[HP] Aunt of the Savior

Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin, has disappeared.At a time like this, this is really a frightening event.

Thanks to Snape's letter, Lucius got the news before anyone else. The "Daily Prophet" even published a lengthy report on this later.Professor Slughorn has been teaching at Hogwarts for decades. Almost half of the wizards in the wizarding world have been his students. There is no lack of information about him in newspapers.The article puts forward various speculations and euphemistic nostalgia about the whereabouts of Professor Slughorn.Obviously, under the current situation, disappearance is almost regarded as equivalent to death.

However, those who are a little familiar with or understand Slughorn will not think so.At least in Slytherin, both Jody and Snape knew that nothing happened to Professor Slughorn at all.In fact, it was they who first discovered Professor Slughorn's disappearance.

If Professor Slughorn hadn't disappeared that day, they would have simply tried to persuade him to meet Voldemort this summer.However, their dean obviously completely eliminated this possibility before they spoke.

The door of the office was open, and the room looked much empty compared to before.Gone are the photographs of the students Professor Slughorn was so proud of, as did the bottles of wine he kept on the shelves and the boxes of pineapple preserves.From these details, it can be seen that his disappearance has absolutely nothing to do with others-at least no kidnapper who thoughtfully provided wine and candied fruit.

When Professor McGonagall asked why they were in Professor Slughorn's office at that time, they used the pretense of intending to ask the professor a question, but it was clear that Professor McGonagall didn't really believe that.She showed a suspicious expression about this answer, and looked at Jody for a long time with a look that contained complicated emotions.But in the end, the stern witch just sighed and said nothing.

Jody had been so successful in "falling" this year that she didn't even come home at Christmas, and now even the Potters stopped writing to her.Although she had already prepared psychologically, when she saw Professor McGonagall's expression, she still felt unspeakably uncomfortable.

"If you're going to send a letter, use my owl!" Since Jody became a "quasi-Death Eater" in the eyes of everyone, Liz hadn't delivered a letter for her for a long time.She didn't want to show her vulnerable emotions, but when she saw Liz and Darcy still standing affectionately together in the owl shack, she couldn't help being a little shaken.

Snape immediately habitually held Jody's hand tightly, and she immediately held him back and smiled at him.His warm palms can always restore her calmness and courage the fastest, and he understands better than anyone else how she has struggled to get used to this loneliness that she has never experienced in this year.If there is any thing that develops in a good direction this year, it is probably because of the common secret that makes them closer, and getting along with each other becomes more and more natural accordingly.

It's a pity that the little red-haired witch who once wanted them to get along with each other would never sit with them in the library to study again.

Last Christmas, Jody stayed at Hogwarts for the first time.When she told Snape of this decision, she was amazed to see such obvious sparkle of happiness dancing in the eyes of the normally indifferent boy.And the heat of this spark is enough to drive away the loneliness of Jody leaving home for Christmas for the first time.

Snape would never tell Jody that it was actually the best Christmas in his life, because finally someone who really cared about him was quietly by his side, and finally someone who could listen to him seriously Just one word: Merry Christmas.The pleasant memories of two consecutive Christmases finally allowed Snape to successfully transform into a physical Patronus, but due to its shape and the busy preparations for OWLS afterwards, he hadn't been able to mention it to Jody.

"Slughorn disappeared on purpose." Snape whispered as he watched Liz leave with his letter. "He ran away, I know."

"Cunning and cautious, our Head is clearly a Slytherin." She nodded approvingly.After the two sides reached a superficial honesty and trust, Jody also participated in Snape's plan to win over Professor Slughorn, and they even managed to persuade him to provide some unruly magic guidance, without any It was expected that he would leave suddenly.

Snape didn't answer, his expression was ugly.

It was only now that he had to admit that both he and Lucius had underestimated his vulgar and philistine Slytherin headmaster from the very beginning.He had thought that the cowardly and greedy Potions Professor would be the inevitable prey in his trap, and he would sacrifice this prey to the Dark Lord's throne to become the capital for him to gain a foothold in front of the Dark Lord.But in the end, the other party was like a chameleon, using the protective colors around him, and fled to a safer place calmly, and he didn't even have a clue about it.

