Summer at the Castle

Early the next morning, the air around him trembled slightly as Snape waved his wand, lifting the Protego Totalum and Salvio Hexia spells cast over his four-poster bed.

Today was another bright, sunny day. The enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall was clear and pure, blue as cornflower petals.

He decided to properly enjoy the first relaxing Sunday after the O.W.L. exams.

Naturally, a wonderful day ought to begin with good food.

Just as Snape had piled his plate high with bacon, ham, sausages, and other meats and was about to dig in, Patrick Aber sat down opposite him.

"You need to eat some vegetables. They're good for your health."

As he spoke, Aber added some cauliflower and cabbage to his own plate.

"Mary told me that. She said Muggles have entire fields devoted to studying healthy diets, and that eating nothing but meat can make you ill."

Snape was rather surprised. In the entirety of fifth year, Aber had not said this much to him in total.

"I—er—thank you."

He had actually forgotten about a balanced diet, having been focused solely on eating more meat to grow stronger.

"You—"

"—Mary told me that too. What happened yesterday was truly surprising."

Holding a fork, Aber saw the baffled expression on Snape's face and added,

"I'm just still curious. Why did you do that? It wasn't like you at all."

Snape cursed inwardly. Why did these people care so much about details? Was there not a single fool among them?

He set down his knife and said, "I imagine you know about what happened by the lake the day before yesterday."

When Aber nodded, Snape continued expressionlessly, "It was not a pleasant experience.

"Afterward, I thought about it for a long time. I cannot tolerate anything even more unpleasant happening—whether to myself or to anyone else.

"I made some mistakes before, but I hope to change rather than continue down that path."

Snape turned one palm upward in Aber's direction.

"I assume you have no reason to reject someone trying to change for the better?"

"Mm..." Aber said, somewhat awkwardly. "Severus, I suppose not. It's a good thing. I was merely a little surprised."

"But, Aber," Snape said, adding some vegetables to his own plate, "are you close with Mary? Why do you care about these things?"

Aber seemed to blush faintly at that. "Oh... Mary and I are friends..."

"Yes, of course," Snape said, taking a large gulp of Pumpkin Juice with a faint smile on his face. "She's a very kind girl."

After eating and drinking his fill, he planned to take a walk around the grounds. Since his other two "friends" clearly could no longer accompany him, he looked at Aber.

"Would you like to take a walk around the grounds with me? On such a bright, sunny day, we ought to go outdoors."

The mild sun shone softly over the grounds, where students relaxed all around them.

Some lay on the grass sunbathing, some chatted merrily in small groups, while others sat beneath the trees reading books and newspapers.

Wisps of smoke rose from the chimney of a small wooden hut in the distance, drifting above the dark-green Forbidden Forest.

The two of them ambled down the slope, the grass rippling beneath their feet.

"Severus..."

Noticing that Snape was deliberately avoiding the lakeside, Aber could not help speaking up.

"I mean... since you've changed so much... perhaps... perhaps you could try making peace with Potter and—"

"No." Snape stopped and turned to face Aber, his voice cold. "No, Aber.

"I can choose to change myself, but that does not mean I have to change because of other people's mistakes."

There was not the slightest ripple in his gaze.

"Neither I nor anyone else deserves to be treated like that.

"In this respect, Potter is no different from Avery or Mulciber. Would you go and persuade Mary to reconcile with them?"

Flustered and nervous, Aber stammered, "I—I'm sorry, Severus."

"That's not what I meant—I only..." Aber's voice grew softer and softer.

Snape suddenly turned and walked toward the lake.

Aber hurried after him.

The lake and sky seemed to merge into one, both a pale blue tinged with violet.

A Giant Squid lounged lazily in the warm shallows, basking in the sun, while several students swam in the lake with the Giant Squid for company.

Snape kept walking at the same pace, his voice drifting back behind him.

"Let's sit by the lake for a while."

He crouched down and lightly brushed the Giant Squid's tentacle with his fingers, then glanced at the companion beside him.

"Why are you in Slytherin, Aber? I can't see any Slytherin traits in you."

"Oh." Aber crouched beside Snape. "I'm pure-blood. My whole family is pure-blood."

Aber gazed at the pearly lake surface and continued as though speaking to himself. "My grandfather and father both told me I was destined for Slytherin.

"Although the Sorting Hat recommended other Houses, I told it that I wanted to go to Slytherin, and it respected my choice."

"Was that your choice?"

Aber sighed. "I know what you mean. Perhaps it wasn't...

"But the Sorting Hat didn't recommend Gryffindor to me, and I didn't have enough courage not to go to Slytherin..."

The two of them quietly watched the clear, deep-blue lake together.

A scene suddenly surfaced in Snape's mind:

A stern-faced Professor McGonagall held a roll of parchment and called out the first name written on it—

"Hannah Aber!"

A girl with two golden pigtails stumbled out of the line and sat on the tall four-legged stool.

A patched, worn old wizard's hat was placed on her head. After a brief pause, it shouted—

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

For the first time in a long while, Snape felt genuinely happy. He gave a quiet chuckle.

"If you have a child, you must respect her right to make her own choices."

"I think I will," Aber replied, then asked with some confusion, "But why 'her'?"

"Who knows?" Snape laughed as he rose to his feet. "Aber, I think Hufflepuff suits you better.

"By the way, the spell that hangs people upside down is called Levicorpus. The counterspell is Revertia. It's a nonverbal spell."

Aber struggled to his feet, his legs numb from crouching.

"Ow... Why are you telling me this?"

"Just in case."

Another strange remark.

"Come on, let's head back. It'll be mealtime soon."