Chapter 33

An Hour Later.

"My back…" with a weak grunt, Severus "climbed out" of the pipe into the women's toilet under the shocked gaze of Myrtle and because he had not changed his clothes, they were still covered with the blood of the Basilisk.

"S-Severus y-are you alive…?" 

"Of course, why?" Finally getting to his feet, he looked down and was a little embarrassed when he noticed what a "mess" his suit was in, and with a quick wave of his finger, with a slight gust of wind, all the dried blood and dirt disappeared, "It's not mine, don't worry, okay, let's talk tomorrow, today I'm tired, so I'll go and rest a bit." At this moment Nagini's head came out, closing the passage.

"Okay …" And together they(Severus & Nagini) left the toilet, while not forgetting to transform his "combat suit" into a school uniform.

At the same time, the ghost looking after them felt relieved that he was still alive, but at the same time, there was another unpleasant feeling inside her and that feeling was disappointment. "If he died, he would forever remain in this place with me…" but shaking her head sharply, she slapped her cheeks with her palms a couple of times, "No, he is my friend and I should not wish something like that for him!"

---

Finally finding himself in his room, the young man, having thrown off his clothes in an instant, fell on the soft bed and smiled contentedly, and Nagini landed next to him with an equally pleased expression. "It's a pity that he destroyed all his wealth …"

"Come on, it's just gold and all sorts of useless trinkets. The main thing is that the books remain intact, and the rest is not so important, but still, he will pay for it, you think, I just saved this portrait for nothing?" with a devilish grin, the Wizard drawled, remembering the living portrait of Salazar, rolled into a roll, stored in his wallet.

"He's a portrait ... how are you going to take revenge on him?" Nagini looked at him in bewilderment.

"There are some things that are better left unseen…" He closed his eyes.

"I will solve this problem, he will pay for each of my three hundred thousand and nine Galleons." 

'Already yours, and how do you know the exact number…?' she thought, but still did not speak aloud, because he had already closed his eyes. But Severus, only had time to lie down for a minute, when there was already a knock on the door… "Severus, get up, it's time for breakfast, we should be at the Ministry at nine already!" said Slughorn with a cheerful voice, hearing which the Archmage almost fell off the bed.

"Why so early?" Severus complained.

"It's already seven-fifty, so I'll meet you in ten minutes in the grand hall, and after breakfast, we'll leave right away." 

"Understood… I'll be there soon…" with a tired sigh, Severus looked at Nagini, who was already snoring quite a bit, "Well, you've suffered a lot today, you can rest a little," rising up, he stroked her head with a warm smile, "I even envy you a little ... well, I have become too sentimental in this short time, or maybe this is the real me, when not only concerned with revenge and survival?" He ruffled his hair, shook his head and got up from the bed...

---

After breakfast, leaving the castle, together with Slughorn, they reached the village standing not far from Hogwarts. 

" You may not know this, but every major Muggle city has at least one entrance for visitors, and the village of Hogsmeade is only an exception to the rule for the sole reason that it is the Village of Wizards, and also plays a significant role in this itself." the professor explained in a calm voice, nodding past a couple with a smile, "Most often used are telephone booths, such red boxes …"

"Professor, I have lived in the Muggle world for eleven years and up to this time from the day I entered Hogwarts."

"Oh… I completely forgot that, please forgive my forgetfulness," scratching his nose in embarrassment, the man looked up at a small shop, "That's where the entrance is," he quickly changed the topic, and the archmage also did not focus on this.

Hogsmeade itself was a real village of the ideal type: wooden, presentable-looking houses, roads laid out of bricks and there were no sloping fences or abandoned buildings, there were lampposts almost every ten metres, and there was a railway station not far from the entrance.

"And it's quite calm here," Severus drawled with a smile, examining the joyful faces of the townspeople walking along the well-groomed streets of the village.

"I agree, I'm thinking of moving here on retirement…" Slughorn said with a smile.

Finally, entering the store, the shelves of which were almost completely empty, the old man behind the counter immediately noticed them and smiled happily at the guests. 

"Horace, I rarely see you here, did you come to chat or on business?" and then turning his attention to Snape, he added, "Your ward?"

"Yes, we are on business, we would like to get into the Ministry." 

