arrive at Platform 9 and 3/4 of King's Cross Station on time, before eleven o'clock the day after tomorrow, to board the train and embark on your magical career."
With these parting words, Dumbledore bid farewell to Darren.
Darren left the office obediently, but once he was lying on his cot, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. He was certain that if he hadn't mentioned going to Slytherin to assist Harry with the True Agent, Dumbledore would never have permitted him to choose Slytherin.
The old man claimed Slytherins were also children, but once he entered Slytherin, Dumbledore became vigilant and cautious.
Darren suspected that the old man's approval for him to join Slytherin was merely a way to appease Snape, considering Dumbledore's inability to act against Slytherin in front of the double agent. If the Sorting Hat truly sorted him into Slytherin, he expected frequent visits to Dumbledore's office for scrutiny.
Despite this, Darren contemplated why he had informed Dumbledore about going to Slytherin. One reason was that the protagonist, Harry, was in Gryffindor, and Darren would be obstructed by Harry if he joined Gryffindor. Second, most people he currently knew, including the likes of Miss Greengrass, were in Slytherin, and he found them quite agreeable.
Lastly, it was also a deliberate attempt to boost Old Deng's father value. Darren felt a pang of guilt as he thought about his manipulations.
In the midst of these reflections, Darren remembered an unfulfilled reward from his earlier endeavors - a bloodline lottery.
[Sweepstakes].
[Ding, start the bloodline draw, the lottery ends, congratulations to the host for getting Snape's bloodline.]
(On the night Lily was injured, Snape may have lost some blood in anxiety.)
Start distributing rewards, and distribute them successfully.
Snape's bloodline:
The mottled Prince's bloodline, fused to gain Potions Talent +10 and Potions Innovation +20, earns Snape's uncertain gaze.
Darren's expression shifted from triumph to confusion. What did it mean that Snape lost some bloodline? Did this imply that both Voldemort and Snape lost their bloodline? The system's cryptic reference to Lily further bewildered Darren.
His James father might be on the verge of rising from the grave in anger.
...
The boy obediently picked up the cup and consumed the medicinal juice. Unbeknownst to him, the old man in front of him, along with a greasy, gloomy old bat, had administered a potion to him. Trusting them blindly, the boy was unaware of the repeated betrayals of his trust.
Snape maintained a calm face as he contemplated, "At first, I was a little jealous of Harry..." The boy's voice held a hint of sadness, reminiscent of Lily's tone the last time she saw him. Although she expressed regrets, she never regretted her choices.
Snape felt an overwhelming desire to cry and apologize to her, to assure her that he never uttered that word again and no longer believed Voldemort's words. However, he restrained himself; he couldn't disrupt Lily's life any further.
He became a double agent for Dumbledore to protect Lily's children after her death, even though he doubted the man's promise to hide them.
For ten years, he wandered Hogwarts like a ghost, awaiting redemption. Until he encountered Darren Porter. Seeing this child, Snape was momentarily transported to the time when he believed he saw Lily. The boy's bravery reminded him so much of Lily that, for a moment, he almost thought she had returned.
Reflecting on this, Snape admitted he had made an exception for Darren. The boy's resemblance to Lily softened Snape, making it difficult for him to utter any sarcastic remarks, especially when looking into Darren's green eyes.
Now, Dumbledore revealed a new task for Snape. "Severus, I need a few drops of his vomit." Snape's sarcastic remark suggested using it against Montingers to teach him a lesson, but Dumbledore shook his head, indicating it was for Darren.
"Dumbledore! What are you really up to?"
"It's not about what I want; it's about this child. I can't quite understand him. Despite his seemingly good nature, his actions are always advantageous. I don't know if it's luck or deliberate, but I need to learn more about him."
Snape thought back to Dumbledore's words and, closing his eyes, sank into his chair. He begrudgingly admitted that he still harbored dark intentions. If Lily were alive, she might despise him even more. The system's revelation about Snape losing some bloodline prompted Darren to question its accuracy.
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The chapter concludes with Darren contemplating the uncertainties surrounding Snape and Dumbledore's intentions, leaving room for suspense and intrigue.