Chapter 603: This Is Not True!!
Harry didn't want to tell anyone except Darren about his dreams involving Voldemort.
But unfortunately, his mind was no longer as secure as it once was.
While learning Occlumency from Snape, Snape finally saw the scene.
As Harry fell to the ground, gasping for breath, Snape's voice turned icy.
"What did you see in that dark room?"
"Nothing!"
Harry answered without thinking.
That attitude infuriated Snape.
He roared, "Potter, let me ask you—do you know why I teach you this course in the evenings, on top of my regular duties? For what purpose?"
"To shut my mind."
"Yes, yes—but did you do it?
You didn't do it at all. You're still dreaming… Perhaps you even enjoy it.
Being able to sense the Dark Lord's emotions, being able to see what he sees—obviously, you're addicted to it!"
"I'm not you! I'm not a Death Eater!"
Harry shouted.
The words he blurted out left them both silent for a long time. Finally, Snape sneered.
He pointed his wand at Harry and said, "Let's do it again!"
Darren was thrown to the ground by Voldemort.
He lay on the lawn, his body covered in blood.
More than a hundred Dementors surged toward them, and the Azure Dragon Patronus swept across everything…
Harry suddenly realized something.
Snape's face, wand pointed straight at him, gradually appeared in front of his eyes.
He shouted instinctively, "Expelliarmus!"
Snape's wand flew away.
Then Harry saw a strange memory.
A man with a hooked nose, very much like Snape's, was shouting at a weak woman.
Snape, his hair greasy, knelt before Voldemort.
The scene of Snape lecturing Darren.
Snape putting something eerie into a potion…
"Enough!"
Snape roared, his face pale. Harry was violently expelled from the memory.
He was also shoved hard by Snape.
Harry stumbled into the cabinet behind him. The Pensieve shattered, and silvery-white liquid spilled out.
Memories.
Harry knew it instantly.
He had seen it twice before in Dumbledore's office—once Darren's memories, and once Dumbledore's own. But none of that mattered to him right now.
What he couldn't stop thinking about was what Snape had put into that potion bottle. It looked poisonous.
And that potion… it looked exactly like the one Snape had asked them to give to Darren earlier.
Harry felt a chill run through him.
Did Snape want to kill Darren?
But he wasn't sure. All potion bottles looked the same, after all. And he couldn't even be certain that what Snape had added was poison.
"Restore it."
Snape forced himself to calm down and repaired the Pensieve.
He stood in front of Harry, staring into his eyes, a satisfied smile curling on his lips. One more time would be enough—to make both Harry and Voldemort completely believe that he harbored ill intentions toward Darren.
"Again."
Snape smiled maliciously, like someone bent on revenge.
Harry was terrified, fear flooding his entire body.
He knew Snape must be retaliating against him—after all, he had seen far too much.
He wanted to say that he was leaving.
But Snape had already raised his wand.
"Legilimens!"
Harry found himself walking slowly down a corridor.
He longed to push open a door.
He continuously sensed Voldemort's emotions…
The Department of Mysteries. Searching in the dim firelight…
"Potter!"
Snape flicked his wand. Harry looked at him in fear. Snape was furious.
"You're still expecting this…"
A woman's scream echoed.
Both Snape and Harry froze, listening.
Snape suddenly asked, "Potter, when you came down, did you notice anything unusual?"
Harry shook his head quickly.
The screams continued.
"I'll go and take a look," Snape said, striding out with his wand.
The moment Harry saw him leave, he seized the chance to escape as well. The noise was coming from the entrance hall.
Harry hurried over.
It was crowded with people.
Then he saw Professor Trelawney standing there.
She held a wand in one hand and a wine bottle in the other. Two suitcases lay overturned on the floor.
But what frightened Trelawney the most was the piece of parchment in her hand.
"No… this isn't true!"
"Didn't you expect to be dismissed?"
Umbridge's voice rang out.
"You can't even predict the weather. Your teaching is dreadful—you should have realized this long ago."
Umbridge spoke triumphantly.
"This is my home… I've taught here for sixteen years…"
Trelawney collapsed onto a large trunk, tears spilling out from behind her thick glasses.
Harry saw Darren emerge from the crowd.
He tried to reach him, but there were too many people to push through. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall also stepped forward, which eased his worry.
"Sybil… don't cry. Even if you've been dismissed, you may still remain at Hogwarts."
Professor McGonagall said coldly.
Umbridge tried to move closer, but Darren had already stepped in front of her, wand in hand, his expression icy.
"You have no right to expel Professor Trelawney from the castle. She is a professor appointed by Headmaster Dumbledore.
No matter what, Headmaster Dumbledore is still the headmaster of this school. You may dismiss her, but you are not qualified to drive her out."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
"Darren Potter, have you forgotten the punishment you received in my office? I will make sure you remember it—painfully—this time!"
Umbridge screamed.
Darren's expression didn't change.
He said calmly, his voice filled with an almost holy clarity, "I don't care. Haven't you realized it yet?
No matter how you torture me, I can endure it. I will never bow my head because of your cruelty.
As long as you don't kill me, I will always be able to stand before the victims. Those punishments are the only thing you can threaten me with."
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding…]
"That's right. Darren is absolutely correct.
Umbridge, you've never understood this—love is the greatest power of all. And love for everyone is even more sublime."
"Who said that?"
"It was me."
Dumbledore walked in from outside the castle.