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Chapter 663: Snape’s Special Ability
🕑 Added 2025-03-28 13:38:43 +0000 UTCAlthough it wasn’t signed by Dumbledore, Snape’s name was just as effective.
Five minutes before dinner, Snape entered the Great Hall, accompanied by a House-elf.
Perhaps due to the exhaustion of his relentless Occlumency lessons, Harry had developed an uncanny awareness of Snape’s presence. Almost instinctively, he looked up the moment Snape walked in.
What caught his attention, however, wasn’t just Snape—it was the House-elf beside him.
“Dobby?” Harry called out hesitantly once Snape had left.
The elf bore a striking resemblance to the one Harry had encountered in his second year: the Malfoys’ former servant, who had gone to great lengths to protect him. But Harry wasn’t entirely sure.
Back then, Dobby had worn only a grimy, torn tea towel. Now, this House-elf’s attire was a stark contrast.
The elf sported a hand-knitted, wide-brimmed hat that covered his oversized ears and carried a pristine brown suitcase. His well-fitted jacket was stylish and practical, with numerous sturdy pockets in various shapes, resembling the durable fabric of Charlie’s dragon keeper uniform. The boots he wore, polished and robust, appeared to be crafted from dragon-hide—or so Harry speculated. For a moment, he found it hard to believe a House-elf could be wearing something so extravagant.
All House-elves looked somewhat alike to Harry, which made him uncertain—until the elf waved excitedly at him and squeaked in a familiar, high-pitched voice:
“Mr. Harry Potter, sir! Dobby is so happy you remember Dobby!”
“It really is you,” Harry said, astonished. “But... why are you with Snape? Are you working for him now?”
“No, sir, Dobby is working for Mr. Scamander,” the elf replied cheerfully.
“Scamander?” Harry frowned, the name stirring a vague sense of familiarity. “That sounds familiar, but I can’t remember why...”
“Yes, sir! Mr. Scamander sent Dobby to Hogwarts to find Professor Snape. So Dobby came,” the elf explained, puffing out his chest proudly.
Hearing that Snape was involved, Harry’s interest in this “Mr. Scamander” waned. Instead, he asked cautiously, “What are you doing here at Hogwarts?”
As the question left his mouth, a strange unease settled over Harry. He couldn’t quite place the reason for it, but memories of Dobby’s earlier attempts to “protect” him surfaced—intercepting letters, sealing off platforms, and generally causing trouble despite his good intentions.
Harry silently prayed that Dobby wasn’t here to protect him again.
“Dobby is here to see Mr. Kyle,” the elf suddenly remembered his task, glancing around as if searching for someone.
At that exact moment, Kyle entered the Great Hall.
“Ah, Mr. Kyle!” Dobby cried, rushing over to him.
Watching the elf leave, Harry let out a small sigh of relief. At least it’s not about me this time.
Yet, inexplicably, the feeling of dread persisted—and even intensified.
Maybe it’s just Snape getting to me after all those attacks, Harry thought, trying to reassure himself.
Meanwhile, Kyle was caught off guard when Dobby approached him.
“I thought Newt was coming,” Kyle said, his tone laced with surprise.
“Mr. Scamander said now isn’t a good time for him to come to Hogwarts, so he sent Dobby instead,” the elf replied.
“No, it’s a perfect time for him to come,” Kyle muttered under his breath, a hint of disappointment evident.
Still, Dobby was here, and there was no way to send him back now.
"Never mind," Kyle said, waving off his thoughts. "Follow me."
He led Dobby into the empty Common Room, ensuring they wouldn’t be overheard.
“Have you brought everything?” Kyle asked, his voice low.
“It’s here,” Dobby replied, holding up the suitcase in his hands. His large eyes darted around nervously. “Mr. Kyle, are you sure no one else is here? Mr. Scamander told Dobby that no one must see this, or Mr. Kyle would be expelled from Hogwarts!”
“Don’t worry,” Kyle assured him. “Everyone else is in the Great Hall. We’re the only ones here.”
