[HP] Astringent

After Dumbledore left, Snape walked over to the bed with no expression on his face.He held out his hand to Vanessa, who looked at him in bewilderment.

Snape said succinctly, "The left hand."

She hesitated and stretched out her hand, and put it on the palm that was bigger than her.He grabbed her ring finger mercilessly and looked around.The thin calluses on her fingertips seemed to rub against her fingertips, and the numbness touched her heartstrings. She pulled her fingers back uncomfortably, and he held them down again.

"What, what's wrong?" Vanessa stammered.

Snape didn't notice her strangeness: "Are you conscious?"

"It's a little... not obvious." She noticed that the charred black of her ring finger had receded to the third knuckle, as if she was wearing a widened ring.

"This scar won't go away." Snape let go of his hand, glared at her displeasedly, and said, "If you hadn't worn gloves and only touched a little, you wouldn't even die lying here now, let alone With a strong sense of justice, I joined the Order of the Phoenix."

"I didn't expect to meet him either... It's clear that there was nothing wrong with me the last time I went." She shrank her neck guiltily, "Does that mean you also have a sense of justice?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you also join the Order of the Phoenix?"

Snape was silent for a moment: "I don't know how you came to this conclusion."

"Dumbledore bailed you back then," Vanessa said, "not to mention she..." She stopped just in time.

"Lily," he paused for a moment, took a deep breath, "Lily Potter is indeed a member of the Order of the Phoenix, but whether I join or not has nothing to do with this matter."

"Do you still want to tell me that you are trying to cling to Dumbledore to save your life, or that you are a spy planted by the mysterious man?" Vanessa sneered, "Severus, it's fine to lie to others, you won't Think I'll believe your nonsense."

Since the reunion, Vanessa has been careful to avoid topics related to the past, and she doesn't know how to mention it.She was afraid that if she didn't pay attention, memories would become a knife in each other's hearts.So they are sometimes like close friends, and sometimes like strangers who meet by chance.

As far as Snape was concerned, not many people knew what happened back then, and he hid his feelings so well that it was hard to see the clues.Even if some people knew something about it, they thought that that relationship had been forgotten long ago, let alone mention it to him, only Vanessa.

Snape's expression darkened: "She's gone. There's no need for you to do this anymore, it won't do you any good."

"Why can't I participate because it's not good for me? Do you think I joined the Order of the Phoenix because of her? That's right, in your heart, I always dislike her, and you must compare and oppose her, don't you?" Vanessa's eyes narrowed.

"What does it matter?"

Vanessa asked: "Of course it has something to do with it!" Snape didn't answer, and she continued, "You're right to think so, she received a dress from Mrs. Magickin's robe for her birthday, so I have to buy it." Out of the box; there's a Hufflepuff suitor chasing her, and I'll have to date a Ravenclaw Quidditch captain..."

"I don't think it has any connection to what we're discussing."

"Of course there is no connection for you, you don't understand anything anyway."

Snape stared at her, and she stared back unwillingly.The two fell into silence, but Vanessa compromised first, and sighed long: "Can't I do something because of my own thoughts?"

"If it's because of John White, there's no need for you to do so. Those people would either die or be imprisoned in Azkaban."

"It's not just because of him. The mysterious man is still alive, and he will make a comeback. It won't be a matter of time before those people continue to do evil? Otherwise, what are you worried about?"

"You don't know your physical condition at all. The old injuries from before and the black magic this time have caused you great harm. If you can't heal properly, I'm afraid..."

"The most serious thing is death." Vanessa looked at Snape calmly, "I beg you, at least this time, don't try to persuade me again."

"No matter what you do, he, your fiancé, will never come back." He tried to dissuade him patiently.

Vanessa looked at the curtain on the inside, with the shadow of the whirling tree reflected on it, and the dry branches trembled slightly.

"I know. But I just need to think that I indirectly killed someone. He may be the person who loves me the most besides my parents. Before he died, I was arguing with him because I wanted to break off the engagement! It was me Forced him to drive the car back! If it wasn't for me..." She told the most regretful past in the calmest voice, "I can't sleep or eat just thinking about it. I have to do something, even if I can't make up for the past mistake, at least, at least it can help a few more people."

What's more, you are here, and I don't want to see death happen before my eyes and be powerless.Vanessa didn't say it, but engraved it in her heart.

Snape looked at her profile, which was still stained with mud, her long and curled eyelashes quivered slightly, like the stem of a butterfly falling off, and her red hair glistened in the sun.

"If this is your final decision." He spit out each word slowly and clearly.

"Severus, are you afraid of death?"

Snape was shocked by the twinkle in her eyes, shook his head without hesitation, and heard Vanessa say, "I'm not afraid either." She smiled and could melt a tree of snow and a puddle of ice.

