After the Unbreakable Vow was completed, Lyka felt a burning pain on the inside of her wrist.
She released Snape's hand and quickly rolled up her tattered sleeve, discovering a new scar etched into her skin.
Lyka gently traced the mark with her fingers, her amber eyes filled with a mixture of hope and hatred.
"Now, can you give it to me?" she asked eagerly, looking at Snape.
Snape did not answer immediately. His black eyes scrutinized the young werewolf girl before him, her chestnut-brown hair was matted with blood and dirt, her face marked by several fresh scratches, yet her gaze was terrifyingly resolute.
He suddenly realized that the one standing before him was not just an ordinary werewolf, but a warrior driven into a desperate corner.
"Remember our agreement." Snape reached into the inside pocket of his robe and drew out a piece of parchment and a necklace, placing them into her hands.
Lyka trembled slightly as she held the two items. When her fingertips brushed against the fang-shaped necklace, she suddenly flinched, as though something had stung her.
"There is very powerful Dark Magic upon that," Dumbledore said suddenly from the side. "You must exercise great caution when using it, Lyka."
"I will be careful, Professor." Lyka took a deep breath and placed the necklace around her neck.
The blood-red fang hung precisely at the center of her collarbone, forming a sharp contrast against her pale skin. It looked almost like a fresh wound.
Dumbledore hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "It's getting late. We should return to Hogwarts. Lyka, do you need any further assistance?"
"We're used to taking care of ourselves," Lyka shook her head, her fingers unconsciously rubbing at the edge of the parchment. "Now that we have this..." She looked toward Snape, a complicated glimmer flickering in her eyes. "I think we'll find a way."
Snape gave a small nod, then looked around.
"Reparo," he murmured, drawing his wand and attempting to repair the wrecked camp.
"No!" Snape had just restored a fallen tent when Lyka stopped him.
"I want to keep everything as it is." She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping across the devastation, the splattered blood. "I don't want to pretend nothing happened... nothing can ever return to the way it was."
"And besides..." She pressed her cracked lips together. "I want to do something for them myself."
Snape said nothing and simply pocketed his wand.
He and Dumbledore stood aside, watching Lyka as she moved through the ruins.
Her motions were astonishingly gentle, as if she feared disturbing something. She approached the bodies, knelt down, and softly closed the eyes of the dead, then carried them one by one to the open space at the center of the camp.
The few survivors still able to move rose and silently joined her.
No one spoke. Only the heavy sound of breathing and the occasional sob broke the silence of the night.
At last, Lyka came to Mara's side. She knelt there for a long time, motionless, her trembling fingers gently combing through the woman's hair.
Under the moonlight, Snape noticed crystalline drops glinting upon Lyka's face.
When all the corpses had been neatly laid out, the survivors began gathering the scattered wood and piling it atop the bodies.
"Need any help?" Snape asked quietly.
Lyka shook her head and continued her work.
Eventually, she found a firestone amid the ruins of a crooked wooden hut.
The fire crackled to life, rising higher and higher.
The blazing light illuminated each survivor's face. Snape looked at Lyka's profile in the firelight, the taut jawline, the tightly clenched lips, and the flames dancing within her amber eyes.
"There are still over ten missing..." As the fire began to dwindle, Lyka turned around, her voice calm once more. "They must have gone with Greyback." She paused, her tone sinking lower. "Among them is my brother."
No one knew how much time had passed before the flames gradually died down. Lyka turned again.
Snape glanced at her, then reached into the inner pocket of his robe and pulled out several tents expanded by an Extension Charm, some food, and a few homemade potions, handing them to her.
"These should help you through the hardest few days," he said. "The potions will heal wounds and ease pain. I've written the usage instructions on the labels."
Lyka looked at the supplies, a flicker of gratitude flashing in her eyes.
Snape then took out a bent wand, it had belonged to the old witch, the previous owner of the parchment and the necklace.
"Professor," Snape said, turning to Dumbledore, "could we give this to them? I've always wondered, why do most werewolves have no wands?"
"Those who were once wizards and later turned into werewolves are not stripped of the right to own wands," Dumbledore sighed. "But since they transform once every month, and live a life of constant wandering, they easily lose or destroy their wands."
"If they are registered on the Werewolf Registry, they can never purchase another wand," he added. "And some werewolves lose their connection with wands, the wands no longer choose them."
Snape nodded. "And for those living in the Forbidden Forest..."
"One of the conditions I set when I allowed them to stay was that they must not possess wands, to prevent danger to the school," Dumbledore admitted frankly.
Silence stretched among the three of them.
Finally, Dumbledore nodded slowly. "But I suppose... these are extraordinary times. The wand may be given to Lyka."
Lyka's fingers trembled slightly as she received the wand. She lifted it up, studying every curve and scratch upon it.
"Thank you, Mr. Snape." She suddenly turned toward him and bowed deeply, her chestnut hair falling forward to hide her face. "For everything."
"If there's any progress with the experiment, go to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and find Hagrid," Snape told her. Then he rolled up one sleeve, revealing the small snake coiled around his arm. "And if you ever see this snake in the forest, don't harm her. Of course, she might look... larger then."
Lyka looked up in surprise at Nagini but quickly nodded.
"Come, Severus," Dumbledore said.
As they turned to leave, Snape gave Lyka one last glance. The girl had already turned back to tend to the other injured werewolves.
Snape had just taken out his wand to Apparate when Dumbledore stopped him.
"Walk with me," the Headmaster said.
They left the werewolf camp, treading slowly along a barely visible path deep within the Forbidden Forest. The night wind rustled the leaves and carried the ceaseless chorus of insects.
