HP: Let professors walk towards the light

"Dog-raising plan? I remember I didn't tell Dumbledore the location of the Horcrux." Reina recalled, the answer was yes.

"It's not a Horcrux, it's Regulus Black."

"He doesn't mean to--"

Snape raised his eyebrows slightly, but didn't comment. However, he liked to communicate with people who didn't need too much explanation, and Hermalena was obviously a Slytherin's good girl.

"In the first grade, there's a troll, in the second grade, there's a basilisk, and in the third grade, we have to look for corpses among a pile of infernal corpses. I actually think this makes some sense. It seems like I'm going crazy." Reina couldn't help but hold her forehead with her hand.

"At least you're not crazy enough to assign him a mission to rescue a body like Dumbledore did."

"But they are Inferi after all. Wouldn't it be a bit too difficult? Even I have never been there, so I don't know what it is like." Lena was a little worried about the difficulties Harry would face in the future.

"Why would he worry about this when he can even pass the Triwizard Tournament? Besides, there's a know-it-all Granger who has a higher score than you. Did you deliberately write the Potions paper you submitted like that?"

Snape had a scrutinizing look in his eyes, but he was leaning leisurely against the back of the sofa.

Reina didn't know why she felt guilty, and she quickly drank some milk tea, but suddenly she remembered that it was the end of last semester, and she hadn't even handed in her holiday paper yet. At that time, she was clearly "just" a sophomore student.

Reina slowly put down her teacup again and looked at him with amusement.

"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint our old professor. I finished the long vacation paper you assigned before you even came to my house. It will only be worse than the final."

Snape snorted when he heard this. This girl was becoming more and more talkative. Who knew if he could win an argument with her?

"If you don't hand in a paper that satisfies me by the end of this semester, don't expect to get an 'O' in your Potions."

"What will happen if I don't have 'O'? Will I be unable to attend Professor Snape's Potions class starting next year? What should I do then?" Reina held her cheek with one hand and supported it on her legs, her lips curved, her face full of smiles without a trace of worry on her face.

Snape was somewhat helpless, but his eyes were full of tenderness. At least at this moment, he did not want to use those long-winded and lousy sentences to wipe away the smile on Rena's face. In all his memories, he seldom saw her smile so easily.

He clearly grasped the emotions in his heart, as if... few people were willing to laugh in front of him.

"I would have gone to your class even without the 'O'." Reina added, tapping her face with her fingers.

"Why?" Snape asked back almost immediately, his expression becoming more serious.

Reina was stunned for a moment, and the smile on her face faded a little.

"Why are you asking why?" Reina was puzzled by Snape's question.

She sat up straight, looking at Snape quietly, thinking about the question. Then she pursed her lips inadvertently, stood up, walked around the table in two steps, sat down next to Snape, and closed the distance between them. Snape's eyes followed Reina's movements and fell beside her, and he sat up straight.

"Mr. Dean, who possesses an enviable talent, is asking this question in the hope of receiving my flattering praise?" Reina turned sideways and looked at the man in front of her.

"I don't mind saying it. I like Potions class, or rather, I like the class you teach, because it's you. Although you are always harsh in your words, I know you are very good, very good. You look strict to many people, but you care about every student. The medicine you send to the hospital wing is very bitter, but it is always the most effective. You always seem to like to humiliate students with words, but you will stand in front of students in critical moments. The reason why I fell in love with Potions and had the courage to choose it regardless of my own safety is because of you - Professor Snape."

"You want to ask me why I chose you. Of course it's because I will always respect and love you. Even if I have to do it countless times, it doesn't matter. I hope you know that you are not alone. I hope you can remember that I am always watching you. I also hope that you... can get the happiness that truly belongs to you."

Rena raised her hand and gently smoothed Snape's unconsciously wrinkled brows, slowly tracing his black eyebrows. Snape listened quietly, every word and every sentence was imprinted in his heart. The Rena in front of him and the Rena in his memory overlapped. This was the Rena who could not be pushed away by the accusations, abuses, and cold violence, and the Rena who had always firmly chosen herself.

It turns out that being loved really can heal a sad and painful soul.

Hermalena turned back time just to open the cellar door.

Snape felt that he was indeed incompetent, suspicious and sentimental. He actually doubted the magic he had created with so much effort, even though he cared about her.

[If I could be a little more firm...if I could tell her...]

"Reina." Snape gently pulled Reina's hand down, but did not let go immediately.

"I instinctively put myself in a dark corner. I was wrong. Opening that door has already cost you too much. Leave the rest to me. I said I would accompany you. I think breaking my promise is not something a respectable professor would do... Of course, it's not just traveling."

"What did you call me?" Lena was a little incredulous. Maybe she was hallucinating?

"Is that all you heard? Your ears... forget it." Snape sighed helplessly.

"No! I heard you. You said you would stay with me. What does that mean?" Lena suddenly felt her heart beating too fast, as if it had been burned by the fire spewed by a Norwegian Ridgeback. Could it be that there was an evil bird in her ear that was confusing her mind?

"What I mean is, do I have the honor of having you in my future life? I think that would be the happy future that you wish for me." This was the first time Snape made a promise to someone, and naturally it was also a rare wish of his.

If I could understand it earlier, if I came to this world later, would everything be different? Would Reina not have experienced what she had experienced, and would I have been able to spend more time with Reina?

But there are not so many ifs. Now that things have come to this, all he can do is turn what he said into reality.

"Did I tell you?" Reina's words interrupted Snape's inner imagination.

"What?" Snape continued patiently, waiting for Lena.

"Can I call you Severus?" Lena's heart beat faster, and she was now sure that she had not said this.

"You can call... in private." Snape spoke slowly, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Severus, I love you."

I like you, so I want to spend the rest of my life with you!