"Compared to this, I'm more curious about which wizard in his right mind would send himself to the medical wing for a magic riot after possessing a wand."

Vanessa blinked innocently, surprised at how quickly the subject changed.Snape's dark, shining eyes expressed contempt to the fullest.

She knew that she couldn't hide, but admitting it frankly was tantamount to exposing her scars, and she struggled to death: "Do you really want to know?"

After the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam for the general level of wizards in the fifth year, Vanessa handed in the empty and filled test paper.She had estimated it, and she couldn't remember the answers to a few questions, but it should be no problem to pass.According to the past, she could not answer so many exams, but since Snape completely ignored her, she was no longer in the mood to date boys, and instead had a lot of time to review the exams.

Vanessa saw him walk out of the classroom with his head down, and followed without thinking.Usually, he can always sense that he is nearby at the first moment, and then avoid her.Now Snape was still immersed in the exam just now, which also gave Vanessa a chance.It is estimated that he can do well in the exam, and he should be in a good mood. Maybe he will forgive himself.

"Vanessa, wait a minute."

Someone stopped her from behind, and she almost cursed. Snape looked left and right, but a group of chattering girls passed by and blocked them.Snape continued to bury his head in the test questions, and followed the crowd out of the castle.

"May I ask what's your business?" Vanessa said impatiently to the Slytherin boy following behind. She couldn't remember whether this man was called Greens or Glass.Although she has been pestering her all the time lately, she doesn't remember his face clearly,

"There will be a transfiguration exam later, do you want to review together?"

It just so happens that someone with him can cover up the fact that she followed Snape quietly.Vanessa nodded indiscriminately, but her eyes followed Snape's back.

"Do you want to go to the Black Lake to read? It's a good idea, the weather is rare today."

"Let's go then."

Fortunately Snape didn't go far, he sat under the shade of a bush.He looked thinner, with a deep shadow under his eyes.Vanessa didn't dare to sit too close, and looked around for a suitable seat.

"How about going to the Black Lake?"

A group of chattering and laughing girls sat by the lake. They took off their shoes and socks and put their feet into the cool water of the lake.That place was facing away from the bushes, and Vanessa refused, "Go over there." She blocked the sun with her hands, and casually pointed to a white birch tree not far away.

"Will it be too noisy in there?"

"Just go there, don't talk anymore." She rolled her eyes in her heart.

But she regretted it after she sat down, and the four of Potter were also sitting nearby.Potter had been foolishly playing the Snitch, and Peter Pedillo, the thinnest boy of them all, let out a burst of cheers every time he made a catch.

The weather was already hot, and Vanessa was even more irritable.Fortunately, at this time, Black said: "Can you put that away, don't make Wormtail pee your pants with excitement."

Yes, yes, can you be quiet for a while, like Snape.Vanessa agreed in her heart.

Snape didn't sit for long, he stuffed the test paper back into his schoolbag, left the shade of the bushes, and was about to cross the lawn when Potter pointed at Snape and said to Black, "Padfoot, this time you Gotta cheer up, look who is that?"

Blake turned his head away and remained motionless for a moment, like a dog smelling a rabbit. "Excellent!" he whispered, "Snotlite."

Vanessa stared angrily at the back of his head, trying to poke a hole in his head.

The Slytherin boy said, "Snape's popularity is bad enough, and we Slytherins don't like him very much either."

"Stop it!" Vanessa scolded without looking back.

The boy looked at her unexpectedly, he didn't know what kind of friendship Vanessa had with Snape, and he was very fond of him. "Do you know Snape well?"

"Don't inquire about things that have nothing to do with you."

The boy shut his mouth tactfully.Vanessa has been paying attention to their every move.

Potter and Black took a few steps towards Snape, and Potter called out, "All right, Snotluck?"

Seeing their hands behind their backs, Vanessa gripped their wands tightly.She sat there anxiously, not knowing what to do.

Snape's reaction was quick, as if he was already prepared, he threw away his schoolbag, put his hands into his robes, and just pulled out half of his wand, Potter had already called out: "Disarm!"

Snape's wand flew for a long time, a foot high, and then landed on the grass behind him with a thud, and Black laughed loudly. "There are many obstacles," he said, aiming his wand at Snape, who was bending over to reach his wand, and Snape fell to the ground.

Vanessa stood up, rubbing her hands on her waist, stroking her wand.The Slytherin boy next to him grabbed him.

"Don't get involved in these things, let's go."

Vanessa freed himself from his grip.Just for a while, the surrounding students gathered around, some of them seemed a little worried, while others were watching the fun.Instead, Vanessa, the boy, Lupine, and Pediru became the outermost people.There were so many people in front of her that she could only understand what was going on inside through the cracks.

"How did you go on the test, Snivel?" Potter said.