“Good,” Dobby said, relaxing slightly. He set the suitcase down and opened it carefully, revealing two gleaming sapphire-colored eyes inside.
“And this,” Dobby added, pulling out a bulging bag.
“What’s this?” Kyle asked, puzzled.
“Mrs. Scamander made some grapefruit cookies,” Dobby explained. “She told Dobby to bring some for you.”
By the time Kyle returned to the Great Hall, dinner was already underway.
“Where’s the House-elf?” Kanna asked, glancing behind him.
“He went home,” Kyle said casually, pulling two cookies from the bag and handing them to her. “Try one.”
Kanna took one, biting into it. Her eyes lit up. “This is delicious! Did you get them from the Hogwarts kitchen?”
“No,” Kyle replied, smiling. “Tina—Mrs. Scamander—made them. She got the recipe from a fantastic baker. If you like, I can take you to visit her during the holidays...”
“Sorry, this holiday Kanna will be in Austria for her induction into the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers and won’t be able to accompany you to see some Mrs. Scamander,” interrupted a cold, snake-like voice from behind him.
Kyle felt a chill creep down his neck. Turning slowly, he saw Snape standing behind him, his expression unreadable.
“Professor,” Kyle said with an uneasy laugh, “I didn’t realize you were here too.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Snape said, narrowing his eyes. “Where is it? Hand it over.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Kyle said calmly. “It just arrived and hasn’t settled in yet. He’ll attack any stranger who approaches him. Of course, you could handle it, Professor, but it would be rather troublesome if you got hurt—or worse, injured him by accident. I’ll handle this trivial matter myself.”
“And tomorrow?” Snape asked, his tone slow and deliberate. “I doubt Potter is capable of handling an aggressive 5X-rated magical creature.”
“I can handle it, Professor,” Kyle replied confidently. “One night is all I need.”
Snape stared at him, his gaze piercing, before leaning in slightly and saying in a low, meaningful voice, “Then remember: do not let me see it again.”
With that, he straightened and strode out of the Great Hall, his black robes billowing behind him.
Kyle let out a long breath of relief only after Snape’s figure disappeared entirely. Glancing at his untouched toast and sausage, he decided against eating it, opting instead to save it for the Nundu to try later. He served himself a fresh plate of food.
You can never be too cautious, he thought, recalling Snape’s presence. While the odds of Snape tampering with his meal were slim, Kyle wasn’t about to take any chances.
Kanna, watching his behavior, couldn’t help but laugh, biting into another cookie.
Kyle sighed. The worst thing about Snape isn’t just his attitude—it’s that he moves so quietly and always seems to appear at the worst possible moments. This wasn’t the first time Snape had caught him off guard, and it was starting to wear on his nerves.
After dinner, Kanna headed to the library as usual, intending to read for a while before curfew. Kyle, relieved he didn’t have another study plan to write, stayed behind.
Meanwhile, Harry had already returned to the dormitory.
With everyone else home for the holidays, the dormitory was eerily quiet. Bored and with no one to talk to, Harry turned in early, quickly falling asleep.
...
The next day, Harry reluctantly arrived at the Dungeon at the agreed time.
It was one minute to nine, and as usual, he stood in the corridor, waiting for the top of the hour to go inside. But to his surprise, the office door opened before he had a chance to knock.
Kyle walked out, and their eyes met.
“I was just about to come find you,” Kyle said. “We’re not going to study here today. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“Where?” Harry asked, following him.
“The eighth floor, the Room of Requirement,” Kyle replied.
Harry froze for a moment. “The Room of Requirement... Does Snape know about it too?”
“No, he doesn’t,” Kyle assured him. “That’s why I picked it. Didn’t you say you wanted to learn Occlumency with me? Well, Snape agreed.”
“Really?”
A wave of relief and excitement swept through Harry. This was the best news he’d heard in weeks.
