Snape's Dark Past (Seeking Collection, Seeking Recommendation)

After exchanging a few more words with Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore left the hospital wing with Kyle in tow.

On the way, Kyle took the opportunity to ask a few questions he had encountered while practicing magic, and Dumbledore, never one to be stingy, provided answers to them all.

Because their destinations differed, they parted ways shortly after entering the castle.

When Dumbledore returned to the headmaster's office, Snape was already waiting for him there.

"These are the materials needed for the suppression potion."

Snape casually slapped a long piece of parchment onto the desk and said in a drawn-out tone, "Our deputy headmistress says this list contains many precious ingredients and requires your signature."

"Minerva is just too bound by rules; I remember telling her long ago that she has the authority to decide on all school matters."

Dumbledore picked up the parchment and said nonchalantly, "Besides, it's just a suppression potion, how precious could it possibly be... hmm?"

When Dumbledore saw the contents of the parchment clearly, his expression shifted.

Mandrake sap: 50 ounces.

Horklump juice: 50 ounces.

Antipodean Opaleye eggshells: 5.

Erumpent explosive fluid: 10 ounces.

Graphorn horns: 5.

Wolfsbane: 100.

And this was only a portion; all the other miscellaneous items added up to about thirty different types.

After reading through the entire list, Dumbledore felt his temples throbbing.

If he remembered correctly, of the six ingredients listed at the top, only the Mandrake sap was actually required; the others had absolutely nothing to do with a suppression potion.

And Antipodean Opaleye eggshells... wasn't that a primary ingredient for a Rage Potion? How dared he write that in? Did he really think everyone else was completely ignorant of potions?

And look at those quantities.

Fifty ounces of Mandrake sap. If that were all brewed into suppression potions, it would be enough for the entire school's staff and students to drink for a week.

As for Graphorn horns, they were usually sold as powder on the market, yet Snape was asking for them by the horn—five of them! Did he have any idea how expensive those were?

What was this, was he using him as a supplier!?

At this moment, Dumbledore understood why Snape had come to him for a signature.

With such an outrageous list, Professor McGonagall would certainly not have agreed to it, or perhaps Snape hadn't even bothered to ask her and had come straight to him instead.

"Severus..." Dumbledore deliberated for a moment, deciding to give Snape one more chance, and asked tentatively, "Are these all materials for brewing the suppression potion?"

Snape nodded and said calmly, "Yes, Headmaster."

Dumbledore: "Then what about these Antipodean Opaleye eggshells..."

Snape: "That is a new formula I am experimenting with."

"And the quantities are far too high."

"Margin for error, Headmaster," Snape said as if it were a matter of course. "I haven't brewed a suppression potion in a long time, so it is normal to have a few failures; therefore, the materials must be sufficient."

"It seems I have no reason to object." Dumbledore picked up a crimson quill and scribbled his signature onto the parchment.

"Mr. Mikel will be grateful for your generosity, Headmaster Dumbledore." Snape's eyebrows arched slightly.

After taking back the parchment filled with his private stash, Snape couldn't wait to go and fill his personal storeroom... ah, no, he meant to go and brew the potion for Mikel.

However, at this moment, Dumbledore said, whether intentionally or not, "Severus, what do you think of Kyle?"

"Kyle?" The smugness on Snape's face vanished, replaced by a sneer. "Do you have another plan in motion, great Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"No, no, no, Severus, I think you have misunderstood; this is merely a normal reaction of a headmaster seeing an excellent student. If you don't want to talk about it, then never mind."

Dumbledore popped a cockroach-shaped candy into his mouth and thoughtfully offered one to Snape: "Care for one? The flavor is quite excellent."

"No, thank you," Snape said with disgust.

He truly couldn't understand why, with so many varieties of candy in the wizarding world, Dumbledore had to favor these bizarre-looking things.

The thing looked even more nauseating than Flobberworm mucus.

Dumbledore, as if he hadn't noticed the look of revulsion, continued to himself: "Kind, brave, honest, and calm under pressure—it has been a long time since Hogwarts has seen such an outstanding first-year student.

I recall his mother, Diana, was also in Slytherin, and she was only one year ahead of you."

"Shut up!"

Upon hearing this, the corner of Snape's eye twitched violently, and his face turned grim as he spat out, "Never mention that name in front of me again. NEV! ER!"

By the time he reached the last few words, Snape was practically roaring.

This caused the portraits of the past headmasters to become extremely dissatisfied, and they began to criticize Snape for his lack of manners, daring to talk back to the Headmaster.

Unfortunately, Snape ignored them entirely.

He dared to roar at the current Headmaster, so why would he fear a few paintings?

He only called them Headmasters out of courtesy; without it, they were nothing but scraps of paper, too stiff even to wipe a cauldron with.

"I didn't expect you to still remember that, even after all this time."

Dumbledore likewise ignored the clamoring portraits and sighed softly, saying, "But Severus, even now, I still believe you were in the wrong back then."

"Diana is a well-bred, lovely girl. If you hadn't said that foul word to Chris, why would she have been cornering you in the common room every single day..."

"Bang!"

Before Dumbledore could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the loud slam of a door.

The commotion was so great that even Fawkes the phoenix, who had been sleeping nearby, was startled; he flapped his wings vigorously in the direction of Snape's departure to express his displeasure at being woken up.

"Pfft..."

Watching Snape's furious retreating back, a portly wizard in a portrait suddenly couldn't help but chuckle. However, upon catching Dumbledore's playful gaze, he immediately covered his mouth and scurried off into another frame.

Dumbledore soothed Fawkes, muttering to himself, "Honestly, why is it that as one gets older, one becomes increasingly fond of reminiscing about the past..."

"Hah, hypocrite."

On the wall, the goat-bearded former Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black couldn't help but chime in, "Don't think I don't know that you did it on purpose. Look at how petty you are; little Snape just asked for a few extra potion ingredients, what a small matter. Back in my day as Headmaster, I was..."

"Wait, Dumbledore, what are you doing? I'll stop talking, alright? Don't come over here!"