The Hogwarts Castle was exceptionally quiet at night.
Slow footsteps echoed on the stone stairs as Snape made his way to the eighth floor.
His face was even gloomier than usual.
The stone gargoyle of the Principal's office had already moved aside.
Snape walked straight up the spiral staircase and pushed open the office door without knocking.
Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, holding a thick, ancient tome.
Seeing Snape enter, he slowly raised his head, his blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses.
"Severus," Dumbledore nodded gently.
"Coming to see me so late, it must be something important."
Snape stopped in front of the desk, his hands resting on it.
"Quirrell is possessed by the Dark Lord."
Dumbledore blinked, his expression instantly turning to surprise.
He put down his book and leaned forward.
"What? Are you sure?"
Snape narrowed his eyes and scoffed.
"Stop pretending, Dumbledore."
"You knew all along, didn't you?"
Dumbledore froze and cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Severus, you are as perceptive as ever."
"Since you knew, why didn't you deal with him?" Snape gritted his teeth.
"You let a man possessed by the Dark Lord return to the school as a teacher, do you know how dangerous that is for the students?"
Dumbledore looked at Snape meaningfully.
"Oh, it seems you are also very concerned about the students' safety."
Snape immediately straightened his face, took a step back, and said coldly.
"I'm just afraid that if the students get hurt, it will affect the school."
"And if the school has problems, it will affect me."
Dumbledore's face showed an expression of complete understanding.
"No need to explain, no need to explain." His lips curved slightly.
"I understand."
Snape's eyes narrowed further.
The Principal's expression… how could this deadpan look so much like a certain Hufflepuff bastard?
Dumbledore sat up straight, his expression becoming serious again.
"It's not that I don't want to deal with Lord Voldemort, Severus."
"It's that I can't."
"I haven't figured out why Lord Voldemort is immortal yet," Dumbledore continued.
"Although he is currently only in a soul state, with some means, he can reshape his physical body."
Snape frowned and paced a few steps in the office.
The hum of silver instruments was particularly clear in the silence.
"So you put the Philosopher's Stone in the school."
"And set up some childish obstacles, just to lure You-Know-Who here?"
Dumbledore did not answer, but his silence said it all.
Snape sneered and continued to press closer.
"Then how do you guarantee that the Philosopher's Stone won't fall into his hands? Just with your obstacles?"
He paused, a flash of understanding in his eyes.
"Oh, wait. Those obstacles aren't meant to guard against You-Know-Who, are they?"
Dumbledore remained silent, just watching him quietly.
Snape walked a few more steps in the office, his thoughts becoming clearer and clearer.
"Those obstacles are meant to test someone, aren't they?" He turned around, his black eyes fixed on Dumbledore.
"And this person is your means of guarding against You-Know-Who. Let me guess…"
His voice became even more sarcastic.
"It's Harry, isn't it?"
Dumbledore nodded slowly.
Snape was stunned.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he only let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Oh, you ask me to protect him, and now you're sending him to his death. Sometimes I really don't understand you, Dumbledore."
Dumbledore stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of Snape.
He looked directly into Snape's eyes, his voice becoming sincere and firm.
"I'm not sending him to his death, Severus."
"Harry will be fine, I promise."
Snape stared at Dumbledore for a long time.
Finally, Snape snorted coldly.
"I hope so."
He turned and strode towards the door.
Dumbledore sighed, sometimes he really understood why students were afraid of Severus; he was truly terrifying when he was serious… Ever since Charlie amicably mediated the conflict between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Charlie's fame had grown.
Now, wherever he went, people would look at him and whisper to their companions.
Students in the corridor would stop and point.
When eating in the dining hall, his housemates would wait for Charlie to get his food first.
This evening, after dinner, Charlie returned to the common room.
The warm fireplace crackled, and orange-red flames danced on the stone walls.
Several comfortable sofas were arranged around the fireplace, and the wool carpet felt soft underfoot.
Charlie casually found a sofa to sit on, ready to digest his dinner.
On the adjacent sofa, several pretty senior girls were whispering something, occasionally glancing towards Charlie.
Their voices were very low, but Charlie could still hear scattered words.
"His skin is so good, it looks so soft."
"He's only a first-year…"
Charlie pretended not to hear, closing his eyes and leaning back against the sofa.
Just then, Senior Jenny, one of the pretty senior girls, stood up and walked towards Charlie.
"Charlie."
Jenny's voice was very gentle, with the unique feeling of a fifth-year senior girl.
She had chestnut curly hair and beautiful light brown eyes.
Charlie opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Senior Jenny, is something wrong?"
Jenny sat down next to Charlie, leaning slightly forward.
"How did you get so good at Transfiguration?"
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Charlie sighed, as if from a lonely height.
"It's all talent and hard work."
Jenny's eyes lit up, and she reached out to pinch Charlie's shoulder.
"Then will you teach me?"
Her fingers gently massaged Charlie's shoulder.
"I'll give you a massage."
Charlie felt his shoulder relax and glanced at Jenny.
It was indeed very comfortable; the day's fatigue slowly dissipated under her fingers.
"Well, let's see your performance, Senior Jenny."
Hearing this, Jenny massaged his shoulder even more diligently.
Her technique was unpracticed, but the pressure was just right, making Charlie involuntarily squint his eyes comfortably.
Just then, the other pretty senior girls also came over.
"I want to learn Transfiguration too!"
"Charlie, you should teach us too!"
"Yeah, yeah, we all want to learn!"
The senior girls chattered as they gathered around, and without waiting for Charlie to speak, they spontaneously assigned tasks.
"I'll massage your head."
A black-haired senior girl said this as she sat behind Charlie, her slender fingers beginning to gently massage his temples.
"I'll massage your legs!"
Another senior girl squatted in front of the sofa and began to massage Charlie's calves.
"Then I'll feed you!"
The last senior girl took a fruit platter from the table and fed Charlie fruit.
Since they were all so considerate, what else was there to say? Just teach them, right?
Charlie comfortably enjoyed this treatment.
Four pretty senior girls bustling around him, this scene was quite eye-catching in the entire common room.
Seeing their plan succeed, the senior girls began to whisper.
"It really is elastic."
"It feels so good to pinch…"
Hmph, superficial women, they're just after my body, what's all this talk about learning Transfiguration?
Charlie listened to their whispers, feeling quite pleased.
I've worked hard all day, what's wrong with enjoying myself?
Besides, friendly communication with so many girls, wouldn't that make my tyrant points skyrocket?
"Your Majesty enjoys the service of multiple beauties, tyrant points +2"
"Also, Your Majesty, do not aspire to things you cannot currently achieve; you are only 11 years old."
Charlie: "???"
I accuse you of slander! What did little Chunnan ever do to you?
Just as Charlie was about to refute the system, Ernie rushed into the common room.
He saw Charlie surrounded by four senior girls, paused for a moment, then hurried over.
"Charlie!"
"Filch is looking for you outside, says it's for Professor McGonagall's detention."
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