Chapter 954: Chapter 954: Pretty Accessories
"Patrol the castle? Of course, no problem."
When Kyle found Nearly Headless Nick in the third-floor corridor, the ghost accepted the task without hesitation and immediately floated up through the ceiling.
But he quickly drifted back down again.
"But may I ask why... or if there’s anything I should pay special attention to while patrolling?"
"Just keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Kyle said after thinking for a moment. "Professor McGonagall suspects Voldemort might still be in the castle, so—"
He was cut off by a sudden shriek.
"Oh, By Merlin’s beard—did you just say You-Know-Who’s in the castle?!"
Kyle couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but Nearly Headless Nick looked even paler than before.
"Don’t panic, Sir Poppington," Kyle said quickly. "Voldemort definitely isn’t in the castle. Professor McGonagall’s just being cautious... It’s like checking the door’s locked before you leave the house."
"And besides, Sir Poppington, I don’t understand why you’d be scared anyway. Even if Voldemort were here, he couldn’t exactly hurt you, could he?"
Nearly Headless Nick paused.
That was true—he was a ghost. What was there to be afraid of?
"Well... even if I don’t need to open doors to pass through rooms, I suppose you’ve got a point."
Trying to regain his dignity after his outburst, Nick straightened up and adopted a more serious tone.
"In that case, I’ll gather my friends to help out. You know, I have many ghostly acquaintances—we can check every corner of the castle quickly, and without any safety concerns."
"Of course. Everyone knows Sir Poppington of Hogwarts has a wide social circle," Kyle said with a smile.
Ghosts loved a bit of flattery.
In an instant, Nearly Headless Nick forgot his earlier embarrassment and happily soared back through the ceiling to rally the spirits.
...
Kyle then headed to the school gates.
"Kingsley—I didn’t expect you to be the Auror stationed at Hogwarts."
"Lucky, isn’t it?" Kingsley said with a grin. "My current assignment is far easier than what the others are dealing with at the Ministry."
"That’s true enough."
"I heard you disappeared from the castle earlier," Kingsley added. "What happened? Even Chris showed up."
"Nothing serious, just a misunderstanding."
"Well, as long as you’re all right." Kingsley nodded. "So, what brings you here?"
"Professor McGonagall wants the Aurors and Hit Wizards to search the Forbidden Forest again—see if anyone might’ve slipped through the cracks."
Having learned his lesson earlier, Kyle didn’t mention Voldemort at all this time—no point stirring up unnecessary panic.
"Sure, that’s fine." Kingsley agreed without hesitation. "I’ll leave a few people here to keep watch. But Minerva should arrange for a professor who knows the forest well to guide us."
"No problem. Just go find Hagrid—he lives in a cabin right on the forest’s edge."
"Oh, the one with the pumpkin patch in front?"
Kyle suddenly remembered that he was technically Hagrid’s neighbor now and quickly added, "Right, that one."
"I know it," Kingsley said with a nod, then turned and headed off toward Hogsmeade.
Honestly, patrolling the perimeter was getting dull. With McGonagall finally giving him something more hands-on, Kingsley was almost eager to get moving.
Especially since the mission involved the Forbidden Forest.
There wasn’t a single Hogwarts graduate who wasn’t at least a little curious about what lay inside. This was a rare chance to enter the forest officially—and experience what they’d never been allowed to explore as students.
...
Once Kingsley had left, Kyle made his way back toward the Quidditch pitch, where Professor McGonagall was waiting.
She seemed to be expecting him.
When she saw Kyle, she didn’t say a word—just gave a slight nod and resumed walking forward naturally.
Neither of them made any attempt to hide, so it wasn’t long before the others spotted them.
"Professor McGonagall..." Kanna stood up nervously. "I..."
"You don’t need to say anything, Miss Prince. I already know everything." McGonagall shook her head gently, signaling her not to worry.
She then looked past her to the middle-aged wizard standing behind.
