HP: Embrace the Darkness

When Hermione saw Snape close his eyes, she suddenly understood something and reached out to touch Snape's neck.

The skin under his hand was extremely cold, with a biting chill, and there was no sign of beating, ruthlessly announcing the passing of a life.

At this moment, Hermione realized very clearly that Snape was dead.

This Potions Professor, who was considered sarcastic, fond of mocking students and extremely partial to Slytherin, could no longer speak and became a dark and silent corpse.

For some reason, Hermione felt sad.

She lowered her head, bit her lip, and let out a few broken sobs as her tears flowed out. Harry stood there gloomily, not saying a word.

"boom--"

The door was suddenly kicked open, and dazzling sunlight shone in, breaking through the darkness.

Harry thought it was the remaining Death Eaters, so he turned around subconsciously, picked up his wand and prepared to fight back. The next second, he vaguely distinguished the person against the light and it was Athis.

Although he didn't understand why Ases, who had left long ago, appeared here, he still put down his wand.

Before he could even say hello, Athis passed him by like a gust of wind that could not be stopped, staggering to a few steps behind Hermione, not daring to move forward.

Harry followed his gaze inexplicably, and when he saw Athis's hand hanging by his side slowly tighten, he felt puzzled.

In his impression, the only connection between Athis and Snape was that they were from the same college, and they had been teacher and student as well as colleagues. With such a relationship, how could Athis be so... sad because of Snape's death?

Yes, it's sadness.

Now, Athis gave Harry the feeling that his soul had been sucked out of him. He was surrounded by a heavy aura of death and his every move was like a walking corpse. It was difficult for him to describe Athis without feeling sad.

As Harry thought about this, Athis trudged towards Hermione.

Through tearful eyes, Hermione caught a glimpse of a shadow falling. For some reason, she subconsciously thought that the person coming was not Harry standing behind her, but Athis.

Hermione turned her head and met Athis's dead eyes. She wanted to say something blankly, but her throat was choked and she couldn't speak. She could only let go of Snape by instinct and make room for Athis.

Athis slowly bent his knees and half-knelt, then took Snape over.

His vision was not blurred, he clearly saw that Snape's chest was as calm as water, without the slightest rise and fall, as if he was bearing an unbearable weight. Aces' waist bent down little by little, his long hair falling with his movements, hiding his expression. He silently reached out his hand, slowly and tremblingly wiped away the tears from Snape's face. His movements were very gentle, as if he was afraid of disturbing something.

Hermione watched his cautious movements, as if something was struggling in her brain.

"Sev."

Athis tidied up Snape's slightly messy clothes and wiped off the blood on his body. Then he rolled up his sleeves to reveal the Dark Mark that had not disappeared. He raised his hand to cover it. A warm silver-white light flashed, and the hideous Dark Mark disappeared. He gently put down his sleeves and patiently buttoned his clothes.

After doing all this, Athis leaned over and gently kissed Snape on the center of his eyebrows, completing the sentence he had not finished just now.

"Don't be afraid, I'm coming."

Harry and Hermione were stunned.

Just then, a flash of inspiration came to Hermione, and she suddenly realized.

She remembered! She remembered everything. The two people in front of her were more than just friends.

Or... lovers.

"Did he...say anything at the end?"

Hermione said reluctantly: "Professor Snape asked me to look into his eyes. It seems that he is using Legilimency."

When Snape heard Hermione's words, his body spewed out venom before his brain even regained consciousness.

"What do you mean by seem? I can't believe Miss Know-It-All can't even be sure she was being legilimency. Even that idiot Potter could detect it."

After scolding Snape finally reacted.

He's not dead yet?

Snape frowned and looked at his hands.

A transparent hand came into view, and through the hand, he could see Athis holding his... body.

soul?

Shouldn't his soul perish along with his body?

This is not quite what he guessed.

"Wait, I remember now. There seems to be... your name. He didn't say it out loud, and I'm not sure if it's your name. The shape of his lips is a bit similar. I think there can't be anyone else except you."

Hermione's weak voice interrupted Snape's self-examination and thinking.

He pursed his lips unnaturally but did not refute. He still remembered the scenes before his death.

Apart from Ases, he really didn't care about anyone, nor did he want to care about anyone.

Aces remained silent.

The atmosphere also froze.

Hermione couldn't help but wonder if she shouldn't tell Athis.

Athis's silence forced Snape to overcome his homesickness. He no longer cared about anything else and walked up to Athis and squatted down.

"I hate talking to myself. You'd better pray you can see me." Snape muttered, and stupidly stretched out his hand and waved it in front of Athis.

When he saw that his hand was not reflected in Athis's pupils, his face changed slightly and he shook his hand again, "Athis? Can you hear me?"

Ases' eyes were still empty, but a subtle curve suddenly appeared on his lips.

Snape's eyes flashed with surprise and anger at being tricked. Just as he was about to vent his anger, he heard Aces say in a voice that couldn't be any softer: "My...name?"

The false surprise was shattered all over the floor.

Snape stretched out his hand without giving up, heading straight for Athis's face, but his fingers did not stop passing through Athis's long hair and cheeks.

Can’t you see, hear or touch it?

Snape withdrew his hand, frowning in thought.

So what is he now? Dead or alive?

How about lying back down and trying it?

What if he can still survive?

Before today, Snape would never have thought that one day he would want to make such a stupid attempt.

but……

He looked closer at Ases and found that Ases' face was even paler than his lying on the ground. He felt as if something pinched his heart suddenly and it hurt a little.

Never mind, no one saw it anyway.

Snape persuaded himself, gritted his teeth, hardened his heart, found the right position and lay down on the ground.

Then, without any accident, it passed through his body and lay on the ground.

Damn it!

Neither let him die, nor let him live.

Snape got up with a dark face, feeling ashamed, and stood behind Athis, pretending not to see anything.

Seeing that Athis hadn't said anything, Hermione plucked up the courage to walk forward and stepped on... the foot of Snape's soul.

Snape was in a bad mood, and when he saw the punching bag coming towards him, he was about to start scolding.

But when he turned around he saw the worry on Hermione's face.

After a few seconds of silence, Snape looked at Athis's bent back again, and finally, with a sullen face, he condescended to move from behind Athis to beside him, letting Hermione stand in his original position.

"Aces? Are you okay?"