A Chance Encounter with Snape

Dragging the unconscious Black, Harry and his two companions stumbled along for half a day before finally managing to leave the Forbidden Forest.

The three of them exchanged a glance and simultaneously let out a long sigh of relief.

Tonight's experience was so thrilling and exciting!

I can brag about this for a year when I get back!

"Hey guys, do you think we'll be on the front page of the Daily Prophet tomorrow?"

Ron looked on with anticipation.

Actually, what Ron really wanted to ask was whether there would be a reward for capturing Black.

However, considering that the other two were both well-off, he slightly changed the words that were already on the tip of his tongue.

"I don't know. But that's not important. What's important is that we caught Black and averted the crisis at the school!"

Harry doesn't want to be on the front page at all.

His fame is already great enough. No one understands the troubles of fame better than him.

In comparison, he valued the safety of Hogwarts more.

Strolling under the moonlight, the three chatted as they walked toward the castle.

The three men, now relaxed, did not notice that Black, whom they had been dragging on the ground, had somehow woken up.

After all, Ron's Stunning Spell was only so effective. Even though Black was already very weak, it didn't take him long to recover from the Stunning Spell's effects.

However, Black did not take any action after waking up.

Peter is dead. While achieving his revenge, Black has also lost the chance to clear his name.

Moreover, Black did not consider himself innocent. His greatest sin was arrogance!

For him, death was the best ending.

His capture by Harry and subsequent death were his just deserts and a form of atonement for James and his wife.

It would be even better if the execution wasn't carried out by Dementor. He truly didn't want to see those disgusting, evil, and terrifying creatures again.

"Wait, Harry, Ron."

At the castle gate, Neville suddenly called out to the other two.

Facing the questioning looks of his friends, Neville said with a serious expression:

"We should put on Invisibility Cloak!"

He would never forget that in their first year, he and Harry had gotten so carried away that they forgot to put on their Invisibility Cloak, which led to Filch capturing them.

"But Neville, the Invisibility Cloak can't hide four people. Black is too tall."

Harry said awkwardly.

"..."

Neville's eyes widened.

How could they do this? What should they do?

"Why do we need to wear Invisibility Cloak? We did something incredibly good, okay? We're heroes!"

Ron looked at his two friends speechlessly. What was there to worry about?

Upon hearing this, Harry and Neville suddenly realized what was going on.

Exactly! This time they can be completely open and honest, without fear of being discovered! Or rather, it would be better if someone found them sooner rather than later.

They had become so used to breaking School Rules that they subconsciously wanted to hide it.

The three, now enlightened, strode confidently through the door, completely oblivious to the grating creaking sound coming from the hinges.

At Ron's suggestion, the three of them headed toward Professor McGonagall's office.

As for whether Professor McGonagall is in her office?

That's not a problem at all!

If Professor McGonagall isn't here, they can just find another professor, right? They wouldn't even mind dragging Black around Hogwarts Castle.

However, it's unclear whether the three of them used up all their luck in the Forbidden Forest. They had only been inside the castle for a short time when they ran into Snape around a corner.

"Look who I've met! Isn't this our famous Potter?"

I told you, you should have lost 200 points for sneaking off to Hogsmeade. But that biased Old Home McGonagall only deducted 50 points.

I knew it; a mere 50 points wouldn't teach you a lesson.

Snape stared at Harry with an expression of excitement, as if he had stumbled upon a treasure trove.

As for the others?

Sorry, nobody deserves to be in his sights.

"Professor McGonagall is not biased."

Harry had never met anyone with a thicker skin than Snape.

Of all the professors at Hogwarts, the one least qualified to accuse others of favoritism is Snape!

"Heh, come with me... wait! What's that thing you're dragging along?"

Snape finally noticed the skeleton-like thing behind the three of them.

"Hmph! This is Black, Sirius Black, who's been wanted by the Ministry of Magic! The three of us caught him!"

Ron proudly showed Snape their spoils for the night.

He was incredibly eager to see what kind of expression Snape would make next.

Ron's expectations came true; Snape's expression was indeed quite something, more interesting than Ron had imagined.

Snape strode over to Black's side, bent down, and stared intently at Black's face for a long while.

"Ha, ha, ha ha~!"

Snape suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"That's right! It's Black! I'd recognize his face even if he were ashes! You've done a fantastic job! Now, hand him over to me!"

Surprise, anger, sadness, hatred—a mix of emotions intertwined, bringing an indescribable... madness to Snape's face!

He eagerly drew his Wand.

"Cruciatus Curse!"

"Ah--!"

A piercing scream came from Black's mouth, sending chills down the spines of Harry and his two companions, who were completely unprepared.

They couldn't imagine what kind of pain could make someone make such a sound. It was countless times more miserable than Malfoy's scream last time.

"What... what did you do?!"

Harry looked at Snape warily and asked nervously.

"To do what I've always wanted to do! To Cruciatus Curse!"

With that, Snape cast another Cruciatus Curse on Black.

He won't let Black die so easily! He'll torture him horribly! And then hand the body over to the Ministry of Magic!

"Stop! Stunning Spell!"

Ron didn't know what Snape had done. But based on the fundamental principle that "what Snape wants to do is what he wants to destroy," Ron didn't hesitate to cast a Stunning Spell at Snape.

Are you kidding me? Even the infamous Black fell victim to his Stunning Spell. Snape is nothing to him.

Clearly, Ron had become a little arrogant after successfully capturing Black.

"Get out of here!"

Snape simply waved his Wand, deflecting Ron's Curses back.

Ron isn't Harry, Snape wouldn't tolerate him.

"Ron! No!"

Harry and Neville were stunned to see Ron knocked to the ground, lifeless.

They never expected that, despite the fact that none of them had been seriously injured when the three of them had defeated Black together, someone would fall at Snape's hands after returning to Hogwarts Castle.

Filled with grief and anger, Harry and Neville immediately wanted to take out their Wand and avenge Ron.

However, not wanting to be disturbed any longer, Snape cast a Binding Spell on each of them before they could make a move, rendering Harry and Snape unable to move.