The attack on Hogwarts by the Dementors never received any official explanation.
The disaster was judged to have been a sudden accident. It had happened abruptly and been resolved just as quickly. When many students looked back on it afterward, they did not feel fear so much as pride. The seventh-year graduates in particular were delighted to have gained a story they could brag about for the rest of their lives.
Basically no students were injured, except for Draco Malfoy, who had come into close contact with the Dementors and suffered a shock to his mind. He had to lie in the hospital wing for a month, but he fully recovered afterward and was left with no lingering damage.
The other students drank hot soup that day, ate chocolate, and received a cup of bitter Calming Draught from Madam Pomfrey. After taking it, they went back and slept well. Most of them did not even have nightmares.
Skyl adopted a black cat. Its fur was a dark purple, beautiful as the night sky, and felt like fine silk to the touch. Its eyes were a deep ghostly blue, like flames flickering in the dark. Skyl named the cat Black Cloak.
Black Cloak and Afu were one black and one white, one cat and one dog. During the first few days, they argued whenever they met. Afu relied on his sturdy build and always bullied Black Cloak.
"Meow! Meow, meow! You dog thing, I am the great Death! How dare you insult me!"
"Woof!" Afu's eyes showed clear disdain. "Woof, woof! You call yourself Death when you look like that?"
Whenever passing female students saw the cat and dog fighting, they always took Black Cloak's side.
Afu's dog face was full of disbelief. "Woof, woof! You all clearly said I was the cutest before!"
The female students held Black Cloak in their arms. This black cat had always been disdainful toward women trying to flatter it, and yet the more proud and aloof its little expression became, the more those women screamed about how adorable it was.
Faced with Afu's tearful accusation, these fickle witches could only laugh dryly and pat his head to comfort him.
Some male students may have seen their own shadows in Afu. They came over to comfort him. "Afu, it's not that you aren't cute. It's just that people always like the new thing and forget the old. Besides, you used to be so cool and so unique. Now you're just a lapdog. Nobody treasures that anymore."
After understanding this painful truth, Afu could only go cry to Skyl.
Skyl could only laugh while rubbing the dog's head, telling him, "Black Cloak really is Death. When you die of old age one day, be careful or it might throw your soul into the underworld and chop you into pieces."
"Awoo..." Afu tucked his tail between his legs. From then on, whenever he faced Black Cloak, he lowered himself and stuck out his tongue to curry favor.
A soul named Tom Riddle roared silently, "Stupid dog! Stupid dog! You've dragged Voldemort's name through the mud! And you even went and provoked Death, you stupid dog!"
Black Cloak was a cat, and it carried all the virtues of cats. It was cute, and everyone who saw it imagined the scene of this cat lying quietly in their arms. It was aloof, unmoved even by rare little dried fish from the wizarding world, and even if someone brushed and massaged its fur, it would never become any closer because of it. It was solemn, and unless necessary, it would never meow at anyone. Whenever Peeves saw Black Cloak, he looked like a snake whose bones had been pulled out.
This kind of cat seemed to carry an invisible aura of its own. It made people believe it had a powerful spirit, and it could offer great comfort to those trapped in confusion and pain.
Every minute and every second on Earth, people died. Their fear of death lasted until their souls left their bodies and they saw Death.
"Death is actually a cat?"
These souls were deeply surprised. Black Cloak sat there very solemnly, holding a tiny scythe in one paw.
"Meow. Mortal, you are dead."
A little girl who had died of illness pleaded, "Death, I want to say one more thing to my mom and dad. Can I?"
"Meow. No." Black Cloak hesitated for a moment. "Meow. But I can let you pet me once."
The soul of the dead girl hesitated briefly, then reached out and scratched Black Cloak under the chin.
"Ah, so cute. I'm dead."
A murderer who had committed countless crimes threatened, "Stupid cat, you call yourself Death? Bring me back to life right now, or I'll strangle you!"
Black Cloak waved its scythe, and a group of Dementors drifted out. They seized the sinful soul and dragged it into the land of the dead, where it turned into a pale lily.
Skyl changed Death's image and changed the shared memory of it in human hearts. Gradually, people began to associate Death with cats. Many people tormented by life joked before dying that they were going to meet the cat in charge and told their living friends and family not to be sad.
Death was frightening, but cats were gentle.
...
The Quidditch final ended with Gryffindor as the winner.
After night fell, the Great Hall thundered with laughter and cheers. Three houses were celebrating Gryffindor's victory. The Slytherin long table was as quiet as a library. Their Head of House had not appeared, perhaps because he was angry over his house's defeat.
This lively celebration continued until curfew. Even afterward, the young, energetic cheers of the students seemed to echo through the complicated corridors of the main castle.
Lily followed the moving staircases all the way down into the lower levels.
The Potions classroom was pitch-black. She raised her wand and lit it with a glow. She saw that the office door was open, and from inside came the familiar bubbling sound of brewing potion. From January until now, that sound had accompanied Lily every night. She and Snape had created an immortal miracle in the history of Potions inside this cramped office.
