Snape's gaze held a scrutinizing quality, as if he were examining a suspicious object that had suddenly appeared on his territory.
It's obvious that running away is useless now, unless Herman pulls out his wand and gives Snape Obliviate.
He couldn't think of any other way to escape this predicament.
Harry didn't seem to care and continued walking forward with Draco and Herman, stopping a short distance in front of Snape.
Herman looked at Snape's expressionless face, then at Harry and Draco, realizing that relying on them was futile, and could only open his mouth to explain himself.
However, judging from what Snape just said, he probably can't get rid of the blame for his nighttime outing.
But Snape didn't give him a chance to speak. He turned to Neville and continued the previous topic, though his tone remained cold, the content of his words suddenly changed direction:
"It's quite normal for freshmen to get lost; they'll get used to the castle more, and we won't deduct points this time." He paused. "However, you'd better go back to the Gryffindor Common Room now and tell Professor McGonagall tomorrow that I saw you here tonight."
Neville was clearly stunned. He had been prepared to lose several dozen points, but Snape let him off the hook without even deducting any.
He didn't dare say anything more, nodded quickly, tugged at Hugo's sleeve, and the three of them quickly left along the wall.
Hugo's eyes were still blank as she passed Herman, clearly not understanding what was going on. This wasn't what George and the others had said; Snape hadn't lost any points? Shouldn't he be at least fifty points after being caught, plus solitary confinement?
Herman didn't have time to decipher Hugo's gaze; Snape had already turned to them, his tone flat and emotionless:
"You too, it's getting late. Things haven't been peaceful in the castle lately, you'd better head back early." He glanced at Harry, then at Draco, and finally his gaze lingered on Herman's face for a longer time than before.
Then he turned around and said in a flat voice, "I'll take you back."
The journey back to the Slytherin Common Room was silent. Snape walked ahead, the hem of his black robes swaying gently as he moved, his pace neither fast nor slow, like a walking statue.
Herman followed a few steps behind and could sense that Draco's steps were a bit more lively than usual.
She quickened her pace, moved closer to Snape, and said in a naturally intimate tone, " Professor Snape, my father often mentions you, saying you are his best friend."
Snape paused for a moment. He didn't turn around, but Herman could see the small section of the nape of his neck, visible beneath his dark hair, tense up slightly for a split second.
However, his tone remained calm, but with an almost imperceptible distance. "Your father is too kind."
Draco, oblivious to the change in his tone, continued enthusiastically recounting how Lucius had praised Snape's Potions- making skills at home.
Snape remained silent, only occasionally responding with an "uh-huh" or "okay," as if he were just going through the motions. Herman felt that Snape seemed to have no desire to have anything to do with Malfoy.
Herman walked at the back and noticed Snape's gaze sweep across Harry's profile for a fleeting moment before quickly averting, as if he had been burned by something.
The group walked to the stone door of the Slytherin Common Room.
Harry and Draco stepped inside first, and warm green light shone from the stone doorway beside them.
Herman was about to step forward when Snape suddenly reached out and blocked the doorway.
"Wait a minute." His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to make Herman stop in his tracks.
Harry and Draco had already gone inside, and the stone door began to close, with a sliver of light shining through the crack, illuminating a corner of the edge of Snape's black robe.
Herman turned around and looked up at Snape's expressionless face.
Snape paused for a few seconds, then slowly spoke, his voice just low enough for only two people to hear. " Herman Horace, from Muggle orphanage, brought back by Dumbledore himself at the age of eleven. Before that, some of your behavior in Muggle society... was quite interesting."
Herman's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face.
Snape continued, "Your Charms grades are average, but your talent for Transfiguration is commendable." His tone was flat, but Herman could sense an invisible thread running through his words. "However, in less than a week since you started, you've already become quite close to Miss Harry and Miss Malfoy."
Judging from Snape's emphasis on Miss Harry, it seems that Malfoy was merely an accessory.
Herman didn't respond, but simply maintained his slightly tilted head back, waiting for Snape to continue.
He already had a vague premonition that what Snape was about to say would probably be related to Harry.
Snape leaned forward, the collar of his black robes gleaming darkly in the candlelight, and lowered his voice even further. "Miss Harry's life in Slytherin has only just begun. What she needs is a stable environment, not someone by her side..." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully.
Herman felt that gaze linger on his face for a few more seconds, then Snape straightened up, his tone returning to its cold, detached tone. "... Distract her. You know what I mean."
Herman nodded. "Understood, Professor."
Snape looked at him for a few seconds, as if to confirm whether he truly understood or was just saying it. Then he withdrew his hand from the doorframe, turned around, the hem of his black robe tracing an arc in the air. "Go inside, the door's closing."
Herman didn't linger and squeezed through the stone gate.
The stone door slowly closed behind him with a dull thud. Herman stood in the shadows inside the door, listening to Snape's footsteps fade into the distance, the rustling of clothes growing fainter and fainter until they disappeared completely into the depths of the corridor.
Herman finally understood the meaning behind Snape's glances at him earlier.
It's the look of someone watching their own cabbage being eaten by a pig.
No, a more accurate description would be the look in her eyes when she saw the blond-haired man approaching her daughter.
Damn it, it seems like Snape's name has been added to the list too.
Herman guessed that Snape had specifically investigated him since the room assignments. Herman didn't believe that just the last time Snape took him to Diagon Alley would make Snape specifically record his information.
After all, judging from the situation that day, even if he had gotten lost in Diagon Alley, he probably wouldn't have cared.
"Forget it, let's just take it one step at a time. How can a professor be more terrifying than Vampire?" Herman muttered, deciding to leave his worries for tomorrow.
He turned around and walked into the common lounge, which was bathed in warm green light.
Draco was slumped in the armchair next to the fireplace, rubbing her aching calves.
Harry sat on the chair next to the bookshelf, flipping through the black book in her hand, as if she had returned to the time before going to the library that afternoon.
Herman walked over and slumped down in another armchair next to Draco, leaning back against the chair.
Draco turned to look at him. "What did Professor Snape say to you? Why did it take so long?"