Saturday was the first Quidditch match of the school year, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Harry scheduled the team's battle meeting late on Friday, but everyone could tell that he was distracted and distracted.

The team members were worried. The others asked Ron privately, but Ron was at a loss. He tried to ask Harry, but Harry didn't want to talk to anyone.

By the time the game came, that concern proved to be too simplistic. Not to mention catching the Golden Snitch, Harry had almost been hit by Bludger several times - if Jimmy and Dean hadn't been keeping an eye on his side. At half-time, Ginny couldn't help but yell at Harry, but it didn't work much.

In the end, Gryffindor lost without any suspense. There were a lot of complaints, but when they found out that Harry didn't react to Malfoy's provocations, they finally realized the seriousness of the situation.

As Harry's friend, roommate, and team member, Ron was entrusted with a mission. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he followed Harry as he scurried down the hallway, confused, "what happened yesterday?"

"He's you off, isn't he?" Hermione, holding the book, followed Harry. "You were fine before Defence Against the Dark Arts! What did he say?"

Harry was already in a bad mood after losing, and it was even more annoying to hear that Snape was related. "It's none of his business," he replied firmly.

Hermione wasn't convinced. "Come on, Harry, do you want me to remind you, you didn't have any tuition yesterday?"

"Because it's canceled, okay?" Harry was distraught, "Please don't follow me anymore, leave me alone!"

The voice was so loud that it shook the statue in the corner. Ron and Hermione had to stop and stare at Harry as they turned down the hallway, staring at each other from behind. "What the hell is wrong with him?" asked Hermione, puzzled, "They shouldn't have said a few words yesterday?"

"I'm still wondering if Harry said it was about the mystery man?" Ron wondered more than she did, "It can't be the puffer fish that he himself off like an explosion?"

"Could it be because the tuition was cancelled?" Hermione guessed, "Harry didn't like it at first, and he complained to Andrew that it was a complete waste of time and made him even more tired--- maybe that's why Snape agreed to give Harry a lesson, he liked to make Harry uncomfortable."

Ron immediately glared at Hermione with an expression of disbelief. "Isn't everyone as good as you?" he exclaimed, "Harry's reaction, I want me to say, is like arguing with adults, like Fred and Percy!"

“…… What are you talking about?!" Hermione was shocked.

Ron reacted to his own referendum, and was also frightened. "I'm just—casually!" his arm waved wildly, "It's just a hypothesis, don't take it seriously!"

Hermione kept her mouth shut. Ron thought she had accepted the explanation and was relieved. "Let's go to the Great Hall," he suggested, "I'm so hungry that I'll be able to leave something for Harry to eat if I go early." He paused, then suddenly rejoiced, "I forgot to remind Harry that next week is the Prefect's Prom--- he's not a Prefect, but He's the Quidditch Captain of Gryffindor!

Harry didn't know that Ron was going to surprise Harry by helping him tell Ginny to get ready for the prom. He walked around, and by the time he reacted, he was already on the Astronomical Tower. The weather was not good, the cold wind was cold, and his mood was no different.

If it wasn't the reason I thought, why didn't Snape just tell me what it was?

The man had never been frank, you should have known that, and another voice seemed to answer him in his head.

Perfection cared about what Snape did, he was neither Ginny nor the Dark Lord, and he couldn't compare to Sirius Black, but Harry had a kind of irritability in his heart, and he seemed to feel that he had a strange connection with Snape--- which even surpassed the painful symbiosis with the Dark Lord.

When did this begin? When did this semester start, in Potions class? Or when?

But apparently only Harry was aware of this, and Snape, still like that, sarcastically mocked Harry as if Harry would be happy if he was uncomfortable.

Shouldn't expect Snape to tell him the truth, Harry shook his head violently. But he should have said! Another voice in his head roared under his head. Harry thought angrily, he didn't say how do I know? and his ex-convicts......

So he's not wrong: you don't believe him, he doesn't expect you to believe it, and it's a complete mistake for two people to be together. That being the case, it is a wise choice to stop losses in time.

