Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts

"Could we invite Dudley to the Burrow, Professor Snape? Of course, we'd like to invite you too. Mama's pies are wonderful, and Papa will love Dudley; he's particularly fascinated by Muggle machines!"

Harry looked at Severus with some anticipation, as he had never had the chance to make friends back in the Dursleys' house.

Severus blinked and shrugged.

"Then I should thank you for inviting me along. Don't worry, I'll visit with Dudley when I have time, but not right now. We have things to do after leaving Diagon Alley."

Fred shook his head in disappointment.

"OK then."

But soon, he looked up again and met George's gaze, then looked at Severus with expectant eyes.

"Now can you keep your promise? Tell us, what challenges do the new students at Hogwarts face to be sorted into their houses? We really want to know, Professor Snape!"

Snape hesitated for a few seconds, then, as if he had made a huge decision, sighed and waved to them.

"Alright, since I've agreed, come closer. We can't let anyone else overhear this, and you have to keep it a complete secret from now on!"

Seeing this, Percy looked hesitant, until he saw Severus wink at him, at which point he swallowed the words he was about to say.

George Fred was overjoyed.

They paid no attention to the subtle movements, but instead excitedly gathered around Severus, the renowned wizard who was a former Death Eater and now the Headmaster of Slytherin at Hogwarts, and had him bend down to whisper something to them.

Soon, the twins' faces showed expressions of astonishment.

George asked incredulously.

"It's that simple? We're not going to be assigned to fight dragons?"

Fred's eyes widened as well.

"Is Charlie lying when he said someone would die at the Sorting Ceremony?"

Severus simply looked at them with a smile.

"It sounds simple, but very few people can truly face their inner selves, right? Remember, never tell this secret to anyone else."

Ghost Snape heard everything Severus and the two men said, and he said coldly.

"A childish trick."

The two, who had already come to their senses, couldn't hear what he said at all; they patted their chests and made a promise.

"We will absolutely keep our promise, Professor!"

"Alright, it's time to say goodbye. It's getting dark, go find your mother." Severus patted Harry on the shoulder, indicating that he could say goodbye.

"Goodbye George, Fred, and Percy." Harry waved goodbye to them reluctantly.

The twins came up and gave him a high five.

Goodbye, Dali! You're welcome to visit the Humble Abode again sometime!

Percy also bowed formally to Severus in farewell.

"See you at Hogwarts, Professor Snape."

Severus didn't say much. He just smiled, bid farewell to the three Weasley brothers, and watched them disappear at the end of Diagon Alley.

Afterwards, Severus took Harry to Madam Malkin's Robes Shop, where he bought him two wizard robes. They then went to the candy store and bought a huge pile of cloyingly sweet candies. They also went to the Transformer Ink Stationery Shop and bought some daily necessities. Finally, they returned to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner before heading back to their hotel room to prepare for bed.

Lying on the soft bed that made you want to sink in, Harry still felt like today was a dream, so fantastical.

Early in the morning, he was wrongly accused by Aunt Penny of stealing cake from the refrigerator, but by the afternoon he had arrived at the commercial street where only wizards lived, ate two sumptuous meals, bought ice cream with the pocket money his teacher gave him, and made new friends from three wizard families!

He secretly turned his head to look at Severus, who was sleeping on the other bed, his feelings towards his teacher and enemy were extremely complicated.

In that alleyway in the pouring rain, he was so frightening and terrifying, just like the demon he himself had described!

But after formally accepting him as a student, he became like the father Harry dreamed of—gentle, friendly, and capable of handling anyone and anything with ease, sincere and bright.

What happens next?

Go to all sorts of places with your teacher, make more new friends, and then go to Hogwarts to study?

The future looks bright.

Harry sighed inwardly, and drowsiness gradually crept over him, leading him into a peaceful dream.

The sky after the rain is always exceptionally clean and clear.

Even during the Industrial Revolution, London, known as the "Fog City," could still see blue skies after a long period of environmental remediation.

Early in the morning, Severus woke Harry up, and after getting ready, they took all their belongings and went out again.

Arriving at King's Cross Station, they boarded the train again, and after nearly a morning of travel, they finally got off in a small town that Harry had never heard of before.

Severus strode ahead, while Harry, carrying his new clothes and a small amount of luggage, hurried alongside him.

When they got there, Harry finally couldn't help but ask.

"Teacher, what are we here for?"

“I’m looking for my former teacher, the retired Potions professor at Hogwarts, Head of the Slytherin School,” Severus replied.

"Are you here to visit him?" Harry asked curiously.

“It’s not just a visit.” Severus showed Harry the candy he had specially bought in Diagon Alley the day before. “We’re also going to invite him back to the fold.”

"Returning to the scene?"

“After I leave Hogwarts, someone will naturally have to take over the Potions class and the Slytherin headmaster’s job. Potions class is fine, as the students don’t necessarily have to be Potions Masters. But the Slytherin headmaster is a different story. Those little snakes won’t easily obey any ordinary wizard.”

As he spoke, Severus had already led Harry to a secluded grove on the outskirts of this Muggle town, where there was a beautiful and quiet courtyard.

"So Dumbledore gave us a new task: to invite the former Head of Slytherin, Horace Slughorn, back to Hogwarts to take my place."

Slughorn returned to his hometown after retiring from Hogwarts, but he remains active in the wizarding world.

After the Goblet of Fire, he was first found at his home by the Death Eaters, but he managed to hide there. Then he began a life of hiding until he was found by Dumbledore and Harry a year later.

Chapter 15 Continuing Slytherin's Glory

Horace Slughorn, a renowned wizard in the British magical world, a social butterfly who moves in high society, and a master potions master, has not attended or hosted a party for a week.

