Chapter 397 – Calm Down, Snape!!
"No, Madam Pomfrey—Darren is telling the truth. Sirius Black is innocent. You don't have to believe me, but… forget it. I want to see Dumbledore. If we tell Headmaster Dumbledore, he'll definitely understand what we mean!"
Harry shouted desperately.
He saw Madam Pomfrey preparing to pour several potions into Darren and hurried to stop her.
"Ma'am, please wait. I also want Darren to wake up properly… but right now we really need him. Please, just wait a little!"
Hermione blurted out as well.
They rushed toward the door—only for it to swing open.
It was Fudge and Snape.
"Minister! Sirius Black is innocent! Please listen—just hear me out properly! We met Peter Pettigrew today. He turned into a rat and has been hiding in Ron's house all along!"
[Ding, Father value +50]
[Ding, Holy Father value +60]
[Ding, Holy Father value +40]
[Ding...…］
Darren grabbed Fudge's sleeve, completely forgetting their earlier tension, his eyes red with panic and urgency.
No one believed him.
Snape, instead, erupted.
He raised his wand and cast a spell meant to probe Darren's mind.
Then he snapped furiously, "Minister, we cannot waste time on this nonsense! I strongly suspect both Potters have been placed under the Imperius Curse by Black. I suggest we kill Black immediately!"
"No! We're not lying! Why won't you believe us?" Harry shouted.
"We already told you everything! Black is innocent! You didn't believe us back then either, and you were knocked out!
When you were unconscious, Darren woke up. He was so furious he almost killed Black on the spot. But Black and Professor Lupin explained everything clearly to him. Even Darren believed them, so what exactly do you still find wrong?!"
Harry's words made Snape stiffen involuntarily.
Darren could almost picture what was going through Snape's head.
After all, Darren had nearly killed Black for him. That fact alone probably struck deeper than anything else could have.
Harry really knew how to speak, even though he probably didn't understand Snape's complicated feelings toward Darren at all. But his instinct was sharp enough.
Of course, it could also be that Harry was simply trying to make Snape less hostile toward Darren.
Now that he knew everything James had done to Snape, Harry finally understood why Snape hated them—no, despised them—to the bone.
And since Darren was in Slytherin, Harry felt even more compelled to speak up for him.
Darren thought that even if Harry hadn't said all that, he would have found a way to make Snape understand.
But Harry had done it better than he ever could.
Snape, against his will, was shaken.
For a fleeting moment, Darren felt that if no one else were here, Snape might have actually been moved to tears.
But of course, there were many people present.
So Snape forced himself to regain control.
Then another part of Harry's words echoed in his mind.
'Darren believed it… why can't you?'
To him, it wasn't strange that Darren believed it. Darren had always been gentle and easy to deceive.
If the story convinced Darren, Snape could easily see why.
What bothered him instead was something else entirely.
Guilt.
Over not finding Darren earlier.
Over letting him grow into someone so soft, so unguarded.
The deeper the guilt grew, the more unsettled Snape felt when he looked at Harry's face—the same eyes as James's, the same shape, the same infuriating familiarity.
His gaze hardened.
He turned to Fudge and said coldly, "Look at this. I can understand Little Potter trusting people blindly.
But Harry Potter… Black has already done enough to confuse him!
He breaks rules as easily as breathing. Remember his second year? He flew a flying car into Hogwarts. Any other student would have been expelled on the spot—but Harry Potter suffered no real punishment!"
"How was I not punished? Ron and I were given detention!" Harry yelled.
Snape ignored him entirely.
He kept talking to Fudge. "See? Arrogant, even now. I have always told Dumbledore it is wrong to grant such privilege to a single student!
You cannot indulge him just because he is a so-called savior. I have always held him to the standards of an ordinary student—"
"Professor, this isn't the time for this," Darren said firmly. "We should go to Headmaster Dumbledore. Right now."
Snape opened his mouth, then closed it again.
For just a moment, he was reminded of Lily.
That stubborn resolve.
Those emerald eyes.
The way his heart had once ached when he looked at her.
But Darren's request was refused.
By Madam Pomfrey.
She wrapped an arm around Darren and Harry and physically dragged them back toward the beds.
"Minister, please leave at once. Neither of them are thinking clearly. I'll give them sleeping draughts and let them rest!"
She forced them down.
Then she lifted the potion.
Darren tried to break free.
Madam Pomfrey softened her voice. "Darren, be good… don't make me worry, dear."
Darren looked helplessly at Harry.
Harry grabbed the potion bottle from her hand. "Madam, please—listen to me—"
Before he could finish, the door opened again.
Dumbledore had arrived.
"Poppy, don't give Darren any potion… at least not yet. I just visited Sirius Black. I have questions I need to ask them first."
"Oh, Albus, you cannot be serious!" Madam Pomfrey cried. "They're exhausted! Look at Darren—he can barely stand! I can't let them go through more right now!"
"I know," Dumbledore said gently. "Just a little while. Then I'll return them to you, I promise."
"Dumbledore, do you really believe this nonsense?" Snape shouted.
"A rat turning into Peter Pettigrew? Are you saying the evidence was wrong? That I was wrong?"
Dumbledore met his gaze evenly.
"Severus… something has clouded your judgment. You should calm yourself."
"Calm down?" Snape snapped. "I was inside the Shrieking Shack! I never saw Pettigrew! He wasn't outside the castle either!"
"That's because you were unconscious," Hermione said quickly.
"Be quiet, Miss Granger!" Snape barked.
"You seem to have forgotten—you attacked me in the Shrieking Shack. Perhaps you deserve detention for that alone!"
Darren opened his mouth, trying to defend Hermione, trying to explain everything—
But Dumbledore raised a hand.
"Severus, enough. Cornelius, you and Severus wait outside.
Poppy, you as well.
I need to speak with them alone for a moment."