Harry Potter and the hairy problem

He gave a polite knock at the wooden oak door and entered.

“Goodness gracious, why Harry do I have the pleasure of your visit at this unearthly hour,” beamed Dumbledore from across his desk.

“Sir,” Harry paused. “I need your advice on a certain matter.”

Dumbledore peered through his half-moon glasses and fixed his ageing eyes on Harry’s green ones. Yet again, Harry felt as if he was being X-rayed. The headmaster sensed his anxiety and smiled in encouragement.  

“So, I am not the only one losing his sleep over mundane worries,” he sighed. “Tell me Harry, what brings you to my office at one o’clock in the night.”

“Sir actually…..” Harry ransacked his mind, trying to find the best way to put forth his question. “Sir, I have been having some trouble with my hair for the last few days. Actually, I’m suffering from split ends. And…and…my hair gets all tangled and messy. I was wondering if…if you could help me in the matter,” he finished.

Dumbledore smiled. “Alas, I’m afraid, Harry, that I can be of little help to you. I’ve been myself trying to find a solution for split ends ever since I took a fancy to long hairs. We’re on the same boat Harry, though I would personally like to take credit for managing much longer and messier hairs than you do.”

Harry discerned the truth in the statement. His own shoulder-length hairs were certainly no match for Dumbledore’s knee-length ones. “But Sir, why not ask someone who can help us. Someone like…..like…Professor McGonagall,” he suggested excitedly.

The door burst open and a tall, thin man clad in deep, black robes strode in.

“Ah, why Professor McGonagall, Harry,” said Dumbledore. “Here comes the man who can give every woman a run for her hair.” He winked. Harry snorted.

“Is there any problem Professor,” spoke Snape in his icy tone. “I assume Potter is here at this hour not just for a cup of tea.”

“Severus, there is a serious problem with our boy this time. And I assure you it has got nothing to do with the Philosopher’s Stone or the Chamber of Secrets,” beamed Dumbledore.

Snape’s lips curled. “Potter has been breaking rules ever since he has stepped foot in Hogwarts. I’m not surprised that he has landed himself in some serious problem. I’ve been telling you to take a strict action against such-

“Saddened though you may be on hearing the news,” Dumbledore interrupted “but let me assure you that he hasn’t broken any rule as yet. Or to rephrase, no new rule has been devised which Harry has broken.” He paused to beam at Harry. “The problem this time is a lot more complex Severus. In fact, I can help him no more than he can help himself. You, on the other hand, can offer a solution in a jiffy.”

“Me? Huh, and how would I do that,” Snape scoffed.

“Because, Severus, you have the highest experience with shampoos in the whole of Hogwarts,” Dumbledore said with an air of pride.

Harry suppressed a chuckle. Snape appeared a tad flummoxed and put out. Before he could forge a reply, Dumbledore continued, “Severus, have you ever suffered from split ends? By Merlin’s grace, you seem to have delightfully straight and shimmering hair, though I must say that there is a scope for reducing the amount of oil that you apply.” Dumbledore scanned his eyes through Snape’s dense locks with an apparent curiosity.

Snape turned a shade of scarlet, but regained his stance after confidently running his hand through his silky manes. “I, professor, would recommend Dove Split End Rescue Shampoo. I’ve been personally using it since my teenage days.”

“Isn’t Dove used basically by women,” Dumbledore eyed him with suspicion.

Snape sneered. “That is an incorrect notion, professor. My mother used Dove for getting those impeccable braids. But she even introduced me to it, after I started developing spilt ends in my adolescence. My split ends were gone in no time. I will bet all my potions kits that this shampoo will solve Potter’s hairy problems.”

“Are you…umm.. sure, Sir,” Harry broke in. He didn’t want to make an experiment by putting his hair on the line. After all, the Yule Ball was scheduled to take place next month, and he wanted to look his best while asking Cho to be his partner.

“Positive,” said Snape tersely. He turned towards Dumbledore. “I have persisted with Dove ever since I used it for the first time, way back when I was 15. In fact, I just shampooed my hair a couple of hours back, and I felt completely rejuvenated.”

“Using Dove still?” asked Dumbledore, “after all this time.”

“Always.”

[This post, a reproduction of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series, has been penned for an Indiblogger contest in association with Dove.]