Harry Potter: I became Snape

Severus Snape sat at the edge of the flying carpet, his black hair gently tousled by the morning breeze.

In a calm tone, he recounted the events of the past two days to everyone present.

"That old hag's experiments were utterly vile," he said, his gaze drifting toward Anna, who was huddled in a corner. "This girl and her family were victims…"

He spoke for about fifteen minutes, and everyone listened intently. Only the sound of the wind whistling past their ears, occasionally punctuated by the soft hoot of an owl, broke the silence.

"Parseltongue," Mr. Weasley's voice carried a clear note of concern. "That's an extremely rare ability. Salazar Slytherin himself was a renowned Parselmouth."

His eyes flickered between Snape and Nagini, coiled comfortably on his shoulder.

"I certainly think you're a good lad," Mr. Weasley said, swallowing hard, his voice growing hesitant. "Even though Parseltongue is said to be associated with Dark Magic. Many famous Dark Wizards in history possessed this ability and treated it as their hallmark, like… You-Know-Who…"

At the mention of that name, a flash of hatred glinted in Lily's eyes, her fingers instinctively tightening around her wand.

"Professor Dumbledore is a Parselmouth too," Snape said lightly, noticing the group's reactions and deliberately keeping his tone casual. "There are Parselmouths among great and good wizards, aren't there?"

As they moved along, Snape's gaze inadvertently fell on Anna's father. The man's face was alarmingly pale, his lips tinged an unnatural bluish-purple, his chest rising and falling faintly.

The healing charm Snape had cast on him earlier was already losing its effect.

Snape hurriedly slid over to the man's side and touched his forehead—it was scalding.

"We need to get to a hospital immediately," he said urgently, casting a few more healing charms on the man before turning to Mr. Weasley. "His condition's worsening."

Mr. Weasley fumbled in his robe pockets, pulling out a crumpled Albanian Magical Travel Guide.

"Got it!" he exclaimed, pointing to a small red cross on the map. "The only magical hospital nearby is about fifty miles southeast."

The flying carpet swiftly changed direction, cutting a sharp arc through the air.

Mr. Weasley crouched down, using the sleepy owl perched on the carpet to send a message to the local Ministry of Magic, informing them they'd captured a Dark Witch.

The owl let out an indignant hoot but took off with the note into the morning light.

When they burst into the hospital with the unconscious old witch in tow, the healer at the reception nearly summoned the Aurors. It wasn't until Mr. Weasley flashed his British Ministry of Magic credentials that they reluctantly believed the group wasn't a band of kidnappers.

"You British are always so…" the healer muttered, eyeing them warily, "…reckless."

Shortly after they completed the admission process for Anna's father, several sharply dressed wizards in fine black robes stormed into the ward.

The lead official, sporting a meticulously trimmed mustache, wore an exaggerated smile and waved a yellowed wanted poster.

The old witch's black-and-white photograph sneered from the page, occasionally spitting outward.

Snape narrowed his eyes, reading the poster: the old witch was wanted for kidnapping, illegal human experimentation, and at least seven cases of missing wizards (with a special note: extremely cunning, skilled in disguise). Anyone who assisted the Ministry in her capture would receive a 500-Galleon reward.

"Department of Magical Law Enforcement!" the mustached official announced loudly, rubbing his hands together, though his eyes never left the old witch slumped in the corner. "We've been tracking her for three months. You've done us a great service!"

His assistant, eager to take charge, had already drawn his wand to secure the witch.

"Hold on," Snape said, stepping in front of them. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

The official blinked, his fake smile faltering. "Of course, of course, thank you so much for helping us apprehend a wanted criminal…"

He tried to sidestep Snape.

"The reward," Snape said firmly, blocking his path.

After a tense standoff, Snape finally received a heavy sack of Galleons.

He weighed it in his hand, ensuring the amount was correct, before stepping aside to let the Albanian Ministry officials take the witch away.