—and now that he thought about it, he didn't even know where Professor Slughorn spent his annual summer vacation.But obviously, even if they could find Professor Slughorn's house now, it would probably be empty.

Snape felt particularly ashamed at the thought that the other party might secretly laugh at his own naivety.

The warm wind in June is very comfortable, the OWLS exam is over, and the summer vacation is coming soon.But neither Jody nor Snape felt this sense of relief at the end of the exam and ushering in the holidays.This school year they have not been so relaxed, just like now, although they stand side by side silently by the window of the owl shack, looking down at the lawn outside the castle, it is impossible for them to be as relaxed as the people on the lawn joy.

Now almost every grade in the school has students who drop out or suspend temporarily due to the death of their family members, and the fifth grade is no exception. However, there are also some senior students who have suspended school before taking the exam this time, so the number of people who took the exam is quite small. It didn't look too pitiful.

Just after two weeks of OWLS exams, most students will choose to go outdoors to relax their tense and tired nerves during the preparation for the exam.There seemed to be a lot of people staying on the lawn at this time, but when viewed from a height, they were all as small as black spots that would keep shaking.

Jody wondered in his mind which of the dots would be James, Lily, or their friends.Even though it was that far away, there would certainly be no Slytherin students among them.She didn't know where other people in the college were spending time now, but she knew very well that if a Slytherin appeared by the lawn at this time, apart from arousing the vigilance of the people around, she would never receive any friendly welcome. treat.

——Actually, she would have been the exception... Thinking of this, she silently bit her lip.

Snape turned his head to look at Jody's profile.He knew that this year's lonely life was very difficult for her, and he even suspected that she would regret making such a dangerous and stupid decision before graduation: "What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking about what Lily said to me at the end of the exam," Jody smiled bitterly at Snape's question next to him, "she's right, we can't keep avoiding her—we've got to talk to her." talk about."

"..." Snape's lips were drawn into a straight line. "I don't think that would be a pleasant conversation."

At the end of the OWLS exam, Lily finally got a chance to speak to Jody.In fact they haven't spoken to each other for almost a year.After what happened by the lake, Jody consciously avoided all opportunities to talk to Lily.No doubt Lily was hurt by what she did, but in the current Hogwarts, Jody thought it would at least make Lily happy with her other friends.Besides, she didn't want Lily to be involved in her dangerous plan again.

"But Lily won't give up," Jody said, glancing at Snape. "I think you know this better than I do? Lily suggested that we meet in Cokeworth Town. She thinks it will be safer because most of the Muggles live there."

"If you want to have a good chat with her, for example, about your dangerous plans." Snape said in a stiff tone, "then Cokeworth Town is indeed a good choice.

Actually Snape didn't like the idea at all.He didn't want Jody to see where he grew up at all.If Jody came to Cokeworth, would he invite her to his house?Thinking of the terrible surroundings in Spider's End, Snape felt extremely embarrassed.He also did not want Jody to see his parents, one cold and sullen, the other coarse, and Jody could not be received in a friendly manner.

"I don't intend to tell Lily so many things." It's a pity that Jody didn't guess what Snape meant, and she smiled lightly, with a bitterness in her laughter: "How could I tell my biggest secret all about me?" What about your friends? Severus, you and I both know how much Lily hates the Dark Arts, how much she hates the Dark Lord. We both know what kind of conversation that's going to be, don't we?"

Yes, they all knew what kind of conversation it was—a heavy conversation that signaled the rupture of friendship and the collapse of trust piled up with deception and concealment.

Jody originally planned to go to Cokeworth Town to find Snape and Lily as soon as he was on vacation.But they had to change their plans before they even left Hogwarts.Because Liz brought back Lucius' reply letter, Lucius, who always likes to play tricks, this time the reply letter is also very concise and crisp.

"To Miss Potter and Severus:

The Dark Lord proposed to invite the two to meet at Malfoy Manor on July 7.

L·M

If it weren't for the fact that the letter was written in Lucius' gorgeous italics, Jody couldn't believe that her plan to get close to Voldemort would have progressed so quickly and smoothly.She tried her best to ignore the tension and anxiety in her heart, and handed the letter in her hand to Snape beside her.

"It seems that we have to go to see Lili later..."