Trying again won't help, was the first thought in Al's mind. Trying again and again and again and failing all over for several hundred more repetitions while addressing all permutations of possible failure, might drive it home, but then we'll be at it all night. But then Severus said something else.
'I need to be inside your mind'.
Al hasn't tried that before. With anyone. No one ever offered that to him. No one was capable of making that offer.
He glanced up at Severus.
He nodded.
He took off his glasses and met Severus' eyes once more. "All right." I can do this. This is easy. I don't have to succeed, I just have to show him where I failed.