"We should tell Dumbledore—or Professor McGonagall!" Hermione immediately said. "This is way beyond what we can handle as students! And Harry, you shouldn't have come back so soon. What if the professor's in danger?"
"Oh, come off it. None of the professors will believe us—they all think we're just kids," Ron grumbled. "But they've forgotten that we took down a troll! Most adult wizards couldn't even do that!"
"Still, Hermione's right," Harry admitted with a sigh. "I shouldn't have come back so early. I should've kept an eye on Snape. If he tries anything again, we could stop him."
"Don't worry," Ron said confidently. "The professor must've been on guard for a while now. Remember? He didn't even drink the potion Snape gave him! And honestly, I think Professor Gold is the strongest wizard in the school—aside from Dumbledore, of course! Snape's a slimy git; he doesn't stand a chance!"
Ever since Ron had received the new wand Charles made for him, he had become the man's most loyal defender. That wand worked far better than his old one.
"You shouldn't use foul language," Hermione scolded sharply.
"But I was talking about Snape!"
"Fine. Just this once."
"So what do we do now?" Harry asked.
"I still don't feel at ease," Hermione said after a moment's thought. "At the very least, we should check on Professor Gold—just in case something happens."
"But if Snape catches us—"
"So what? He doesn't control where we go! It's not like the professor's office is inside the Forbidden Forest!" Hermione declared loudly. At this point, breaking school rules didn't seem nearly as frightening as before—so why should this stop her?
The three of them set off immediately.
Meanwhile, in Charles's office.
Snape watched Harry run out, then slammed the door shut. Only after that did he turn his sharp, obsidian gaze toward Charles.
"I heard from Dumbledore… it was you who captured Peter Pettigrew—the real murderer who betrayed Lily and James Potter?" Snape's expression flickered between grief and rage, his features twisting as he tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress his emotions.
"Yes, that was me. What about it? You interested in the story?" Charles asked, his tone casual and deliberately provoking. "Funny, though—I thought you and James Potter didn't exactly get along."
He couldn't help but enjoy watching Snape's tsundere frustration.Shame that sort of attitude had gone out of style ages ago.If Snape hadn't been so prideful and awkward back then, Lily Evans and James Potter might not have gotten together so easily.
Still, Charles thought, even without that, a Snape who once sought to follow Voldemort could never have ended up with Lily in the end.
"Of course!" Snape spat through gritted teeth.James Potter was better off dead!Only Lily…
"Peter Pettigrew helped me kill James Potter. I never got the chance to thank him for that," Snape said bitterly. "But now he's been sentenced to life in Azkaban!"
That rat didn't deserve to live—not even to suffer in prison.He deserved to drink Snape's most lethal poison and die writhing in agony and regret.
But since Pettigrew was already locked away in Azkaban, Snape couldn't do anything. At least the Dementors there would ensure his life was anything but pleasant.
Still, Snape hadn't come here to discuss that.
"Dumbledore said… you somehow knew of his crimes beforehand. Are you… a Seer?" Snape asked, studying Charles intently.
He'd only heard this a few days ago—during the Christmas holidays, when Dumbledore explained everything to him in his office.
Anything concerning Lily, Snape wanted to know in full detail.And as Dumbledore recounted the events, Snape had quickly deduced that Charles Gold might actually possess the gift of prophecy.
Otherwise, how could he have known what even Dumbledore didn't?Legilimency didn't explain it—not even close. And honestly, who would randomly use Legilimency on… a rat?
So, of course, he'd asked Dumbledore directly—and the Headmaster had confirmed it.
That confirmation had left Snape uneasy.If Charles could know about Pettigrew's past, did that mean he also knew his?
Snape had a sinking feeling he did.
And if that were true… then a lot of Charles's past "coincidences" suddenly looked intentional.For instance, that time last term when Draco Malfoy had insulted Hermione Granger as a Mudblood—Charles had deliberately brought it up right in front of him.And he'd even mentioned Snape's own humiliating past!
"So—how much do you know?"
"If you're talking about your personal history," Charles said calmly, "then honestly, not much."
He began counting on his fingers—one by one—until he ran out of fingers altogether.
"Oh, just a tiny bit. Like… your little friendship with Lily Eva—no, Lily Potter—before you both came to Hogwarts. And the small conflicts you had with the Marauders—James Potter and his gang. Like when they hung you upside down using your own spell, pulled your trousers down—"
Snape's face contorted.
"—or when you called Lily a Mudblood, or nearly got yourself killed when they tricked you into going near Lupin while he was transformed, or when you spied outside Lily's house, or overheard the prophecy…" Charles listed casually.
"That's all. Really, not much!" he added with exaggerated sincerity.
Snape's expression twisted even further.
Not much?He practically knew everything!
For a brief, dangerous moment, Snape seriously considered silencing Charles Gold forever.But after a quick reality check on his chances, he wisely dismissed the idea.
What infuriated him most was that even after learning all this—and capturing that filthy rat Pettigrew—Charles hadn't handed him over to Snape!
Was he no longer the most "respected and beloved Head of House" in Charles's eyes?Well… probably not.
Snape drew in a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
No matter what, Pettigrew's fate was already sealed. Sooner or later, he'd likely receive the Dementor's Kiss—a fitting end.
Snape had only come here for one reason: to remind Charles to keep those secrets buried forever.
"Don't worry," Charles said lightly. "I already promised Dumbledore I wouldn't breathe a word."
He didn't press further; no point in pushing Snape past his breaking point.After all, once truly angered, Snape could make daily life quite… inconvenient.
Still, it was amusing, having such leverage over him.
(End of Chapter)