Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 312 A Farewell

In the same snowy forest, sitting around the campfire with my roommates, all I could see was the broth and barbecue. Snuggling up with my parents, I wished time could stand still and never flow again.

Harry nestled in his parents' arms. Although he couldn't touch their bodies and felt no warmth from them, he was still very attached to this affection.

I had seen a similar scene in the Mirror of Erised. Suddenly, I realized that I had become the person in the mirror. The words of Dumbledore and Professor Levent all came to mind. They said not to indulge in false illusions, that reality was not perfect but worth looking forward to... but none of them were as good as my parents' earnest advice.

Why didn't Ignatius grant a more realistic effect, giving the Resurrection Stone a true ability to bring the dead back to life?
"Is Penny still as petty as before?" Lily asked softly, her eyes full of tenderness.

They had just reminisced about their past experiences, including Harry's embarrassing moments as an infant, such as wetting the bed during the day and falling out of his crib. He was never a well-behaved child from a young age, which made Harry feel both embarrassed and warm.

Harry recounts his life at Hogwarts, where his grades were mediocre, he preferred Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms, performed only so-so in Transfiguration, and wasn't particularly good at Potions, perhaps because his professor and father had once been rivals for his affections.

They made some funny mistakes, experienced several exciting adventures, met two partners they could entrust their lives to, and a group of kind and brave friends.

He liked the castle, but unfortunately he had to go back to London for the holidays and stay with his aunt and uncle.

When Dumbledore entrusted Harry to the Dursleys, Lily told Harry some interesting stories about Petunia when she was young. It was the first time Harry learned that his stern-faced Aunt Petunia had once dreamed of magic and even written letters to Dumbledore.

"Really? Aunt Penny is always so busy, she doesn't mention you much."

Harry lowered his eyes. He didn't mention the abuse he had suffered, keeping his grievances to himself. There was no particular reason; he just didn't want his parents to worry.

"Are you afraid when you're facing Voldemort?" James stroked his disheveled hair.

Harry glanced at his parents' expressions. They wore warm smiles, seemingly unconcerned about mentioning the Dark Lord. They didn't show any gnashing teeth or tearful resentment, but rather spoke lightly, as if it were a silent contempt.

"I was a little scared when I first met him because he didn't have a nose, but I wasn't scared after that."

James and Lily exchanged a glance, smiled silently, and gave a soft "hmm," as if praising his courage.

The three of them nestled together quietly. Harry only felt the cool white mist, but he didn't feel cold. Unlike the bone-chilling cold of the ghost's body, the mist seemed to feel warm and comforting when he thought about the bloodline he shared with his parents.

"Dad...Mom..."

Harry hadn't completely lost his mind; he craved his parents' embrace, but he also remembered the serious matters of the real world:

"Headmaster Dumbledore said that you have ancient magic in your blood that protects me. This power once defeated Voldemort, but he was not completely dead. Do you have any way to teach me?"

"That ancient magic was indeed part of our plan, but some unexpected things happened later."

Lily stroked his forehead affectionately: "Things have gone beyond our expectations. The protection flowing through your body right now is a new magic cast by Dumbledore, combining the power I left behind... Headmaster Dumbledore and the professors have taken very good care of you."

James nodded. "There are some things you'll know later; it's not the right time yet."

The two extended their semi-transparent hands and embraced Harry, then fell silent.

A hazy white mist swirled around them, and a bonfire roared ahead. The scene of the dead returning to the mortal world on a snowy night was not at all frightening. The figures of a family of three nestled together, bathed in the light of snow and moonlight.

James and Lily looked up at the young professor not far away, nodded, and their light green eyes were full of gratitude.

Melvin met the gazes of the two spirits, showing no surprise and offering a friendly smile in return.

He sat by the campfire, disregarding social etiquette, leaving the family of three some alone time. This distance was almost close enough to touch the white mist, and it also made it easy for him to keep an eye on the resurrection stone and examine the legendary power of the Grim Reaper.

Enveloped in a hazy white mist, it swirled around Harry, distorting the senses of the Resurrection Stone's holder.

In Harry's own eyes, the reunion with his parents, the crying and confiding, and the cuddling were all real feelings he had personally experienced. In the eyes of others, Harry was just standing in the white mist by the campfire, with his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face.

