HP North Star's Radiance

Praris, holding the box of Gauboushi, turned to look at him and asked in an academic tone, "What is something of value?"

"Potions and magical research," Snape answered a student's question like a professor, "anything that brings power, wisdom, and expands boundaries."

Prareas put the box back on the shelf, walked around to the sofa and sat down, while Snape chose an armchair. He used his wand to summon a glass and a bottle of almost alcoholic liquor from who-knows-where.

"And what about food?" Praris's question was rather vague. "Eating is for survival, but you wouldn't mind having some bread and pudding. At this point, it's not just about survival, is it?"

Snape fell silent, looking at Prareas with a probing gaze, as if trying to guess what the other was trying to say.

“You know, I’ve read all the books you wrote at school.” Praris took a sip of his drink and noticed that it was indeed on the sweeter side. “What value is there in reading Muggle books for a wizard? To be honest, the most pointless thing I did when I was in my early years was to look at your notes in those books.”

Snape had always known that Prader was reading the books he had read in his spare time, but for some unspeakable reason, he tolerated it. Perhaps... it was because his own soul also yearned for an outlet.

“There are some things in life that have nothing to do with value,” Praris said casually, leaning back on the sofa. “Severus, I’ve always believed that sometimes we build a relationship where the other person doesn’t bring us any value, but they influence who we are.”

When Milison was friends with Prareas, she didn't offer any real value to Stella, whose talents Stella possessed. But Milison made Prareas who she is today.

And Lily? Maintaining his relationship with Lily wouldn't have helped Snape climb the ranks, but her presence made Snape who he was.

“Prareth, are you going to lecture me?” Snape said, his tone not harsh.

Prare readily admitted, "Severus, you're a professor professionally, but not in real life."

"A wizard's life is too long—survival is important, but there's life to live afterwards, isn't there?"

Snape hated people interfering in his life and trying to pry into his mind, but Prader was different. He opened the door for her, and she respected Snape's social boundaries.

She wasn't asking Snape what to do, but rather showing him—Severus, there's so much more to your life.

“Alright, I was just kidding,” Praris said with a casual laugh. “People call me a workaholic, what right do I have to talk about life? After the hearing, I just couldn’t stop. If Dumbledore can’t be woken up, things won’t be so easy to get over.”

"You know what trouble is?" Snape sneered.

“It is a bit troublesome,” Praris said. “But if Dumbledore doesn’t wake up, who are we going to collect our debts from…”

After discussing Dumbledore's condition, Prader glanced at the sky and decided to go "home." If she didn't go back soon, Winnie would give her a sarcastic remark.

Snape didn't take Praliss there because she Apparated directly to Diagon Alley.

For several hours, Snape didn't mention it, and Prader didn't talk about Snape's past, even though Eileen was related to her by blood.

Prareas never believed that Snape needed to be saved—that was too high a pedestal. In any case, she herself never thought of waiting for anyone to save her, and pity and sympathy were disrespectful to people like them.

Accepting Prader's existence was Snape's own choice; Dumbledore was merely offering advice. If Snape himself wasn't willing, no amount of persuasion from Dumbledore would have mattered. In fact, even with Dumbledore's suggestion, Snape never actually raised a child.

Similarly, becoming a Death Eater was Snape's own choice, as was becoming an undercover agent... and even allowing Prader to enter the house was his own choice.

Prareas dared to say that, given Snape's personality, if she did anything presumptuous, she would be kicked out on the spot—though she herself would never do such a thing.

However, if people always politely maintain fixed boundaries, they can no longer be called relatives or friends.

Going undercover is to make up for some kind of process, but then what? It's terrible for a person to lose their goal.

Prarese was glad that Snape still had his own career to pursue, but he was like a taut string, unable to adapt to the peaceful life after the war.

She didn't say all that because she thought Snape would play with Goblin. Keeping Goblin was itself a signal; he allowed something worthless to exist around him. Prareas was simply making him face the truth.

Prarees left, and Snape was left alone in the house at Spider's End Alley again.

Snape sat in an armchair, looking at the clear red liquid in his glass.

Tobias was an alcoholic who often verbally abused Irene and Snape after drinking. Severus, therefore, abhorred alcohol, and even after Lily's death, he used it to numb himself. This process wasn't long—he knew drinking was useless.

But at that moment, he raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Perhaps this was something even Prares couldn't have imagined. Faced with Sylvia's sacrifice, Snape's first reaction was anger—that foolish Gryffindor, always disobedient, always doing stupid things, always doing unnecessary things on his own.

Even death, Snape thought, was his own affair. He didn't need a weakling who couldn't even take care of herself to pay the price for him. This wasn't a favor; it was a debt imposed with her life. He'd rather Sylvia stay in Azkaban for the rest of her life than have her cause trouble.

But as Hill fell, the muffled "I'm sorry" faded into the air, and Snape's anger dissipated as well.

Snape didn't witness Lily's death firsthand, nor did he see her body; he only heard about it. That great, unwavering affection was for Harry, and he was merely an accomplice.

Before that, the only person he had ever truly seen was Eileen.

Eileen cares more about Tobias than her own son. In her draining marriage, she gradually loses her ability to use magic and becomes a silent, weak, and powerless mother.

Hill killed Deeple William with her own hands for the sake of her child; she was braver than Irene. In her final moments, when she had almost lost all willpower, she still mustered all her strength to rush out—whether for Snape or for her daughter, she was still braver than Irene.

This was terrifying. Snape remained silent for a long time afterward, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar shock.

The chilling truth is that Hill chose him, without hesitation. Whatever her true motives, objectively speaking, she died for Snape, even though she herself had the chance to live.

