Chapter 197: Snape (Part 2)

The guest room on the second floor had clearly been meticulously prepared, undoubtedly a result of Waters' well-meaning but misguided arrangements.

Every decoration avoided vibrant colors—dark green wallpaper, black wall sconces, heavy gray curtains, and a silver bed. The room resembled a quintessential Slytherin bedroom. The color palette was so familiar that it momentarily made him feel as though he had returned to the Slytherin common room. In one corner of the room, a small door led to a private bathroom.

As Snape stepped forward, he noticed rainwater dripping from his robes onto the carpet, forming a dark, damp stain.

He removed his outer robe and was about to retrieve his wand to cast a cleaning spell when his gaze fell upon the pristine, luxurious silk bedding and pillows.

What an inconvenience.

He scowled at the room's decor. The silent furnishings seemed to mock him. With his disheveled appearance, even standing at the doorway felt like a desecration of the space.

Eventually, with a deep sigh of irritation, he set down his luggage and entered the bathroom to take a shower—choosing physical means over magic.

In truth, he often relied on cleaning spells for convenience, but he occasionally indulged in the soothing sensation of a proper bath. Once he was clean, he finally lay down on the silver bed. The moment his head touched the pillow, a profound drowsiness enveloped him. The soft mattress carried a faint, bitter herbal scent, reminiscent of nettles, which inexplicably calmed him. Just before succumbing to sleep, he recalled the scene from the previous evening when he had encountered Waters:

Beneath the ink-black clouds stretched a stifling shadow; the garden trees, caught in the dim light, appeared as clawing arms. The prelude to the storm was deathly silent, save for her. She moved briskly among the bushes, humming softly, dressed in a light-colored gown.

In the darkness of the world, she was the sole bright color.

——————

The next morning, Orli was jolted awake by Dobby's sharp scream.

Still half-asleep, she descended the stairs in her nightgown. At the second-floor landing, she encountered Snape, who appeared equally groggy, and Dobby, whose expression was one of utter shock.

Snape seemed to have just exited the guest room. He wore only a black shirt, its top buttons still undone. Dobby's small head struggled to process the scene before him:

"A strange man! Staying overnight in Miss Orli's house!" Dobby exclaimed, his voice high-pitched.

"Dobby!" Orli rushed down the stairs, pulling Dobby aside.

"This is my professor! I sleep upstairs; he sleeps in the guest room!" she clarified hurriedly.

"Is this professor leaving today?" Dobby asked, his large eyes blinking expectantly.

"…No," Orli replied with some difficulty. "He'll be staying here until the school term begins."

"No!!!! Miss Orli's reputation will be ruined!!!!!!" Dobby wailed, clutching his large ears and attempting to slam his head against the wall. Without her wand, Orli had to use all her strength to restrain him.

"Is this your house-elf?" Snape asked, leaning nonchalantly against the stair railing, observing the chaos below with a faint sneer.

"If you can't control him, I'd be happy to silence him," Snape remarked icily.

"Professor, please, don't hurt him…" Orli quickly covered Dobby's mouth to prevent him from making further noise.

"Dobby!" she hissed, her tone low but firm. "Stop saying such nonsense!"

Dobby's large green eyes darted between Orli and Snape, his expression a mix of grievance and bewilderment.