Chapter 370: Spinner's End

Harry and Ron ran back to the house from the back door in a hurry, then pretended they didn't know anything, waiting for the movement in the front hall.

"Harry! Come out!" Mrs. Wei Silai's full-voiced voice came. "The Professor is looking for you!"

Harry walked to the front door with a nervous mood. He saw Snape's indifferent eyes, and his heart couldn't help but start drumming again, worrying about which part of the situation had changed.

"There are some things I need to ask you, Potter," Snape said slowly. "Come to my house."

Harry looked back, so Snape added: "I will send him back before dinner."

"Go," Mrs. Wei Silai said generously. "Do you want to come and eat together? I can make a little more."

The corner of Snape's eye moved, and he changed his words: "Come back after dinner."

With two crisp sounds, Harry found himself appearing by a river. The river water emitted a strange yellowish-brown color, and a faint smell came from the air. He happened to be standing on the edge of a garbage dump, stepping on a few withered yellow weeds.

Snape glanced at Harry, then remained silent, just leading him toward a small alley. They passed patches of mottled red bricks. The houses here were built very compactly, with almost no light, giving people a feeling of gloom and oppression.

Harry and Snape walked to the end of the alley and entered the last room. Harry guessed this was Snape's home in the Muggle World, but it wasn't decorated with much of a home feel, instead, it was more like a prison for house arrest. Several walls were full of old books, and the only light came from a candle hanging from the ceiling. If Snape didn't like this place, he could rent the house out, just like he handled the house on Privet Drive, Harry thought aimlessly.

"It looks a bit deserted here, Professor, do you usually not live here?" Harry asked in a low voice.

"I need a place that is safe enough, a place that is enough to avoid all eyes and ears to talk about this matter," Snape said, pursing his lips.

"What is it?" Harry sat on the sofa at Snape's signal.

"I have been thinking about another thing, that is, why did they blow up the TARDIS? Or rather, not only that, but also bury all the Doctors?" Snape said slowly. "What does this explain?"

"Because the Doctor and the TARDIS are one of the most important forces of the Ministry of Magic," Harry answered. "The Soviets want to weaken the Ministry of Magic."

"Yes, the Doctor project is the strongest force of the Ministry of Magic, and it is also the direction they have explored most deeply in the mysteries of magic," Snape said seriously. "And the Soviets, undoubtedly, are afraid of the results we have achieved in this direction."

"We need to restart the Doctor project," Snape concluded.

"Do you know—"

"No, I mean restarting this project in the Department of Mysteries, needing to support them to continue research, instead of driving the TARDIS around to be a hero all day."

Harry didn't like Snape's way of saying this, but he didn't want to refute it, so he watched him silently.

"Do you know why I want Lu Xiusi to be the Head of the Department of Mysteries?"

"It's a deal, you used the position of Head of Department to exchange for his support," Harry honestly stated his guess.

Snape didn't commit, looking at him calmly.

"Oh, I see, you also have a consideration to paralyze Yanayev," Harry easily figured this out. "To make him think we don't value the Department of Mysteries, to make him think we are just using it to win over Lu Xiusi, but actually it is to cover our secret restart of research."

"Very correct, Potter," Snape said slowly. "Lu Xiusi will cooperate with us. Of course, there are limited things he can do. More importantly, we need to recruit some researchers."

He pointed his wand at the book wall behind him, and with a bang, a secret door opened, revealing a dim room, where a girl with reddish-brown hair was sitting in another chair.

"She said, you know each other?" Snape stared at Harry and said.

"Donna?" Harry called out her name in surprise; he didn't expect to see her here at all.

"That's right, it's me," Donna's tone was very calm, but also faintly carried some regret. "I regret letting him go."

"Donna Noble, a fresh graduate of Beauxbatons, showed a level of magical knowledge far beyond ordinary students," Snape said. "More importantly, she seems to know the Doctor project like the back of her hand. Not long ago, she took the initiative to submit an application to the Ministry of Magic, wanting to enter the Department of Mysteries to work."

"Barty left some of his things to me before he went to the final battle," Donna walked out and sat next to Harry. "Sometimes I wonder, if I had done something, would things have been different?"

"But you are not a warrior, even if you reached Trenzalore..."

"Rose Tyler, I should have gone to find her," Donna shook her head gently. "I only found out later that she was missing, she was the only one who could help Barty."