That bond of shared effort was soaked in the scent of herbs and stored in her deepest memories. When Lily heard the cauldron boiling, her uneasy heart relaxed slightly.
"Snape. Are you there?"
She slipped into the office. There was only a single candle lit inside. Snape sat in his lonely high-backed chair. The self-stirring cauldron was still bubbling, and faint blue steam filled the ceiling, hiding the old bat's face as well.
Lily asked again, "Snape, are you all right?"
"Of course." Snape's tone was very steady. "We need a new resurrection potion. And a new cauldron. Jim Hacker and the other two have already proven themselves unreliable. I suggested to Dumbledore that we resurrect Nicolas Flamel first. That legendary alchemist would certainly be able to make a cauldron that works."
"But to resurrect him, we would first need a magical cauldron." Lily's tense nerves relaxed a little. She felt that Snape was going to pretend he did not know and maintain things as they were. That suited her perfectly.
"Yes. So we have no cauldron. We cannot resurrect Nicolas Flamel. Without a cauldron, we cannot resurrect Potter. We cannot resurrect... you!"
Snape suddenly leaned forward. His sallow face pierced through the cauldron's mist like a ghost, and Lily was startled by the look in his eyes, though it was not truly fierce.
"Snape, what are you talking about?"
"Ivanna Collins." Snape stood and paced through the office in pain. "Ivanna Collins! That is not your name! Call it out!"
"Who?"
"Your Patronus!"
"..."
Lily closed her eyes. Her figure, usually straight as a poplar tree, relaxed as well. An indescribable sigh left her throat.
"Long time no see, Sev."
Snape had not heard that nickname in almost twenty years.
He covered his eyes tightly, but Lily still saw tears seeping from the edges of his palms.
"Sev..."
The old bat collapsed to the floor and began coughing violently.
Lily's eyes were red. She choked out, "Sev, don't be like this. You never cry."
"I just... never... wanted to cry in front of you." Snape struck his own forehead with his fist, as if trying to find the switch for his tear ducts. He hit himself again and again, until his voice was no longer hoarse. At last, he was able to open his eyes. "Lily, why didn't you tell me?"
"I made a promise. I couldn't reveal my identity on my own."
"Jim Hacker is James, isn't he?"
"Yes." Lily admitted it. "I only reunited with him that day in Godric's Hollow. Before that, I had been kept in the dark too."
Snape leaned back against the desk, and Lily sat down in front of him. The two of them could chat quietly, just like they had back then.
Even though they both knew that time was an arrow pointing toward the future, and the past could never be returned to.
"I will tell Dumbledore. About the two of you."
"Dumbledore may have already guessed."
"He always knows everything."
"Can you tell me about what happened back then?"
Snape was silent for a moment, then finally told the truth. "I overheard Trelawney's conversation with Dumbledore. She is a true Seer. The prophecy said that a child born in July would destroy the Dark Lord. At the time, I didn't know Harry Potter was the child of the prophecy. In any case, I told him the news. When I discovered that you had been chosen as the target, I went to Dumbledore and hoped he would protect you."
"I see." Lily spoke calmly. "And after that?"
Snape hesitated for a moment before continuing. "After you died, Dumbledore came to me again. He wanted me to stay at Hogwarts so it would be easier to protect your child."
"You agreed?"
"Dumbledore said he had your eyes." Snape tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Fortunately, his personality is much better than James's."
"It was Mr. Skyl who taught Harry. He was also the one who resurrected us."
Snape laughed softly. "Mr. Skyl. He really is a kind bastard."
Lily did not deny it. She stared at Snape, while Snape stared at the tips of his shoes.
"Sev, do you still regret calling me a Mudblood back then?"
"Always."
"James told me that if you put him in your place, in that kind of situation, seeing the girl he liked most, he would also have taken his anger out on her. It was a boy's pride causing trouble."
The old bat said angrily, "What does he know? He was nothing but an arrogant show-off!"
"You boys, honestly. Clumsy with words, and with ten thousand petty thoughts in your hearts." Lily sighed. "But I understand you now. Even if I am a little late."
Snape still wanted to be stubborn, but he lost to the half-smiling look on Lily's face.
"I forgive you, Sev. I forgive you for calling me a Mudblood, and I forgive you for leaking the prophecy to Voldemort." Lily's gaze was gentle as the evening wind by a harbor. When she said those words, Snape suddenly froze.
The old bat looked dazed. "You forgive me?"
"Yes. You are not a saint, and I am not the Virgin Mary. It is simply time for us to let go. A new era of the wizarding world is waving to us. Don't you think it would be a little too boring to remain submerged in the shadows of the Dark Lord's era? I am still young. I do not want to become some old relic left behind."
Snape nodded. After a moment of silence, he asked very calmly, "What plans do you have for the future?"
