Chapter 136. Return to Hogwarts.
September 1, 1977. The Hogwarts Express.
This was his final year. On Macmillan junior's advice, Severus had decided to take the train one last time, and was glad he did. There was something genuinely pleasant about the journey, a quiet, unhurried pleasure not unlike his flight to Brazil. A Muffling Charm kept the noise of the corridor at bay. To ensure privacy, he conjured two illusions to occupy the seats across from him and placed a pointed hat on the seat beside him so it would appear taken. Arranging things with the prefect had been straightforward. The boy knew every student by sight. In exchange for his peace and quiet, Severus would supply the recipe and the prefect the ingredients.
The train filled steadily. Some students were in high spirits at the start of a new year. Others, mostly fifth and seventh years, wore the grim, distracted look of people who had remembered what was waiting for them. O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s loomed, the kind of exams that shaped everything that followed.
A few minutes later, whistles sounded to announce the train's departure. A final wave of students scrambled aboard, hunting for seats.
"I thought you'd Disapparate straight to Hogwarts as usual," Regulus said, sounding surprised. He stared at the two figures sitting across from Severus. "And who are those?"
"Don't worry about them." Severus lifted the hat. One of the illusions disappeared, then reappeared beside him. "Sit down."
"An illusion." Regulus understood at once. He settled across from Severus, watching him calmly sip his tea.
"I can't teach you this particular magic. You don't have the right temperament for it. Offensive work suits you better."
"You've said as much. And you know what I really want to ask."
"You already know the answer."
"So it really was you." Regulus laughed softly, a trace of nervousness in it, remembering his mother's fury when the Lestranges had arrived and presented the broken marriage contract as a settled matter. A disgrace for any aristocratic family. The only saving grace was that the old friendship between the two families was finished. "So what comes next? Are you going to ask for my cousin's hand?"
"No." Severus shook his head with a calm smile, snapped his fingers, and a cup appeared before Regulus. A plain white teapot materialized in the center of the table, with two small dishes beside it, one containing sugar and the other jam. "I don't care what people think, but Bellatrix does. As does your family. If I ask for her hand now, the talk will start all over again. Better to let things settle first. A year should be enough. Then I'll court her openly." He lifted the teapot with a touch of telekinesis and filled the cup. "Sugar?"
"I'll manage, thank you. I'm glad you see it that way. That was exactly what Mother was worried about. But I do have good news."
"Oh?"
"Father came back recently. He has no objection to the marriage. Even with you being a half-blood."
"Really?" Severus knew Orion had returned. The seals in the younger Blacks had told him as much. But he had been so buried in work lately that the detail had slipped past him. His surprise was genuine. He had assumed Orion shared his wife's views on blood purity and would never consent to his niece marrying a half-blood.
"You thought my parents saw eye to eye on everything?" Regulus read his expression.
"Don't they?"
"Not at all." The young man shook his head with a smile. "They're alike in some ways, but my mother was raised by my grandmother. If she were still alive today, she'd be fighting for the Dark Lord in the front ranks. My father's parents were far more moderate. He supports blood purity, yes, but he's not zealous about it."
"Then why no objection?"
"Because you have a great many qualities in your favor."
"I see. That's good to hear. Thank you for the information." Severus smirked and winked at him. A rolled parchment appeared in his hand. He passed it across.
"Happy to be of use." Regulus read through it, nodded with satisfaction, rolled it carefully, and tucked it into his enchanted wallet. He took a sip of tea.
"Selling your own cousin." Severus looked at him with mock gravity.
"I'm placing her in good hands. If she finds herself a proper boyfriend, perhaps she'll leave me alone. You have no idea how vicious she is with a wand." He shuddered. "All the women in our family are genuine terrors. Not my words, those are my father's. And my grandfather's. And I agree with them completely."
"Merlin help you if they ever hear you say that."
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to say it in front of them?" Regulus's gaze dropped to the snake's head poking out of Severus's robes. "A new snake?" He sounded surprised. He remembered how attached Severus had been to that one.
"You could say that." Severus smiled and stroked her head. He conjured a small saucer and poured some milk into it.
Nagini dipped her head in thanks, slid down from his neck, and began to drink. Regulus watched with unease, understanding immediately that this snake was far more dangerous than the last. When their eyes met, he heard a familiar hiss, something close to a snort of contempt. Then she returned to her milk and ignored him entirely. Regulus's left eye twitched.
Why do all his snakes hate me? He had no idea this was Nagini. She couldn't possibly have changed this much in three months.
"Fancy a hand of cards?"
"I'm in."
Several hours later.
Regulus stared at his hand in misery. It was overflowing with cards. Then he looked at the snake, who had exactly one card remaining. It was her turn.
"How? How in the name of Merlin do you lose thirty games in a row to a snake? What in the bloody hell is happening?" Every trace of his polished aristocratic composure had evaporated. "Severus, admit it. This is you, isn't it?"
"She's simply very intelligent. That's all," Severus replied with perfect serenity, barely keeping his laughter in check. He had always enjoyed unsettling people. Aristocrats gave the best reactions.
"Intelligent! Thirty times in a row!"
"Regulus. Look around you. We're in the magical world. Anything is possible here. Even extraordinarily intelligent snakes."
"Not that intelligent!" Regulus flung his cards on the table.
"It's magic, Regulus. Ma-gic," Severus said pleasantly, rising and glancing out the window. The castle was visible on the horizon. "Right. Time to get ready. We're nearly there." Several whistles sounded on cue. "Up you come." He held out his hand to Nagini. She cast one final look of disdain at Regulus. His eye twitched, and then she slid under his robes and coiled around his neck.
"She definitely hates me. But what did I do? We've only just met!"
"Don't worry about it. You wouldn't understand anyway." Severus waved a lazy hand and returned the cards, tray, and dishes to his wallet. "Come on."
After the train pulled in, students from second to seventh year were loaded into carriages and taken up to the castle. Once the new first-years had been Sorted, the feast began. Compared to the previous year, it was a proper banquet. New tables and chairs had replaced the ancient darkened benches that looked as though a drunken carpenter had knocked them together five centuries ago.
Severus noticed other changes as well. Many of the castle's charms had been renewed. Some of the staircases that had been stuck for years were moving again. The first floor had even seen modest repairs. He didn't investigate further, but he had no doubt the rest of the castle was in similar condition.
Every student from second year upwards was astonished by the changes, delighted that someone had finally done something about the state of the place.
There was no mystery about who that someone was. In the entrance hall, where notices were usually pinned, stood a large placard bearing the signature of the Head of the Board of Governors: Abraxas Malfoy. It praised the Board's generosity, their deep concern for the future of the magical world, and described how they had invested almost their very last Galleons to ensure the children had a comfortable learning environment. Very Malfoy. Severus had to admit, Tom was not wrong when he called them slippery friends. Twisting things so beautifully was a genuine talent.
But the work had been done, and that was what mattered. The rest was Dumbledore's concern. Severus had contributed what he could. Now he needed to prepare for tomorrow's classes. He said goodnight to Regulus, who was still glowering at the spot where Nagini had last been sitting, and went up to his room.
------------------------------------------
"Chapters on Patreon progress: Currently at;
1. Harry Potter: Satan? Nah, Just My Family Crest = CHAPTER 247
2.Marvel: Cosmic Forger of Infinity = CHAPTER 172
3.Harry Potter: Beyond Good and Evil in the Wizarding World = CHAPTER 249
4.Harry Potter: Reborn as Draco Black = CHAPTER 99
support me on Patreon for instant access to the 120+ advance chapters: patreon.com/redofic"