Once they were gone, Snape turned and handed the sack to Anna. The girl was so shocked she couldn't speak, tears welling in her eyes.

"Take it. You need it more," Snape said, his tone softer than usual. "Also, Mr. Weasley has contacted your family. They're on their way to Albania."

"Thank you, sir," Anna said timidly. "May I know your name?"

"Severus Snape," he replied gently.

As they left the hospital, they ran straight into Mrs. Weasley, who was panting and clutching Percy in her arms.

Behind her trailed a bleary-eyed Bill and Charlie, their hair a mess like birds' nests, clearly dragged out of bed by their mother.

"Oh, Severus!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, pulling Snape into a tight hug without warning. "Thank Merlin you're alright!"

Snape stood stiffly, unaccustomed to such affection but not pulling away.

Isn't this the kind of treatment Harry gets? he thought. This Christmas, I'll have to send the little Weasleys plenty of gifts—robes in all sizes, enough to last them years.

Mrs. Weasley released him and immediately turned to her husband, her voice rising sharply. "Arthur Weasley! This is your idea of a 'perfectly safe' family trip?"

Her voice trembled with lingering fear. "If something had happened to Severus, I wouldn't know what to do!"

"I'm sorry, Molly," Mr. Weasley mumbled, head bowed like a chastised child. "It's all my fault."

No one dared interrupt Mrs. Weasley's tirade.

Bill and Charlie seized the chance to slip past their mother, crowding around Snape and bombarding him with questions about his adventure.

Charlie, ever curious, reached out to touch Nagini.

Nagini raised her head warily, hissing a warning that made him yank his hand back.

"She's just a bit nervous," Snape said, soothingly stroking Nagini's head.

Bill and Charlie exchanged envious glances.

"I'm going to raise a dragon someday," Charlie muttered defiantly. "Way cooler than a snake."

At Mrs. Weasley's insistence, they decided to cut the trip short.

Their second plane ride was far smoother, though Bill and Charlie nearly came to blows over the window seat until Mrs. Weasley silenced them with a single glare.

As the plane landed, dawn was breaking outside the window.

They dragged their luggage to the parking lot, where Mr. Weasley stuffed everything into the trunk.

Yawning, he slammed the trunk shut, ready to leave.

Just then, a Muggle parking attendant approached the car.

"Parking fee, sir," the attendant said, tapping the window. "One hundred pounds."

Mr. Weasley nervously pressed a button, and the car's windows turned an odd color to conceal the magically expanded interior and the excess passengers.

To the Muggle, the car appeared normal, with only Mrs. Weasley in the front holding Percy and Snape alone in the back.

The attendant scratched his head, puzzled. He could've sworn he saw more people enter the car.

"Hello," Mr. Weasley said, flustered, stepping out of the car.

As he opened the door, the attendant tried to peek inside, but Mr. Weasley quickly shut it.

"How much?" Mr. Weasley's voice came from outside. Having learned a bit about Muggle currency over the past few days, he added, "Why don't you just rob Gringotts?"

"What's Gringotts?" the attendant asked, confused. "It's the rules. Your car—let me see—has been parked here for over six days. That's not a small fee."

"No way," Mr. Weasley said, glancing back at the car where Mrs. Weasley was soothing Percy. "This expense isn't reimbursable."

With a subtle wave of his wand, the attendant wandered back to his booth in a daze.

After a bumpy journey, they finally reached the ramshackle Burrow, parking beside a dilapidated garage.

The rusty cauldron by the Burrow's entrance looked even more worn. A few plump brown chickens pecked at the yard, just as they had when the group left.

Bill and Charlie cheered, racing inside. At Mrs. Weasley's invitation, Snape and the others followed for breakfast before heading home.

Eileen and Mrs. Weasley bustled about the kitchen, the clatter of pots and pans mingling with the sizzle of sausages and bacon. The aroma of toast filled the air.

