Snape had learned about Ian and Daphne's grievances during previous Legilimency sessions, and also understood why Flint wanted to target Ian.
"Before he went to Hogwarts Village, he was already contemplating some malicious framing. Under the influence of Imperio, he might have considered this part of the command?" Snape was uncertain whether the side effects of Imperio could cause such situations; he preferred Crucio and those Evil Curses he created himself.
"Perhaps we should strengthen some fraud prevention education for the little wizards of Hogwarts." Finally, Snape added a suggestion, somewhat frustrated by their naivety.
Dumbledore did not respond.
"Do these magic potions serve any purpose?" Dumbledore glanced at the flasks and jars, having some understanding of Marcus Flint's ordeal.
Useful for uncovering the truth.
But not necessarily needed.
"I'm conditioning Mr. Flint's body—you know, the Unforgivable Curses affect more than just the mind." Snape maintained a stiff expression with forced calmness.
"Nice excuse."
Dumbledore nodded, surprisingly refraining from reprimanding or advising. Snape felt there was something off about Old Deng today, even before he could figure out what exactly was going on with Dumbledore.
"I need a list of original users familiar with Sectumsempra." Dumbledore suddenly spoke, jolting Snape out of his thoughts.
"I haven't spread that spell to too many people." Snape walked to his desk, wrote a list, and then approached Dumbledore with a stern expression.
"This list is meaningless because that madwoman Bella knows it too, and she might have already spread this spell to many, many people."
Confronted with Snape's reminder.
Dumbledore merely smiled.
"As long as we eliminate the people on your list, we can still identify the target." Dumbledore's words didn't mince matters, and Snape quickly understood the implication.
"Those folks dare not show themselves right now."
Snape evidently had a different view.
"In any case, there's definitely an insider for that little rat within our school." Dumbledore's tone was resolute, "Ronnie Ehrlich is not a weak wizard, or my old friend wouldn't have dispatched him for protection and surveillance—he has escaped from under Riddle's hand more than once."
Snape nodded in agreement with Dumbledore's judgment. They had already watched Marcus Flint's memory and knew how Marcus Flint assassinated the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Ronnie Ehrlich seemed to be searching for his lost magic wand at the time, and judging by his staggering posture, he must have been affected by some toxic substance."
"Regarding this, I need Pomona to test Professor Ehrlich's...corpse." Snape felt those fragments were challenging to refer to.
This spell he invented truly lacked humanity.
"I will join you for the testing." Dumbledore nodded, but his statement caused Snape to frown more deeply and reveal a very displeased expression.
"Are you doubting me?" Snape was still pondering Dumbledore's earlier behavior; usually, Dumbledore wouldn't question his work results.
During this sensitive period when Voldemort would return next year.
He couldn't help but overthink.
"Certainly not, Severus, you're the one I trust the most." Dumbledore wasn't clear if he was engaging in manipulation; he found a reason for his decision.
"I am quite familiar with the enemies of those fanatics, perhaps we can find some useful clues and information from the poisoning methods used."
Somewhat reasonable.
However, this didn't settle Snape's inner discontent.
"You've never truly trusted anyone, Albus, the closer I get to you, the clearer I see you..." Snape's expression remained grim, his tone devoid of any courtesy.
"You're not wrong; no one has truly seen through me over the years." Dumbledore nodded, neither angry nor refuting in any way.
His demeanor increasingly made Snape feel odd.
The usual Dumbledore.
Though the tone, pitch, and expression were no different from now, Snape sensed something wasn't right, Dumbledore's demeanor had greatly changed from before.
Moreover.
The most critical point was that he wasn't criticized for handling Flint's transgressions!
"You aren't one of those old guys who drank Polyjuice Potion." Snape reached for his magic wand, suspecting that Grindelwald's Saint was investigating a comrade's death.
After all.
As a normally bossy Old Deng, today he was oddly eager to intervene in everything, making it hard for Snape not to doubt whether this was really Dumbledore before him. Nobody could get Dumbledore's hair? That bunch over Grindelwald's side might!
Snape drew his magic wand intending to cast Stupefy.
"Boom!"
Dumbledore's magic wand slid out from his cuff. He merely lifted it slightly, elegantly tracing an arc, and then Snape, who planned to strike first regardless of guessing right or wrong, was directly propelled onto the wall by powerful magic.