Snape's Highlight

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"It's a pity," Lupin said, squinting slightly at Hermione. She took two steps back nervously.

"You should focus more on your studies!" Lupin sighed, then walked toward her step by step.

"Stop moving!" Hermione shrieked, pointing her wand at him.

Harry and Ron were still stunned by the revelation that Professor Lupin was a werewolf, unable to move.

"How can you do this?" Hermione said, her voice quivering with a mixture of anger and betrayal. She began to feel the professors were toying with her, and it made her incredibly sad.

"Enough, Lupin!" Ethan said, growing impatient.

"Tell them the truth!"

"Okay, okay." Lupin stopped, a hint of reluctance in his eyes as he ceased teasing the young witch.

"What's the truth?" Hermione asked suspiciously, sensing a change in the atmosphere.

"About the real traitor!" Sirius called out from behind Lupin.

"Real traitor? What are you talking about?" Harry asked, his suspicion piqued.

Harry finally calmed down a little, sensing something amiss in their conversation.

"The real traitor is Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius Black roared, finally unleashing the words he'd held back for so long.

"You're still trying to lie to me!" Harry shouted, his anger reigniting.

"I already know! Peter Pettigrew is dead! You killed him!"

"Me?" Sirius Black laughed bitterly.

"I did want to kill him! But he escaped! This time, I won't make the same mistake!"

Sirius Black lunged over Lupin, rushing toward Ron with a fierce look.

Ron, terrified by the sudden attack, fell to the ground and scrambled backward. Hermione quickly cast a Stunning Spell, but Sirius dodged it easily and continued toward Ron.

Ron let out a desperate cry, thinking he was about to die at Sirius's hands.

At that moment, Ethan intervened. He took out his wand and levitated Sirius into the air.

"Calm down, Black! You're scaring Ron!" Ethan said sternly.

A thunderous crash erupted in the office as the door blew open, sending sawdust flying. Snape stormed in with a look of frenzied triumph.

"All of you are under arrest!" Snape yelled, his voice strained with excitement. He was breathless, almost gasping.

"I've seen through your dirty secrets!" Snape declared, his tone full of victorious glee.

"Ethan, I always thought you were a man of justice, but I didn't expect you'd fall this low!" Snape spat at Ethan.

"Severus, things are completely different from what you think. Please, let me explain!" Lupin pleaded urgently.

"Shut up!" Snape shouted, firing a spell at Lupin and knocking him down.

"I've heard enough of your explanations! Ever since I was a kid! Enough!" Snape roared, his rage erupting.

"The only thing I know now is that you are going to Azkaban!" Snape's eyes gleamed coldly.

"Granger, bring those two fools here! Get away from these lunatics!" Snape ordered.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron obeyed Snape without question for the first time, shrinking behind him like frightened chicks.

"What's next for the three of you? Do you want to keep your fingers crossed or be escorted to the Ministry of Magic after being beaten up by me?"

Snape spoke to the three of them with an unprecedented high-spirited gesture. He held up his wand and continuously swiped it before them, threatening them not to move.

"Professor Snape, can I listen to their explanation first?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

She sensed something strange from the descriptions given by Ethan, Lupin, and Sirius Black.

"Shut up, Miss Know-it-all!" Snape snapped, turning to her impatiently.

"They tried to kill you just now!"

"But they said—" Hermione tried to continue, but her words only fueled Snape's anger.

"One more word, Miss Jack-of-all-trades, and I'll deduct every point from Gryffindor! Or worse, I'll expel you!" Snape threatened angrily.

"Snivellus! You're such an idiot! You don't understand anything!" Sirius yelled angrily.

"Don't call me that!" Sirius's words provoked Snape. A thick red light shot from the tip of Snape's wand and slammed into Sirius, causing him to spit out blood.

"Stop it, Severus!" Lupin shouted, trying to intervene.

"Don't worry," Snape said with a grim smile, "I won't kill him. Azkaban is his final destination!"

"It's a pity all the Dementors are gone now," Snape added regretfully.

"If they were still here, they'd happily give you a long kiss!"

"May I say a few words?" Ethan interjected politely, drawing Snape's attention back to him.

"What do you want to say, Ethan?"

Due to their previous good relationship, Snape treated Ethan slightly better than Lupin and Sirius.

"I have a file in my chest pocket to show you. May I take it out?" Ethan asked, fearing that Snape, in his agitated state, might cast a spell on him.

Snape squinted and scrutinized Ethan's face before finally nodding in agreement.

Ethan reached into his chest pocket and carefully fumbled for a document. He handed it to Snape, who kept his wand trained on Ethan, wary of any tricks.

Finally, Snape took the document cautiously. He tapped it with his wand, causing the cover to shudder violently before disintegrating. Snape was highly cautious, fearing that Ethan might have set a trap.

After multiple detection spells, Snape opened the document and began reading. Soon, his expression changed, and everyone present witnessed Snape's remarkable face-changing process. Surprise, doubt, anger, shame, and exasperation rapidly played across his face.