Harry didn't speak, silently recalling those things that happened at the end of the fourth year. If Sirius hadn't caught the werewolf... perhaps, Barty would have survived, but Harry would have continued to be deceived and paralyzed by him.

For Donna, who seemed to have a faint crush on Barty, indeed, she would think about those things, but Harry didn't have much regret about this ending.

"I want to find him, no matter how long it takes," Donna said very seriously. "Please let me join the Doctor project, if possible, I also want to become a Doctor."

"Although your knowledge is indeed outstanding, from another perspective, after all, the Ministry of Magic is..."

"I can make an Unbreakable Vow," Donna said very simply.

Snape's expression suddenly became unfathomable, while Harry opened his mouth in surprise.

"Can I trouble you to be our witness, Professor Snape?" Donna grabbed Harry's right hand.

Snape pulled out his wand, but his gaze was not on the wand or the hands of the two, but tightly staring at Donna.

"I promise, if I am allowed to participate in the Doctor project, I will strictly abide by the regulations on confidentiality and discipline in the project."

A bright spark emerged from the tip of the wand, then dragged out more firelight, and a thin line flashing with red light quickly extended on their two clasped hands.

"I promise I will strive to become a true Doctor, if I cannot become a Doctor, I also promise I will provide the greatest support to any current Doctor."

The second thin line sprayed out from the wand, intertwined with the first, forming a chain-like band of light.

"Also, I will never be cowardly, never be cruel, never yield, never give up," Donna finally said.

Snape's face was illuminated red, but his expression remained unfathomable. He watched silently as the third thin line surged from the wand and joined the chain formed by the previous two. Three red bands of light intertwined and lingered on their clasped hands, like a braided rope, or something with life.

Donna let out a long breath and pulled her hand out of Harry's. Then, Snape also put away his wand.

"I don't quite understand why you want to do this, are you—" Harry muttered with a guilty conscience. "In love with him?"

"Who are you talking about? Barty? That should be no," Donna shrugged. "It's just sometimes, it's very hard, I think, like the Chinese say, if you have seen the magnificent sea, then the water in other places is not worth looking at. I just regret not getting on his boat at that time, so today, I want to set sail myself."

"Ah." Harry's expression was a bit blank.

"Harry." Snape's voice rang out in time. "In terms of ability and determination, I think Donna can be an important member of our restart of the Doctor project... and you, you are the leader of this project, I want to hear your opinion, how many points are you going to give her for this crucial interview?"

"As a researcher? I think er, I don't think there's any problem," Harry nodded. "By the way, what about Clara? She should also be a member of the project, right?"

"She cannot resign from her teaching position at Beauxbatons," Snape said slowly. "However, she promised to try her best to provide help."

"We can't just rely on one Donna to continue those researches, right?" Harry widened his eyes. "Don't you have more candidates in mind?"

"This is another reason I'm looking for you," Snape glanced at Donna. "Since you can return to the Ministry of Magic to continue research, you can also return that blue box."

"I am going to let Donna serve as the supervisor of the Doctor project," Snape continued.

"Ah?" After a brief doubt, Harry suddenly understood Snape's plan.

"I see, this is still to confuse others," Harry nodded in deep agreement. "Others will think that the existing so-called Doctor project is just Donna's wishful thinking, and will think that the Ministry of Magic doesn't value it... but we can secretly support this matter vigorously."

Snape looked at him meaningfully, then opened his mouth and said: "At nine o'clock tomorrow morning, we will meet at the Department of Mysteries. You need to bring the TARDIS, perhaps, you can also bring some others who are willing to join this project."

"Now I will send you back to the Burrow, or, send you to your godfather?" Snape stood up.

"To my godfather's," Harry cautiously didn't say Sirius's name.

"Let's go out," Snape stood up, and the door of the room opened automatically.

"See you tomorrow, Harry," Donna nodded to him, then wrapped her clothes and strode toward the outside of the alley.

Walking out of the alley, before Apparating, Snape whispered to Harry: "Don't trust her too much."

"What?"

"After the time-space freeze, the Doctor project may not necessarily have much power left, this is just another feint," Snape said in a very low voice. "Yanayev might think we have bet everything on the Doctor, but in fact, it is far more than that." ===== CHAPTER 371 =====