Decision

After the banquet, Snape didn't leave and stayed in the Great Hall. After all, Dumbledore's words clearly meant a private talk after the feast, and the subtle way Cyberlina and Dumbledore treated that cat made him unable to stop overthinking.

"So, that wasn't just an ordinary cat, was it?" Snape rested one arm on the table, leaning forward, looking at Dumbledore and Cyberlina who were sitting beside him.

"Perhaps...?" Cyberlina tilted her head and looked at Snape.

Dumbledore looked at Snape kindly. "I think, Severus, perhaps you could describe to us how it prevented you from leaving."

"Oh, 'it'," Snape pursed his lips, shot a sinister glance at Cyberlina, then sat up straight and began to tell Dumbledore, "That cat... it was sent by Sekerei the day before yesterday afternoon and has been very quiet. It only made a little fuss today when I was putting a bow tie on it, and then—"

"Bow tie?" Dumbledore interrupted Snape, a look of confusion on his face.

Cyberlina quickly explained, "A Christmas gift. Kitties need gifts too."

Dumbledore gave Cyberlina a subtle look—it felt like she was treating him like a cat.

"It just made a little fuss?" Cyberlina continued to inquire. "And it didn't take it off after you put it on?"

"...No." Snape gritted his teeth. "So you never expected the cat to wear it properly and just watched it—it, causing trouble in my office, is that right?"

"How could that be," Cyberlina said with a smile.

"So, it made a fuss, and then it was quiet." Considering the other's personality, Dumbledore realized something was wrong. "But later it started making trouble again to stop you from leaving."

"Yes. I originally thought it wanted to come with me, but when I tried to bring—" Snape paused, his expression turning ugly at the thought that it wasn't just a cat. "In short, it didn't seem to intend to follow, it just wanted to stop me from leaving."

Cyberlina suddenly let out a laugh.

"...Alright." Dumbledore stared at Snape. "So, Severus, what were you planning to do after the banquet?"

Snape frowned in confusion, then said, "I don't have any other option but to return directly to my office."

"I don't think it would have acted to stop you because of Severus, Albus." Cyberlina stood up, looking down at Dumbledore with a smile. "I think the question should be— are you preparing to take Severus to do something recently?"

Dumbledore was silent for a few seconds, then slowly spoke under Cyberlina's gaze, "I haven't... set that itinerary."

"Then it seems you'll be making that decision soon." Cyberlina got off the bench and walked towards the exit of the Great Hall. "And it's a dangerous itinerary."

"Where are you going?" Dumbledore reached out and grabbed Cyberlina's arm.

"Of course, to ask the cat what it saw," Cyberlina said as a matter of course.

But Dumbledore didn't let go.

"Albus..." Cyberlina sighed, clasped Dumbledore's hand, and said gently, "I know you won't give up on this trip because of the danger, so wouldn't it be better for us to know about the danger in advance and take precautions?"

"Knowing it might lead to other dangers, and—" Dumbledore looked at Cyberlina calmly. "How can you be sure it wasn't intentional?"

"Intentional what?"

"Intentional obstruction of Severus to make you suspicious, intentionally exaggerating that fragment of the future, intentionally leading you to investigate, intentionally showing you false premonitions— anything is possible." Dumbledore's eyes became serious. "You know, Cyber, it's good at using anything it can."

Cyberlina met Dumbledore's gaze for a few seconds, slowly took his hand off her arm, lowered her eyes, and smiled, looking at his wrinkled hand and the ring on it. She said softly, "Albus, I know what you're worried about, but I think it's better to confirm... Don't worry, it can't hide anything from me."

With that, Cyberlina released Dumbledore's hand and turned to leave the Great Hall.

Looking at the quiet Dumbledore beside him, Snape's already pursed lips became even thinner. With their conversation reaching this point, if he still couldn't figure out what that cat was, it would be too much.

Damn it! He should have thought of it earlier! How could there be a cat in such a desolate place! And such an intelligent cat at that!

Thinking about how he had forced a bow tie on it today, Snape's expression turned extremely unpleasant.

And he couldn't return to his office now. After all, Cyberlina was definitely questioning that person about the detailed prophecy, so he could only sit here with Dumbledore—daydreaming.

After a while, Dumbledore let out a soft sigh and slowly stood up. "Severus, come to my office with me."

