I don't understand, and you do?!
Snape felt rather drained. Unwilling to discuss Hermione any further, he asked about something else.
"Did you know Harry is a Parselmouth?"
Dumbledore abruptly raised his head, his eyes flashing.
For that instant, Snape felt that the old man before him was no longer the kindly Hogwarts Headmaster, but the greatest wizard in a century, returned.
His sheer presence eclipsed even that man's!
"I see."
The next instant, Dumbledore returned to normal, as though everything just now had been an illusion.
Even someone as strong-willed as Snape felt stifled after being frightened twice in one day.
Faced with Dumbledore's utter refusal to budge, Snape finally left the Headmaster's Office in resignation.
He knew Dumbledore had made up his mind. Nothing else he said would help.
Dull footsteps echoed through the empty corridor.
Snape strode forward, his face dark.
Suddenly, he froze.
A familiar figure appeared ahead.
A pale yellow dress, fluffy hair... no, a Gryffindor dress and shoulder-length red hair.
It was the person he longed for day and night, yet could never reach again.
Snape's heart pounded violently. Blood rushed to his head, leaving him dizzy.
Could it be... An absurd thought flashed through his mind.
But he immediately shook his head, mocking himself.
How could that be possible?
He must have missed her so much that he was hallucinating.
Snape drew closer, step by step, and "Lily's" face grew clearer.
Those beautiful eyes... wait!
What flickered in those eyes wasn't the laughter he remembered, but... panic?
Snape abruptly came to his senses.
Those eyes looked exactly like Lily's, but this wasn't her.
The person before him was Harry!
Harry, wearing a dress and a wig!
Snape's mind went blank. He stood there, stunned.
Harry was dumbfounded too. He hadn't expected to