Hogwarts: I am Snape

The sound of the incantation echoed across the open space.

In an instant, the entire castle came to life.

On the towering outer wall, the stone guardian statues that were originally considered decorations and covered in centuries of dust began to tremble violently.

Dust and debris fell in a flurry, their stiff bodies creaking as they broke free from the battlements, niches, and flying buttresses, landing heavily on the open ground in front of the castle.

Under Professor McGonagall's command, the soldiers formed a strict formation, marching with synchronized steps that shook the ground slightly, like an ancient legion, and began their resolute advance toward the school's border.

"Professor McGonagall!" Snape called out to Professor McGonagall, who was intently directing the statue.

"What's wrong?" Professor McGonagall turned around, her face filled with inexplicable excitement. "That's right, Severus, Hogwarts is ready."

“Professor,” Snape approached her, “let them guard the castle. We still need to get Voldemort and his core followers into the school; it’s part of the plan. Besides,” he pointed to the still-moving, towering statues, “these statues might be enough to deal with ordinary Death Eaters, but they certainly won’t stop Voldemort himself. Let’s not lose these ancient guardians for nothing.”

Upon hearing this, Professor McGonagall snapped out of her fervent fervor to fight to the death for the castle and realized that the Stone Legion's rash attack contradicted the pre-planned strategy of luring the enemy deep into their territory.

Without hesitation, she waved her wand again and uttered a new command.

The massive stone statues, which were marching along, all stopped at once, then turned around in a heavy but orderly manner, and with rumbling steps, retreated to the perimeter of the castle, guarding key locations such as the entrance hall, corridors, and staircases.

“Severus,” Professor McGonagall said with a hint of apology, “thank goodness you reminded me. Just now, for some reason, I got so excited that I wanted to pour all my energy into the front lines.”

“It’s alright, Professor,” Snape nodded understandingly. “It’s only natural. Now, let’s wait patiently for them to arrive.”

Time slipped by in the tense silence. Although Dumbledore and the others did not appear before them, Snape and the others knew that they had quietly integrated into Hogwarts' security system, waiting for their chance.

Shortly after the ultimatum expired, beneath the snow-capped peaks of the mountains surrounding Hogwarts, a dark mass of people appeared on the horizon at the other end of the field. They moved slowly toward the castle like a tide.

In the group, some figures were still masked and hooded, concealing their identities; others seemed confident of victory, brazenly revealing their true faces, their expressions still bearing cruelty and fanaticism.

Several enormous giants walked around the perimeter of the procession, casting suffocatingly large shadows. Their faces were as cold and rough as if carved from rock, devoid of any expression.

The senior students who had stayed inside the castle to prepare for the defense were now, with the professors' permission, moved from the auditorium to the foyer and the corridor windows overlooking the grounds.

Every pair of young eyes was fixed on the outside, their gazes fixed on the tall, slender figure in a black robe at the very front of the group.

Voldemort was approaching the castle step by step, his pace leisurely, as if he were surveying his own territory.

Despite the distance and the fact that it was still dark and dimly lit, everyone could clearly see a pair of scarlet eyes on that pale snake face, coldly scanning the castle.

The densely packed group continued forward, eventually stopping in the middle of an open lawn.

Snape's gaze swept across the crowd. He saw a dejected Lucius Malfoy, and Narcissa, who was tightly gripping her husband's hand with her lips pursed. He also saw a short, stout figure who looked like a pale, bloated toad with an expectant smile on his face.

There were not only Death Eaters here, but also many Ministry of Magic employees, although most of them were pale and had shifty eyes.

The Death Eaters and their followers did not move; they were all waiting, everything was waiting.

Voldemort raised his head and scanned the crowd in front of the castle gates and behind the windows with his red eyes, past Snape, and finally landed on Slughorn and Professor McGonagall standing beside him.

“Sir, McGonagall…” His voice was soft, like a cold, hissing flame, “You… have disappointed me greatly.” He paused before continuing in that gentle tone, “Fortunately, there is still a chance. It is a wise choice that you have not yet made a futile resistance.”

“My Death Eaters and followers far outnumber yours.” His words carried a condescending mercy. “The advantage is on our side. Dumbledore is finished. Any clumsy attempts to resist will be futile. No more fighting.”

“Anyone who resists,” Voldemort’s voice suddenly turned cold, “whether man, woman, or child, shall be killed without exception. Their families shall also be put to death.”

