Chapter Ninety-Five: Departure

"Remember the night I came back to Hogwarts, and you were here to greet me, Professor—"

Covered in snow and starry when he arrived, Amosta stood still, smiling at Snape, who had stood by the thousand-year-old boar sculpture that had stood beside the large iron gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Otherwise," Snape straightened up and sneered, "do you expect anyone to throw you a big farewell dinner, Amosta?" ”

Amosta smiled and didn't speak, and under the brilliant starry river, the two of them stared at the castle standing on the high ground, the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the lights of Hagrid's hut, the vast playground, the breeze through the tall clubs, and the cheerful whisper, Amosta's expression was in a trance, and for a moment, he seemed to really see the existence of 'eternity'.

"Have you been working for Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Expecting Snape, who was like a stuffy gourd in private, to talk about wishful thinking first, Amosta was the first to speak, but his question was very strange, since Voldemort's fall, Snape had been the Potions professor at Hogwarts, and theoretically, he had been doing things for Dumbledore.

But Snape apparently knew that Amosta's question was not asking about it, and he replied in the affirmative in a slightly nasal voice.

A wry smile appeared on the corner of Amosta's mouth, and he shook his head, his eyes pointing to the office on the eighth floor of the castle that was still flickering with candlelight,

"For what?"

Snape's eyes were not black holes, but distinctly wandering, and his gaze swept over the grass and trees of the great school in front of him, and had been dormant in the depths of his thoughts, and the pale discolored memories suddenly flooded over his mind like a volcanic eruption.

Pain, helplessness, loss, hatred...

Snape couldn't describe how he felt at the moment, he had an urge to tell all his secrets to the wonderful young man next to him who he had witnessed growing up, but when those words came to his lips, there was not even a sigh left.

"To atone for sins..."

After a long time, Snape said lightly, except for Dumbledore, so far, this is the first time that Snape has removed the disguise of magic and mind, and returned his truest side to himself.

Amosta stared at the sandy stars of the Ganges, and heard Professor Snape's answer, and he was not surprised, human emotions are perhaps the most complex thing in the world, and it is ridiculous that you expect cold magic to hide your mind perfectly.

"I've had some experiences about life..."

Amosta's sudden words made Snape instinctively want to show sarcasm, he wanted to remind Amosta of the age gap between him and himself, but his eyes touched the pair of purple eyes that were full of shimmering light, Snape was suddenly stunned, he didn't know why a young man in his early twenties suddenly had more eyes in his eyes... Vicissitudes?

"I have gone through the cycle of the world..."

Snape's whispered words made Snape even more confused, and he stared at him stunned, not knowing how to understand the words, perhaps..., what Amosta meant was to enter the mysterious wizarding world from the Muggle world?

Amosta closed his eyes wearily, and after a moment he opened them again, and his turbulent soul regained its calm.

"I have seen the most terrible and selfish darkness of the human heart, and I have bathed in the radiance of a pure soul, Severus, life is only once for anyone--"

It was the first time Snape had heard Amosta call his name, but strangely enough, he didn't feel the slightest anger at being offended, not even the slightest sense of disobedience, but rather took it for granted, and this strange feeling made Snape even ignore what Amosta was saying.

"Those who have protected us with their lives do not want to see them burdened with pain and immersed in their memories, Severus, don't you think that a better life is more worthy of those who sacrificed than the atonement?"

"You don't know what I've been through, Amosta..."

Snape's utter was unbearable to look at, and his voice was hoarse like the desperate howl of an explorer lost in the desert.

"There are many people in this world who have experienced the loss of everything, Severus, the dead are gone, what is lost will never come back, don't let yourself live in self-blame and hatred--"

Amosta looked at the office on the eighth floor of the castle again, and suddenly smiled,

"How many heart-wrenching losses do you think a wizard like Dumbledore has experienced in his life, huh?"

"I'm not him, Amosta--"

Snape's wheezing voice was more like a sob, and he lowered his head, his tone as if he was defending himself, but like convincing himself,

"The great Dumbledore, the omnipotent Dumbledore..., everyone admires, and I, just an ordinary person..."

On the one hand, he recognized Dumbledore's indelible contributions to the peace and stability of the entire European wizarding community during his lifetime, and on the other hand, he believed that Dumbledore was like a mountain pressing on the hearts of every wizard in the contemporary wizarding world, making them dare not give birth to the idea of transcendence.

In a way, Dumbledore's very existence seems to limit the development of the wizarding world.

Just like Severus in front of him, obviously many times in private, he unabashedly expressed his disgust in front of Dumbledore, and behaved unruly, but when it came to facing his heart, he almost instinctively thought that Dumbledore was unsurpassable by mortals, whether it was magical strength or life wisdom.

Freezing three feet, not a day's cold.

Amosta wouldn't be naïve enough to convince Severus to let go of twenty years of obsession, he just wanted to... Plant a seed in this man who deserves to be loved and embraced by the world, and at the right time, this seed will take root and bear fragrant and pleasant fruits.

"So, let's do it first, Professor Snape--"

The aura of twilight that haunted Amosta was gone, and now, he was the excellent young wizard who coexisted with 'strength and beauty', and had infinite hopes for the future.

Snape also knew that the conversation was coming to an end, and with great difficulty, his mind regained control of his brain, and his lips pursed as he wanted to say something goodbye, but unfortunately, he was obviously not as good at sensationalism as he was with making potions, and before he could think of something to say, he saw Amosta open his suitcase, and took out a large stack of thick parchment from inside and handed it to him.

"A little bit of Gilderoy Lockhart's little black material, I stumbled upon it--"

Looking at Professor Snape, who was looking at the information and raising his eyebrows, Amosta's tone became brisk, and the corners of his mouth smiled,

"I want you to wait until the final exams of the young wizards are over before reporting back to Dumbledore... Or, just leave it to the Ministry of Magic..."

Bang!

The iron doors of Hogwarts slammed shut with a thud of metal.

The breeze sings late, when you come, you are alone, and when you go, you are alone.

"Goodbye, Professor Snape, have a great day--"

Amosta waved his hand and turned away, striding into the darkness without hesitation...

PS: Let's go, Hogwarts!









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