Harry Potter: I became Snape

"Alastor, please stand guard at the door," Dumbledore said softly to Moody.

Moody nodded, leaning on his cane as he positioned himself in the corridor, his eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

Dumbledore stood before the cell door and, with a gentle wave of his wand, the iron bars parted silently.

As he and Snape crossed the threshold, the door closed behind them as if pushed by an invisible hand, sealing off all sounds from the outside.

The cell was steeped in silence, broken only by the faint sound of breathing from a corner.

In the dim light, a small figure huddled lifelessly. Hokey slumped there, devoid of energy.

The house-elf was so tiny she could easily slip through the gaps in the cell's bars. But clearly, she lacked the strength or will to try.

Dumbledore approached Hokey and crouched down, studying her for a moment.

He raised his wand and pointed it at her. A soft green mist spilled from the wand's tip, gently enveloping Hokey.

Within the mist, her frail form seemed to swell slightly, regaining a flicker of vitality.

Her thin fingers twitched faintly, and her long eyelashes trembled, as though struggling to open her eyes.

Before she could, Dumbledore cast another spell. A faint golden light melded into the green mist.

Hokey's eyes slowly opened, revealing large, tennis-ball-sized brown eyes.

They were clouded with exhaustion, and tears welled up, streaming down her grimy cheeks, carving two clear tracks across her face.

"Mistress…" Hokey whispered weakly, "I'm sorry… Mistress… Hokey didn't mean to…"

She struggled to crawl toward Dumbledore, but her weakened body lacked the strength to manage it.

"Stay where you are, Hokey," Dumbledore said gently, motioning for Snape to remain quiet. "I don't blame you. I know it wasn't your fault."

"It's been a long time since I've seen you. Without your care, my life's been a bit of a mess, so I came to check on you."

"I know it's been hard for you here," Dumbledore's voice was low and soothing. "I still miss the days when you looked after me."

"Mistress…" Hokey's frail chest heaved, as though she could barely breathe. "Hokey misses you too…"

Another wave of mist, brimming with vibrant life, enveloped the house-elf, and her breathing gradually steadied.

"Hokey," Dumbledore said, looking into her eyes, "do you remember the day Tom Riddle came to visit us?"

"I remember, Mistress," Hokey replied softly. "He brought you a bouquet of roses. He was so handsome, so polite, and he made you happy."

"And then?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Then…" Hokey's voice trembled with guilt and fear, her body quivering. "I'm sorry, Mistress! Hokey thought it was sugar! Hokey didn't mean to…"

"It's alright, Hokey," Dumbledore soothed, his voice gentle. "I forgive you. Now, I need to see your memory. Can you look into my eyes and open your mind to me?"

"Yes, Mistress," the house-elf whispered. "Hokey will serve you."

With effort, Hokey raised her head, her tear-filled eyes gazing longingly into Dumbledore's.

Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes peered over his half-moon spectacles, studying Hokey intently.

After a moment, he pressed his wand to her temple, carefully drawing out a silvery-blue strand, neither gas nor liquid.

Dumbledore then pulled a delicate crystal vial from his cloak, guiding the memory thread into it with his wand.

When it was done, Hokey's eyes fluttered shut, and she slipped into a deep sleep. Her expression seemed calmer now.

Dumbledore stood, tucking the vial into an inner pocket of his cloak, and turned to leave.

Snape glanced at Dumbledore, then back at the sleeping Hokey. "Professor, if she didn't do it, should we try to get her out of Azkaban?"

Dumbledore turned, fixing Snape with an odd look. "Severus, though you are so young, I never thought you'd be naive enough to ask such a question. Are you serious?"

Though he seemed displeased with Snape's question, Dumbledore explained patiently, "If the number of souls leaving doesn't match, the Dementors will notice. And at a time like this, clearing her name might alert Tom."

"At least Hokey feels she's been forgiven by her master, don't you think?"

Indeed, Snape thought, Dumbledore's words to him were entirely different from what he'd later say to Harry.

Though he'd confirmed his suspicions, Snape couldn't help but bristle at being called young, naive, and simplistic.

"Yes, I understand, Professor," Snape said. "For the greater good, some sacrifices are inevitable."

Dumbledore's steps faltered slightly as he walked toward the cell door, then resumed as he crossed the threshold.

Snape felt a twinge of satisfaction. At least, he thought, when it came to his students, the Headmaster was fairly lenient, as long as they didn't cross any major lines.

Still, Snape resolved to find a moment to make it clear to Dumbledore that he was "through and through Dumbledore's man." Otherwise, playing with fire felt a bit too risky.

The three made their way out of the prison.

Along the way, Moody's wand flicked constantly, erasing their traces to avoid detection by any Ministry officials who might inspect later.

Before boarding the boat, Snape remembered the Dementor he'd destroyed. "Professor, about that Dementor my Patronus took care of… is that alright?"

"Dementors are non-beings," Moody answered for Dumbledore. "They keep spawning, and no one—not even they—knows how many there are."

"Alright, time to go," Moody added. "Linger any longer, and the Aurors delivering food will show up."

The boat drifted away from Azkaban, heading into the distance.

Once ashore, Moody hauled a group of dazed assailants deeper inland.

Dumbledore, meanwhile, took Snape and Apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.

They made their way to the Headmaster's office, where the Pensieve, swirling with restless energy, awaited them on the desk.

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