Snape's Improved Potions

Matthew got roped into helping out.

On his way back to the common room, he ran into Professor Snape.

There had been a few accidents during the first-years' Potions and Flying Classes that day, and several students had been injured. Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the matron of the School Hospital, had asked Professor Snape to brew some potions to replenish the school's supplies.

As luck would have it, Matthew had bumped into Snape just as he was heading off to brew them, so Snape gained a free pair of hands.

Matthew worked with Professor Snape until ten o'clock before they finished brewing all the potions Madam Pomfrey needed.

Professor Snape looked a little tired, too. Working as a teacher at Hogwarts wasn't easy, and Potions was one of the school's core subjects, so his schedule was packed.

Snape picked up a stack of manuscript paper from the table. "An improved version of the Spirit Nourishing Potion. It works a little better than the original."

"Thank you, Professor." Matthew happily took the manuscript paper. He hadn't even noticed when Snape had written it.

While they had been working, he'd mentioned it in passing, but Snape had only told him to shut up and focus on brewing.

"Matthew, for helping your professor lighten his workload, Slytherin earns ten points."

Snape never passed up an opportunity to award points to Slytherin.

"Don't worry. We'll find Trevor," Harry assured Neville.

Neville had lost his toad again.

Trevor had been by his side when he went to the Great Hall to eat, but he was gone by the time Neville returned.

"My Scabbers is well-behaved. He's never run off," Ron said, casually patting the rat in his pocket.

Neville looked even more dejected. "My memory's terrible. I'm always forgetting things."

Hermione glared at Ron, signaling for him to stop talking.

Hermione's eyes lit up as she suddenly got an idea. "Why don't we ask Matthew for help? Maybe Preserved Egg can find Trevor."

Ron asked in surprise, "You know Matthew too?"

"Preserved Egg found Trevor on the Hogwarts Express. We were in the same compartment as Matthew," Hermione said. "Do you know him too?"

Ron nodded. "We're neighbors. We both live near Autry-Saint Catchpole Village."

Then he said excitedly, "Have you ever heard of Flying Chess? Matthew gave it to me for Christmas last year. I heard he bought it from Muggles. It's really fun!"

Matthew was a distant relative of the Weasley family, and the Weasleys invited him to spend Christmas at the Burrow.

Ron was eager to keep sharing the fun of Flying Chess with them, but then he noticed that Harry, Hermione, and Neville had gone deathly pale, staring in horror at someone behind him.

"It's curfew."

The four of them had the misfortune of running into Snape, who had just returned from the School Hospital with Matthew.

Matthew watched the scene with interest.

Ron turned around stiffly and saw a cold, expressionless face.

It was Professor Snape! Ron was sure he was done for. On his very first day, the terrifying Professor Snape had caught him breaking curfew.

He managed a smile that looked more like a grimace. "P-Professor."

Snape stared expressionlessly at all four of them and said slowly, "Foolish souls always flock together. Gryffindor loses ten points!"

Harry tried to defend himself. "Neville's toad got lost. We were helping him look for it."

Snape fixed his gaze on Harry's face and said coldly, "Potter, for talking back to a teacher, Gryffindor loses another ten points!"

He turned to Neville. "Once you find your toad, go straight back to your dormitory. If I catch you wandering around at night again, you'll be in detention."

With that, he turned and left. From behind, his long black robes looked like a cloud of roiling smoke.

Harry's mood sank. He couldn't understand why Professor Snape was always picking on him.

Matthew reassured him, "Professor Snape didn't put you in detention. Losing a few points isn't a big deal. You can earn them back in class."

Ron looked at Matthew strangely. Earning points wasn't easy. How could he make it sound so simple?

Hermione asked, "Matthew, could you get Preserved Egg to help find Neville's Trevor?"

"Of course," Matthew said warmly. "Preserved Egg knows lots of cat friends at Hogwarts."

Quite a few students at Hogwarts had cats, and as familiars, these Magical World Cats were intelligent. They had their own little circle.

Matthew drew his wand. "Call Companion!"

A faint glow shone steadily from its tip.

"This is a spell for summoning a familiar. As long as you keep it up, your familiar will be able to sense where you are," Matthew explained to Neville. "You should learn this spell."

Neville asked excitedly, "There's a spell like that? I want to learn!"

Then he remembered how much trouble he had with even First Year Magic, and his expression fell. "But I'm afraid I won't be able to learn it."

"That's okay. It's a very simple spell." Seeing their expectant faces, Matthew added, "I can teach you when I have time."

The four of them nodded enthusiastically.

Just then, a black cat leaped in through the window and padded over to Matthew, rubbing its back against his leg.

Matthew scooped Preserved Egg into his arms and scratched the fur on his neck a few times. "Preserved Egg, Neville's lost his toad again. Give him a hand, would you?"

Preserved Egg rolled his eyes in Matthew's arms. He was a cat, not a dog. Why was he being made to search for things?

Other people's cats only had to curl up in their owners' laps and act cute to get treats. Meanwhile, he had to work overtime at night to help someone find a pet. He'd just been on a date with Mrs. Norris, too.

Preserved Egg jumped out of Matthew's arms and headed down the corridor.

"Follow Preserved Egg," Matthew told the four of them. "He'll help you find the toad. I have something to do, so I'll head back first."

Matthew wanted to get back early and practice the Meditation Method, so he didn't stay to help them search for the toad.

After saying goodbye, Matthew didn't return to his dormitory. Instead, he headed up to the Seventh Floor of the castle.

He stopped in front of the stretch of wall opposite the Barnabas the Barmy Tapestry and focused on the room he wanted. I want a room where I can brew Potions.

After he had walked past three times, a perfectly smooth door appeared in the wall.

The room wasn't large, but it had all the equipment needed for brewing Potions. There was even a bed where he could rest.

Matthew took out a sheet of manuscript paper. It was the recipe for the "Improved Spirit Nourishing Potion" Professor Snape had given him.

After reading it over, he got to work brewing the potion. The improved recipe used only common potion ingredients, and he still had some in his pockets.

After a while, he successfully brewed the "Improved Spirit Nourishing Potion." But his technique was still a little clumsy, and the potion had too many impurities.

He poured the poor-quality "Improved Spirit Nourishing Potion" away, reviewed what he'd learned, and brewed another batch.

"This'll do." This time, the potion met his standards.

Matthew drank the "Improved Spirit Nourishing Potion." The potion slid down his throat, leaving a burning sensation in his mouth and esophagus. A few seconds later, his Sea of Consciousness began recovering much faster.

He carefully observed his Sea of Consciousness. Its recovery rate had increased by thirty percent.

The original Spirit Nourishing Potion increased the recovery rate by twenty percent.

He brewed four more vials of the "Improved Spirit Nourishing Potion" and drank them all. His Sea of Consciousness's recovery rate reached an astonishing 250%!

Professor Snape's improvements were incredible. Matthew couldn't help but marvel at them. His knowledge of Potions wasn't yet sufficient for him to improve potions like these himself.

After that, Matthew practiced the Meditation Method in the room in the Room of Requirement.

He did the math. At this rate, he would reach Level 2 Wizard Apprentice in another three or four days.