The unique meaning in Snape's words almost overflowed, and Howl rubbed the ring in his hand, not objecting.
The two walked into the Great Hall.
Snape, with a gloomy face, quickly stopped by the trio's table. Dressed in black robes, he looked down at the three with a cold face and lowered brows.
"Professor, is something wrong?" Harry was a bit puzzled.
He and Hermione didn't feel anything seeing Snape, but Ron couldn't stand it. He lowered his head, looking at the wood grain on the long table as if it contained the secrets of the world, and his fingers fidgeted together.
"I'm very surprised to see Mr. Weasley sitting with a Slytherin," Snape said flatly.
Ron awkwardly shook his head slightly.
"It seems your rat has some problems. I think I can help you examine him," Snape added.
Howl would bet that even if the rat had no problems, it would definitely not fare well.
"Oh, no need, Professor, he's just a bit tired," Ron grabbed Scabbers in his hand, intending to stuff him back into his pocket.
Suddenly, his hand froze in mid-air, an invisible force holding it firmly. Scabbers squeaked in Ron's hand.
Snape's wand pointed at his hand, and the invisible force was clearly emanating from there.
"No, Professor! Really, no need!" Ron said stubbornly. He couldn't imagine what would happen if he handed Scabbers over to Snape, but the outcome would definitely be terrible.
Scabbers had been with him for a long time… Although he was just a worthless, shedding rat, hand him over to Snape? He was unwilling…
Snape forced a smile but knew he couldn't go too far. Then his eyes flickered, and he looked at the rat.
In just a breath or two, his body suddenly stiffened.
Ron had been struggling against that force, but at this moment, the force suddenly vanished, and he stumbled backward. The rat was thrown into mid-air.
Howl's face showed a playful, grim smile: "No wonder the first victim was Madam Norris, it really was a cat catching—"
"You!! How is this possible! You're still alive!!" Snape's words immediately interrupted Howl. An extreme panic emanated from him, even causing his hands to tremble involuntarily.
"Scabbers!" Ron's head hit something, but he quickly and nervously shouted.
The entire Great Hall immediately fell into chaos. People looked at Snape in fear, not knowing what he was going to do, or why he suddenly raised his wand at a student.
Some even wondered if the so-called Heir of Slytherin was Snape—the Dean of Slytherin House!
"Legilimency—"
This time, Snape directly raised his wand, determined to find out the truth.
When a person is asked for certain information, the corresponding memories automatically surface in their mind…
Howl stopped the spell in his hand. He felt that something was wrong with Snape. Then, he cast another spell, dragging Ron, who was waving his hand trying to grab Scabbers, behind him through the air.
A moment later, Snape stared incredulously at the rat.
He trembled. In that memory, he saw the small fellow coming to the Dark Lord's side, betraying them—
"Are you involved with him? Are you his person? Always have been?" Clouds of doubt enveloped his mind, and an emotion called fear rose in Snape's mind.
He was afraid… afraid of that outcome—if it was true, if it really was him, and he had turned a blind eye, letting him live freely for so long—not letting him be tortured by Dementors—
"Tell me, stop pretending!"
He roared, but the rat just scurried nervously on the ground, seemingly just a frightened small animal!!
"Avada—"
With a bang, a large amount of water inexplicably gushed from Snape's mouth and nose, directly interrupting him.
"Aqua Eructo!" Howl retracted his fingers, shaking his head helplessly.
He even reminded me not to make a move, but Severus is truly fierce, starting with a move that would send him to Azkaban.
He must have been fuming!
Howl patted his shoulder: "You need to calm down, Severus."
As he spoke, the rat's body twisted rapidly. The children watched this change in horror, and people continuously shrieked, fleeing the Great Hall.
The rat seemed to grow quickly, and in just a moment, a somewhat bloated person crawled up from the ground.
This person was short, only a little taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, light-colored hair was disheveled, and a large bald spot was on top of his head.
He looked like a fat person who had lost a lot of weight in a short time, and he was very dirty. His pointed nose and watery small eyes still had rat-like features.
"Thank you, thank you, Professor Jones…" The fellow quickly said, his expression and bowing in gratitude were no different.
"He… Snape… he used to be a follower of the Dark Lord, he wants to kill me… I am Peter Pettigrew!! Order of Merlin, First Class… You must know!"
His words were trembling but incredibly fast, as if he feared Howl would strike him the next moment.
"Peter Pettigrew?!" Harry's voice suddenly became serious: "You… weren't you dead? Murdered by Sirius!"
Peter gave a fawning smile and waved at Harry: "Harry… oh my, you've grown so big. I was a good friend of your father's.
I was hiding my identity… to… to avoid bringing death upon my family and you! In the blink of an eye, you've grown so big… You really resemble James, and your eyes resemble L—"
"Avada Kedavra!" Snape raised his wand again, this time much faster than usual. Howl had relaxed his guard against him, and could only see Peter Pettigrew suddenly wailing and screaming on the ground.
"Unforgivable Curse!"
"Dark Arts!!"
"Is that Professor Snape?!"
The children shrieked, and even Hermione retreated repeatedly, seemingly terrified. If Harry hadn't quickly helped her, she might have fallen to the ground in fright.
"Don't use that mouth of yours to say—" Snape's eyes were bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth.
"Severus, is your brain full of Troll dung, you bloody idiot?!" Howl, rarely angered, cursed, and his Raven's Head wand appeared in his hand.
"ξ ω α π τ ο σ μ α—"
Immediately, everyone in the Great Hall and the portraits stiffened in place, looking dazed, and wisps of silver mist drifted from their brains.
Except for the few people involved!
Then, Howl looked at Peter Pettigrew, raised his wand, and spoke coldly: "Let's save your words for later."
Unexpectedly, Peter Pettigrew, lying on the ground, suddenly pulled out a small wand.
"Avada—"
With a loud bang, he was slapped away through the air.
Howl slowly raised his hand, forcibly taking the wand from Peter Pettigrew's hand.
Then, the expression on his face couldn't stop twitching…
A familiar wand…
Neville Longbottom, anxious on the train… You must think you forgot your wand when packing now, right…
Howl glanced at the distraught children, feeling a bit annoyed.
"I had intended to use him to show the children the evils of the Dark Arts, but you—you showed them instead!!" he said calmly, fiercely grabbing Snape's collar.
Then, on that face, he saw an extreme and twisted complex emotion.
Doubt, resentment, sorrow…
Howl took a deep breath and released his hand.
"Take them to Dumbledore's office."
Then, he added somewhat unhappily.
"Don't lose control like an idiot again, this is the only time!"
Chains sprouted from the stone floor, binding Peter.
Howl's nose caught the stench from the fellow, then from a distance, he drew a distorted rune in mid-air.
He flicked his thumb and middle finger, and the rune flew out and landed on him.
Peter was terrified, his body twisting, and he suddenly realized he couldn't use Animagus to escape the binds…
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