HP - Shadow Monarch! [BOOK 1]

Chapter 184 - Second Dark Lord.

[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]

Third Person POV

Hogwarts.

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Snape entered the common room while all eyes turned to them, as the place was swarming with ghosts scattered throughout the hall that morning. Since their ball had taken place the night before, everyone seemed very excited and didn't hesitate to express it by flying around the room.
Snape drew attention because the ghosts didn't run from him—although that would've drawn even more attention—but there, everyone looked at him with a smile, due to the fact that he had shown something more than just a "monster."

"Mr. Snape is here." a ghost said.
"Mr. Snape, how pleasant to see you this morning!" another ghost approached.
"Elegant as always!" a female ghost said.

Snape stopped, listening to the comments ahead of him while some ghosts approached to greet him. But what caught the students' attention were the quick steps coming right behind, as the sound of ballet flats was heard when Pandora approached Snape, holding up her dress so as not to trip as she ran toward him.
"Are you sure you had to come here in that dress?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
"I don't have a Ravenclaw uniform with me to change into..." she said with a smile, not caring how over-the-top she looked.

The four house tables, as well as the teachers' table, looked in their direction, wondering why Pandora was dressed like that. Her hair was still tied up, and she looked like she had spent the last few hours in the Room of Requirement, sleeping in Severus's bed, while Snape had gone to tend to his potions, with his shadows doing the work and he hadn't slept—not that it really bothered him.
When Pandora woke up, they came straight to the common room, exactly as they were now.

"I see you two are already awake. I hope you rested well. The night was quite delightful, I must say. It's been about 100 years since I felt so much excitement. Perhaps the presence of some mortals revives our balls." a ghost approached, floating beside them as he spoke.
"I also thought it was amazing. I wish it would happen more often!" Pandora responded enthusiastically.

Snape, on the other hand, made no comment. He kept walking forward, thoughtful, still a bit surprised by how things had turned out that way. The ghosts had simply become very friendly with him, especially as more and more of them approached.
His gaze fell on the Ravenclaw table, where some students were whispering, clearly commenting about Pandora. He sighed, ignoring the ghosts around him.
"Come sit with me." he said in a calm tone.

Pandora looked at him, surprised, but nodded.
All eyes in the hall followed the scene. Snape sat at one end of the Slytherin table, and Pandora sat beside him. Clarisse, surprised, stared at Pandora, seated between them, shocked.
"What is this? What are you doing? Why are you dressed like that?" she asked immediately, not knowing what to ask first, while several Slytherin students looked on, stunned. Some showed disgust that Pandora was among them, but a single look from Snape was enough to make no one dare to comment.
"We went to a ball last night." Pandora answered cheerfully, trying to explain to the confused Clarisse. "And about the outfit... I haven't gone to Ravenclaw to change yet." she added in an innocent tone.
"A ball...?" she murmured before looking at the ghosts, knowing very well they had held a ball and had mentioned two students while focusing on each other in some of their comments.
"You went to the ghosts' ball?" Clarisse murmured before looking at Snape, slightly disappointed.

But he just shrugged. "What? I didn't know, not until she told me at the last minute." Snape said simply, ignoring all the curious looks on him—especially Clarisse's.
But none compared to the red eyes glowing at the teachers' table, as if someone there was furious with him.