Hogwarts i am snape

After leaving Felix's little building, Snape weaved through crooked alleys and re-emerged into the bright sunshine of Diagon Alley.

He had one last errand to run: purchasing Muggle laboratory equipment.

The Leaky Cauldron was, as usual, packed with witches and wizards of all sorts.

"I need a single room, Tom," Snape said to the skinny, toothless barman as he approached the counter. "For one night."

His voice was a bit higher than he'd expected—the Ageing Potion was slowly wearing off, and his vocal cords were returning to their seventeen-year-old state.

"Room 11 is free, sir," Tom said, looking up and taking a key from the wall. "One Galleon. I think you'll find it quite comfortable."

After paying, Snape took the key and hurried down the passage beside the bar, through a narrow, peeling-wallpapered corridor, and up a creaking wooden staircase. He stopped before a door marked with the brass number 11.

Opening the door, he found the room better than he'd imagined: a rather comfortable-looking bed, a few shiny oak pieces of furniture, and even a small fireplace.

Closing the door, Snape waved his wand at the fireplace, and a crackling fire instantly sprang to life in the grate.

He took off his robes and lay comfortably on the bed.

Outside the window, the London sky was rapidly changing from a velvety deep blue to a chilly grey.

He closed his eyes, feeling the Ageing Potion's effects gradually fade. It was a peculiar sensation—bones slowly shrinking, muscles firming up again, and a tingling feeling on his scalp.

Half an hour later, he sat up and walked to the mirror hanging on the wall. The seventeen-year-old Severus Snape was back. "Excellent," he muttered to himself. "Now, off to the Muggle world."

From the small, magically expanded bag he carried, he pulled out a set of Muggle clothes: dark jeans, a grey T-shirt, and a black jacket.

Once dressed, he put on a cloak and hood over them, ensuring his wand was safely tucked into his jacket sleeve.

As he went downstairs, Tom gave him a curious look with his cloudy eyes but said nothing.

Pushing open the small pub door, Snape stepped out onto Charing Cross Road. He quickly shed his cloak and hood, stuffing them into his bag, and in a few strides, entered the hustle and bustle of the Muggle world.

Charing Cross Road was lined with shops and teeming with people. It was an ordinary street, full of ordinary folk, seemingly unconnected to anything mysterious or peculiar.

In 1977 London, no one paid a second glance to a tall, thin teenager dressed in plain clothes.

Snape walked aimlessly along the street, passing bookstores, record shops, burger joints, fish and chips shops, and cinemas. He didn't know where to buy laboratory equipment, but he wasn't in a hurry.

"Without magic, this place would have at least a few more decades of peace and prosperity," Snape thought, watching a mother push a pram past him and a young couple walk hand-in-hand into a cinema.

Neat little cars were parked along the roadside.

After passing the cinema with posters of James Bond and Bond girls, Snape finally spotted his target: a shop with a sign that read "Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS)." Its display window showcased various glass instruments and metal apparatus.

"This is it," Snape thought, pushing open the door. A crisp chime announced his arrival.

The shop was much larger inside than it appeared from the outside. Rows of shelves were filled with instruments Snape couldn't name. A middle-aged shop assistant with thick glasses looked up from behind the counter.

"Hello, young man, can I help you?"

"Hello, I need some laboratory equipment," Snape said, trying to make his voice sound like an ordinary student. "A mechanical balance, a thermometer, a timer."

"We have all of those," the assistant replied enthusiastically, pushing up his glasses. "Are you not considering the latest electronic balance? Its precision is much better than a mechanical one."

"No, a mechanical balance will do," Snape insisted. Magic and electronics never got along very well.

The assistant nodded and turned to retrieve the items from the shelves.

"Anything else you need, sir?"

"Measuring flasks of various sizes," Snape stammered out a string of names, staring at the labels on the shelves. "Kjeldahl flasks, Griffin beakers, Erlenmeyer flasks, 5000ml round-bottom flasks, and these laboratory safety supplies."

"Young man," the assistant suddenly stopped and looked up suspiciously. "Why do you need these things? Who sent you to buy them?"

"To do experiments," Snape said, feigning composure. "Uh—my chemistry teacher at school asked me to buy them."

"What's your chemistry teacher's name? Which school?" the assistant pressed, his fingers subtly moving towards the phone under the counter.

Snape's mind raced. He quickly picked up a completely blank piece of paper from the counter, simultaneously sliding his wand from his sleeve.

