Snape's Test (High-Energy Warning)

The Third Years had Defense Against the Dark Arts today, and class was already over.

Professor Quirrell kept his head lowered as he hurried toward the Great Hall, with George and Fred sneaking along behind him.

Loren and the others saw one of the Twins pull out his wand, point it at Professor Quirrell's head, and shout, "Accio Scarf!"

The purple scarf was originally wrapped around Professor Quirrell's head. Under the spell's influence, it suddenly began unraveling from the exposed end, ready to fly off his head.

The scarf did not unravel quickly. Professor Quirrell reacted at once, clutching the scarf on his head in panic and looking around to see who was playing a prank.

George and Fred were very familiar with scenes like this. They immediately flanked Ron, draped their arms over his shoulders, and loudly pretended to chat with him, one sentence after another.

"Oh, Ronnie, I heard you wet the bed again last night!"

"The last time you wet the bed was just last week, wasn't it?"

Everyone's attention instantly shifted to Ron, and most of them looked astonished.

Those familiar with the Twins knew they were up to another prank and looked at Ron sympathetically.

Ron's face flared bright red. "I definitely won't let you off this time. Die, George!"

Ron lunged at the person on his right, but his brother's arms were much longer than his. He wrapped Ron in a hug. "Look, our little baby Ronnie is angry." After a pause, he added, "But I'm Fred. George is over there!"

George laughed from the other side. "As our little brother, you can't even tell us apart. That truly breaks our hearts."

Professor Quirrell paid no attention to the scuffling red-haired brothers and had already gone far away.

George and Fred also noticed that Quirrell had left.

"Looks like Accio won't work on that humanoid dung bomb's scarf."

"We'll have to think of something else."

"Maybe we can ambush him during class."

"Bye, Ronnie."

"We have serious business to attend to."

The two spoke one line each, released Ron, and quickly ran off.

Harry could not hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. "When is Ronnie going to wet the bed next?"

"Harry, that's enough!" Ron said, smiling.

The group headed off happily to lunch.

Professor Snape had given Loren a reading list of twenty-five books. Loren had already finished four of them and spent some time reviewing what he had learned.

He had imagined several times what he should say to Snape, but never came up with the best answer.

After dinner, Loren headed for Snape's office.

Snape's office was located underground, beside the Slytherin common room. Even the carvings high on the walls nearby were predominantly dark green, a dim shade tinged faintly with black.

Loren had just arrived outside the office and had not yet knocked when Snape's low voice came from within. "Come in."

The office was dimly lit. Snape was bent over, marking the assignments collected that day.

Snape did not greet Loren, so Loren began looking around the office on his own.

There was nothing particularly special about the desk, bookshelves, or cabinets, but the shelves along the wall were filled with glass jars.

Loren saw eyeballs from all sorts of unknown creatures, an entire Toad as large as a human head, and venomous snakes with strange markings, all floating in liquids of various colors.

Those glass jars gave the entire office a grim and terrifying atmosphere.

"I hope you will inform Harry Potter and his little follower, Ron Weasley, that if their assignments continue to be this similar, I will have them copy them out one hundred times." Snape did not look up, and his voice remained calm.

"Understood, Professor," Loren replied obediently.

"From the moment you first approached me, I knew you had another purpose. So tell me—" Snape raised his head, his deep-pool eyes fixed intently on Loren. "Mr. Morgan, what do you desire from me?"

Whether Snape was using Legilimency or not, Loren met the Potions professor's gaze directly. "Wolfsbane Potion, Professor."

Surprise flickered in Snape's eyes. "A Werewolf? You?"

"No. My grandfather is a Werewolf." Loren answered without hesitation. He did not think trying to play tricks on Snape would lead to a good outcome.

"I need Wolfsbane Potion to ease my grandfather's suffering."

"Heh, a Werewolf!"

Snape's gaze grew distant. "Tragic and pitiful..."

He remembered another Werewolf, and the people he had hated during his school days.

During Snape's Sixth Year, he had accidentally entered the Shrieking Shack on the night of a Full Moon and had nearly been killed by Lupin, only to be saved by Harry's father, James...

After a while, Snape came back to himself. He gave Loren a long look but said nothing.

Snape led Loren into his private Storage Room, and only then did Loren discover that another room was hidden inside the office.

Snape dragged over two Trunks and opened their lids. One was empty. The other was densely packed with dozens of venomous snakes, their black bodies covered in green stripes. Loren's scalp went numb at the sight.

"Green-striped Vipers. One bite, and the wound will never heal. It will continue to ulcerate and fester..." As Snape spoke, he reached into the dense mass of snakes and pulled one out. He forced open its mouth and tapped its fangs against the mouth of a test tube.

Loren watched thick venom quickly ooze from the fangs. The venom milked from a single snake filled one-fifth of the test tube.

Snape returned the test tube to its rack and casually threw the snake whose venom had been collected into the other empty Trunk.

The discarded snake was far from docile and tried to crawl out.

Loren noticed a ring of golden thread around the openings of both Trunks. Whenever a snake crawled to the edge and touched the golden thread, its entire body would stiffen before it fell back inside.

"I want you to collect the venom from every snake in this Trunk."

Snape's words sent a chill through Loren's body. He forced himself to answer, "Y-yes, Professor."

Snape ignored him, walked out of the Storage Room, and continued marking assignments.

Loren had never encountered such a scene in either of his lives. He repeatedly tried to brace himself mentally. These snakes probably won't really bite me. Snape wouldn't put a student in this kind of danger. What he said about the venom was probably just meant to scare me.

After realizing that, Loren felt much better and calmed down a little.

Loren took a deep breath and reached into the snake Trunk. The damp, cold, slimy feel of scales instantly overwhelmed his senses. Just as Loren had guessed, none of the snakes in the Trunk bit people.

He could not pull out a snake as precisely and cleanly as Snape did. Several snakes crawled up his arm, their scales rubbing against his skin.

He quickly pulled his hand out, bringing two snakes with it. He nearly cursed aloud.

Just then, the snakes twisting around in his hand became still.

Loren let out a breath of relief. So it was not only when they touched the golden thread—once they rose above its height, the snakes would stiffen and become motionless.

Extracting venom and setting it aside, Loren mechanically repeated those actions in order. By the end, he could pull out snakes without changing expression and still spare attention to examine their patterns.

After who knew how long, Loren walked out of the Storage Room, pale-faced and vacant-eyed. "Professor Snape, I'm done."

"You may leave." Snape did not look up.

A surge of anger rose in Loren's heart, followed by a deep sense of helplessness. He was already mentally exhausted. In the end, he said nothing and left the office.

"Come here every Friday evening from now on. Wolfsbane Potion must be taken a week in advance. It is already too late for this month," Snape's voice came from behind him.