Hogsmeade

After a thorough wash, Snape returned to the dormitory.

Avery and Mulciber had their limbs sticking out from under the blankets, mouths agape, their snores rising and falling in a chorus.

"Two idiots."

He cursed under his breath, pulled out his wand, and waved it at his four-poster bed.

"Silencing Charm."

Thinking about the original purpose for inventing this spell – to be able to fall asleep amidst snoring – he couldn't help but find it a bit amusing.

After tossing his change of clothes into the empty laundry basket, Snape lay down on his pillow.

"Sigh, tomorrow I still have to go to The Hog's Head Inn for Walpurgis's gathering," after a quick search through his memories, he couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, "Isn't this just the reserve force for Death Eaters..."

He gazed at the dimly visible green and silver striped curtains in the darkness, accompanied by an indiscernible buzzing sound in his ears.

After calling out "System" and "Old Man" a few times in both Chinese and English without receiving a response, Snape finally drifted into dreamland.

The next morning, Snape woke up very early.

After a moment of thought, he pulled out his trunk from under the bed.

There weren't many clothes inside, along with a set of old Gobstones scattered about, and a few old books passed down from his mother.

Among them was Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage, grimy and with dog-eared pages from frequent flipping.

Snape fished out a worn pair of ill-fitting jeans from the trunk and put them on under his robes.

Originally, he would never have worn such ugly Muggle clothes at Hogwarts.

However, just to be safe, if he were attacked by the Marauders, this would at least provide a layer of protection.

The rustling sound woke the others.

Avery's mouth fell open in surprise, he looked at Snape, then shook his head in disbelief, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

"Hurry and get dressed, let's go for breakfast."

Snape could tell what Avery was curious about, but he didn't want to discuss the topic with anyone.

Along the way, people kept pointing at him, whispering, and occasionally letting out suppressed laughter.

It almost made him lose control and cast a few Avada Kedavras to make them bleed from their noses.

Concealed by his sleeves, Snape subtly pointed his wand around a few times and whispered:

"Tongue-Tying Curse!"

The whispers immediately choked off.

Several classmates clutched their throats, unable to speak, their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

The world was finally quiet.

After taking his seat, Snape scooped several pork chops, steaks, and lamb chops onto his plate.

As he ate the chops, he pondered:

"The house-elves' cooking is truly excellent. I need to eat more meat and then figure out a way to train and get stronger.

"However, the most pressing matter right now is to get off Tom's ship, which is destined to sink. Both double agents and double operatives seem to have met bad ends.

"Besides, I don't want to be a nanny for seven years, only to have the Potter kid reveal my private life in front of the entire school after I'm dead.

"Reserve Death Eaters probably won't have the same 'no return' policy as the official ones... this is a troublesome point.

"Voldemort should only have five Horcruxes at this point: the diary, the ring, the locket, the goblet, and the diadem. Nagini and Harry haven't had the honor yet."

Slowly chewing the food in his mouth, Snape unconsciously looked towards the staff table at the head of the Great Hall--

Behind the half-moon spectacles, a pair of bright blue eyes met his gaze for a brief second.

He was startled and broke out in a cold sweat.

Snape quickly lowered his head, stared at his plate, grabbed his knife, and pretended to cut his steak:

"Damn it, I almost forgot about this.

"Fortunately, I should have mastered Occlumency, I'm just not sure if last night's events will have any impact. Looks like I need to find an opportunity to practice..."

Outside the castle, the crimson sun shone upon the grounds.

A gentle breeze swept through the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, shimmering with patches of deep green light.

Argus Filch stood inside the main gate, holding a long list.

He vigilantly checked each face, not allowing anyone who shouldn't leave to slip out.

A group of people walked out, passing through the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars, and turned left onto the road leading to Hogsmeade.

They walked along the main road, and as they passed Zonko's Joke Shop, Mulciber decided to purchase some Fainting Fancies and prank materials.

Although not interested, Snape decided it was best not to go alone.

So he stood in the shade by the entrance, passing the time, watching flocks of owls, large and small, of various colors, fly in and out of the post office, hooting.

"Look who it is."

Mulciber swaggered out of the shop with a large paper bag in his arms, accompanied by Avery.

Lily Evans and her roommate, Mary Macdonald, were chatting happily as they approached from the other end of the path.

"Perfect timing to try out the new toy I just bought."

Mulciber reached into the paper bag and pulled out a Fainting Fancy.

Just as he raised it to throw, Snape instinctively drew his wand--

"Protego!"

An invisible barrier instantly formed, the force of which sent Avery and Mulciber tumbling backward.

Fainting Fancies, Stink Pellets, and Hiccuping Dittany scattered across the ground, rolling in all directions.

Snape retracted his hand, stunned, as if the action wasn't his own.

But, it had happened, what else could be done.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

The two scrambled to their feet, covered in dust, glaring at Snape through the transparent barrier.

"Severus, are you mad?"

"Don't touch them, okay?"

"What? You're defending these two Mudbloods--"

"Don't say that word!"

Snape shouted.

His lowered arm rose again, his gaze fixed on the two of them.

Avery and Mulciber also drew their wands.

Although it was two against one, they didn't seem inclined to make the first move.

"Listen, Severus, don't forget who you are."

"I don't need you to tell me that, Mulciber."

The sun was nearing its zenith, and the stifling air seemed to have congealed, clinging to every inch of skin.

A gentle breeze swept past Snape from behind, and a familiar figure emerged from the heat haze to stand beside him.

Mary walked over, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

He hadn't expected anyone to stand beside him, let alone expected it to be Mary.

What a good girl, Snape thought. After being tricked by his group with dark magic so many times, she was still willing to help him pass messages to Lily, and now she was willing to stand by his side.

At this moment, Lily also walked up, standing beside Mary.

Snape instinctively avoided her gaze, not looking at her.

"Mulciber, are you sure you want to cross me?"

Snape didn't want to fall out with Mulciber and the others at this moment, so he made a show of putting his wand away.

Mulciber shot him a hateful glance, pulled Avery along, gathered the scattered items, and left in a hurry.

"Thank you, Mary," Snape said, somewhat uncertainly.

Mary nodded at him and turned to walk away.

Snape remained standing in place until Mary and Lily were long gone.

The Hog's Head Inn, to go or not to go, that was the question.

New book seeking collection, seeking follow-up reads, thank you!