The crack wasn't a metaphor; it was a description.

  Snape's expression shifted frid to one of astonishment and admiration as he held the crystal vial up to his eyes aly shook it twice.

  He dow in one gulp.

  "Head of House!" Malfoy excimed in surprise.

  "Professor, Professor She Gryffindor students shouted in shock.

  "Henry William! What oh have you made! If anything happens to the Head of House, every Slytherin will hold you atable," Slytherin student Millit Bulstrode harshly reprimanded Hoare.

  Millit Bulstrode had long been displeased with that Henry William, getting so chummy with Malfoy and Potter! His iions were suspect!

  He was trying to ruin all of Slytherin!

  "Silence!" Snape, having drunk the potion, anded, and the temosphere was miraculously calmed.

  "Henry William, e with me," Snape said, fixing his gaze on Hoare.

  "Malfoy, Potter, keep an eye oher students."

  "pleted vials, bel them and pce them on the podium."

  Snape gave his instrus, clutg Hoare's crystal vial, and ordered, "Bring your things and follow me." He strode out of the room.

  Harry and Malfoy exged gnces with Hoare, whed in fusion, clutg his own crystal vial as he followed Snape.

  Snape remained silent along the way.

  Seeing Snape like this made Hoare a bit nervous, perhaps as nervous as a leaf.

  The potion was made for Squibs, and holy, he wasn't sure what effect it would have on someoh i magic.

  Snape's silence was due to the shock of the sensations within his body, and he felt a sense of dread.

  At this moment, the only person he could think of to sult was Dumbledore.

  As he left the , he had already informed Dumbledore that he had urgent matters to discuss.

  He alsed for other professors to cover his css.

  There was no way he could truly leave the in the hands of two students, especially with Potter involved.

  Snape's pace was incredibly fast; he was eager for Dumbledore to see if the potion's effects were as he suspected.

  It wasn't that he couldn't be sure; it was just too unbelievable.

  If it were true, it would shake not only the wizarding world but also the Muggle world.

  Snape's mind was rag, and he didn't notice that Hoare nearly had to run to keep up with him. Even if he had noticed, he wouldn't have slowed down.

  At the end of the corridor appeared a tall figure, and as Hot closer, he saw it was Dumbledore, dressed in robes adorned with stars.

  "Oh, dear Severus, what's happened?" Dumbledore's tone was light, but his presen the corridor indicated his inner curiosity.

  Despite Semper, he was always very responsible, and in all his years, he had never asked for someoo cover his css.

  "Dumbledore, I need you to look at this," Snape said, handing the crystal vial to Dumbledore.

  Dumbledore took it with curiosity. The vial was already empty, and he brought it close to his twice-broken h a puzzled expression.

  A faint fragrance wafted out, and in an instant, Dumbledore felt invigorated, as if a surge of vitality had been ied into him.

  "This!" Dumbledore looked at the vial in disbelief, then raised his head to gaze at Snape.

  "Use yic to check my circution," Snape said, frowning as he extended his hand to Dumbledore. If it weren't for the fact that only St. Mungo's had non-tact testing tools, he would never have allowed ao touch him.

  Seeing Snape's gesture, Dumbledore's miertained an absurd possibility, but he quickly dismissed it with a smile. How could it be possible?

  He reached out, pg his hand on Snape's wrist, aly probed with a sliver of his own magic.

  When his magic met Snape's, Dumbledore sensed a distinct difference.

  His previously smiling, half-squinting eyes suddenly widened.

  The astonishment on his face was evident even through his white beard.

  This, how could this be possible!

  Severus's magic had clearly increased, albeit slightly, but it was indeed more.

  For an adult wizard, their peak magic level was fixed and rarely increased with age.

  More often, it was a downhill journey, with magic gradually diminishing.

  Yet now, Snape's magic, after years of stagnation, had not decreased but increased!

  How astonishing!

  Could it be that Severus had an epiphany during css?

  "It wasn't me," Snape, of course, uood Dumbledore's implicatiohdrew his hand and presented Hoare in front of Dumbledore.

  "It was him."

  Hoare stood opposite Dumbledore, meeting his gaze through the half-mooacles.

  Dumbledore was evidently surprised by Snape's a, but he quickly recovered and said kindly, "Hello, Henry William."

  He emphasized the name Henry William.

  Hoare uood that Dumbledore knew he wasn't Henry William, but he didn't io expose him.

  "Headmaster Dumbledore, hello," Hoare replied with a friendly smile.

  " you tell me about this?" Dumbledore asked, shaking the crystal vial in his hand.

  H Professor Snape behind him, then at Dumbledore in front of him. "Do we really have to discuss this here? Holy, it's a bit silly."

  Dumbledore was amused by Hoare's words and ughed heartily. "Alright, alright, why don't we go to my offid have a cup of sweet hoea?"

  "It would be eveer with some dy," Hoare eagerly suggested, knowing that Hogwarts had everything except sweets and chocotes.

  Usually, students brought their own or bought them from cssmates who secretly sold them, like Gee and Fred.

  Snape, listening to this unreliable versation from behind, was nearly fuming.

  "Oh, Severus, could you do me a favor ach Mr. Filch?" Dumbledore turned his head back, politely requesting Snape.

  Snape uood his meaning.

  If the potion was truly effective, the best person to demonstrate its effects would be Filch.

  Surned a.

  "Let's go, Henry."

  Hoare followed Dumbledore to his offi the eighth floor of the castle.

  At the entraood a gargoyle, and Dumbledore spoke the password, "Cockroach Clusters." The gargoyle leapt aside, and the wall behind it split open, revealing a hidden staircase.

  "Please, e in," Dumbledore demonstrated, stepping onto the stairs first.

  Hoare followed Dumbledore's lead, stepping onto the stairs, which began to rotate slowly. In no time, they reached the upper floor.

  It was a room with a domed skylight, and the walls were adorned with portraits of past headmasters, each seemingly engaged in their own activities, though Hoare noticed their furtive gnces.