Of course, Severus had made this decision after careful consideration.
If redemption meant death, and turning dark also meant death, then he might as well struggle and fight to carve out a different path.
He absolutely refused to follow the original Snape's life trajectory.
Not only would it inevitably end in death, but the days would also be utterly dull.
Since he had no intention of being the 'greasy-haired' Severus Snape, he is bound to lead the original plot in an unknown direction.
In that case, it would be better to start another attempt now, before Harry Potter officially enters Hogwarts to learn magic and before Voldemort returns completely.
As for going to see Dumbledore now, Severus had already prepared multiple contingency plans.
Hogwarts was on summer break, and the castle was nearly empty. The only professors remaining were a handful of lonely bachelors.
From his office in the dungeons all the way to the entrance of the Headmaster's office, he hadn't encountered a single living soul.
He did come across a few ghosts, but none of them were the four famous House ghosts featured in the original work.
Ghost Snape had already calmed down by the time Severus left the office. He watched the impostor coldly, his gaze filled with undisguised scorn and mockery.
In his eyes, Severus was being unbearably arrogant.
'Not only had he dared to march straight to Dumbledore without preparation, but he even planned to tell the Headmaster about his intention to approach Harry Potter now?'
'This was more absurd than Merlin losing his bell-bottom trousers!'
The loyal stone gargoyle stood guard in front of the Headmaster's office. As Severus approached, it rumbled in a deep voice: "Password."
"Sherbet Lemon."
Severus retrieved the current password from the original Snape's memories.
As soon as he spoke, the gargoyle leapt aside, proving that the old honey-loving headmaster's sweet tooth remained unchanged… his favorite flavor hadn't shifted yet.
Severus stepped through the entrance guarded by the gargoyle and onto a revolving staircase. At the top, he pushed open the gleaming oak door adorned with a brass knocker shaped like a griffin.
Beyond it lay a spacious, beautiful circular room, its walls lined with portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses, all snoozing gently in their frames.
A massive claw-footed desk dominated the room, and perched on a shelf behind the door was a gold-and-red bird...
Dumbledore was sitting behind the table, wearing those peculiar half-moon glasses on his face. When Severus arrived, he was reading a letter sent to him by someone unknown with great concentration.
'It seemed that even during summer break, the old bee was still diligently attending to his duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts.'
'Well, it would have been more convincing if not for the traces of cream still clinging to his silvery-white beard.'
Hearing the noise at the door, Dumbledore looked up, his blue eyes deep and inscrutable, the half-moon lenses glinting as if they could see straight through a person.
Severus met his gaze. Those gentle eyes held no aggression, yet they somehow gave the impression that nothing could be hidden from them.
"Oh-"
"Severus? Having trouble brewing Felix Felicis? Fancy joining me for afternoon tea? I'd be happy to share some delicious cake and lemon sherbet with you."
Severus made no effort to imitate the cold, hollow expression of Ghost Snape, the one that made it seem like the whole world owed him a lifetime of debt. Instead, he sat down casually in the chair opposite Dumbledore.
"I believe you've misremembered, Dumbledore. I finished brewing the Felix Felicis two days ago. I recall you already asked me about it during dinner yesterday."
Dumbledore looked momentarily taken aback, then he chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"Age does wear down the memory. Perhaps you should prepare more Memory Potion for me?"
"Your Pensieve is more than sufficient." Severus retorted bluntly. He picked up the glass of lemon sherbet that had materialized in front of him the moment he sat down, took a sip, and immediately frowned.
'This stuff is a bit too sweet.'
Setting the drink aside, he turned his attention back to Dumbledore, only to find the old man wasn't looking at the letter anymore but smiling at him instead.
Severus didn't avoid his gaze. Instead, he met those blue eyes head-on, running a hand through his lank, shoulder-length hair.
"I've recently had some realizations and want to make a few changes, starting with washing my hair properly. What do you think?"
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.
"Your arrival today has made me feel that you have undergone surprising changes, but learning to care for one's hair is indeed a profound art."
"Not just that."
Severus never once looked away from Dumbledore's gaze. He spoke earnestly and solemnly: "I want to make some changes to the plans and agreements we've previously settled on."
Dumbledore steepled his fingers, furrowed his brow slightly, and adopted an attentive expression.
"For instance... which aspects are you referring to?"
"It's about Harry Potter." Severus said calmly, "I want to take him away from his aunt's house for a while, and let him learn some things from me in advance, to prepare for what's to come."
Hearing his words, Dumbledore's brows, which were originally slightly furrowed, now furrowed even deeper.
"And why is that?"
"You know as well as I do that his life at his aunt's house is far from ideal. That miserable childhood has nothing worth remembering."
Severus continued, "That kind of upbringing is harmful to any child. If you truly care for him, if you truly want what's best for him, perhaps you should consider letting me take him for a while."
Dumbledore's interlaced fingers twitched slightly. He frowned and said hesitatingly, "But we both know that Harry Potter is safest under the protection of his blood relatives..."
"But that man hasn't come back yet, has he?" Severus didn't avoid Dumbledore's gaze, but chose to face it squarely.
"We can't gamble on an uncertain future at the cost of this child's present. We can't assume his miserable childhood won't shape his character in ways we can't predict."
The Headmaster's office fell into silence.
Even the portraits on the walls had stopped snoring at some point. The past headmasters and headmistresses pretended to still be napping, but in truth, they were all eavesdropping intently on this unexpected conversation.
Dumbledore seemed to be deep in thought.
The silence stretched on, and his piercing blue eyes never left Severus's face, until, finally, he spoke again.
"And what exactly is your educational plan for young Mr. Potter, who is only 9 years old? I must admit, Severus, I'm quite curious."
"I believe the first step to changing oneself is to step outside and see the world anew. That applies to me, and it certainly applies to Harry Potter." Severus and Dumbledore looked into each other's eyes.
"I intend to take a temporary leave from Hogwarts and go on a journey, and I happen to need a companion for this journey."
For some reason, Dumbledore's frown gradually eased.
"Change can indeed be a good thing."
Severus caught the relief in Dumbledore's tone, and he couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly.
"So you're agreeing to this?"
Dumbledore merely smiled and shook his head.
"I think you're asking the wrong person, Severus."
"If you want to invite Mr. Potter to go on a journey, you should seek permission from the boy himself, and also his current guardians, not from an old man like me who has no say in the matter."
Severus curled his lips inwardly and muttered a few words about the old man's pretentiousness.
But on the surface, he confirmed it again.
"So, as long as I get the consent of Harry Potter himself as well as his guardians', you won't oppose it?"
"If they are all willing, what influence could my opinion possibly have?"
"Then I'll take that as a yes."
Severus stood from his chair, turning to leave the Headmaster's office without another word.
"I'll go to the Potters' right now!"
But he had barely taken two steps before he suddenly turned back. Then, under Dumbledore's raised brow, he casually swiped two boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans from the corner of the desk!
Only then did he stride out of the office.
Meanwhile, inside Severus's body, Ghost Snape was completely stunned.