That night, Hermione couldn't sleep.
She was forced to ponder a question that she had never considered before.
That was ….. What do I want to do in the future?
Hermione could still remember when she was young, before she became a wizard, she had many dreams. But after receiving the notice from Hogwarts, these dreams were tossed to the back of her head. Her mind was filled with the thought of 'becoming a wizard'.
But after talking to Ailey, Hermione suddenly realized that becoming a wizard wasn't the end, but the beginning. Not only that, was being a wizard something she really wanted to be?
Hermione didn't dare to discuss this topic with others. Although she was only an 11 year old girl, she knew that discussing 'what's the use of being a wizard' to a group of people who aspired to become wizards wouldn't bring any good results. Thus, she beat around the bush and asked the others' What do you want to be when you grow up '.
But the answers she received left Hermione extremely disappointed.
These children weren't without dreams, but their dreams were completely limited to the world of magic. It was as though they were cursed and couldn't extricate themselves. This caused Hermione to feel uneasy. Deep in her heart, she regretted coming to Hogwarts in the first place. After all, after listening to Ailey's words, there weren't many benefits to becoming a wizard. Moreover, the world of magic strictly forbade wizards from using magic in front of commoners. Then, what use was there in learning these things? Could it be that she couldn't even help her own parents?
Although Hermione understood the dangers of exposing magic to the public, she still felt uncomfortable.
In contrast, Harry and Ron were equally dejected, but the reason for their dejection was different from Hermione's. It was because Snape had once again caught onto their mistakes in Potioneering class, and severely criticized them. Harry couldn't help but retort, and Snape deducted another ten points.
This caused them to be extremely dejected. Due to Ailey's appearance, Harry's life was completely different from the original. After Quirrell died, nobody went to steal the sorcerer's stone, and he didn't join the Quidditch team like in the original. The current Harry was just an ordinary first year student without any sort of savior aura.
"He hates me, Ron."
Walking on the road with his head hung low, Harry helplessly complained to Ron.
"I know, he hates me. Look at him, whenever he has time, he'll find trouble with me. I don't even know what I did wrong ….."
However, just as Harry was complaining, suddenly, a voice came from the side.
"Of course he hates you."
"Eh?"
Harry and Ron froze when they heard the voice. They turned around and saw Allie sitting on a chair not far away, flipping through a book in her hand.
"Teacher … Ailee?"
Both of them sucked in a breath of cold air. Although Alice wasn't as scary as Snape, she seemed to be safer facing Snape. At the same time, Aili lifted her head and looked at them.
"Do you want to know the reason? Harry? "
"…"
Although Allie's scarlet eyes were still dull and cold, Harry Potter nodded after a moment of consideration. After all, he also wanted to know why Snape was targeting him. In comparison, the fear that Ellie brought him had to be delayed.
"Alright, sit down. I'll tell you a story."
Ailey pointed to the opposite side. The two looked at each other, then walked over and sat on the chair. Then Ailey looked at Harry.
"Your relationship with Malfoy isn't good."
"This …"
Harry was stunned by Ailey's words. He really hated Malfoy, but he didn't understand what that had to do with Snape hating him. However, Aili didn't care about him and continued to speak on her own.
"You didn't have any abilities or strength. Malfoy and his two followers always ridiculed and bullied you. You couldn't stand it. But you didn't have the ability to resist, and could only endure their bullying. "
"…"
Harry kept his mouth shut. He wasn't stupid. He knew that Ailey's words definitely had a hidden meaning, but he still didn't understand the connection between them.
"Once, when you were bullied by Malfoy and his followers, a beautiful girl stood out to protect you. She loudly reprimanded Malfoy and his followers, and you fell in love with that girl …"
Harry thought about it carefully. Indeed, if there was a girl who would reprimand Malfoy for him, he would like her too. Of course, it was a pity that Gryffindor didn't have such a girl. The impression Hermione gave him and Ron was that she was always nagging and meddling in other people's business.
"Gradually, you fell in love with that girl. You desired to become more outstanding so that you could be worthy of her."
That was to be expected.
Harry started to imagine that if there really was such a girl, he would definitely work hard to become stronger, hoping to be qualified to stand by her side.
"But your efforts yielded little results. Malfoy and his followers continued to bully you, and now they used bullying you as a way to attract that girl's attention. Once, they even hung you on a tree with a golden bell in front of everyone. It was that girl who came in time to save you. "
God, that was a nightmare.
Harry Potter thought about that scene carefully. He felt that if Malfoy really did that to him, he would definitely want to die.
"You felt humiliated when you were saved by that girl. To vent your anger, you quarreled with her, and the two of you broke up. Then, that girl married Malfoy and gave birth to a child. "
"…"
Harry began to feel that this story was full of malice.
