HP: At the beginning, I influenced Snape's childhood.

The two walked one after the other until Snape led Lin Mo to a secluded spot in the castle. In fact, not many people were at Hogwarts for Christmas; most of the professors had gone home. Therefore, with almost all the students outside having a snowball fight, finding a quiet, secluded spot was quite easy.

At the corner, the black-robed figure suddenly stopped and turned around quickly, causing Lin Mo to brake abruptly. Snape's aura was extremely low, and he approached Lin Mo with an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Sir?" Lin Mo wasn't startled, but he was also a little confused. He thought about it and realized that he shouldn't have offended this arrogant potion master this Christmas. What was going on?

"Mr. Lin, I don't want your poor Potions Professor to waste his precious vacation watching you and the trolls stick together all the time." Snape, as always, first sprayed venom, without getting straight to the point.

Lin Mo nodded habitually. He had basically figured out Snape's routine, so he didn't take Snape's first few words to heart at all. Snape also noticed Lin Mo's absent-minded look, and for some reason, he became furious and raised his hand to shove Lin Mo's head down hard.

Lin Mo, who was usually the one patting other people's heads, was stunned for a long while. (Draco: Just get to the point, don't allude to me~)

"Sir..." Lin Mo took a step back, maintaining a "safe distance" from Snape to avoid further "clutches," and casually tidied his hair. Elegance never goes out of style... oh no.

Snape's eyes narrowed dangerously, his instinctive movement startling him, but he quickly reassured himself that the reason he didn't give him a sharp rap was because he was afraid of completely fooling this rare, not-too-dumb little troll at Hogwarts. Yes, that must be it.

Seeing Snape's gaze, Lin Mo took two steps closer, rubbing his head, and said, "Um... sir, is there something you need from me?" It wasn't that he was cowardly; ever since he appeared to have shrunk, his mind had become somewhat younger.

Perhaps this is what Lin Mo should have looked like at his age before he transmigrated, or perhaps he was just subconsciously trying to make up for the childhood he never had. In any case, he has indeed developed a bit of a youthful spirit now.

"I suppose I'm not here to watch Mr. Lin grin like an idiot," Snape said, showing no sympathy and mercilessly criticizing Lin Mo.

"Whatever the master says, that's fine. As long as the master is happy~" Lin Mo pouted, completely ignoring Snape's ashen face after he deliberately dragged out his words.

Suppressing the urge to shove his head down again, Snape silently repeated "elegance" five times in his mind to calm himself down. However, his actions were still rough. He threw the Gringotts key he was carrying to Lin Mo, who quickly caught it and looked at it with some confusion.

Noticing Lin Mo's confusion, Snape said, "The herbs you sent are too expensive. I heard that Mr. Lin also runs a shop that's even more childish than a troll's with two mad lions from Gryffindor."

Without Snape needing to explain further, Lin Mo understood. Snape was worried that he wouldn't have enough money to buy potions, so in Snape's eyes... his choice as a helpful and brave little troll was indeed not very shrewd.

Lin Mo accepted the key without refusing Snape's offer, after all, a proper disguise shouldn't be revealed so early.

Seeing Lin Mo's actions, Snape's expression softened considerably. Too lazy to pay attention to the little trolls' "symptoms," he suppressed the venom that was already at his lips, flicked his robes, and turned to leave.

...Lin Mo watched Snape's figure disappear around the corner, speechless for a long time: Wait, you made such a big fuss just to give away money? Very well, after a couple of seconds of doubt, Lin Mo also went outside. Clearly, the best way to figure out what this excellent Potions Master was thinking was—don't guess, or you'll go bald.

--night--

After the sparsely attended Christmas dinner, even the energetic little lions went back to rest. Curfew was approaching, and almost no one was out and about in the castle, except for Lin Mo and Harry.

As the chosen one, and the protagonist who seems to bump into everything, Harry is undoubtedly a walking compass for the strange things in the magical world.

So, Harry boldly went on his usual nighttime stroll, without even bringing Ron. However, just to be on the safe side, Lin Mo became the perfect "accomplice." As for the reason for the nighttime stroll, what reason was needed? ～(￣▽￣～)~

After a period of aimless searching, the amazing Harry successfully found the place where the Mirror of Erised was kept. It turns out that the unique connections of Gryffindor always converge in a roundabout way, just like the mirror left by the old bee, which Harry was bound to find eventually.

The two approached the mirror side by side. Harry stood in front of it, and James and Lily's images slowly appeared in the mirror. Lin Mo ignored the child's reaction and examined the mirror that displayed people's most urgent desires.

