"Professor," Will said softly, "it seems you still can't let go."
Snape forced a strained smile. He did not argue with Will, merely shook his head. "Will, this Happiness Charm is truly frightening."
"Professor," Will said, shaking his head, "I was wrong. This isn't a Happiness Charm. It's a Dream Charm."
"A Dream Charm..." Snape nodded with a bitter smile. "What a fitting name."
Will looked at this side of Snape, one he had never shown to outsiders, and sighed inwardly. Given Snape's regrets and the feelings he could not let go of, it was hardly surprising that he had fallen under the Dream Charm's spell.
After creating the Water of Despair, was he going to fall prey to the Dream Potion too?
"So I intend to modify the Dream Charm and place restrictions on it."
Snape paused, then nodded. "It certainly needs restrictions. And the Dream Charm must be placed in the Restricted Section."
Hm? Will raised an eyebrow. Snape was rather supportive of him now.
Snape sat up straight, his voice returning to its usual tone. "What do you take your professor for? A Troll who would spend his days lost in imaginary happiness?"
"If you haven't become obsessed with the Dream Charm, that's for the best. It's just... there are rumors that you haven't seemed quite yourself these past two days."
Snape glanced at Will. In fact, he had spent several days studying the Parchment and had only mastered the charm tonight. He had barely tried it when Will arrived.
Will's fear that he had become obsessed with it had been a false alarm.
He missed Lily dearly, but that did not mean he would remain lost in an illusion.
There were still people he needed to protect in the real world. Not only Harry, who had