“Now,” he said, spreading his pale arms, “step down from the castle, hand over what you shouldn’t have taken, hand over Dumbledore, hand over that foolish ship.”

"Kneel before me, and you will be forgiven. Your parents, children, brothers, and sisters will also be forgiven and continue to live. You will come with me into the new world we will build together..."

The playground and the castle remained silent.

Snape saw Voldemort gently stroking his yew wand with a pale, bloodless finger.

“Perhaps,” Voldemort said softly, “you need a little help from me to cast aside that ridiculous, meaningless pride?”

With that, he suddenly raised his wand.

An ominous, blood-red light shrieked as it shot into the gray sky.

In an instant, a bone-chilling cold emanated from the direction of the Black Lake, and decaying figures draped in tattered cloaks and exuding an aura of despair swept across the dark lake surface.

Everyone present, even those at a distance, seemed to hear the piercing, greedy breathing of the Dementors. Joy and hope were being rapidly sucked away from the air.

Meanwhile, a muffled and noisy sound came from the Forbidden Forest, like many wild beasts roaring and howling in the distance.

Voldemort tilted his head slightly, glancing towards the Forbidden Forest, a barely perceptible hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He didn't understand why his servants, whom he had placed in the Forbidden Forest, hadn't responded to his summons and appeared immediately.

Seeing this, Snape and Professor McGonagall exchanged a glance. They were finally certain that Voldemort had deployed all the power he could muster.

He took a deep breath and glanced at his companions around him, who, though resolute, were pale-faced, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, and their breath turning into white mist.

It's time, he thought, it's time to officially launch this common battle that belongs to everyone.

Snape took a deep breath and raised his Elder Wand:

"Call the gods to protect you!"

A massive, solid python, radiating a dazzling silver-white light, surged forth from the tip of his staff.

Its form is elegant yet powerful, and wherever the silver light passes, the chilling cold and despair dissipate as quickly as melting snow.

Warmth, courage, and hope returned to the hearts of everyone enveloped in the light of the guardian angel.

A commotion arose in the Death Eaters' ranks as someone attempted to cast a spell at Snape, but Voldemort stopped them with a gesture.

Voldemort narrowed his crimson pupils with interest, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the silver python and Snape, a strange expression on his face.

"A snake?" he asked. "A guardian spirit can be a snake?"

Snape gave him a warm smile, but did not respond with words.

With a thought, the silver-white giant python guardian let out a silent roar and sped toward the dense swarm of Dementors in the direction of Black Lake.

Wherever it passed, it shone with silver light, and the decaying dark creatures, like moths thrown into a raging fire, let out mournful screams, their bodies disintegrating and dissolving.

The guardian's ascent and attack were like a signal for a general offensive.

In an instant, the roars of wild beasts from the direction of the Forbidden Forest suddenly became clearer and more violent, interspersed with a unique, explosive sound, like firecrackers but many times more intense.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Whoosh—whoosh—!"

A deafening roar and a sharp whistling sound rose up like a storm from the astronomical tower, from the battlements of the walls, and from the hillsides on both sides of the castle.

Streams of scorching light and spells of various colors intertwined to form a shower of stars, which covered the Death Eater ranks in the center of the playground.

The stone guardians surrounding the castle once again trudged heavily, raising their rocky arms to shield the teachers and students from potential attacks.

Voldemort's followers were thrown into chaos. Screams and curses erupted as they waved their wands, unleashing various protective spells. Multicolored magical barriers flickered and shattered in the air, struggling to withstand the combined physical and magical impact of the Muggle metal wands.

The well-trained wizards were relatively lucky. Although they struggled to resist, and many were knocked off balance or even injured and coughed up blood, they at least survived the wave attack.

Of course, this was partly due to Hogwarts's deliberate leniency. After all, most people were likely related to one of them in some way.

But the giants, with their thick skin and high magic resistance, were out of luck. Their massive bodies became the perfect targets.

Ordinary spells may have limited effect on them, but the cannonballs and bullets fired from Muggle weapons, imbued with enormous kinetic energy, relentlessly tore through their tough skin.

Blood bursts erupted from the giants' bodies, accompanied by shrill screams. Their massive forms staggered and crashed to the ground like collapsing mountains and jade pillars, losing their fighting ability and crushing many Death Eaters who couldn't dodge in time, creating even greater chaos.

Witnessing this, Voldemort was enraged. His perfect, oppressive entrance and dominance had been utterly shattered.

His eyes blazed with murderous intent, and he no longer cared about manners or surrender. He immediately raised his wand and shot deadly green beams at the teachers and students in front of the castle gate.