"My chemistry teacher's name is Heisenberg," he fabricated on the spot, handing the paper to the assistant as he spoke. "Here, I think, if you take a look at this, everything will be clear. My purchase is legitimate and legal."

As the assistant lowered his gaze to the paper, Snape swiftly waved his wand, silently casting a Confundus Charm.

The assistant's eyes glazed over for a moment, then became focused again. He stared intently at the blank paper for a while, then nodded.

"It seems to be perfectly in order," the assistant said calmly, returning the paper to Snape. "I'll go get what you need."

About ten minutes later, the assistant handed Snape a large cardboard box filled with glassware.

He took the box, carefully secured it further, and then tucked it into his small bag.

"Thank you very much," Snape said. "How much is it?"

The assistant stood behind the counter, distractedly stating the price, his mind still muddled as he took the Pounds Snape handed him.

Long after Snape had left the shop, he remained bewildered, staring at the banknotes in his hand, completely unable to recall what had just happened.

As Snape walked past the fish and chips shop, a very respectable black car parked by the roadside caught his attention.

Moments earlier, the car had been empty. But now, two familiar figures were inside—Petunia Evans and the burly young man he'd seen in Cokeworth, Vernon Dursley—two people even more ordinary than this street.

"What are they doing here?" Snape's curiosity got the better of him. He quickly glanced around to ensure no Muggles noticed him, then went to a corner and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself.

He silently approached the car.

The scene inside was clearly visible: Vernon was gleefully waving a fried sausage, while Petunia appeared preoccupied.

"Petunia, that The Spy Who Loved Me was really good, wasn't it?" Vernon said loudly.

"Yes, dear," Petunia replied, but her eyes were anxiously fixed on a point outside the car window, appearing somewhat distracted. Snape noticed a nearly untouched plate of fish and chips on the small tray in front of her.

"That 'underwater city' was truly magnificent," Vernon continued to ramble. "Of course, if you ask me, I'd never wish to be caught up in such peculiar things myself. I just hope we can be ordinary..."

Hearing Vernon's aspirations, Petunia seemed to make up her mind and interrupted him:

"Vernon, there's something I must tell you. I hope you won't be angry when you hear it."

"What is it, dear?" Vernon's voice suddenly softened. "Why would I be angry with you?"

Petunia seemed a little moved. She opened her mouth, then closed it.

"Vernon," she took a deep breath, "Last time in Cokeworth, you met my sister."

"Yes, I met her," Vernon's expression turned confused. "What about her?"

"My sister, Lily—she—" Petunia's voice was almost a whisper, "She's a witch, and she's currently at a school where they learn magic."

"A witch? Magic?" Vernon was astonished, his voice rising by two octaves. "Dear, are those the words I think they are?"

Petunia nodded gently.

"Ah—dear," Vernon stammered, "How could she be a witch? Are you serious?"

"I didn't mean to keep it from you—"

Tears began to well up in Petunia's eyes. "I was just worried if you knew, you'd leave me—"

Snape held his breath, waiting for Vernon's reaction. What would his first reaction be to this news?

Unexpectedly, Vernon only remained silent for a few seconds, then awkwardly reached out and wiped the tears from Petunia's face:

"I would never blame or abandon you just because you have a freakish sister." He paused, seemingly searching for the right words, then spoke solemnly, "You will always be my—my little Tuney."

Petunia lunged into Vernon's embrace, nearly knocking him into the steering wheel with her sudden enthusiasm. Vernon's fried sausage fell onto the car seat, but he didn't seem to care, merely patting Petunia's back and murmuring words of comfort.

After a while, Petunia finally calmed down. She wiped her tears. "Thank you, dear."

"My pleasure," Vernon said cheerfully.

Snape, having witnessed it all, felt as if he were glowing under his Disillusionment Charm.

He stepped back a few paces, dispelled the charm in the car's blind spot, then deliberately pretended to have just noticed them, walking towards the black car.

"Petunia, and Mr. Dursley, what a coincidence," Snape asked in his most neutral tone. "Are you well?"

Vernon visibly tensed when he saw Snape. He turned his head and whispered to Petunia, "This is your sister's friend, isn't it? We met last time. Is he also—?"

"A wizard," Petunia whispered back, looking at Snape warily, then raising her voice, she asked, "Why are you here? I thought you were supposed to be at school."

"I was out for a stroll and happened to run into you, so I came over to say hello." Snape shrugged, observing Vernon's reaction. He looked both confused and curious, like a person encountering an unknown beast.

