HP - Shadow Monarch!

[Chapter Size: 2400 Words.]

Third Person POV

London.

...

...

"You're finally here." Steve opened the door for Snape, who stepped inside. A man was seated at the same table where Snape had first spoken with Steve, sipping tea.

After closing the door, Steve guided Snape to the table and continued, "Come, let me introduce you. This is Kodoviskiy Vasilyev. He's a Russian who obtained magical citizenship here in England and has lived here for many years," he explained.

"So, you're Severus Snape, the man I've heard about from Steve." Kodoviskiy remarked, raising his gaze from the table, studying Snape with interest. "I'm certainly impressed. If Steve has taken an interest in you, that says a lot, as he rarely goes out of his way to personally vouch for someone. Business is business, though. I'm here to fulfill your request. So, you want to go to Romania with an animal, correct?"

Snape nodded. "Can you help me with that?"

"Of course," Steve interjected. "Kodoviskiy is known for transporting 'delicate' goods throughout his former country for years. When magical authorities discovered his illegal activities in Russia, I helped him establish a system here in England, under the condition that it wouldn't disrupt the balance of the magical community. Since then, he's been a trusted figure—the best in his field. Even the Death Eaters seek his services, but he knows how to slip away from them when necessary."

"I see," Snape responded calmly. "All I need is to transport my Graphorn directly to Romania, specifically to the Transylvania area," he requested.

Kodoviskiy nodded in agreement. "I've already arranged what you asked for after speaking with Steve. I just need a few details. After all, I don't want to risk my reputation, even though Steve vouched for you," he warned.

"I have no problem with that," Snape replied in a cold tone but did not dispute the condition.

In the end, they discussed and adjusted the details. Kodoviskiy nodded when Snape agreed to his terms. "I'll expect you at the designated location tomorrow. Just bring your Graphorn inside a bag; we'll be using Floo Powder to cross the countries of Europe," he advised.

"Understood," Snape replied.

"Now, I believe I have no further business here," Kodoviskiy said as he moved toward the fireplace and disappeared, leaving Steve and Snape alone in the room.

"So, Snape," Steve said, crossing his arms. "You're much more proactive now than you were when you were at school. You've put on quite the show recently, from what I've observed..." Snape knew what Steve was referring to. "Not even the great families know what to do with you now, especially since they don't realize it was you who killed them... Seeing one of the noble ones murdered and tortured by the same methods they use on Muggles, and by someone of humble origins, has certainly shaken them."

"That doesn't matter," Snape replied, shrugging.

"Perhaps," Steve admitted. "But it was certainly a clever move. It seems you left the Ministry of Magic with a clean name. I heard about your dealings with that Ministry woman, Dolores. She's certainly not headed for a happy ending. And you have more favors to ask of the Minister of Magic than almost any wizard in England—you know how to win with every move," he said, laughing.

Snape raised an eyebrow, surprised at how quickly Steve seemed to know everything. "You're well-informed."

Steve shrugged with an enigmatic smile, unwilling to reveal his secrets.

Snape didn't press. "Anyway, it was good to talk. I need to get my affairs in order before leaving the country," he said, rising to leave.

"Understood," Steve said.

"Oh, before you go, just a tip," Steve added. "I won't give you too many details because I think you should figure it out on your own, but I'd be cautious of Dumbledore... he's formed a special group... And it seems he's planning a move against you. Looks like you can't escape the suspicions he has about you."

"I understand. That's fine; I'll deal with him," Snape said, simply shrugging. Steve nodded, watching him leave. As soon as Snape closed the door, the entrance vanished, leaving only a wall. Steve was very protective of his hideouts.

Snape shrugged and disappeared, using his teleportation ability. He reappeared in one of the fireplaces after returning to Diagon Alley and used Floo Powder to travel directly to his home, where he began preparing for his departure.

