"If the Basilisk is the Acromantula's natural enemy, then the rooster is the Basilisk's natural enemy. When it hears a rooster crow, it will... Are you listening?"
Halfway through speaking, Pomona realized her "audience" was not listening to a word she said. Her brows immediately knitted in anger.
Snape was staring intently at the potion in the cauldron, as though it were a black hole that had swallowed all his attention. He did not care what happened in the rest of the universe.
She had been trying to use the relationship between food chains and natural enemies to convince him that the Basilisk was a living creature.
But seeing this, she had no choice but to give up and walk over to the workbench to observe the potion with him.
"Is fresh Moondew more effective?" she asked, making conversation, only to receive a glare from the old bat.
"Hey, I supplied—"
"If you're capable, get me some Phoenix tears." Before she could finish complaining, Snape cut in dryly and coldly.
The base ingredients for Draught of Living Death all had purifying properties, such as African sea salt and Moondew, which could also be used in antidotes.
"How am I supposed to make a bird cry?" Pomona muttered.
Snape stopped giving her that death stare and focused on the cauldron. Under the moonlight, Pomona felt that its color was somewhat distorted. She could not tell whether it was pink or peach-red.
"Fawkes is like an actor. He can cry whenever he wants," she said boredly. "Do fake tears have healing effects too?"
"Tch." He shot her another impatient glare.
"What else do you expect me to do, Severus? Are you planning to have me beat Fawkes until he cries?"
He stopped warning her and continued stirring the potion. His technique differed