According to a passage in Hogwarts's school history, Salazar Slytherin's father had once traveled to India and brought back many pieces of porcelain, silk, and a little dragon...
"Senior."
Pomona looked up at Severus Snape's grave expression.
"Look at this!" he said, pointing at a book.
Severus had recently entered puberty, and his voice sounded like a duck's. Unless it was something serious, he would not readily open his mouth to speak.
"What is it?" Pomona asked in confusion.
"Don't you think there's something wrong with it?"
Pomona looked over the book again. It discussed famous alchemists and Potions masters throughout history. What Snape was pointing at concerned Nicolas Flamel.
"You really don't think there's a problem?" he asked patiently.
She found it baffling.
"Phoenixes are very rare, right?" Severus asked.
"Yes," Pomona replied.
"And they're very loyal? They only follow one master in their entire lives?" Severus asked again.
"I suppose so," Pomona said.
"Nicolas Flamel had a phoenix."
"No, there was only a phoenix in his notes," Pomona corrected.
"Professor Dumbledore has one too," he said stubbornly, staring at her.
"So?" Pomona asked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"You think Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel are the same person?"
He wore the expression of someone who had finally been understood.
She found his reaction amusing. She had only been reading history books for entertainment anyway.
"You said vampires move somewhere else every so often and change their identities," Severus said.
"How do you plan to prove your theory?" Pomona asked.
"That's impossible," Lily said. "Stop making wild guesses, Sev."
Severus looked at Pomona.
"Are you going to put Veritaserum in Dumbledore's pumpkin juice?" she asked with a smile.
Lily looked as if she could not bear it any longer and sulkily turned to the History of Magic written by Bathilda Bagshot.