Snape Knocks on the Door of Number Four Privet Drive

The first day of classes could be described as a perfect conclusion.

Everyone's enthusiasm for learning was high, and their progress was fast enough to surprise He Shenyan.

However, considering these people were wizards to begin with, it was hardly surprising that they learned faster than the ordinary people from the previous world who were encountering magic for the first time.

He was currently sitting in the empty headmaster's office. Dumbledore sat cross-legged not far from him, eyes tightly shut, his breathing steady and powerful. He rested on a warm blanket, and specks of white magical radiance emanated from him in a rhythmic pulse.

Snape was watching Dumbledore from nearby, so focused that it seemed as if even every breath Dumbledore took during meditation was worth recording.

He Shenyan sat on the other side, reclining in a comfortable, oversized chair while reading the Standard Book of Spells. On the floor beside him lay a tattered, patched, pointed hat with a blurred face on its midsection.

This famous hat was chattering away at that moment: "Can't you put me on a chair? The floor is far too cold. Young man, do you have no basic respect for me at all? I am the most magical hat in the world!"

He Shenyan yawned. He didn't even look at the filthy hat, whose grease was so thick it could reflect light, as if it hadn't been cleaned in centuries.

He said languidly, "No. That is your punishment for saying I belonged in Azkaban."

He turned a page of the book and suddenly chuckled: "I'm actually curious. You've existed for centuries as a hat that judges people's characters. Don't you find it boring?"

The Sorting Hat remained silent for quite a long time.

It could read minds and possessed the wisdom of the four founders of Hogwarts; it could be said to be one of the most intelligent magical objects most wizards and witches would ever see in their entire lives.

Therefore, it understood perfectly what this young man was implying. It finally spoke in a strained voice: "What you are about to do to the magical world is unprecedented. This could lead to a very terrible outcome."

"Actually, I must correct you on one point."

He Shenyan suddenly became interested.

He knew why the hat had said he belonged in Azkaban when he first put it on; it had seen a part of his thoughts that he had intentionally projected. But he didn't care. He smiled faintly and said, "I haven't done those things, have I?"

"Besides, human effort can change things, can't it? What I am about to do to this world is indeed unprecedented—because this is a revolution. A revolution that represents progress."

He straightened up, stared at the Sorting Hat's dirty surface, and beckoned. The Sorting Hat flew before him, hearing his pleasant voice.

"Dumbledore already took the time to go to the Ministry of Magic this afternoon to inform them that Hogwarts will completely change its teaching methods and curriculum in the new school year. If even your headmaster agrees with my ideas, what else can you do?"

"You are just a hat, after all."

He spun the Sorting Hat in the air, and black magic appeared out of thin air, cleaning its surface until it was brand new. The originally brownish-black hat now looked white, which served as proof of just how dirty it had been.

Seeing this, the mage finally showed undisguised disgust in his eyes. He placed the Sorting Hat back on the floor: "As a hat, you can only watch me change all of this. Whether it ends up being good or bad, you can see for yourself."

Having said that, he ignored the silent Sorting Hat and continued reading his book.

The following period passed very peacefully.

He Shenyan praised Flitwick's effort and talent more than once in class; he was the one who learned the fastest. As time went on, they were all able to meditate proficiently.

Snape was the one who found it most difficult; he had to rely on potions more than once to calm his mind. It seemed he could never truly settle down.

Time ticked toward August 30th, and He Shenyan gave them two days off. September 1st was the start of the new term at Hogwarts, requiring the welcoming of new students, the sorting process, and a series of other complex tasks.

He Shenyan intended to let Dumbledore and the others be responsible for the second-year students and above, while he would handle the new students himself. Meditation and basic knowledge were a vital part of magic, and he wanted to handle it himself to be at ease—if something went wrong, he would never forgive himself.

Since he had taken on this responsibility, he would see it through to the end, and he would do it to the best of his ability.

The staff went off to handle preparations, while he holed up in the former headmaster's office to continue writing his book.

Snape knocked on the door of Dumbledore's new office. He walked in after receiving permission, adjusting his black suit with a hint of nervousness.

Dumbledore smiled slyly: "You look very good, Severus."

