Potions Teacher (Part Two)

"I'm sorry, Professor!" Jon lowered his head and said softly.

He knew he was in a bit of trouble now... Severus Snape was arguably the most difficult teacher in all of Hogwarts. Offending him would bring no good outcome; besides, Potions was the subject that interested him most, and he had no desire to give it up.

"And what reason do you have, Mr. Hart?" Snape asked sarcastically. "Perhaps before coming to my class, you repelled an invasion of Hogwarts by the Dark Lord, which made you late?"

The Slytherin students burst into laughter.

Jon hesitated over whether to explain why he was late... He worried that giving the reason would only make Snape think he was making excuses, angering him further and earning him a harsher punishment.

"Professor Snape!" A Hufflepuff student in the back row stood up and shouted, "Jon was called away by Professor Sprout after Herbology class just now, which is why he was late..."

It was Zacharias Smith.

Jon shot him a grateful look... An excuse could have entirely different results depending on whether someone else gave it for you or you gave it yourself.

"Silence, Smith!" Snape said coldly. "I believe I just reminded you that you must raise your hand before speaking in my class! Five points from Hufflepuff."

Zacharias's face reddened as though he were about to march up and fight Snape; fortunately, Steven Lucas beside him pulled him back.

Snape's indifferent gaze returned to Jon. "I will confirm this matter with Pomona!"

Then he gave a cold snort and gestured for Jon to enter.

Jon hurried into the classroom, clutching his Cauldron.

Potions class required students to work in pairs... The Hufflepuff and Slytherin students had paired up within their own Houses, sitting on opposite sides of the classroom in clearly divided groups.

Aside from being mortal enemies with Gryffindor's Little Lions, Slytherin's little snakes also looked down on Hufflepuff's Badger cubs. They could only manage a few words with Ravenclaw's Little Eagles... Naturally, the Hufflepuff students were hardly friendly toward Slytherin either.

These conflicts between the Houses had already spread by word of mouth among the first-years after the start-of-term feast.

However, both Houses happened to have an odd number of students in their year.

The Hufflepuff first-years had all paired off already, with no empty seats left. In the last row of Slytherin, a tall, somewhat clumsy-looking girl sat alone.

Jon vaguely remembered her. She seemed to have been the last student at the Sorting Ceremony—Madeleine Yaxley?

Another second-generation pure-blood, apparently.

With no other choice, he was about to walk over when Snape suddenly called him back.

"Stop, Mr. Hart!" Snape said calmly. "Miss Selwyn, go pair up with Miss Yaxley. Mr. Hart, take Miss Selwyn's seat."

The Slytherin girl named Selwyn packed up her Cauldron with an unpleasant expression before heading to the last row... Jon could only carry his things over and sit in her former seat, at the very front among the Slytherins.

His partner happened to be someone he knew:

Astoria Greengrass.

The Potions classroom fell quiet again.

Astoria did not speak to him. In fact, no one dared whisper to one another in Snape's class.

Jon took out Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger and opened it to the first page, but his expression did not relax in the slightest... He did not believe his troubles were over.

Sure enough...

"Hart!" Snape suddenly spoke. "Tell me, what would you get by combining Wormwood, Lovage, and Sneeze-root?"

"Confusion Draught, Professor!" The well-prepared Jon stood and answered calmly. "Drinking this potion makes a person irritable and reckless."

It was a remarkably good answer.

If it had been any other teacher, Hufflepuff would probably have gained at least five points for that answer... Yet Severus Snape's expression did not change at all.

"What is Salamander Blood primarily used for in Potions?" Snape continued. "Or rather, what do we usually use it to do?"

"Enhancing Potion, Professor!" Jon continued. "Salamander blood is the main ingredient in an Enhancing Potion. It can strengthen the effects of other potions."

"Next question... If I asked you to find me some Gillyweed, where would you look?"

"Gillyweed is mainly produced in China, the United States, and Mexico... So first, I'd need to buy a ticket for a ship to East Asia or North America."

Several Hufflepuff students laughed, but after Snape shot them a glare, they immediately fell silent.

"Gillyweed generally grows on hilly slopes, among shrubs on flat ground, in grasslands, or beneath sparse woods..."

Snape pressed his lips tightly together and stared at Jon.

The Hufflepuff students around him, and even many of the Slytherin students, looked at him with astonishment and even admiration... Clearly, they had never encountered any of these questions or answers before.

"Then what would I get if I added Narcissus Root Powder to Wormwood Infusion?" Snape asked his next question.

This time, Jon furrowed his brow. After thinking for half a minute, he spoke.

"I'm sorry... I don't think I know, Professor!"

Snape curled his lip. He waved a hand, indicating that Jon should sit down.

"Narcissus Root Powder and Wormwood can be brewed into an extremely potent Sleeping Potion—a Draught of Living Death!" Snape said coldly.

"An outstanding Auror, Gideon Prewett, died because of this potion. One of his 'friends' sent him a bottle of Licorice Wine, then secretly placed Narcissus Root Powder beneath his wineglass... When the potion took effect, six Death Eaters came to his door and murdered him and his brother... If poor Gideon had paid more attention in Potions class, he could have Apparated away in time even if he had faced twelve Death Eaters!"

As he said this, a faintly contemptuous smile appeared at the corner of Snape's mouth.

However, he did not continue questioning Jon, nor did he deduct points from Hufflepuff. Of course, he did not award any points either.

That made Jon breathe a sigh of relief.

"Why aren't you writing all of this down?" Snape turned around and roared, startling every student in the room.

Then the classroom filled with the rustling sounds of students searching for quills and Parchment.