In the headmaster's office, Dumbledore, with the help of Peeves' live recording and the Pensieve's live broadcast, witnessed clearly the process of Voldemort's main soul parasitizing Eris.
He felt both relieved and extremely on guard.
He was relieved that Voldemort was finally under his control, but he was also nervous as Voldemort was like a ticking time - bomb lurking in the Castle, and no one knew when it would explode, so he had to be on high alert.
It seemed he'd have to change his daily routine from now on.
...
Snape gritted his teeth through the pain and finished his morning classes. Then he rushed back to his office as fast as he could. He locked the door and closed the windows, and started brewing potions.
Different from Eris, Snape made potions purely to heal his own injuries.
However, while the physical pain could be treated with potions, the guilt and remorse in his heart were incurable.
The only thing that kept him alive and made him want to save himself was the belief of avenging Lily and protecting Harry Potter.
Of course, the reason he wanted to protect Harry Potter was simply that Harry was Lily's child.
He cherished the parts of Harry that were similar to Lily, but at the same time, he was repulsed by the parts of Harry that were the same as James.
His feelings towards Harry were so contradictory and complex that casually talking to Harry was difficult for him.
Actually, he couldn't have a normal conversation with most other people either.
In a sense, he thought that the torture he suffered today was not entirely unjust.
At least it felt very different from the time when the Marauders group, consisting of James, Sirius, Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, bullied him.
Dudley had a legitimate reason to act the way he did. He was more measured than the Marauders, stronger, more violent, and his blows were also more ruthless.
Snape had to re - examine and change his attitude towards Dudley and Harry in the future. Meanwhile, he planned to have a talk with the person he needed to talk to.
At night, after dinner time.
After drinking a special potion, Snape's injuries were more than 70% healed. With his usual cold and expressionless face, he walked at a steady pace up to the eighth floor of the Castle and stopped in front of the headmaster's office.
He gave a new password for the gargoyle statue guarding the door. Then he passed through the passage opened by the statue and entered the headmaster's office.
Sensing the entrance passage open, Dumbledore quickly waved his hand to disperse the image on the Pensieve. Then he lounged in the headmaster's chair and picked up a Chocolate Frogs.
Seeing Snape walk in with a gloomy face, Dumbledore had a vague premonition that something was wrong. Remembering that Dudley should have attended the potion - making studies class with the Gryffindor first - years today, a tactless one - liner blurted out:
"Severus, you're not a ghost, are you?"
Hearing this, Snape was stunned at first. Then, when he connected several things in his mind, his face became even gloomier and he gritted his teeth angrily:
"Dumbledore, you really know everything! You did it on purpose, didn't you?!"
"Ah?!"
Dumbledore was startled. It seemed that he had misunderstood what Snape meant. He stood up nervously and walked up to Snape. "Dudley told me he would be careful. Severus, you... you should be all right, right?"
"
"You..." Snape widened his eyes, looking at Dumbledore who was about to poke his finger at him in disbelief, and angrily shouted, "Humph! Disappoint you, I'm not dead yet!"
"That's right!" Dumbledore exaggeratedly let out a sigh of relief.
"What's right?!" Snape got even more furious. "Do you think that teaching assistant you appointed can defeat me? Can he kill me right in class? Cough, cough, cough..."
Snape was so angry that he aggravated his unhealed injuries. As he roared, he started coughing.
Seeing this, Dumbledore put away his playful and mischievous look, took out the Elder Wand, and cast a Healing Spell on Snape. At the same time, he said seriously and gently:
"Severus, I'm not sure if Dudley is stronger than you now, but I'm very sure that the one who'll suffer a setback must be you, because you can't get over your own mental hurdle."
"Why did you tell them about the past!" Snape's anger subsided a bit, but he was still a bit indignant.
Dumbledore's expression became even more serious. "Severus, Dudley and Harry have the right to know the truth! This is what you, I, and even the entire wizarding world owe them!
Moreover, I gave you some face and didn't tell them about your shameful performance when Voldemort set out to attack Harry's family!
There was only Lily in your heart. You only begged Voldemort to spare Lily, but you acquiesced in Voldemort's plan to kill Harry and James!
James used to bully you with others, but he also saved your life by pulling you away from the claws of the werewolf. Moreover, he never intended to kill you. He didn't deserve to die, right?
Not to mention, there's also Harry, an innocent child!
Your love has always been so narrow! It's time to reflect on yourself! It's better for you to get beaten up by Dudley than to keep your regretful emotions bottled up inside!"
Snape was once again deeply affected emotionally by Dumbledore. He was silent for a while and then suddenly erupted:
"It's you! It's you! You promised me back then that you'd ensure Lily's safety, but what happened? In the end, Lily still died!
It was you who broke your promise first. It was you who failed to protect Lily and let Voldemort find an opportunity. What could I do? Ah! I'm asking you, when Voldemort wanted to kill Harry Potter, what could I do? What could I do..."
Snape shouted, and in the end, there was a hint of a sob in his voice.
"I really didn't do my best back then. I wasn't firm enough to hold the position of Secret-Keeper in my own hands. This was my fault. I should reflect on it and apologize to you."
Dumbledore's tone became low, and then suddenly he raised his voice. "But it was you who told Voldemort the content of the prophecy. When you sowed that evil seed back then, you should have thought that one day, the butcher's knife would fall on the person you loved!"
The tears in Snape's eyes couldn't hold back anymore. He slumped to the floor of the headmaster's office and couldn't say a word.
Dumbledore felt a bit sorry for him. He softened his tone again. "If we look into it carefully, Voldemort's growth is also related to me. So, we should remember our own mistakes and look forward."
"Look forward? I can't see it!"
"I can't see the end of Voldemort, let alone find any joy in a world without Lily!" Snape got up and shouted.
"Trust me, Severus," Dumbledore replied quickly. "I've seen both the end of Voldemort and the possibility of our loved ones returning to this world!"
"What?!" Snape didn't even have time to grieve or cry. He asked seriously and forcefully, "Are you sure you know what you're talking about? I don't want you to make such a joke with me at any time!"
Dumbledore looked Snape straight in the eye and answered with unusual determination:
"Severus, I'm very sure, extremely sure. And I'm working on it. I hope you can also get involved and work with me. I need your wisdom and abilities!"
Snape gave Dumbledore a long, deep look and asked, "What do you need me to do?"