For the life of him, Snape couldn't help a snort of amusement at the turn Al's ramblings took. "Oh dear. I had no idea unicorns could be so," his lips twitched, "frisky."
He added, "It's a pity I had to leave so abruptly the other day; I trust you had no difficulties on the way out of that part of the castle?"
He held out one hand to a perch; an eagle owl who looked more than a bit like a tweedy old man scowled down at the hand before deciding to step onto it with slow deliberation.