[HP] This deer is not a deer

Harry was alone in a daze, his head buzzing with various questions, until Snape came back, his mouth opened and closed, a little unsure of what he was answering.

"I clearly underestimated you, Potter," Snape said quietly. "Who would have guessed you could do the Dark Arts? Who taught you that spell?"

"I, I think so."

"Where?"

"It's—in a book in the library."

"Lie." Snape looked into his eyes, Harry knew what he was going to do... The bathroom shook in front of him, and he tried to clear all thoughts, but no matter how hard he tried, the Half-Blood Prince's "Advanced Potion-Making" Still floating in front of my eyes vaguely...

What did the prince think when he copied such a spell into the book?What would Snape think of him? ——How did Harry get such a good grade in Potions class this school year?Would he confiscate or tear up the book that had taught him so much... the book that had become like a mentor and a friend?Harry couldn't let this happen... he couldn't...

Harry was full of puzzlement, Snape asked him to hand over the textbook, but he didn't, he lied to Snape.

"Is this your Advanced Potion-Making, Potter?"

"Yes."

"Then why is 'Luo Niao · Wei Qili' written on the back of the cover?"

"That's my nickname," he said.

"You know what I think, Potter? I think you're a liar, a liar. You should be sent to solitary confinement every Saturday until the end of term. What do you think, Potter?"

Harry stood in front of Snape bitterly, he couldn't refuse Snape's punishment, but it meant he couldn't play Quidditch, he was Gryffindor's Chaser... Harry looked Snape walked away from him smiling.

---

He didn't go to dinner, he had no appetite at all.He went back to the common room and told Ron, Hermione, and Ginny what had happened to him. It didn't seem necessary, and the news had spread like wildfire.

Moaning Myrtle apparently popped up in every bathroom in the castle to tell the story.Pansy Parkinson had been to the school hospital to see Malfoy, and immediately went around talking badly about Harry.Snape publicized the matter to the faculty, and McGonagall said he was lucky he wasn't expelled, and that she fully supported Snape's punishment: detention every Saturday until the end of term.

"I don't want to say 'I told you.' I told you there was something wrong with that prince-what," said Hermione. "Am I right?"

Harry had had enough too, he didn't want to hear Hermione continue to 'teach' him.He couldn't play Saturday's game anymore, and the look on the faces of the Gryffindor players was the biggest punishment at this time.

"Harry," said Hermione, "why are you still guarding that book, that charm—"

"Could you please stop nagging about that book?" said Harry, "He didn't suggest that anyone else use it! I did!—and he didn't write 'This is really good, try it'—"

"—yes, none of it's yours, so you don't deserve the title 'Potions Wizard'," said Hermione sharply.

Harry didn't refute Hermione's words. He covered his head and didn't want to talk to Hermione anymore. He also knew why Hermione was so mean. Hermione was right, why was he experimenting with 'unknown' spells?Snape had inadvertently taught him another lesson?

He should laugh at himself.Harry's heart was cut again, but he was wrong.

The next day he had to endure the taunts of the Slytherins, not to mention the wrath of the Gryffindors, who had been banned from the final match of the season because their captain had gotten into trouble.

The only boring thing left is the confinement that he should face, there is nothing to say, it is boring, enduring what seems to be an infinitely extended time, sorting out the old files specially prepared for him, those file boxes are full of cobwebs, Occasionally he could read his father's or Sirius' name, usually the two making mistakes together, sometimes adding Remus Lupine and Pettigrew Peter.

Maybe that's why Snape was thinking about him when he showed him this, Harry occasionally laughed to himself.

Harry tried not to mind the confinement, he just wanted to get through it.

Entering June, he hadn't dared to go back to the Room of Requirement to get his book, and his Potions grade had dropped because of this. Harry felt a little ridiculous at this time, and he even thought that Snape must still Didn't give up searching the prince's textbooks, he might be spying on him.Harry was sitting by the window in the common room, trying to finish his Herbology homework, when Hermione squeezed between him and Ron.

"The so-called Half-Blood Prince," said Hermione firmly. "I've been trying to find out who invented the Dark Charm as a hobby—"

"Maybe he didn't." Harry felt his argument was flimsy, but he argued unbearably.

"He—you said he was a man?"

"Prince, Hermione, prince!" Harry said irritably, not wanting to talk about him any more.

"Okay." Hermione said, blushing on her cheeks, took out a very old newspaper from her pocket, and threw it on Harry's desk, "Look at this! Look at the picture on it!"

Harry picked up the torn newspaper and stared at the old, yellowed photos of the event; Ron leaned over to look at it too.It was a thin girl of about 15 years old.She wasn't pretty, and looked a little surly and sullen.Her eyebrows were heavy and her face was long and pale.The caption below the photo reads: Eileen Prince, captain of Hogwarts Gobstones.

"Her name is Irene Prince. Prince. Harry."

"So you're trying to tell me she's half-breed...?"

They looked at each other, and Harry realized what Hermione was going to say.He wanted to laugh a little, but he seemed strangely relieved?

