Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts.

Chapter 14 Dumbledore's Mission

"George and I share a grand ideal!"

"After we graduate, we want to open a magic joke shop together in Diagon Alley!"

On the way back to Gringotts, Harry heard the twins' boastful words and agreed with them with admiration.

"You haven't even gone to Hogwarts yet, and you already understand and master those things so thoroughly. You can definitely do it!"

His words made George and Fred's faces light up with joy, and they smiled broadly.

"It's rare to find someone who agrees with us like this! Don't worry, we'll go scout out Hogwarts for you first, Dudley!"

After leaving the Magical Joke Shop, the Weasley twins and Harry looked more like three brothers, while Percy, like an outsider, made expressionless comments from the sidelines.

"Professor Snape's private students, do you two need to scout out Hogwarts beforehand?"

But the twins completely ignored him; they were already used to their rule-abiding, boring older brother.

As Harry was happily chatting with the Weasley brothers about all sorts of interesting things in the wizarding world, he suddenly felt a gaze on him from time to time.

Harry instinctively looked in that direction.

A short, bespectacled wizard, after making eye contact with him, was startled by his gaze and hurriedly walked into a nearby shop that sold cauldrons.

This left Harry somewhat bewildered.

He was certain that this was his first time in Diagon Alley, and that he had never met any wizards before Severus took him from the Dursleys.

But what happened today?
However, Harry is only a 9-year-old boy, so he might be confused, but he won't think too much about it.

His attention was quickly drawn back to the Weasley twins, and he returned to the gates of Gringotts at the time Severus had arranged with them.

When the four returned, Severus was already leaning against the door waiting for them.

"It seems you two get along quite well?" he asked with a smile.

George shouted.

"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.

"Charlie was lying when he said someone would die at the Sorting Ceremony?" Severus just 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.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)