Hogwarts.
As the match ended, Severus returned to his office.
However, before he could even sit down and rest, a knock sounded at the door.
"Enter," he said in a deep voice.
The door slowly opened, and a familiar figure appeared.
Howl's hand was slightly raised, a ring floating in his palm.
"What is this?" Snape asked in a low voice.
"The Gaunt family heirloom ring," Howl replied slowly, tossing the ring onto the table.
Snape was about to reach for it, but Howl interrupted him.
"It's poisoned."
Hearing this, his hand froze in mid-air, then he left it on the table and began to observe it.
Above the ring was a rhomboid black gem, and within the gem was a symbol of a triangle with an embedded circle and a vertical line.
There was also a deep mark on the edge of the ring, as if from a sharp instrument.
After returning, the two discussed how to remove the soul from it. After much deliberation, Dumbledore cleaved it with gryffindor's sword.
After the Horcrux was destroyed, the Resurrection Stone on it no longer remained in a subjectively driven state. It would no longer spontaneously influence those around it.
Lord Voldemort's soul fragment's effect on this Horcrux was roughly like this.
"A Hallow..." Snape slowly spoke, his eyes wide with shock.
"Mm," Howl nodded, confirming it.
Snape was stunned for a moment, then his eyes became fervent.
Howl said indifferently, "Severus, calm down. There's still poison on it."
"This is the second time you've reminded me," Snape waved his hand, straightened up, and said unhappily, "I'm not that stupid."
"I hope so," Howl chuckled, "But I have to tell you, Dumbledore isn't willing to touch this thing again. Those hazy, beautiful dreams are truly enchanting."
"This..."
"Could you help me remove the poison from it? Riddle used some unknown method to create a potent poison, and it's a bit tricky," Howl then explained his purpose.
"Alright," Snape nodded, "That's not a difficult task."
Howl looked at him in surprise. Logically, Severus should have haggled or challenged him at this point.
After all, that man never admitted defeat verbally.
"It might take more time if even you find it tricky!" Snape continued, his gaze shifting from the Resurrection Stone.
Howl's eyes darkened, "Severus, are you sure?"
"I'm very sure!" Snape nodded again, showing no signs of objection.
Howl pondered for a moment, then nodded as well, "I'll retrieve it when the time is right. I think you should be careful not to fall into those beautiful despairs."
Snape's face darkened a shade, but clearly, he had no desire for a verbal sparring match at the moment.
Watching Howl leave, he quickly rolled up the ring from the table and went into the Potion brewing room in the inner chambers.
He first walked to a bucket, which contained several sickly, lifeless toads.
Taking one out, he pinched the toad's cheeks and threw the entire ring into its mouth.
A moment later, he looked at the toad's corpse on the table, observing the signs of death, and at the same time, retrieved the ring.
After pausing in front of a cabinet filled with hundreds of bottles and jars, constantly emitting pungent odors, he raised his hand and took down two vials of Potion, pouring them into a cauldron to begin brewing.
At the same time, he carefully used his robes as a hand to separate and remove the black gem from the ring.
Looking at the black rhomboid stone, his breathing gradually grew heavy.
"Damn it!"
He cursed under his breath, turning his head to see the blue Potion in the cauldron already bubbling, emitting a bitter smell.
Then, he weighed some brown powder and added it, stirring.
Time quickly passed, midnight, the early hours... He frantically brewed Potions, never leaving the room.
After an unknown amount of time, when a silvery-white, fluid Potion appeared in the cauldron, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, with tweezers, he carefully dropped the rhomboid gem into it.
Hiss—
Black smoke billowed out, and dark purple venom rapidly precipitated from the gem.
At this moment, even he, with his immense confidence in Potions, couldn't help but feel nervous.
A moment later, seeing that no more dark purple venom was precipitating from the gem, he carefully picked it up with tweezers again.
He raised his hand, and a caged toad flew into his hand.
He opened the toad's mouth, then dropped the gem into it, then sealed its mouth again and put it back in the cage.
A moment later, the toad again died suddenly!
"Damn it!!" Snape cursed under his breath, and began his research again.
An entire day quickly passed. On Sunday, he did not leave the Potion brewing room for a single step.
His body grew increasingly fatigued, yet his spirit became more and more agitated.
His bloodshot eyes stared intently at the last toad.
At this point, it had survived three hours with the dark gem in its mouth.
Then, he took out the toad and began to examine its mouth, intestines, and blood.
After receiving the all-clear results, he looked at the dark black gem with fervent eyes.
Then, he confirmed that numerous antidotes were placed nearby.
His fingers, aged by long-term corrosion and immersion in various Potions, carefully picked up the gem.
The next moment.
Thump-thump—
A knock sounded.
"Who is it!!" Snape, with bloodshot eyes, looked angrily at the door. Did they not know he was busy at this time?!
"Severus, don't work anymore, you haven't rested in a long time," a worried female voice sounded.
"Who are you?!" Snape spoke indignantly, he had never heard this voice—
Suddenly, his body stiffened, and his throat involuntarily gulped.
Then, he clutched the Resurrection Stone tightly and walked tremblingly towards the door. He even stumbled along the way.
Standing at the door, his hand also trembled.
"Lily..."
Then, he slowly pulled the door open.
A slightly transparent figure stood outside the door, looking at him gently.
"Lily."
Snape murmured, his voice trembling.
Although he hadn't seen her in a long time, he couldn't forget her, recognizing her at first glance.
The soul's body lacked much color, but he knew her long hair should be a vibrant red, full of life like the sun, and her eyes emerald green, like gems.
The woman had some wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, but this could not change her perfect image in Severus's eyes.
"Severus, long time no see," Lily's voice was soft as water.
"Long time... no see."
"It's really... been a very, very long time."
Gentlemen, I'm taking a small leave, I'm not feeling quite right.
Wuwuwu!
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Rexlent
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"