In this cruel world that was so cruel to him, there were actually people who were willing to die for him.

Snape believed that if Prarese had known Sylvia still possessed a will of her own, she would have been able to save her mother's life sooner or later. But dead is dead, and there was no other possibility.

Sylvia is dead; she is free.

But Snape could no longer find a way out.

This genuine kinship, which he had never experienced before, captivated him the moment he touched it, making him consciously regard Praris as his responsibility.

Prarese refused; in this respect, she was too much like Snape, making her own choices and taking responsibility for them.

Snape doesn't need anyone to save him; he will save himself. Praderne doesn't need anyone to save her either; she will save herself countless times through her own abilities.

Snape admired her because of their similarities.

Because they are not similar enough, they can keep going.

Snape picked up the Goblin box from the table and put it back on the bookshelf.

Even if he were given a hundred more chances, he still wouldn't be able to play Gaobushi.

But tonight, he decided to look at the sections of the Daily Prophet that he had previously skipped.

Snape made himself a cup of hot tea, took out the cookies that Prader had given him made by Purnell, and began to read the newspaper.

"The truth behind Alexander Shafik's accusations against Praris—it was all because of jealousy."

"Because Prarese was exceptionally talented, he was able to treat Dumbledore independently, surpassing even the senior healers, within a few years, while Shafiq's career had declined, with no new achievements for many years. The phenomenon of wizards being jealous of witches' achievements, and seniors being jealous of juniors' achievements, highlights the serious issue of workplace bullying among wizards..."

Ha, the Malfoys have spent money.

"The ghost story in the locked room at a secondary school in Edinburgh: It was rumored that a female student hanged herself in the storeroom, after which strange noises were frequently heard. An investigation by the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters found no ghosts or signs of magic in the storeroom. It turned out that the students were hiding in the storeroom to express their love, and they misinterpreted the whooshing sound from the drafty walls of the storeroom as the cries of a ghost."

……madness!

Love, love, love!

The secret to making your heart race lies in the "heart" of Hogsmeade.

"Lavender Fortune Telling Shop" is now open for business!

Have you ever been lost in thought while gazing at your crush during a potions class?

Have you ever eagerly anticipated practicing with that one person in Defense Against the Dark Arts class?

Have you ever secretly followed that unique figure while dining in the auditorium?

—Your intentions are understood by both the crystal ball and the tea leaves!

Stop worrying about whether he or she is your destined lover! Come to Lavender's Fortune Telling Shop and let love fortune teller Lavender Brown reveal the answer for you!

The shop offers the following services:

Classic Tea Leaf Divination: Peek into your future love life from the tea stems!

Mysterious crystal ball prophecy: See where your romantic luck will appear!

Palmistry analysis: True love is written in the lines of destiny!

Guardian Deity Pairing Analysis: See if your guardian deities are a perfect match!

Opening Special Offers:

Bring your best friend for a special price: Bring your best friend along and get the second fortune reading half price!

Sweet Witness: Couples who confirm their relationship after a divination session at our store can come back to receive a complimentary "Sweet Honey Wine" to "warm up" their love~

……

Snape held up the newspaper and sneered.

Who was daydreaming in his Potions class?

And who was it that was being so affectionate during his Defense Against the Dark Arts class!

Whoever it is, it's obvious they haven't done enough homework. Adding a foot or two to their Defense Against the Dark Arts paper would probably fix it.

Snape couldn't stand it anymore, so he threw the newspaper aside and pondered why he was torturing himself so late at night.

Slytherin's Trip to China (Bonus Chapter)

Going to China is not a simple matter. The Chinese Ministry of Magic has very strict management, especially since their Muggle government is said to be holding a large international conference this year, so they have contingency plans to control wizards in advance.

Millison contacted Wang Wenwen before the Lunar New Year. Wang Wenwen welcomed the British wizard's visit, but she needed to "go through the formalities" in advance.

Because it wasn't an official trip and lacked institutional endorsement, Wang Wenwen said the journey was a bit complicated and would take some time. Their travel documents didn't arrive in the UK until mid-March, which caused some concern.

In particular, China does not accept entry through the wizarding route and requires the use of Muggle transportation. Therefore, one must first fly from Heathrow Airport to Hong Kong or Singapore, and then transfer from these places to Shanghai.

“The Chinese Ministry of Magic and the Muggle government are working very well together,” Milison explained. “Wang said that the work of the Muggle government must be respected. But my aunt said that they have banned apparition across borders, allowing it only within the country at most.”

“I’m really scared—” Pansy said worriedly, “If I do something wrong, I’ll get beaten to death on the spot, isn’t that what all Muggles say?”

"No way!" Milison patted his chest and said optimistically, "Didn't I come back alive?"

The experience of riding in a Muggle airplane was very novel; they didn't ride broomsticks, but flew into the sky.

“Draco, haven’t you seen airplanes before?” Praris teased him. “You even dodged one on a broomstick!”

Draco was also curious about airplanes, but his boast from his school days was exposed. He awkwardly put on his blindfold and said through gritted teeth, "I'm not curious at all!"

Astoria, sitting in the front row, poked her head out and asked, "Is that so?"

“A broom can’t fly at airplane altitude, can it?” Grace’s voice came from the front row. “Unless it’s during takeoff or landing.”

"Stop talking," Pansy said with a grin. "If you keep talking, Draco will get angry."

The flight took quite a long time, but much shorter than the boat trip. They flew for more than a day and spent the night on the plane.

Draco claimed he couldn't sleep sitting up: "Muggles really torture themselves! This is pure torture!"

But he was the first to fall asleep at night.