The Sunshine of Hogwarts, Snape

Petunia's face was twisted into an expression as unpleasant as half-melted butter.

But the Dursleys did not outright refuse Severus entry.

This wasn't because they were particularly polite, but rather because the neighbors next door, who were mowing the lawn at this time, had already witnessed the scene unfolding in the yard.

Neither Petunia nor Vernon wanted to embarrass themselves in front of the neighbors.

Moreover, upon learning that their visitor was one of those... freaks, they were both afraid that if they turned Severus away too harshly, he might do something horrifying right there in public.

Petunia was the first to relent, her face stiff with discomfort as she wordlessly took her son Dudley's hand and turned back toward the house.

Meanwhile, Vernon pushed Harry, who had been staring at Severus, and Harry, with a curious look on his face, finally took a step forward.

They hadn't exactly invited Severus inside, but Severus still happily put the teacup on the chair and followed the followed the family inside.

"It's been a long time, Petunia."

Petunia sat on the sofa holding Dudley tightly without saying a word. Of course she knew who Severus was, and that was precisely why all her focus was now on protecting Dudley!

Severus didn't seem bothered by Petunia's coldness. He didn't even appear the slightest bit uncomfortable as the atmosphere grew tense and silent.

Instead, he turned to Vernon with a smile and extended his hand.

"Mr. Vernon Dursley, I presume? A pleasure to meet you. I'm Severus Snape."

His polished appearance, friendly demeanor, impeccable manners, and that radiant smile left Vernon a little overwhelmed.

This was completely different from the freaks he had in mind.

He subconsciously stretched out his hand and shook Severus' hand.

"Your wife and I have known each other since childhood. Our families were neighbors in Cokeworth, though... well, as you can see, Petunia never much liked me."

Inside Severus's body, Ghost Snape's expression was as cold and rigid as a merperson lurking in the depths of the Black Lake.

Hearing such words from Severus made it sound as though Petunia had been the one who'd looked down on him from the start.

But in reality, unlike Lily, Snape and Petunia had despised each other from the moment they'd met as children.

The loathing had been mutual!

If Ghost Snape could wield a wand right now, the first spell he'd cast would undoubtedly be a Sectumsempra straight at Severus' lying mouth!

Yet, Severus' words only made Vernon even more at loss.

"Petunia, well... Petunia can be a bit, er..."

As if sensing his discomfort, Severus smoothly changed the subject.

"I hear you work at a drilling company?"

Vernon blinked in surprise at the mention of drilling, but once the conversation turned to his profession, his words flowed more easily.

"That's right, a drilling company specializing in offshore drilling equipment. Um... do you know much about offshore operations?"

Severus feigned astonishment.

"Could it be Grunnings? It's the largest offshore drilling manufacturer in Britain!"

Vernon couldn't help but laugh, his chest swelling with pride. He even moved to clap Severus on the shoulder, though his height forced him to settle for an awkward pat on the back instead.

"Our drills are quite renowned, and customers who need offshore rigs have high standards, and we're their only real choice."

"You're in sales?"

"No, I'm the director of the sales division."

"To rise to management in a company like that… it speaks volumes about your talent, Mr. Dursley!"

'Silver-tongued serpent!'

Ghost Snape cursed in his heart and watched coldly as the impostor, who had only crammed in some last-minute research and learned that Grunnings was the only drilling company in Surrey, spun his web of flattery, ensnaring the pig-like Muggle in his lies.

However, Vernon didn't suspect a thing. On the contrary, after just a few exchanges, he was convinced that Severus was a refined, well-mannered gentleman!

"Where do you work, Mr. Snape?"

"Please, call me Severus. I wasted a few years in my youth, but now I'm just a professor and headteacher at a vocational school."

Vernon couldn't help but exclaim.

"My God! You look far too young for that!"

"Alas! can't compare to you, my good man… flourishing career, loving family!"

They continued trading compliments as if they'd forged a deep friendship in mere minutes.

Vernon even kept shooting glances at Petunia, jerking his head toward the liquor cabinet in the kitchen, clearly eager to share a drink and discuss the bright future of the drilling industry with Severus.

But Petunia wasn't paying attention to her husband's hints. She was too busy staring in shock at how effortlessly Severus navigated social interactions, just like a real Muggle!

