The Belated Apology

"Severus, would you like to go for a walk outside with me?"

After they had dinner together, Eileen looked at the still fairly bright sky and spoke softly to Snape.

Snape had no reason to refuse. Anna watched the adult and child in the garden, then looked away from the floor-to-ceiling window of the second-floor study, where she had been leaning.

After spending yesterday and today with him, she was now certain that the soul residing in this eight-year-old's body was not the original one.

He couldn't be a transmigrator. She believed no transmigrator could portray the soul's colors unique to Professor Snape, drifting between light and darkness.

Then at what point in the future had this Severus Snape, with his adult soul, been reborn from? And why had he stirred the Death Contract in her right palm?

The two stopped beneath the wisteria-covered walkway. The magical lamps beside them lit up on cue, their soft, bright light dispelling the dimness of sunset.

"I'm very sorry, Severus."

Eileen looked at the expressionless Snape, guilt welling up in her heart.

She crouched down and reached out to stroke her child's face, but he instinctively drew away, and the gesture hurt her even more.

"All these years, I've been immersed in my own world of pain and neglected your feelings. I've wronged you, Severus."

Looking at Eileen, whose eyes were brimming with tears, Snape sighed inwardly.

Now Eileen had been pulled out of that endless torment in time. She could truly recognize her mistakes and apologize to her child. This was the outcome he had waited for in vain throughout his previous life; he hadn't expected to hear those words only a few days after his rebirth.

"Then will you go back to that man in the future?"

He was not a hotheaded young fool who would declare that he would never forgive her, so the best outcome was to accept it.

He would give Eileen a chance, and give himself a chance to let go.

"No, I won't. I swear it to you.

"In a few days, after I return from the place Miss Anna told us about, I'll go to him and get a divorce.

"From now on, the two of us will live at Prince Manor with your great-grandfather, all right?"

At the mention of Tobias, Eileen froze for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. She looked straight into her son's dark eyes and shook her head firmly.

Snape hadn't expected Eileen to have already decided on a divorce. Seeing the hope in her eyes, he nodded in agreement.

Another day passed. North prepared the various tools needed to gather herbs and walked with Eileen to the manor gates, ready to use the Portkey his father had sent to transport them directly to the island.

Just as he took out the Portkey, the distinctive crack of Apparition sounded beside them, and a woman in a long black coat, with a neat, sharp appearance, suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Elisa?"

North looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared, somewhat surprised and puzzled.

Elisa Klar was Daina Klar's younger sister. She was about the same age as North and was primarily responsible for gathering intelligence on Britain.

To be precise, she devoted half her efforts to the Death Eaters and the other half to the rest of the British Wizarding World. Whenever she had news, she contacted them by owl post or through the butterfly mark on her left palm; she rarely came to the manor.

"North Nagel! You idiot! I suppose when you went to Hogwarts to visit Professor Slughorn a few days ago, you didn't cast a spell around the room to prevent eavesdropping!

"Some passing Slytherin students overheard what you were talking about and told their Death Eater parents. Luckily, I found out in time and used Obliviate on them. Do you understand what will happen if we openly expose ourselves right under You-Know-Who's nose now?

"If you don't take the young miss's safety seriously, then please, go back and learn properly from your father! Learn how to be more careful in your work!"

As soon as Elisa found her footing, she swept her eyes around and immediately chose her target. She stormed up to North, jabbing his shoulder with her right index finger as she unleashed a furious tirade.

"How could that be..."

North was also stunned by his mistake. At the time, he had been eager to complete the task Anna had given her and had made a spur-of-the-moment trip to Hogwarts to ask the Potions Class professor about the Prince family.

He hadn't expected such bad luck. Even though he had chosen lunchtime, someone had still noticed.

"Elisa, calm down. We still have guests here.

"I don't suppose you came this time just to hold North accountable."

Anna intervened to smooth things over, taking hold of the hem of Elisa's clothes with her little hand and leading her away from North.

"Oh, miss, it's been a long time. Have you been well lately?

"Please forgive my loss of composure just now. It's just that the stupid thing this idiot did was so infuriating."

In front of her young miss, she could hardly lose her temper again. She could only do her best not to look at the man's stupid face and turn her attention to Anna instead.

"As for why I came this time..."

She glanced at Eileen and Snape beside them and fell silent.

"North, take Lady Eileen over first. Don't keep your father waiting too long.

"Elisa, we'll talk inside in a little while."

After saying goodbye to North and Eileen, Snape had intended to return to his room, but Anna suddenly grabbed hold of him.

"There's no need to leave. Your mother and great-grandfather will become our companions, and I think that if I want to earn your trust, I should trust you in return, shouldn't I?

"I asked Keke to bake some treats. Let's all enjoy them together."

A few minutes later, the three sat on the soft sofa in the living room. The freshly brewed black tea gave off a leisurely fragrance that blended harmoniously with the aroma of the freshly baked treats.

"Miss, this is the list I gathered, along with evidence that the parents of those students at Hogwarts have gone over to You-Know-Who completely."

Anna looked through the papers as she listened to Elisa's report.

"There are already signs of division between the houses at Hogwarts, mainly between Slytherin and the other three houses.

"Of course, there are parents of students in the other three houses who have sided with You-Know-Who, but they're pitifully few compared to Slytherin.

"Several of our Acolytes have children in Slytherin House, and now they're facing subtle ostracism from both You-Know-Who's faction and the other three houses.

"The main reason I came was to ask you, miss, whether we should show some of our strength to ensure those students' safety."

Listening from the side, Snape knew all too well what Elisa was talking about.