The air in the office seemed to be sucked out in an instant.
The sneer on Snape's face froze completely, replaced by a complex expression mingling shock, absurdity, and extreme caution.
"Patronus Charm?" He practically forced the words through his clenched teeth. "A first-year student? You haven't even learned how to make a pineapple dance the tango, yet you want to challenge N.E.W.Ts-level magic? Lin, your arrogance is even more impressive than that idiot Potter's."
"Whether someone is arrogant or not isn't determined by their year, but by their ability." Lin Yuan remained unmoved and began laying out his reasons.
"I came to you instead of Professor Flitwick or Headmaster Dumbledore for three reasons."
"First." Lin Yuan raised one finger. "Your understanding of the connection between mental power and magic far exceeds that of ordinary people. Anyone capable of sealing his thoughts as securely as the strongest vault must understand how to guide, shape, and even disguise his mental power. The Patronus Charm is precisely the ultimate application of mental power. What I need is guidance in its essence, not superficial spell practice."
He cleverly used "sealing one's thoughts" instead of "Legilimency," but Snape instantly understood what he was referring to.
That flattery was actually saying: I know you can use Legilimency, and I know you're very skilled at it.
Snape's expression darkened another shade.
"Second." Lin Yuan raised a second finger, lowering his voice with a strange penetrating force. "I know you possess a... very powerful Patronus with a physical form. This proves that, deep within your heart, you must cherish a powerful and joyful memory capable of illuminating the entire Scottish Highlands. Only someone who has personally experienced such a thing is qualified to teach the essence of this spell."
Those words were like an invisible sword, instantly