i am snape

The Honeydukes sweet shop buzzed like a lively market, packed with Hogwarts students. Rows upon rows of shelves groaned under the weight of the most delicious and juicy confections: plump chocolate balls, fizzing Whizbees that made smoke billow from your ears, sparkling pink coconut ice, and barrels overflowing with Every Flavor Beans…

After their purchases, Snape and Pandora re-wrapped their scarves snugly around their faces, pulled on their gloves, and squeezed out of the warm, sweet-smelling shop, clutching paper bags brimming with sweets. The biting cold wind once again lashed at their faces, feeling like knives. They lowered their heads, trudging against the howling gale, struggling along the main road towards Hogwarts.

Snape's brow was furrowed, his heart heavy, finding every step difficult. All the way, he was consumed by the news Mundungus had just shared. Caractacus Burke, one of the co-founders of Borgin and Burkes, the Dark Arts shop, had lost all his memories last month and been admitted to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Snape mentally reviewed everything he had done since arriving in this time, and he didn't believe any of his actions could have directly influenced Mr. Burke's fate.

In the original story, it seemed Borgin was always the one bustling about the shop. Burke's only appearance was in the Pensieve in the Headmaster's office, as a memory. So, following the original timeline, when would Dumbledore have obtained Burke's memory? The more he thought about it, the deeper his frown became.

Suddenly, Snape felt as though he'd been struck by lightning, and a crucial difference hit him. In the memories Dumbledore showed Harry, only Caractacus Burke's memory was narrated by Burke himself—

"From the constantly swirling, silvery-white substance, the figure of a small old man emerged... ghostly pale... his hair so thick it completely obscured his eyes..."

All other memories, whether Dumbledore's own, those of Bob Ogden, Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad's Investigation Division, Voldemort's uncle Morfin Gaunt, the house-elf Hokey, or even Slughorn's altered memory, were experienced firsthand by Dumbledore and Harry by immersing themselves in the Pensieve.

Could Dumbledore have already gone to retrieve Burke's memory?

Or perhaps, because Burke's resistance was too fierce, his magical prowess too high, Dumbledore had to resort to forceful means, which ended up damaging Burke's mind?

Snape felt a prickle of unease. His thoughts spiraled: aside from his old colleague Slughorn, why did the other individuals or house-elves from whom Dumbledore had extracted memories all die for various reasons? He wondered if, with the timeline shifted so significantly, they would still pass away one by one from old age or illness, as Dumbledore told Harry in the original story.

At this thought, a chill ran down Snape's spine, and the cold wind seemed to grow even sharper. He didn't even want to delve into the reasons behind it. But no matter what, he knew he had to proceed with even greater caution. He absolutely could not let Dumbledore discover his secret as a time-traveler.

What was even more vexing, however, was that Snape also had to figure out a way to prevent Dumbledore from going to the Gaunt shack alone and putting on the Peverell ring. If Dumbledore were to fall ill prematurely, Snape felt he might have to try every trick in the book, cajoling and deceiving a group of people to emigrate to Australia.

Lately, the Headmaster had indeed often been absent from the staff table at meals. Snape wondered what stage he was at. Moreover, the Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak were already in Dumbledore's possession. If he were to acquire the Resurrection Stone as well, what would happen once all three Deathly Hallows were reunited...?

"Hey, Severus, what are you thinking about?"

Pandora's clear voice broke through Snape's thoughts, and she waved a finger in front of his eyes. Without realizing it, they had already reached the castle gates.

"Ah, nothing," Snape said, snapping back to reality. "Let's go inside."

Looking at Pandora's concerned face, his worries deepened. All around them, only the persistent howl of the wind remained.

---

From the very next day, Snape found himself unconsciously searching for Dumbledore's figure around the campus, but he never saw the Headmaster. He had no idea where Dumbledore was until the next Slug Club meeting.

At each meeting, Snape would bring Slughorn a meticulously prepared box of candied pineapple. After all, the old Slug loved them so—a fact personally vouched for by the cunning and handsome Tom Riddle himself.

"If you continue to bring me candied pineapple regularly, Severus, I'm certain you'll quickly make a name for yourself at the Ministry of Magic," Slughorn declared proudly, shaking a finger sticky with frosting. "Within twenty years—no, perhaps even fifteen—you could be the Head of a key department. You see, I have very powerful connections at the Ministry."

Snape simply offered a slight smile, nodding as he listened to Professor Slughorn's grand pronouncements about past wizarding society gossip and his extensive network of contacts, silently waiting for the time to pass.

Finally, the small golden clock on Slughorn's desk struck eleven.

"Good heavens, is it time already?" Slughorn said, still keen to chat. "Time flies when you're having fun. Off you go, children. Black, don't just focus on Quidditch practice; your essay is due tomorrow, or you'll get detention."

The students, hearing this, rose one by one and queued to leave. Slughorn slowly rose from his chair, carrying his empty goblet to the table. But Snape remained in the office; he had a question for Slughorn.

Snape knew in his heart that he couldn't let the Sword of Damocles hang over his head indefinitely. Even if he couldn't see Dumbledore for now, he had to prepare. As soon as the Headmaster returned, he would seek him out. He believed Dumbledore hadn't yet approached Slughorn. From the current situation, Dumbledore couldn't have deduced from Riddle's diary that Voldemort had created more than one Horcrux.

"Ahem, ahem," Snape cleared his throat softly.

The movement behind him made Slughorn turn around and see Snape.

"Hurry along, Severus, you wouldn't want anyone to know you're out after curfew."

Snape paused, finding the remark somewhat odd. But he couldn't dwell on it now. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Sir, I have a question for you."

"Well, ask away, my boy, ask away..."

"Sir, I wanted to ask if you know anything about... **Horcruxes**."