Wash Your Hair, Professor (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"What is happening?" Professor McGonagall flicked her wand.

Those chess pieces that appeared to be chasing her froze instantly.

"Did you beat up Professor Quirrell?"

"Although his teaching methods are indeed questionable, at least wait until I..."

"I mean, at least go easy on him."

Snape sneered; he still restrained himself somewhat in front of Professor McGonagall: "This is no professor, but a lackey of the Dark Lord, my dear Professor Minerva."

"Oh, right, You-Know-Who." Professor McGonagall realized, looking at Harry: "Mr. Weasley told me you were coming to stop You-Know-Who."

"You are only a first-year student, how could you dare..."

Harry cut off Professor McGonagall: "It was Dumbledore who made me do it; I refused twice."

He looked at Snape thoughtfully.

"The Dark Lord."

This was a very interesting form of address, carrying more than a hint of respect.

Before this, he had only seen one person use it.

Ollivander, the wandmaker.

Snape glared, his eyes fierce, looking as if he wished he could hang Harry upside down.

"Albus!" Professor McGonagall roared like a lioness, "How could you! What kind of promise did you make to me? You said it was impossible for anyone to break into Hogwarts, and impossible for anyone to..."

"Minerva, oh, my dear." Dumbledore waved his hand, smiling bitterly, "Rest assured, I will give you an explanation."

Professor McGonagall subconsciously twirled the wand in her hand.

"Minerva, Severus, please take Quirrell to the infirmary." Dumbledore instructed, "Our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is in a rather poor state, I fear."

Professor McGonagall waved her wand, lifting Quirrell into the air.

"Professor McGonagall is not one of those mewling Gryffindor fools." Snape stared at Dumbledore, "There is no need for me to go with her."

"There are three Gryffindors here, Professor Snape." Professor McGonagall said sternly.

Harry and Dumbledore looked at him.

Snape pursed his lips and turned his head away.

"Very well, Severus, you might as well come along." Dumbledore hesitated, nodded, and with a wave of his hand, they walked out of the room, parting at the end of the corridor.

Headmaster's Office.

Dumbledore invited them to sit, turning to look at the portraits covering the walls: "I have some matters to discuss with my students; might I trouble you to leave for a moment?"

The portraits slipped away tactfully, and before long, only empty backgrounds remained on the walls.

"Now we can have a proper talk." Dumbledore sat down, flicked his wand, and poured a glass of milk for Harry and a cup of black tea for Snape.

"Where were we?" Dumbledore thought for a moment, "Ah, yes, Voldemort. He was also once a very brilliant student at Hogwarts..."

"I am not interested in Voldemort's past." Harry interrupted him, "Please, no nonsense; just tell me the most important things."

Dumbledore's expression turned serious: "I am sorry, Harry."

"I was negligent back then due to other matters, failing to discover Voldemort's true nature and failing to guide him well, allowing him to become the person he is today."

"Please forgive my testing of you; sometimes people hide themselves very well."

"Just like Voldemort—every professor who taught him thought he was handsome, charming, and destined to become a great Minister for Magic."

Harry recalled Voldemort's face: "Do you have some misunderstanding of what 'handsome' means?"

"Or... in your aesthetic, is having no nose a very cool thing?"

Dumbledore was taken aback, then smiled and shook his head: "No, he was very good-looking in his youth, as handsome as you are. What you see now is how he looks after being reconstructed by Dark Magic."

Harry clicked his tongue: "In that case, I'm afraid I'll have to charge you a higher fee."

Dumbledore looked grave.

"I want to learn two spells from you." Harry said.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Occlumency." Harry stated.

Dumbledore smiled: "Of course. Even if you hadn't asked, I likely would have required you to learn it."

"The Patronus Charm." Harry continued, "Of course, the one you use—the one that takes the form of a magical creature."

Dumbledore nodded: "That is also not a problem, though... you must first master the basic Patronus Charm before you can make any modifications."

"When can I come here to learn?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore looked at Snape: "Severus, I believe you would be quite willing to do me this favor."

"I am not willing." Snape refused decisively, "I can manage in the classroom, and I can even endure Potter asking some foolish questions after hours, but that is my limit."

"Would you be willing to spend a long time with a Troll?"

Harry shook his head: "Dumbledore, that is your responsibility."

"Besides, the smell of Professor Snape's hair oil is somewhat hard to accept."

Snape narrowed his eyes, glaring viciously at Harry.

Harry remained unmoved.

"Harry, you should have discovered it too, your scar..." Dumbledore instead tossed out a new topic.

Harry nodded: "A part of Voldemort? Perhaps a soul fragment. He is truly formidable to be able to leave behind such a means even before being severely crippled..."

That curse of love allowed him to harm Voldemort.

But why would the scar hurt?