“Of course it’s true,” Kyle said casually as they started up the stairs. “But I should warn you—I don’t know how to teach Occlumency to others.” Seeing Harry’s skeptical look, Kyle added, “Seriously, I don’t. But if you’re willing, I can recommend the way I learned it.”
“Of course I agree!” Harry said impatiently. “Just don’t let me see Snape again.”
“Don’t be so sure about that...” Kyle muttered under his breath.
They soon reached the eighth floor. Kyle walked past the blank stretch of wall three times, and the door to the Room of Requirement appeared. He opened it and stepped inside, with Harry following close behind.
The space was enormous, larger than Harry had imagined. It looked like an open field, complete with soft grass underfoot and a bright sky overhead dotted with fluffy white clouds. Not far away was a shimmering lake, about the same size as the Black Lake.
For a moment, Harry felt as though he’d stepped back outside.
“This is incredible...” Harry said, closing his eyes and enjoying the gentle breeze.
Kyle really is the best, Harry thought. Even the location he picked for studying is leagues better than Snape’s dark, suffocating office.
“What do I do first?” Harry asked eagerly.
“Hold on,” Kyle said, clapping his hands.
At the sound, Harry heard a low growl. He turned and froze.
A massive feline creature padded into view. It resembled a mix of a leopard, tiger, and lion—but much larger. It had sleek, rippling muscles and, strangely, six legs.
Harry’s jaw dropped.
“What... what is that?”
“That,” Kyle said with a slight grin, “is a Wampus Cat. It’s classified as a 5X Magical Creature by the Ministry of Magic—extremely dangerous.”
Harry instinctively took two steps back, his heart racing. 5X? That’s the same level as a dragon!
No wonder it had six legs. Anything with such an unusual appearance had to be perilous.
“Relax,” Kyle said, noticing Harry’s fear. “This particular Wampus Cat is a bit different. He won’t attack you.”
To demonstrate, Kyle reached out and scratched the Wampus Cat under its chin. To Harry’s astonishment, the beast immediately closed its eyes and purred, sounding almost like a gigantic, fluffy housecat.
Harry stared, his fear slowly giving way to curiosity. “But Kyle, how did the Room of Requirement get this—uh, Wampus Cat?”
“I borrowed him, of course,” Kyle said matter-of-factly. “In fact, he’s the one who taught me Occlumency.”
Harry blinked in disbelief. “What?”
“Wampus Cats are natural Legilimens,” Kyle explained. “Kind of like how Tonks is a Metamorphmagus—it’s just in their nature. Their sapphire-blue eyes can see through anything, including your innermost thoughts.”
Harry glanced uneasily at the creature’s piercing blue eyes.
The moment their gazes met, Harry felt an overwhelming sensation, as though every layer of his mind had been peeled away. It was even more intrusive than Snape’s magic. A cold shiver ran down his spine, and instinctively, he pulled his robe tighter around himself.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Harry stammered, his voice shaking. “I mean, how is that even possible? It’s just a Magical Creature—how can it use Legilimency?”
The Wampus Cat let out a low, whimpering sound, as if offended.
“Haven’t you felt it already?” Kyle asked with a grin. “That’s the Wampus Cat’s unique ability and the reason they’re classified as 5X Magical Creatures."
“On top of that, their intelligence far surpasses that of most other Magical Creatures. In some ways, a Wampus Cat is even more dangerous than a dragon.”
Harry pursed his lips, trying to process this new information.
“But... this feels different,” he said hesitantly. “Snape’s Legilimency wasn’t like this.”
“Actually, it’s the same,” Kyle explained with a shrug. “Professor Snape just used a more refined technique so that you could see your own memories as well.”
“I knew he didn’t mean well,” Harry muttered instinctively.
Kyle raised an eyebrow, unsure why Harry would say that, but chose not to press the issue. After all, given Harry’s prolonged ordeal with Snape, it wasn’t surprising that he would view the professor with suspicion.
