Good or bad, does it matter?{HP}

The day after the attack, Severus received a letter from an old acquaintance informing him that the bounty on his head had been lifted. An hour later, another letter arrived, this one an apology from the deputy head of the mercenary guild. The letter asked that he hold no grudge against them and assured him that such a situation would not occur again, as they would more thoroughly verify each task in the future.

Recognition from an organization with over two thousand wizards was rare, yet the Prince had become an exception. The reason lay in the report given by the mercenary who returned, combined with the guild's own findings on Ichiro—whose power was so intimidating that even the British magical government avoided offending him. This was aside from Severus's own formidable achievements.

Through their networks, the mercenary guild also learned about the conflict that arose when Amon created a colossal dome, effortlessly dealing with an entire squad of "Queens." The Queens, recognizing the threat, wisely decided to retreat. These feats revealed an unknown yet extraordinarily powerful wizard—one it was unwise to cross.

As a token of respect, they forwarded him the employer's entire deposit, along with any intelligence they'd gathered. Even Severus himself was surprised by such a response; he hadn't expected this level of deference. While curious about their strong reaction, he set that question aside for now, planning to revisit it after graduating from Hogwarts. His travels would eventually take him to the neighboring continent, where the prestigious teacher's guild resided and where, in 1979, a gathering of the world's most brilliant wizards was scheduled to be held.

Meanwhile, he entrusted the search for the person who initiated the bounty to the "Black Star," passing along all the information he had. But first, he intended to remain in France for a while. Beyond his planned meeting with Flamel, he also wished to visit Beauxbatons Academy to study in their library, and to lift the curse on Nagini, returning her to her human form.

In Britain, the Ministry of Magic only learned about the attack a week later. The same day, a team from the Research Department came to Snape, bringing a complete set of documents on the modified serum for "dragon pox." Snape learned, by reading the thoughts of the department head, that someone had quietly urged the Minister of Magic to expedite the process. As a result, the entire department had been pressured to complete verification, certification, and patenting in a single week, instead of the originally stated month—much to Prince's satisfaction.

The following day, he received an invitation to St. Mungo's Hospital for a conversation, personally signed by Chief Healer Nicholas Barnett.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Severus stepped into a bright, polished hall with white-tiled walls and marble floors. Lining the walls were long benches and somewhat uncomfortable chairs, a few of which held patients. Some patients stood out more than others: one man's head was swollen to the size and shape of a balloon, while another patient had turquoise skin, six arms, and four pairs of eyes. Behind the counter stood a young woman in a green dress, wearing a white apron and a triangular hat. Above her was a sign: "If you do not know where to go, are unable to speak properly, or do not remember why you came, our hello-witch will be happy to help." The message amused him.

Just as Severus was about to head toward the stairs, he noticed a woman in a healer's uniform approaching. She had blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, icy blue eyes, and a serious yet attractive face.

"Good afternoon, Mister Prince. Please follow me; the Chief Healer is expecting you," she said, bowing slightly.

"Today truly is a wonderful day," Severus responded with a slight smile. Glancing at the six-armed patient, he added, "Though not for everyone…"

The healer's gaze followed his, though she reacted with the same icy professionalism. She turned and led him through the corridor, and Severus followed, observing other patients and healers as they moved along.

'Another McGonagall... only, perhaps, even more extreme,' Severus mused, chuckling to himself. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy toward the Chief Healer for such a dedicated team. This healer was not only strikingly beautiful but also completely focused on her work—a rare quality.

They soon reached a door labeled "113," with a plaque underneath reading "Mitchell O'Neill." As Severus watched, he sensed a powerful surge of spatial magic. The name on the plaque changed, revealing "Nicholas Barnett."

"An interesting setup," Severus muttered approvingly. He was intrigued by the complex use of runes and enchantments on the office. Most would have limited such spells to the door, but this setup allowed the entire room to shift. Still, Severus found it somewhat energy-intensive; a similar result could be achieved by enchanting the door alone and limiting movement within the building.

~ Knock knock-knock ~

After hearing a calm "Come in," the healer opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Severus to enter. She closed it behind him, leaving him in a spacious, well-lit office. Severus examined the elderly man seated at the desk. The bald man had a neatly trimmed goatee, sharp features, and an expression of dignified predation. He wore a simple green robe over a classic suit with a matching tie.

