Chapter 146: 2
—Levicorpus!!
He shouted. It was Harry. Snape’s body was slammed against the handrail of the spiral staircase. Following that, via a Disarming Charm, both Snape’s wand and Dumbledore’s Elder Wand passed into Harry’s hands. Gripping his wand so tightly his veins looked ready to burst, Harry screamed.
"I trusted you—the Professor trusted you!!"
"...That spell... So it is true. And the rumors that you've become unusually skilled at Potions this year... Hmph, what a complete joke."
"What are you trying to say!"
I gasped at the scene, which had devolved into a one-on-one duel between Harry and Snape. This was bad. Snape was unarmed. Harry was completely blind to his surroundings. At this rate, he was going to make an irreversible mistake. —After all, he is 'me (Harry)'!
Holding my breath, I approached the Invisibility Cloak that Harry seemed to have cast aside. I threw it on to hide myself. Just a little more—wait for the right timing—don't rush—just a little more—
"You've been using the Half-Blood Prince's textbook, haven't you, Potter? ...I am the one who invented that spell. My mother's name was Eileen Prince, a pure-blood witch. I am the Half-Blood Prince."
Harry's eyes widened at Snape's confession. And then—the green hatred within them flared up even brighter.
"So you mean—you deceived not only Dumbledore, but even Maria?"
"...What?"
"Maria knew the Prince's spells. Maria used Muffliato—she knew the spells you invented! Since when have you been using Maria!?"
Shock flashed across Snape's face. Naturally. Snape didn't know anything about that. He had no idea that Maria had been using his original spells as if it were perfectly normal.
What a blunder. Am I—am I going to corner this person once again?
"Harry, no! Snape has nothing to do with this!"
"Maria!?"
Throwing off the Invisibility Cloak, I tackled Harry at the exact same time. I knocked Snape's wand and Dumbledore's wand out of his grip. Kicking them, I slid both wands over to Snape. After confirming that Snape had smoothly picked them up, I used my entire body to pin down the struggling Harry.
"Maria, don't get in my way! He was deceiving you, I saw it with my own eyes. He killed Dumbledore!!"
"That's not it, I—"
"Well, well. Did you kill Dumbledore? Well, aren't you the clever one—eh, Severus?"
A sickly, mocking woman's voice—Bellatrix Lestrange.
Through her unruly black hair, beast-like eyes locked onto Harry as she licked her lips. She was displaying a sadistic, eerie madness. —The Death Eaters had caught up to the Astronomy Tower.
"...We are pulling out before the Ministry of Magic arrives, Bellatrix."
"What about the little babies? Look at them. Chirping and squabbling in a situation like this."
"They belong to the Dark Lord. Our target, Dumbledore, is dead. Do you want to interfere unnecessarily and face His wrath again?"
"Tch... You won't be acting so high and mighty for long."
"—Wait!!"
Harry snapped at the Death Eaters as they showed signs of retreating. He shoved me away and pointed his wand at Snape. From the opposite side, where the wall had crumbled, I saw Professor Lupin and Hermione running up. Hermione's face brightened when she saw me, Harry, and presumably Snape. Harry chanted.
"Sectumsempra—!!"
—Ah, I see. ...This really does hurt.
"—Maria!!"
Someone caught me in their arms. Was it Professor Lupin? It hurts. I feel like blood is erupting from my entire body. Splatter hits my face. It hurts. I hear Hermione's voice. Hermione is crying while casting Episkey on me. It hurts. So many voices are saturating my mind. I can hear Bellatrix's laughter. It hurts. It hurts.
Sorry, Malfoy... This really, really hurts.
"Maria—no—"
Harry dropped to his knees. His pants were soaking up my blood. His wand rolled out of his hand. Just as I managed to reach out to the pale boy—he sneered.
"Ha, ha—hahaha—You fool! You absolute idiot! You didn't even realize that your sister was being manipulated by me! You tried to kill the one you love with your own hands. You narrowly missed slaughtering your own family!"
"Severus—? What is... Harry, did you—"
"Professor Snape...?"
A chill ran down my spine. Leaving the bewildered two behind, I put strength into my legs. I pressed my hand against my chest, which was torn open along with my clothes. Through my flickering vision, I looked at Snape. A flame flared up inside me.
He was about to say something outrageous. He was about to spin the worst possible lie—!
"Maria Potter was under my Imperius Curse."
"—SEVERUS SNAPE!!"
I roared. He is the worst. What a terrible way to protect someone. Just how much are you going to make a fool out of me before you're satisfied—!!
"I won't forgive you—I will never forgive you! I won't forgive you!!!"
"Maria, no! Don't speak... You'll die!"
"Let me go, Hermione! That man is the only one I— cough"
"Maria!"
Spitting out pools of blood from my mouth and nose, I continued to glare at the fleeing Snape through sheer willpower alone. I saw Harry's back as he gave chase. Professor Lupin was defending against the Death Eaters' attacks. Fenrir Greyback let out a ferocious howl. —And ahead of them all, Snape ran, carrying the weight of the sin.
"I won’t forgive you—you bastard—you filthy liar! I will never forgive you!"
"Maria..."
I no longer knew if I was gasping from pain or from anger. I was completely beside myself. That's right. To be clear, to be honest, to be frank—I am acting out of sheer desperation!
I am pissed off that I couldn't save a single one of them—not Cedric, not Sirius, not Dumbledore. I'm pissed off at myself—I hate my own powerlessness!
I'm going to take it out on you—and just so I can take it out on you, I will absolutely make sure you live!
"I won't let you escape! I won't forgive you! I will never—grant you a peaceful death!"
"Harry."
"I’m a Potter, so being hated by you doesn’t hurt in the slightest—so I won’t be kind."
"Harry."
"I... why..."
"Harry."
"Ugh—Aaaaaaaaaaah!"
I screamed. Letting my anger take over, I continued to scream. Held in the arms of the only man who could call me (Maria) 'Harry'. I wailed in grief.
To think that neither Harry nor Maria can be your salvation—I will not accept such a reality.
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