Snape, the Sunshine of Hogwarts.

Chapter 3 Sincere People
"Dumbledore must have already discovered that you are not me!" Ghost Snape said coldly from inside the body.

Severus shrugged as he walked down the Hogwarts corridor.

"I bet he noticed me the moment he saw me."

"Then you still dare?"

"You still dare to see him? You still dare to mention Harry Potter in front of him?"

Severus could naturally guess what Ghost Snape wanted to ask, but he simply asked in return.

"Can I guarantee I'll never see Dumbledore again in my entire life?"

Ghost Snape remained silent; he didn't want to waste words answering a question with only one answer.

Severus ignored his silence and continued talking to himself.

"Obviously not."

“Since I can’t guarantee that I’ll never see Dumbledore again, and I can’t possibly keep him from finding out that I’ve replaced you, then I might as well just take the initiative to see him.”

“We all know him. Old Deng is a riddle-maker. He likes to talk about all sorts of random things. As long as I don’t say anything, he probably won’t ask me what happened to me. Instead, he’ll just go along with what I’m saying and observe my words and actions. Then, of course, I’ll make my request.”

"What if he exposes you on the spot?" Ghost Snape finally spoke again, unable to imagine just how audacious the mysterious person possessing him was.

“Since you’ve exposed me, I’ll just tell you the truth. You can see for yourself that I didn’t intentionally want to possess you. Besides, Dumbledore needs the identity of Severus Snape to do things for him. As long as he has a need, he can’t really do anything to me.”

Severus has returned to his underground office.

"Look, I was in a good position no matter what, choosing to see Dumbledore, and now I'm making a killing. Although he didn't give a clear answer, he did soften his stance on Harry Potter. Dumbledore just wanted to see how I would persuade Harry Potter and his guardian to take him out, in order to judge who I really am."

Upon hearing this, Ghost Snape became somewhat impatient, staring intently at Severus.

"So who exactly are you! What do you want from bringing Potter out here?!"

Severus simply picked up a small pinch of Floo Powder from the fireplace in his office and smiled slightly.

Do you know what kind of person is most worthy of admiration, trust, and reliance?

"what?"

"A sincere person."

"A sincere person! A sincere person! I've always hoped that through the influence and upbringing of our family, you will become a sincere person, Harry Potter!"

At 4 Privet Road, Little Huigkin, Surrey, Aunt Penny's shrill voice, like a broken gong being constantly struck, made one's eardrums vibrate along with the sound waves early in the morning.

"I didn't eat it!"

Nine-year-old Harry was still loudly defending himself, pointing at Dudley, who was sitting on the sofa, staring with small eyes and already as chubby as a ball at such a young age, "It's Dudley! I saw some cream left on the corner of his mouth this morning!"

“It wasn’t me, Mom!” Dali shouted.

“Of course it wouldn’t be you, my little angel! You’re so sensible, you always keep your promises!” Aunt Penny’s voice would become especially gentle when she was talking to her son.

But this tenderness lasted for less than three seconds.

“But some liars are different! My God! Potter! Stealing food is one thing, but you even have to slander Dudley!”

Harry felt a little powerless. He shrugged, his head down, as if it were a habit.

"Fine, say whatever you want."

Just then, Vernon, carrying the mail from the mailbox, pushed open the door and returned to the living room. He heard Harry's words and gave him a fierce warning.

"Don't talk to us like that! You should at least learn to be grateful!"

"Does washing your socks count?" Harry asked, looking down.

“That’s what you should do!” Vernon roared.

But soon his attention shifted from Harry to the letters he had just retrieved from the mailbox.

"They actually think our drilling rig isn't powerful enough. If they insist on this idea, they won't be able to find a suitable product in the entire Surrey County."

"Oh, Maggie is coming the day after tomorrow; she misses Dudley terribly."

"Damn it, another collection notice! We've paid so much municipal property tax, but the fire hydrant by the door has been broken for two months and no one has come to fix it!"

Vernon grumbled, complaining after every letter he read.

Harry was engrossed in studying the button, imagining how he would beg for forgiveness if Uncle Vernon suddenly shrank to the size of a button, which made him feel a little better.

But this newly comforted feeling instantly worsened and frustrated upon hearing that Aunt Maggie would be arriving the day after tomorrow. Harry tried to make an effort.