"Mr. Prince, it's a pleasure to meet you. I was genuinely surprised to learn that the author of that study was a mere student, who managed to secure Slughorn and Pomfrey as mentors."

"I was just lucky," Severus replied, indifferent as he pushed back the chair across from Barnett and sat without hesitation. His lack of formal decorum caused Barnett's eye to twitch slightly.

"So, what did you wish to discuss? I believe I explained everything clearly enough in my report," Severus added.

Barnett's face tightened, though he remained composed. He produced a stack of documents nearly four inches thick and placed it on the desk with a heavy thud.

"Certain methods in your analysis raised questions," Barnett began. "For example, do you genuinely believe that biochemical blood tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays are effective in detecting and analyzing magical diseases?"

Barnett's cold gaze would have intimidated most other healers, but Severus met it with calm confidence, even offering a faint smile.

"Did you actually read my work?" Severus asked mildly. "I described in detail the physiological changes a subject may undergo, which I discovered primarily through Muggle technology enhanced with magic. This approach allowed me to understand the effects of white fern and travinka on the virus. Conventional magical analysis would not detect such subtle changes. I also suggested modernizing the hospital's equipment for these methods, since the conventional approaches have long been outdated."

"Mister Prince!" Barnett interrupted, raising his voice. "Think carefully about your words. Are you suggesting we emulate… Muggles?!"

"Not at all," Severus replied with a calm shake of his head. "I'm simply proposing that we adapt and improve certain technologies to help eradicate many magical diseases and increase survival rates among wizards, who make up less than one percent of the world's population. I outlined all of this in the report… Did you even read it, or did you dismiss it at the mention of 'borrowing Muggle technology'?"

"Mr. Prince! Mind your tone and show some respect! I am much older than you!"

Severus shrugged. "You are indeed older, but, as they say, the older a person is, the… ah, how does it go again? The more senile they become?" Severus's innocent tone held a faint edge. He paused, as if thinking, then offered with a smile, "Oh, no… 'Wiser,' yes, that's it. They become wiser. Apologies, I sometimes mix up those similar words."

"Get out of here!" Barnett bellowed, his face flushed with anger as he grabbed a heavy metal statuette and threw it at Severus.

Severus caught the statuette effortlessly with telekinesis. "Ah, so I now have the right to defend myself," he said, his smile widening. "And to return your conservative views to you—along with this statuette—where the sun doesn't shine."

Barnett tried to reach for his wand but found himself frozen. Only his eyes could move, filled now with both fury and a growing panic.

"Now," Severus continued, holding the statuette aloft with a deliberate wave of his hand, "let's explore the potential of magic-enhanced methods in a practical way."

"You know, I read somewhere that prostate massages are supposed to be beneficial," Severus began with a smile, his tone mockingly cheerful. "I suggest you give it a try… for science, let's say. Don't worry; this is all 'magic technology.' I even bought the magazine from Diagon Alley for three sickles—quite an investment, I must say! So, everything should work perfectly. You might even become a pioneer in this field!" he continued, still smiling brightly.

He lifted the healer slightly and added, "But honestly, I'd rather not look at an old man's… well, you understand." With a grimace, he glanced toward the corner, noticing a small, wrinkled creature with large ears watching intently. "Someone else can help with this little experiment. And, a bit of advice," he grinned, looking back at the trembling healer, "you might want to start sweating… otherwise, it's going to hurt—a lot."

"Stop! Please, don't do this! You—how dare you, filthy half-breed! Mudblood!" the old man mentally screamed, throwing insults and pleas that Severus ignored entirely.

With an air of disinterest, Severus summoned the nervous house-elf. Using a silent Imperius spell, he commanded, "Hold him with telekinesis, there's a good boy. Now…" Severus looked away, pulling the healer's robe down. "Begin."

Barnett's eyes went wide as a heart-wrenching groan escaped his mouth, an expression of sheer agony that could chill even the most hardened soul. The intense pain he endured in that moment was palpable, echoing through the room. Hearing his scream, even a man who has never felt will know what pain is like.

.

.

.

Please vote with power stones and comment your thoughts on chapter.

You can read more chapters on [email protected]/lucifer09

264 chapters available on there.