Snape briefly recounted what had happened before saying firmly,
"That was the Patronus Charm. I could never mistake it."
Dumbledore had no reason to doubt Snape's judgement.
Snape's mastery of the Patronus Charm was exceptionally high.
Only...
Snape had encountered the mist produced by the Patronus Charm all the way down in the dungeons, while Dumbledore himself had just seen a wisp of it outside the window of the Headmaster's Office, high in the tower.
Wasn't that range a little too vast?
Had it covered the entirety of Hogwarts?
Snape took a breath and continued.
"The Patronus Charm is cast using one's happiest emotions and memories. Whether it manifests as mist or as a corporeal Patronus, it's normal for those who come into contact with it to feel warmth and positive energy. But..."
His voice suddenly dropped.
"But I... when I touched that mist, I saw..."
As he spoke, his voice grew even quieter, almost becoming a murmur.
Dumbledore did not press him.
He simply waited in silence.
Snape couldn't help remembering the image that had flashed before his eyes when he touched the mist.
A patch of soft grass beneath warm sunlight.
A girl sitting beside him, her fiery red hair gently fluttering in the breeze.
She turned her head and smiled at him, her eyes as green as the finest emeralds.
It was the first time he had met Lily Evans.
The happiest memory buried within his heart.
A memory he almost never allowed himself to revisit.
"That Patronus Charm..." Snape lowered his head, the words almost forced from his throat. "It actually stirred my memories. My emotions. It was as though... my soul itself had been touched."
Dumbledore's eyes flickered slightly.
Touched the soul?
That was considerably more unusual than simple emotional resonance.
"We should find the young wizard who is practising it."
Dumbledore did not immediately respond to Snape's words.
Instead, he lifted his own glass of lemonade, took a small sip, and then asked unhurriedly,
"A Patronus Charm with such an enormous range, covering almost the entire castle. Something so absurd that it's practically ridiculous..."
A faint smile appeared in his eyes.
"Which young wizard's 'practice' do you think it could be?"
Snape fell silent at once.
The emotions that had been stirred earlier had gradually settled, and the exhaustion from running all the way there had also eased considerably.
Hearing Dumbledore say that, the answer immediately came to mind.
Who else could it be?
Some Ravenclaw student who had unfortunately not been sorted into Slytherin House.
Snape leaned back in his chair, his voice returning to its usual coldness, though his words carried a complicated undertone.
"A wizard capable of casting the Patronus Charm should put your mind at ease."
"No matter how talented he is, or how obsessed and fanatical he may be about magic and knowledge, he won't stray down the wrong path, will he?"
His tone was clearly pointed.
Dumbledore looked at him and nodded solemnly.
"Of course."
After all, the Patronus Charm could normally only be cast by a wizard not consumed by darkness.
If a Dark Wizard with evil in their heart attempted to use it, not only would they fail to summon a Patronus, but the wand itself could "backfire", summoning maggots that would consume the caster.
This had long since been recorded in the wizarding world.
However, the Patronus Charm was truly a very special form of magic.
On closer examination, it touched upon the soul to a certain extent.
And now, Lucien's Patronus had revealed an even deeper quality, one capable of directly affecting the memories and emotions of others.
Perhaps, by studying it further, one could truly step into the realm of the soul.
For Lucien, who was already pursuing increasingly profound branches of magic, that was not something Dumbledore could simply ignore.
It would be best if someone could keep an eye on him.
Not necessarily to restrain him.
Just to make sure that, in the process of pursuing knowledge, he didn't accidentally wander somewhere he shouldn't.
Dumbledore suddenly looked at Snape with a smile.
"Severus, regarding the Patronus Charm..."
Dumbledore held his teacup in both hands and looked at Snape with a smile.
"Lucien must still be a beginner with the Patronus Charm, which is why he can't control it properly yet. For some reason, the range of his spell is simply enormous."
"According to your description, Severus, his Patronus Charm stirs the memories and emotions buried deep within those it touches. He still needs to learn how to control it first. Otherwise, it may affect..."
As Snape listened to Dumbledore's rambling tone, a sense of foreboding suddenly rose in his heart.
Whenever Dumbledore wanted to ask someone for a favour, he always spoke like this.
First, he laid the groundwork.
Then he became sentimental.
And finally, he would casually throw out what he actually wanted.
Snape, who was frequently "troubled" by Dumbledore, was far too familiar with this routine.
The first sentence.
The second sentence.
The third...
"Severus, you are very skilled with the Patronus Charm." Dumbledore's blue eyes blinked behind his half-moon spectacles. "I believe it would be very appropriate for you to guide Lucien in learning this magic..."
Snape couldn't help rolling his eyes.
Sure enough.
Within three sentences, Dumbledore had suggested that he teach Lucien the Patronus Charm.
"Why don't you teach him yourself?" Snape curled his lip, his tone carrying obvious dissatisfaction.
Dumbledore spread his hands.
The smile on his face faded slightly, revealing a trace of genuine exhaustion that had been hidden beneath his usual calm expression.
"I've been travelling around quite a lot lately, as you know."
Snape fell silent.
He certainly knew that Dumbledore was tracking down Voldemort's Horcruxes.
It wasn't public knowledge, but Dumbledore had never hidden it from Snape.
The reason Dumbledore could constantly trouble Snape, asking him to do this and that, was simple.
Trust.
Snape already knew that the Dark Lord had split his soul and hidden the resulting Horcruxes in various secret places, and that Dumbledore was searching for them one by one.
This wasn't the sort of matter that could be entrusted casually to anyone.
After a while, Snape spoke, his voice lower than before.
"Is there anything I can help with?"
He paused briefly before adding,
"For example, I could prepare more effective Veritaserum. I'm sure you'd find a use for it."
Dumbledore looked at him, his gaze gentle, and nodded.
"Thank you."
Just two simple words, yet more sincere than any lengthy speech.
Snape's expression softened almost imperceptibly.
Just as he was about to respond, Dumbledore spoke again.
"By the way, Severus, could you find a way to change the flavour of the tooth-protection potion I usually drink? It's far too bitter and sour. That taste is really difficult for an old man to tolerate..."
The faint softness on Snape's face vanished instantly.
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