Chapter 323 – Time Converter!!
After Darren finished eating, the food on his table quickly disappeared.
Snape finally looked away from the parchment.
"If the food you just ate didn't fill your poor brain, then you'd better listen carefully to what I have to say next."
"You might be in danger this year, so don't look at me like that. I know many people have already warned you about these things, but you are my student, and of course, you also have some talent… I can still offer a little sympathy."
"Therefore, I think you may have an obligation to compete for the position of third-year prefect this year."
"Yes, you heard me right. Did you think I made you eat all that food just so you'd go back to sleep?"
Darren nodded blankly.
Clearly, that's exactly what he thought.
Snape was momentarily speechless.
Still, he pressed on. "You must compete for prefect this year. I want to squeeze every last drop of energy out of you."
"So you don't go running around outside and end up… well, threatening Harry Potter!"
Darren wanted to protest.
Was he summoned here by Snape just for a meal, only to be told he had to become a prefect?
He looked worried, hesitating. "But I've never been a prefect before, and I can't control my strength… what if I hurt someone?"
[Ding, Fatherly Value +100]
"If you really hurt someone, wouldn't I be thanking God for that?" Snape said sarcastically.
"Professor!" Darren emphasized his words, clearly not wanting to hear such cynicism.
"The school is full of students—how could you possibly break them all?"
"Hmph. We didn't expect you to help them anyway. Cassandra will likely be the prefect. She'll be your assistant; you just need to carry out the tasks assigned by the professors."
"What the professors instructed? Isn't it only Snape who gives instructions to Slytherin prefects? Uh… All right. I understand now."
Snape just wanted him to come to his office more often—ha! The old bootlicker is going to reminisce about Lily again!
"Oh, right, there's one more thing…" Snape's expression suddenly turned serious. He looked at Darren thoughtfully. "Can you tell me why you chose all your courses? You know some of them are at the same time."
Here it comes!
Darren blinked, excited. Of course, it wasn't exactly how it appeared.
He gave a bright smile. "Hermione said that if I take all the courses, I can learn more—even if several overlap. But since the professors haven't mentioned it, there must be a way. For example, I read about a Time-Turner in a magic book, which supposedly allows one to travel back in time… I wonder if I could go back and save my mother?"
[Ding, Fatherhood Value +100]
Tsk tsk tsk, look at Snape, the old bootlicker. He's clearly empathizing with him deeply.
"Pshaw, wishful thinking!" Snape stood up, scoffing. "I advise you not to entertain such ridiculous ideas."
"The Time-Turner can't do much. If it could resurrect people, do you think anyone in the wizarding world would still die?"
"And Potter! Forget about trying to change the past. Someone once tried to use a Time-Turner to save his lover. The first time, he averted a disaster he thought fatal, only to discover his lover died of poisoning the Ministry failed to detect at the time."
"Then he tried a second time, hoping to prevent it. On the very day he left, the Ministry found his body… already dead for two years. That is, when he should have been alive, his body was sitting in some corner."
"I need you to remember: don't try to change the past. What you see now is likely the result of multiple people using time-tampering devices—they failed, and so will you."
It seems Snape had tried it himself.
That's true; you wouldn't be satisfied otherwise.
Of course, he had no intention of resurrecting Lily, so Snape was just overthinking.
Darren, as a young saint, wore a sad expression. He clearly felt that not being able to revive Lily was like a long-held hope dashed.
"Don't make that face… Lily, your mother would be happy as long as you're doing well."
"Professor, thank you for your comfort!"
[Ding, Fatherhood Value +80]
Snape snorted. Not exactly a master of comforting others. One sentence and it already upset him immensely.
"Hmph. Here you go—the Time Converter. It can only convert within one day, one cycle equals one hour…"
"I hope you understand that the Ministry approved your use of the Time-Turner because of your excellent academics and character. Use it for anything else, and the Ministry can revoke it at any time… By the way, you'll need to use it with Gryffindor's know-it-all, Miss Granger, because only one Time-Turner has been approved!"
Snape tossed a long, intricate gold chain with a golden timer at the bottom.
"Remember what I told you: go to Professor McGonagall's office afterward!"
Darren, clutching the Time-Turner, hurried toward McGonagall's office.
I've got the Time Converter now. I wonder what else awaits.
Once he arrived, he realized why: in the office, besides Professor McGonagall, Harry, and Hermione, Madam Pomfrey was also there.
When she saw him, she smiled warmly. "Oh, Darren, it's nice to see you again. How was your summer vacation? Were you bullied by Mr. Nicolas Flamel?"
Madam Pomfrey hugged him. Darren shook his head, slightly embarrassed. "It's okay, my teacher is very kind."
"Ha, I can see you look much better. Your injuries from before are fully healed now."
Madam Pomfrey's words made Harry and the others laugh simultaneously.
"Well then, I need to look at the rest of your and Harry's problems now. I heard that, like Harry, you lost consciousness on the train?"