"I remember," Professor Dumbledore said, as if reminiscing, "Horace told me about this. It's hard to imagine someone being able to brew most potions within a minute, isn't it? Oh, I remember she once said it was Professor Percival Lachham who taught her this technique."
"Yes, I've heard her say that too." Snape's voice was very soft; he was always like this whenever Lily was mentioned.
If the students of Gryffindor found out that Professor Snape could also have such a gentle side, they would probably be so shocked they'd eat the Lady Pang's painting on the spot.
"Ancient Magic? Right?" Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "Ah... truly mysterious magic. Those without talent may never detect any trace of Ancient Magic in their lifetime... yet Lily could, and even utilized this magic in Magic Potion..."
"What if I said her child might also have such talent?" Professor Snape asked, "I mean, the talent for Ancient Magic?"
"Oh, Severus." Professor Dumbledore smiled, "If Ancient Magic could be inherited through blood, then that Luke Wood among the Death Eaters would also be one of its heirs."
"Luke Wood?" Snape raised an eyebrow in question.
"Augustus Lucrewood," Professor Dumbledore said the name, "the spy Voldemort planted in the Ministry of Magic, the one working in the Department of Mysteries—his ancestor, Professor Charles Lukewood, was one of the heirs of Ancient Magic."
"I see." Snape nodded with understanding, remembering the name too.
That summer, a happy Lily had told him about her experience in the Map Secret Room.
He had kept this matter to himself.
He never told anyone about Lily being an heir to Ancient Magic, not even the Black Demon he was once wholeheartedly loyal to, revealed any information.
"But her child could also be like her," Snape continued, "I watched him brew two cauldrons of Weed-removal Potion simultaneously, completing them in just a minute—you know what that means, Dumbledore?"
Because Harry was more like Lily, Snape was now reluctant to refer to him as "Potter" with Dumbledore, instead saying "her child."
"What did you say?" Dumbledore looked up, asking.
"I said he brewed two cauldrons of Weed-removal Potion within a minute!" Snape enunciated clearly and slowly.
"That's impossible!" Dumbledore denied, "I've never heard of both mother and child having the inheritance of Ancient Magic—what's more, the inheritance of Ancient Magic only awakens at fifteen, before that... they are no different from ordinary people!"
"But it's the truth, Dumbledore," Professor Snape lowered his eyes, "whether you admit it or not, he is one of the heirs of Ancient Magic..."
"But he actually..." Dumbledore instinctively reached for candy, only for the candy jar to be swiftly snatched into Snape's embrace.
Dumbledore grasped at empty air, slightly embarrassed, rubbing his fingers as he thought carefully.
"Could it be... because of that Love Spell?" he looked at Snape, "Ancient Magic has always been mysterious, Severus, I don't understand this inheritance either... but since this Love Spell can reflect the Killing Curse, then... could Lily have also passed her inheritance to Harry this way?"
"It's not impossible, that's also my recent speculation." Snape turned the lid of the jar and set it under Fawkes's bird perch.
Fawkes strained and with a plop, a blob of phoenix poop landed in the candy jar.
"That's too much, Severus."
Professor Dumbledore looked regretfully at the sugar jar burned through by phoenix excrement, speaking with a slightly resentful tone.
"For a major shareholder of Duke Honey, it's nothing, isn't it?"
Professor Snape spoke with a cheerful tone, seemingly delighted by Dumbledore's candy loss.
"I think we should verify our speculation," Professor Dumbledore resumed, "If Harry truly is an heir to Ancient Magic, then many of our plans can be restructured."
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