"Dumbledore, you called for me?"
Snape walked into the headmaster's office, his expression serious. He was puzzled. The basilisk had been slain, the Horcrux resolved—what else was troubling Dumbledore? Could there be a new problem?
Over the past two years, Hogwarts had faced far too many crises. The school board had voiced objections more than once, and the Ministry of Magic had raised concerns over student safety. The problems were mounting—more than the school had seen in the past decade.
Taking a seat across from Dumbledore, Snape waited silently. If the headmaster had gone so far as to summon him with a Patronus, it could only be something significant.
As expected, once Snape was seated, Dumbledore spoke:"Severus, Minerva came to me just now to request that Mr. Sean Bulstrode be exempted from further Transfiguration classes."
Snape's brow furrowed at once. His gaze sharpened, a rare solemnity flickering in his usually impassive eyes. Dumbledore never brought up such matters lightly—especially not with this tone. That meant the matter was serious.
And it centered around Sean.
What Snape didn't quite realize yet was that, deep down, he had already begun to feel a certain guardedness toward Dumbledore when it came to this student.
"Why?" Snape asked. "Why would Professor McGonagall make such a decision?"
Dumbledore looked at him calmly and said, "Because she believes Mr. Bulstrode is already beyond what the class can offer. He has reached the third stage of Transfiguration—and he's only in his second year. His mastery surpasses what even Minerva and I had achieved at that age. His talent is extraordinary."
Snape was silent for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"If that's the case, I see no reason to oppose Professor McGonagall's decision."
Hearing Snape's words, Dumbledore let out a long sigh. Then he said gently, "Severus, I know you're fond of that child—but we must be cautious. The diary Horcrux has already proven that Tom's fragments can invade others and find a way to return. Mr. Sean Bulstrode's talent, his connection to Harry, and the many… coincidences surrounding him—they are enough to warrant vigilance."
A trace of scorn tugged at the corner of Snape's mouth. He looked at Dumbledore with a flicker of sarcasm and said coldly, "Slytherin—full of dark wizards, full of Death Eaters. And now, being exceptional is a crime, too? Is that it?"
Dumbledore met his gaze, calm as always, his voice tinged with a kind of quiet guilt. "Severus, you know that's not what I mean. I have no intention of accusing Sean of anything. Truly."
He paused, then added softly, "I only mean that we must be watchful of anything that defies reason. Our duty is to protect the children of Hogwarts—the innocent souls of our world—and… Lily's child."
That final note struck where Dumbledore knew it would. Snape's expression darkened, his composure briefly cracking. He looked away for a moment, then met Dumbledore's eyes again.
"What if Sean is innocent?" Snape asked, voice low. "What if he's just a gifted boy? He's saved Potter more than once. He's helped me do things I never managed myself. What then?"
"Severus, I am not asking you to harm him," Dumbledore said gently. "Only to observe. If you can confirm that he is not connected to Tom in any way—if you can assure me of that—then I will apologize to him myself, without hesitation."
Snape stared at him in silence. After a long pause, he sighed.
"I understand. I'll keep an eye on him. If there's nothing else, I'll be going—I have work to finish."
"Very well. Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said, nodding.
Without another word, Snape turned and left the headmaster's office, his robes billowing quietly behind him.
---------------
After Transfiguration class ended, Sean sought out Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, you wanted to speak with me?"
Professor McGonagall had momentarily forgotten the strange scene she'd witnessed earlier in the headmaster's office. Looking at Sean now, she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of regret—regret that this boy hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor. If he had, perhaps his aesthetic sense would be better. And with his level of Transfiguration, he might have produced far more elegant and refined work.
"Sean," she began, "I've submitted a special request on your behalf. From now on, you're exempt from attending regular Transfiguration classes. Frankly, they would only be a waste of your time.
But—there is a condition. You must score full marks on every Transfiguration exam from now on. That is a requirement for this exemption. Do you accept it?"
The Transfiguration exam, like mathematics, left little room for subjectivity—there were right and wrong answers. While some questions might have multiple correct transformations, they could be objectively evaluated. For someone of Sean's ability, full marks were well within reach.
After hearing what Professor McGonagall said, Sean immediately responded,"I can accept that. Thank you very much, Professor McGonagall."
"This isn't something I deserve credit for, so there's no need to thank me. But you must remember—if you don't score full marks on your final exam, you won't get another chance like this."
"I understand. Thank you, Professor."
"Very well, then. You should be able to make real progress in the Transfiguration Club now. I look forward to seeing how much you've grown by the next session."
"I will, Professor."
—
After leaving the Transfiguration classroom, Sean met up with Blaise, who was waiting outside, and the two of them headed to the library together. On the way, Blaise naturally asked what Professor McGonagall had wanted to talk to him about.
When Sean explained, Blaise looked at him as though he were joking. His expression was that of a man who just found out his best friend had won the lottery—eighteen times in a row. He was so envious and jealous, it seemed like he wanted to switch lives with Sean on the spot.