Just as Professor McGonagall and the others thought that this year's criticism of Snape would end like all the previous ones, in failure, Snape unexpectedly leaned back on the sofa.
"I will… for this month, I'll speak less… and write more on the board."
"Of course… only for this month."
After saying that, Snape slowly stood up and left the staff room.
The shocking scene left every professor present completely stunned.
"Has Snape been assigned some kind of suicidal mission by Dumbledore? This isn't like him at all!" Professor McGonagall whispered quietly into Kasenhis's ear.
"I have no idea… no, this doesn't feel right. I should go ask." As he spoke, Kasenhis stood up and used Ender teleportation to instantly arrive in Dumbledore's office.
"Dumbledore? Did you assign Severus some kind of task?" Kasenhis asked.
Dumbledore, who had been watching the students' Quidditch training outside the window, slowly turned around. "I did not… why do you ask?"
Kasenhis took a deep breath and recounted what had just happened in the staff room, how Snape had actually agreed to speak less trash.
"Perhaps it's because of you." Dumbledore sat down on the sofa. "In a certain sense, you are now Severus's only friend. Your will and feelings hold a very important place in his heart," Dumbledore said leisurely.
"We can talk about that slowly another time. What I want to ask is, are you absolutely sure you didn't assign Severus some kind of life-threatening mission?" Kasenhis pressed on.
"Please believe me, I truly did not," Dumbledore said earnestly.
"…Alright, I may have overreacted a bit… sorry." Kasenhis slowly sat down.
Then he felt it was a bit impolite to just sit there, so after thinking for a moment, he stood up again, preparing to return to the staff room.
But before that, as if nothing had happened, Kasenhis casually picked up a box of cookies from Dumbledore's desk and was about to leave.
Dumbledore didn't say anything at the sight of this, but just as Kasenhis was about to walk out of the office, the door opened first.
Kasenhis looked at the figure in front of him. Dressed in a silver-gray suit, polished crocodile leather shoes gleaming, wearing exquisite leather gloves, holding a gentleman's cane, and topped with a refined hat… a skeleton.
…Oh, there were flames in its eye sockets as well. At the moment, he was still… a bit confused.
"Was I really this flashy before?" he asked blankly.
"Oh, before you became a professor, we were always very refined. But after you became one… think about it. How long has it been since you wore a brooch? No cufflinks either. Oh… where's your tie clip? No, you don't even wear a tie anymore. Every day it's just that sleep robe, and now you're even holding the cookies Dumbledore bought me, my absolute favorite!"
The skeleton spoke, first lecturing Kasenhis, then snatching the cookies away.
"You can talk now?" Kasenhis said, pleasantly surprised.
"Obviously… are you happy?" The skeleton lifted its head proudly.
"Of course I am. Do you have a name now?" Kasenhis asked excitedly.
"I originally quite liked the name Kasenhis, but clearly… having the same name isn't ideal, right? So I gave myself another one. It's… Steve!"
The moment he heard the name Steve, Kasenhis nearly lost it and laughed. "Wait, Steve. Damn it! I've already accepted that name, but do you even know what it means?"
"Obviously I do, and yes, it's exactly the one you're thinking of. But if I don't use that name, do I have other options? What, call myself Little White?" Steve rolled his eyes… or rather, the flames in his eye sockets flickered upward.
"Little Black works too. I can make you a stone sword. Of course, I'll give it top-tier enchantments," Kasenhis said with a grin.
"Really? I want a rapier," Steve said.
"A rapier? You mean that one?" The first thing that came to Kasenhis's mind was the rapier from Tinkers' Construct, and that was exactly what he meant.
"That's right, that rapier. I want it made of Netherite, with top-tier enchantments… and while you're at it, make me a few sets of Netherite armor too." Steve opened his mouth and asked for everything.
"No problem, no problem… what about a bow? I can enchant it with Infinity, and a shield too…" Kasenhis looked at Steve, who was asking for everything, the same way one might look at their own child. Whatever he wanted, the answer here was always just one word: agreed.
"Hmm… no need. I just want the sword. Oh right, and a sheath." As Steve spoke, he popped open the cookie box in his hands, picked up a cookie, and tossed it into his mouth. It was instantly burned into fuel by the flames of life within him. "Hmm, tastes pretty good."
"No problem, no problem. As for enchantments… well, of course it'll be the full set. Anything else? No, no, let's not talk about that first. Right now, the most important thing is that you come out with me. Hogwarts has a new arrival, I'll introduce you to the professors first, how about it?" Kasenhis excitedly grabbed Steve's hand, about to drag him out of the headmaster's office.
"Oh… I appreciate the thought, but honestly, just knowing them is enough. Don't even think about making me help them, or you, with substitute teaching. My hands should be holding a sword hilt and an enemy's throat, not books. You understand?" Steve shook off Kasenhis's hand and drew a line.
"Of course, of course. I definitely won't make you teach. You can stay elegant your whole life, alright? Oh right, what about introducing you to the students? That's fine, right?" Kasenhis asked.
"Students… that's fine!"
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