Chapter 60: Lupin and Snape
It really wasn't a Howler... Because of her inexplicable worry, Lyra didn't open the letter from Mr. Lupin until late at night.
The letter was quite long, and it even contained Galleons.
What does Mr. Lupin mean by this?
Looking at the Galleons on the table, Lyra didn't know what to say.
Did he send it to the wrong person? Maybe he meant to send money to his family... Looking at the already-opened envelope, she had to muster the courage to read Lupin's letter.
"To the learned Miss Hamilton..."
It really is for me? Then why is there... Lyra read on, puzzled, until she understood the reason.
"Brewing Wolfsbane Potion requires a lot of ingredients. I am very grateful for your help, so I cannot increase your burden."
"This money is specifically for you to buy ingredients. Any extra can be considered your fee."
"Don't refuse this. We are friends, and friends should keep things clear between them, shouldn't they?"
Ah... Seeing the word "friends," Lyra swallowed all the words of refusal she had prepared.
So this is what good friends do! Lyra felt a little happy. The Galleons Mr. Lupin sent smelled of friendship...
That sounds a bit weird.
But having this money would indeed make things much more convenient. Lyra didn't think she could keep taking ingredients from Professor Snape... and it wasn't right anyway.
Although buying them myself isn't very convenient either... Lyra pressed her lips together and continued reading.
Lupin talked about many other things, mostly related to what he was doing now.
He was in Albania investigating the whereabouts of that person...
"That person"
If these two words appeared in Mr. Riddle's diary, Lyra might be more frightened.
Because that referred to...
Lyra looked up alertly at her office door.
Good, that person isn't here!
Forgive her caution, but Dumbledore had appeared like that many times... And now that she was at Hogwarts, it would only happen more often.
After confirming Dumbledore really hadn't appeared, Lyra continued reading.
"I wonder how you are doing at Hogwarts, Miss Hamilton. Are your classes going smoothly?"
probably not smoothly... Whether it was showing students the Killing Curse or scaring myself into the Hospital Wing...* Lyra shook her head awkwardly and started writing her reply.
"I am fine... Dum... that person is taking good care of me, I suppose?" Lyra felt her letter was terrible. She had hardly ever written letters before... several of which were replies to the scam letters Lord Grindelwald had warned her about.
So she wrote whatever came to mind, even using ellipses when she subconsciously stuttered.
But this experience felt very interesting to Lyra. Writing letters to a friend, chatting with a friend, eating with a friend, attending class with a friend... Mm, in a sense, my last wish has been fulfilled.
I am so happy.
Lyra thought to herself...
"Ah!"
Why did I write that down! Lyra quickly scribbled over the sentence with her quill.
But Mr. Lupin's letter also reminded her... about the Wolfsbane Potion.
She had already sent this month's potion to Lupin earlier, so she needed to start brewing next month's batch.
She was running out of ingredients and needed to buy more tomorrow... but where?
Diagon Alley is too far away... After thinking for a while, Lyra thought she might ask someone where to buy them.
Professor Snape was a good choice... She also wanted to ask about potion brewing... But... Professor Snape is scary.
Terrifying, even... Lyra took a deep breath, curling up in her chair, not wanting to move.
But when she saw Theia on the perch, she nodded seriously.
For my friend! I'll risk it!
"P-P-P-Professor Snape... I... I have something..."
Looking at the hesitant Miss Hamilton standing at his office door, Snape said darkly, "Speak quickly if you have something to say."
"Eek!" Lyra trembled, her blue eyes darting to her boots, her hands waving helplessly in front of her. "I just... wanted to ask..."
"Ask what?" Snape paused, his dark eyes scanning her from head to toe, finally resting on her pale face beneath the hood. "I am busy, Miss... Hamilton."
"If you continue to stammer like this..." He snorted and said no more, but that snort was enough to make Lyra feel cold all over.
"It's about the Wolfsbane... Wolfsbane Potion..." Lyra tried to speak as coherently and fluently as possible, but the effect didn't seem great.
"Heh." Snape chuckled, his tone sarcastic. "It seems our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Miss Hamilton..."
"...is having trouble." He seemed to remember something. "Why don't you go ask Professor Lockhart?"
"Ah... I almost forgot," Snape said, looking at the increasingly pale Lyra. "A Miss Hamil Lyra fainted a few days ago, didn't she?"
"Ngh!" Lyra shrank back, waving her hands. "I... I don't know... I don't know anything about that... I..."
"Pity." Snape shook his head. "I recall Professor McGonagall saying a professor would be coming to audit my Potions class."
"What a... shame..."
Please, Professor Snape, stop talking! I... I know I was wrong! I shouldn't have agreed to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, I shouldn't have come here to find you, and I shouldn't have asked about the Wolfsbane Potion... I'm just a pathetic freeloader!
I beg you, stop talking...
Leaning against the damp corridor wall, Lyra felt numb from head to toe.
Seeing Lyra pale and on the verge of fainting, Snape sneered and shook his head. "If I were you, I wouldn't bother other professors."
"I would choose to go to the Potions classroom and find an old textbook."
"I trust even a student from Durmstrang... knows that the Wolfsbane Potion is in the last chapter, correct?"
"Ah... right, our Miss Hamilton was a student fifty years ago... then you need notes even more, don't you?"
"As for ingredients." Snape curled his lip. "Hogsmeade, next to Hogwarts, should be the best choice for an unprofessional wizard like you."
Huh?
Is Professor Snape... telling me what to do? Lyra froze, surprised to find that Professor Snape seemed scary, but actually...
"What are you still doing here?" Snape frowned at Lyra's dazed look. "Waiting for me to tell the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures that a Veela has escaped?"
"Or..." He looked at the trembling ears under Lyra's hood. "Are you waiting for me to use Veela ears for potion ingredients?"
"Eek! Sorry! S... Sorry! I... I I I I know I was wrong!"
SLAM!
"..."
Lyra took a few deep breaths in the silence, her numb brain slowly recovering.
Sorry, Professor Snape, I shouldn't have assumed you were being kind... Lyra hugged herself, calming down before daring to look up at the slammed office door.
But... still, thank you.
"Th... Thank you..." Lyra whispered, bowing slightly.
"Hmph."
Behind the door, Snape, looking at the potion in his hand, snorted. Whether he heard something, or was just annoyed, was unclear.
Or perhaps it was both.