Harry and Ron turned their heads slightly, exchanging a terrified look.
They immediately realized that when they had returned to the castle, classes had just ended as well. Everything they had casually discussed had probably been overheard by Snape.
"I..." Ron opened his mouth, but he could not force out a complete sentence.
"What we said is the truth!" Harry took a deep breath and met Snape's eyes. "This Potions exam really wasn't difficult, and the practical exam this afternoon was the same!"
"The potions I brewed might not earn an 'E,' but I could at least get an 'A,' instead of getting 'P' every time... or some 'P+++' invented by certain people!"
He glared at Snape, deliberately stressing the words when he mentioned the "P+++" grades he had repeatedly received in the Year Exams.
Hermione bit her lip and gathered the courage to speak as well. "Professor Snape, Harry and Ron are telling the truth. The Potions paper for this O.W.L. Exam really wasn't particularly difficult overall."
"Th-That's right! Hermione and Harry are right!" Ron practically shouted, his neck turning red.
Snape's gaze slowly settled on Harry as he drawled, "I see..."
"As a Potions professor, hearing students speak with such confidence and guarantee that they can at least earn an 'A' in Potions should be gratifying, no matter what."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron all widened their eyes at once, their faces plainly filled with disbelief.
Was that really something Snape would say?
"However, I seem to recall..." Snape abruptly changed tack, his voice hissing like a venomous snake's tongue, "that your Head of House is Professor McGonagall, is she not? And she teaches Transfiguration..."
"If you fail to achieve decent results in your Transfiguration exam instead... I imagine Professor McGonagall will be very, very disappointed..."
"To prevent such