The Sunshine of Hogwarts, Snape

The gathering at Malfoy Manor came to an end around noon.

Severus had most of his demands met, with the exception of the matter regarding the golden cup, which wasn't so easily resolved.

In the Wizarding World, there is no such thing as being stripped of all your property if you go to Azkaban.

The Lestrange Family's vault could still only be opened by a member of the Lestrange family with the key. The goblins of Gringotts bowed to no one, not even the Ministry of Magic.

If they wanted to enter the Lestrange Family's vault and retrieve the golden cup Severus had mentioned, they would have to resort to other, more unconventional methods.

Fortunately, Severus hadn't set a strict deadline for this task, so there was no immediate urgency.

Once the gathering concluded, the Death Eaters all left Malfoy Manor.

None of them had any intention of staying for lunch, and Lucius, evidently, hadn't prepared any for them either.

After the others had departed, Severus quickly noticed Lucius's unusual behavior.

Since the latter half of the discussion, Lucius had stopped speaking entirely. Instead, he had been staring at Severus, his expression shifting between suspicion and unease, his face growing increasingly pale.

Unlike the other Death Eaters, who had been visibly excited, Lucius seemed lost in thought, his emotions unreadable.

With a prompt from Ghost Snape within him, however, Severus soon realized what was on Lucius's mind.

As one of the few friends of Snape.

As one of the few friends the original Snape had had, their friendship, however impure, had still included moments of genuine connection.

Thus, Lucius was intimately familiar with Ghost Snape's personality and speech patterns. While Severus had initially been able to mimic them, the things he had said later were clearly not something the original Snape would ever have uttered!

No one should be underestimated, least of all Lucius.

As the head of a pure-blood family, he had not only served as Voldemort's trusted lieutenant but had also managed to thrive in the Wizarding World over the past eight years despite his tarnished reputation, maintaining connections with high-ranking officials in the Ministry.

His cunning and methods were far beyond that of an ordinary man.

He had noticed the discrepancies in Severus's behavior, particularly in the latter half of their conversation.

"When I first heard your testimony at the Wizengamot trial, I assured Narcissa and Draco that it had to be an act. No one knows you better than I do, Severus. The original you would never have uttered a single word of remorse or apology for the past."

Lucius suddenly fixed his gaze on Severus and spoke slowly, "But when I learned that you had opposed Barty and helped the Ministry resolve the werewolf case, nearly wiping out their entire group, I began to doubt my own judgment. Had you truly chosen to switch sides, throwing yourself wholeheartedly into the arms of the Ministry and Dumbledore?"

"Then, the moment you walked through the door today, those doubts vanished again. You seemed just like your old self… still as sharp-tongued as ever, leaving everyone speechless with your venomous words."

"Yet, within just an hour, I realized you had still changed."

Lucius's eyes remained locked onto Severus's. With only the two of them left in the drawing room, he could speak freely.

"I don't know whether the things you said were true or false, but one thing I do know is that the old Severus never had this kind of leadership. You effortlessly took control of the entire situation, and every word you spoke tugged at the heartstrings of everyone present!"

"The original Severus could never have pulled that off. Everyone acted according to your will… even if they thought their ideas and deductions were their own, it was all your guidance!"

"You have changed, but not in the way the Wizarding World claims… as some repentant prodigal son. No, you've become darker, more cunning, more ruthless! It's almost as if..."

He trailed off, leaving the thought unfinished, his piercing gaze never leaving Severus's eyes, as though searching for something within them.

Severus didn't avoid his stare. Instead, he even mentally praised Ghost Snape:

'Your so-called friend here isn't completely useless.'

Ghost Snape merely let out a cold, hollow scoff and said nothing more.

In reality, Severus faced Lucius's words with utter calm.

Just as he hadn't feared Dumbledore seeing through the fact that he wasn't the original Snape, he also didn't worry about the Death Eaters noticing his discrepancies.

In fact, with a master like Voldemort looming over them, he could afford to be even more brazen in displaying his differences from the past.

"So, what do you think caused this change in me?"

Severus said casually, crossing his legs as he picked up the freshly refilled cup of tea poured by Dobby and took a sip.

Lucius had never once looked away from Severus. His breathing had grown increasingly ragged, though he couldn't pinpoint when it had started.

"Out of everything you said today, I suspect one thing must be true… the Dark Lord is indeed still alive! But it's not the diary that proves it. It's the change in you!"

"I don't know how he did this to you. I'm not even sure if you're still the original Severus Snape. But I do know you have a grand plan… Goyle, the others, even me, and Barty's faction, we're all part of it!"

Severus continued to smile, blinking slowly as he maintained eye contact with Lucius.

"Since you've seen through so much, why dare say it to my face? Aren't you afraid I'll use the Imperius Curse on you?"

Unbeknownst to himself, Lucius had already backed up against the wall. Even now, he refused to look away from Severus. His face was a mix of sorrow, resignation, and something like relief.

"I know... whoever you are, if you've managed to orchestrate all of this, then if you truly wanted me gone, there'd be no escape."

"The reason I'm saying this to you directly is to beg you. Whether you're still the original Severus or not, whether you have any connection to the Dark Lord, I'm willing to offer you everything I have! Just promise me one thing… don't harm Draco or Narcissa!"

All traces of aristocratic composure had vanished. His pleading voice laid bare his desperation, stripped of all dignity.

Severus raised an eyebrow, immediately grasping what Lucius had mistaken him for.

