"Wait," Al stepped back. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He closed it, then opened it again.
He stared at Snape, his mind raced a mile a minute trying to comprehend whether he heard what he'd just heard.
Legilimens.
A word which originates from a combination of Latin legens, a reader, and mens, mind. Not required for study in general Hogwarts curriculum. The meaning may imply the action as well as the spell itself, as well as the spell caster and practitioner of obscure branch of magic called Legilimency, dedicated to extracting emotions and memories from human mind... thoughts... memories... human mind...
The stream of words in Al's mind stopped to a halt but his thoughts continued nonetheless, their images quick as ever. Of a hand reaching out into the mind and sliding it open page by page, reading it, and studying it, and understanding it like a book.
As easily as an open book.
Al's breath hitched as he spoke, and asked Snape the question at last. "Can you?"