Chapter 66. Bloody Christmas. Part 1. The Manor
After the "cheerful" dinner and the announcement that the train would depart at eleven in the morning as usual, the students began heading back to their common rooms to continue celebrating.
Severus did not leave. He decided to wait for Slughorn, who spent a few minutes saying goodbye to the other professors before heading toward the exit of the Great Hall.
"Mr. Severus, have you thought about it?" Slughorn asked with a smile, noticing the calm expression on his face.
"Yes, Professor," Severus said, nodding as he fell into step beside him. They walked down the long corridor. "I most likely won't be able to stay. There's some business I need to handle."
"I see. Well, that is a pity, but I will not force you. If you have any questions, you can always send an owl."
"No, Professor, I have another proposal." A gray mirror the size of his palm appeared in his hand, and he offered it to Slughorn. "A friend of mine made two linked artifacts. The password is the name of a potion that includes mistletoe, white nettle, and mandrake root."
"Interesting. I will remember that. Same time as usual, then, and don't you dare be late!" Slughorn said sternly, not looking particularly surprised by the mirror even though something like that would normally cost a fortune.
"Of course, Professor. Have I ever been late?" Severus asked, but when he caught Slughorn's mocking look, he glanced away sheepishly. "Well, once, but I had a valid reason."
"Once?"
"Alright, twice."
"And that time you got held up in the library for two whole minutes."
"Two is not twenty!"
"You were still late," Slughorn said, chuckling as he nodded to passing students who greeted him.
"I will try not to let it happen again."
"I am holding you to that, Mr. Severus."
They descended into the castle dungeons and, after exchanging farewells, went their separate ways. Slughorn headed to his office while Severus went to prepare for tomorrow's departure.
In the Slytherin common room, the celebration was in full swing, though it was not so much a party as a networking event. Students from all years mingled, establishing connections. None of it interested Severus, and as he entered, he suspected that without the subtle aversion charm he'd cast earlier, the group gathered by the entrance would have pounced and begun pestering him.
He reached his room without incident, packed a few things quickly, and after calling for the house-elves, Apparated home.
Diagon Alley
When Severus appeared in the shop, he looked surprised at the Christmas tree standing in the corner and at the room itself, decorated with garlands and ornaments in the grandest Christmas tradition.
"I'll have to give him a raise," he said with a smile, eyeing the table covered in food under stasis. A small note on it read: "Happy Christmas, Mr. Severus!" He glanced at Nagini. "I already ate at Hogwarts. You want some?" Nagini shook her head. "All right, we'll save it for morning. The shop is closed for the next seven days anyway." He waved a hand toward the table and reinforced the charms to hold until morning. "Tobby, Nelly, you can rest too, but if I call, you come back immediately!" he added firmly, because if he simply said "take the day off," they would have sobbed at his feet, thinking he was freeing them. House-elves.
Yes, Master! Both appeared in front of him, answered in unison, and vanished just as quickly.
"What should we do?"
"I'm thinking of taking a walk around London. What do you think?"
"I'm all for it," Nagini said contentedly, pressing against his cheek. "Maybe the cinema?"
"All right."
Brief Digression
When James finally woke up, he jolted upright in bed and looked around wildly, panic in his eyes. He could still vividly remember that deer head, and the memory of that voice sent goosebumps crawling across his skin. His face was unnaturally pale. But when he saw human hands and realized he was human again, back home, a tear rolled down his cheek. Those seven days had been absolute hell. It was one thing to spend a couple of hours in animal form during the full moon, so there werewolf friend wouldn't be lonely, and quite another to be trapped in a deer's skin for a whole week. To relieve himself, he'd had to run outside the castle and clean himself on the ground, which was disgusting. It was an experience he never wanted to repeat.
Of course, they had offered to send him home to Potter Manor, but he had refused. He did not want to leave Lily alone with that "damn crybaby" any longer than necessary.
"I need to talk to Father about him. This is definitely his doing. He alone had a grudge against the four of us!" James thought with an anticipatory smile, and as he was about to rush out of the room, he noticed a square box with a bow on the table.
At the same time, Mrs. Potter had prepared tea and was heading toward her son's room, but she hadn't taken more than a couple of steps when she heard an explosion from inside.
Ah! James! she cried out, worry flooding her face. She ran to the door, flung the tray aside, pulled out her wand, and yanked the door open. Smoke billowed out immediately, and when most of it cleared, she froze, staring at a deer racing around the room, fleeing from a pair of scissors snapping at its hindquarters.
A few seconds later, a whimpering dog wearing a muzzle came up to her, but the moment it saw the chaos in the room, it fled before the scissors could switch targets.
No actual castration occurred, of course. Mrs. Potter quickly destroyed the "steel guillotines." But the psychological trauma was permanent, and James would likely flinch at the sight of scissors for the rest of his life.
Roughly the same thing happened to Pettigrew, only with a mousetrap. Remus woke up naked in a women's restroom on a train platform, his wand gone. He was "comforted" by a strange crystal he found with his gift.
The next day was supposed to be a date with Bella, but Severus had to cancel regretfully because of important business. Bella was busy too. The Malfoys were hosting a Christmas party, and she could not miss it. On top of that, the wedding date for Lucius and Narcissa Black would be announced. Severus had been invited as well, but since he could not make it, he sent two mirrors similar to the one he'd given Slughorn as an apology.
The mirrors were simple communication artifacts, but in this world they were a rare luxury. The method of making them had long been lost, and the ones that remained were locked away in collectors' cabinets and aristocratic family vaults.
Severus considered selling them, but ultimately abandoned the idea. He had enough Galleons already, and in a couple of months he would most likely be the richest wizard in England. No need to draw extra attention.
As evening approached, Severus Apparated in front of a dilapidated estate deep in the wilderness, far from civilization. Holes gaped in the walls and roof, and most of the windows were either boarded up or missing entirely. He was concealed beneath a dark cloak. A cold smile touched his lips when the scent of blood reached his nostrils.
Only two months were enough. Weaklings.
"Severus, why did we come here?" Nagini asked, a hint of panic in her voice. She had noticed the traces of blood near the house and the half-open, creaking door.
"To finish something," he answered calmly, heading toward the building.
Nagini raised her gaze to the intact window on the second floor and saw a bloody handprint smeared downward. With a frightened hiccup, she darted under his cloak.
Severus saw it too, but paid it no attention. He could sense there was only one living person left on the first floor, and that person was on his last breath.
"Do not worry, it's fine." Severus pushed the door fully open. His gaze immediately fell upon the body of a man in a brown cloak, blood staining his back, lying just inside the entrance. Then, looking toward the living room, he saw another body, an older woman whose face was twisted in horror. A dagger had pierced her heart.
"Looks like they had quite a time."
Inside, he sensed eight more bodies: two in the kitchen, three on the second floor, one near the window, two more in the basement, and one on the stairs. The house itself was in ruins, bloodstains marking nearly every wall.
"What happened here?" Nagini asked, her voice trembling as she slipped out from under the cloak and stared around the room in shock.
"Nothing special. They killed each other, apparently they disagreed about something." He shrugged indifferently and crossed the living room, entering another room. In the corner sat a thin man in a white shirt, the fabric on his stomach soaked with blood.
The wounded man's face was white as chalk with blood loss, but he still found the strength to open his eyes and look at the uninvited guest.
"Why did we come here? How did you know about this?" Nagini asked in bewilderment, but moments later she stared in surprise at the wounded wizard. He let out a hoarse chuckle and did not take his eyes off Severus's smiling face.
"Y-you."
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