[HP] Can you be gentle with me

"It makes me very uneasy."

Dumbledore frowned, and it took a while before he spoke. "So, you want a more detailed description in this book? For this unknowable situation?"

"Yes, I hope—" Tahlia said seriously. "Although I don't expect too much to find the answer...but I have to try, right?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Then, you can take this book—" After closing the book, he pushed it in front of Tahlia. "But remember, don't let—"

"Don't let anyone see, I know." Tahlia smiled, put the book away and stood up. "I'm going back first, Albus." He said pretending to be relaxed. "There's still a lot to do──" After finishing speaking, he nodded to Dumbledore, then turned and walked towards the door.

Dumbledore suddenly felt worried, the previous conversation with Snape was still clearly imprinted in his mind, he was really powerless - he didn't know how to present a side like Tahlia to Snape, what he heard could never compare Seen it with his own eyes, unfortunately, all Snape saw was the bad side.

Seeing that Tahlia was about to step out of the room, Dumbledore couldn't help but speak.

"Tahlia... child──" Tahlia stopped and turned back in doubt. "How...how have you been with Severus lately?"

Tahlia froze for a moment, then smiled again. "It's much better than before." Although there were some topics they absolutely couldn't bring up, she was indeed very satisfied with the current situation.

"Is that so…" Dumbledore smiled too. "That's good."

"I think so too, Headmaster," Tahlia replied. "Everything's going to be fine..." Snape had really been nicer lately, after all.

Dumbledore nodded, maintaining his smile, and motioned for Tahlia to leave.

But the moment the door closed, the smile disappeared.

Severus... what on earth was he planning?

The days really fly by.

In a blink of an eye, Tahlia has finished her first semester as a professor in the school, and in a few days it will be summer vacation. She will take Harry back to her small apartment, and at the same time, she will find another place.

After so many days, almost no students dared to have any extreme opposition to her behavior. After all, Anderson, the iconic pointer character, was already in peace, and the rest of them would certainly not stand out.

Everything is going well.

This was the first time Tahlia felt how beautiful life was without Voldemort. She didn't need to worry about anything when she woke up every morning. She just needed to go to class on time, take good care of Harry, and go to find Snape regularly to discuss various issues. topic……

Although it is not the life she most yearns for, she also feels that she is living a very satisfied life now.

"What?" Snape's voice sounded abruptly in his ear.

Tahlia turned her head to find Snape frowning at her. "What's wrong with me?" And when did he show up in her office?They were even sitting in the armchair opposite to themselves.

This made her deeply suspect that she was under a spell just now to be so dazed that she didn't even notice that Snape came in.

Snape frowned even more, and spoke impatiently. "I asked, what did you just say?"

Did she speak just now?

Tahlia was puzzled for a while before realizing that she seemed to have unconsciously expressed what was in her mind just now, and spoke in embarrassment. "Uh... Let me say, although it's not the life I'm most looking forward to, it's already very good."

"Oh?" Snape raised his lips and leaned back in his chair. "So, what is the life you most yearn for...?"

"You'll laugh if you tell me," Tahlia murmured, talking to Snape about the life she wanted was unimaginable, and she'd never told anyone else about it.

"When have you ever seen me laugh casually and thoughtlessly?" Snape said flatly, but it sounded like he was determined to tell Tahlia.

"Hmm...you probably don't believe—" Snape snorted slightly. "I want to live in the country... that kind of single house, it doesn't need to be too big, it's better... it's better to have a garden──" Tahlia tried to describe her imagination in her head. "Maybe in the afternoon, I can sit in the courtyard and read a book while taking advantage of the sunshine—err...do a job that is not too busy, just enough to make ends meet—" The point is to have free time, to be able to live without worrying .

"This vision is really ordinary." Snape judged this sentence directly.

"No! This is not ordinary!" Tahlia said excitedly. "My brothers tried their best to give me that feeling before, but there were too many houses in Dover, so I thought, at least my own home should realize this idea—"

"Obviously your little place doesn't quite fit, Tahlia," Snape sneered again. "And the job you chose as a curse-breaker also goes against your ideals."

Tahlia was told to shut her mouth, unable to speak for a while, and then opened her mouth in a low voice after a long time. "You know, at that time I didn't have time to find a place like that—" she murmured. "There is no way to choose a more leisurely job..."

"Understandable." Snape nodded slowly.

"What about you?" Tahlia looked up sharply, looking at Snape. "Have you ever had the future life you envisioned?"

The moment he heard Tahlia's question, Snape's expression instantly became ugly. "What are you asking for?" Glaring at Tahlia.