As an inner-circle Death Eater, Lucius knew exactly what kind of methods the Dark Lord was capable of. If the diary could preserve his memories from before the age of sixteen, then merging with Severus in some way wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility.

"Relax, Lucius. I'm not as terrifying as you imagine. I am still your friend, Severus Snape. We've had a friendship since our school days, haven't we? When those four tormented me, you stood as my shield. You were the one who introduced me to the Dark Lord. I won't harm you. On the contrary, I'll help you."

Severus spoke slowly, his voice calm, his gaze devoid of any sharpness… utterly nonthreatening.

After a brief pause, as if making a decision, he suddenly asked:

"You care deeply for Draco, your only son, don't you?"

Lucius clenched his fists nervously.

"Of course I care for my family-"

"Then if you truly want what's best for him, let him come with me." Severus said flatly, "I'll take him with me to find the Dark Lord."

The moment he heard this demand, Lucius nearly recoiled.

"No! Something that dangerous… he's only nine!"

"Since you've already guessed who I might be, when do you think 'he' is from?"

Severus's words sent a chill down Lucius's spine, his back drenched in cold sweat. Gritting his teeth, he gave an extremely bold answer.

"At least... before the Wizarding War!"

"So in your eyes, he became unhinged after that period? But if you've already sensed that, then you should realize that Draco would only be safe with me. Staying by your side is the real danger."

Severus stared straight at Lucius.

"Because you know me better, you can see that I'm not the same. But do you really think Goyle, Crabbe, and the Carrows are fools?"

"They might believe the Dark Lord is still alive. They might believe I know secrets no one else does. But do they truly think Barty is useless? That I'm the only one who can bring the Dark Lord back? They don't necessarily buy all of it."

"You and them… you're all opportunists at heart. You wavered between the Ministry and the Dark Lord before, and now you're doing the same between me and Barty."

"Don't be fooled by how readily they agreed to my demands, swearing up and down that if Barty contacts them, they'll capture him and not interfere with the Dark Lord's plans. Behind the scenes, they'll absolutely maintain ties with him. Just as they're willing to fund and support me now, they'll do the same for Barty."

"No matter which of us actually succeeds in bringing the Dark Lord back, they'll come out on top."

Lucius felt a cold dread seep into his bones, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"B-but even so, this behavior is something you're willing to tolerate!"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Severus shrugged, "I never needed their absolute loyalty. As long as they don't interfere and still do what I ask, isn't that enough?"

"Think back to the early days of the Dark Lord. When he first gathered you all under his banner, did he demand your unwavering fealty from the start?"

Severus smirked, sending another shiver down Lucius's spine.

"He, too, bought your surface-level loyalty with promises of power and influence… building his forces, strengthening his position. It was only later that he spiraled into extremism."

"Then why would Draco be unsafe by my side?" Lucius struggled to keep his voice steady.

"If you and your friends are hedging your bets, then Barty has the means to operate freely in Britain. Do you think someone as unhinged as him would be satisfied with the scraps of support you offer? And if you refuse to invest further later on, what methods do you think he'll use to coerce you?"

Severus spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Of course, this is all just speculation. Who can say for sure? You're Draco's father, after all… the choice is yours. I'm not some child-snatching villain. Everything is voluntary."

Lucius fell silent, his trembling hand reaching into his robes to pull out a handkerchief, dabbing at the sweat on his forehead.

The silence stretched on for a long, long time before he finally spoke again, his voice hoarse… as if parched from wandering in a desert.

"If... if you take him... how long before he can return?"

"Don't phrase it like I'm dragging him off to some brainwashing camp and you have to completely cut off all contact with him. Even if he comes with me, you can still write to him anytime, ask how he's doing, learn about his experiences from him."

"As for when he'll return... who can say? The Dark Lord isn't so easily found. He's weak now, hiding somewhere vast. It depends on whether things proceed smoothly."

Lucius took a deep breath, his body seeming to deflate as if all strength had left him.

"This... this is something I must discuss with Narcissa."

"You have one day to decide. I'll wait no later than this time tomorrow." Severus rose from his chair, "If you agree, have your house-elf bring Draco to the Leaky Cauldron. I'll meet him there."

With that, Severus turned and strode toward the door without looking back.

"Think carefully, Lucius. Think about your family. Think about your future."

Lucius said nothing more, only watching Severus's retreating figure until he was completely gone.

Stepping outside into the gardens of Malfoy Manor, Severus made his way toward Harry and Lupin while Ghost Snape spoke up in his mind.

[Why would you want to take Lucius's son with you?]

'It seems you still haven't truly listened to what I've told you before.' Severus replied calmly, 'I've said it already… there is no longer a distinction between you and me. Your reputation is mine, and your sins are mine. That's why I can be the respected Potions Master, the Head of Slytherin House. That's why I had to publicly repent for the past in front of the entire Wizarding World.'

'I'm not the kind of shameless hypocrite who enjoys privileges but shirks responsibility. Before I took Harry from the Dursleys, I told you… I've been honest with you.'

Ghost Snape fell silent. He had suspected Severus of being exactly that kind of person.

'Lucius is your friend, isn't he?'

Spotting Harry by the fountain, feeding breadcrumbs to the peacocks, Severus narrowed his eyes slightly as he continued internally.

'Since he's your friend, I naturally inherit that bond… whether I choose to maintain it or not in the future. And since there was friendship between us, I don't mind teaching his spoiled child a thing or two... when the opportunity arises.'