Bitterness flickered across Sean's face as he stood with his back to "Slughorn."
He withdrew his hand into his sleeve, then turned around to see that the once-smiling Slughorn had moved to the center of the room. The lazy walrus-like wizard was gone in an instant.
He still looked like Slughorn, but his gaze had become indifferent and cold. With his chin slightly raised, he looked down at Sean as though from above.
"What is it, sir? Is there anything else?" Sean put on a puzzled expression, deploying every bit of the acting skill he usually used on girls.
He still harbored a few fantasies.
Slughorn's bulging eyes stared straight at him. After a moment of silence, he spoke softly. "A first-year young wizard who knows Occlumency... No wonder. No wonder."
Sean's body immediately tensed, and the wand in his sleeve slid into his palm.
"I advise you not to act rashly, Wallerup—Mr. Wallerup." Slughorn watched him coldly.
"Professor Slughorn, may I still call you that?" Sean asked with his signature elegant smile.
At the same time, his mind raced through possible responses.
First, who was this person disguised as Slughorn?
Tom Riddle? Voldemort's name was the first to surface in Sean's mind, but he immediately ruled it out.
Voldemort had spent his life pursuing immortality and power. Unless he had no other choice, he would never risk infiltrating Hogwarts while Dumbledore was there.
Could it be one of his Death Eaters?
Slughorn was the Potions professor. There was only one person Sean could think of who could impersonate him without being exposed.
Severus Snape.
Combined with that arrogant, disdainful manner after shedding his disguise, Sean became even more certain.
His expression darkened considerably.
If the person before him really was Snape, then things were going to be troublesome.
Snape