Chapter 374 – Paige's Loyalty
Snape had originally believed that Darren was only making up a careless excuse.
Instead—
He watched as Darren pulled an identical parchment from his pocket.
Even Harry stared at Darren in shock.
Darren looked deeply troubled.
He held out the parchment with trembling fingers.
"Professor… this was a gift from my godfather. You just cast light on it, and it starts flattering people…"
"As for my brother… I copied it."
He lowered his head.
"I only wanted a prank, so I gave the copy to him. He… he didn't even know what it really was. He just didn't want others to find out."
"I… I didn't tell you because that's the kind of person I am…"
---
[Ding! Mission completed.]
[Reward acquired: Paige's Loyalty.]
Paige's Loyalty: Absolute loyalty. Never betray.
As a so-called "Holy Father," Darren could not fight alone forever.
Now he could finally speak freely in front of Paige.
No more pretending.
No more "kind and righteous" nonsense.
This was an extremely useful reward.
But now was not the time to test it.
He would experiment with it tonight.
---
From the outside, Darren's explanation sounded completely fake.
And yet it also sounded painfully believable.
The kind of excuse that made one uncomfortable—but unable to refute.
Snape stared at the parchments.
His thoughts instantly turned in one direction.
Darren's godfather.
Lupin.
In the next second, Snape's anger surged.
He grabbed a handful of Floo powder from a jar and hurled it into the fire.
"Lupin! Come here!"
---
Lupin had just returned to his office.
He had planned to ask Darren what was going on—
when Snape's call dragged him through the fireplace.
He stepped into the office, startled.
Then he froze.
Darren and Harry were both standing there.
And in Snape's hands were two parchments.
One was unmistakably the one Lupin had given Darren.
"Oh… Severus," Lupin said slowly.
"What exactly did these two do—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
---
Snape sneered.
"Perfect timing."
"Malfoy reported that Harry Potter went to Hogsmeade. I searched him and found this."
Snape lifted Harry's parchment.
Lupin stared at the writing.
His face stiffened.
But he soon recovered.
"Haha… looks like something from Jokowi's Joke Shop. They sell all sorts of ridiculous prank items there."
Snape stepped forward.
"Do you really think someone didn't personally give it to him?"
Then he raised the second parchment.
"And this one? Your precious godson claims it came from his godfather."
"What do you think allowed this to end up in Harry Potter's hands… Lupin?"
The word godfather was bitten off sharply.
Lupin fell silent.
After a moment, he spoke carefully.
"You might be thinking too much. Perhaps his godfather truly meant no harm."
Snape laughed without humor.
"You defend him very easily."
---
After a long pause, Lupin finally said calmly,
"Severus… it's a prank toy. Nothing more."
"I remember Harry hasn't turned in an assignment. I'll take him with me."
"You may go."
Snape's gaze turned to Darren.
"Harry Potter leaves.
Darren Potter stays."
Lupin's expression darkened.
For a moment, it seemed he would argue.
But in the end, he grabbed Harry's arm and left.
---
When they reached a deserted corridor, Harry finally spoke.
"Professor, I should wait for Darren. What if Snape—"
"Then stop causing him trouble."
Lupin cut in sharply.
Harry froze.
Lupin instantly regretted it.
But the anger in his chest would not settle.
He raised the parchment in his hand.
"This map… yes, don't look at me like that. I know what it is."
"I even knew it used to be in Filch's office."
Harry's face went pale.
"Do you have any idea what you've been doing?"
"You walk around using secret passages—have you ever thought Black might be hiding in one?"
"Have you ever wondered if he's waiting… waiting to kill you and Darren?"
"These tunnels twist everywhere. You'd never know where he might strike from."
Lupin's voice grew tight.
"I'm confiscating this."
"And don't look at me like that."
"Don't make me think your parents died for nothing!"
Harry could not speak.
Guilt swallowed him whole.
---
He stared at Darren's parchment in Lupin's hand.
That was Darren's.
Given by Darren's godfather.
Darren had looked heartbroken when he took it out.
He wanted to get it back.
But Lupin did not return it.
"This one is dangerous too. Darren pulled it out just to shield you."
"I'll keep both."
"Neither of you will see these until Black is caught."
Lupin left.
---
Harry stood alone.
Then Ron came running.
"You weren't caught?! Malfoy didn't report you?"
"No. It's over."
Harry explained everything.
Ron's face collapsed.
"I shouldn't have let you go…"
"Darren was worried from the start."
"I forced him to say he could protect you… and now he doesn't even have the map his godfather gave him."
He clenched his fists.
"But… Darren having a map and never telling you?"
"You never told him about yours either."
"I bet he was shocked when he saw it."
---