However, in the chaos of the battlefield, there are always some unexpected "coincidences".

Several boulders blasted away by cannonballs and hurtling towards the target, along with several large shields engraved with ancient protective runes, which were released from the hands of the stone statues, always "coincidentally" appeared in the trajectory of the Killing Curse, blocking these deadly attacks.

At the same time, a gentle voice clearly resounded throughout the battlefield:

"Tom, I think your opponent should be me."

Immediately following, another slightly hoarse voice, carrying an old accent and undisguised contempt, followed:

"Impolite young man, so much time has passed, and you still haven't improved at all? All you do is bully children and play these lowly tricks?" Two tall figures, dressed in exquisite robes and exuding extraordinary aura, appeared silently in the open space in front of the castle, blocking Voldemort's path, as if they had materialized from the dawn's light and the smoke of battle.

Exclamations of astonishment, cheers, shouts of "Dumbledore!" "He's alive!" rang out from all sides, followed by complete silence.

The eyes of both sides in the battle were almost involuntarily drawn to the two wizards.

The battlefield seemed to be paused; the attacks stopped, and they waited.

But not everyone is waiting.

Snape nodded slightly to Professor Dumbledore, giving him an approving look.

A long-faced Death Eater attempted to use this brief pause to quietly slip away from the main group and move towards the castle hall, clearly intending to create chaos from within or search for something.

However, before he could run a few steps, a series of precise and rapid shots rang out from his flank, pounding against the armor he had hastily erected.

The shield's light flickered and dimmed rapidly, causing him to stumble backward until he finally collapsed to the ground, trembling violently, his wand slipping from his grasp and rolling away.

New noises and footsteps could be heard coming from the direction of the school gate.

Another group arrived: the shopkeepers and residents of Hogsmeade Village.

The one leading the group was the pale-faced proprietress of the Three Brooms Bar.

Lady Rosemoreta led the villagers, dressed in various styles, wands in hand, as they surged toward the castle.

At the edge of the forbidden forest, the bushes shook violently, and a figure suddenly emerged.

It was a tall female werewolf with a striking necklace of canine teeth around her neck, and her brown fur was stained with blood and mud.

Lika Lupa dragged a mangled, bloodied corpse across the field, accompanied by a green viper at least twelve feet long.

Behind them, more werewolves, who shouldn't have appeared during the day after the full moon, crawled out of the dark bushes, letting out low growls, yet unusually maintaining their rationality, as they approached the Death Eaters' flanks.

From all directions, members of the Order of the Phoenix and senior members of the One Heart Society, who had been lying in ambush, emerged from their hiding places as planned, wielding wands and weapons, forming a huge encirclement and pressing closer to Voldemort's followers who had been stunned by the surprise attack in front of the castle.

Voldemort and his followers were completely surrounded.

Now, the sun has finally broken free from the horizon and is beginning to shine faintly on Hogwarts again.

"You think you'll win, Dumbledore?" Voldemort's chest heaved violently, hissing as he spoke, his red eyes wide open. "You think my life is as fragile as yours? By the time I'm gone, you'll be long gone! Gone without a trace!"

"Lucius!" Suddenly, Voldemort turned to look at the terrified and chaotic Death Eater group. "What are you talking about?"

Lucius, whose name was called, shuddered and staggered forward half a step. His robes were covered in dust, and his once impeccably styled blond hair was now disheveled and plastered to his sweaty forehead.

He raised his face, his lips trembling, trying to force an expression of compliance, but only managing a strange twitch.

“I…” Lucius’s voice was dry and weak. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently, almost shouting, “I say… Master is wise!” After saying that, he slumped down, bowing humbly, not daring to raise his head again.

“Alright, Tom,” Dumbledore stepped forward. “Stop frightening poor Malfoy. Don’t you understand?” His deep blue eyes gazed sadly at Voldemort. “There are no winners in this war.”

As he spoke, he slowly walked toward Voldemort, seemingly wanting to get closer to him.

Grindelwald, standing nearby, frowned, subtly took a step forward, and gently reached out to stop Dumbledore, his grey-blue eyes filled with disapproval and wariness.

Dumbledore glanced at Grindelwald, sighed slightly, but still stopped in his tracks.

“Tom,” he continued, “I suggest you stop and think carefully about what you’ve done… think about the lives lost because of you, the families destroyed… try… to make some repentance…”

"What do you mean by that?!" Voldemort's pupils shrank to two chilling slits. The skin around his eyes turned pale, and an extremely ominous premonition gripped him.

