Snape looked at his impervious, watertight demeanor and felt as though he were exerting force against a lump of slippery transfiguration clay, every attack deflected by some bizarre method.
He knew all too well that without conclusive evidence, it would be difficult to truly do anything to this deeply calculating little monster.
If he kept dragging this out, he probably would not get anything more substantial out of him.
He stared fixedly at Skofot in silence for nearly a minute, his gaze seeming to dissect him inside and out.
At last, extremely slowly, as though grinding his back teeth, he stepped aside and cleared the way to the door.
"Get out."
Snape's voice was icy and piercing, thick with exhaustion and lingering fury.
"If I find you somewhere you should not be again, or if any... 'uncontrolled fluctuations' affect Hogwarts's order, Leoqi, I promise you, the location of our next 'conversation' will not be nearly so... 'comfortable.'"
It was a warning, and a temporary release.
Skofot breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, though nothing showed on his face.
He rose gracefully, even straightening his perfectly neat collar and cuffs, then gave Snape a slight nod with impeccable poise.
"Thank you for your understanding, Professor. Good night." His tone was calm, as though the fierce confrontation had never happened.
With that, he walked unhurriedly toward the dungeon door, pulled open the heavy wooden door, and vanished into the comparatively bright light of the corridor outside before gently closing it behind him.
"Click."
The sound of the door shutting was especially clear in the silent dungeon.
Snape stood there alone. Though the dungeon was brightly lit, it now felt especially empty and cold.
He raised a hand and touched the distinct bite mark on his neck again. The faint sting reminded him