“Alright, let’s move on,” Kyle said, pulling out a piece of warthog leg and tossing it to the Wampus Cat, who snapped it up with a pleased growl. “My method is similar to Professor Snape’s. Both involve using Legilimency to force you to learn Occlumency. The difference is that instead of me attacking your mind, the Wampus Cat will.”
“You want me to face that thing?” Harry yelped, his voice breaking slightly.
He glanced nervously at the Wampus Cat, estimating his odds of survival. It didn’t look good. He felt like he could hold out for maybe three minutes, while the Wampus Cat could go on for seven—or longer.
This seemed utterly insane.
A soft whimper came from the Wampus Cat, drawing Kyle’s attention.
“Oh, the Wampus Cat says it won’t take that long,” Kyle said nonchalantly. “You’d last maybe a minute at most.”
Harry’s face went pale, and his legs started to tremble. He had only wanted to learn a skill, not risk his life in combat with a Magical Creature.
“Relax, I’m kidding,” Kyle said with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry. I learned Occlumency from this Wampus Cat myself. It’s experienced in teaching and knows how to hold back.”
Harry looked at him warily.
“Of course,” Kyle continued, “if you’d prefer, I can send you back to the Dungeon for lessons with Snape.”
“No!” Harry said quickly, his tone firm. “I’d rather face the Wampus Cat than go back to the Dungeon.”
“Think carefully,” Kyle warned. “If you choose to stay here, you won’t be allowed to leave until you’ve mastered Occlumency—unless term starts before then.”
“What about eating and sleeping?” Harry asked.
“That’s all sorted,” Kyle said, pointing to a small cabin nearby. “You’ll sleep there. It’s furnished like your dormitory. As for meals, I’ll have House-elves deliver them.”
“Fine,” Harry agreed immediately, his eagerness overcoming his nerves.
Once he was assured of his safety, the initial fear faded, replaced by a flicker of excitement. Learning from a 5X Magical Creature wasn’t something many could boast about. Ron would be green with envy, and Hermione would likely be stunned at the idea of a Magical Creature acting as a teacher.
“What do I do?” Harry asked, ready to begin.
“It’s simple,” Kyle said, stepping back with a slight smirk. “Try not to get beaten too badly.”
Before Harry could make sense of that, the Wampus Cat, previously lounging like a giant house cat, stood up abruptly.
It moved with lightning speed, rushing toward Harry.
Startled, Harry tried to dodge, but the Wampus Cat seemed to predict his movement, adjusting its path and blocking him effortlessly.
A sharp crack echoed as its tail lashed out, striking Harry with precision and sending him flying.
Harry hit the ground with a thud, clutching his arm and groaning in pain.
This was not what he’d imagined. Kyle had said there was no danger!
Before he could voice his protest, the Wampus Cat was already upon him again. Its tail swung like an iron rod, catching him mid-roll and flinging him across the field to the opposite side.
“Harry, don’t forget Occlumency!” Kyle shouted from the sidelines. “The Wampus Cat can see through your thoughts. Dodging on instinct won’t work. Use Occlumency!"
“If the Wampus Cat can’t see your thoughts, you’ll have a chance to avoid its attacks.”
Harry didn’t have time to respond before another tail swipe sent him sailing into the lake with a loud splash.
The water was shallow, barely reaching his calves, but Harry’s soaked and bedraggled appearance was undeniably pitiful.
Kyle averted his gaze, choosing not to comment.
After exchanging a few words with the Wampus Cat, Kyle turned and left the Room of Requirement.
“That’s much better,” Kyle muttered to himself as he reached the hallway outside. He began making his way downstairs, whistling cheerfully.
Whether Harry would succeed in learning Occlumency over the next few days remained to be seen. In the meantime, Kyle finally had time to focus on his own tasks.
As for Harry’s safety, Kyle wasn’t concerned. In addition to the Wampus Cat, there were two House-elves stationed nearby, ready to use Apparition to evacuate Harry in case of an emergency.
Plus, Fawkes would check in several times a day.
Kyle sighed wistfully. When I learned Occlumency, I didn’t have anything like this setup. Harry should just count himself lucky.
