The basement, the Potions office.
"Come in."
Snape's voice came from behind the door-or rather, the voice of Voldemort in disguise. Douglas pushed the door open.
Snape stood behind the workbench in black laboratory robes and Dragonhide Gloves, stirring the bubbling Dark Green Potion in a cauldron with a Silver Spoon. His complexion was sallow, his eyes gloomy, no different from usual.
Douglas chuckled inwardly. Snape had his own obsessions when it came to Potions and never wore gloves himself; he only made his students wear them. Only someone like Voldemort, thoroughly poisoned by Douglas's way of thinking, would instinctively adopt this more professional approach. Or perhaps this was a flaw Snape had deliberately left in his memories for Douglas to spot. Ah, the professor really had been put through a lot.
"Professor Holmes." Snape raised his head, his expression dripping with mockery. "What brings you to my gloomy dungeon? I thought you only liked issuing orders to those poor students from a bright, spacious office."
"I have a collaboration to discuss with you." Douglas wasted no time beating around the bush and placed a thick stack of parchment on the workbench.
Snape glanced over the papers, then at Douglas's detestable, smiling face, making no effort to hide his suspicion.
He raised his head, his pitch-black eyes sweeping over the stack of parchment before settling on Douglas's face, undisguised suspicion in his gaze.
"A collaboration? Did I hear you correctly, Professor Holmes? You and me? Collaborating?"
He picked up the top sheet of parchment.
A single glance made his pupils contract slightly.
"Soul Toxin research?" Snape read out the title, his tone growing even more mocking. "What, have those heretical Muggle science theories of yours finally failed you when it comes to souls, so you've come running to Potions for