"Can I go to Mrs. Figg's the day after tomorrow? She seems to have lost one of her cats. If it's not found soon, it might run into our house. It, it poops in the yard, yes! It poops in the yard, and Aunt Penny might accidentally step in it. I can go help look for it and save everything!"

Mrs. Figg was the Dursleys' neighbor. She was a strange old lady; her house was full of cats and smelled of cabbage.

Harry didn’t like going to her house, but compared to the Dursleys’ house with Aunt Maggie, it was heaven!
However, after reading the letter in his hand, he suddenly found another letter from Vernon through the crack in the door, which decisively shattered all of Harry's illusions.

"You must stay home for the entire day after tomorrow!"

After saying that, he didn't even look at Harry, who was pale and slumped in a chair, and shouted towards the kitchen.

“Penny, here’s a letter for you.”

"Who sent it? Annie?"

Penny walked out of the kitchen, wiping the water off her hands onto her apron.

As she passed by Harry, she didn't forget to loudly instruct her nephew to fish out the pillowcase that was soaking in the basin.

Harry stood up from the chair as if he had lost his soul, and walked past Dudley, who was gesturing at him with a neck that wasn't actually there. Before he even reached the bathroom, he suddenly heard a soft sound behind him, the sound of an envelope falling to the floor.

Not only Harry, but even Dudley, who had been focused on his cousin and wanted to retaliate against him for his tattletale, was also drawn away and turned to look in Petunia's direction.

They saw a terrifying expression on Penny's face that they had never seen before.

It's like seeing Mrs. Figg's cat pooping on her freshly washed blanket.

No, Harry thinks it's even ten times more exaggerated than that!
Vernon became nervous from her reaction.

"What happened? Whose letter was it?"

Absolute silence lasted for a long two seconds in the Dursleys' house.

Penny's pale lips trembled as she murmured a name no one had ever heard of.

"Severus Snape"

"Who?" Vernon grew increasingly nervous.

Penny didn't speak immediately, but suddenly turned her head and stared straight at Harry!

Harry, who was secretly memorizing the name that had scared his aunt into burying her head in the sand, was startled by the sudden gaze, and his round-framed glasses, which were held together by a lot of tape, slipped down by half a centimeter.

Following Petunia's gaze, Vernon's eyes also shifted to Harry, who looked completely innocent. As if he had thought of something, his expression turned particularly gloomy and unpleasant.

"Those...freaks?"

Penny didn't answer; she just looked up nervously and flusteredly at the wall clock.

"Three minutes! Three more minutes! These people love this! This letter isn't an inquiry, it's a notification! A shameless and domineering notification!"

She rushed out, grabbed the still-dazed Dudley, and simultaneously directed Vernon to control Harry and immediately get out to drive.

"Where are we going? Didn't we agree that I could play computer games with Dad this morning?" Dudley was furious when he realized what was happening, and he pinched the hand that Penny was using to grab his arm.

"Sorry, honey, we have to change our plans! But we're fine with anywhere, we just can't stay home! How about the amusement park? Didn't you keep saying you wanted to go again?"

As Petunia struggled to pull Dudley out, Vernon grabbed Harry by the back of his thin collar and, like a gorilla lifting a chick, led him to open the door.

The Dursleys rushed out of the house like they were fleeing a famine. Vernon left Harry in the yard and turned to get the car, while Petunia was still trying to comfort her precious son.

Just when the scene was in chaos and everyone was in a frenzy, a pleasant voice suddenly rang out behind them.

"This kind of weather might not be suitable for a family trip."

The sound nearly made Vernon trip and fall flat on his face on the grass, left Petunia frozen in place as if petrified, and made Dudley, who was still making noise, and Harry, who was completely bewildered, all turn their heads.

To the right of the Dursleys's front door, a handsome, deep-set man with a neat, short ponytail, a prominent aquiline nose, and deep-set eyes, wearing an out-of-season black robe, was sitting with his legs crossed in an armchair, holding a teacup in one hand. He winked at Harry and Dudley, who were looking at him.

The family was in such a hurry that they didn't even notice that there was a living person sitting so close to the door!

Before sending out the letter, Severus, having tidied himself up under the cold watchful eye of Ghost Snape, waved to the Dursleys with his other free hand in a greeting manner.

"Not to mention, you have a guest to entertain today."

　The next chapter will be at 12 noon.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)