Hogwarts.
Headmaster's Office.
"He has changed."
Dumbledore toyed with the Deluminator, his head lowered as he spoke to Snape, who stood not far away.
Snape's vacant gaze followed the blue glow on the Deluminator. He remained silent.
Dumbledore looked up at Snape, but couldn't read any emotion in his eyes.
The boy's thoughts were becoming harder and harder to fathom.
"Are you still planning to meet him?" Dumbledore stopped what he was doing so Snape would look at him, then continued, "I don't think that's the right choice."
Snape's gaze finally shifted from the Deluminator to Dumbledore's face.
"We're already on the chessboard, Dumbledore."
His voice was hoarse and low. "The king is old, the knight is young, and the pieces are in a terrible state. But we have no way out, because as long as we're still here, we haven't lost."
Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"He no longer respects me as he once did, nor is he as afraid of me. Severus, you must be ready to adapt to the enemy's changes. You might as well think of him as a new enemy."
Snape's gaze remained vacant. He answered with a nod.
"You'll do your best for that child, won't you?" Dumbledore asked.
"I have nothing left to lose, Dumbledore. You don't need to make a gambler with nothing to lose even more determined. I'll do everything I can. You know that."
His gaze was still vacant, but his tone was resolute.
Dumbledore stared at him for a long while before slowly nodding.
"The future will be even harder, Snape. We must all be prepared."
As he spoke, Dumbledore slowly lowered his head and began fiddling with the Deluminator again.
His lowered gaze, hidden from Snape, betrayed something different.
What he was thinking