Snape's Worries

late at night,

Headmaster's Office.

"That girl almost died."

After a long silence, Snape, who was sitting in his chair, suddenly spoke.

The noise was so loud that it "woke up" the headmasters in the portraits, who glared at the rude Snape with displeasure.

But Snape ignored the dead men.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

Dumbledore looked away from the Transfiguration Today" in his hands and said calmly, "I remember you always disliked Hermione, but now you're starting to care about her?"

"That's two different things!" Snape retorted angrily. "If a student dies, the school will close, and I don't want to... lose my job."

Dumbledore squinted, remembering a certain student... that person had also said he didn't want Hogwarts to close, but in the end, he framed another innocent person.

Seeing the headmaster lost in thought, Snape grew even more displeased. He slammed his fist on the table and scoffed, "I refuse to believe that the great Dumbledore couldn't detect the Troll invasion!"

Dumbledore calmly replied, "Severus, you overestimate me. I'm only human, and I can be careless sometimes."

Snape clearly didn't believe it; he stared at the headmaster. "This doesn't seem like an accident."

"Of course it wasn't an accident." Dumbledore closed the book and adjusted his Half-moon Spectacles.

"That night, I went to investigate in the Forbidden Forest, Gulugulu told me that one of our tribesmen was missing."

"Gulugulu?" Snape was taken aback. "Who is that?"

"Currently, the leader of the Troll tribe closest to Hogwarts in the Forbidden Forest," Dumbledore replied.

"He told me that some time ago, a black-robed wizard suddenly appeared and kidnapped one of our people."

"Wait a minute..." Snape looked at Dumbledore suspiciously, "You can communicate with Troll?"

In Snape's memory, Troll only made grunting and snoring sounds.

"Well, I only know some basic daily conversation. Didn't I tell you that?" Dumbledore chuckled.

"Besides Troll Language, I also speak Mermish, Gobbledegook, and can even understand... Parseltongue."

Snape stared at Dumbledore in shock. He knew the headmaster was powerful, but he hadn't expected him to be so virtuous and talented.

"Wait... you said you understand Parseltongue?"

"I can only understand, but I can't speak." Dumbledore blinked. "Don't look at me like that. It's always good to learn another language."

If you're interested, I can teach you a foreign language privately.

"I'm not interested," Snape coldly refused.

This disappointed Dumbledore.

"So, that idiot named Gulugulu told you that one of your tribesmen is missing..."

Snape hesitated for a moment.

"Headmaster, I meant no offense, but you should know that Troll aren't very bright, right? They can count, can they?"

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and took a sip of tea.

"Don't be so prejudiced. There are exceptions to everything. Troll are intelligent. They can understand simple human language and even speak some."

Snape said impatiently, "That's true. I think putting Longbottom among the Troll would make him perfect as their leader."

"Severus, be more patient, including with that child. You know how bad Neville's memory is," Dumbledore.

Snape scoffed. "One less member of your clan, this one from Hogwarts?"

"That's right. According to Gulugulu's description and the memories I got from its head, a wizard attacked the tribe and captured a Troll."

He shares your prejudice, believing that Troll are not very intelligent, so he makes no attempt to conceal their appearance.

Who is that person?

"Quirrell."

"Is it really him?" Snape squinted. Dumbledore had warned him to be wary of Quirrell earlier.

"Was it him who didn't attack Gringotts, the black-robed wizard?" Snape muttered to himself, recalling Tywin from last year.

"Maybe it's him, maybe it isn't."

Dumbledore meaning, but Snape didn't understand. He asked earnestly:

"Principal, now that you've confirmed it's Quirrell, why are you letting him stay in the school?"

"Harry!" Dumbledore at Snape. "We must protect him, but we must also train him, nurture him, and let him hone his abilities."

So I set up a challenge, leaving something at the end of the challenge to attract Quirrell, and also to Harry."

What is that?

"Severus, I can't tell you yet."

Snape paused for a moment, then stood up. "I have no interest in your secrets; I just hope nothing more happens."

Dumbledore remained silent. He was engaged in a battle of wits with Voldemort, and even he couldn't guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen.

After all, he's not Merlin.

Snape limped away, and just as he reached the door, Dumbledore pulled out a bottle.

"Fluffy's teeth contain toxins that will prevent wounds from healing. Even you and Pomfrey will have a hard time concocting an antidote in a short time."

These are Fawkes's tears... Take them.

Snape took the bottle in silence. He had always gone through the Headmaster's Office to replenish the Potions William had stolen when he went to the checkpoints.

Because Fluffy wouldn't let him in.

Today, things were urgent, and I tried to force my way in, but I didn't expect to get bitten by Fluffy.

Clearly, Quirrell's placement of the Troll was a trap, creating the illusion of someone about to break in, to test Dumbledore.

Unexpectedly, Snape was caught off guard and even bitten by Fulwei.

The phoenix's tears can neutralize all toxins, making them the best Potions.

After Snape left, Dumbledore picked up the book on the table again and continued reading.

In the office, the only sound was Fawkes eating cuttlefish bones.

The Halloween Troll incident quickly subsided without causing a ripple.

After November, the weather became very cold. The mountains surrounding the school were covered in a gray haze of ice and snow, and the lake was as cold and hard as quenched steel. Every morning, there was frost on the ground.

From the windows upstairs, everyone could see Hagrid, wrapped in a long mole fur coat, wearing rabbit fur gloves and huge beaver fur boots, defrosting his flying broomsticks on the Quidditch Pitch.

The Quidditch season begins this month.

Ravenclaw's training is more intensive, and everyone is eager to get off to a winning start.

However, this will not be easy, because their first opponent is Hufflepuff.

This is a tough battle that will be very difficult to win.

William wasn't so worried. In the time loop, the first Hufflepuff Quidditch Team, so he knew every single player inside and out.

William knew their tactics, their usual positioning, and even the weaknesses and strengths of each player.

However, the opponent has not yet seen him play a match, and this lack of information will have a significant impact.

The only factor that could affect the outcome was Cedric. If he got the Golden Snitch within the first five minutes, no matter how many points William scored, he wouldn't be able to win.

Fortunately, Cho is Seeker, and she is exceptionally talented. She also knows Cedric very well, so she won't let him catch the Golden Snitch so easily.

And so, in this atmosphere, the first match of the year began.

(P. S. In the official lore, Dumbledore can understand Parseltongue but can't speak it. This was said by J. K. Rowling in an interview, but I can't find the exact interview. The author certainly makes things more difficult for fanfiction.)

Of course, some might say, "Why didn't he hear that fifty years ago?" It's very possible that Dumbledore hadn't learned it yet fifty years ago, and he only started learning it after Voldemort opened the Chamber of Secrets. Of course, this part is my personal addition, commonly known as a secondary interpretation.