HP - Shadow Monarch!

Chapter 118 - Dinner at Black Manor 01.

First of all, happy 2025 to everyone! I hope you're all doing well. Today I'am to posting regularly again.

[Chapter Size: 1800 Words.]
Third Person POV

London.

...

...

"What did you do to her?"

The first thing Bellatrix did, being alone with Snape, was to ask him what he had done to her grandmother and how he had left her in that fragile, fearful state, making the girl wonder how this happened.

Her gaze continued studying Snape as if trying to uncover all his secrets with an intense look, far more intense than she would show her grandmother. But it wasn't as if she hadn't done this already—she had done so ever since she met Snape and he had so easily subdued her at Hogwarts.

"You don't need to know," Snape replied calmly as the portraits stared at them, also seeking answers. Seeing Snape simply ignore her, she scoffed and looked at him angrily.

"Why are you always like this, but different from anything I've seen you do... This is too much," Bellatrix said, crossing her arms.

"Ignore that. In any case, you fulfilled your end of the deal. My question is, did you inform your grandmother you'd be training with me?" Snape asked.

"No..." she murmured.

"Then you should let her know, soon. Not that I think it will be a problem now..." Snape remarked.

"I'll talk to her at dinner; after all, she invited you to stay... Even though I still don't know how you managed that..." she commented.

Here is the text with the corrected formatting:

As soon as the negotiation ended, Astraea asked if he had any other requirements of the Black family, speaking with much more respect than before, so that she could offer her support.

Snape was there solely to negotiate the shop, and if he had to discuss any other matters, he would have time for it, since Astraea had invited him to stay for dinner that evening while they waited for the other guests to arrive, who were the managers from Gringotts Bank.

Once that conversation ended, she excused herself—or rather, asked Snape's permission—as he simply nodded, shrugging at her.

Now, Snape, seeing he had nothing else to do there until his banking partner arrived, looked at Bellatrix. "We have some time. Show me where you want us to train. Since I'll be doing this, I intend to see the place and know whether it's suitable or not," he requested, and she nodded after a few seconds.

They left the room, with Bellatrix leading Snape through the Black mansion, having agreed with him about the time, and they left the room with the dead body behind, guarded by the sentries.

Meanwhile, Astraea quickly headed to her quarters, ignoring anyone who tried to call her, wanting to breathe and think through everything she had witnessed. As soon as she entered, she closed the door quickly, placing her hand on it and reflecting on what had just happened for the first time.

She had never wanted to show anything to her granddaughter, but what she saw when entering Snape's mind was terrifying. She saw the vision of London, but it didn't seem to be just London; it looked like the entire world was in ruins and darkness, a scene she couldn't describe.

Somehow, she knew that it wasn't just the boy, but rather something more that inhabited him. Feeling disturbed, she noticed her hand trembling.

"What happened to you, Astraea?" A portrait in that same room suddenly raised its voice, looking at her with worried eyes.