"I..." Uncomfortable being stared at, Tahlia lowered her head again. "Just curious..."

Snape spoke coldly. "It doesn't matter what future I want, Tahlia──" Seeing Tahlia raise her head in doubt, she said again. "Because that's impossible."

That's right, the future he envisioned──

has been completely destroyed.

By the Dark Lord and...

Tahlia was starting to regret bringing up the topic again now, because Snape's face turned doubly sour in front of her, and luckily he didn't say anything, just sat there, but it was embarrassing enough.

"Then..." After a while, Tahlia spoke cautiously. "Have you considered thinking about another one?" Receiving Snape's stare, he shrank subconsciously. "I mean... you can imagine another target, can't you? After everything is over..." After Voldemort is completely wiped out, if they are still alive──

"No need." Snape only replied flatly.

Tahlia was about to say something more when the door leading to the inner room was pushed open, and Harry poked his head out from behind the door. "Tahlia──" called timidly.

"Why did you wake up?" Tahlia felt puzzled, usually Harry would take a nap for a while, could it be that she was really in a trance for too long?Looking at the wall clock on the wall... no, less than half an hour has passed.

Harry's terrified expression made her wary, she thought that at school... at least in this office, nothing would scare him anymore, but now it seems that is obviously not the case.

"I...sorry..." Tahlia turned her head to Snape. "I'll go see him──" After receiving a faint nod from Snape, he quickly stood up, opened the door, picked up Harry, and walked in before closing the door.

"What's the matter with you?" Tahlia asked, placing Harry on his cot.

Almost as soon as this sentence was uttered, Harry's eyes filled with tears, and soon began to fall, unable to stop at all, which completely astonished Tahlia.

"Harry?"

If Harry was crying, Tahlia wouldn't be so dazed, but it's weird for a child to just cry without making a sound.

Harry whimpered and spoke. "Tahlia... tree..."

"Tree?"

He nodded vigorously, and as he nodded, more tears slid down Tahlia's robe. "Tree!"

Now Tahlia didn't understand even more, the word tree didn't seem like something that would make Harry cry, unfortunately he was too young to explain what he meant, but at least one thing was certain, he was definitely dreaming What did you see.

And she was at best a caregiver, she was not James, and she was not Lily—it was impossible to draw conclusions about what Harry wanted from just a few words or actions.

In short, she decided to keep the word Harry said... But right now, she should put Harry to sleep first, after all, there is a man who seems very displeased waiting outside──

"Harry, look, the trees are gone now, aren't they?" she began.

Harry looked around, then nodded slowly.

"Then we needn't be afraid—" she added. "Go to sleep." He said, making Harry lie on the pillow and covering him with the quilt. "If you see a tree again, tell me, okay?"

Harry shrank into the quilt, hesitated for a moment, nodded his head a little, and closed his eyes obediently.

Tahlia sat quietly until she felt Harry's breathing soften, then stood up cautiously and returned to the office.

To her surprise, Snape wasn't sitting in the chair he had been sitting in, but was standing at her desk, stiffly standing.

"Severus?" She stepped forward slowly, then was startled by Snape's jerk back. "Uh... what's wrong?"

Snape was silent for a moment before speaking. "No."

"Really..." Tahlia didn't ask any more, and took a few steps forward, only to find that Snape quickly moved out of the way. "you……"

"I said nothing," Snape said, interrupting her. "I still have something to do, let's go first."

Tahlia felt baffled, so what was Snape going to do this time... He hurriedly expressed his intention to leave without doing anything at all. Seeing that he had already started walking, Tahlia suddenly thought of a very important thing, and hurried spoke before Snape stepped out of the office door. "Wait, Severus!"

Snape froze for a moment, but turned around to answer. "Um?"

"That... I wanted to ask—" Tahlia thought for a moment. "Maybe I can go to Cokeworth...to see you during the summer?" she said. "I don't think the previous discussions should be wasted because of the holiday, don't you think?"

Snape nodded hastily. "I think so."

"That's great." Tahlia smiled. "I won't bother you for too long—"

"I'm looking forward to it." After Snape finished speaking, he opened the door and left.

Tahlia breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Snape agreed—otherwise she really didn't know what excuse she could use to see him during the holidays.

After all, Snape's attitude towards her was much better now, and she didn't want to force herself not to meet him like before, not at all.

Sitting down slowly, she opened the drawer of her desk and took out the book she asked for from Dumbledore that was safely stored inside.

Now, it's time to focus on Voldemort...

What secrets is he still hiding?