"Well, let's get started." He looked at his owl perched nearby and approached it. "I'll be gone for a while. I want you to stay in the wild during that time. This place might not be safe, so stay in the forests of the region and avoid any towns. I'll be back soon," Snape said.

Snape didn't want to risk Shadow, so he ordered the owl to stay away from the area where others couldn't locate him. The region was surrounded by a dense forest, far from any major city since it was in the countryside. Shadow would be safe there.

It was still daytime when Snape left his house. He teleported to a beach below a cliff and began walking toward a cave. The large Graphorn, resting in the darkness, noticed his presence as he approached. The creature, with narrowed eyes and an alert expression, slowly emerged to meet him.

"We'll leave tomorrow, Atlas. Be ready," Snape said firmly, and the Graphorn seemed to nod in understanding.

He spent the rest of the day preparing potions, equipment, and training with his longsword. Although his specialty was daggers, he was adapting to using larger blades. His strength and skill allowed him to handle the sword with surprising dexterity, almost as if wielding a dagger.

By the end of it all, he was ready. The next day, Snape placed Atlas inside his magical bag and organized all his items, storing most of them in his inventory for quick access. The inventory was primarily filled with valuable items he wanted to keep secure, as he didn't trust leaving them at home. This storage system provided absolute protection.

He also wrote letters—one for Albert and another for Genini, his house-elf. The letter to Albert contained detailed instructions on how to send items to the shop. For Genini, he left a letter with directions to open the shop, along with a bag full of potions with their prices for her to set up for sale.

Snape wanted the shop to start selling potions while he was away. Not knowing how long he'd be gone, he had already planned to enter a dungeon. Snape had about 5,000 potions ready for the store's opening. "When I return, I'll continue producing more," he thought.

Finally, Snape departed, heading south of England via Floo Powder. He passed through a small town and arrived at a farm where Kodoviskiy was waiting for him.

"You've finally arrived, boy. I hope you got everything you needed and didn't forget anything," Kodoviskiy said, handing him a document with a map and detailed instructions.

Snape examined the document before handing it back. "Excellent," was all he said.

"You really are crazy, boy," Kodoviskiy continued. "I didn't want to say this in front of Steve, but going to that vampire-infested place... I have no idea what you plan to do there. It's one thing to leave England undetected by the Ministry of Magic, but entering Romania and crossing a territory filled with those creatures... that's a whole different story. Anyway, I arranged a fireplace for you to pass through unnoticed, but you'll need this garlic potion. It'll make you invisible to vampire sensors," he muttered.

He handed the potion to Snape, who examined it, opened the vial, and sniffed the liquid before giving a faint smile.

"Interesting," Snape murmured before drinking the entire potion in one go.

Kodoviskiy nodded, satisfied with the reaction. "Come, here's the entrance," he said, pointing to a large hidden fireplace.

Snape nodded as the man handed him another potion. Snape took it, sniffed it again, and drank it.

"Kodoviskiy Vasilyev," Snape said before consuming the potion.

Kodoviskiy nodded in approval, knowing it was a memory-erasing potion. As they had discussed the day before, the Russian preferred discretion, using this potion to ensure no one could reveal his identity after he completed a job. Once consumed, all memories related to Kodoviskiy's name would vanish, though the person would still remember their objective.

[System blocked the potion's effect.]

Snape ignored the system's message and moved forward, still fully remembering Kodoviskiy Vasilyev.

"Good luck," Kodoviskiy said. "Remember: you don't know me, you've never heard of me. And if you're caught, I'd prefer you die. Nothing personal, just business. I need to protect myself."

Snape ignored the brief speech, shrugging. In the next moment, he threw the magical powder at his feet, which engulfed him in green flames, transporting him away. He didn't even need to say the name, as the fireplace was set to take him directly to his destination.

"Where does Steve find these people... each crazier than the last," murmured Kodoviskiy, shaking his head before disappearing and burning down the barn. He couldn't leave evidence behind, nor give Snape a way back through that location.

