"Nothing, Professor." Snape quickly put the Sorting Hat back on the shelf. "I was just having a look."
"Albus," the Sorting Hat suddenly twitched. The wide tear beneath its brim opened like a mouth, and a huffy voice came from within. "He touched me."
Huh?!
Snape silently punctuated the thought in his mind with a question mark. Did this hat have any idea what it was saying?
"How's Professor Slughorn?" Snape quickly raised his voice to prevent the hat from saying anything even more outrageous. "Is he all right?"
Dumbledore stepped forward, gently patting the hat in reassurance before speaking in his calm, warm tone.
"Horace has gone to bed. I gave him a little of Madam Pomfrey's Dreamless Sleep Potion."
"Poor man, tonight must have worn him out," Snape sighed. Slughorn had gone through great emotional turmoil; at his age, that was no small thing.
"You've worked hard too," Dumbledore said, looking at Snape with a glint of approval in his eyes. "You managed to extract such important information from Horace."
"But," his tone suddenly shifted, growing stern, "it seems you've forgotten what I told you last time—and continued to investigate information about Voldemort on your own."
"That's not fair, Professor," Snape said in protest. "You haven't made any progress yourself. Am I not allowed to investigate on my own initiative?"
"Ah, very well," Dumbledore sighed, helpless. "Tonight's revelation is extremely important, and regardless of how it came about, I must thank you, Severus.
"I'm afraid I can't award you any House points for this, since the matter must remain absolutely secret. Aside from that, is there any reward you'd like?"
"Ah, no House points?" Snape thought bitterly to himself, as if he cared about those anyway. Outwardly, though, he put on a look of mock disappointment. "That's too bad, Professor.
"How about this—you give me a phoenix, and make me Head Boy next year?"
"The second half of that request might be considered," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. "As long as you don't end up working at Borgin and Burkes after graduation as an ordinary shop assistant."
"Ha, ha, ha," Snape forced a dry laugh. "You really do have a sense of humor, Professor. I'd hate to waste this handsome face of mine."
"Quite right," Dumbledore said approvingly. "A young wizard should cherish his looks as much as his talents.
"Oh, by the way, Severus. Do you remember the MacKinnon family—the one attacked by Death Eaters during the summer holidays?"
"Yes, of course. Why? Have they been attacked again?" Snape asked quickly.
"No," Dumbledore shook his head, "but tonight's information has given me a new theory."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"After their attack, I've been wondering what made the MacKinnons special. Now, if Voldemort truly created Horcruxes, it all makes sense.
"The MacKinnon family ran a small potion workshop in Dundee. Their specialty was treating accidental soul injuries—something they were rather well-known for in the wizarding world."
"You mean Voldemort sought them out to heal his own damaged soul?"
"Yes. At the moment, I can think of no more reasonable explanation."
"Are they safe now?"
"You needn't worry," Dumbledore replied. "They've temporarily closed their potion shop and gone into hiding."
Snape frowned. He wasn't particularly concerned for their safety, but Dumbledore's answer was hardly reassuring. "Who's their Secret-Keeper?" he pressed.
"Oh? You know that spell?" Dumbledore looked mildly surprised. "I am their Secret-Keeper."
Well, at least this time he wasn't being foolish, Snape thought to himself.
"Now," Dumbledore said, "tell me this—when you told Horace there was a Horcrux in the castle, was that to coax him into speaking, or is it actually true?"
"Hmm-" Snape hesitated for a few seconds, then decided to tell the truth. "It's real, Professor. The Horcrux is in the Room of Requirement."
"Ah, the Come and Go Room," Dumbledore sighed softly. "A most fascinating chamber indeed.
"One morning, I took a wrong turn on my way to the lavatory and somehow stumbled into a room I'd never seen before—elegantly decorated, filled with the most exquisite chamber pots.
"When I went back later to investigate, the room had vanished. I concluded that it must only appear at precisely five-thirty in the morning, or perhaps under a crescent moon—or maybe only when someone's bladder is particularly full."
He chuckled at his own story before continuing. "Later, the house-elves told me that the room only appears when one truly needs it. They call it the 'Come and Go Room,' or the 'Room of Requirement.'
"But Tom—foolish as he was—actually hid a Horcrux there. You see, Severus, there's another lesson in this: we must never defy nature by splitting the soul."
"I agree, Professor," Snape said. "However, I need to confirm something with you first. Do you actually have a way to destroy a Horcrux?"
"While I don't believe it will be an easy task," Dumbledore said confidently, tilting his head slightly upward, "with my power—pardon me for saying so—but if even I cannot do it, then no one can."
"Overconfidence isn't necessarily a virtue, sir," Snape muttered, barely suppressing an eye roll. "Even Voldemort has taught us that."
"You're right, I'm sorry," Dumbledore said at once, genuinely contrite. "I shouldn't be so arrogant. Now then, why don't you take me to see the Horcrux?"
"Let's go, Professor. Looks like another sleepless night for me. Can I get an excuse note for class tomorrow?" Snape said resignedly, turning to lead the way.
"No problem," Dumbledore replied cheerfully.
...
As he looked around at the mountains of piled-up objects, Dumbledore couldn't help but sigh. "How many generations of students and teachers must have contributed to this? I wonder how many stories are buried here."
"Or accidents." Snape added dryly.
He led Dumbledore through narrow aisles formed by towering walls of junk, past a troll statue, the remains of a Vanishing Cabinet, and finally stopped before a large mound of clutter.
After clearing away the items covering it, Snape uncovered the tattered sleeve of a robe.
"Professor, don't look directly at the Horcrux. It can enchant you—make you want to wear it."
When Dumbledore nodded in agreement, Snape took a deep breath, unfocused his eyes deliberately, and with great effort, used magic to move the fabric aside.
"'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure,'" Dumbledore read the inscription softly, his eyes reflecting a complex emotion. "Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem."
"Professor, you-"
"Don't worry. Thankfully, my extraordinary intelligence will prevent me from being easily bewitched."
"Oh."