Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts

While chatting with Snape the Ghost, Severus finally arrived at the eighth floor of the castle, in front of the wall opposite the tapestry depicting the giant beating Barnabas.

He lingered before the blank wall, silently repeating thoughts that only the ghost Snape could hear.

'I need a place to hide things.'

After three repetitions, a smooth door appeared on the previously blank wall!

Ghost Snape was stunned when he saw this.

Counting from his student days to the eight years he spent as a professor, he lived in this castle for a total of 15 years, but he never knew that such a place existed!

Severus ignored his shock and pushed open the door, entering a room the size of a cathedral.

The beams of light streaming through the high windows illuminated a scene resembling a city with towering walls.

The room is filled with all sorts of odds and ends, items left behind by students who discovered it over the generations.

Without hesitation, Severus entered the room and walked through the alleyway made up of various piles of dilapidated and crumbling furniture.

He clearly didn't know the exact location of the thing he was looking for; it just kept wandering around inside.

Finally, he stopped in front of a large cabinet with a bubbly surface, as if it had been splashed with strong acid.

Right next to this large cabinet, on a crate, sat an ugly old male wizard bust, along with some other items.

Ghost Snape couldn't see anything special about these things, but Severus, with a clear purpose, took one of them and then walked out of the room without hesitation.

After he left, the smooth door quietly disappeared from the wall, as if it had always been blank and nothing had ever appeared there.

11 points.

The small luncheon, initiated by Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, has officially begun.

They sat on the high platform of the auditorium, at the long table where the professors used to sit at the beginning of each academic year. The professors who stayed in the castle during the summer vacation all attended the banquet.

Besides the heads of the house, there were also the hunting grounds guards, Rupert Hagrid, the Hogwarts key keeper, and Aurora Sinesta, the astronomy professor.

Including Slughorn, there are four current heads of departments, three others including Severus, and Dumbledore himself, making a total of ten people.

The auditorium had clearly undergone some simple decorations beforehand, making it look less austere and solemn than usual, and more in line with the atmosphere of a banquet.

Dumbledore seemed to be in a very good mood today. Before the banquet officially began, he raised his beer glass with a smile, toasting Severus and Slughorn in welcome.

"Slytherin will never lack excellent headmasters, because the previous excellent headmaster has nurtured an excellent student for us, and this excellent student can then help us bring back the previous headmaster!"

He almost never makes polite remarks in any situation, and usually gets straight to the point.

"Today's luncheon is mainly to celebrate the handover of the Slytherin Headmaster position, to welcome Horace back, and to wish Severus a pleasant journey!"

The professors on both sides of the long table also raised their glasses, while the young Harry could only drink juice.

After they cheered together, those who could drink downed their glasses of wine in one gulp, while some female professors who didn't like drinking only took a small sip.

The luncheon quickly became lively.

Dumbledore asked Severus to tell him some amusing stories from his pursuit of the werewolf case.

Slughorn was chatting with Sprout about whether she had cultivated any new varieties of herbs in the past two years.

McGonagall, Sinestadt, and Flitwick were talking about some troubles they had encountered recently while delivering Hogwarts acceptance letters to students from Muggle families.

Meanwhile, the massive Hagrid was clinking glasses with Lupin, his eyes fixed on Harry, whispering something only the two of them could hear.

“He looks so much like him! I personally delivered him to Dumbledore that night, right there on my motorcycle!”

During Lupin's student days, Hagrid was very close friends with the group of four.

Therefore, Hagrid clearly saw the similarities between Harry and James.

Perhaps the other professors also noticed something, but none of them seemed inclined to ask.

Because regardless of whether it is true or not, the final result and answer are determined by Dumbledore.

But Hagrid clearly didn't have that kind of intention; he simply grabbed Lupin, whom he knew well, hoping to get answers from him.

Lupin was somewhat exasperated by his questioning.

Because of his familiarity with him, he knew very well how unreliable Hagrid's big mouth was.

If he finds out, the news that Severus's student is Harry Potter will probably spread throughout the wizarding world's taverns in less than a day!

So he just kept emphasizing it.

“No, it isn’t! Hagrid, you should know that James’ son has eyes just like Lily’s, but his eyes are brown, right? And the scar, that lightning bolt-shaped scar is the child’s most distinctive feature, and he doesn’t have it on his forehead, right?”

"So stop guessing. That boy isn't Harry Potter. His name is Dudley Dursley, a child from an ordinary Muggle family with magical talent."

Hagrid kept his eyes fixed on Harry, making Harry feel extremely uncomfortable. Harry's polite smile almost crumbled before Hagrid finally gave up on his suspicions.

He sighed, picked up his wine glass, and shouted at Lu Ping.

"I must have been out of my mind. If he really were James's son, there's no way Dumbledore would have let him follow Snape."

Lupin simply nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you're right."

At this moment, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The luncheon ended around 1:30 p.m. Hagrid, quite drunk, went back to his cabin first, and the other professors gradually left the long table as well.

Finally, when only a few people remained on either side of the table, Dumbledore smiled and winked at Lupin.

"Remus, could you take Dudley around the castle? I think you have a lot you'd like to show him around, right?"

Lupin, sensing the situation, pulled Harry to his feet and prepared to take him to see some secret bases that only the four raiders knew about.