Snape watched his mother's busy figure, her movements livelier than usual. He glanced at Lily, who also seemed in better spirits.

This trip, though perilous, had clearly revitalized them. Perhaps more outings would do them good.

As they ate breakfast, a visitor's voice rang from the door.

"Arthur, Molly! Long time no see—you're back!"

Two men with sandy-blond hair stepped inside.

Fabian and Gideon Prewett greeted everyone warmly.

"Severus, Lily, you're here too," Gideon said. "And let me guess—with that hooked nose, you must be Severus's mother."

Eileen smiled, magically adding plates for the brothers.

"We were just handling some business in the village," Fabian said. "Saw smoke from your chimney and thought we'd drop by. You're back earlier than planned—what happened?"

"We ran into some trouble," Mrs. Weasley explained, shooting Mr. Weasley another glare. "Albania wasn't nearly as safe as Arthur claimed."

Nagini slithered out from Snape's sleeve, and he fondly fed her a piece of bacon.

"Severus," Gideon said, eyeing the snake in surprise. "Is it true what the Daily Prophet said about a Hogwarts student who speaks Parseltongue?"

"Why would the Daily Prophet report that?" Eileen asked, frowning, her fork pausing midair.

"Bertha Jorkins," Mr. Weasley said with a scowl. "It's got to be her. She used to work at the Prophet, knows everyone, and she's notorious for gossiping and meddling…"

Snape wasn't surprised Bertha would spread the news. He wondered, though, if her loose tongue would eventually lead to her downfall, as it had in another timeline.

"Exactly," Snape said with a smile, deliberately hissing a few words. "Do I look like the Dark Lord to you?"

"Hah!" Fabian clapped Snape's shoulder exaggeratedly. "If you're the Dark Lord, then who's You-Know-Who?"

After breakfast, Eileen, Snape, and Lily prepared to leave.

As they stood, Gideon called out to Snape and Lily, mentioning something about a Ministry internship.

"Mom, you go ahead," Snape said. When Gideon winked at him, he realized the "internship" was just a pretext.

After Eileen left, Bill and Charlie ran to the backyard to play. Mrs. Weasley tucked a sleeping Percy into bed.

The rest gathered in the Burrow's kitchen.

The conversation soon turned to the Order of the Phoenix, with Gideon and Fabian urging Mr. Weasley to join.

"Arthur, why not come with us?" Gideon asked. "Dumbledore's leading us—we're sure to win!"

Mr. Weasley seemed tempted, his eyes flickering with indecision.

"No!" Mrs. Weasley slammed the table, rattling the dishes. "Arthur, think of Bill, Charlie, and Percy! Think of this family!"

Snape had never imagined the plump, kind-faced Mrs. Weasley could resemble a snarling tiger.

"Molly, the situation's dangerous. We need more people," Gideon tried to reason. "As a Gryffindor, Arthur—"

"You know it's dangerous?" Mrs. Weasley's aura was positively menacing. "If you ask me, you two should quit that group! Have you thought about how devastated I'd be if something happened to you?"

"But Severus and Lily joined the Order," Fabian added quietly, shrinking back. "Help us out here."

"What?!" Mrs. Weasley's eyes blazed with fury, her chest heaving. "What are you two doing getting mixed up in this? Do your parents know?"

Before Snape could respond, Lily spoke up.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," she said softly. "My parents were killed in an attack by You-Know-Who."

"Oh, Lily," Mrs. Weasley's tone softened instantly, her anger replaced by heartache. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

"It's alright," Lily said, shaking her head. "Mr. Weasley shouldn't join the Order. I know what it's like to lose family, and I don't want you to go through that."

Mrs. Weasley moved to Lily's side, gently pulling her into an embrace.

But she still shot a fierce glare at her brothers.

The family discussion ended on a sour note, and Mr. Weasley, looking apologetic, escorted Fabian and Gideon out of the Burrow.

————

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