HP - Shadow Monarch!

[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]

Third Person POV

London.

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Snape left the room with Mr. Greengrass some time later; their conversations had not ended after Snape's revelation. They continued for another hour in private discussion.

Eventually, Snape retired to the room prepared for him. As he rested, the following morning, Clarisse called him early, and he accompanied her to where her parents were being served by their house-elf.

"Good morning, Mr. Snape. I'm sure my husband kept you in his office far too long, didn't he?" she asked with a friendly smile.

"Not too much, dear. We had a very productive conversation yesterday. I'm quite impressed with Snape's capabilities," Albert commented.

"Really? Like what?" Clarisse asked as she sat in her chair, watching Snape in silence.

"Well, Snape and I struck a deal. He plans to sell potions, and we've agreed to become his suppliers. Based on the project he outlined, this could be a very fruitful partnership," Albert explained.

"Really?" Clarisse repeated, her tone laced with curiosity as her mother also looked on in surprise.

"Yes. Anyway, let's eat. We can discuss this further later," he said, and everyone nodded in agreement, returning to their meal.

"Would it be alright if I used a part of the house to brew potions while I'm here?" Snape asked after breakfast.

"Of course. Clarisse, why don't you show him our little garden shed? He can use that space. Also, feel free to use anything you need from our garden; we won't charge you for it," Albert said, to which Snape nodded.

Clarisse led him outside, showing him the area. Snape inspected it carefully, deciding he wouldn't spend his days idly until Christmas. Meanwhile, Clarisse watched him quietly.

"Do you need any equipment? We have a cauldron," she asked.

"That would be quite helpful. I left mine at my current residence," Snape replied. Clarisse nodded and called for her house-elf, who promptly teleported the family's cauldron into the shed.

"Since you'll be brewing potions, I'll take this chance to study the plants more," she said with an excited tone.

Snape watched her leave before starting to organize his tools. Yet, his gaze lingered thoughtfully on the girl. After all, there was something he and her father had discussed the previous night.

'So you want us to ally ourselves in this war by staying neutral, avoiding taking any side, but rather ensuring our survival…?' Snape had asked the man after hearing his thoughts, now that he knew Snape was the wizard killing other wizards in England.

'Yes... We must unite against this. As I said, I have no desire to join You-Know-Who, nor do I wish to align with Dumbledore,' Albert replied, and Snape nodded as he considered his reasoning.

'And that's why you're proposing…' Snape began, watching him closely.

'Yes, I propose an engagement between my daughter and you,' Albert had said.

'This is unusual. I may be talented in many ways, but I'm not significant in the magical community. Your daughter is the sole heir of your family. How do you expect me to believe something like this?' Snape responded with a dangerous tone. The proposal seemed far too suspicious. He had to be realistic—within the wizarding world, he was merely a talented half-blood with no political power, something great families valued above all else.

'You're very astute. You're right… but I've done my research on you, Snape,' Albert replied with a sigh, unfazed by Snape's displeased expression. 'You carry noble blood,' he added, causing Snape to raise an eyebrow.

'You want me to claim the Prince family name… You can't be serious…' Snape said, his voice laced with disbelief. He had his own plans for dealing with the Prince family, but he would never do it for someone else's agenda.

'No, I don't want you to attack them. But given the current circumstances, you will need to claim the family name eventually. After all, you are their sole descendant…' Albert explained his thoughts.

'I doubt they are as noble as you make them out to be,' Snape scoffed, fully aware of what they had done to his mother.

'I can apply pressure on them. Unless they ruin your name, you will have the right to lead the family. Otherwise, they'll perish along with their legacy,' Albert remarked.

'That is something I need to think about. I won't confirm anything, neither about the Prince family nor a possible engagement to your daughter,' Snape said.

'You can take all the time you need to think, but know this: my daughter cares deeply for you. As a father, I have my concerns. With your talent and your name, you could unite both families, and your children could inherit and lead each house in the future,' Albert replied. It seemed a reasonable idea, after all. Two heirs from different families uniting rarely resulted in smooth outcomes, but their grandchildren could take up the mantle of each family. Men like Albert often lived long enough to see their grandchildren or even great-grandchildren, giving them time to train the next generation to take their place one day.

Snape didn't extend the conversation further, especially when he noticed Clarisse returning. He began preparing his cauldron, which he had to admit was quite excellent—one of the most advanced models on the market. Although the Greengrass family wasn't known for potion-making, they clearly dabbled occasionally and had the wealth to afford luxury items for their home.

And so, Snape started working on his potions, with Clarisse at his side, busy with her own tasks but occasionally helping him. She took the initiative to filter and sort some of the ingredients he needed, and he did not reject her assistance. At times, Snape even entertained the thought of her as a wife, reminded of her father's proposal. But he quickly dismissed the idea—he didn't belong in this world, or at least, that wasn't his intention.

In the end, Snape spent the day working alongside Clarisse. They only paused to join the family for lunch. Albert Greengrass was occupied with matters regarding the family business, working alongside his wife. The evening concluded with Snape producing dozens of potions in just a few hours.

