Chapter 37: Chapter 36 - Some Changes to the Academic Curriculum. 

[Chapter Size: 3000 Words.] 

Third Person POV 

Hogwarts. 

... 

... 

The next day, Severus woke up. This time, he did not transfigure his clothes as he had done to sleep more comfortably. 

He got up and took his things from the wardrobe, having already removed the clothes from his special bag and stored them away like any normal student, since he wanted to free up space in the ring/bag. 

The first thing he did was grab the clothes for the day and head to the bathroom. He wanted to take a shower without using spells. He liked the practice and the sensation of water running down his body. After all, he had spent hundreds of years doing exactly that. Spells were practical, of course, but he would not use them all the time. 

He let the water run over his face, appreciating the sensation, while his mind turned to Articuno. 

'Are you awake?' he asked. 

'Yes, yes. And you know that. After all, you can feel it too,' Articuno replied calmly. 1

'Were there any more problems?' he asked, since Articuno was in Heloísa's room, together with that half-blood girl and another pure-blood girl, who had not spared arrogant looks toward the other two girls. 

'Well... Her family upbringing must have influenced that, making her look down on anyone who wasn't pure-blood, but there's nothing you can do about it anyway. I just wanted Heloísa to be protected.' 

'If I could talk to her, I'd tell her to at least befriend the other half-blood girl. They were acting quite strangely, and Heloísa seemed a little downcast.' 

'Well, there's nothing we can do about it,' Severus simply replied. 

He turned off the shower and grabbed his own towel instead of using a drying spell, one he already knew as well. In any case, he was still taking care of his hair as Madame Montclair had suggested, buying some products directly from her shop, a lotion from Madame Montclair's Arcane Salon. 

As he stored everything in his expansion ring after drying himself and beginning to put on his new clothes—the kind of clothing the old Severus Snape had never been able to wear, since he had bought all these new clothes firsthand and at a much higher price than usual—he looked at himself in the mirror, satisfied with his appearance for the day. 

At the same time, some students were also entering the communal bathroom. There were several showers there, as it served the entire male dormitory area. There was also a huge set of toilets, but everything was quite clean thanks to the house-elves. There was a different arrangement for seventh-year students, who received private rooms with bathrooms so they could focus on their N.E.W.T.s. 

The students were also coming in to get ready for the day. Severus had woken up at around five-thirty in the morning, earlier than anyone else. So it was normal that he had not encountered anyone yet. It was even early for the students who were waking up now, which was still a bit earlier than usual. 

They looked at Severus and could not help but be somewhat surprised to see him there, certainly remembering the previous night, his direct confrontation with Lestrange, and also his short speech. 

The two were fourth-year pure-bloods and could not help exchanging glances. Obviously, they were wary of this new Severus, even if they had looked down on him before. 

Severus did not care. After storing his last item, the towel, directly into his ring, he did not return to the dormitory. Instead, he headed to the common room, which was still empty. 

The first thing he did was look at the fireplace, which was filled with fresh firewood. The house-elves had probably left it there. 

He raised a finger, and a ball of fire no larger than a golf ball shot toward the firewood. It exploded and quickly began consuming all the wood, warming the room. 

He would wait another half hour before trying to find Professor Slughorn, as he had a few matters to discuss with him. 

Severus took a coin from his pocket and tossed it into the air. As it fell, it rapidly transformed within a whirl of transfiguration magic until it became an armchair near the fireplace. 

He then took one of the books from his bag and sat down to read. It was the same book he had been reading on the train. He wanted to finish it. 

His green eyes wandered from the book's pages to the enormous window facing the Black Lake. He could not help but think about the creature that lived there. 

'You're splitting your mind between two things,' Articuno's voice echoed in his mind. 

'You can tell that?' Severus snorted. 'But I can split my mind in two now.' He stated calmly, but set the book aside and turned his attention toward the lake as he tried to unleash his abilities. 

Immediately, he expanded his consciousness directly into the lake's waters. He could feel it passing through millions of liters, reaching the depths of the lake until it found the enormous tentacled creature swimming peacefully in the middle of the lake. 

There were other creatures as well. Naturally, he could sense them. He was already aware of the Merpeople who lived in a community at the bottom of the lake. That would be interesting to explore later. 

But for now, he paid them no attention. His consciousness circled the giant squid itself, and it responded well. Without much resistance, Severus managed to enter its mind and then pulled it toward the common room window. 

The underwater window was quite large, and therefore seeing it approach was not difficult. The creature began to swim slowly. It stood over eight meters tall without counting the tentacles, while those easily extended more than fifteen meters beyond the main body. 

Severus had seen much larger krakens than that one. Krakens capable of swallowing that giant squid whole with ease. 

Even so, he could not help admiring the beauty of that animal, one that all Hogwarts students, in one way or another, also appreciated. After all, Slytherin liked to boast about being able to watch the giant squid swimming past the common room from time to time. 