"...So you're still planning to go do that dangerous thing." Snape looked up at him, affirming.

"Not entirely." Dumbledore smiled. "Cyber is definitely coming along, so maybe there won't be any danger at all."

Snape was dismissive of his optimistic attitude. He believed that something that could make Grindelwald prepare so seriously couldn't be a simple matter.

But that was no longer his concern. What was important to him now was—

"You've already let me know too many things." Snape said as he walked with Dumbledore down the deserted, dim corridor, revealing what he had been thinking about for two months.

"It's alright, you can know them all." Dumbledore's tone was light but firm. "I need someone to search for Tom's Horcruxes with me, Severus. I think you are the most suitable."

Snape clenched his fist. "You mean—"

"I don't think you have any reason to go back there." Dumbledore shook his head with a smile. "Cyber probably won't give you the chance to go back either."

Although he had expected it and Cyberlina had hinted at it, hearing Dumbledore say it clearly still made Snape's heart skip a beat. His voice was involuntarily hoarse as he spoke, "Meaning, he has no possibility of reviving at all, is that right?"

"That depends on whether we can find all his Horcruxes..." Dumbledore's tone was calm. "And it also depends on what Cyber thinks. After all, she is the one among us who understands souls the best, and she is also the leader of our current plan."

"When was the plan decided?" Snape asked in confusion. "Did you and Sekerei discuss it?"

Dumbledore tilted his head, winked his right eye at Snape, and said with a slightly mischievous smile, "No discussion, it was understood."

"...I really hope Sekerei also feels that she and you 'understand' each other." Snape felt that judging by Cyberlina's behavior today, they had no understanding at all, only unspoken matters.

Dumbledore chuckled and didn't answer Snape. But he believed he was right, as both he and Cyberlina were currently searching for Horcruxes. However, Cyberlina was getting information from the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters, while he was using memories—certain memories he had acquired years ago while investigating Tom.

In the dim Potions Master's office, a white cat lay on the desk, its sky-blue eyes gleaming. Sensing that someone had opened the office door, the cat turned its head and let out a muffled purr.

"Alright..." Cyberlina waved her hand and turned on the office light, then raised her hand, pressed the cat's head somewhat roughly, bent down, and smiled at its cat eyes, her own eyes curving. "So easily angered."

Grindelwald looked at the pair of light golden-brown eyes and immediately detected her Legilimency.

Cyberlina's chain restricted his body and his ability to use magic, but it didn't affect his mind or the magic within him. He could have resisted, but he didn't. Instead, he actively recalled what he had seen today.

--The moment Snape turned around, two illusory figures appeared before him--It was Dumbledore kneeling on the ground, and Snape, kneeling on one leg in front of him. Behind them was a stone basin, very similar to a Pensieve, emitting a faint green light--Dumbledore's face was filled with pain, and Snape's expression was also grim, his face deathly pale, his hand trembling as he brought a goblet filled with green liquid to Dumbledore's lips--

Cyberlina withdrew from Grindelwald's mind, pulling herself out of the angry and heartbroken emotions, but she still looked at the pair of cat eyes she had transformed into sky blue.

After a few seconds of silence, Cyberlina straightened up, took two steps back, took out her wand, and flicked the silver chain around the cat's neck--Grindelwald had returned to human form, but the chain still hung on his shirt, the knot tucked into the left breast pocket of his waistcoat.

Grindelwald leaned against Snape's desk, lowered his eyes, and raised his hand to weigh the now-unrestrictive silver chain, laughing, "I thought you wouldn't let me change back inside Hogwarts."

"I don't understand cat language," Cyberlina said, hands behind her back, looking at Grindelwald. "So, what do you think?"

"What?" Grindelwald looked up, raising an eyebrow in slight surprise. "So I actually have a say?"

"Of course you do, Gellert, this is your prophecy," Cyberlina said with a smile.

"But I don't know if my prophecy will still come true after someone else sees it," Grindelwald said, spreading his hands outwards and sighing helplessly. "Perhaps this prophecy is already void."

"But established facts won't change," Cyberlina said with certainty. "That liquid still has the effect of causing pain."

"Then what should we do, destroy the liquids?"

Cyberlina shook her head helplessly. "Gellert, Albus chose to drink it directly. Are there any other options?"

