Hogsmeade

"The Dark Lord has fallen, Severus. Now is the time to bring as many back to the light as we can, especially young ones like Yaxley," Dumbledore replied, his tone even. "Still, your suspicion is valid. Check Diagon Alley again. Judging by his behavior, there might be a Death Eater stronghold there."

"You don't need to remind me," Snape said dismissively. "But Diagon Alley is a chaotic place, full of questionable figures and old pure-blood connections. Without Auror authority, I can't exactly go barging into every shop or residence."

"Give me the general location," Dumbledore suggested. "I'll have Moody investigate. It might not be as effective as we'd like—Millicent is under considerable pressure as it is."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Millicent? She's riding high now, isn't she? People are saying she could be one of the greatest Ministers in history. Don't you support her?"

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "I do, and the public view isn't entirely wrong. But the situation within the Ministry is more fragile than it appears. Many families that once supported her have shifted to neutrality now that the Dark Lord has fallen. They're even aiding pure-blood families tied to Death Eaters. It's creating a challenge to convict known criminals. Millicent's facing significant opposition."

"Ah, the usual political games," Snape said dryly. "Balancing power, shielding allies—it's nothing new. Still, are you suggesting some of these families might be hiding wanted Death Eaters?"

"It's possible," Dumbledore admitted. "We're working to apply pressure, but it will take time. Meanwhile, I'll have the Order of the Phoenix monitor Yaxley's case."

"And the other students he dragged into this?" Snape asked, crossing his arms.

"They've likely been frightened out of their wits," Dumbledore said, his lips curving slightly. "Accessories to murder, all because of one impulsive spell."

Snape scoffed. "That's thanks to Alex. Now they're being blackmailed by that cunning snake. Speaking of which…" He hesitated, then added in a lower tone, "I felt something that day. Alex knew I was there."

"Oh?" Dumbledore tilted his head, intrigued.

"When Yaxley cast the Killing Curse, I was stunned by his audacity. I almost intervened, but Alex reacted too quickly. He handled it, but he definitely sensed my presence," Snape explained.

"Seem he's testing the waters, seeing how far we'll let him go," Dumbledore mused. "Still, it's best not to let this escalate. Take some time to speak with him."

"Later, perhaps. A little suffering might be good for those brats, but it's reckless to create such division in Slytherin," Snape muttered, his frustration showing.

"Slytherin House matters are yours to handle," Dumbledore said with a faint smile. "I trust Alex understands the boundaries."

Snape leaned back slightly, recalling Alex's behavior that day. "He knows his limits. The boy only used basic spells and self-defense charms to deal with those little wizards. Not a single drop of blood was spilled. He even healed their wounds with potions afterward. Everything was handled so professionally that it's obvious he planned it in advance."

What still puzzled Snape was the exact details of what happened in the hut that day. A powerful shielding spell had been cast over the area, making it impossible to observe. He could only assume Alex used potions to treat the injuries, based on what he had seen afterward.

"You should be proud," Dumbledore remarked with a light chuckle. "This is real Slytherin talent. He's resourceful and understands boundaries—qualities worth acknowledging."

Snape's lip curled into a slight sneer. "I can't stand talents like him. As long as he doesn't bring trouble to my doorstep, I'm content." His words carried a mocking tone, but Dumbledore could see the faint satisfaction in his expression.

"Still, keep an eye on Alex," Dumbledore advised, his tone more serious now. "After what happened to Lily and the Longbottoms, who were close to him, I was concerned he might lose control. But it seems he's managing his emotions well."

The mention of Lily's name made Snape's face darken. He grunted noncommittally and abruptly turned to leave the office. Dumbledore watched him go, shaking his head with a soft sigh.

The next month passed peacefully. With the pure-blood faction subdued and Yaxley—the seventh-year prefect and student council president—fleeing, the atmosphere in Slytherin had shifted drastically. Under Alex's subtle influence, significant changes were made. The Purity Committee was disbanded, and confiscated Muggle artifacts were returned to their owners. Alex's reputation as someone who kept his promises only strengthened.

The remaining pure-blood students didn't dare oppose him. With their leader gone and Alex still present, most opted to steer clear of him entirely. Even Travers, once the most vocal troublemaker, had grown quiet and withdrawn. With no one left to stir up conflict, the house settled back into a state of calm. Meanwhile, Vivian's poker club reopened, and the common room was once again alive with activity, laughter, and games.

However, while Slytherin found peace, tensions outside the house flared. The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin reached a boiling point during the latest Quidditch match, which escalated into a near-physical brawl. The pure-blood students, frustrated and repressed, seemed to channel their anger toward Gryffindor. Pranks and retaliations between the two houses became almost a daily occurrence.

None of this concerned Alex. He had his own project to focus on: a spell he had been developing since the battle at Hogsmeade. Drawing inspiration from the freezing charm he used during the fight, Alex was experimenting with a new type of magic. Using his accumulated knowledge of temperature manipulation and magical energy flow, he created what he called the Incapacitating Curse.

This spell combined principles of hypothermia and magic depletion, designed to sap the magical energy of its target over time. His ultimate vision was a spell capable of completely draining a wizard or magical object of its power, leaving them helpless.

Initially, Alex had envisioned an energy-absorbing curse that would allow him to siphon magic from others for his own use. However, this idea required extensive knowledge of blood magic—a field in which he was still lacking. For now, the Incapacitating Curse was a simplified version, though he was satisfied with its potential.

But testing the spell presented a problem. He had already experimented on magical items with great success, but living targets were another matter. Ordinary animals lacked the necessary magical reserves for accurate testing, and larger magical creatures were both difficult to obtain and potentially dangerous. Hagrid's collection of magical creatures outside the Forbidden Forest was off-limits—Alex had no desire to involve the gentle giant in his experiments.

Ideally, he needed a wizard to act as a test subject. While it was one thing to spar with acquaintances for training, spell testing was far riskier. The memory of his mishap with the infrasonic spell was still fresh, and he had no intention of repeating that mistake.

Just as Alex was mulling over the issue, a knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. He opened it to find Higgs standing there, looking cheerful.

"Alex, you've been cooped up in here for days. It's the weekend! Vivian and I are heading to Hogsmeade to relax. You should come with us," Higgs said, his tone light and inviting. He had been in high spirits lately, especially since the Quidditch team was no longer dominated by the pure-blood faction. With the changes, Higgs was back in his old position as Seeker, and it showed in his enthusiasm.