"Are you... Professor Snape?"
Harley released her hold on Lynn's neck, then looked up curiously at the man in front of them.
Snape's black robes billowed despite the lack of wind, even stirring his hair. His medium-length hair, washed clean and refreshing with shampoo, looked rather flowing. His originally sallow face showed no trace of greasiness at this moment; who knew what method he had used.
Having started attending to his personal hygiene as early as two months ago just to appear in his best state, Snape could be said to have taken great pains.
The lines outlined by his deep eyes, prominent hooked nose, and slightly thin lips formed a face that was cool yet handsome. If he were ten years younger, the word "Prince" in "Half-Blood Prince" would truly have been tailor-made for him.
If Snape had learned to groom and dress himself like this back when he was in school, James's journey to winning the beauty might have been much more arduous.
After all, humans are visual creatures; it is the same in any world.
But this handsome, cold, older face did not frighten Harley. A hint of curiosity shone in her clear, translucent emerald-green eyes, and the slightly upturned corners of her lips curved into a faint smile resembling a crescent moon.
This innocent, pure face, bearing an eighty or ninety percent resemblance to her mother, Lily Evans, instantly shattered the fortress Snape had carved from unmelting ice like a bunker-busting bomb.
In that instant, the ice and snow melted. There was absolutely no trace of Lynn in Snape's eyes; there was only that charming, smiling face that seemed like an old friend returning.
"Lily..."
Snape blurted out. By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
"Professor Snape, did you know my mum too?" Harley asked curiously. "Aunt Petunia says I look a lot like my mum. That's true, right?"
"Y... Yes..."
Snape retreated slightly, imperceptibly, as if his strength had been drained away. He had to lean his back backward slightly to keep from falling forward.
"I knew your mother..." Snape spoke in an indescribably deep voice. "I once... was your mother's friend."
"Were you classmates?"
"Yes." Snape nodded. "She and I came to Hogwarts together."
"So it's just like me and Lynn, then?"
Harley took hold of Lynn's arm. "Lynn is my good friend, too."
"Is... right... I suppose..."
Snape's words shifted again and again; he seemed to have swallowed many words that remained unspoken.
"Then is there anything else you needed to see me about, Professor Snape?"
Looking at Harley's sweet smiling face, Snape ultimately couldn't bring himself to say anything more.
"Nothing." He shook his head imperceptibly, as if that action used up all his strength. "I am looking for your Professor Flitwick regarding a matter."
"Bye-bye, Professor!"
Harley waved her hand, stuffed the book she had been holding into Lynn's bag, and walked briskly forward empty-handed.
"Hurry up, Lynn! If we're any later, there won't be any good food left in the Great Hall!"
A single class period at Hogwarts lasted two hours. After two consecutive Charms classes in the afternoon, the time had reached five-thirty. The school's Great Hall began serving dinner at six o'clock, and the mealtime lasted for two hours.
But if one arrived too late, only desserts would be left on the tables. However, compared to pastries, the main courses were much more sumptuous and varied.
The Great Hall was already bustling. This time, Harley and Lynn didn't sit at the Gryffindor table but instead ran over to the Ravenclaw table two meters away. This was because right across from where Cho was sitting, there was a dish of beef bourguignon that Harley liked very much. Seating for meals wasn't fixed; if you wanted to eat your favorite dishes, you had to find a good spot.
"Let me tell you, Cho. Lynn is sick," Harley said. "Professor Flitwick said he has caught a 'no childhood, needs hugs' disease. Otherwise, he won't be able to learn or cast spells."
"There's such a disease?" Cho looked suspiciously at Harley, then suspiciously at Lynn. "That illness sounds very improper, doesn't it?"
"Don't listen to Harley's nonsense."
Lynn rolled his eyes. "Professor Flitwick meant that magic is a fairy tale belonging to children, but because I lack childlike wonder, I need to interact more with my classmates. That way, I might be able to recover a bit of my tragically deceased childhood."
"'Tragically deceased childhood...'" Cho couldn't help but chuckle. "That's a really good metaphor."
"Then is there anything I can do to help?"
"Actually, no need." Lynn shook his head.
"It requires Cho's hugs to warm him up," Harley said with a grin. "Maybe it'll be very effective."
"Then why don't you hug him, Harley?"
"I tried, it didn't work. Because I have no love for Lynn. I like girls, so I can't warm his heart that loves beautiful girls with big chests and long legs."
"You sure know a lot."
Lynn grumpily picked up a spoon and tapped Harley on the forehead. "If I wanted to find a beautiful girl with a big chest and long legs, couldn't I just go find a senior?"
"There are so many pretty girls at Hogwarts."
"Where? Where?"
Harley looked all around. "I don't feel like any of them are as pretty as Cho."
"Isn't that one over there?" Lynn jerked his chin. About fifteen meters away from them, two sixth or seventh-year seniors were chatting while eating.
Seeming to sense a gaze directed at them, one senior looked up and swept her eyes in Lynn's direction. Seeing a handsome little Gryffindor junior waving at them, the big sister giggled and blew two kisses back.
Teasing juniors had always been something seniors were very keen on.
"She's a bad woman!"
Cho pursed her lips and reached out to turn Lynn's face straight. "Don't associate with seniors who tease juniors. You'll get eaten by them."
"It seems like you're my senior too, right, Cho?"
"That's what they say, but it's different. I'm only one grade higher than you; the gap isn't big."
"I don't eat apples."
"Then don't eat!"
"Ow, ow, ow! Why are you biting people?"
Lynn, who now had a tooth mark printed on his arm, grimaced and scrunched up his face. A girl's anger really could ignite in a split second.
"If a dog bites me, I bite back."
"Does the dog hair get stuck in your teeth?"
"None of your business. Hmph~"
"Uh-oh, looks like I can't coax you out of this one now."
Lynn gave up decisively, grabbed his fork, and started stuffing his face.
"Who asked you to coax me?" Cho, still angry, glared at Lynn and huffily didn't want to continue eating.
"Because I don't know how to coax at all. I don't even want to date."
After filling his stomach, Lynn stretched. "Dating and coaxing girls is too much trouble. For someone like me who can't even provide a home, I've never even thought about that kind of thing."
"But I do know how to apologize."
"Then let's hear it." Cho glanced at Lynn. To be honest, she was quite curious now about what Lynn would do. Her earlier anger had come and gone; she was just talking tough.
"Not right now. An apology needs to be serious and sincere. Give me some time, let's say—Christmas. That way I can save on a gift, too."
"Ew, you stingy miser." Cho rolled her eyes and glared at Lynn.
"If I'm not satisfied with your apology when the time comes, then you're finished, Lynn!"
"Then should I go find a senior?"
"You dare!"
"If you eat your dinner properly, I won't go find a senior. Half a slice of bread isn't enough to get full."
Picking up a treacle tart and taking small bites, Cho's mood improved a bit compared to earlier. This guy Lynn, when he was bad, really made people's teeth itch with anger.
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