He's been in a bad mood lately.

A week ago, he spent three days searching his house from top to bottom, and then spent two more days using the connections he had cultivated over the years to gather all sorts of information. Now he's in his own home, tearing his hair out in worry.

And on this very day, both the weather and the air quality were completely different from yesterday, making it a remarkably sunny day.

Two uninvited guests knocked on the gate of his old family house.

As one of the oldest wizarding families in the UK, the Slughorn family naturally has house-elves as family heirlooms.

After greeting the two guests who rang the doorbell, the little elf named Raka quickly found his owner.

“Severus Snape?” Slughorn was surprised to hear the name.

He certainly hadn't forgotten the name of his former student, not only because Severus had taken over all his positions and become the new generation of Potions Master, but also because of his particularly unsettling identity ten years ago!

But Slughorn, sitting in the soft recliner, only muttered twice, "What's he doing here?" "Haven't been in touch for years?" "He won't even come to a party when invited," before having Raka bring the two guests in.

Regardless of Severus's past identity, Dumbledore stood by him during the great trial following the disappearance of the Man of Void.

Slughorn never doubted Dumbledore's judgment.

Since Dumbledore believed Severus was fine, Slughorn completely believed he was fine too.

Soon, the student he hadn't seen much in six or seven years was led by a house-elf, along with a boy who looked no more than 10 years old, into the old house.

Slughorn was immediately stunned when he saw Severus.

Although the memories from ten years ago are somewhat hazy, Severus's image has still appeared in some magical newspapers and magazines over the years.

He always had that gloomy, indifferent, and eccentric image, not caring much about his appearance, and always dressed in a long black robe.

But what is this Severus now?

Anyone who knows him can imagine a Severus Snape with a ponytail, neat clothes, a smiling face, and clear eyes.

If it weren't for the fact that his face hadn't changed at all, with that aura and that smile, Slughorn would almost have thought that it was a young Dumbledore standing in front of him!

"Professor Slughorn!"

Severus took the initiative to greet his old professor, whom he hadn't contacted for many years.

"It's been a long time! I'm so glad to see that you still have the same radiance as before. Time seems to have left no trace on you!"

Upon hearing this, Slughorn looked as if he had seen a ghost!

No, that's not right. He wouldn't be this shocked if he really saw a ghost.

"Who are you!"

Slughorn nervously stood up from the recliner, his right hand already touching the wand that had been on the coffee table.

His alarmed demeanor made even the loyal little elf Laka on the side become alert.

Harry, who had been focused on Raka and examining this humanoid creature he had never seen before, was startled and instinctively took two steps back, hiding half of his body behind Severus.

Severus was somewhat speechless. He blinked and met Slughorn's wary gaze with a wry smile.

"Professor, I am Severus Snape."

Your reaction is that of a monster Snape!

Slughorn's face darkened, and his displeasure was palpable.

"Stop joking, Albus! I know it's you! You're not a kid anymore, this kind of joke isn't funny!"

Severus didn't understand how Slughorn had mistaken him for Dumbledore, but he knew he had to find a way to prove his identity.

Fortunately, proving that he is who he is is not difficult for him at all.

As a master of Occlumency, even someone as powerful as Voldemort could not peek into Severus's memories. Moreover, having dealt with potions for many years, only a very few people in the wizarding world have the same amount of potion knowledge as Severus.

He briefly recounted a few moments from their school days, including several private conversations between the two.

He touched the crucible lying on the edge of the living room and said that the last time Slughorn used this pot to brew a stimulant was probably when he was drunk.

He then convinced Slughorn that the man in front of him, who no matter how he looked, did not resemble Snape at all, was indeed Severus Snape!

"Unbelievable! You...unbelievable! What could have happened to cause such a dramatic change in a person!"

Slughorn scrutinized Severus with a look of astonishment that swept over him from head to toe like a searchlight.

If this change happened overnight, then of course it's inexplicable, and it can't be faked.

So Severus never intended to hide it from Dumbledore; Severus Snape's core had actually already changed.

But for Slughorn, who hadn't communicated or contacted his students for many years, this change can be explained by time.

“Everyone changes eventually,” Severus said calmly. “Especially after what happened eight years ago, when she died in that disaster. It was from that incident that I gradually began to emerge from my former self.”

Hidden inside his body, the ghost Snape, who had been coldly observing Severus's humiliation when the two first met, suddenly revealed a chilling, man-eating gaze.

Because he spoke so cryptically, Harry, who sat down on the sofa with Severus, didn't understand what his teacher was talking about.

But Slughorn clearly understood.

He favored talented young people, and among Severus's classmates, no one was more talented than that girl.

When he talked about this, a look of gloom and frustration appeared on his face.

However, Slughorn quickly composed himself, accepted the black tea offered by Raka, and also noticed the gift Severus had brought specifically for him.

A whole box full of all kinds of magic candies.

That's right, Slughorn, like Dumbledore, is also an extreme sweet tooth; he loves all things sweet.

"This change is a good thing for you."

He praised her lightly, "I still remember the shock I felt when I first learned you were employed at Hogwarts. It's unbelievable that you were only 21 years old, just three years after graduating! Even now, at only 29, I heard you've already led Slytherin to four consecutive House Cup and Quidditch Cup victories!"

"However, why didn't you respond when I invited you to my banquets so many times after that?" Slughorn suddenly changed the subject.

Severus gave a sincere answer to this.

"At that time, I devoted myself entirely to teaching at the school and researching potions. I couldn't take my energy away from it. You should understand, Professor."

Slughorn believed his "heartfelt words," but Ghost Snape was already fed up with Severus's readily available "sincerity."

The former Headmaster of Slytherin, sitting in a recliner, smiled relaxedly and took a sip of his black tea.