HP - Shadow Monarch! [BOOK 1]

Chapter 159 - Returning to the Hogwarts routine.

[Chapter Size: 2000 Words.]

Third Person POV

Hogwarts.

...

...

In the next moment, an immense amount of food began to appear in front of Snape, with everything he could possibly ask for, even making him raise an eyebrow at the food the elves had prepared for him.

"What is this?!" someone shouted, looking at the quantity of sweets and dishes that were usually served only on special occasions.

"They certainly overdid it..." Snape couldn't help but comment.

"Why did you get this?" Clarisse looked at him suspiciously.

"Ask the house-elf behind us," Snape said as the space behind him distorted and a house-elf appeared at that moment—none other than Dobby's father.

"Professor Snape, welcome back!" he said cheerfully, surprising many students who didn't even know about the existence of house-elves at Hogwarts.

"Hello, Dobei," Snape greeted him.

"If you need anything, just call us, Professor Snape! I'm so happy you're back!" he said excitedly while everyone continued to stare in shock. "Anyway, I hope you have a good meal. See you later!" he said before disappearing.

"This is a good way to be welcomed..." Snape muttered before turning back to his food.

"What was that, where did that house-elf come from?!" someone murmured nearby, as other students began gossiping among themselves.

"Forget him. I'm not going to eat all of this—do you want some?" Snape asked, seeing the longing looks from the other students eyeing the sweets he had received. It wouldn't hurt to share.

"I want some!" a girl immediately exclaimed before cautiously glancing at Snape, given his reputation for punishing students.

"Help yourself." Snape moved his hand, and the food floated toward her as if through telekinesis.

"No wand?" Clarisse murmured beside him, staring directly at him.

"Some tricks I learned while I was away," Snape shrugged.

"Away? You disappeared! Did you get my letters?" she asked while the students were either stunned by Snape's wandless magic or fighting over the food.

"I had some problems..." Snape said while eating an omelet with bread and bacon.

"My father said you were having trouble with your shop—after all, it closed without restocking! Your house-elf was terrified..." she murmured.

"I'd rather you not tell anyone about that. Besides, I already reopened it a few days ago," he said before looking toward the professors. Someone had been staring at him the whole time, though none of the others were really paying attention to him. Despite making a few comments about the house-elf that had appeared, they seemed worried.

"Why are the professors so tense?" Snape asked, ignoring the intense gaze he was receiving from the History of Magic professor—someone he would have to talk to later.

"You don't know... The headmaster hasn't returned to the school yet... The newspapers are saying he was fighting someone in Diagon Alley last night..." she said, showing him the newspaper in her lap. "It says their battle was so intense that they believe the headmaster faced You-Know-Who himself..." she murmured.

"I see..." Snape said, already knowing why they were so concerned—after all, he had trapped the headmaster in his ring. At the same time, he wanted to find out what Clarisse knew about it.