Brewing Medicine

This reply—steady yet playful, playful yet steady—clearly caught Severus Snape off guard.

He paused for a second, then lifted his chin slightly, scrutinizing this student who had repeatedly "provoked" him with a searching gaze.

"How unpleasant."

Snape thought to himself, his hollow black eyes flickering with a trace of past memory. After a silence of dozens of seconds, he spoke slowly, undisguised disgust written across his face.

"Greengrass, you remind me of someone—an impudent fellow, arrogant and ignorant."

He paused, straightening his posture.

"I hope you can bring me some surprises."

"I will, Professor Snape. I'll do my best."

Klein gave a slight bow, his demeanor neither servile nor arrogant.

"Good."

With a sinister smirk, Snape seemed quite satisfied with this answer.

"Then—"

Suddenly, his expression hardened as he turned his head to look at the still-dazed first-year Slytherins and Gryffindors.

"Why aren't you writing down the answers to those questions just now?"

That sentence was like a switch. The frozen students snapped to attention, and the rustling sound of quills on parchment instantly filled the entire classroom.

Snape gave Klein a long, deep look before returning to the podium.

"Potter, for talking back to a professor, I'm deducting one point from Gryffindor. As for Greengrass, you've earned five points for Slytherin. But if your potion doesn't satisfy me later, your detention will be extended from one week to one month."

Jotting a few notes on the parchment with his quill, Snape's tone was flat and brooked no argument. He then ordered everyone to open Magical Potions and Elixirs (Beginner) to page six and begin brewing today's potion in pairs—a simple cure for boils.

Incidentally, Klein's partner was Daphne Greengrass, with her beautiful blonde hair.

"Klein, thank you—thank you for the chocolate."

While weighing snake fangs, Daphne whispered her thanks to Klein, gripping the brass weights tightly, looking rather nervous.

"It's nothing, Daphne. And you've added too many snake fangs."

A hint of helplessness in his eyes, Klein had to help his nervous classmate re-weigh the required ingredients.

Then, setting up the cauldron, lighting the fire, adding the ground ingredients in order, stirring—

His movements were steady and crisp, like an incredibly precise machine.

"Tch."

Snape, secretly watching Klein, twitched the corner of his mouth.

"Slugs, venom fangs, porcupine quills, cicada shells—ha, making potions really is interesting."

If the charm of alchemy was "equivalent exchange," then the charm of potion-making was probably "infinite evolution." Klein stirred the contents of the cauldron with a smile, the bubbling sounds lifting his spirits.

"Klein, you're a genius."

Since Klein had completed the potion brewing single-handedly, Daphne had nothing to do but assist him—preparing bottles and such. Watching the potion gradually turn into the deep purple described in the book, she said with a hint of envy.

"Not really."

Klein smiled casually.

"If only I could be like you, then maybe I could—"

Muttering something only she could hear, Daphne's expression fell.

"What?"

Klein blinked, pretending to listen.

"Oh, nothing. I mean—look, the potion's ready. Let's bottle it up."

Realizing Klein was standing so close, Daphne jumped and quickly stepped back. But soon, aware that this was a bit rude, she blushed, stammered, and grabbed a crystal vial, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.

"Smack."

Not far away came the sound of a shattered vessel.

"Miss Parkinson, be more careful!"

Snape drawled, casting a cold glare toward the source of the commotion.

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape."

Pansy lowered her head, her face hidden.

Draco, her partner, frowned with a look of disgust.

"My apologies. I should have known—everyone has their own secrets."

Klein smiled, casually taking the crystal vial from the little girl's hand.

"Sorry."

Daphne clutched her robes, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"Hey, you're the eldest daughter of the Greengrass family. Look at Draco, look at Pansy—the most they've ever said to me isn't 'sorry.'"

Filling the potion without spilling a single drop, Klein winked at the little girl beside him.

Most students in Slytherin Academy came from pure-blood families. The Greengrass family, to which Daphne belonged, held a high status in certain circles, much like the Malfoy family.

"Hehe."

Daphne was amused, her tension unknowingly melting away. Fixing her eyes on Klein's face, she shot back with interest.

"And what about you, Klein? You've never talked about your family."

"Me?"

Hearing this, Klein was rarely caught off guard for a moment before resuming his usual expression, speaking in a relaxed tone.

"I don't have a family."

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

Daphne's smile vanished instantly, panic spreading across her face.

"I shouldn't have brought that up!"

"Don't worry about it. I recently found my distant great-aunt. She's a very interesting person and treats me well."

Thinking of Bathilda Bagshot's wrinkled yet infinitely kind face, Klein's gaze softened a little.

"That's nice."

Not knowing how to respond, Daphne could only follow Klein's lead with that one line.

"If you ever get the chance, you must come visit Godric's Hollow. I'll do my best to host you. But for now, let's let our 'fair' Head of House grade our potions."

Daphne was still just a little girl, fragile at heart. Klein smiled, deftly shifting the heavy topic, and raised his hand to summon Snape, who was patrolling the classroom.

"Grindelwald, it seems you and Miss Greengrass have been quite efficient."

Floating over to Klein and Daphne's desk like a giant bat, Snape took the bottle of deep purple potion. Pulling out the cork, he brought the bottle's mouth to his hooked nose and sniffed, his expression visibly darkening.

"Hmm."

Daphne's heart leaped into her throat as she nervously gripped the green trim of her robes.

Could it be...

Was there something wrong with the potion?

"Not bad."

In the end, Snape still couldn't find a single flaw, so he reluctantly gave full marks with a sour face.

"Then your detention will be one week, Grindelwald, starting tonight."

Putting away the potion, he fixed his gaze on Klein's sapphire-like eyes and spoke flatly.