"Oh, that's indeed..." Grindelwald lifted his leg away from the desk and took a step towards Cyberlina. He put his hands behind his back, lowered his eyes slightly, and looked at Cyberlina, who was half his height, and whispered, "I think you, like me, wouldn't want to see Albus drink them, would you?"

"That's why I asked, 'What do you think?'" Cyberlina met his gaze with a smile.

"If I say it, will you adopt it?"

"I don't know," Cyberlina said sincerely. "You have to say it for me to know if I will adopt it."

"Then won't it all end up being what you want?" Grindelwald chuckled. "A bit dictatorial, aren't you, Cyberlina?"

"Coincidentally, Albus said something similar," Cyberlina tilted her head slightly. "The outcome of that time seemed to align more with his wishes... so you still have a chance to make me listen to you."

"Then the hope is probably slim," Grindelwald lowered his eyes slightly. "You seem to quite like that little black brat."

Cyberlina smiled. "You want Severus to drink those liquids?"

Grindelwald turned his head away, pouting slightly, and whispered, "Who told him to force it on Albus."

"But I believe that should have been Albus's order to him."

"But the fact is, he forced it on Albus."

Listening to these unreasonable words, Cyberlina's smile deepened. "It's just the future you saw, Gellert, it hasn't happened yet."

"You love Albus the most, Cyberlina..." Grindelwald's voice was gentle, with a hint of pleading. "Don't let that become a reality."

Cyberlina sighed softly, raised her hand to caress Grindelwald's face, and made him look at her.

"Of course I won't let that become a reality. My affection for Severus is definitely much, much lower than my affection for Albus."

Looking at those shallow golden-brown eyes, which were almost devoid of a smile, Grindelwald remained silent--he knew that Cyberlina rarely went without a smile when she was mentally sound, but each time it signified she was engaged in extremely conflicted thought--much like when she was young and angry at Albus's actions but didn't want to reprimand him too harshly.

So she was already considering making that little black brat do it.

Grindelwald gave a slightly relieved smile, but he still looked somewhat pitiful.

"However, Gellert," Cyberlina moved her hand away from Grindelwald's face and began to straighten his shirt collar, "why is Severus the only option?"

A flicker of regret crossed Grindelwald's mind, but he maintained his slightly pitiful smile and said, "Naturally not, Cyberlina. Anyone will do, as long as it's not Albus."

"Anyone will do..." Cyberlina lowered her eyes slightly, her voice soft. "You will do too, won't you?"

Grindelwald paused.

"Oh, no, you won't," Cyberlina's tone was full of regret. "I thought you were going to great lengths to replace Albus yourself... so your feelings for Albus are just... well, it was within expectations, so--"

"Cyberlina," Grindelwald interrupted her in a low voice, the pitiful expression gone from his face. "I didn't refuse." His mismatched eyes stared intently at Cyberlina. "I didn't say no."

Cyberlina's fingers had stopped on the silver chain. She carefully observed Grindelwald's expression and felt the emotions emanating from him--she suddenly smiled.

"Silly child," Cyberlina said, patting Grindelwald's face, laughing heartily. "If I don't let those two do it, then you can go drink those things?"

Grindelwald blinked.

"Change back, Gellert. It's better for you to remain a cat in Hogwarts," Cyberlina waved her wand lightly, and Grindelwald transformed back into a white cat with sky-blue eyes.

Grindelwald was placed back on the desk by Cyberlina. He watched her leave the Potions office quietly, but his heart was far from calm.

He wasn't Dumbledore. He had seen Cyberlina display malice too many times to count, so he was certain that from the moment she entered tonight, she had harbored a subtle dissatisfaction towards him. He would even bet his life that after seeing his prophecy, she absolutely wanted him to drink those things.

His constant mention of Snape was not only because he was genuinely angry about the scene and wanted Snape to suffer, but also to divert Cyberlina's negative emotions towards him, which ultimately did dissipate--after he clearly revealed his feelings for Albus.

So, she was dissatisfied with him because of the relationship between him and Albus.

Just like many years ago, when she had traveled a great distance to beat him up.

Therefore, Albus must have expressed his dislike for him to her.

Grindelwald closed his eyes, resting his cat head on his paws.

In fact, this was entirely within his expectations, after all, too many things had come between them.