Chapter 334 "happy Birthday, Harry!"
"Professor, have you heard the name Lily Evans?"
Harry's voice echoed in the empty potions classroom, the sound hitting the icy wall, producing a faint echo, like a Dementor's grip on Snape's heart.
Snape's expression froze instantly.
His greasy, black hair hung like a curtain around his thin face, a look of helpless trance appearing in his cold black eyes, his lips quivered twice, but he couldn't manage to make a sound.
"Professor? Professor Snape?"
Harry nervously swallowed, forcing himself to stare into Professor Snape's indifferent eyes. Elena once said that when facing Professor Snape, she found the courage to look away, better to avert your eyes timidly.
"Lily, your mother."
After Snape fell silent for a few seconds, he repeated Harry's words with some difficulty, as if saying those words was very difficult. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, looking into Harry's eyes, he answered in a low voice.
"Of course, I was in the same year as your mother... except she was in Gryffindor and I was in Slytherin."
It must be said that time not only changes the calendar page number.
After eleven years, Severus Snape is no longer the young and immature boy. After going through so much and teaching for so many years, he is much more mature and stable than before. Unexpectedly, it wasn't that when faced with Lily's son's problems, some ugly expression of panic would be revealed.
"Really?! Professor, then, can you tell me more about my mother?"
There was a surprised look on Harry's face, and he couldn't help but step forward, his expression expressing excitement.
"I've lived in Uncle Vernon's house for as long as I can remember. They never voluntarily talk about my parents. I didn't know until Hagrid came to get me. They didn't die in a car accident, but they were killed by Voldemort for protecting me..."
"No, don't mention that name."
Snape involuntarily shuddered, gritting his teeth in a stern face and growled softly.
Neither Harry nor Elena had ever seen that expression on Professor Snape's face.
Although he normally seems cold and ruthless, at least there is a severity similar to that of Professor McGonagall, but not now... like a wounded beast, panting slightly, staring fiercely into Harry's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Professor, I just..."
Faced with Snape's terrible gaze, Harry unconsciously stepped back in fear, bumping into the edge of the back desk, making a loud noise as the chairs pushed back.
"After dinner tonight, come to my office, alone."
Snape waved his hand sharply, cutting off Harry's next words, pointing to the door of the underground classroom, and giving an order in a cold and unanswerable tone.
"You may leave the classroom. I still have some things to do."
Obviously, the last sentence was directed at the two behind, curiously looking at the lively girl.
All memories of Lily Evans, if not for Harry's voluntary request, according to Snape's original idea, were destined to be buried in his heart forever.
And in this emotionally unstable situation, Snape cannot fully guarantee that he will say something, so he must calm down and think about what he can tell Lily's son, and if Lily were still there, what stories would she want her children to know.
But before that... Snape has another very important thing to do.
"Albus Dumbledore..."
Watching the three little wizards disappear through the door, Snape dangerously narrowed his eyes and whispered softly.
"What did they tell this boy?"
Undoubtedly, if some people hadn't given some clues, Harry Potter, who had just come into contact with the magical world, wouldn't have directly asked about Lily after the first potions lesson.
For eleven years, Severus Snape knew very well that Albus Dumbledore's credibility was not as reliable as rumored. Dumbledore is also a man, he will make mistakes, he will also be happy.
Snape has every reason to believe that, to ensure he could fulfill his promise to care for Harry, with Dumbledore's character, it is entirely possible that he inadvertently revealed and instructed Harry secretly. McGonagall... can help him do all this.
"The crux of the matter is... what exactly will Harry know?"
Snape frowned in anger and stormed out of the Potions Classroom, walking directly to the auditorium.
If Professor Dumbledore couldn't clarify the matter and give a reasonable explanation by noon today, then, at noon, Dumbledore would not have thought of dining in peace.
...
However, compared to the angry Professor Snape and the fiery old radish who is about to face an unclear black cauldron, on the other hand, Elena clearly left the underground classroom in a good mood.
This was the important turning point in the plot that she had planned from the moment she saw Harry, and judging by what happened in the classroom today, whether it was Harry Potter or Severus Snape, it should be difficult for them to become hostile and upset as in her previous life's work.
Not to mention that after the exchange of questions and answers in this potions class, Elena could feel Harry's attitude towards the potions class gradually shifting from a task of "finding his mother" to a real and close interest.
To be honest, in fact, even without Elena's dilemma, Harry's talent for potions is not bad at all. After all, he is a true genius who can achieve good results in the exam even in a completely contradictory learning state.
Elena had no doubt that with a good start in this life, Harry, who once tasted the sweetness, would never easily give up potions. This is actually not difficult to understand. After all, people always like to do something they are good at and have achieved results, just like Harry enjoys Quidditch so much.
The most important thing is that Professor Snape's attitude towards Harry is obviously quite different.
Harry Potter, who has shown talent in potions, has gradually shifted from being "Potter's child" to "Lily's son" in Snape's eyes, and the worst part is that Erinna noted that in just two classes, the way Snape addressed Harry changed from "Boy" to "Harry."
In the Hogwarts kitchen.
"All done, this is your birthday gift! Do you like it?"
Elena carefully outlined the word "hp" in black pepper sauce on the steak plate, then turned around happily and handed it to Harry, who was helplessly standing near the door, watching the bustling kitchen with curiosity.
"This morning's performance was quite good. Due to the limited time and the materials not being prepared in advance, this Wellington steak that I made myself, as a reward for you, try it. This should be a new dish for next week's school dinner."
"But... Big sister, today is not my birthday."
Harry instinctively tied the plate and looked at the mysterious, steaming, golden, and fragrant steak in front of him. He couldn't help but swallow with difficulty and said uncertainly, "Are you mistaken...?"
"Your birthday is on July 31, right? I checked the calendar, yes, today is!"
"Today is a special day. You can finally find your mother's footsteps. Based on this, it is very worthy of celebration and commemoration. Not to mention that you also earned five points for Gryffindor in the potions class."
Elena looked at the silent Hermione, raised her hips, and raised her eyebrows in an undeniable tone.
"In short, I said today is your birthday, so it's your birthday!"
"Happy birthday, Harry!"