HP - Shadow Monarch!

Chapter 134 - Greengrass's Family.

[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]

Third Person POV

London.

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Snape reappeared in Diagon Alley through the fireplace, paying for its use at the shop without anyone noticing his appearance, as he wore a hood to avoid any Aurors who might recognize him.

Walking calmly while carrying a bag with its strap over his shoulder, he made his way to an open area of Diagon Alley. Once there, he took his owl out of the bag in a discreet corner to avoid being seen. He attached a letter to the bird, addressed directly to the Greengrass Manor, announcing his visit shortly before his arrival, as a courtesy. The owl then flew into the sky, and Snape continued walking.

Security in Diagon Alley was tighter than ever, with Aurors keeping a watchful eye on the area, analyzing the crowd. Snape, however, moved like a ghost through the throng; no one even noticed him. His skills had improved, and he had gained an ability from the system that allowed him to pass almost completely unnoticed by others. As he walked, he picked up one thing here and another there from shops he visited since it had been some time since his last visit to the area.

He was intrigued by a few items and couldn't help but notice the bookshop displaying some interesting new editions. He purchased them to add to his reading collection. Discreetly, he also observed that among the crowd, besides the Aurors, there were wizards from various families circulating through the area, alert to any suspicious movements. Undoubtedly, everyone was investigating the recent deaths of dark wizards over a month ago, and the dust was far from settling.

Snape, however, ignored these developments and pressed on until he arrived near his newly acquired shop. He apparated past the wizards guarding the place and found his house-elf sweeping the premises. She quickly noticed him, jumped back, and looked at him cautiously and somewhat fearfully.

"Master Snape!!" she exclaimed, eyeing him warily. At least she didn't freeze up as she had the last time, but still, Snape sighed at this. Kreacher had clearly said some things to her that he shouldn't have.

"Hello, Genini," Snape greeted her before continuing. "I want to know how things are going?" he asked. She responded in the same nervous tone.

"Everything is fine. I've been taking good care of everything. I won't be punished as a sacrifice, will I?" she asked, terrified. Snape wanted to throttle the Black family elf for this.

"Forget about that. I won't do that to you. Just tell me one thing—has anyone tried to interfere here?" he asked.

"Yes..." she said hesitantly. "But Genini has managed to drive them all away!" she quickly replied, referring to herself in the third person as all house-elves do.

"Alright. I figured as much. Later, I'll ask you to accompany me to my home. I need you to inform me if anything happens to the shop," Snape said.

After that, he left the elf and headed to the shop's fireplace. The flames roared to life as he uttered the words that would take him directly to Greengrass Manor.

The green flames enveloped his vision, and he reappeared before a large gate bearing the family crest. He could already see a vast, well-tended garden stretching across the property, the pleasant scent of flowers wafting through the air. Some families kept fireplaces strategically placed near the gate for the convenience of visitors, as was the case with the Greengrass family. He approached the doorbell and rang it.

A house-elf appeared the moment he pressed the button, looking at him curiously. "Hello, visitor. May I know who you are and what brings you here?" she asked politely, with a rare naturalness for house-elves. Most, in his experience, were either grumpy or extremely wary. It was even rarer to find one well-treated and happy, though the ones at Hogwarts were an exception—but they didn't count.