Marvolio and Cynthia were both top-tier students, the best of the best. Even if their knowledge wasn't as solid as Tver's, they still had unique insights across various fields.
Of course, the main reason was that Marvolio had experienced a soul split, and Tver wanted to study the fragmented soul within him, hoping to reverse-engineer the process of soul fusion. After all, he had already started to sense something when touching the door to the Chamber of Secrets...
Just like the two previous founders, Salazar Slytherin still lingered in the castle through some means. And this method must be connected to the magic he left behind in the Chamber of Secrets!
However, Marvolio himself was completely unaware of becoming a Horcrux. Voldemort had only ever thought of splitting his soul through murder and then storing it in a container.
Marvolio—or Voldemort, as he was now—had only one sensation regarding soul-splitting: agony.
From Marvolio's description, Tver felt something odd. It was as though splitting the soul resembled schizophrenia, fragmenting one's own mind. But this fragmented mind occupied the entire consciousness, not just a part.
Looking at Voldemort's deranged mental state, Tver couldn't help but wonder if he had truly separated a part of his personality...
...
Their conversation stretched into the evening, finally concluding with Cynthia's reluctant goodbye.
Because Tver needed to eat!
Lately, the nights had been getting colder, and dusk fell faster than before, so both students and professors hurried to the Great Hall for dinner. If he arrived late, his favorite dishes would be gone!
However, as he stepped into the hall, the atmosphere felt... peculiar?
Apart from Slytherin, the students from the other three houses had gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves. Occasionally, an eerie chuckle would escape before quickly being stifled.
The Slytherins, subtly isolated, were observing their flushed faces and restless glances. Clearly, they knew what the other students were discussing, but for some reason, they had to restrain their excitement.
Tver's curiosity couldn't be contained. As he walked through the hall, he deliberately slowed down, trying to overhear the gossip.
"Did you hear? Snape showed up in the afternoon Defence Against the Dark Arts class!"
Afternoon? He didn't have any classes in the afternoon... Could it have been Lupin's class? Had Snape come to observe?
"It was Professor Snape!" a young witch, who adored Potions, declared with slight annoyance.
Her Gryffindor classmate, however, didn't seem to care.
"You should know, Alyssa, that wasn't Snape himself."
"Cut the crap! Everyone in the castle knows about it by now. The real question is, does anyone know what Snape was wearing at the end?"
"What was it?"
"I'm not telling you."
The Hufflepuff wizard who had started the conversation quickly surrendered before he could be beaten into silence.
"Don't get mad, I'll tell you!" he shouted.
"Snape was wearing a frilly green gown, a tall hat on his head, and worst of all, a moth-eaten vulture perched on the hat!"
"Rumor has it he also had a big red handbag, though I'm not sure if that's true. Only the students in that class know."
He looked at his classmates, winking at them. "Why aren't you saying anything—"
"Hufflepuff loses fifty points for disruptive behavior in the Great Hall."
Snape's face was as cold as a Dementor's, draining the cheerful atmosphere wherever he walked. By the time he reached the staff table, the lively buzz in the hall had quickly cooled.
But now, Tver understood exactly what had happened.
Snape in drag!
Lupin had brought a Boggart to class, and it turned out Neville's greatest fear was Snape. In a comical display of magic, the Boggart transformed into Snape wearing his grandmother's clothes.
Damn it! He hadn't realized it was this afternoon's class. By the time the news had spread throughout the school, he only found out then!
Tver felt a pang of regret. If only he'd gone to pretend to audit the class and captured that iconic moment on camera.
But looking at Snape's dark, brooding face, he doubted that showing up with photos would earn him a potion recipe—more likely, it would earn him a death sentence…
…
Fortunately, Snape's gaze was fixed on Lupin. As Tver passed by, he didn't even spare a glance his way.
Tver looked at the staff table, which felt a hundred times colder than the atmosphere in the Great Hall, and for a moment, hesitated. His seat was right between Lupin and Snape!
Facing Snape's icy glare, the thinly dressed Lupin clearly couldn't handle it. He quickly glanced at Tver, silently gesturing to the empty seat beside him.
Driven by a desire to observe... no, to rescue his colleague, Tver eagerly sat down between them.
Sure enough, as soon as he took his seat, Snape's gaze—grew even colder...
"Thank you. This time... well, it was my mistake," Lupin murmured.
It wasn't that he feared Snape. But having a professor—though it was just a Boggart disguised as a woman—become the subject of such a scene wasn't exactly ideal.
"You really should have called me."
"Ah, but I did ask you to sit beside me, didn't I?"
"What I meant was," Tver didn't lower his voice, "let me take a look during class too..."
"Rip—snap."
Snape's knife and fork were so forceful that they sliced through the plate...
"Boggart, yes, just a Boggart!" Tver emphasized with the utmost seriousness. "I'm quite fascinated by these non-beings."
Yes, Boggarts, like Dementors and Peeves, were non-entities that the wizarding world still hadn't fully understood.
As for whether he had other thoughts…
No, absolutely not!
"That's a shame. From what I understand, that poor Boggart has been reduced to a wisp of black smoke, thanks to a certain professor's masterpiece." Lupin pointed vaguely in Snape's direction.
Tver nodded in understanding.
"But even if you could capture a Boggart, studying it would be difficult," Lupin said.
"Truthfully, I'm just curious about what I fear most. Forgive my arrogance, but I honestly can't think of anything right now."
"Perhaps loved ones?" Tver suggested, the only thing that came to mind.
"No, fear has nothing to do with strength," Lupin said thoughtfully. "Some people are powerful precisely because they harbor fear."
Tver paused, reflecting on his words. "Well said. Let's discuss whether thoughts can influence Boggarts!"
Lupin's expression twisted into a strange grimace as he stifled a laugh. "Probably not. The Occlumency spell can't block Boggarts—they shape themselves based on emotions."
"We can't exactly seal off our emotions, can we?"
"Actually... it's not impossible."
Tver thought for a moment. "If another Boggart appears, please let me know."
"Sure thing." Lupin readily agreed.
...