[HP] Astringent

"Deng-deng--" a knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

"I'm really busy today, aren't I?" Vanessa said as she went to open the door.

Snape stood outside the door, holding a large cup of potion that was eerily steaming.He turned his hand back just as Vanessa was about to take the potion, projecting unmistakable disgust on Harry through his bright eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, it's just that the soundproofing in this office is not ideal, what absurd lies I have heard." He deliberately raised his voice so that Harry could hear clearly .

Sure enough, Harry looked over, and the two stared at each other hostilely.

Vanessa said with a smile on her face, "Severus, are you here? You see, I forgot to get the potion when I was busy, and I need to trouble you to bring it."

She hurriedly took the potion, gasped for air from the heat, and tilted the cup, but fortunately Snape held it up, and the potion returned to him.Vanessa pinched her earlobes with her hot, red fingers, trying to cool them down.Snape snorted heavily, glanced at her, walked straight into the office, and put the potion firmly on the desk.

"It's just a small thing like a potion, of course you don't have to worry about it, it's better than Potter's glorious deeds."

Harry wondered for a moment before realizing that Snape was talking about his father.His eyes were round and round, and his lake-like pupils solidified into bright emeralds.

Even those eyes were so similar to Lily's when she was angry, Vanessa quickly pressed the thought and said to Snape, "Severus, I can explain this."

In the middle of speaking, Vanessa noticed that Harry was still there, folded to the sofa and said to Harry, "Harry, can you go back first? Professor Snape and I still have something to talk about."

Apparently Harry thought it was Snape who was supposed to go, and he looked at him warily and asked Vanessa, "Are you sick?"

"Yes, there was a little accident some time ago."

Harry continued, "Why don't you go to Madam Pomfrey's?"

"I went to see it, but I need to drink potions for a while. You know, some potions can only be brewed by a few skilled wizards. The principal asked him to help."

"This potion smells... not very good." Harry sniffled.

Vanessa looked helpless, and said with a smile, "No way, it's made by Severus after all." But she didn't intend to answer any of Harry's questions, she pressed his shoulders, and said firmly, " Child, it's time for you to go back, can you close the door for us?"

Harry glanced unwillingly at Snape, who sat behind Vanessa's desk, carefully reading a book.If it weren't for the yellow and red decorations around, there would be an illusion of standing in a potion classroom.But Harry didn't think he was looking at all, but pricked up his ears to listen for the movement here.By the way, he also made the fire burn even hotter without authorization, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his entire back.

Vanessa put the remaining biscuits in an oiled paper bag, and said kindly: "For you three, can you help me deliver some to Hermione too? And go to bed early."

Harry knew he had to go, so he slowed down on purpose.

Vanessa pressed the book in Snape's hand: "In the name of Merlin, I don't think so, but I can't say in front of a child what a jerk his father was when he was young."

"Seeking truth from facts is a virtue, but unfortunately it doesn't belong to you."

"You should thank me for not having this virtue, because I have said a lot of good things about Lily." Vanessa spread her hands, "If you are not satisfied, why don't you tell me what else I can praise?"

"Van, Ni, Sha!" Snape looked at her with displeasure, and almost squeezed her name through his teeth.

The faint movement outside the door interrupted the two of them, and they looked towards the door vigilantly together—the door opened a crack.They tacitly shut up, and Vanessa looked out the door, and after making sure no one was there, she closed the door again.

Snape clipped the bookmark back to the previous page, and said critically: "After reading ten pages a day, I thought it would be more efficient to rely on your determination to join the Order of the Phoenix. It seems that I overestimated your brain."

"Yeah, it's always better than Lily."

Vanessa's light words made Snape's face completely black.She tidied up the desk as if she hadn't seen it, and put the scattered books back to their original places one by one.Afterwards, she found that Snape hadn't left yet, so she raised her eyebrows and said, "Is there anything else? If not, please go back early, maybe I have time to read two more pages of the book before going to bed. Like I'm so stupid that I must seize every moment."

Snape gave her a warning look: "Don't mention the past." After saying that, the door was slammed hard, and the tapestry on the wall was lifted by the wind and fell back to the wall.

The time spent together day and night for more than half a year will always give people the beautiful illusion that they will be like this for a lifetime.It's like a week of bright and sunny weather will make people mistakenly think that London is no longer a rainy city.

Vanessa threw away her armor and camouflage, and she could easily be stabbed with just one word.

She slumped on the sofa, burying her face in the soft cushions.

The Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw went on as scheduled, and it was a rare fine weather.Vanessa also took a break for herself and sat in the Gryffindor stands to watch the game.Mag was sitting next to her, staring at the sky nervously the whole time, like a statue made of stone, never moving his neck for a moment.

Vanessa couldn't help but sweat Harry as he dashed a few feet into the air, then swooped close to the field.Harry is usually a bit shy, but he is like a freed pigeon on the court, confident and free and easy. His signature messy hair was blown even more messy by the wind, really exactly like his father.

