Side Story — Snape 2
Snape sat down in his chair and covered his face.
How many times had this happened?
The old man was always trying to hurt the Potter cub.
Every time, he had all kinds of seemingly reasonable excuses that Snape couldn't refuse.
But why did it have to be this way?
The little cub from the Potter family was obviously a kind fool.
Why did he have to keep targeting him and hurting him?
"He's so kind. It always makes me uneasy."
Dumbledore spoke solemnly.
Snape laughed mockingly.
Oh, yes!
No one could really be that kind. Being so kind that it seemed almost like an act.
But…
Snape had to admit, with a bitter expression, that the child really was like that.
"Dumbledore, just because you can't do something as kind as he does doesn't mean he can't do it either!"
Snape scoffed.
Dumbledore wasn't angry.
He sat across from Snape and waited for him to calm down before speaking with a faintly emotional tone.
"Yes, yes. What you said is right. I really can't do what Darren did. People praise me as the greatest white wizard, someone who isn't attached to power."
"They don't know that I used to be a fool. If certain things hadn't happened, I wouldn't have become the person I am now."
"I could have become crazier than Lord Voldemort. Perhaps even crazier than the entire wizarding world."
Dumbledore sighed.
He shook his head, looked at Snape, who still seemed troubled, and continued softly, "I'm simply worried that this child might go astray. You and I both know that, no matter who it is, with that child's experiences, it shouldn't be possible for him to remain so kind."
"Yes, perhaps he really was kind before. But after entering this wizarding world, there is Harry to compare him with. Severus, aren't you worried about him?"
Snape closed his eyes.
Worried?
How could he not be worried?
He had been worried about the Potter cub all the time.
Harry Potter was constantly there as a comparison, and because of that, Darren could become depressed, pained, sad, and jealous.
Both he and Dumbledore had underestimated the sensation Harry Potter caused throughout the wizarding world.
Everyone in the wizarding world knew Harry Potter.
Some regarded Harry Potter as an idol.
Some regarded Harry Potter as their lifelong enemy.
But there was one thing that couldn't be denied.
Harry Potter lived in the spotlight.
Those who liked him, when they saw him enter Gryffindor, would look at him with admiration. Some would even praise him for having a pure heart and the courage of a warrior.
Those who disliked him, upon seeing him enter Gryffindor, would sneer and say that, of course, that fellow belonged there.
At the same time, Darren Potter became the person they compared him with.
More than once, Snape had heard students from the other three houses say that Darren Potter couldn't possibly be a good person. If he really were a good person, how could he have ended up in Slytherin?
And on top of that, Harry Potter hadn't sought him out even once during the nearly a week since the beginning of term.
Almost everyone had already formed their own conclusion.
There were even people saying things like that openly.
Of course Snape would worry that Darren might change.
No.
It wasn't that he was worried Darren wouldn't remain kind.
He was worried that Darren would go astray.
At that point, no one knew what would happen.
He didn't want Lily's child to fall that far.
"Look at you. You don't really trust him yourself, do you?"
Snape silently mocked himself.
But he still insisted, "Even so, I can't allow Potter to actually endure the Cruciatus Curse. If Voldemort knew that the greatest white wizard insisted on watching the Potter cub be tortured with the Cruciatus Curse, he'd probably laugh his teeth out!"
"Ah, Severus, you've misunderstood me."
Dumbledore smiled and shook his head.
"As I said, I'm only going to Slytherin to observe little Darren's punishment. I'm not going there to change what punishment he receives."
Dumbledore looked calmly at Snape.
There was no trace of cunning in his eyes.
Snape was stunned.
He awkwardly turned away.
"Fine. I need to go to class. Dumbledore, figure out a way to get into Slytherin yourself!"
He raised his wand and left his office in a gust of wind.
Damn Dumbledore!
...
In Potions class, Snape officially met the famous Harry Potter for the first time.
Looking at the face that so closely resembled James Potter's, he almost drew his wand and cast Avada Kedavra.
Still, he managed to suppress the urge.
To vent his anger, he began asking Harry Potter questions.
However…
Idiot.
He didn't know anything.
There was absolutely none of Lily's brilliance in him!
But after watching Harry Potter's expression as he desperately tried to contain his anger because of the points Snape deducted, Snape found that his mood inexplicably improved.
Potter could have this effect?
Snape silently decided that perhaps this Potter wasn't completely useless.
At the very least, he could amuse him.
So Snape began walking around the classroom, deliberately looking for other mistakes Harry Potter might make.
The anger he had been holding back in front of Dumbledore gradually disappeared.
But these students were idiots.
So many mistakes.
Had they even read the textbook?
Idiots!
"Professor, mine is finished."
Darren Potter?
Snape raised an eyebrow.
This little cub actually dared to take the initiative to approach him?
Wasn't everyone else afraid of him?
But he was finished?
Snape walked over with a hint of anticipation.
Had this child inherited Lily's talent for learning?
Over the past two days, he had heard more than one professor lamenting about the talent of this little cub.
Could it be the same with Potions?
Then—
Snape was stunned.
The colour of this potion wasn't the same as the one in the textbook.
It was slightly darker.
However, Snape was a Potions Master.
His expression immediately changed.
An improved potion!
Improving a potion required an extraordinary talent for Potions, as well as a powerful ability to innovate.
As far as he knew, there were only a handful of wizarding families in the entire wizarding world capable of developing and improving potions.
Could it be that Lily's family had such a powerful bloodline?
Then again, it wasn't completely impossible.
It was common enough for wizards to have Squib children, send them to live among Muggles, sever contact with them, and then have magical descendants appear several generations later.
This child had inherited it perfectly.
Snape almost burst into tears.
He felt that if he and Lily had really had a child together, their child might have turned out exactly like this.
But then…
Lily…
He gave a bitter laugh.