HP: Hogwarts Snake

Della was summoned to Snape's office again, where she saw Dumbledore once more.

She immediately looked at Snape, but this time Snape was not so easy to talk to. He said firmly, "I have to listen."

Della looked at Dumbledore again, waiting for him to deliver his verdict.

“Let him stay,” Dumbledore sighed. “Severus, Harry has done well. It’s about time to end this.”

“And now that I’ve been assigned a small part of this, and I desperately need an opportunity to make a contribution,” Della immediately chimed in, joining Dumbledore in deceiving Snape, “I’ll give it to you, Professor Snape.”

Snape stared intently at Della, then sneered, "I really don't understand you, the girl standing here, or the old man sitting over there."

Dumbledore, who was called "old man," didn't speak, but silently looked at Snape, who seemed to be driven mad with anger.

“Dumbledore, what gives you the right to decide life and death? Others’ lives, your own, are all insignificant,” Snape took two steps closer to Dumbledore, his eyes bloodshot, “but these lives and deaths involve the souls of countless people!”

“And you, Riddle, didn’t I teach you this? How could you so easily accept something that would defile your soul?” Snape turned to Della, pressing her. “Dumbledore is already dead. You don’t need to kill him.”

“Severus, to die in agony would be cruel to me,” Dumbledore interjected. “This is just as I wish, and it suits the situation.”

"Enough! Don't think you can control everything!" Snape roared at Dumbledore. "You've controlled too much! You've disgusted me!"

The office fell silent for a moment, with only the faint echo of Snape's roar remaining, as if it could shatter everything in the small space.

"Then tell me, Professor Snape, what should we do?" Della asked calmly, her eyes lowered.

......

The echo faded completely, and the office fell silent; no one spoke.

After an unknown amount of time, Snape sighed, "If this is the only path you believe will lead to victory—"

He looked at Della, then his gaze slid back to Dumbledore, and said in despair, "Then, I'll do it."

Della's eyebrows twitched, and she looked at Snape in surprise, not expecting that this question was for her sake.

A spirit worthy of admiration.

Della was unsure whether to keep her faked death, which she had agreed upon with Dumbledore, a secret from Snape. She glanced at Dumbledore, waiting for his reaction.

“Severus, I appreciate your trust in me and your care for your student,” Dumbledore said, looking at Severus with appreciation, but coldly continuing his plan. “However, I believe my death would be of greater value to Della.”

“Value—value!” Snape repeated the word mockingly, his chin slightly tucked into his neck as he looked at Dumbledore like a viper. “You’re horrible, Headmaster Dumbledore.”

After saying that, he gave Della one last look, tossed his robe, and walked out of the office.

boom--

The door slammed shut, making the floor beneath her feet tremble. Della sighed and said to Dumbledore with a complicated expression, "Yes, you are terrible, Headmaster Dumbledore."

“So, don’t go easy on me, Della,” Dumbledore said calmly, responding to Della’s scrutiny.