"The Unbreakable Vow..." Dumbledore finally spoke. "Severus, you demanded a certain level of loyalty from Lyka. What do you intend to do?"
"You already know, Professor," Snape replied without hesitation. "I intend to do what Tom is doing, to build a werewolf army that stands on our side."
"I won't rely on planting one or two spies among them," he said. "Nor on gifts or sweet words to win them over. If we do nothing, I'm certain almost every werewolf will stand with Tom."
"I'm merely giving them a choice," Snape continued walking. "I never rely solely on the goodwill of outcasts. And if nothing is done, the result will be the same, those werewolves friendly to wizards will cower uselessly in corners, their fates once again in the hands of others."
"This is no better than the Dark Lord," he stopped and turned to Dumbledore. "After all, for the Greybacks of the world, at least the Dark Lord gives them a chance to strive toward their own goals."
Snape noticed something in Dumbledore's gaze, something he could not decipher. It was not anger, not disappointment, but a depth unfathomable.
"Severus," Dumbledore said softly, his voice almost carried away by the wind, "I hope you know what you're doing."
"Of course, Professor." Snape answered calmly, his eyes meeting Dumbledore's. "I'm merely helping those who need it, giving them control over their fates, and helping us in turn."
Dumbledore regarded him deeply, then nodded.
Both men Apparated away, vanishing into the night with faint cracks.
On the other side of the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid stood with his crossbow raised, keeping a wary aim on the bound werewolf Victor. Dobby stood beside him, clutching his fingers nervously.
At the sound of Apparition, Hagrid turned and spotted Dumbledore and Snape.
"Professor!" he lowered the crossbow, obvious relief in his voice. "How's it look over there?"
"Casualties are severe," Dumbledore shook his head. "More than ten went with Greyback."
Hagrid kicked Victor furiously. The werewolf let out a whimper, curling up on the ground, trembling.
"Professor," Snape asked, "are we turning him over to the Ministry?"
"What else would we do?" Dumbledore replied.
"That's too easy on him." Snape curled his lip, glancing toward the other three werewolves lying motionless on the ground. "Though... is this appropriate?"
Dumbledore approached the three and bent down to examine them.
After a moment, he straightened up. "They're dead." His tone carried little emotion, only a simple statement of fact.
Then Dumbledore raised his wand.
Crack.
A branch above Snape's head suddenly snapped and struck his shoulder.
He stumbled back, rubbing the sore spot. "Professor, what exactly are you doing?"
"Saving you some trouble later, Severus," Dumbledore said curtly.
His wand flicked again, and under the power of Transfiguration, the three werewolf corpses turned into ordinary stones. The forest soil stirred, opening up to swallow them whole.
More branches and leaves fell like rain, concealing every trace.
Victor, horrified by the sight, began smashing his head against the ground in desperate pleading.
But Dumbledore's wand was already pointed at him.
A flash of white light.
Victor's eyes instantly went vacant and unfocused, dazed and lost.
"I need both of you to keep tonight's events secret," Dumbledore said, turning to Hagrid and Dobby. "Aside from Greyback and one accomplice attacking and us capturing Victor, nothing else happened. Understood?"
Hagrid nodded heavily. Dobby squeaked, "Dobby will keep the secret, sir!"
"Excellent." Dumbledore's tone softened back into its usual warmth. "Hagrid, take Victor back to the castle and hand him to Minerva. I'll contact the Ministry tomorrow."
Hagrid nodded and roughly hauled the dazed Victor up, marching toward the castle.
Just as Dumbledore was about to turn away, Snape spoke. "Wait, Professor. Dobby and I still have something to handle."
The Headmaster raised an eyebrow but stepped aside without objection.
Snape let Nagini slither out from his sleeve.
"Engorgio," he said, pointing his wand at the snake.
Nagini's body swelled rapidly, returning to her full twelve-foot form. She lifted her head and rested it on Snape's shoulder, her forked tongue brushing against his cheek.
"Dobby," Snape beckoned, "come here."
Dobby stared at Nagini in fear, his tennis-ball eyes wide, but still shuffled forward, trembling.
"Your task is to take care of Nagini, this snake," Snape said directly. "She's my friend. You'll need to fetch food for her from the Hogwarts kitchens, " He glanced at Dumbledore, who gave a small approving nod. ", and you must talk to her often. About anything. Just keep her company. Also, if you notice anything unusual about her, come and tell me immediately. Understood?"
"Y-yes, sir," Dobby stammered, eyes darting between Snape and Nagini. "But... why can't Miss Snake stay in the castle?"
"The forest suits her better," Snape said, gently stroking Nagini's head.
Then he turned to the snake and hissed softly.
Nagini responded, nodding her head up and down. Dumbledore watched in silence, the blue of his eyes glinting with thought.
"She's agreed," Snape told Dobby. "I think she likes this place. You can come closer, let her get used to your scent. She won't hurt you."
Dobby extended his long fingers tremblingly and touched Nagini's scales. When the serpent did not react, he let out an audible sigh of relief.
"Good," Snape nodded, smiling faintly. "Dobby, earning a Galleon isn't easy, is it?"
"It's fine," Dobby shook his head, his large ears flapping. "Dobby is glad to serve Mr. Snape."
"You don't need to stay with Nagini all day," Snape added. "You may have your own time."
Dobby nodded again, visibly more relaxed this time. He carefully approached Nagini and began introducing himself in his squeaky voice. Nagini tilted her head curiously, seemingly intrigued by the talkative little creature.
Snape cast one last look at Nagini, then turned and left with Dumbledore toward the castle.