Chapter 224

"Severus! John is still a child! How could you be so heavy-handed!"

In the school infirmary, Professor McGonagall stood by Snape's hospital bed with her hands on her hips, lecturing Professor Snape.

Snape lay on the bed, listless, looking at the ceiling, and said calmly.

"The child you speak of has already beaten me to the point where I can't get out of bed..."

"Uh... this..."

Halfway through her lecture, Professor McGonagall choked, looking awkwardly at the bandaged Snape, then at John, who was already eating his meal in the next bed.

For a moment, she didn't know where to start.

Because the Sectumsempra that Snape used to cause John's injuries had a counter-curse.

After Snape was sent to the school infirmary for simple bandaging and treatment, he had removed the counter-curse for John, stopping the continuous tearing of the wounds.

And healed those terrifying lacerations.

So now he was just a bit anemic and weak; he wasn't injured nearly as badly as Snape.

But it wasn't Professor McGonagall's fault for scolding him.

When John was sent to the school infirmary, he had been a bloody mess, dragging a trail of blood that had scared the passing students.

They thought some danger had appeared at Hogwarts again.

This duel looked like a draw.

But in reality, John had lost.

Because Snape had taken that hit, and although he temporarily lost the ability to move, he wouldn't have died on the spot.

Whereas John's wounds, if not treated in time, would sooner or later have led to death from blood loss.

Of course, if John had replaced the steel balls with more lethal projectiles, or shot them directly at his head, the outcome would have been hard to say.

"It's fine, Professor McGonagall, I forgive Professor Snape, hahahaha."

John, listening to Professor McGonagall standing up for him, waved his hand magnanimously and laughed.

Professor Snape turned his head to look at John, his gaze seemingly capable of killing.

"Merrick, for the time I'm away, you are to process all the potions in the workshop."

Professor Snape said coldly.

"Ah... sss... I suddenly feel like my head hurts, I feel like I need to lie in bed for another week......"

Hearing this, John flopped onto the bed, pulled the blanket over half his face, leaving only a pair of eyes darting around.

Professor McGonagall was speechless.

It seemed John was indeed recovering well...

Snape couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore; now he just wanted to lie down and rest.

Although Madam Pomfrey had already repaired his bones and treated his flesh.

But the newly repaired bones were still fragile and needed a day of quiet rest.

It just so happened to be the weekend, so he could get a good sleep.

But he was destined not to sleep well.

Because just as Professor McGonagall left, Professor Flitwick also arrived upon hearing the news.

After all, John was the treasure of their house.

Naturally, he had to come and stand up for John.

As for outside, it was spreading like wildfire.

They said John and Professor Snape had fought to the death under the guise of a duel.

It was a brutal fight, with blood all over the corridor.

In short, the rumors were getting more and more outrageous.

Harry was also searching the castle for Hermione, hoping to tell her what really happened.

But Hermione, who had spent the whole morning in the Restricted Section, couldn't be found no matter how hard Harry looked.

It wasn't until Hermione came out of the Restricted Section and heard the rumors that she was terrified and ran straight to the school infirmary.

But when she rushed to the school infirmary, she saw John sitting on the bed, playing cards with Titus and the others who had come to visit him.

"Hmm? Hermione, you're here."

John saw her and called out happily.

"John, are you okay?"

Hermione hurried to John's side, grabbing his hands and checking him up and down with worry and confusion, her eyes red.

It seemed she had really been scared by the rumors just now.

"Pfft, a mere Snape can't hurt me!"

John grinned, put his hands on his hips, and said proudly.

"Is that so? I hope you can say the same next time..."

Professor Snape, who had been resting with his eyes closed nearby, suddenly spoke coldly.

"......"

John's hand shook, and his cards nearly scattered.

No, if you weren't asleep, why were you closing your eyes!

Hermione looked at the corpse-like Snape, then at the unscathed John.

She felt the rumors were reversed; why did Professor Snape look more like the one who was about to be beaten to death...

Until Hermione noticed a laundry basket not far away, piled with a set of school robes stained black and red with blood, and her heart tightened.

"Senior, you don't know, when we arrived just now, John was wearing those broken clothes, covered in blood; it was terrifying."

Titus, standing to the side, said while picking up the blood-stained old robe from the basket and shaking it.

These bloodstains were shocking to look at.

"It was Ryan who ran back to the dormitory to bring him a new set of clothes to change into."

Hearing this, Hermione could imagine how badly John must have been injured to lose so much blood.

Thinking of this, and looking at John's bloodless face, she felt a pang of heartache and anger.

"Professor Snape! How could you be so heavy-handed with John!"

Hermione shouted directly at Professor Snape in the next bed.

Snape: "......"

He felt so tired.

He had heard this so many times today that his ears were calloused.

Madam Pomfrey had said it once when he received the wounded.

Professor McGonagall had said it once when she came, and Professor Flitwick had said it once too.

When these little brats came, they had whispered it once as well.

Now this little girlfriend of John's was saying it again.

Couldn't they see that his own condition was worse?

He couldn't even be bothered to lift his eyelids, and spat out two words coldly.

"Shut up."

This made Hermione furious; just as she was about to continue, John hurriedly pulled her back.

"Let it go, let it go, it's not easy for anyone."

Hermione finally stopped.

But she turned around and lectured John instead.

"You too! Why are you being so stubborn!"

"I told you not to provoke Snape, but you wouldn't listen."

To this, John could only nod and bow subserviently, not daring to retort.

Hermione's eyes were red; it was clear she had been worried sick.

And Snape, who had been irritable all morning, finally heard someone lecturing John, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift slightly.

But the next second, Hermione continued.

"Nothing good can come from staying with him."

Snape: "......"