Ultimately, many people are not clear about their most pressing desires, and this lack of clarity will turn into endless curiosity and speculation when faced with the opportunity to obtain answers.

Lin Mo was no exception. He believed that as a spy, the best way was to even deceive himself. In a one-way communication belonging to this king of spies, he was surrounded by darkness, and he gradually lost sight of even his own right and wrong.

No one can be trusted, including yourself.

With the interest and curiosity that one would expect from an eleven-year-old boy, Lin Mo adjusted his position, and the image in the mirror before him gradually became clearer.

……

In the empty training ground of the Night Dragon Base, many people stood beside the national flag platform in the center. There were teenagers who had just come of age, young people who were steady but still a bit green, and middle-aged people with deep and determined eyes.

Under the sunlight, everyone's face was filled with smiles. Standing in the light, they no longer felt exposed and vulnerable, no longer felt their hearts pierced by the light. Standing under the national flag, receiving honors, they no longer had to live in anonymity and bear the burden of infamy, no longer had to navigate the treacherous waters of danger, no longer had to live in constant fear and trepidation.

They became heroes praised by everyone, role models for countless people in the military, and among the very few spies who survived to welcome and experience victory.

But among that crowd, the renowned King of Spies was absent. In a corner unseen by anyone, the Shadow Court Chief clutched several medals, which he had not yet awarded to anyone. Under the warm, intense sky, everyone carried a subtle, almost imperceptible sadness.

This is the best consolation for "Ink Falcon," and also the best outcome Lin Mo believes. A man named Lin Mo may have truly become a mixture of black and white in the endless darkness, or he may have completely lost the will to come back alive after personally killing his comrades in countless helpless missions.

Lin Mo was no longer a blank sheet of paper that could be openly displayed in the sunlight. For him, all of this, including death, was the best ending.

Among the crowd were comrades-in-arms who had died at Lin Mo's hands in real life, brothers who had fought alongside him, and the division commander who had led him into the army.

...The image blurred again, then became clear again.

Outside Hogwarts Castle, the great battle was over, but amidst the ruins, the wizards wore proud and excited smiles.

The Weasley twins, all alive and well, without any irreparable scars; Dumbledore standing beside Grindelwald; Lupin and Sirius unharmed; Cedric and Cho Chang, so affectionate… everyone is alive.

And... Snape, smiling as he greeted the sunlight, his smile now devoid of any mockery or coldness, his eyes no longer vacant, and his aura no longer emanating from someone of his age. He seemed to have finally resolved his inner conflict.

Without Lin Mo, it was as if this person had never been born into this world, as if everyone had been subjected to a spell of oblivion.

……

Coming to his senses, Lin Mo's hands had unconsciously clenched into fists, his fingertips turning slightly white. For him, this was the best outcome.

Harry's eyes were already brimming with tears. Even though his life had improved a lot, he still felt a surge of grievances and longing when facing people of blood.

Unlike Harry, Lin Mo's years of experience have allowed him to distinguish between reality and illusion. The former scenario is impossible, but the latter is still achievable with some effort. He won't dwell on this; he will carry on everyone's expectations and accomplish everything.

As a person with pride and resilience in his bones, he puts the mission first, even more important than his own life. At this moment, Lin Mo truly regards the final scene of Hogwarts in the Mirror of Erised as a mission that must be completed, even if it costs him his life.

Because here are people he cherishes, people for whom he would risk his life.

The sound of Lin Mo taking two steps back behind him finally made Harry look away from the mirror. Under his questioning gaze, Lin Mo said softly, "Don't worry about me. I'll just go for a walk outside. Don't go back too late, get some rest... well, I mean, get some more rest."

Lin Mo suddenly changed his mind, after all, it was indeed a bit strange to tell a child who was out at night to rest early.

Harry's vision was already blurry, and he hadn't fully recovered yet. He nodded somewhat blankly and continued to look at his parents, whom he missed, in the mirror.

Just as he had said, Lin Mo wandered aimlessly through Hogwarts Castle. The winter night wind blew through the window, chilling him to the bone, adding to the coldness of the quiet environment.

Even the wind makes a sound as it passes by, but Lin Mo's steps are silent, as if he were a wandering soul that would never exist on this land.

There seemed to be a figure near the window after the turn, but it was hard to make out clearly. Moonlight shone faintly through the crack, illuminating the tall wizard who seemed to be standing in the mist.

The man's body was concealed by a black robe, and he had his back to Lin Mo. Lin Mo involuntarily stopped and quietly watched the familiar figure from behind the corner.

