When Snape learned that Harry had fled Hogwarts overnight just to avoid seeing him, his entire face darkened to a deep purple with rage.
"Good. Very good." Snape looked at Hermione and Ron before him, his gaze icy and his voice carrying a greasy quality. "Tell me, where did he go?"
"I don't know, Professor." Hermione looked as though she were about to cry. "Last night, a Slytherin student told him you wanted to see him. He went with them, and he never came back."
"Headmaster Snape." Hermione suddenly stopped sniffling, lifted her chin, and said seriously, "I know you don't like Harry, but this is Hogwarts. Even a headmaster needs to give prior notice before putting a student in detention.
"And you kept Harry locked up all night. Shouldn't you let him out now?"
Snape's expression turned even uglier.
He certainly wanted to give Harry Potter detention—preferably keep him in it until graduation—but he had not seen Potter at all. He had come here specifically to cause Potter trouble.
"You're lying." Snape narrowed his eyes and looked at Hermione again.
This time, he noticed something rather interesting.
This Gryffindor witch seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him as much as possible. Whenever she could not avoid it, several veins would stand out on her neck and forehead.
It was as if she were straining while gripping something heavy. Her mind appeared to be working desperately at something.
Occlumency?
Snape considered it, but quickly shook his head.
Occlumency did not require someone to physically strain their head. That would be absurd.
Still, Hermione had reminded him of something.
Perhaps he could use Legilimency and search Hermione's memories for the answer himself. As Harry's best friend, she surely knew something.
Snape's hand unconsciously closed around his wand.
But whether by