Just then, Vernon did something that shocked Snape.

He leaned out and said, "Mr. Snape, would you like to join us for dinner?"

"What? Dinner? Me? You?" Snape, for once, stammered. He looked at Petunia and saw her eyes wide with similar shock.

"Yes," Vernon said, taking Petunia's hand and giving her a reassuring look. "There's a nice restaurant nearby. Do you have time?"

"Sounds—good," Snape said, scratching his head in confusion.

"Then," Vernon said, "get in."

Snape, somewhat flattered, opened the car door and got in. He even began to suspect Vernon had been switched with someone else.

As he settled into the back seat of Vernon's car, Snape felt as if he had entered a completely unfamiliar world.

The car was filled with the scent of leather and cologne, and the radio was playing an old song from forty or fifty years ago by Nick Lucas, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips."

Through the car window, he saw the London sky turning a surprisingly beautiful pink, streaked with golden rays.

The restaurant Vernon chose was much more upscale than Snape had expected. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow from the ceiling, and gleaming silver cutlery lay on white tablecloths. Vernon was clearly a regular here; a waiter immediately led them to a quiet corner table.

"Fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, Yorkshire pudding..."

Vernon expertly ordered, then looked up at Snape. "Mr. Snape, is there anything you'd like to eat?"

"Stargazy pie?" Snape asked tentatively. He had never seen this famous dish in person.

Upon hearing the dish's name, Vernon gave Snape a meaningful look. But he simply nodded and told the waiter, "Add one Stargazy pie."

Next, the waiter brought a bottle of sparkling wine and poured half a glass for each of them.

After the waiter left, Vernon took a large gulp from his glass, then looked directly into Snape's eyes. "Petunia just told me you're a—"

"Wizard?" Snape finished his sentence. "What about it, Mr. Dursley?"

"So what's special about you?" Vernon's voice suddenly hardened, the muscles on his hairy forearms tensed, and one hand protectively shielded Petunia. "I mean, how do you prove it?"

Snape's lips curled into a slight smile. "Look at your glass."

He placed his hand under the table, letting the tip of his wand peek out from his jacket sleeve, and pointed it at Vernon's half-empty glass, casting a silent Refilling Charm.

The glass immediately filled, bubbles cheerfully rising in the golden liquid.

Vernon's jaw nearly dropped to the table. He rubbed his eyes, looking disbelief at the glass, then at Snape, and finally, with trembling hands, lifted the glass and took a deep sniff. The rich aroma of wine instantly filled his nostrils.

"Don't drink it!" Seeing Vernon bring the glass to his lips, Petunia suddenly stopped him, snatching the glass from his hand and placing it back on the table. "Who knows what's in there now."

"It's fine, it's just ordinary wine, Miss Evans," Snape said, taking a large sip from his own glass, then magically refilling it and taking another sip. "See, no danger."

"Petunia," Vernon's expression shifted from shock to a strange sort of fascination, "I just thought your sister was an ordinary freak, but—"

Petunia pressed her lips together, looking at Vernon with a mixture of worry and sadness.

"It's alright, Petunia," Vernon turned to Petunia, taking her hand. "I would never blame or abandon you just because you have an extraordinary freakish sister."

Petunia once again threw herself into Vernon's arms, hugging him tightly. This time, she cried even harder.

Snape watched the two of them and felt that the wine had lost its flavor, he no longer wanted to eat, and he seemed a bit too superfluous.

He lowered his gaze to his glass, pondering Vernon's strange behavior. Why was what happened tonight so inconsistent with his uncle's usual aversion to magic?

Just then, the waiter began to serve the dishes. Snape cleared his throat twice.

Vernon and Petunia awkwardly released each other, and the three began to eat in a strange silence.

"Mr. Snape," Vernon shifted his massive body, breaking the silence. He pulled out a twenty-pound note with Queen Elizabeth II's portrait from his wallet. "Can this be multiplied?"

Snape understood exactly why Vernon was acting this way.

"I'm afraid not," he shook his head. "That would be illegal."

"Ah, so you have laws too," Vernon looked a little disappointed, yet also somewhat relieved. "I should have guessed, otherwise, this world would have been taken over by you long ago..."

"However, thank you for the treat, Mr. Dursley," Snape said. "I have a joke about a Japanese golfer that I'm sure you'll find interesting—"

please vote and reead moreinpatreon

ilham20