"Thank you for looking after Harry for all these years, Professor Dumbledore."
When Su Er and Old Bumblebee returned to the room, the atmosphere inside was peaceful, like old friends sitting together over tea, talking about the years gone by.
There was nothing else mixed into it.
Perhaps there was, but dear Professor Snape had presumably let it go long ago.
Hmm, so many firsts today. Su Er stole a glance at Snape. It was his first time seeing Snape smile. Oh, those insincere smiles in the past did not count.
It was his first time seeing such intense changes in Snape's emotions. Oh, of course, the emotional fluctuations when he targeted Harry in Potions Class and everyday life did not count.
It was also his first time seeing-tear tracks at the corners of Snape's eyes.
If only I had a camera right now. Probably, ever since Snape had become Head of Slytherin, the vast majority of Slytherins-oh, no, all the Slytherins who had studied under Snape-had never seen such vivid shifts in their Head's emotions.
In other words, only now did Su Er feel that dear Professor Snape had come "alive."
The lifeless air that had hung over Snape was gone, and his expression was peaceful, with a hint of release.
Oh... A possibility occurred to Su Er, and he could not help frowning. Hatred had been the sole driving force keeping Snape going all these years. Now that he had seen the Lily he had yearned for day and night, could it instead make Snape...
With that thought, Su Er turned to look at Dumbledore, who was talking to Lily Evans... He wondered whether Old Bumblebee had considered that.
"There's no need, Lily." Dumbledore shook his head, his voice tinged with guilt. "It was only what I ought