"I saw him coming, and his nose was on the paper," said Blake maliciously. "Get the paper all over the place with oil, and they won't even try to read a word."

A few of the onlookers laughed, and Pedirou giggled harshly, too.Snape tried to stand up, but the spell was still attached to him, and he struggled, as if bound by invisible ropes.

There was nothing Vanessa could do, she simply couldn't beat Potter and Black, who were the best in Gryffindor's Defense Against the Dark Arts class.She looked to Lupine under the tree for help. He was reading a book on transfiguration, without saying a word, as if he didn't know what was going on here.

From the Black Lake came a girl with thick dark red shawl-length hair and bright green almond eyes - Lily Evans.She scolded: "Don't bully people!"

She did what Vanessa wanted to do but did not dare to do, nor was she able to do, and stood up to Potter and the others.

Potter's voice suddenly became deeper and more mature: "How are you, Evans?"

"Don't bully him," Lily said again, she looked at Potter with a disgusted expression, "how did he provoke you?"

"Well," said Potter, "mostly because of his existence, actually, if you know what I mean."

Many people laughed, the Slytherin boy laughed too, Vanessa didn't laugh, she lowered her eyes, her hands were tightly clenched into fists, and the nails that were deliberately long for the nail polish were sunk into her palms.

Lily didn't smile either, she said coldly: "You are nothing but an arrogant, bullying waste. Don't bully him again."

"I'll let him go if you agree to a date with me, Evans," said Potter immediately. "Come... date me, and I'll never wield a snot-nosed wand again."

While they were tangling, Snape's spell had been broken, and Black realized it, but it was too late, he got his wand back, and there was a flash of light, and a gash appeared on Potter's cheek .Potter turned sharply, and there was another flash, and Snape was already hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head, revealing pale, thin legs and graying old underpants.

That spell, Fuchsia, she recognized it!It was a spell of Snape's own invention!How dare they use spells invented by others against each other!

It's too much!Vanessa wanted to kill Potter in her heart.

Alice and Annie appeared out of nowhere, winked at Vanessa and said, "Potter and Snape got into a fight again? You don't want to stand up for Snape, do you?"

"I advise you not to go, it's not a good choice to fight against Potter for him. Unless you want to use this to attract the attention of Potter and Black."

She was silent, wondering if she should turn around and leave. Without knowing this, Snape definitely didn't want to be seen by others.She felt that she was the weakest and most useless Gryffindor, and she didn't dare to stand up at such a time.

Many people in the small circle of onlookers burst out laughing, especially Potter, Black, and Pediru.The anger on Lily's face twisted for a moment, as if trying not to laugh, she said, "Put him down!"

"Of course." Potter said, picking up his wand, and Snape fell to the ground and fell into a ball.

Not to be outdone, Black said: "All petrified!" Snape immediately fell down like a plank.

"Don't bully him!" Lily yelled, her wand already in her hand, and both Potter and Black watched her carefully.

Potter sighed deeply and muttered a counter-spell.He said dismissively, "You're lucky Evans is here, Snotty."

"I don't need the help of that dirty little Mudblood of hers!" said Snape.

Vanessa was startled, there was no way Snape would say that to Lily.She swayed, trying to find a gap to see what was happening inside more clearly.

Lily blinked.

"Okay," she said flatly, "I just don't care about you from now on. Also, if I were you, snot, I'd wash your panties."

"You apologize to Evans!" bellowed Potter, pointing his wand menacingly.

"I don't need you to make him apologize. You're both bad people."

Potter exclaimed, "I never called you by that name!"

"You think it's cool to mess your hair up and look like you just jumped off a broomstick, and play that stupid snitch endlessly...I'm amazed that a broomstick is still so good with a head as big as yours." Can take off, you make me sick."

She turned and walked away briskly, ignoring Potter's endless yelling, without looking back.

Potter paced back and forth in exasperation as he walked toward Snape maliciously, another flash of light, and Snape was hoisted upside down again into the air.

"Who wants to see me strip Sniffer's panties?"

enough!

A gust of wind blew by, the grass was blown to this side, and the branches shook violently.Everyone looked up at the sky, but the sky was clear without a cloud.

Enough!

The people standing in front of Vanessa seemed to be shaken away by a force. The wands of Potter and Black flew out, and a thick branch above their heads fell, and they were pinned to the ground and could not move.

There was a commotion in the surrounding people, Alice grabbed Vanessa's hand, and was pushed away by an invisible force.

"Vanessa, what's wrong with you?"

"It's a magic riot!" Annie exclaimed.

Vanessa's magic has been completely out of control, and she is immersed in the regret that she didn't stand up bravely to stop all this earlier, and the stones and fallen leaves are flying around.

"Go to the teacher quickly! Go!"

Vanessa felt that her strength was slowly drained, and the stones fell back to the ground one after another.Her vision went dark and she fell down.