Mysterious Walker at Hogwarts

"If Minerva hadn't forced me to help Dean out for her, things wouldn't have gotten to this point!" Snape retorted forcefully.

"The thing has happened, there is no need to get too entangled." Dumbledore said, playing with his fingers, "You must be very happy with Mr. Thomas's growth."

"I don't see any growth in him. He is still so reckless, self-righteous and bold!" Snape snorted.

"Basically the same as your evaluation of Potter." Dumbledore nodded, "You see, you have put him and Potter in an equally important position."

Snape's expression looked like he had swallowed a live cockroach, and he couldn't help roaring: "I don't think they are comparable. Potter is nothing compared to Dean."

"Severus, you know in your heart that in the eyes of most people, their views are completely opposite to yours," Dumbledore said.

"That's because he is too careful and low-key!"

"Just now you said he was reckless and daring..." Dumbledore reminded.

"He has done a lot, but no one else knows it!" Snape muttered again, "It seems that I need to remind him that he needs to be more high-profile."

"No, Severus, what Mr. Thomas is doing now is just right." Dumbledore objected, "For example, what happened tonight will definitely not be a good thing for him if it is publicized."

"What happened tonight?" Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I thought you had guessed it." Dumbledore said cheerfully, "Just now, Dean Thomas became the first student to successfully pass all the tests."

Snape lost his cool again, and the expression on his face at this moment was wonderful: both relieved and angry; surprised and regretful.

"It seems that I need to replenish the potion in the test." Snape changed the subject, concealing the uncontrollable ecstasy in his heart.

"This is exactly why I asked Minerva to invite you," Dumbledore said.

"The potion has been drunk, of course I will know." Snape took out a vial filled with potion that was exactly the same as in the test.

"Thankfully you came on your own initiative, otherwise I would have been worried that Minerva would have forgotten to invite you because she was angry." Dumbledore said humorously.

"Minerva still has some professional ethics - I really don't know what she has to be angry about. It's a pity that Dean is not a Slytherin student, otherwise I would have made an exception and made him a prefect!" Snape said angrily. said.

He has regretted more than once that he did not take Dean to Slytherin.

"Severus, this is the biggest difference between Minerva and you. She will stick to her principles and treat all students equally," Dumbledore said.

"Then she should be the headmaster of Hufflepuff." Snape said without any secret.

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore." Dumbledore asked a little tiredly, "When do you plan to tell Mr. Thomas about Xiao?"

"Didn't you ask me to keep him a secret for the time being?" Snape raised his voice.

"I just don't think the time is right yet."

"Then when do you think the right time is? When he investigates clearly on his own?" Snape asked.

"Maybe it will be enough when he comes back from Nurmengard this time." Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have passed through many mountains and mountains, and fell on the place that he had always dreamed of but never dared to set foot in.

"What? You actually asked him to go to Nurmengard? To face the first generation of the Dark Lord?" Snape yelled with a somewhat uncontrollable expression.

"Didn't you already know that this day would come?"

"Of course I know, I just didn't expect it to be so soon!"

"The time is almost here. If Thomas doesn't go, my old friend may not be able to wait any longer," Dumbledore said.

"I don't think you should rush to see your 'old friend' before Dean is ready." Snape said a little irritably.

"He said he was ready," Dumbledore said helplessly.

"How much self-awareness does an 11-year-old wizard have? You actually believe his words?" Snape said angrily.

"Mr. Thomas is far more mature than you think - even more mature than most wizards I have met." Dumbledore said softly.

"I don't think so." After Snape calmed down for a moment, he said with a straight face, "Did you already have a plan? As long as Dean can pass the test of the Sorcerer's Stone, let him meet your old friend? "

"The fact that he can pass these tests shows that his ability is enough to win that person's recognition." Dumbledore did not deny it.

"So this series of tests is also aimed at Dean, right? Potter's ability is simply not enough to pass!" Snape asked.

"Harry is just temporarily incapable of passing," Dumbledore corrected.

"Then I guess the Philosopher's Stone must not have been put into this test yet. You will never let anyone except Harry have the opportunity to get the Philosopher's Stone, right?" Snape's eyes almost burst out with fire.

"No, Severus, at this point, I treat Thomas and Harry equally." Dumbledore pulled Snape to stand in front of the Mirror of Erised.

Snape saw Dumbledore in the Mirror of Erised putting the Sorcerer's Stone in his pocket, and then he felt something heavy fall into his pocket.

Snape took out the Philosopher's Stone from his pocket and looked at Dumbledore with a complicated expression.

"I gave Thomas the same chance, but he gave up - this is what I appreciate most about him, he knows what he wants." Dumbledore took the Sorcerer's Stone from Snape, "From here Judging from this, he is more mature than we thought, right?"

"But that's not enough reason for him to go see that person now." Snape said weakly.

"Counting the time, he has now met my old friend." Dumbledore reminded Snape that there was no point in talking.

"Dumbledore, you promised me that you would not deliberately arrange Dean's future." Snape confirmed, "Can you promise to continue this promise?"

"Of course, that's why I'm telling you, this is Thomas's own decision," Dumbledore said.

Snape looked at Dumbledore steadily, and after a long time he reluctantly said: "If...I find out...that you did the same thing to Dean as Potter...our previous agreement will be terminated."

"I won't, and I believe you won't either." Although Dumbledore's voice was not high, it was extremely confident.

"This is the potion that needs to be replenished for that test." Snape almost threw the vial in his hand into Dumbledore's arms.

"I think it would be more appropriate for you to put it away yourself." Dumbledore smiled slightly, and the vial flew to Snape again.

"It seems you don't want me to provide any help to Dean." Snape's voice dropped.