"For what business?" The man asked.

"About obtaining a patent." Slughorn replied with a smile.

"As always, you do not change your habits, to create a new potion every year," smacking contentedly, the old man went to the room behind him, "Follow me …" Going down to the basement, he opened an empty room two by two metres in front of them. 

"Come in Mr.Snape. Thank you, Mark, I'll be sure to drop by tonight." Slughorn said, expressing his thanks.

"My doors are always open for you, old man, and in honour of this, I'll even open the very one," he winked at him, from which Slughorn licked his lips, and Severus was even interested in what kind of miracle "potion" the old man had hidden.

"I will take you for your word." Slughorn grinned.

***

In a long room dominated by green tones, with gleaming parquet floors and walls adorned with dark green tiles. 

Severus and Slughorn came out from one of the dozen fireplaces on the sides of which Wizards in business suits appeared every second, with a "zilch", they rather quickly stepped aside in order to let the hurrying people through.

"Is this your first time here?" Slughorn asked with a smile, looking at the huge stream of wizards moving in different directions.

"No, a year ago I was already here."

"When?" Slughorn looked at the gloomy Archmage with surprise.

"That day my mother died, and I was "invited" to testify how it happened."

"Oh... Severus, I'm really sorry for your loss." Seeing the sad face of the man, Severus shook his head with a smile. "Thank you, let's not talk about it anymore." 

"Of course! I…" But before Slughorn could finish speaking, a young-looking man in a business suit approached them. "Professor, it's good to see you again…" but feeling a strange atmosphere hanging in the air, he raised an eyebrow in puzzlement, "Did something happen?"

"Andrew! I am glad to see you, it's been seven years since you graduated…" Slughorn greeted the man quickly, pulling himself together. 

"I'm surprised you still remember me." The Young-man said.

"It would be very difficult to forget you, I still remember how in the sixth year, you, along with Mr. Warren and ….." 

"Please, let's not remember that incident!" the man almost exclaimed, raising his hands in a protective gesture with a wry smile on his lips.

Slughorn himself from such a reaction only laughed merrily, which further embarrassed the former member of the Slug club. "Well, by the way, this is the same young talent that I talked about yesterday," placing his hands on the shoulders of the Archmage, Slughorn said with a proud smile. "Of course," turning his gaze to Snape, the young man held out his hand, "Professor Slughorn was praising you all evening yesterday!"

"He exaggerated too much, my skills are quite modest," Severus answered him as he shook hands.

"We will see this now, follow me, the assessment for the rank of "Master" is on the second floor." 

The archmage looked at Slughorn in surprise after hearing this "Professor…?"

"I think that your skills are already at the level to recognize you as a "Master", of course, you are still far from me, but in a couple of decades you will definitely catch up, and I think that you don't really want to advertise the recipes of your potions, right?" Slughorn winked at Severus, "and after becoming a master, you will be able to officially trade them without patenting recipes, as well as buy and store those very ingredients…"

"Thank you." Severus just looked at him for a few seconds and then thanked him sincerely.

"You don't have to thank me. just when you start earning hundreds of thousands of galleons a month, don't forget about this old man."

"Don't joke like that, professor…" 

After a few minutes, they finally reached the office with a sign - "examination committee."

"I have already made preparations and as soon as you enter, your exam will begin at the same moment, the main thing is not to worry, since Professor Slughorn recognized you, then you will definitely pass," Andrew tried to cheer Severus.

"Good luck Severus, I'm sure you'll pass," Slughorn added. "Thank you for your support, I'll try."

After knocking, Severus heard a faint "come in" and opening the door, he entered the office where he was met by two middle-aged men and one old man under seventy. "So young, and already wants to pass the exam for the "master,"" the youngest of them shook his head with a chuckle.

"And what do you want to surprise us with, young man?" the older man took the floor, silencing the previous speaker. 

"Honestly, I didn't prepare for this exam…" Severus said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Then why did you even come here?" the second remarked caustically.

"To patent some potions, but my teacher signed me up for an exam instead," the Archmage answered with a smile, not paying attention to him at all, only concentrating his attention on the old man, "But well….. let me give a lecture, and also tell you about a few of my ideas and development, and you will decide whether I am worthy of the title or not …"