Snape did indeed look very good. He had trimmed his hair and shaved his beard clean. He had even used some aftershave he had found somewhere.

At this moment, wearing a well-fitted suit, he looked more like a Wall Street elite than a wizard.

He took a deep breath, picked up the black leather suitcase Dumbledore had prepared for him, and said, "I am leaving now to go get her."

"You don't have to do this."

"I insist."

Dumbledore shrugged.

With a ripple of magic, Snape opened a portal and left. Dumbledore shook his head behind his desk; he took off his half-moon spectacles and looked at the scenery outside the window, smiling without a word.

Number Four Privet Drive.

Snape appeared in this quiet neighborhood. The portal was completely different from Apparition; it made no sound at all.

He had thought about this day countless times, yet when it truly arrived, he still felt incredibly nervous.

He swallowed hard, subconsciously licking his lips. He stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?!"

A fat man opened the door. He looked—'like a pig'—Snape thought.

The man's features were squeezed together by fat, with another chin hanging beneath his jaw.

Just standing there seemed to be an effort for him. The man glanced at Snape, suddenly put on a smiling face, and his tone became gentle: "Hello, sir, how can I help you?"

"Harley Potter."

He spat out four words, not a single syllable more.

The man's complexion shifted.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he pointed at Severus Snape and said vehemently, "Y-you're one of them? Damn it! For God's sake, you'd better leave right now! There's no one here by that name! None! None at all!"

"Is that so?" Severus Snape asked coldly.

The man suddenly began to float, his face turning beet red as he opened his mouth to scream. But with a casual flick of his finger, Severus Snape commanded, "Silencio."

He paid no further mind to the fat pig drifting toward the ceiling; in truth, he had always harbored grievances toward Dumbledore for tasking them with looking after Harley Potter. Previously, under the pressure of Voldemort, he had not voiced his opinions.

But now, some things had to change.

He stepped into the house and scanned the room, spotting a boy at the dining table as obese as his father, along with a woman he had seen before. Though she had black hair, those green eyes were identical to hers.

Severus Snape's expression remained devoid of warmth, yet his tone softened slightly: "Petunia Dursley."

"I am here for Harley Potter."

"Where is she?"

Petunia gripped a spatula tightly. She pulled her son, Dudley, away from the large platter of bacon in front of him, dragged him behind her, and then, pale-faced, pointed toward a door under the stairs.

The stairs?

Severus Snape frowned.

He strode over, his leather shoes creaking against the floorboards. Dudley tried to say something, but his mother clamped a hand firmly over his mouth.

Severus Snape pulled the door open. A thin, red-haired figure was sleeping with her back to him on a dilapidated wooden bed, its four legs propped up by books and far from stable.

He even spotted a nest of spiders in the corner. The space was thick with the smell of mold and so cramped that he had to stoop to enter. The man stood in silence for a moment; he did not wake the girl, but instead turned and gently closed the door.

He closed his eyes and took two deep breaths, the complex emotions in his heart becoming increasingly tangled.

Petunia stammered, wanting to say something, but Severus Snape raised a hand, signaling her to be silent. The woman obeyed.

He steadied his mood and opened the door to enter once more.

He tapped the girl awake.

She rubbed her messy hair, sat up with sleepy eyes, fumbled to put on her glasses, and looked at Severus Snape with those emerald eyes, saying, "Uh, sir? May I ask, what do you need? Are you a government official? Is Aunt Petunia finally sending me away?"

Severus Snape just stared at her, stunned.

Two minutes passed, and only when the girl began to feel uneasy did he say, his voice dry: "I am a teacher at Hogwarts. You may call me Severus Snape. I am here to take you to school."

Harley blinked, tilting her head as she asked, "Hogwarts? What is that?"

Severus Snape was taken aback. He asked, "Did you not receive your letters?"

"What letters?"

He turned his head to look at the woman in the corner of the kitchen. She trembled as she ran to the trash can, dug out a pile of letters, handed them to Severus Snape, and then ran off, sobbing.

"...These letters." Severus Snape handed them to her, then walked out of the room.

Signed the contract, which was quite unexpected. Also, due to personal reasons, there is only one chapter today. I apologize. I will make up for it tomorrow; there will be three chapters tomorrow.