Shawn arrived on the Seventh Floor. Since he had not obtained the password beforehand this time, he could only start listing Honeydukes products and Chinese teas.
He threw one wild guess after another at the gargoyle.
"Cockroach Clusters?"
"Big Red Robe?"
"..."
"Pre-Rain Longjing?"
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?"
"Restless in death?"
His mouth went dry, but none of them worked.
Yet just as he gave up and started naming dishes at random, the gargoyle suddenly began spiraling upward before his astonished eyes.
Shawn wondered when the Old Beekeeper had developed a taste for savory dishes.
Then Snape emerged from the Spiral Staircase, his black robes billowing.
Shawn nearly blurted out, "Sorry to bother you. I'll be going."
Snape stood on the steps, looking down at Shawn with disdain.
"Well, well, Black. What wind has blown such a busy man back to Hogwarts?"
Shawn rubbed his nose. Looking up at the Old Bat felt rather awkward.
He simply stepped onto the stairs and climbed until he stood one step higher than Snape.
Only then did he turn and joke at Snape's back.
"Head of House, has the Headmaster sent you on another errand? Whatever he's paying you, I'll double it."
Snape's neck stiffened, his eyelids twitching. Suppressing the urge to turn around and spray Shawn with spit, he replied pointedly.
"If you can kill the Dark Lord for good, that could be negotiated."
Shawn froze, then looked Snape up and down. Apparently, the Old Beekeeper had told him quite a bit. The question was how much.
Had Snape said that deliberately for his benefit?
Shawn decided to probe in return.
"Head of House, killing the Dark Lord is my bounden duty. How about this? I won't ask for anything else. Just give me an O in all my future Potions