Hogwarts: This Wizard is Unscientific 66
by adminChapter 66: The Bystander: Helena Collins
“Andy, thank you for the gift.”
Andy had just settled down when Harry approached. He asked, “Andy, where did you take those photos? You know, I’ve never seen pictures of my parents.”
“Oh, those photos! I took them in Godric’s Hollow. It’s said that Godric Gryffindor was born there, and the valley is named after him,” Andy explained. “My grandfather lives there. Your parents… well, they were there too… oh, sorry.”
“It’s alright!” Harry quickly said. “If you have the chance in the future, could you take me to Godric’s Hollow? I want to pay my respects to my parents.”
“Of course,” Andy replied.
“Thank you!”
After thanking Andy, Harry returned to the Gryffindor table.
Andy then felt someone watching him; the gaze made him feel like he had a knife at his back.
It was Snape.
Andy felt that Snape not only wanted to deduct points, but might even want to poison his food.
*What’s wrong with him?* Andy thought. *I gave him a Christmas present, and I get an enemy in return?* *Does he only feel comfortable when he’s constantly opposing me?*
…
After the feast, the Christmas holiday officially ended, and the new term began.
On Monday morning, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had consecutive Potions classes.
Andy finally realized that Snape’s gaze last night wasn’t his imagination. Snape’s temper seemed exceptionally bad after the break; he targeted students from both houses relentlessly.
Andy was deducted five points for yawning, Snape citing disrespect for the professor.
Hermione was deducted two points for guiding classmates in potion-making, Snape claiming she was disrupting others.
Simultaneously, Andy was deducted another two points for allowing others to make mistakes.
Throughout the two Potions lessons, Snape behaved like he was going through menopause (a period of hormonal change in women, often associated with irritability), disliking everyone and finding reasons to deduct points for even the slightest actions.
Snape’s verbal dexterity had also reached near mastery. He could, without using any swear words, reduce a student to a state of mental collapse with his slow, deliberate speech.
All the students were silent, silently praying for the two Potions lessons to end quickly.
After Potions, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
“Collins… you stay behind,” Snape suddenly said.
“Yes, Professor!” Andy shrugged, giving Hermione a reassuring look, signaling her to go to the Great Hall for dinner.
All the students looked at Andy, their expressions as if they would be offering incense at Andy’s grave on this day next year, filled with sorrow and tragedy.
“Professor, what is it?” Andy asked after the other students had left.
Andy also wanted to know what Snape had taken.
Snape’s empty eyes stared fixedly at Andy. Andy quickly looked away, avoiding Snape’s gaze.
“Collins…”
Snape stared at Andy, and in a slow, deliberate tone, asked, “About… that matter, how much do you know?”
*That matter?*
Andy thought Snape was asking about Quirrell, so he said frankly, “I did feel something was wrong with Quirrell. He said he was attacked by a vampire, but I didn’t believe him.
“And he completely neglected his teaching duties, which is not the behavior of a professor. Professor Binns’ classes are also boring, but at least he teaches seriously.”
*Is that so?* Snape felt Andy knew more than that.
“That’s not what I’m asking about.”
Snape’s face was grim. He pulled out a Christmas card and asked, “What is the meaning of this?”
*Oh, that’s it!*
Andy looked puzzled. “Professor, Merry Christmas… What’s wrong with that? I just hoped you’d start a new life.” *I just don’t want to see a magical genius self-destruct. What’s wrong with that?* *And what happened to you back then wasn’t some shameful secret, was it?* *You bullied Gryffindors in school and tried to recruit naive Gryffindor girls into the Death Eaters, but now you’ve reformed!* *Or maybe Hermione was right.* *Snape’s reformation, is it connected to that Gryffindor girl?*
Unfortunately, Helena had always refused to reveal the Gryffindor girl’s name, and Andy still didn’t know who she was.
Snape stared intently at Andy.
After receiving the card, he felt something was amiss.
Snape even investigated Andy’s family background, discovering Andy’s mother—Helena Collins.
Snape and Helena didn’t have any conflicts, but deep down, Snape had a difficult, shameful, and painful memory.
And this memory was related to a spell.
*The Knockback Jinx!*
Helena was a bystander then, witnessing everything and knowing what happened.
If Helena and Andy talked about her school days and told Andy this as a joke—Snape thought he might as well hang himself.
It wasn’t impossible.
Imagine: her child was at school, and the child’s professor was her classmate. It was Christmas, and mother and son sat by the fireplace, talking about their experiences at Hogwarts.
What a beautiful and heartwarming scene!
This thought tormented Snape throughout Christmas. If Helena mentioned anything, and Andy told Harry…
Oh, no!
At the thought, Snape felt he was going mad.
“Even if you heard something, you better not spread it around,” Snape threatened in a low voice.
“Uh…”
Andy looked confused. “Am I supposed to have heard something? Could it be…”
Snape seemed nervous.
Andy looked at Snape and said, “Professor, don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret.”
Andy suddenly realized that what happened back then and the story Helena told might not be entirely the same.
After all, Helena viewed events from a Gryffindor perspective, which might be biased.
Of course, this didn’t concern Andy.
Andy pretended to know something, perhaps he could use this secret to control Snape.
“My mouth is very tight!”
Andy gave Snape a meaningful look. Seeing Snape about to explode, Andy decided to end the conversation immediately.
“I have an aunt,”
Andy said, “If you decide to start a new life, I can introduce you.”
Snape took a deep breath, “Get! Out! Of! My! Office!”
With that, Andy turned and left.
As he reached the door, Snape’s implicitly threatening warning echoed behind him: “Remember your promise, don’t say anything!”
(End of Chapter)
Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter
0 Comments