"Severus..."
"...It’s me," Snape replied after a brief silence.
McGonagall opened her mouth as if to speak, but then hesitated. After a long pause, she finally looked directly at him.
"Your Transfiguration really isn’t very good. So many flaws. I don’t understand—why didn’t you just use Polyjuice Potion?"
"I meant to..." Snape hadn’t expected her first remark to be a critique of his Transfiguration skills.
"But when he passed by me, I couldn’t get any of his hair."
Kyle instinctively glanced at the top of "Snape’s" head.
Hmm... a bit more hair than Slughorn, but pulling one out would still be rather cruel.
He pressed his lips together tightly to keep from laughing.
Even McGonagall’s mouth twitched slightly before she regained her composure.
Still, the ice was broken, and the two skipped right past any formal greetings.
"I just reviewed the memories Albus left behind," McGonagall said directly. "So there are some things you don’t need to explain to me. I know about the messages you were passing on his behalf."
"I owe you an apology. Until now, I truly believed you were a traitor to Hogwarts."
"There’s no need to apologize, Minerva," Snape said, shaking his head. "Because I was a traitor."
"It’s not the same," McGonagall replied. She reached out her hand. "I’m glad we didn’t end up on opposite sides. Welcome back, Severus."
"Thank you."
They shook hands—just like they were meeting for the first time.
"But Severus, there are some things I need to say in advance—consider it a professional courtesy."
Professor McGonagall’s tone was firm. "First of all, that memory proves your innocence—but only that. There are still questions it doesn’t answer, and we’ll need you to fill in the rest."
"I think you know what I’m referring to."
"Yes, I do," Snape nodded.
What else could it be but the matter of him rescuing Voldemort?
Snape had already prepared an explanation for that.
"Good." McGonagall didn’t press further.
"Before coming here, I asked Everard to use his portrait at the Ministry to inform Amelia. She should be waiting for us in her office—though it might also be the interrogation room. Are you ready?"
As she spoke, she glanced again at Kanna. "Or we can delay a bit, if you prefer—but best not keep her waiting too long."
"No, that’s not necessary." Snape shifted back into his true form, prompting a wave of startled gasps from those nearby.
They had already noticed Professor McGonagall and Kyle’s arrival and had been watching them closely. When the middle-aged wizard transformed into Snape, everyone stared in disbelief—some even drew their wands.
That alone made Snape’s position clear: after revealing himself, staying here any longer was no longer an option.
"Since you’ve made your decision... very well," McGonagall said quietly.
After seeing the memory, her feelings toward Snape had become deeply conflicted.
She had wanted to feel sympathy for him—he had seemed so helpless in those early memories, and his shattered state after learning Lily was dead was genuinely painful to watch.
But she also knew who had caused it all. If Snape hadn’t revealed the prophecy, Voldemort never would have targeted Lily in the first place.
And with that thought, her sympathy evaporated. Yet she couldn’t deny that Snape had worked tirelessly to atone. That effort had dulled the edge of her resentment.
"Let’s go," McGonagall said. "I sincerely hope we can still be colleagues, Severus."
"I hope so too."
"So... need a hand?" Kyle, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.
"Word’s probably spread by now—people are already heading this way. To keep from getting surrounded, I can have Fawkes take you there."
"Just three herbs, and you’ll be at the Ministry instantly. Not a bad deal. Besides, no one else gets this kind of ride."
"Fawkes..." McGonagall tilted her head in thought. "That could work..."
"No!"
Snape practically leapt on the spot like he’d been burned.
"I’d rather walk to the Ministry than let that phoenix carry me again!"
McGonagall blinked in surprise at his outburst. "Severus?"
"Trust me, Minerva—I don’t mind walking all the way to the school gates." Snape met her gaze seriously. "And unless it’s absolutely unavoidable, never—never—let the phoenix Apparate you."
