Douglas spread his hands.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"I wasn't complimenting you."
"I know."
Snape stood there like a string stretched to its limit.
Only then did Douglas notice the faint trembling in his shoulders.
"You should go back and rest."
He said it casually.
"Get some sleep tonight."
Snape looked as though he had finally heard the most absurd thing imaginable.
"Rest?"
He stared at Douglas.
"Do you know what time it is?"
Douglas looked up at the clock.
"Three in the morning."
"Good."
Snape's voice suddenly rose.
"So you do know it's three in the morning."
"I rushed back from the Dark Lord and had to use Occlumency the entire way just to keep those questions suppressed."
"Now you're telling me to go back and rest."
"And at six."
"At six, I still have to take the students out for morning exercises."
Dumbledore blinked slowly.
Even Douglas paused for once.
"Umbridge's morning exercise policy."
Snape's face was almost completely black.
"Don't use such a flippant term."
"That isn't morning exercise."
"It's a warm-up for murder."
"I've just come back alive from a Death Eater meeting."
"And now I have to supervise a bunch of half-asleep little idiots reciting their lessons before dawn."
"If that isn't psychological torture."
"Then the Ministry of Magic needs to redefine the word torture."
Douglas coughed.
"Physical and mental health-"
"Shut up."
Snape practically shouted it.
"If you dare say the words 'physical and mental health' on her behalf, I will throw this cup of tea in your face immediately."
Douglas glanced at the cup of tea.
"It's very hot."
"I know."
"That's how sincere I am."
Dumbledore finally failed to contain himself and adjusted his glasses.
His beard trembled slightly.
Douglas, however, was quite serious.
"But theoretically, a regular sleep schedule does-"