The two spirits and the images in the memories were similar, but they were not illusions created by the Resurrection Stone based on memories. The strange magic used white mist and moonlight as carriers to create a strange domain around them.

Instead of letting the dead return to the mortal world, Harry's senses were pulled out of his body, and the living and the dead met from different directions, allowing them to reunite in a place that resembled a dreamlike illusion.

It's a design that truly exceeds expectations.

Snape stood guard on Harry's other side, outside the hazy white mist, not daring to take a deep breath or peek, reminiscing about the girl he had longed for in his youth.

That lily was a bright spot in his dim memory.

Snape's mother, Erin Prince, was an eccentric and unconventional wizard, while his father, Tobias Snape, was a rigid and irritable Muggle. Before their marriage, they were able to get along harmoniously, but after marriage, their conflicting views and vastly different lifestyles collided, turning into a disaster.

Snape's father had no stable income, his mother couldn't use magic, and they lived in the poorest neighborhood in Kirkworth when he was young. Snape had to wear his mother's old clothes, was ostracized by his peers, and grew up in loneliness.

On the banks of the river in the suburbs of London, in an old park outside Spider's End Lane, he met the green-eyed girl. At that moment, she was making a wildflower bloom, and her smile was brighter than the sunshine.

He stood outside the white mist, just like he had hidden in the bushes that year, feeling uneasy, as if he had become a reclusive eccentric again.

Snape searched through his memories, thinking of Lily.

At that moment, the white mist beside him suddenly surged, and that cool, magical power enveloped him.

“Severus…long time no see?” Lily’s voice came from the white mist.

“Long time no see…” Snape’s voice was hoarse as she appeared.

Lily stood a few steps away, her semi-transparent silhouette shimmering with a faint silver light. She was still wearing the Muggle dress she wore on the day she died. She was neither the bright girl from memory nor the pale witch in the tombstone portrait, but her emerald green eyes were still the same as before.

Snape looked at Lily, into her eyes.

He couldn't see the other two people beside him; to him, time and space seemed to stand still, and only those green eyes were blinking.
“Are you going to just stare at me like that without saying anything, Severus?” Lily simply looked at him calmly.

The frozen spacetime began to turn again, as if a thunderous avalanche was rolling down the mountain and crashing into the black lake, causing the ice to crack.

Snape opened his mouth, the words of apology on the tip of his tongue.

Suddenly, there was another sound in the cold wind—the rustling of footsteps. Snape turned his head slightly and saw James smugly take two steps forward and put his arm around Lily's shoulder. Snape couldn't say what he wanted to say. They had been hostile to each other since school, and even after more than a decade, he still found James just as annoying.

"Do you regret it?" Lily asked softly.

Snape pursed his lips, remained silent for a long time, and then spoke with difficulty: "Yes, regret, I regret it all the time, don't I—"

“That’s enough. You saved Harry…” Lily suddenly interrupted, her expression softening and her tone becoming gentler, but she couldn’t quite express forgiveness or pardon: “You saved Harry, more than once. Thank you.”

Upon hearing these words, Snape, who was pleading for forgiveness, had his eyes dim and almost break.

They killed us, but saved Harry.

That's settled then, we're even.

But she didn't want to forgive, nor was she willing to forgive.

The translucent Lily sighed, looking at him with a melancholy gaze, seemingly filled with pity: "Severus... I don't hate you, we are still friends."

These words were sharper than any spell, spoken with a light, quick pace, like that girl standing on the lawn years ago: "Stop punishing Harry, and stop punishing yourself."

A gentle breeze blew by, the campfire flickered, and the white mist instantly dissipated.

The figures of the two spirits began to fade.

Harry slowly opened his eyes. The Forbidden Forest was a pure white under the moonlight. The broth in the pot was still steaming, and the firewood was crackling and popping. He looked down and saw that the Resurrection Stone was dark and dim. There were no footprints on the snow. He was still all alone.

He touched his cheek, where there were dried tear stains.

It was like a fleeting, beautiful dream.

Snape watched the white mist gradually dissipate, standing straight without reaching out.

"Goodbye, Lily." He finally said those words, not as a beg for forgiveness or as a confession, but as a farewell.

"Goodbye, Sievert..."

A faint sound drifted in the wind.