It made it impossible for her to reconcile the man before her with the sharp-tongued, sneering, coldly arrogant Severus Snape from her distant memories!

Meanwhile, Dudley was still sulking. He was furious that today's plans, whether they went out or stayed in the house, meant no computer games for him.

As for Harry, he was just staring out the window, lost in thought.

Because he was astonished to discover that the chair the man who called himself Severus had been sitting on outside the Dursley's house had mysteriously vanished!

All that remained on the ground was a teacup with traces of black tea leaves and a small pebble.

Harry swore he had specifically observed the intricate patterns on the chair's backrest just before entering the house, but less than a minute after stepping inside, the chair had disappeared without a trace!

'Had someone sneaked into the Dursleys' yard and stolen it?'

'Should I tell Mr. Snape about this?'

Harry was in a dilemma.

At this time, Vernon and Severus, who had become close friends and were having a great conversation, had settled at the dining table.

After Vernon tried to signal Petunia several times with his eyes, asking her to get some drinks for his 'good friend Severus' but to no avail, he had no choice but to get up and pour two cups of tea himself.

"So this must be your son… he looks exactly like you, strong as a little bull."

'That's clearly a piglet! Only by eating pig food every day could you fatten him up like this!'

Listening to Severus speaking hypocritical flattery to the Muggles while pretending to be him, Ghost Snape couldn't help but want to ridicule him.

But in the end, only Severus could hear his words.

When Dudley, who was already angry, heard Severus talking about him, he turned his head with a glare.

Vernon couldn't help but show a proud expression when his son was mentioned.

"Dudley's always been healthy, he is our pride and joy!"

"Ah, speaking of which," Severus seemed to suddenly think of something, and then said with a smile, "I brought gifts for the children."

As he spoke, he stretched out his right hand towards Dudley, but it was completely empty.

Dudley felt that he was being teased.

"There's nothing in your hand!" He shouted.

Severus smiled.

"Sometimes, seeing isn't always believing, is it?"

After hearing what he said, Petunia and Vernon were confused for two seconds, and then panic appeared on their faces!

They knew exactly what Severus really was. They craved normalcy and despised anything abnormal.

Severus' earlier, perfectly ordinary behavior had nearly made them forget his abnormal identity-

'But what does he want to do now?'

'Demonstrating that kind of witchcraft in front of two ignorant children, especially Harry?'

However, just as the atmosphere in the Dursley household turned deathly silent, with Petunia and Vernon holding their breaths, Severus suddenly stretched out his left hand, which he had inserted into his robe pocket at some point.

There were two boxes of candy in that hand.

"Ha! But this time, your eyes do tell the truth. The gifts were in this hand all along!"

With a grin, he handed Dudley a box of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, which he had taken from a certain Headmaster's desk, which made Petunia and Vernon, whose hearts was in their throats, breathe a sigh of relief.

As for the other box of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Severus stuffed it into Harry's arms, who had been sitting quietly like an outsider the entire time.

"And one for you, Harry Potter."

He spoke Harry's name deliberately, making the boy blink in surprise. It hadn't occurred to Harry that since Severus had known Petunia since childhood, he must have known his mother too.

But Harry hadn't forgotten about the chair.

"Th-thank you for the gift, Mr. Snape. But your chair outside..."

"Chair? What chair?" Severus blinked at him, "Remember what I just said? Seeing isn't always believing."

Harry didn't know what a riddler was. He just felt that Severus seemed to be talking about something very profound, so he nodded, only half-understanding.

As Severus finally engaged Harry in conversation for the first time, Ghost Snape inside him also stared at the boy with indescribable complexity.

He stared at the pair of emerald green eyes, which were exactly the same as the ones in his memory, for a long time.

The boy's appearance was almost the same as in his memory, which made him clench his teeth unconsciously.

And the faint lightning-shaped scar under the messy black hair made him purse his lips subconsciously.

Seeing that Severus had genuinely prepared gifts, Vernon, who felt sincerely respected, was now beaming, his face flushed a deep, purplish red.

"So, Severus, did you come today specifically to visit Petunia?"

Severus still smiled, but his answer made the originally harmonious and relaxed atmosphere become frozen again.

"No. I came here specifically for your nephew, Harry Potter."