"There are no real princes in the wizarding world! This word is either a nickname, or someone's self-proclaimed title, or it may be a name, can't it? Listen to me! If she has a wizard named 'Prince' Dad, and her mother is a Muggle, then she could be the 'Half-Blood Prince'!"

"Maybe." Harry didn't argue, but he knew that the way he wrote didn't seem to have anything to do with girls.

But Harry preferred to believe Hermione's words.

"Where did you get this picture?"

"The library," said Hermione confidently, "there's all the old Daily Prophet. I'll try to find more material with Erin Prince on it."

"Okay, thanks," said Harry.

"what?"

"Nothing," said Harry, "I think you're right."

He had his detentions coming up this Saturday, and Harry hated them, he didn't want to be with Snape, he'd rather see the beautiful weather outside.

That night, Jimmy Perks brought Dumbledore's letter. After thinking about it, Harry gave Ron and Hermione the rest of the Felicia, and he hurried out of the common room. By Peeves, he was throwing chalk stubs at Harry as usual, dodging Harry's defensive spells while giggling.

"Be careful I told the dean!" Harry warned him.

It wasn't until after Peeves escaped that Harry saw Professor Trelawney, she fell to the ground, and before she had time to hide the sherry fell on the floor, one of the bottles was broken.He had just noticed where they were standing: to the right a tapestry of dancing trolls, to the left the smooth, hard stone wall that marked the entrance to the Room of Requirement.

Harry said something to her, she said she heard shouting and cheering inside... Harry thought it was time to tell Dumbledore, and then she started raving again, and suddenly her bony hand grabbed Ha sharp wrist.

"Time and time again, no matter how I swing—"

She dramatically pulls a card from under her layers of shawls.

"—towers struck by lightning," she murmured, "disaster, misfortune, nearer..."

Harry didn't understand what Trelawney was saying again inexplicably, "I'm going to see him, we can go together."

Here we go again, Harry didn't want to hear this at all, Trelawney came back suddenly, she seemed to be happy to go to see Dumbledore with him, she complained for a while about the new centaur professor of astrology, she always Think he stole her job.Then, she began to boast again, "I clearly remember Dumbledore's first interview with me, he was deeply moved by me..."

Harry knew what had happened: Professor Trelawney had made the prophecy that changed the course of his life, the prophecy about him and Voldemort.

"...but then we were rudely interrupted by Severus Snape!"

"What?" Harry froze for a moment.

"...that very vulgar bartender was standing outside with Snape, and Snape was talking nonsense about going up the wrong stairs..." Professor Trelawney was still babbling, but Harry seemed to lose his hearing , she said strangely, "Harry, dear?"

"Harry?" She called again in doubt, Trelawney looked at Harry with a little fear, Harry stood there pale and motionless...

It was Snape who overheard the prophecy.It was Snape who told Voldemort the news of the prophecy.It was Snape and Peter Pettigrew who made Voldemort go after Lily, James and their son...

Harry couldn't hear anything.

He had burst into the headmaster's office, and for a long moment Harry could hardly speak.Phoenix Fox turned around and took a look, its bright black eyes reflected the golden sunset outside the window, sparkling.Harry's mind also seemed to be sluggish.

Fawkes screamed softly behind them, and Harry was still furious, "He eavesdropped outside the room - the prophecy - Trelawney said - she said -" Harry's voice sounded Panting sharply, he looked at everything in front of him. Against the bright red sunset, Dumbledore's face turned pale.After a while, Dumbledore didn't say a word.

Harry gasped, trying not to tremble, he wasn't afraid, but he had to calm down, he was even more afraid of an uncontrollable outburst—

"Harry," said Dumbledore quietly, "listen to me."

Harry tensed his back and gritted his teeth.

"Professor Snape made a serious—"

"Don't tell me it was a mistake, sir!"

"Please let me finish. Professor Snape made a serious mistake. He was still employed by Voldemort when he heard the first half of Professor Trelawney's prophecy. Since his master was very concerned about these, naturally He hastened to tell his Master what he had heard. But he didn't know then - and he couldn't possibly know - which boy Voldemort would go after after that, nor the parents who were slaughtered It would be someone Professor Snape knew, namely your mother and father—"

Harry couldn't help shaking his shoulders, he didn't know if he was angry or sad.

"Harry, you have no idea how much regret Professor Snape felt when he realized that Voldemort would have interpreted the prophecy that way. I believe it was the greatest regret of his life, and the reason he came back—"

But he found Dumbledore's explanation useless, and Harry yelled at Dumbledore—

Dumbledore didn't speak for a while, he seemed to be making up his mind.Finally he said, "I'm sure. I trust Severus Snape completely."

"You're leaving school tonight, and I bet you haven't considered that Snape and Malfoy might decide to—"

"Enough. Do you think I ever left school without protection this year? I haven't. Tonight, when I leave, there will be extra defenses everywhere. Please don't think I haven't Take the safety of my students seriously, Harry."

Dumbledore's voice became cold, and Harry took a few deep breaths, trying to stabilize his emotions, but to no avail, he knew that he had finally crossed an invisible bottom line.

"Would you like to come with me tonight?" Dumbledore was asking him.

"Yes." Harry said.