Chapter 38

Hogwarts, September 5

He had expected his well-being to be worse when he returned to his old seat at the Slytherin table. He never really made friends in this House. In retrospect, he wondered if the cause was due to his name or the attitude instilled in him by his father. He knew there was no point in dwelling on it. It took too long to fix it.

He sighed before plunging his fork back into the medium-baked steak on his plate.

"What's going on, Evan?" - Aleksiej's voice was filled with a mixture of irritation and worry. - "You aren't hungry?"

"I'm not gonna eat something that used to have eyes. There is nothing vegetarian on this table. I thought I could force myself but no... It just isn't possible."

A broad smile appeared on the face of the director of the Institute. - "In the current situation, only you can worry about getting a piece of meat instead of a vegetable tofu stew. Do house elves not show up at meals at Hogwarts? In Durmstrang, it isn't difficult to ask for a change of meal."

"Hogwarts is a place full of absurdities. Wait until you see the moving stairs. More than once I was late for classes, because the stairs decided to change their location at the last moment."

At this point, Mrs. Granger unexpectedly joined the conversation. Jean was rarely surprised at the magical world, especially after her adventure with the werewolf, but apparently even she has limits.

"It's dangerous!" - she gasped loud enough that several students sitting nearby heard her. - "It should be banned." - He saw the woman's jaw tightening in anger.

"Those who are injured due the stairs or the disappearing steps of the stairs are considered to be playful and they areignored." - Lucius's voice made him think that he had already dealt with flawed aspects of building Hogwarts. - "Besides, students are often ignored in various matters. Often those that can directly threaten their lives."

They knew what he was talking about. Or rather, who he was talking about. Severus Snape. Half-blood wizard persecuted by two pure-blood wizards. Persecuted with the silent consent of a wizard considered a symbol of the fight against prejudices. How ironic.

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He watched. He didn't even care if he got caught in it. He didn't focus on what his friends were saying. He focused on how Evan Potter was acting. He was a mystery to him that he wanted to solve. He just didn't know if he would have the opportunity to do so, as the Durmstrang delegation dismissed their professors. Especially against Albus Dumbledore.

"Are you listening to us or not?" - Sirius sounded as if he was losing his patience. - "We have been trying to talk to you for half an hour and you are acting like a marble statue from the corridor on the third floor. The only statue in this damn castle that DOESN'T move!"

"Padds you have to be so aggressive?" - Remus tried to smooth things over again. - "James is confused. Can't you see the gears in his brain spinning from too much work?"

"Thanks Remus. That's what I needed. Making fun of me." - he thought before he said - "I was thinking and that's it. I miss Petunia and I am waiting for a letter from her... Besides... Look at this professor. He looks like a more handsome version of my father." - James growled to his surprise.

"James..." - Potter began to notice that sometimes Sirius' chuckle was getting irritating to him. "... since when do you start noticing the beauty of men? Was Lily just a cover?"

"Sirius, Remus, if Lily was just a cover, our James wouldn't be attracted to her sister." - Peter joined the conversation casually before standing up and walking towards the Ravenclaw table.

Black shook his head so quickly to see where their mutual friend was going that he had to rub his sore neck. - "And where is this one going?"

"To his friend." - James snorted with satisfaction written on his face. Peter finally stopped hiding the fact that his life no longer revolves around their friendship. He was happy with their friend's development.

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During this time, Jean was talking quietly with her husband. She didn't want the rest of their companions to realize their unusual hobby. - "50p that James Potter will come to talk to Evan after dinner is over. The boy squirms as if he is sitting on my needle cushion."

Richard smiled and whispered in her ear. - "I give twice as much to find him in the evening to conduct an interview with him about his heritage without any witnesses."

