It was already morning the next day when Sherlock left the Ministry of Magic.
Instead of Apparating directly back to the Leaky Cauldron, he strolled along the streets of London, bought three breakfasts from a restaurant, and then slowly walked back.
With Scrimgeour's words, the first part of his goal had been achieved.
Even if Madam Selwyn ultimately disagreed with him entering the Department of Mysteries, he could still settle for the Auror Office.
Although he couldn't directly contact the Department of Mysteries, today's events had at least allowed him to make an impression on Madam Selwyn, which would make future contact much easier.
Back at the Leaky Cauldron, everything was still the same as when he had left, which was natural since he had only been gone for less than three days.
He greeted Old Tom downstairs, and after finding nothing unusual in his words or expressions, Sherlock went up to the second floor, pushed open the door, and entered Room 11, where he had been staying.
The room was empty. The quilts on both beds were neatly folded, but there was no sign of Amy.
Sherlock frowned slightly, as if he had a bad premonition. He softly called out to the empty room.
"Amy."
However, no one responded to him.
Given Amy's personality, if she were still in the room, she definitely wouldn't play such a prank on him. This could only mean she wasn't there.
Sherlock's heart sank immediately. He tossed the breakfast onto the table, hurried out the door, and went to Room 12, Snape's room. Just as he was about to knock, he faintly heard a conversation inside.
"Amy thinks you should put three such leaves into the pot."
"I told you, if you want to stay here, shut up while I'm brewing Potion!"
"But Amy is right."
"..."
"Look! You put four leaves in, and it's burnt."
"If you hadn't spoken! I would have put three, not four!"
"Why put four if Amy said it? Is Amy wrong?"
"Shut up! Go play with your windmill!"
Sherlock's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. Hearing the conversation inside, a suppressed smile appeared on his face. He then returned to Room 11, retrieved the breakfast he had bought earlier, and gently knocked on the door of Room 12.
Silence fell for a moment, then there was some subtle movement. Under Sherlock's Control Magic, he could clearly "see" Snape, with a gloomy face, putting an invisibility cloak on Amy and making her hide under the bed.
About five seconds later, the door opened a crack, and the indifferent face hidden behind it saw Sherlock's smiling face.
After recognising the visitor, Snape fully opened the door, letting Sherlock in.
"Now, take this little girl away immediately! She's been annoying me here for two days!"
Snape seemed full of resentment and anger, but Sherlock, who was already familiar with him, knew very well that he wasn't actually angry; he was just saying one thing and meaning another.
"How did Amy annoy you? By telling you the correct Potion recipe, and then you threw a tantrum and didn't follow her instructions?" Sherlock teased.
Snape's face stiffened. He snorted coldly and said nothing more.
Amy, hiding under the bed, also heard Sherlock's voice. She crawled out from underneath, letting the large invisibility cloak fall to the ground.
Amy was still holding the windmill in her hand, looking at Sherlock with her clear, bright eyes.
"Did John have good luck this time?"
Sherlock took off the amulet he had been wearing around his neck and put it back on Amy.
"Its effect might be greater than you imagine, Amy. It not only brought me luck but also led me to your father."
Amy's lips flattened. This expression was, in fact, her way of smiling.
"Amy knows Daddy will be fine, because when he left, Amy felt the same as before."
Sherlock patted her head and placed the breakfast on the table.
"Eat first. I'm done with my work. Tomorrow, I can take Amy to the amusement park."
Amy had no concept of what an amusement park was, but she was happy that Sherlock was willing to go out with her.
"Will Tobias go too?"
Sherlock was stunned for a moment before remembering that Tobias was Snape's alias.
He glared at Snape, who was trying to see if he could salvage the burnt Potion.
"I'm asking you! Are you coming with us tomorrow?"
Snape looked at them with a dark expression and took the breakfast Sherlock had bought for him.
"What do you think we need to do now? Be nannies and take a little girl to an amusement park!"
Amy blinked.
"Tobias doesn't like amusement parks?"
Snape snorted coldly and sneered.
"Who would truly like that boring place, besides naive children?"
"But John said amusement parks are fun."
"So he's no different from you, a naive child. That's why you two get along so well!"
"But Tobias is also very nice to Amy."
"Nonsense! I wish you'd disappear from my sight right now!" Snape's voice had a hint of exasperation.
Sherlock, with a sour expression, ate his sandwich, listening to their argument, which included insults directed at himself.
"Of course I know what we should be doing. What do you think I've been doing these past few days? Regarding Lily's matter, I wouldn't say I have a clear lead, but at least I have a direction."
Snape suddenly looked up and stared intently at Sherlock.
"You're not lying to me!"
Sherlock helped Amy unwrap the paper around her sandwich.
"Believe it or not, do I have a reason to lie to you?"
Snape's eyes gleamed, and he slightly clenched his fists.
"You said history cannot be changed..."
"History cannot be changed, but there's no harm in adding some personal touches to history. What cannot be changed refers to those established events that have been known and recognised by people in the future. These cannot and will not be altered in any way."
Sherlock wiped the salad dressing from Amy's mouth with a tissue.
"And a large part of being able to make such a discovery is Amy's credit."
Although Amy didn't understand what Sherlock was saying, she could tell he was praising her, and she couldn't help but show a little smugness on her face.
"So, are you willing to accompany Amy to the amusement park tomorrow?" Sherlock asked, raising an eyebrow at Snape again.
Snape was silent for a moment, then, as if squeezing the words through gritted teeth, he said,
"I'll go."
Sherlock patted his shoulder contentedly.
"That's more like it, Uncle Tobias."