Of course, Severus had made this decision after careful consideration.
Seeking redemption meant death, turning to the dark side also meant death—so why not struggle desperately and try to fight for a chance?
He definitely wouldn't follow the original Snape's life trajectory. Not only would he inevitably die in the end, but his days would be meaningless as well.
Since he didn't plan to be the "greasy-haired man" Severus Snape, he was destined to derail the original plot to who knows where.
So why not start a different attempt now, before Harry Potter officially entered Hogwarts to study magic, and before Voldemort had fully returned?
As for going to see Dumbledore now, Severus had already prepared multiple contingency plans.
Hogwarts was on summer vacation, the castle was empty, and even the professors who stayed at school were just those few old bachelors. From his office in the basement all the way to the headmaster's office door, he hadn't encountered any living people.
He did see a few ghosts, but none of them were the four house ghosts that were prominently featured in the original story.
When Severus left his office, Ghost Snape had already calmed his emotions. He watched that thief with cold eyes, his gaze carrying obvious disdain and mockery.
He thought Severus was being ridiculously overconfident.
Without any preparation, he dared to directly approach Dumbledore using his identity, and even planned to tell Dumbledore that he wanted to make contact with Harry Potter right now?
This was even more ridiculous than Merlin losing his bell-bottom pants!
The loyal stone gargoyle stood guard in front of the headmaster's office. When Severus wanted to enter, it said in a muffled voice: "Password."
"Honey cake," Severus replied.
He found the password for these past few days from Snape's original memories.
After he spoke, the stone gargoyle automatically jumped aside, proving that the sweet-loving old bee was still fond of honey cake recently and hadn't changed his taste.
Severus walked through the entrance guarded by the stone gargoyle, stepped onto an automatically rotating staircase, and at the top of the stairs pushed open a gleaming oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.
Behind the door was a spacious and beautiful circular room, with portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses hanging on the walls, all snoring gently in their frames.
There was also a huge desk with claw-shaped legs, and on a perch behind the door sat a golden-red bird...
Dumbledore sat behind the desk, wearing those peculiar half-moon spectacles on his face. When Severus arrived, he was earnestly studying a letter that someone had sent him.
It seemed that even during summer vacation, the old bee was still diligently completing his work as Hogwarts headmaster.
Well, it would be more convincing if there wasn't still cream left on his graying beard.
After hearing the commotion at the door, he looked up, his blue eyes carrying an unfathomable depth, and his half-moon spectacles glinted as if they could see through people's hearts.
Severus met his gaze. Those gentle eyes held no aggression, but somehow made one feel as if he could see through everything.
"Oh—" Dumbledore began. "Severus? Is the brewing of Felix Felicis not going very smoothly? Would you like to come share afternoon tea with me? I can certainly be generous enough to share delicious cake and lemon honey soda with you."
Severus didn't deliberately imitate Ghost Snape's cold, hollow expression—that face like everyone owed him 2.58 million galleons, the face of a man without a wife. Instead, he naturally and casually sat in the chair opposite Dumbledore.
"I think you must be mistaken, Dumbledore," Severus said. "I finished the Felix Felicis two days ago. I remember you already asked me about it once during dinner yesterday."
Dumbledore was somewhat speechless, then showed a self-deprecating smile. "When you get old, your memory always declines. Perhaps you should prepare some more memory potions for me?"
"Your own Pensieve is sufficient," Severus replied without courtesy, picking up the lemon honey soda that had appeared in front of him after he sat down. After taking a big sip, he couldn't help but frown.
This thing was cloyingly sweet.
He put down the drink and looked at Dumbledore again, finding that the old man hadn't returned his attention to the letter in his hands, but was simply watching him with a smile.
Severus didn't avoid his gaze, but met those blue eyes directly, using his hand to brush through his greasy hair draped over his shoulders.
"I've suddenly figured out some things recently and want to make some changes," Severus said. "For instance, properly washing my hair. What do you think?"
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "Your arrival today already makes me feel you've made surprising changes, but—learning to take care of one's hair is indeed a profound art."
"Not only that," Severus continued, never avoiding Dumbledore's gaze throughout. He spoke earnestly and solemnly: "I want to make some changes to certain things and plans we previously agreed upon."
Dumbledore placed his fingertips together, his brow slightly furrowed, showing an expression of listening attentively.
"Such as... which aspects?" he asked.
"Regarding Harry Potter," Severus said in a calm tone. "I want to bring him away from his aunt's house for a while, let him follow me to learn some things in advance, to prepare for future events."
Upon hearing his words, Dumbledore's already slightly furrowed brow deepened further.
"And why is that?" Dumbledore inquired.
"You should know that his days at his aunt's house are not good," Severus explained. "That terrible childhood has nothing worth remembering. This isn't good for any child's development. If you truly care about him, if you really want what's best for him, I think you might consider letting me try?"
Dumbledore's interlocked fingers fidgeted restlessly. He frowned, saying with difficulty: "But you and I both understand that Harry Potter will receive the best protection only when he's with his blood relatives..."
"But that man hasn't actually returned yet, has he?" Severus didn't avoid Dumbledore's eyes, instead choosing to face him honestly. "We can't use something uncertain to delay this child's future, gambling that what he experiences in childhood won't affect his character and personality."
The headmaster's office suddenly became quiet.
Even the portraits on the walls had somehow stopped their gentle snoring. The former headmasters pretended to still be napping while actually pricking up their ears to eavesdrop on this conversation that had caught everyone off guard.
Dumbledore seemed to be thinking.
This contemplation lasted a long time, and his gaze never left Severus, until his voice sounded again.
"Then what kind of educational plan do you have for the nine-year-old Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked. "I'm quite curious about this, Severus."
"I think the first step in changing myself is to go out and walk around, to see this colorful world anew," Severus said, meeting Dumbledore's azure eyes. "This applies to me, and naturally to Harry Potter as well. I want to temporarily leave Hogwarts for a while to take a trip, and this journey happens to need a companion."
For some reason, Dumbledore's brow gradually relaxed.
"Change might indeed be a good thing," he said.
Severus detected the softening in Dumbledore's tone and couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly.
"Are you agreeing to this?" he asked.
Dumbledore simply smiled and shook his head. "I think you're asking the wrong person, Severus."
"If you want to invite Mr. Potter on a trip, you should get permission from him personally and from his current guardians, not from an irrelevant old man like me."
Severus internally rolled his eyes and grumbled a few words about the old bee's pretense.
But on the surface, he confirmed once more: "So you're saying that as long as I get consent from Harry Potter himself and his guardians, you'll agree to this?"
"If they all voluntarily accept, what influence could my opinion have?" Dumbledore replied.
"Then I'll take that as your agreement."
Severus stood up from his chair. Without any hesitation, he turned to leave the headmaster's office.
"I'm going to the Potter house right now!" he declared.
But before he had taken two steps toward the exit, he suddenly turned back. Under Dumbledore's raised eyebrows, he very naturally swept up two boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans that were sitting in the corner of the office desk!
Finally, he strode out of the headmaster's office.
At this moment, inside Severus's body, Ghost Snape was completely stunned.