"You became a Potionology Professor at Hogwarts. One day, you learned that your beloved girl and Malfoy were killed by Voldemort. Only that child survived."
… … Huh?
"Then, eleven years later, that child came to Hogwarts. You looked at the crystallization of your love … … the child that Malfoy and your beloved girl gave birth to. How would you feel?"
"… … Wait, wait a minute … …"
Hearing this, Harry finally couldn't help but speak up. Ron was even more dumbfounded.
"Teacher Ailee … … You, you mean my father … … He … … He … …"
Harry felt like an idol had collapsed. Although he had never met his father, he had always thought that his father should be a proud, gentle, and amiable father … … But Ailee actually compared him to Malfoy …?!
"That's right, Teacher Ailee. Harry's father is the hero who fought against the Unknowns. How could he be someone like Malfoy?!"
At this time, Ron also reacted and hurriedly shouted, but Allie just glanced at him.
"Parents' love for their children doesn't mean they'll treat outsiders the same way. Who knows, maybe Malfoy will be a good father who loves his children, but that doesn't stop him from mocking you for being a dirty Weasley."
Ailee stood up and closed the book in her hand.
"That's the end of my story."
After saying that, she left, leaving Ron and Harry looking at each other in dismay.
After a long while, Ron heaved a sigh of relief.
"I can't imagine Malfoy being a good father."
"I can imagine … …"
In contrast, Harry's expression became a little gloomy. Unlike Ron, Harry could understand this kind of feeling better. Because his aunt and uncle were like that, and though they were complete villains to Harry himself, they did love their son Dudley very much. Perhaps in the eyes of others, they were indeed terrible, but to her cousin, they were probably the best parents in the world.
Therefore, Harry could understand Ailee's words better.
But he couldn't accept it.
He had always thought that his parents were the best parents in the world. They loved him, especially after hearing about their deeds — — they fought against Voldemort to protect him and sacrificed their lives. Therefore, they must be very great and gentle people.
But what made Harry depressed was that someone would actually treat his father as Malfoy … … He could more or less understand Snape's hatred towards him, but he still didn't know what to do.
In the following days, Harry's life didn't get better, but instead, it got worse. In the past, he didn't know why Snape could hate him so righteously when he targeted him. But after knowing the truth from Ailee, his feelings were complicated. On one hand, Harry felt that he was unlucky and innocent. On the other hand, because he was often bullied by Malfoy, he could understand Snape's thoughts … … This made Harry even more depressed.
Thus, under this dilemma, Harry had no choice but to look for Ailee and ask her if she could help him.
"So you mean, make Professor Snape not hate you anymore?"
"… … Yes, I don't know how to do that, after all … …"
Facing Ailee, Harry was still trembling with fear. Ailee looked at him, pondered for a moment, then said.
"There's a way."
"Really?"
"That's right, but you need to make some sacrifices. As the saying goes, the heart must be cured with the heart … … Are you willing?"
"I … …"
Harry didn't know why, but he felt Ailee's lips curled up slightly when she said that, revealing a strange smile. This sent a chill down his spine. But thinking carefully, he still had to stay in Hogwarts for so many years. If Snape treated him like this every year, his days in school would be over. Thus, he gritted his teeth … … and nodded.
"I'm willing!"
"Good."
Ailee nodded, then handed a bottle of potion to Harry.
"This is?"
"You should've received an invisibility cloak right? Tonight, wear it to the potion room and drink this potion. You'll know what to do next."
"Got it."
Harry received the potion from Ailee and nodded. He indeed received an invisibility cloak, but he didn't know who sent it. Since Harry didn't know what use it had, he just kept it there.
"… … That's it?"
"That's right."
Although Ailee's answer sounded perfunctory, Harry still decided to give it a try. Thus, at night, while everyone else was asleep, he donned the invisibility cloak and went to the potion room. He then quietly pushed open the door and entered. Snape didn't seem to be in the room.
Harry heaved a sigh of relief. He opened the potion that Ailee gave him, opened his mouth and drank it in one gulp.
In the next moment, Harry felt his body heating up. He couldn't help but gasp for breath. Magic seemed to be seeping out from his body, then gradually cooled down … …
"Who are you?"
But just as Harry heaved a sigh of relief, Professor Snape's voice suddenly came from the door. Hearing that voice, Harry was startled. He hurriedly turned around and saw Snape's tall figure standing at the entrance of the potion room, coldly staring at him.
"It's break time now, why would a student like you come here … …"
However, Snape stopped before he could finish his sentence. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at Harry Potter, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"… … Lily?"
"… … Eh?"
Harry was stunned when he heard Snape calling out her name.
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