Everything seemed different now. The gentle moonlight did not soften the figure at all; behind the black robe seemed like a sword that had compressed all its ferocity. The dim, bright light made the person appear even colder and more desolate, as if they had lost all life and were utterly alone.

His shadow was stretched long by the light, yet it couldn't reflect his appearance. He seemed to be lost in the mist of time and space, as if he didn't belong here. In other words, nothing here seemed to interest him.

Behind him, the bluish-gray eyes dimmed slightly, and the drooping eyelids obscured the reflected moonlight, making the person seem to be shrouded in darkness. Lin Mo remained silent. He stepped away, no longer bothering to conceal his presence, as if doing so could bring some life to the environment and to the person.

"Who is it? Show yourself!" The man's voice was deep and slightly hoarse, but his tone left no room for argument.

Lin Mo did not answer, but simply stood quietly behind Snape, watching him.

The moment Snape sensed someone, he gripped his wand in his right hand. He turned and saw a half-hidden figure in the shadows around the corner; it was dark and indistinct.

"I don't think you want to know the consequences of hiding any longer. I'll say it again, come out!" In an instant, the surrounding environment became even colder, and the air pressure dropped.

The figure didn't move. Snape was somewhat cautious, but more annoyed. He vaguely guessed the identity of this nocturnal little monster, of course, because he had first ruled out the possibility of other professors.

The reason he remained cautious and vigilant was because it was the guarantee he had relied on for survival over the years. Snape snorted coldly, strode closer to Lin Mo, raised his wand, and stopped just three or four centimeters away from Lin Mo's neck.

In the darkness, wizards generally have better eyesight than Muggles, and Lin Mo's eyesight is even better; he can even see the subtle expressions on Snape's face.

However, the wand pressed against his neck still made Lin Mo feel very uncomfortable, as if someone had a knife to his throat. This feeling of being threatened made him very uncomfortable.

Not to mention that he was a spy by training, and his ingrained vigilance and emergency response would never allow someone to approach him silently or even do anything dangerous to him.

This feeling is not limited to any one person, so if Lin Mo hadn't already known about the other party and hadn't been suppressing his body's instinctive attack, very few people would have been able to escape unscathed from his attack. At least Snape couldn't, let alone now be able to face Lin Mo with such a threatening action.

Therefore, the moment Snape stopped, Lin Mo, looking rather unwell, subconsciously took a step back, which made Snape frown.

"Oh, I hope that the brave little warrior who fights trolls, the foolish and arrogant Mr. Lin who loves to wander at night, can give your ignorant headmaster an explanation: why are you here?" Snape paused. "Otherwise, I might question the Sorting Hat's decision. Perhaps it doesn't even need to worry about where you're going. Gryffindor is a good fit for Mr. Lin, isn't it?"

The air was somewhat quiet. Snape rarely spoke so much at once, after all, the concentration of venom in his words was still relatively low compared to his treatment of other students.

"Sir..." Lin Mo's pale blue eyes reflected Snape's wand. The distance was still a bit too close, and his body still felt an urge to distance itself or even attack the enemy.

But he had to hold back. Lin Mo controlled his hand, which was already on the hilt of the dagger, twisting his hands together, his body trembling slightly. He then took a step back without making a sound. Snape saw all of this, but he didn't see where Lin Mo had hidden the dagger, assuming that Lin Mo was just scared.

"Is the renowned Mr. Lin afraid?" Snape raised an eyebrow slightly. "What are you hiding from?"

"Excuse me, sir, please don't point your wand at me." Lin Mo's words had become very direct, but he still tried to maintain a bit of politeness.

The two looked at each other. Snape was a bit taller than Lin Mo, and the imposing height made Lin Mo almost feel enveloped by Snape's shadow.

Upon hearing this, Snape's hand trembled slightly as he put away his wand, a moment of emptiness flashing in his eyes.

Damn it, how could he forget that he was the one who hurt this brat? How could he forget? Even a simple magical pressure shouldn't be used on the person in front of him. Snape secretly hated himself for seemingly forgetting the harm he had caused Lin Mo in his interactions with him, and for including it in the scope of compensation he should make up for.

The moment the wand disappeared, Lin Mo finally relaxed a little, afraid of hurting the person in front of him. Snape saw the change in Lin Mo's expression, his eyes unreadable.

Author's ramblings: Ughhhhh~ I feel like my progress is so slow. Everyone else's writing is so good (ಥ_ಥ), but I always overdo it and it's so bland.

No, I want to learn to either give out candy or give out knives. (ง •̀_•́)ง