Chapter 351: Ron's Wrath!!
Harry stared at the cup of dark liquid.
It really did look like poison.
He desperately wanted to shout at Lupin not to drink it.
But slandering a professor like this—forget whether Snape would kill him, even Lupin might not believe him.
Still…
At least Lupin seemed cautious.
He set the goblet Snape had brought onto the desk.
"Severus, I'll drink it in a moment."
Harry finally breathed out.
If Lupin checked it first… good.
If it really was dangerous, he could go straight to Dumbledore.
He would testify without hesitation.
Unfortunately—he relaxed too early.
Snape did not accept Lupin's delay.
"I suggest you drink it now. I brewed a whole cauldron of it."
He fixed Lupin with a cold stare.
Lupin hesitated only a second.
Then he raised the cup and drank it all.
"Thank you, Severus."
He placed the empty goblet down.
Snape gave a faint, disdainful snort and glanced at Harry.
"I heard you've received Darren Potter's forgiveness?"
Harry's heart tightened.
Whenever Snape spoke, it was never good.
Sure enough—
"Perhaps he's too naïve," Snape continued coldly, "always believing others are kind. Not knowing that some people are already sick of him… and some would rather see him disappear."
"I didn't!"
Harry exploded.
Snape laughed softly.
"I'm speaking in general, Harry Potter. Why are you so agitated?"
"Unless… that person is you?"
Harry froze.
The look on his face clearly pleased Snape.
Snape walked to the door, pulled it open, and tossed over his shoulder:
"And since you've chosen to shout at a professor without reason—ten points from Gryffindor."
Then he was gone.
Only Harry remained, standing stiffly in the room.
"Harry… you shouldn't speak to a professor like that," Lupin said weakly.
Harry didn't respond.
He refused to believe Lupin hadn't seen Snape's malice.
And he couldn't bear the idea that someone who was finally helping Darren might be hurt because of it.
"He's obsessed with the Dark Arts," Harry blurted out.
Lupin said nothing.
Harry added urgently, "He also wants your position… everyone says he's willing to do anything to get it."
Lupin only smiled faintly, offering no answer.
Harry eventually left.
Not long after he returned to the common room—
Darren came back as well.
But Darren's face was full of guilt.
It was red to the ears.
Hermione stood beside him, clearly comforting him in a low voice.
Ron, trailing slightly behind them, looked like he was on the verge of eruption.
"You're already 'broken up' with him, so why were you two together for so long?!"
Ron snapped at Darren.
"We didn't mean to! There were so many people, we kept getting separated!"
Hermione shot back impatiently.
Ron's face twisted in outrage.
"When I finally found you, you were eating with other people! Buying sweets with other people!"
"If you lose me again, are you just going to ditch me too?!"
"That's betrayal! Outright betrayal!"
Ron was furious.
He had barely had any fun at all.
He'd spent the entire afternoon searching for Darren and Hermione.
He was sure they were waiting for him somewhere—
But when he finally found them…
They were sitting happily, eating cake with two girls—one big, one small.
The worst part?
Darren even offered to buy Ron cake.
And both Hermione and that girl said—
He wasn't hungry.
Ron had been close to tears from rage.
Was he not hungry?!
Then Hermione snapped back:
"That cake was Cho Chang's treat!"
"Darren wanted to buy it for you, but that would've come out of his own gold."
"You know he doesn't have money right now!"
Ron froze.
He remembered.
Darren was poor by wizarding standards.
He'd separated from the Potter family.
All he'd been given was twenty thousand gold galleons.
Compared to what he had before…
He really was poor.
…Maybe he had overreacted.
"And that cake was insanely expensive!" Ron muttered.
"They said it cost two or three thousand galleons!"
Hermione rolled her eyes.
But Ron immediately remembered something else.
"There was so much left!"
"Why didn't anyone save a piece for me?!"
"You didn't even eat half of it, Hermione!"
Hermione's cheeks turned red.
She'd wanted to give the rest to Darren because she saw he liked it.
But Ron showed up before she could.
"You two waste food," Ron grumbled. "If it were me, I'd have cleaned the plate."
He flopped down beside Harry, scowling.
"Be glad you at least had fun!"
"I didn't even enjoy myself—and now I'm starving!"
Then—
He froze.
Because Darren had just opened his bag.
He took out a carefully wrapped slice of cake.
And placed it into Ron's hands.
Ron's eyes lit up instantly.
"It's the one you love."
Darren smiled softly.
"There was Cho Chang there earlier, so it would've been rude for me to insist on bringing more."
"But I figured you'd like this one."
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding, Father value +100]
"Darren—you're amazing!"
Ron grabbed it happily.
"I haven't even tasted this kind before!"
Then Darren turned to Harry.
From the bag—
Came out a whole bundle of candy.
And another wrapped slice of cake.
Again…
Paid for by Cho Chang.
According to her, it was a thank-you for helping her find her mother.
And a thank-you for curing her sister.
Her entire family had been grateful.
Darren accepted everything awkwardly—
And earned a flood of Holy Father points.
Harry stared at the pile of sweets.
"…That's a lot."
"Do you still have money left?"
"If not, I'll give you some. You really shouldn't give up those useless parchments—your Firebolt shares alone were worth a fortune!"
Darren only smiled quietly.