Harry found that he didn't want to hear anything like that at all. There is no right or wrong, and there is nothing to stop loss in time, he yelled in his heart, no!

You were too impulsive, the voice commented calmly, he might have intended to explain, but your attitude made him feel unnecessary. Or, he's just waiting for you to pick up a head, and he'll be able to say what he's been preparing for a long time.

Harry froze, then thumped the floor hard. He remembered—Snape wanted nothing more than to leave, and he was indeed irritated by the perfunctory manner in which it was shown.

So he really regretted it, didn't he? He asked the voice in his heart, angry and hurt.

Oh, I'm not sure he'll regret it, the voice replied cleverly, you don't think right or wrong can be used against enemies, and he's most likely thinking that Harry is just a foolish copy of Jaime - by the way, have you ever thought about how terrifying it was for Snape to be Harry's godfather?

To be sure, Harry found it scary, but even more frightening, he couldn't seem to find a reason to refute it. There was an irreconcilable contradiction between Snape and Harry...... But that's where that sense of crisis comes from?

It might be more accurate to describe it as never really started, and the voice replied ruthlessly.

Why at this time? Harry feebly asked, why again?

But the answer to the question didn't need to be imagined in his mind by someone else, because it was clear—whatever Dumbledore said, it undoubtedly made Snape re-examine the delicate relationship they had standing on top of the perilous wall;

Snape was good at occlusion--- his heart was well hidden, neither Tom Riddle nor Albus Dumbledore could see it--- Harry couldn't do anything, he couldn't confirm his suspicions and speculations. So when he speaks, the balance is broken, and the undercurrent under the illusion of nothing is triggered.

Harry couldn't blame anyone else, after all, their contradictions had always been obvious. He just wanted to know what Snape would do next, and how he would respond.

Come to think of it, the voice in his head continued to give Harry ideas, what Snape was interested in--- it seemed that he was only interested in the dark arts except potions--- but it didn't work.

By the way, he is a Slytherin, or the head of Slytherin--- ambition and power!. Snape certainly did! Now, when things were clear, Harry realized that he really couldn't get what he really wanted from his current form.

So...... Why did Snape suddenly want to be empowered--- he had been at Hogwarts for a long time, a good professor, and if Professor McGonagall did a little worse, Severus Snape could succeed Albus Dumbledore as the next Headmaster of Hogwarts.

But he used to be a Death Eater? God, this thing doesn't matter at all now, even the Ministry of Magic acquiesces in some non-compliant things, not to mention that Albus will testify for him--- he is a hero, a hero who is willing to take risks and go undercover by the Dark Lord's side for the sake of justice.

But Snape wanted to go further, he wanted more power, not the position of headmaster ....

What does he want?......

Why did he leave?!What was he up to?

Harry jumped to his feet, not caring if his head hit the metal planetarium. No, it's absolutely not going to work!

Snape, meanwhile, was sitting in the middle of the heavy stone house, closing his eyes in contemplation. After a long sleepless night, he believed it was time for him to make a new decision. "It's stupid, it's stupid. The loss of Lily has not yet made the fool understand ---that Albus Dumbledore is just a liar, he only talks big and can't do anything in the end. What kind of mercy is it to raise Lily's only child so that he can die when the time is right--- raise a turkey until Christmas, and then roast it?Severus, you are so stupid, they are all liars, they can't be trusted, you can only rely on yourself, protect Lily's only bloodline, Lily's only trace in the world..."He groaned, still closing his eyes.

By the light of a candle, a witch was reading a book in a frame, frowning. "Do you still fantasize about getting along with that Muggle? My poor boy, do you know how your tragedy came about? Your stupid dad is just like that girl, a Muggle ....."

