Draco stood up and said confidently, "Professor, the Calming Draught is a potion that can soothe emotions and effectively relieve irritability and anxiety."
"Five points to Slytherin." Snape came to Draco's desk. "But all of that comes from the book... Is there anything you wish to add?"
Draco instinctively looked at Magical Tuning: Introduction to Potions, his eyes flickering.
Snape spread his palm and pressed it down on Draco's copy of Magical Tuning: Introduction to Potions. "For those whose intellects are sluggish..."
"All they can do is parrot the text yet again, memorize the answer, then repeat it back to me, utterly incapable of thought."
"But for intelligent people, they can comprehend something of their own from it. Mr. Malfoy, you may say whatever comes to mind."
"I think..." Draco's voice was much lower than before. "I think... hmm... the emotion involved in brewing a Calming Draught is very important..."
"You must maintain a relatively stable emotional state... That's what Vizet told me in the book... Potions require 'precision,' but they cannot be rigid."
"Potions is also full of fluidity and creativity... So for a potion like the Calming Draught, you need to... hmm..."
He took a deep breath, his tone once again brimming with confidence. "Maintain stable emotions in order to ensure the quality of the Calming Draught, and even make its quality better!"
"Not a bad understanding!" Snape said flatly, deliberately glancing at Harry and Ron. "Can you continue adding to that?"
Draco frowned and tried hard to think, but in the end he shook his head helplessly. "Professor, I have nothing else to add."
"Ten points to Slytherin." Snape patted Draco on the shoulder, signaling for him to sit down.
Only then did he finally turn his gaze to Hermione. After all, Hermione's hand had never gone