After the Halloween feast, the young wizards and witches, full and satisfied, returned to their dormitories in groups.
Once the students had all left, the professors departed one after another as well.
In the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore looked at Snape's grim expression and asked, "Severus, what did you want to see me about?"
"It's still about what happened two weeks ago, Dumbledore." Snape slapped a gold-edged map onto the desk, his face expressionless. "That Kyle Chopper selling maps at school... there should be a conclusion by now."
"So it's about that." Dumbledore calmly took a sip of tea. "May I hear your thoughts?"
"Someone who ignores school rules like that must be expelled!" Snape blurted out.
"That is not a very good joke, Severus." Dumbledore shook his head. "You should know that Hogwarts has no rule forbidding students from selling things on school grounds."
"And from what I understand, it was Miss Prince who sold these maps to Slyther—"
"That was instigation!" Snape roared, cutting Dumbledore off. "I asked around. Kyle gave all the maps to her!"
He was so loud that even the portraits around them, who had been pretending to sleep, could no longer stand it.
A large-nosed wizard said angrily, "Boy, mind your attitude. This is the Headmaster's office."
Snape ignored him completely and continued, "I should have insisted that Kanna transfer to Slytherin instead of listening to you and letting her remain in Hufflepuff."
"I think that is a good thing," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Don't you think Kanna used to be a little too introverted? As the only descendant of the Prince family in the British Wizarding World, that is hardly a good thing.
"And you cannot protect her forever."
Snape fell silent for a moment, then said impatiently, "We are talking about Kyle