"Enough, don't speak ill of Lily Evans. Snape stated unemotionally, "Whatever you say, it's a waste of time." ”

Seeing the man's calm reaction, the witch nodded with a sneer. "It's really my good son--- they're all infatuated fools---。 ”

Snape surprisingly didn't retort, "Dumbledore is old. Even if I can't get more power, without power, no one can protect me. I need a little bit of time, and in a few more years, no one will be able to stop me. I've found a viable path to improve my strength, and I can't be ruined in a hurry. ”

Erin Prince frowned in thought--- she looked resolute, even though she had been the captain of the Quidditch pro team, she had been given a portrait of her reading--- Erin Prince nodded. "So, you intend to go back to the original plan? I have advised you, Sisippi, that no one can be trusted, except for the wand in your hand and the spell in your mouth!"

"The new Minister of Magic is not strong enough to break the deadlock, Dumbledore is in an awkward position, and Dumbledore cannot intervene. "Not the best option, but not the worst either." ”

Erin Prince groaned for a while. "There may be a small problem," she possibly suggested, "for obvious reasons, the enemy you are facing right now is not a Dark Lord, but Gellert Grindelwald, the mysterious wizard of the East, who will most likely be an obstacle in your path." ”

Snape bowed slightly. "I thought about it. They will of course always be happy to stop what I will do, as long as they know. But as long as I stay at Hogwarts--- there is enough cover here, enough conditions, no one to supervise my secrets. That means that if I want to let go of my hands and feet, I'm given a safe enough area. ”

"Safe enough, you seem to be underestimating Albus Dumbledore. Erin said, "It seems to me that any unusual behavior in the castle will be the first to be noticed by Albus, and I suggest that you set up a suitable laboratory in Hogsmeade, or in the Forbidden Forest, or even under the Black Lagoon..."

"Some, maybe more than one place," Snape replied, poking his finger at the map spread out on the table—a few ink figurines moved quickly--- Tickling the map?Ridiculous little trick, I really thought the half-blood prince couldn't do it?--- "Albus isn't at the school today, McGonagall is in her office, and the other professors are where they should be....."

"It's not something that can be done in a while. Erin's expression became serious, "When are you going to start?"

"Of course, the sooner the better. Snape quickly recorded the professors' habits as he replied, "I must first make sure that I don't get caught by the Order of the Phoenix." ”

Erin Snape snapped the book shut. "Speaking of the Order of the Phoenix," she was slightly curious, "does Dumbledore know?"

Snape shook his head. "I don't think he'll be happy when he knows. This is the opposite of what he is used to insisting on. Also, if I were at school, Dumbledore would have thought he would be able to learn more about the Dark Lord through me. At this point, he snorted coldly.

"The Dark Lord still believes in you like that?"

Snape waved his hand absently. "The Dark Lord is very grumpy, but he's easy to serve - more than the sanctimonious ones, most of the time the Dark Lord is harmless as long as he doesn't anger the Dark Lord. ”

"Harmless?" Erin asked again, with a little relaxation in her tone, "Don't underestimate him, he is good at manipulating people's hearts, and he is even better at seeing flaws, what you are doing now is too dangerous."

A pair of snake-like burning eyes appeared in Snape's mind unexpectedly, and rage and cruelty invaded Snape's heart directly--- a terrible sign.

"Nothing, I'll take notice. Snape opened his eyes, and his gaze subconsciously fell on the painting--- the only portrait of Erin Snape remained---- he said gently, "But if he is really smart enough, he will know that it is actually in his best interest." ”

"While I agree with you, I doubt he'll think so. Erin said, worried, "Do you remember the last time he punished Lucius?"

The sense of danger is becoming more pronounced. Snape suspected that it might be because the portrait was right—if the Dark Lord had been able to judge what was going on with his senses, he wouldn't have gotten this far.

"It doesn't matter. He said that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking from the tone of his voice--- his brain was closed, and the mask was hiding everything--- "Whatever his reaction would be, he would be powerless by the time he knew, and Dumbledore would force him to no longer have the energy to pay attention to these things." ”

"It's better to be like that. Erin muttered - of course she cared about the man in front of her, the only blood she left in the world.

Silence fell back in the stone house. Snape closed his eyes again, trying to get out of his mind what he thought he should get rid of. Because he came to a very simple conclusion - gain strength and protect the only bloodline of Lily Evans.