Snape's fury

Snape was as merciless as ever. The words from her forty-degree mouth were more chilling than a winter at zero degrees Celsius:

"Or do you think the young witches and wizards in here resemble those people you shared a dormitory with back then?"

"N-no... S-Sever... rus..."

Quirrell was both nervous and in pain now, cold sweat pouring from his forehead.

And Snape's words were rubbing salt straight into the wounds of his school days...

Quirrell himself was not particularly willing to recall what had happened back then.

Granted, Quirrell had been one of Hogwarts's outstanding graduates.

But who among those who came out of Ravenclaw wasn't outstanding?

Without a touch of erudition and cutthroat competitiveness, you simply wouldn't be sorted into Ravenclaw...

But what could he do?

Fly into a rage and fight Snape to the death over that one remark?

Unless Voldemort possessed him and took over, Quirrell didn't think he could take Snape down.

Dumbledore's top enforcer hadn't earned that reputation for nothing.

If they really fought, Professor Quirrell felt he might meet his end right here...

Especially since, for some reason, Quirrell kept feeling that something was very wrong with Snape's mood...

The hostility she bore him now seemed unusually intense...

How strange. Even if Snape really had discovered his plan to steal the Philosopher's Stone, surely there was no need for her to want him dead this badly?

It was Dumbledore's Philosopher's Stone being stolen, not hers.

Could the rumors really be true? Was Snape truly working herself to the bone for Dumbledore with unwavering devotion?

In any case, Quirrell didn't think his attempt to sneak into Harry's dormitory had earned him Professor Snape's hostility...

But because Snape was proficient in both Legilimency and Occlumency, Quirrell really didn't dare call out to Voldemort at this moment.

What do I do? What do I do? Waiting for answers online. Urgent.

At this point, he could only resort to this move...

Watching the young witches and wizards returning to the common room one after another and looking over curiously, Quirrell seemed to think of something.

His face gradually took on a pitiful look, and he stopped suppressing his earlier pain, letting it show openly in his expression:

"I... I'm just w-worried about th-their s-safety..."

"I... I didn't m-mean anything else..."

"As far as I know, Quirinus, professors cannot enter the students' dormitories without the headmaster's authorization. Surely you know that?"

By now, the cold laughter in Snape's heart had grown louder and louder.

Pretend. Keep pretending.

Yes, she hadn't gotten any answers out of him yet.

But could Quirrell still claim there was nothing wrong with him now?

There was something very wrong with Quirrell!

And his current objective no longer seemed limited to stealing the Philosopher's Stone!

He also wanted to kill Harry, or was plotting to obtain something from him!

Quirrell couldn't read Snape's expression.

But with Snape using Legilimency at full strength, she had seen every last filthy thought in Quirrell's mind!

That included the thoughts Professor Quirrell had once harbored about her, the blank memories following his trip to Albania, and his current intention to kill Potter...

She, Severus, would never allow even the possibility of that happening!

Snape felt nothing about the first two, because Quirrell had little ability and couldn't affect Professor Snape's now unruffled heart.

But the last one...

Kill Potter?

Kill the only child Lily left behind?

Kill my, Severus Snape's, last chance at atonement?

Heh. Quirrell, just wait for your death.

You'd better not piss me off. Otherwise, before Dumbledore has even landed his catch, I might lose patience and kill you with Avada Kedavra myself...

Of course, if you still refuse to take the hint, I wouldn't mind giving you a few Cruciatus Curses as an appetizer before the Killing Curse...

Yes, because Quirrell's attempt to kill Harry and his actions against Harry had been discovered, Snape's emotions were now hovering constantly on the brink of fury...

The fact that she hadn't actually fired a beam of green light was already the result of considerable patience on Snape's part.

Still, judging by the current situation, Quirrell was very clever.

He knew that at a time like this, there was no way to save himself other than playing the victim.

He was relying on the students' whispers and all their assorted criticism.

Whatever happened afterward, at least under the current circumstances, Snape certainly couldn't easily lay a hand on him.

Wait, why has Snape's gaze grown even colder?

After the suspicions in her heart were confirmed once more, Professor Snape did not keep pressing the matter.

With a cold "Heh," she pointed at the Ravenclaw Common Room door and snapped at Quirrell:

"Will you leave on your own, or shall I escort you out?"

"S-sorry, S-Sever... rus."

Professor Quirrell shook his head without making any further response.

He simply apologized to Snape, then prepared to leave the Ravenclaw Common Room.

Seeing this, who wouldn't think Snape was bullying Professor Quirrell?

Was this the legendary Hogwarts workplace rivalry?

That made sense. Professor Snape had reportedly coveted the Defense Against Dark Magic teaching position for a long time, so bullying Quirrell was quite normal...

Hearing the hushed muttering around her, Snape couldn't help feeling a surge of irritation.

Damn Quirrell. How is he better at playing the innocent victim than I am, and I'm a woman?

So you're good at putting on an act, are you?

Fine. Let's see how long you can keep it up!

And those stupid, Troll-like children-with that tiny brain capacity and that ability to judge the facts, how on earth did they get into Ravenclaw?

"Have I been assigning too little homework in Potions Class, everyone?"

Still able to hear the students criticizing her, Snape stopped in her tracks and spoke softly.

Ravenclaw: !!!

No, nothing of the sort.

Professor, madam, teacher, you've misunderstood...

Having heard Snape speak, the young Ravenclaws no longer dared say anything out of turn.

They simply watched in silence as Snape gave a cold laugh and left the Ravenclaw Common Room...

Phew...

That was terrifying.

Who would dare speak at a time like this...

Professor Snape was famously unreasonable.

Although she had awarded Ravenclaw a few points today because of Harry, setting something of a precedent.

Still, nobody thought Snape was any good.

She had just a few too many prior offenses...

Besides, hadn't Harry worked so hard to earn those points today?