Thinking back to what had happened when she had encountered Professor Lockhart before.
Hermione was genuinely worried that she would be exposed.
She was so nervous that she clenched her fists until they were rock hard—Snape's expression also tightened slightly. After all, he knew only too well that Professor Lockhart always liked doing things that made him uncomfortable.
That hack writer might not have been particularly capable, but his powers of observation were indeed exceptionally sharp. Over the course of this term, Snape had already had several secrets discovered by him.
Just as the atmosphere in the air grew somewhat tense.
"Professor Snape? Are you there? I heard from the students that you've returned to your office?" Lockhart's voice sounded again, accompanied by a light knock at the door.
Inside the office, the air seemed to freeze even more solidly.
Hermione, who had intended to pretend no one was there, immediately panicked.
There was no way she could keep pretending the office was empty now. If Professor Lockhart went and brought over the young wizards who had seen her return, there was no telling whether her impersonation of Snape would be discovered.
"Damn it."
Hermione lost her composure.
She looked to Snape for help.
Snape clearly had the same concern. He believed that if he did not respond to Professor Lockhart, Lockhart would absolutely be capable of bringing a group of young wizards over under the pretext of "exposing a lie"—it was not as though he had never done so before. Snape suspected Lockhart did it deliberately, but he had never managed to find any proof.
"I'm here, but I'm busy. Don't disturb me."
He immediately spoke, coldly responding to the person outside.
Hermione let out a breath of relief.
And upon seeing that there was a professor outside the