"It's all your fault, you know. I originally wanted to pretend nothing had happened, continue being your assistant, and go to school alongside Harry." Lily pressed a finger against her cheek, looking thoughtful. "Now, I plan to tell Harry everything when the time is right, then find a job as a potion-maker."
Snape said nothing. Lily, on the other hand, talked a lot. She even brought up their childhood. "Do you still remember my sister, Petunia? She was always jealous of my magical ability. She called me a freak and even wrote to Dumbledore, hoping to be accepted into Hogwarts. Harry may not have had a very good time staying at her house all these years. I want to find her and make everything clear."
The witch counted off her plans for the future on her fingers. That serious look made Snape stare deeply at her.
That day, the cauldron on the desk stopped smoking. The light of a wand stayed lit for half the night before finally leaving late. The two of them agreed to meet again tomorrow.
The next day, James came to find Snape, wanting to apologize for his recklessness during their student days.
But the office was empty. There was no trace of Snape in the main castle or the White Tower.
He had disappeared.
And no one knew where he had gone.
The Head of Slytherin left Hogwarts just like that, silently and without a trace, like a tear vanishing into the rain, as if he had been a ghost. Only the cauldrons, ingredients, potions, and student notes Snape had left behind could prove that this person had once truly existed.
After Dumbledore heard about it, he sat in his office and remained silent for a very long time. Back then, it was here that he had made an agreement with Snape, asking him to protect Lily's child. Now Lily had returned, and Harry no longer needed anyone to protect him, so Snape no longer stayed.
However, Potions still needed a professor. Dumbledore hoped Lily could temporarily take the teaching post, and if she wished, she could become permanent at any time.
She did not understand why Snape had left.
James explained the reason. He said that what Snape needed was not forgiveness, but the lack of it. Only that way could he keep living. Once the old bat lost the meaning of his life, he could no longer fly.
Lily realized that, in the end, she did not understand Snape, or perhaps she had always been one step too late.
Grindelwald temporarily became the Head of Slytherin. He was a true vampire bat, firm in his methods and decisive in action, so he quickly won the approval of the little snakes.
The fifth-year and seventh-year students were busy preparing for their exams.
April passed in a hurry, and May felt as though it had gone by in the blink of an eye. Thanks to The Caster's Beginner's Handbook, the students generally faced their exams full of confidence.
Skyl maintained a regular schedule. In his free time, he went outside the castle to watch the sky, pet the cat, and tease the dog. Every week, he went to the Duelling Club to educate the children.
His remaining days at Hogwarts entered their final countdown with a quiet rustle, like sand in the palm. The tighter one gripped it, the faster it slipped away.
In the blink of an eye, he had to sit for exams again.
Harry knew Skyl would soon leave, so during the final stretch of the school year, he often came to talk to Skyl.
The more they talked, the harder parting became. Later on, Skyl simply watched the sky, and Harry simply accompanied him in watching the sky. Hermione came too. Ron, Neville, Luna, Percy, Wood, and many other students would sit quietly beside Skyl for a while and watch the sky, leaving behind a shared memory for them all.
The summer wind blew across the lawn, lifting the wizard robes of these young people, then continued forward without stopping for anyone.
Exams took place in June. Hogwarts truly astonished the examiners this year. They said this was the best graduating class they had ever handled. The average quality of the students was already close to the top students of previous years.
Every exam Skyl took was graded Outstanding. In fact, his papers had perfect scores, and after obtaining his consent, some of his answers could be published in relevant academic journals.
At this point, the term came to an end. During the farewell feast, the graduates took photos with the professors, exchanged pictures, embraced one another, gave blessing cards, and promised to meet again in the future.
Skyl's roommates hugged him while crying and laughing.
He left his temporary professor's certificate at the school. In the future, students would be able to visit the Trophy Room and look at the accomplishments of their senior.
When the whistle of the Hogwarts Express sounded, everyone would go their separate ways.
The day they left school was bright and sunny. Dumbledore took a girl to the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. When the owner, Aberforth Dumbledore, saw that familiar figure, he was so frightened that he dropped and shattered a glass.
James and Lily regained their original appearances and reunited with Harry at King's Cross Station. Together, they went to see Vernon's family. The Dursleys were so terrified by this wizard trick of the dead returning to life that they nearly fainted.
The days when Harry was treated by the Dursleys as a little slave and an unwanted brat were gone forever. He now followed his parents back to Godric's Hollow and lived in the Potter family's old house. Dumbledore's family also moved back there, so they could see each other often.
A few days later, Lily went to Spinner's End in London, Snape's old home.
Severus Snape was not there. However, Lily knew he had returned there once. Perhaps one day in the future, he would suddenly appear again. But before that, Lily would continue serving as the Potions professor at Hogwarts. Nothing in that office had been changed. Lily would keep someone's high-backed chair safe for him.
As for Skyl, he also said farewell to Hogwarts. His student days had come to an end, followed by a long wandering journey.
For the first stop of his travels, he visited the Overgod Ao of Realmspace. Skyl had long been looking forward to the tabletop game the creator gods played for leisure in their daily lives.
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