Even if the damage were mutual, it should be the palms of his hands...

The only explanation is that this scar does not belong to Harry, but to Voldemort.

Even excellent witches like Yennefer and Triss had failed to discover it.

"Perhaps he hasn't even noticed it himself," Dumbledore shook his head. "Otherwise, with his temperament, he would have long since used the scar to influence you."

Snape listened, his expression growing increasingly gloomy: "Very well!"

"Starting next school year, come to my office every Wednesday and Saturday. I will make sure you learn Occlumency and the Patronus Charm properly."

"Wednesday won't work, I have to serve detention with Professor McGonagall," Harry shook his head.

Snape laughed in anger: "Ah, the foolish lion of Gryffindor, still taking pride in breaking school rules?"

"Very well, then every Thursday and Saturday."

Dumbledore smiled with satisfaction: "I knew you would help me, Severus."

"Professor Snape is actually so concerned about me; it's truly moving," Harry said, his face expressionless and his tone cold.

Snape gritted his teeth: "Shut up, Potter!"

"If you haven't mastered these two spells within a school year, I will make you taste the flavor of a Troll's anus!"

Harry chuckled: "Professor Snape likes Trolls so much, it seems I'll have to find a way to gift you one next Christmas."

"Are you preparing it for your own head?" Snape sneered.

Dumbledore felt a slight headache and waved his hand: "Alright, restrain yourselves in my presence. Harry, is there anything else you wish to ask?"

"How do I get rid of this thing?" Harry pointed to his forehead.

Dumbledore sighed: "I haven't figured out what it is yet. There are many ways to sever a soul in Dark Magic; I am not certain which one this is."

Harry frowned: "Having Voldemort growing on one's head—he is truly interesting. Why is he so fond of taking root in people's heads?"

"That is all the more reason you must master Occlumency as soon as possible," Dumbledore emphasized. "How do you intend to spend your holiday?"

Harry answered without hesitation: "I should be staying at Professor Flitwick's house. He is going to introduce a master blacksmith to me. I collected quite a few materials in the Forbidden Forest, so I can forge a set of leather armor then."

"The Forbidden Forest!" Snape's voice turned hoarse. "Use that foolish brain of yours to think carefully, Potter. That is not a place you should go."

Harry shrugged and nodded perfunctorily. He had heard him, but whether he would listen...

"Harry, I think... you must return to your aunt's house," Dumbledore suggested tactfully. "I will speak with Filius."

Harry countered: "Why?"

"That wouldn't be pleasant at all, neither for me nor for them."

"Petunia is your aunt," Dumbledore explained. "The spell requires the power of blood to be maintained. You must stay there for at least one month."

"You know Aunt Petunia?" Harry was stunned, then quickly noticed the greasy-haired man in the cloak, whose expression had turned more sinister. "Professor Snape knows her too?"

"Your mother, Lily, she was a Muggle before," Dumbledore paused. "A No-Maj. Petunia also hoped to become a little witch at the very beginning and even wrote me a letter."

Harry realized, nodding.

So, was that the reason Petunia hated magic so much?

And what about Professor Snape...

Snape hissed, pressing his wand against Harry's head: "Do not pry into messy things, Potter. That desire of yours to peek into others' hearts should be reined in!"

"Rest assured, after September, I will let you experience... the pain of having your heart peeked into by others."

Almost simultaneously.

Harry pressed his wand against Snape's waist: "Thanks, but I sincerely suggest that you wash your hair properly, Professor. Compared to the pain of being read, I find the smell of hair oil even harder to accept."

"Do you want me to cast a curse, Potter?" Snape's tone was vicious.

Harry remained calm: "At such close range, perhaps you won't have the advantage."

Dumbledore pushed up his glasses, feeling a headache: "Alright, even if you want to fight, don't do it in my office. Fawkes is already frightened."

"Heh, are you already so old that you can't see clearly?"

"I can provide you with a potion to treat presbyopia."

Almost simultaneously, the two of them began to sneer.

Fawkes lay in his nest, fast asleep, showing no signs of panic whatsoever.

Dumbledore waved a hand, "Thank heavens, I truly hope you two won't come to blows."

He suddenly felt a flicker of worry.

Entrusting Harry to Snape—while he trusted that Snape would never do anything to truly harm Harry, Snape was equally capable of ruining Harry's face and only restoring it after the lesson was over.

How was it that Lily and James's child had a mouth so much like Snape's?

Snape stood up, "Let's go, Potter, come with me to my office."

"Can't wait to lecture me already?" Harry stood up as well.

"Don't forget!" Snape gritted his teeth, "You still have an exam; don't you want the notes?"

I hope everyone can click to the final page of "To Be Continued" today; today's read-through determines how the second round of recommendations will go!

QAQ, I will work hard to write, please support me fiercely!