……

Late at night, Malfoy Manor.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, and lively dance music had been playing for hours. Glasses clinked together, making a crisp and pleasant sound, and almost everyone wore a smile.

Half of the British wizarding world's celebrities attended the dinner. The host, Lucius Malfoy, walked among the crowd, holding a glass of champagne, greeting the guests with politeness and courtesy, yet maintaining a composed demeanor that did not appear obsequious.

A custom-made giant mirror hangs on the wall, but instead of an image, it displays the Malfoy family crest in a black, green, and silver serpentine pattern.

Below the emblem are three or four partners of the Magic Mirror Club: Barnabas Goughfe, editor-in-chief of the Prophet's Newspaper; Wright Monk Stanley, the manufacturer of the mirrors; and the recent newcomers, Lucius and Old Nott.

"After eight months of preparation, the first chapter of our 'Epic of Magic' is finally complete. This is our Boxing Day dinner, and also our celebration party," Lucius said joyfully, raising his glass. "For the entire magical world, this is unprecedented; we are creating the future!"

Gu Fei and Wright exchanged a glance, somewhat helplessly, and then politely clinked their glasses.

Old Nott was overjoyed, his mood as light as a dance. Since the young professor founded the Mirror Club, they had always been outsiders who could not get involved. Under Lucius's leadership, the pure-blood wizards finally got involved in the Mirror business.

Moreover, it's a genre never before seen: a magical epic.

Malfoy and Nott's collaboration involved an initial investment that nearly emptied Gringotts' coffers, but neither of them regretted it. Earning Galleons was secondary; their goal was to reverse the negative impression Malfoy and Nott had of each other.

Following Professor Levent's advice, they carefully adapted the script, fully respecting history while incorporating a few minor personal touches. In the short episodes, Nott and the Malfoy ancestors are minor characters who, however, funded the founding of the Wizarding Council, St. Mungo's Hospital, and the Leaky Cauldron.

Some seemingly insignificant scenes reveal the Malfoy family's business operations. Back then, there was no law of secrecy; they did business with Muggles, and were kind, generous, hardworking, and brave...

The banquet hall was bustling with people, and more and more people were walking onto the dance floor. The witches lifted their skirts and twirled gracefully, and after they came off the dance floor, they were teased by their friends. Narcissa, on the other hand, maintained the demeanor of Lady Malfoy and accompanied a female guest who did not visit often.

Director of the Legal Enforcement Division, Amelia Borns.

Today, after the Aurors escorted Black and Peter back to London from Hogwarts, they took them directly to the waiting room on the lower level of the Ministry of Magic. A few staff members who hadn't taken a break had already spread the word. However, after a routine interrogation, they only ruled out Black's suspicion of killing the twelve Muggles and Peter, which basically meant they hadn't found anything.

Although both Black and Peter have been arrested, the trial has been delayed by Fudge and Umbridge, hindering the investigation.

Dumbledore gave special instructions and even brought in the old wizards, including Maggie Ban… Sometimes Burns really suspected that Fudge was a fool. As a direct descendant of an ancient pure-blood family, Black, and with the sacrifice of James and Lily attracting the attention of the entire wizarding world, the influence of various forces was a headache to think about.

The matter involves the duties of the Department of Law Enforcement. As a cornerstone supporting the exercise of power by the wizarding government, Burns, as a member of the Ministry of Magic, could not stand idly by and watch things develop to the point of affecting the reputation of the Ministry of Magic.

So she approached Narcissa, a member of the Black family's collateral line.

At that moment, Burns whispered, "Dumbledore vouched for him, so he must have the truth. But Sirius can't rely on the Hogwarts professors alone to overturn the old case. As Sirius's cousin, you need to unite with other pure-blood families and use your influence to put pressure on Fudge. That might be able to move the trial forward."

“This is troublesome…” Narcissa stared at the wine glass, the wine was scarlet, and her skin was strikingly white: “I am now Mrs. Malfoy, and we used to be Death Eaters, while Sirius was Dumbledore’s man, and he betrayed the purebloods a long time ago.”

"The mysterious man has fallen. Sirius Black is the sole heir of the Black family; he is a pureblood."

“I need to talk to Lucius,” Narcissa said helplessly.

　Thank you, dear readers, for your continued support.

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　　Wishing all my dear readers good health, wealth, finding love, and all the best.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)