In the ancient castle, a young man hidden from sight was quietly trailing another man.
He had been following Snape for over ten minutes, but still, they hadn't arrived anywhere. "Where the hell is he going? How much longer?"
Eventually, Snape entered the faculty area. Yang Tao couldn't help but complain, "This massive castle and no elevators? Seriously?"
Snape finally reached his office. Yang Tao didn't barge in—he felt that would be too rude.
Not that tailing someone was much better.
Yang Tao reappeared outside the door and knocked.
"Come in."
Snape's deep voice came from inside.
He pushed the door open and stepped in. Behind the desk, Snape was seated, busy with something.
As Yang Tao walked in, Snape looked up at him, frowning in confusion.
"Who are you?"
His hand subtly gripped his wand. After all, an unfamiliar person suddenly appearing at Hogwarts was more than enough reason to be on guard.
"Well, since you asked so sincerely, I'll—wait, oops, wrong line! Sorry, Professor! I'm here to learn magic from you!"
Snape immediately drew his wand and pointed it at Yang Tao.
"State your real purpose! What's your name?"
Yang Tao was annoyed. Sure, he had come uninvited, but having a wand pointed at his head was still frustrating.
It was like having a gun aimed at you—even if you were sitting inside a heavily armored tank.
Despite his irritation, Yang Tao stayed calm. After all, he was here to learn magic.
"Professor Snape, no need to be so tense. My name is Yang Tao, and I genuinely want to study magic. I've even brought a gift to show my sincerity."
He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of Transformation Potion, placing it on the table.
With a smile that seemed almost devilish, he said, "This is a Transformation Potion. One dose lasts an entire week."
In the game, this potion could be used permanently. But when Yang Tao crafted it in reality, the item description showed a seven-day limit.
Snape's expression didn't change. He remained on guard, staring at Yang Tao.
"Harry Potter! If he drinks this potion, he'll turn into a girl. Just imagine—a Harry Potter who looks exactly like Lily, without even a trace of that James Potter you despise!"
At the mention of Lily, Snape visibly froze. His gaze locked onto the potion on the table, but he still kept his wand raised.
Seeing Snape's reaction, Yang Tao knew he had taken the bait. He pressed further.
"This potion has no side effects and can be used repeatedly."
Snape finally tore his eyes away from the potion and looked at Yang Tao with a complex expression.
"A person can't—at least, they shouldn't…"
Yang Tao cut him off, walking toward him with a smile.
"No! A person can—and at the very least, they can try."
"My request is simple. I just want you to teach me magic. If you agree, there's even more in it for you."
Yang Tao didn't dare promise anything about reviving Lily. He had no idea what the afterlife in this world was like, and he never made promises about things he wasn't sure of.
Snape slumped into his chair, locked in an intense internal struggle.
Yang Tao continued, "Snape, Lily liked you at first. But do you know why she chose James Potter in the end?"
Snape's voice was hoarse.
"Why?"
"You called her a Mudblood! Do you really need to ask why?"
Yang Tao didn't fully understand how offensive that word was, but it didn't matter—he knew enough.
He had been through far worse insults in the brutal world of online gaming and had come out unscathed.
Snape, on the other hand, was consumed by regret. He finally understood why Lily, who had once been so close to him, suddenly turned away.
Yang Tao placed a comforting hand on Snape's shoulder.
"It's not too late. Lily's child is still here. You can make it up to Harry. And if you don't want to see any trace of James in him…"
He picked up the potion from the table and placed it in Snape's hand.
"Well, you have this, don't you?"
Snape slowly lifted his head, staring at Yang Tao.
With an eerily calm voice, he said, "You win. You devil."