Satisfied with the company of the giant squid, which remained near the window while also seeming to observe Severus, he returned to his reading. 

"Is that... the Giant Squid?!" 

It did not take long for the giant squid to attract attention. 

Soon, Severus heard footsteps and exclamations from new students arriving in the common room. Many pointed toward the window and looked at him, standing there reading calmly as if he were not particularly impressed by the squid being so close to the glass. 

He merely raised his head and paid little attention. It was already time to leave. He simply rose from the armchair, which was far more comfortable than any sofa in that place where the students usually gathered. 

With a simple gesture, he turned the armchair back into a coin. Then, using telekinesis, he brought it into his hand before making it disappear into his ring. 

Severus ignored the students watching him, whether surprised or excited, and also the squid, which was beginning to swim away. After all, it needed to find food. It was not a circus animal. It was there because Severus had called it, not to entertain other students. 

Thus, he left the common room without caring that it would soon be crowded. He did not want to deal with the other students at that moment. 

Slughorn's office was not very far away. After all, he had his quarters, his classroom, and his personal office all within the dungeons, near the entrance to Slytherin House. 

Knowing that the professor was in his personal office, Severus knocked on the door. 

"Come in," came the voice from the other side. 

Severus opened the door. Slughorn was writing something. His eyes lifted curiously and remained fixed on Severus for several seconds before widening. 

He clearly did not recognize him. 

"Professor," Severus said calmly as he closed the door behind him and approached. 

"Forgive me, but I don't recognize you..." Professor Slughorn said, somewhat unsettled. 

Severus displayed a small smile. "It's me. Severus Snape." 

Slughorn's eyes widened even further. "Is it really you? What is this?" he asked after several seconds spent processing the information, shocked by the difference in appearance, which was a stark contrast to the old Severus. 

Severus merely sighed. "Well, it's a long story, if you'd like to hear it." 

Slughorn nodded immediately. "Of course, my boy. Please, sit down. I don't know what happened to you, but you certainly look very well. Very well indeed." He said this while waiting for answers. 

Severus had already prepared his explanations. Naturally, he would not speak about memories from a past life emerging along with his former powers. 

But he would not hide his abilities either. The excuse he had prepared was quite simple and even sincere. "I woke up one day during the summer and my eyes were already different. I also felt quite different from then on. After my eyes turned green, I discovered that I possessed certain new ideas and abilities." Severus said this while watching Slughorn. 

The professor seemed increasingly curious and eager to know more. Severus knew very well who Horace Slughorn was. A petty man who devoted attention only to students he considered future prodigies, forgetting everyone else. 

Even so, he needed to reveal at least part of the truth. Severus explained that he had broken his nose, which had healed incorrectly. During the holidays, he managed to set it back into place, which was why it was no longer so flattened and crooked. 

He had also worked at a dragon reserve. With the money he earned, he was able to get a good haircut and bought some expensive products to maintain his new hair. His skin had become slightly tanned due to constant exposure to the sun while working, and he had also begun eating much better, which was why he was no longer so thin and was beginning to gain muscle. 

Slughorn listened to all of it. It certainly seemed like quite a transformation. 

But to Severus, it was nothing extraordinary. He had simply taken care of his diet, gotten some sunlight, cared for his hair, and corrected scars from the past. The only truly significant change had been his eyes. 

"My boy, you have truly impressed me with all this," Slughorn commented after hearing the whole story. 

His eyes gleamed with renewed interest. Slughorn had also realized that it was not only Severus's appearance that had changed. There was something different about him. His gaze was different, and those green eyes stood out like two beacons. 

He had never seen anyone like that. Perhaps he had been mistaken about the boy. 

The last conversation between the two of them had not been pleasant at all. Slughorn remembered very well expressing his disappointment after Severus insulted Lily Evans during the final days of the previous school year, just a few months earlier. 

Severus certainly did not want to deal with that man, but he had no choice. As he sighed, he could already imagine what Slughorn was thinking. He would try to use him as well. 

"Tell me more about the dragon reserve. Surely a sixteen-year-old boy..." 

"Fifteen, Professor. I'll turn sixteen in January," Severus corrected. 

Slughorn nodded quickly. "Of course, of course. Fifteen years old. But that's even worse. How did they allow a child to work in such a dangerous place? As far as I know, only people close to the level of Aurors can work in reserves handling dragons." 

Slughorn was not ignorant about how reserves operated. After all, there were two of them in Great Britain. 

"Well, I did the usual, like any other laborer... If we have more time to talk, I can explain it better. But in any case, I'm a bit short on time and would like to discuss something more important with you, if that's alright." Severus spoke calmly. 

Slughorn maintained his smile despite his disappointment at wanting to hear more. "Of course, of course." 