“Severus,” Dumbledore didn’t answer him directly, but turned to the crowd, “I think it would be more appropriate for you to explain it to Tom.”

Snape slowly walked out of the crowd, until he was beside Dumbledore and Grindelwald, facing Voldemort directly.

All eyes were on him.

“Tom,” Snape said coldly to Voldemort, “frankly, I personally don’t want to give you any chance. But…” He glanced at Dumbledore beside him before continuing, “Professor Dumbledore promised me that if I agreed to this plan, he would ‘understand’ everything I’ve done all this time… even if what I’ve done, in his eyes, might be somewhat… well, ‘unconventional,’ it’s essentially all to help him, to help everyone, to help Hogwarts.”

He shook his head helplessly and muttered something under his breath, just loud enough for those nearby to hear: "Sigh, what a stubborn old man..."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Voldemort's eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Oh, well.” Snape shrugged indifferently, as if giving up on arguing.

However, when he spoke again, it was a low, hoarse, and chilling hiss.

“Tom Marvolo Riddle,” Snape said clearly in his Parsley voice, “this is your last chance, your only chance. Be brave and try to make some confessions.”

He paused, observing Voldemort's changing expression, and continued in Parsley, his voice almost cruelly calm:
"Well then, Tom, let me tell you. It's no use, the Horcruxes are gone. You know that?"

“Riddle’s diary, Gaunt’s ring, Slytherin’s locket…” With each word he uttered, Voldemort’s face grew paler, and his body swayed almost imperceptibly. “Hufflepuff’s cup, Ravenclaw’s tiara, Peverell’s invisibility cloak, all gone. They were all found and utterly destroyed.”

"You...you..." Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue. His hand holding the wand trembled violently, and his thin chest heaved as if he couldn't breathe.

Just a short time ago, he personally defeated Dumbledore, occupied Hogwarts, and took control of the Ministry of Magic. The scales of victory had completely tipped in his favor.

To overcome death, I made so many secret and meticulous preparations—how could they have known?! How could they possibly…

No! I still have a chance! A frantic voice screamed in his mind, if only he could get out of here, if only he could…

Voldemort forcibly suppressed his churning blood and qi, desperately trying to make a final struggle.

“Severus? Child…” he continued in Parsley, his voice carrying a twisted allure, “Not just immortality… You can join my ranks… I will grant you unprecedented power and status… We should stand together and rule this world… Parsley… We are the same kind…”

"Stop spouting this disgusting nonsense, Tom," Snape interrupted him impatiently. "You don't naively think I'm the same as you, do you?"

He ignored Voldemort's twisted expression and turned directly to Dumbledore: "Professor, I've done everything I could and should have done. The result is clear: Tom has his own 'insistence,' and it seems there's no going back."

Having said that, Snape strode forward, calmly walking towards the castle steps under the watchful eyes of countless people.

At that moment, the dazzling sun burst forth with golden-red light, illuminating both Snape's departing figure and Voldemort's distorted face.

Voldemort's face immediately turned bright red.

Snape heard Voldemort's high-pitched scream.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Almost at the same moment——

"Bang bang bang-"

"Shhhhh-"

A cacophony of sounds, including massive explosions and the shrill clashes of spells, erupted behind Snape.

Snape didn't turn around, nor did he quicken his pace.

He maintained his original pace, climbing the stone steps one by one.

Only after stepping onto the last stone step, and after the exclamations and explosions behind him gradually subsided and dissipated, did he turn around in the gentle morning breeze.

The sunlight was dazzling yet warm.

Voldemort staggered backward, his arms outstretched unnaturally, his long, narrow pupils rolling upward in his bloodshot eyes.

He was covered in wounds and lay on the ground like a tattered rag bag.

His body lay limp and convulsing, his pale hands empty, his snake-like face hollow and blank.

Voldemort died, just like a mortal.

A chilling silence fell over them, and people were stunned in terror.

Immediately, a deafening commotion erupted around them, with shouts, cheers, and roars shaking the heavens and the earth.

The sun was rising over Hogwarts.

Snape stood there, no longer looking at the tiny, ugly body, nor at the Death Eaters and Ministry of Magic officials who had been forced back to their original positions and disarmed.

His gaze swept past the cheering crowd, landing on the familiar and vibrant faces, on the figures rushing towards him, their eyes brimming with tears… (End of Chapter)