In Romania, a country known for its traditions and historic villages, there were areas of unparalleled beauty, but also places with an air of darkness and danger. Ancient castles and isolated villages dotted the landscape, forming a striking backdrop. Among these regions, one stood out above all: Transylvania.

For Muggles, this place was inaccessible, blocked by inexplicable government measures. But wizards knew the truth: none dared to interfere with the creatures that inhabited the area—beings so dangerous that one, in particular, rivaled even Voldemort of England in infamy.

Near a village close to this region, a fireplace erupted in green flames, and Snape emerged from it. An elderly man with a cane stood watching him attentively.

"So, you're Severus Snape," the old man said in English, though his accent marked him as a local.

Snape nodded silently, already aware of who the man was.

"Kodoviskiy told me about you," the man continued. "Anyway, you've passed undetected. Good luck with whatever you're planning here. Just stay away from that castle. If you approach it, you'll meet a horrible death." He spoke with a warning tone. The man had been hired to observe whether Snape would be detected by the vampires, but no unusual activity had occurred as Snape appeared.

Without another word, the man turned and walked away slowly, leaving Snape to follow his own path. Snape stepped out of the small barn where he had appeared. He found himself on a farm surrounded by a dense forest of pine trees. The atmosphere was cloaked in a foreboding aura, reminiscent of Steve's descriptions of the area around the castle. The difference was that this place already felt tainted by the malevolent presence of vampires.

"Time to begin," Snape murmured to himself, vanishing quickly into the forest, leaving the old man behind.

As he moved through the forest, Snape detected the presence of several beings. It was true—many vampires inhabited this region, particularly in the nearby towns. However, he avoided them all, moving carefully and teleporting through the area to avoid detection as he made his way toward his target.

His objective here was clear: to find the painting. Nothing would stop him from achieving his goal.

Snape continued forward until he finally spotted a new forest, far more sinister than the one before. The area was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere, and his senses alerted him to the presence of dark and monstrous creatures. This place was even more terrifying than the Forbidden Forest. Although he couldn't see clearly what inhabited it, Snape knew he would need to be cautious.

He quickly realized flying on a broomstick was not an option; a magical barrier prevented their use. A different, ground-based mode of transportation was required. He reached into his magical bag and released Atlas. The Graphorn emerged, covered in armor made from basilisk leather.

In the months before leaving Hogwarts, Snape had begun utilizing parts of the basilisk he had slain in the Chamber of Secrets to create protective items. The armor was highly resistant to magic, and he had crafted it both for himself and for Atlas.

A black cloak draped over Snape atop his basilisk-leather armor, adding to his ominous appearance. He adjusted the sword in his hand before returning it to his inventory, holding his wand in the other. Atlas, for his part, seemed ready for the challenge ahead.

"Well, let's get ready. It's time to move forward," Snape said, beginning to walk toward the forest as he prepared to put on his helmet.

Suddenly, a distortion in the air caught his attention, taking him by surprise—no one was supposed to know he was there. He halted, observing cautiously. A woman in a red dress appeared out of nowhere. She seemed poised to travel, holding an elegant parasol, a matching bag, and a hat that complemented her red hair and striking red eyes.

As she materialized, she let out a deep sigh, apparently unaware of Snape. "Ah, finally! I'll be heading to England," she said aloud, closing her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, she noticed for the first time that she wasn't alone. Her eyes widened in surprise as she spotted Snape and Atlas standing in front of her.

Snape, for his part, was also taken aback but kept his expression neutral as he stared at her. He hadn't expected to encounter anyone there, especially someone he recognized the moment he saw her—her eyes were unforgettable.

"...," Snape.

"...," the woman.

They stood there, staring at each other, neither knowing how to react. She was astonished to find a human in this place. She had been preparing to return to England after being released by her father, finally able to pursue information about a mysterious alchemist who had fought her after she won his painting at an auction. Meanwhile, Snape had a completely different goal: to infiltrate Dracula's castle and retrieve a painting lost during that same auction.

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