Even so, his reaction was very different from what Severus was used to facing. The professor still observed him as if trying to understand him or perhaps noticing details he had never seen before. 

Even so, he kept a satisfied smile. "What would you like to discuss?" he finally asked. 

"I was thinking about dropping Divination." Severus spoke directly. 

Obviously, that subject was of no use to him. Besides, it was an elective course, one of the additional classes students could choose to complement their academic curriculum. 

He had absolutely no reason to continue attending it. And before Slughorn could say anything, Severus raised four fingers. 

"I would like to attend Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Music, and Arithmancy classes, if that wouldn't be a problem." 

That made Slughorn's eyes widen. "You want to drop one class and join four others?" he asked, stunned. 

Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures were elective subjects that students normally chose starting in their third year, and students from several houses could attend together. Music, on the other hand, had so few interested students that it combined students from different years into the same class. 

Severus was also interested in music. He knew how to play both the acoustic and electric guitar, but he had become interested in a new instrument he discovered after arriving in this world: the piano. He would not miss the opportunity to learn how to play it. 

"Well, I'll have to speak with the professors." Slughorn seemed quite thoughtful. 

If this had been two months earlier, he would never have agreed to such a thing. But seeing Severus's transformation, his attitude, his calm and controlled voice, as though he were speaking with a true lord before him, made him reconsider. 

"But that's still three extra classes. Would you be able to handle that?" 

"You have my word." Severus smiled. 

"Then it's settled. I'll make an effort to accommodate your requests, Mr. Snape." 

Severus nodded. "Thank you, Professor. Then I'll be on my way." 

He inclined his head slightly in gratitude, and Slughorn offered a cheerful smile. 

"Of course, Mr. Snape. But you still owe me a story about your experience working with dragons. It's not every day I meet a student who returned from a dragon reserve to continue studying at Hogwarts." 

The professor seemed genuinely interested. "I must admit, you're the only student I've ever met with such an experience. Because of that, I'm eager to hear more about it. Perhaps, in the future, even during a meeting of the Slug Club." 

Severus merely nodded. Internally, however, he sighed. 

"We'll see each other in the classroom, Professor." 

"Don't forget. Ten o'clock sharp in the morning, here in the dungeons," Slughorn said with a laugh. 

Severus left the office. He was fortunate that he had not displayed his abilities related to nature and the elements. 

Not that he intended to hide them. Quite the opposite. He intended to use telekinesis, elemental manipulation, and nature magic openly whenever necessary. 

He had nothing to hide. He already expected that perhaps his Animagus form was plastered across the newspapers today... After all, a fifteen-year-old student capable of becoming an Animagus should be quite a sensation. Even the Marauders would be considered prodigies if they weren't... illegal at this point, right? 

Nor did he fear anything in the wizarding world. 

But he knew that if he revealed everything at that moment, Slughorn would probably keep him trapped inside that office for hours, trying to discover what kind of rare diamond Severus had become. 

He preferred to let the professor realize that during classes, where he would not be able to corner him so easily. Or at least, that was what he hoped. 

In any case, Severus spent about fifteen minutes talking with Slughorn. When he left, it was still a quarter to seven in the morning. 

He walked through the corridors toward the Great Hall, while most students were already beginning to make their way to breakfast. 

That was when he encountered someone along the way. Perhaps sensing the presence of her companion animal, Heloísa was moving through the corridors, clearly searching for someone. 

Until she saw him. Immediately, a smile appeared on her face. 

"I knew I'd find you. Articuno showed me where to find you," she said cheerfully. 

Severus raised an eyebrow. "What did he do? Articuno can't talk." He replied with a playful smile, causing her to let out a small giggle. 

"Actually, he can't talk, but he can show me things by making signs. First, I asked if he knew where you were. Then he confirmed it. After that, I went looking for you. With him guiding me..." She paused briefly before continuing: 

"I'm a little lost. Can we go to the Great Hall together?" 

Severus nodded. "Of course. Why not?" With those words, he and the eleven-year-old girl walked through the corridors toward the Great Hall. 

As they walked, they began encountering numerous students heading in the same direction, coming from different parts of Hogwarts. 

The castle, which had previously been relatively quiet, was beginning to come alive as students left their dormitories and made their way to breakfast. 

Some could not help but cast curious glances at Severus, with all three houses thinking they were seeing a new student. 

But among the Slytherins, the changes in his appearance had already begun spreading as a topic of conversation among the students. They had gotten to know him yesterday because of the previous night's events, especially his direct confrontation with Lestrange. 

Severus, however, paid no attention to any of them. He continued walking calmly beside Heloísa. 

The girl also seemed more relaxed than she had been the previous night. Perhaps because she was accompanied by him, or perhaps because of the invisible presence of Articuno, who remained nearby. 

In any case, she seemed much more comfortable as they walked together through the corridors of Hogwarts. 

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