Snape had probably intended to give Brian a detailed, irritable lecture on just how much effort went into combining herbs, but he never got the chance-the other news Brian brought, that Voldemort might possess more than one Horcrux, proved a remarkably effective Calming Draught, cooling him down at once.
Brian knew that Dumbledore had told Snape about Voldemort's Horcrux-the shattered Locket that had once belonged to Slytherin-and asked whether Voldemort had ever revealed anything about Horcruxes to his followers. Snape, however, could remember nothing of the sort.
"I assume you didn't tell Frank Longbottom that one of the Dark Lord's Horcruxes has already been destroyed? More than one Horcrux-that sounds altogether too absurd."
Having heard the whole story, Snape's lips twisted as he said,
"I'm curious, Brian. What exactly have you been studying all this time? When you were scribbling away on those sheets of parchment,
"were you merely drawing little doodles to pass the time?"
Of course Brian had not told anyone about the shattered Locket. Until Frank Longbottom underwent formal treatment, keeping his soul stable was crucial. Any avoidable accidents were best avoided altogether. But-how does Snape know I've been drawing little doodles on parchment?
Brian felt obliged to defend his innocence-he merely had a habit of drawing random things to help himself think when he was considering a problem... No, that was not important at all. Snape was mocking his shallow understanding of souls and had explicitly rejected the suggestion that multiple Horcruxes existed.
Yet the possibility was far from small. Even the copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art in Dumbledore's possession contained a few lines that alluded to it... Wait...
At that thought, Brian asked, "Has Dumbledore told you how Horcruxes are made?"
"...If you intend to make yourself a Horcrux, I suggest you consult