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

"No matter what Mr. Lockhart thinks of me, it doesn't change the fact that Mr. Lockhart released the Cornish elves this afternoon and disrupted the classroom," Snape said dismissively, ignoring Lockhart's provocation.

"That was just a mistake," Lockhart retorted.

"I don't think it was a mistake. I don't think anyone would think that using students as a shield would go unnoticed. In fact, I was standing outside the door listening to Mr. Lowhart's passionate speech."

"I don't really understand what the point of that test about yourself is. Are you going to ask the trolls what your favorite color is? Or are you planning to have those little wizards use your writings against those Death Eaters?" Snape felt he had talked a lot of nonsense tonight.

It's all that stupid little monster's fault, otherwise he should be sleeping right now!

Lockhart, enraged, shouted, "Snape, don't forget you were once a Death Eater too!"

Loat's words made Dumbledore's face darken. In the entire wizarding world, who didn't know that he was the one who got Snape bailed out?

At this moment, Dumbledore no longer cared about Lockhart's life or death; he only hoped that Snape would quickly get rid of this annoying fellow and stop disturbing his sleeping time.

"Whether I was a Death Eater or not is none of Mr. Lockhart's business," Snape said coldly.

"The question we're discussing now is whether Mr. Lockhart is capable of teaching the important subject of Defense Against the Dark Arts to all the students at Hogwarts?"

Lockhart regained his confidence immediately and said smugly, "Mr. Snape, don't forget that I once received the Order of Merlin, Third Class. My abilities are recognized by the Order of Merlin."

Snape scoffed. "Acknowledge what? Smile?"

Lockhart wanted to refute Snape, but Snape didn't give him a chance to speak: "As far as I know, Mr. Lin also received the Order of Merlin's Third Class Medal during his vacation this year."

"And today in your class, he helped all the young wizards, but I have a question: can you really teach him well?" Snape didn't actually want to hear Lockhart's answer; he just wanted to humiliate this clueless guy.

In fact, he didn't spray Lockhart much venom today, because he had used all of his venom on Dumbledore and the homework of the little trolls he had criticized.

"Even so, Mr. Snape, I think you should seek Mr. Lin's opinion; he likes me very much," Lockhart said with self-satisfaction.

"I've already asked him. I'm his dean, and I have the right to help him get the best resources." Snape was truly speechless.

"How will you help him get the best resources? Right now, I'm the only Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at all of Hogwarts. Does Mr. Snape, this respected Potions professor, also want to meddle in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class?"

Snape's unfriendly behavior was common knowledge throughout Hogwarts, so he wasn't afraid of completely breaking ties with Lockhart. He narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"It seems Mr. Lockhart's strength isn't all that great, but his prophetic abilities are quite good." Snape's smile was somewhat cold, making Lockhart feel a little uneasy.

"Stop joking." Lockhart still had a smile on his face. He believed that Dumbledore would not allow such an absurd thing to happen at Hogwarts.

Now, the sleepy old bee has completely agreed to stand on Snape's side, because it's obvious to everyone that Lockhart's continued disagreement is what kept him from sleeping.

"Mr. Lockhart, I think we should do it the way Severus suggested," Dumbledore said, trying to smooth things over, but all he really wanted to do right now was sleep.

Snape glanced at Dumbledore out of the corner of his eye but said nothing.

"No, I must give my students an explanation." Lockhart spoke with an air of righteous indignation, making one truly believe he was a professor who fiercely protected his students.

"In my opinion, Mr. Lin doesn't need you to give him an explanation of how to teach him in the future, but rather an explanation of why the class turned out this way." This was the first time in all these years that Snape had seen such a shameless person.

Although Snape was unaware that in Lockhart's eyes, he was now the one who was truly being unreasonable.

"Did Mr. Lin really agree to your proposal?" Lockhart's mind hadn't quite processed it yet. Ever since Defense Against the Dark Arts class, he had assumed that Lin Mo harbored feelings for him and greatly admired him.

Snape was getting annoyed by the questions. He had already wasted enough breath today, which was why he had talked so much to Lockhart. Besides, he wondered if these people were all hard of hearing and might really need to go to a Muggle hospital to have their ears checked.

Snape didn't know if he hadn't explained himself clearly enough, or if Lockhart was too clingy and unwilling to believe the truth, or if the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in front of him was simply too foolish.

Dumbledore couldn't listen anymore. He finally understood why Snape had looked at him with disdain and impatience when he kept asking him questions.

"Alright, let's do it Severus's way today. Lockhart, you can go back now. From now on, Mr. Lin will no longer be attending Defense Against the Dark Arts class." Dumbledore made the final decision.

Lockhart's smile vanished. He didn't say a word, turned and left. He still believed that Lin Mo was forced to skip Snape's classes by that dark old bat. He even thought that Snape was jealous of him.

If Snape heard this ridiculous idea, he would surely think Lockhart was a more foolish troll than the lions of Gryffindor.

"I think Severus is right, Lockhart is indeed a rather unlikeable fellow." Dumbledore's glasses were slightly reflective as he smiled at the Potions Master opposite him.

Snape didn't answer him; he didn't think he should be chatting with this boring old bee, since he had already finished his business.

"Alright, Headmaster, I think we shouldn't continue this conversation. It's getting late. This poor Potions Professor needs to go back and rest now."

Snape got up and walked to the door. Dumbledore rummaged through the desk and found the candy he had hidden earlier. Just before leaving, Snape turned back to look at Dumbledore, startling him so much that Dumbledore's hand trembled and he almost threw the candy away.

"I hope the headmaster won't be ungrateful and harm your teeth at night, otherwise the poor Potions Master will no longer provide you with a single drop of tooth-strengthening potion."

Dumbledore nodded immediately, showing no sign that he was over a hundred years old.

Regardless of whether Dumbledore had listened or not, and regardless of whether Dumbledore's nod was truly effective, Snape closed the door and left, returning to his cellar.