Chapter 145: Snape

“The Invisibility Cloak you bought.”

Dumbledore looked at him with an expression that said, *Is that all?*

Snape opened his mouth.

He truly hadn’t expected that the first reason for Darren’s exposure would have anything to do with him.

This action left even Quirrell stunned.

Voldemort even revealed his face because of it.

He laughed loudly, looking extremely pleased.

Snape pursed his lips in annoyance.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have prepared the Invisibility Cloak for the brat.

“Why aren’t you surprised at all that it’s me?”

Because of Darren’s calmness, Voldemort finally stopped laughing.

He began to ask with interest.

Listening to Voldemort’s question, Snape finally noticed that Darren was indeed not at all surprised by Quirrell’s presence here.

Could it be that Darren had never suspected him?

“No, I knew from the beginning it wasn’t Professor Snape. He’s very good to me…”

Good in what way?

It was nothing out of the ordinary.

He had never given him any special treatment; why did this child think he was so good?

“The Professor is so good, gentle, and kind. I can’t imagine the Professor doing anything bad!”

The brat was still rambling on there.

Snape blushed, a rare occurrence.

He felt embarrassed just listening to the brat’s nonsense.

Voldemort sneered at his foolish words.

After another round of meaningless conversation, they angered Voldemort.

“Since you both think the Sorcerer’s Stone isn’t mine, it seems I must choose one of you to punish. Harry Potter, it shall be you…”

Voldemort laughed wildly.

He raised his wand and pointed it at Harry.

Snape looked at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore closed his eyes.

Clearly, he felt this was something the Savior needed to endure.

But this was the Cruciatus Curse!

Snape instinctively wanted to intervene, but Dumbledore snatched the wand away.

He shook his head silently.

Snape looked over with trembling hands, expecting to see Harry Potter lying there.

But it was Darren, Darren Potter, who lay there instead.

“Ha, Harry, you must… run…”

The brat’s face was deathly pale, his voice weak, screaming almost every second.

By the end, he didn’t even have the strength to scream.

He curled up on the ground, covered in cold sweat.

Clearly, this was real, not like the act Becky had put on.

But, Dumbledore, why must the Savior training program involve torturing an innocent child?

Would he die?

He might even end up like the Longbottoms, becoming a fool from this day on!

You are cultivating your Savior, why must you implicate the brat?

He almost wanted to grab Dumbledore and demand an answer.

But Dumbledore looked at him sternly, telling him to stay calm and not ruin things, otherwise Darren’s suffering would be in vain.

Yes!

In vain!

For who knows how many minutes.

Snape watched Darren close his eyes, his life hanging in the balance, and watched Harry as the black mist that was Voldemort passed through his chest.

Only then did he stumble over to Darren and carefully feed him a potion.

“Severus, this was necessary…”

Dumbledore walked up to Harry and Darren.

He wanted to check on the two children’s condition, but was forced back by a fierce glare from Snape.

“Dumbledore, don’t you touch them!”

What greatest headmaster; he is nothing but a coward who leaves the responsibility to children!

“I really don’t know how you defeated Grindelwald. Perhaps, as the tabloids wrote, you just released a handkerchief, ha!”

“Severus… I had no choice… If I had even the slightest alternative, I would never let the children do such things…”

Dumbledore whispered wearily.

“You are Dumbledore.”

“Yes, I am Dumbledore… but I am not omnipotent. Severus, you must accept this fact. I am old…”

“But you could kill him… you could. Even if you are old, you could do it. You could have killed him completely…

Or what else do you want me to do? I can do anything…”

Snape pleaded as he looked at the old man before him.

They were still children.

When he saw the two children lying there, life unknown, it was as if he had returned to that night.

When he could clearly do everything, why couldn’t he be allowed to do it, to let the children have a normal school life?

“Yes, Severus, you are quite right. Tom can be killed…”

Even if I am old, I could kill him again… but what then?

“What then?”

“Harry killed him once, yet he lived again… If I kill him now with all my might, after I die… what if he lives again?”

Snape’s lips trembled.

“But… but they are still children…”

“Yes, but the prophecy has dragged them into this…

Darren is innocent, but he is Harry Potter’s brother. No Death Eater will spare him because the Savior’s brother is innocent, do you understand?”

Dumbledore said sternly.

Though his voice was slightly choked.

Representing the old man’s inner reluctance.

Finally, he straightened his body and summarized softly: “And the reason the prophecy leaked, or rather, the cause of their current state… is you, Severus, it is you!”

“It is me…”

Snape sat on the ground, dejected.

“I don’t mean to blame you. Once a prophecy exists, there is no such thing as a secret that doesn’t leak… I only want to say, be better to Harry.

I know you are angry, mostly for Darren’s sake, but look at the scar on Harry’s forehead… I hope you can be slightly better to him…

He needs love, more love, the most beautiful love in the world… I hope you can…”

“I cannot!”

Snape looked up and stared directly at Dumbledore.

“I know what you mean, Dumbledore. You want me to feel guilty, to be better to Harry Potter… but look at his face…

James Potter, the harm he caused me, have you ever cared about that?

The first time I saw Harry Potter, I even wanted to kill him!”

Snape pointed angrily at Harry.

He stared unyieldingly at Dumbledore until the old man conceded and averted his gaze.

“Then… I am very sorry, forgive me, Severus… whether in the past or just now, I am sorry!”