Everyone in the house was amazed by his talent. More astonishing than the sheer volume of potions was their quality. They were so precise and of such high caliber that only a true Potions Master could achieve such results. Yet, even many masters wouldn't have managed such a feat in the short time Snape did. This left Mr. Greengrass especially impressed, realizing the young man was indeed serious about making a fortune with potions.

Albert, still amazed by Snape's skill, presented him with a special recipe and asked if he could brew the potion. "Mr. Snape, could you make this potion?"

Snape examined the recipe with a critical eye, quickly recognizing the effects and nearly all the ingredients, though he wasn't certain why Albert needed it. After assessing it thoroughly, Snape nodded in agreement.

Thus, Snape spent an entire week with the Greengrass family, arranging what was necessary for his business deal with Albert. This was the primary reason for his stay, but he also dedicated his days to potion-making, often with Clarisse by his side. She helped whenever possible, and in turn, Snape taught her about the craft, particularly aspects related to Herbology, which complemented her existing knowledge, though he still surpassed her in expertise.

During these days, a few friendly duels took place between the two. Clarisse had started training with him some time ago in the Room of Requirement, following the same methods he had used with Pandora.

"So, are you planning to compete in the dueling championship next year?" Clarisse asked, curious, as she knelt on the ground, exhausted. No matter how hard she tried to face him, she couldn't come close to defeating him. Snape was on a completely different level, wielding his wand with unmatched skill and standing before her without a trace of fatigue.

"Probably," Snape replied. He was interested in traveling to Scotland in the near future and had already confirmed his participation with Flitwick.

After that, they returned home.

The next day, Christmas Eve finally arrived. The house was lively from the early morning, as the family's house-elf had worked through the night on the holiday decorations. Snape wasn't particularly fond of social gatherings, but he didn't mind them while staying there. A few distant relatives of the Greengrass family arrived for the occasion, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Not everyone was pleased with Snape's presence. Some rudely asked which family he belonged to, and upon learning he was the son of a Muggle, they gave him looks of disdain.

However, Albert and Lucy made it clear there would be no disrespect toward their guest—and, more importantly, toward their key business partner during such challenging times. Other families were beginning to boycott the Greengrass family for not aligning with Voldemort, making Snape even more valuable to them.

As the evening progressed, the highlight arrived: the distribution of gifts. Snape stood in a corner, accompanied by Clarisse. He didn't seem particularly interested in the festivities, occasionally conversing and making a comment here and there. It was then that Albert suddenly called out to him, prompting Snape to lift his head.

"We have a gift for you, young man. Come here," Albert said.

Snape glanced at Clarisse, raising an eyebrow, before walking toward the center. A box appeared before him, and with a simple wave of his wand, he opened it. Inside was a cauldron, as elegant as the one the family used at home. Snape was quite surprised—it was not a cheap item. He estimated the gift to be worth two or three thousand Galleons, a substantial amount for most wizards.

"Well, thank you for this," Snape said, scratching his head slightly, feeling a bit out of place since he hadn't expected such a gesture.

"Oh, it's just our way of thanking you for everything you've done for our daughter this year," Lucy replied with a warm smile, and her husband nodded in agreement.

"Well, I also have something for your daughter," Snape said, pulling a small box from his pocket that he had prepared earlier.

Clarisse, surprised, stepped closer as Snape handed her the gift. She carefully opened the box and gasped.

"What is this? It's so shiny!" she murmured, holding up a pendant with the family crest. However, the material of the piece caught her attention the most.

"This is goblin metal…" Albert murmured, astonished. He was well aware of the value and rarity of such a material.

Snape had acquired the metal directly from the goblins at Gringotts. While preparing to have his sword crafted, he had taken the opportunity to request some samples of the special metal they were using and commissioned the pendant. Of course, he had paid a considerable sum for it.

"Thank you," Clarisse murmured, excited, as she put the pendant around her neck.

The evening continued as more gifts were exchanged. Snape returned to his corner, where Clarisse remained by his side the entire time. Eventually, as the night wore on, everyone decided to retire. After dinner and the exchange of gifts, there wasn't much else to do.

"So, you're leaving tomorrow?" Clarisse murmured as she accompanied Snape to his room.

"Yes. I'll be leaving to take care of some matters. Besides, I have a lot to do," Snape replied.

He had received a letter from Steve a few days earlier, confirming that the contact arranging a clandestine trip to Romania had finalized everything. He needed to prepare. Before that, however, he had to deal with the goblins and his sword, as well as settle matters with the Ministry of Magic. He couldn't simply vanish without a trace; otherwise, he might eventually be declared guilty of something. That's why he planned to speak with the Minister of Magic before his departure.

Clarisse nodded and stepped closer, giving Snape a small kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you so much for everything," she murmured, her face flushed, before quickly leaving.

Snape shrugged and entered his room. The next day, he left the Greengrass family's home.

Raccoon Here:

I was thinking… My initial idea was to make Albert Greengrass an ally, but it could also be interesting to make him a double agent for Dumbledore. I'm still unsure, as both paths seem compelling.

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