"Yes, dear. Bet accepted."

xxx

She couldn't believe she finally saw him. On the one hand, she felt a little mad ate Lucius for not approaching her as soon as he saw her. On the other hand, she understood him. She knew her faults, so she knew she wouldn't let him out of her arms before all the questions had been answered. Including the one that was most important to her at the moment. She wanted to know why Severus wasn't with them. She missed him. And not only her. Many Slytherins appreciated him only after he dissappered. And it wasn't even about those who paid him to write their papers. Rather about those who often argued with him in the Common Room.

Lucius looks tired. And emaciated. Narcissa felt her sister's hand on her forearm. - "I think this internship turned out to be more difficult than he thought it would be."

"Bella… Maybe it was their entry that turned out to be more difficult for them than he thought. After all, we don't know how they did it. Hogwarts have anti-apportiation shields and they appeared in the castle as if nothing had happened. Have you seen that flame? And the magic of illusion? None of us could do this, and you must remember that Lucius, just like you, finished school before summer vacation."

"Girls... I wonder what Malfoy's vacation was like if he looks like likeTHIS." - Regulus had worry written all over his face. Narcissa knew she would never understand why Sirius and not Regulus had been sorted to a house other than Slytherin.

"We'll ask him." - Avery's voice surprised them. - "We will ask and if he doesn't want to speak, we will extract all the answers from him."

Avery was one of the few Slytherins who never concealed a sympathy for the petite Sev. Once she and he sister thought it was a romantic feeling. It wasn't until some time ago that she accidentally found out that his younger brother, who died of tuberculosis, was very similar to Severus. He told her about everything. He was furious. The mortality rate of the disease in Muggles was approximately twenty percent. With little Alaistar, the diagnosis came too late. The healers of St. Mungo's believed that the young one was suffering from the curse of blood. Avery's feelings of protectiveness transferred from brother to Severus.

"We already know what you want to ask him." - Bellatrix chuckled.

"About Severus. What else should I ask him?" - An uncertain smile appeared on the face of the dark-haired man. The first in a long time.

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"What's going on Lucius?" - The Ice Wizard was bored. He thought a school with such a history would be more… impressive. - "You look exhausted."

The blond ran the finger through his hair. Iskrem noticed that the Malfoy heir did this whenever he was embarrassed or didn't know what to answer.

"I'm worried about Severus."

"If I didn't know better, I would think you are in love with him. At least that's what it looks like from the side." - The older wizard smiled as he saw the blush on Lucius's face. - "Why are you worried about him? He is very talented. He can take care of himself. Besides, I doubt that there will be someone in Durmstrang who would dare to try to hurt him. Especially since Helen stayed with him."

"This spell Severus is stubbornly working on worries me. Not potential lack of security. I don't think it's useful to keep your magic outside of the magic core. It's more of a salon trick that can harm him."

"He's working on it because of me. I heard that Mr. Snape can use his magic as a kind of explosive. I decided to use it. When I was younger, weaker magic wizards hunted male veels because of the ease with which their magic could be absorbed." - Seeing the younger man's eyes widened with fear, he quickly explained - "This is where the legends that Muggles steal magic from wizards come from. By learning to transfer magic to his core and outside his core, I figured it would be easier for him to retrieve what someone might take away from him."

"Do you really think someone could be that crazy?"

Iskrem stared at the blond wizard. He didn't mind being called by his name. However, he had to give his consent. In his eyes, these were the basic principles of good behavior. He thought a family member considered aristocratic in today's society would understand this.

"Excuse me... Do you really think anyone can be that crazy?"

I don't think. I know about this. There will always be someone who wants to experiment. Grindelwald wasn't the first and he wasn't the last one."

Iskrem went back to the past in memories. Before his eyes appeared the face of the wizard he had met at the beginning of his journey around the time. A wizard who tried to force magic into the veins of a Muggle girl he fell in love with. It didn't end as it should. Elena was dying in suffering. It was then, moments before her expected death, that he saw what is now called a dementor.

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The next chapter will focus more on Severus. How did you like this chapter? Regards, katie-krum.