24 24. The Manipulator

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Happy felt terrified at that moment. He couldn't react or fight off the magic. Snape was a professor with great magical talent, so the difference was obvious. The man didn't even need to chant his spells out loudly.

As Happy's stiff body lay there on the floor, he could slightly feel Snape carrying him away with a levitation spell.

'Why is he taking me? Where is he taking me? Where is my bloody luck?' Happy wondered repeatedly.

As they came to a halt, Happy realized that they arrived in the potions lab. Snape's office in Hogwarts was a gloomy and eerie space, with tall stone walls and dim lighting that cast shadows over the room, making it feel like a dungeon. A dungeon Happy didn't want to be in.

Shelves of potions, ingredients, and dark magic artifacts line the walls, and a large desk dominates the center of the office. The air was heavy with the scent of musty books and burning candles, creating an oppressive atmosphere that matched the ominous presence of its owner.

"What are you doing, Professor? Why did you attack me?" Happy questioned him aloud as the immobilization spell had worn off partially.

Snape, with his ever so cold expression, tied Happy on a table. "You possess something that no mere mortal should, Mister Lestrange. To your wretched misfortune, certain eyes have taken note of a trait of yours. And now, they covet what flows through your veins, for its value far exceeds that of gold."

Happy was utterly confused, "W-What? What are you talking about?"

"Your blood, Mister Lestrange. It has come to my attention that your blood, when collected into a vile, takes the color of golden liquid. When drunk, it acts like a natural Felix Felicis potion." Snape revealed in a low voice.

"Argh!" Happy cried in pain as suddenly, Snape made a small incision on his wrist with his wand and collected some of his blood.

But, to the amazement of the two, the wound instantly got healed at a visible speed. It was strange, but Snape was in a rush, so he made another small cut. But again, it started to heal instantly.

Happy's mind went empty, but inside his heart, he felt it all made sense. 'I was blessed by God to have extreme luck. It makes sense if my blood has such properties. But this only paints a larger target on my back. How did these people find o… Argh… Those damn goblins!'

Happy looked Snape in the eyes in the dimly lit candlelight room. "Professor, can you really do this to a student? Your student?"

Happy knew the man was not inherently evil, but mentally deranged. So, he hoped to bring out whatever kindness was left in him, and he was prepared to use any means possible.

"Nothing good has ever come from following him." Happy tried to influence Snape with careful words. "That man is not worth following. He is the biggest traitor to us wizards."

"What are you uttering, Lestrange? You know nothing."

"You think so? Even after knowing my last name?" Happy started bullshitting again. "My father, Rodolphus Lestrange Senior, also father of my elder brothers, Rodolphus and Rabastan, was the first member of his gang when he studied in this school. Do you still think I don't know? I know everything. That is exactly why I'm like this—I just want to live an ordinary life, a happy life—away from people judging me, bullying me, or trying to hurt me."

Happy mimicked a few scenarios that Snape lived through as a child. Bullied, judged, and made fun of for his looks.

Snape wasn't a good man. Happy had no doubts about it. But Snape also wasn't a heartless evil man. The line separating Snape and Dumbledore was very thin; the only difference was the side they had their original allegiance to. Otherwise, both men were ready to do whatever it took to get the job done.

"What is it that you know?" Snape got interested and instinctively asked.

'Grandpa God, let your blessed luck shine.' Happy prayed before starting again.

"His real name, and that he's, in reality, half-blood, only pretending to be pureblood so he can influence the purebloods like mindless sheep. I may look like a little boy and act like a good happy-go-lucky kid, but I think about life as much as anyone else, Professor. I have no desire to follow a no-good imposter." Happy revealed, changing the narrative.

Thud!

Snape stumbled back and knocked a few bottles on the shelves. "A half-blood? Then…What is his real name?"

'Wait, he didn't know?' Happy was confused. Because he believed that at least the inner circle of Voldemort knew of his origins. After all, he was revived beside his father's grave in the fourth year of Harry.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle. In fact, if you arrange his name correctly, it will become I-Am-Lord-Voldemort. His father was a muggle-born named Tom Riddle Senior, and his mother was Merope Gaunt, who fell in love with the muggle man, and bewitched him with either a love potion or the Imperius curse. After some time, she stopped her bewitchment, hoping that he had fallen in love with her, or would at least stay for the child. But Tom Riddle Senior fled from her after he came to his senses.

"Merope Gaunt gave birth to Tom Riddle in a muggle orphanage and died shortly after. Tom Riddle is the one who must not be named. Yes, he does have the bloodline of Gaunts, who are descendants of Slytherin. But, he's a half-blood born out of the vile act of manipulation. He does not care about you, the purebloods, or anyone else. All that madman desires is power so he can rule as a king with absolute will. All he desires is to enslave all, be it purebloods, half-bloods, or muggles.

"My father, sadly, learned all this too late and only told me this on his deathbed. But, I believe if you looked in the student registry, you would find a certain Tom Riddle. Follow the trail, and all will be revealed."

Happy stopped his long speech of the history he knew thanks for being a reincarnator. The truth was, he didn't know if Lestrange Senior knew about Tom's heritage. But, since the man was dead and supposed to be his father, Happy decided to use the name to validate all that he said.

Snape looked at Happy in an attempt to see into his mind. But he couldn't for some strange reason. He did enter the boy's mind with his Legilimency, but he couldn't see any memories, and instead, it was just filled with images of various food.

"If you knew all this and remained quiet, you're an imposter too. You avoided joining Slytherin." Snape said.

Happy couldn't move, but he tried to shrug. "To my eyes, Slytherin is full of enemies. Half of the students there have a parent or family member with the Dark Mark. I wish to stay away from them and live a happy life. I wish to have nothing to do with Tom either."

"Lord Malfoy knows about your blood. There is no running away, Mister Lestrange."

'Fuck! I guess I'll use Draco as a bargain then.'

Happy looked at the man while making a resolute face. "If even I can reject them, a mere child, how can you justify this spineless behavior, Professor? I thought you were a strong man who stood up for himself. I thought…among all teachers, you'd be the most sane and realistic."

A long silence lingered in the dark room. Snape looked conflicted, his brows furrowed, and the wand clutched in his hand tightly.

"He's not alive yet. He can't spy on you through your Dark Mark, Professor." Happy further added, softly revealing that he knew about it. "But he's trying to come back to life, and my blood will help him probably."

Snape sat down on a chair and lightly waved his wand. Happy got freed from the torture table as the binders came loose.

"We will have another conversation once I confirm everything. Until then, do not think you've escaped your fate, Lestrange." Snape warned in a threatening tone.

Happy also hammered the last nail as he replied in a pitiful voice. "I have nowhere to go, Professor. I have no family or guardian to protect me. I'm alone…always was, and always will be."

Getting off the table, Happy stood there for a moment, looking at the confused Snape, who was sitting there, covering his face with one hand. Happy was a little pissed off at the man for having done that to him, but he knew this wasn't the right time to act out on emotions.

Instead, luring Snape to his side was a much more lucrative idea.

Seeing that there was nothing else he could do to convince him for now, he turned and walked out the door, "Good night."

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