As the game progressed, the sun became particularly dazzling.Vanessa rubbed her eyes and asked McGonagall: "Minerva, I didn't expect you to pay so much attention to Quidditch?"

Mag said without looking back: "They have to work harder to win this game. Otherwise, we won't be able to win the Academy Cup for eight consecutive years."

"You remember so clearly."

McGonagall said, "Professor Snape kindly reminded me of this before."

Vanessa held back her laughter and nodded in agreement: "That means you have to work hard to win the game, but you can't make him happy."

The game was in full swing. Harry not only managed to get rid of Cho Chang, Ravenclaw's Seeker, and caught the Golden Snitch; he also successfully defeated four pretending Slytherin students with the Patronus Charm.

Lupine, Hagrid, Vanessa and a group of jubilant students surrounded him, all rushing to talk to Harry and congratulate him on leading the team to another win.

"That's a nice Patronus." Lupine looked both shocked and pleased.

In fact, Harry's physical Patronus still can't see its final appearance. It looks like some kind of large animal, strong and brave, with great strength.

Harry proudly said: "The dementors didn't affect me!" He looked at Vanessa, and Vanessa looked back at him with relief, "I didn't feel anything!"

Lupine said, "That's probably because they're, oh, not dementors. Just wait and see..."

Together they walked to where they could see the edge of the court.Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, along with Slytherin captain Marcus Flint, lay in a heap on the edge of the floor, all struggling to free themselves from their scarfed black robes.

McGonagall yelled angrily: "Despicable means! Conspiracy to frame the Gryffindor team's Seeker, obscene and cowardly, you will all be punished, and fifty points will be deducted from Slytherin House. Tell Professor Dumbledore about this, yes, ah, he is coming!"

Ron squeezed his way to Harry's side, laughing so hard that he couldn't straighten up.

After that, the Gryffindor fraternity went on for a day, and they also invited Vanessa, but as a teacher, she didn't want to affect everyone's interest.Mag was very happy, and drank several glasses of red wine in a row, looking a lot younger.

Vanessa has been mostly strengthening her Occlumency lately, and she has to learn to separate emotions from things.Not only was it to prepare for the mysterious man, but she also thought it was helpful in daily life - she didn't want to fall into feelings for Snape anymore.He thought that after so many years, what he could not forget was not love but obsession.But the soul piece in the crown woke her up suddenly, and pushed her into the quagmire she had struggled to break free from.

Vanessa barely fell asleep until early in the morning, when she was awakened by a rapid knock on the door.McGonagall's face was as white as chalk, and her bun was a bit messy: "Because Mr. Longbottom put the password on the note, Black picked up the note and successfully broke into the Gryffindor lounge." She was so angry that her voice was straight trembling.

Vanessa's heart sank, and she asked anxiously, "Are the students okay?"

"No, he broke in with a knife, and ran away after Mr. Weasley was awakened."

"Escaped? Why did he escape?" Vanessa frowned.

"The specific situation is not clear, Vanessa, can you help me search the Gryffindor Tower together?"

"No problem, I'll be right here."

When she put on an apricot robe and hurried to the Gryffindor lounge, Ron was telling the people around him about his distress experience: "I fell asleep, I heard the sound of tearing things, There was also Banban screaming. I thought I was dreaming, but there was another gust of wind... I woke up, and he was standing in front of me, pinching Banban ferociously. He must have been tortured in the prison and went crazy. Scabbers thought it was Harry...I tried to stop him from hurting my mouse, I yelled and Scabbers bit him so hard he saw me and ran away."

Seeing Vanessa, Ron said enthusiastically, "Auntie, are you here to ask what happened?"

"I've heard the whole story from afar."

Ron blushed: "Oh, then I can take a break, so I don't need to talk about it again."

The people around dispersed, and Harry and Hermione gathered together. Hermione hugged Crookshanks uneasily, and Crookshanks kept struggling to run away.

Vanessa asked, "Are you all okay?"

Harry replied, "It's okay, it's okay, we're all fine."

"No, Scabbers is missing! Maybe it's shivering under someone's bed," Ron said hastily.

"Don't mention it again, we can look for it when the professors confirm it's safe." Hermione interrupted him, and Ron clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.Fortunately, Harry stood between the two in time to avoid the escalation of the quarrel.

"You guys are better off staying with everyone and not acting alone."

After telling them, Vanessa changed and McGonagall split up, but found nothing.

Mag's face was heavy, and there was deep worry and fear in his eyes.

Vanessa said: "Blake has known the secret passage of the school since he was a student, so it is not surprising that he can escape."

"Yes." She clearly showed disgust, "I really misunderstood the people. I should have strictly disciplined them before, and I shouldn't have allowed them to make trouble and go out at night."

"It's not your fault, Minerva." She was still a little uncomfortable calling her by her first name, so she paused, "Why don't you ask Lupine?"

"you're right."

McGarry sternly went to find Lupine.