"And don’t ask what happened," he added quickly as McGonagall opened her mouth. "Just think of it as friendly advice—from one colleague to another: stay far away from phoenixes."
McGonagall didn’t understand what he meant, but judging by the look on his face—like he was remembering something truly awful—she decided not to ask.
Kyle, however, looked visibly annoyed.
How could Snape speak that way about Fawkes? That was incredibly rude. If Fawkes hadn’t flown him into that forest, he might not have made it back alive.
What a shame—Snape’s refusal meant he wouldn’t get the new photo he’d wanted...
With a sigh, Kyle tucked the camera he’d prepared for Fawkes back into his pouch.
Still, Snape had a point.
Ever since he’d revealed himself, more and more people had begun gathering nearby. If McGonagall hadn’t been present, they would have swarmed already.
More were on their way—Kyle could see Aurors and Hit Wizards approaching. At this rate, they’d be surrounded within minutes.
"No other choice, then... I’m not sure it’ll work, but let’s try," McGonagall said, drawing her wand and murmuring a spell under her breath.
A moment later, something shimmered faintly.
Then she grabbed Snape’s arm firmly—
CRACK!
With a sharp, echoing pop, both of them vanished on the spot.
"Apparition? That’s impossible!" someone cried out. "You can’t Apparate inside Hogwarts!"
To prove the point, he tried it himself—his face turned beet red with the effort, but he didn’t move an inch.
Exactly—Apparition was forbidden at Hogwarts. So how...
"It’s a privilege of the Headmaster," Kyle explained to Kanna, who stood nearby, still stunned. "The Headmaster of Hogwarts has the authority to temporarily lift the restriction in certain areas.
"For example, sixth-year students practice Apparition in zones where the anti-Apparition wards are lifted."
"I see." Kanna nodded.
She looked at Kyle. "My uncle told me everything. Thank you..."
"Thank me?"
"You saved him. I know you did." Kanna glanced in the direction Snape had vanished. "He won’t admit it, but I’m sure it was you. So... thank you."
Kyle shook his head and glanced at Kanna’s wrist.
"Strictly speaking, it was you who saved him."
The phoenix bracelet had already been returned by Snape, and now it rested once again on Kanna’s wrist.
But of the original two phoenixes, only one remained.
"I really didn’t expect you to give it to him," Kyle said. "But it’s a good thing you did—otherwise, he wouldn’t have made it back so easily."
Back then, only soul-targeting magic could have expelled the fragment of Voldemort clinging to Snape. Without it, Snape might’ve ended up like Quirrell, with a second face growing out the back of his head.
The problem was, Kyle’s options were limited. The only soul-affecting spell he knew—if it could be counted as one—was Fiendfyre.
Fiendfyre did burn souls... that had to count, right?
But there was no way he could use that on Snape.
And if the Killing Curse wasn’t an option either, he would’ve had to let Rosier try the Cruciatus Curse.
Voldemort’s soul was already fragile—it wouldn’t have held up for long. But Snape would have suffered for it, and if it dragged on, his own soul might’ve started to unravel too.
The Killing Curse was still the best option: fast, clean, and with fewer complications.
Just... a little extravagant.
"I just wanted to give it a try. I didn’t think it would actually work." Kanna glanced at her wrist. "I’d tried to give it to you several times before, but I could never get it off."
"Probably because of the potion," Kyle said, shrugging. "Its main ingredient is Phoenix Potion—Snape brewed it himself."
"Bit of a shame, though. Now it’ll only protect you from one more Killing Curse."
"That’s fine..." Kanna lowered her arm again. "Even if both uses get spent, it doesn’t matter. Like you said, the Phoenix Potion was brewed by Uncle Snape—so in a way, it’s gone back to its rightful owner."
"And..."
She looked up at Kyle, paused, then added softly, "With you around, I never have to worry about curses, do I?"
"So for me, it’s just a pretty accessory. Nothing more."