After the two of them left, only Dumbledore, Severus, and McGonagall remained at the long table.

At this moment, Dumbledore also got up from the table and called to Severus.

“Come on, Severus, we can go to my office to talk and have some dessert while we’re at it.”

Severus understood that this was the crux of the matter—Dumbledore's letter asking him to return to Hogwarts.

Without hesitation, he stood up and followed Dumbledore, along with McGonagall, to the Headmaster's office.

Nothing has changed since he first came here two weeks ago.

The portraits of the former principals are still squinting and pretending to be asleep, and the phoenix named Fox still perches on the golden branch.

After the three of them sat down, Dumbledore stared at Severus silently with his blue eyes for a few seconds before asking a question.

“I’m happy to see anyone make positive changes, but often these changes don’t allow them to completely abandon their past selves.”

"And you, Severus, I am pleased with your changes, yet I am also worried about your past."

"I want to know, you and he haven't really completely disappeared from this world, have you?"

Next chapter before 12 o'clock

Chapter 103 Dumbledore, This is a gift for you

When Dumbledore asked the question, McGonagall, who was sitting next to him, visibly clenched her fists.

Severus, however, remained calm.

He knew for certain that he was about to face the final test from Dumbledore.

After confirming that there were no problems with his character, abilities, or attitude towards Harry.

That left them with only one concern, which was also the most crucial and sensitive one.

What happened to the original Severus Snape, and where is he now?

Even though Snape the Ghost was a nasty and unlikable character, and might have had some redeeming qualities, he was mostly a bad person.

But there are still people in this world who remember him, worry about his safety, and have doubts about his situation.

This was something Severus had discussed with Ghost Snape before; he didn't think Dumbledore was a bad person.

It's simply because I want to be a truly good person that I think and consider things more deeply than bad people do.

Just like now, even at the final test.

Dumbledore still didn't completely tear off the cloth, and asked directly, "What did you do to the original Snape?"

Instead, he asked Severus questions in a more tactful and dignified manner.

"In most cases, people rarely change themselves voluntarily, right?"

Severus did not avoid Dumbledore's eyes; instead, he spoke in a questioning tone.

"Me too. If everything were normal, I would still be the same person I was before. But because of some unforeseen events that no one can change, I have to change and find a way to embrace this world again."

"But as you said, no matter who it is or what happens, no one can truly sever their past. Moreover, I still have great attachments and regrets about this world. How can he sit idly by and watch me change?"

“He has always been there. I have never given up on my past self. You may no longer be able to see his shadow in me, but he can always see you.”

After he finished speaking, the principal's office fell silent.

Ghost Snape was also quiet inside Severus's body. Just as Severus had said, he silently looked at Dumbledore, as if he could look directly into Dumbledore's blue eyes through Severus's body.

A moment later, Ghost Snape suddenly spoke.

“Tell him that no matter what I become, I will never forget the promises I made to him.”

Severus repeated these words earnestly.

"The old me wants to tell you that no matter what I become, I will never forget the promises I made to Dumbledore."

Dumbledore clasped his hands together on the desk, looked at Severus with deep eyes, and finally spoke.

“I believe everything you say, Severus, and I will continue to trust you with the same trust as before.”

He made a statement, his final statement to Severus.

McGonagall, standing to the side, couldn't help but wipe her eyes and apologize.

"I'm sorry, I lost my composure, but no matter what, I miss him very much."

After saying that, she got up and left the principal's office.

Ghost Snape didn't say anything more; he just kept a straight face and remained silent.

After McGonagall left, Dumbledore said softly.

"Minerva has always been a sensitive witch, but many students are intimidated by her stern appearance and overlook this fact."

Severus nodded.

I can understand how she feels.

"Alright, let's talk about something else then."

Dumbledore sat up straight and looked at Severus.

"No one expected what happened to the Crouch family, but it's all thanks to you that you discovered the crucial information that Barty Jr. had escaped from Azkaban in time, which saved Barty Sr. from death."

"But this matter is far from over. Barty Crouch Jr. is his close servant, and after escaping from home, he will never give up on finding his master and will contact all the forces he can to make it happen."

"I'm not asking you to take them all down, but you'd better keep a close eye on this matter afterward, especially on the recent movements of your former friends."

Upon hearing this, Severus already understood.

Dumbledore's request was not unexpected by Severus; he had anticipated it before coming to Hogwarts.

The biggest promise that Snape the Ghost and Dumbledore once made together was to protect Harry.

Both of them believed that Voldemort, who had not truly died, was the final boss who wanted to kill Harry.

Now that Barty Jr. has escaped from Crouch's house ahead of schedule, Dumbledore keenly senses that this may hasten Voldemort's return.

Therefore, he would definitely make Severus pay attention to this matter.

“I had some plans when I was confronting Barty Jr. at Crouch’s house.”

Severus spoke thoughtfully.

“I will contact some old friends. Barty will go to them, but they may not necessarily want to see Barty. Most people in the wizarding world genuinely believe he is truly dead, even some of his former servants, after all, what they did when they escaped trial was not honorable.”

"Even if he returns and chooses to forgive them temporarily, their status will definitely not be as good as before."

Just as he had just made a promise to Severus, Dumbledore had absolute trust in Severus's arrangements.

"You can go ahead and do what you're thinking. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me anytime."