After saying a few more words to Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore left the Hospital Wing with Kyle.
On the way, Kyle took the opportunity to ask about some problems he'd encountered while practicing magic. Dumbledore answered every one of them without reservation.
Since they were headed to different places, they parted ways shortly after entering the castle.
By the time Dumbledore returned to the Headmaster's Office, Snape was already waiting for him.
"These are the ingredients required for the Magic Suppressant Potion."
Snape casually slapped a long piece of parchment onto the desk and drawled, "Our deputy headmistress says it contains many precious ingredients, so she needs your signature."
"Minerva is far too by-the-book. I told her ages ago that she could make all the decisions concerning the school."
Dumbledore picked up the parchment and said nonchalantly, "Besides, it's only a Magic Suppressant Potion. How precious could the ingredients be... Hmm?"
Dumbledore's expression changed as soon as he read the list.
Mandrake juice: 50 ounces.
Horklump Juice: 50 ounces.
Antipodean Opaleye eggshells: 5.
Erumpent explosive fluid: 10 ounces.
Graphorn horns: 5.
Wolfsbane: 100.
And that was only part of the list. The other ingredients added up to more than thirty varieties.
After reading through it all, Dumbledore felt his temples throbbing.
If he remembered correctly, of the six ingredients listed at the top, only Mandrake juice was actually needed. The others had absolutely nothing to do with the Magic Suppressant Potion.
And Antipodean Opaleye eggshells... That was a primary ingredient in the Rampaging Potion. How had Snape dared to put it on the list? Did he really think nobody else knew anything about Potions?
And then there were those quantities.
Fifty ounces of Mandrake juice. If it were all brewed into Magic Suppressant Potion, it would be enough for the entire school to drink for a week.
Erumpent horns were ground into powder before being sold on the market. Snape had asked for five whole horns. Did he have any idea how expensive they were?
What, was he trying to stock up at Dumbledore's expense?
Dumbledore now understood why Snape had come to him for a signature.
With a request this outrageous, Professor McGonagall would never approve it. Or perhaps Snape hadn't even gone to Professor McGonagall and had come straight to him instead.
"Severus..." Dumbledore paused, deciding to give Snape one more chance. He asked tentatively, "Are all of these ingredients for brewing the Magic Suppressant Potion?"
Snape nodded and replied calmly, "Yes, Headmaster."
Dumbledore said, "Then what are these Antipodean Opaleye eggshells for...?"
Snape said, "They're for a new recipe I'm trying."
"But the quantities are far too large."
"Allowing for mistakes, Headmaster," Snape said matter-of-factly. "I haven't brewed the Magic Suppressant Potion in a long time. It's only natural that I might make a few mistakes, so I need plenty of ingredients."
"It seems I have no reason to object." Dumbledore picked up a scarlet quill and swiftly signed his name on the parchment.
"Mr. Mikel will be grateful for your generosity, Headmaster Dumbledore." Snape raised an eyebrow.
Taking the parchment, now loaded with all his extra ingredients, Snape could hardly wait to fill his private storeroom... No, to brew a potion for Mikel.
Just then, Dumbledore remarked almost offhandedly, "Severus, what do you think of Kyle?"
"Kyle?" The smug look vanished from Snape's face, replaced by a trace of mockery. "Do you have some scheme in mind again, great Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"No, no, Severus, I think you've misunderstood. This is simply a normal reaction from a headmaster who's met an outstanding student. If you don't want to talk about it, never mind."
Dumbledore tossed a candy shaped like a cockroach into his mouth, then kindly offered one to Snape. "Would you like one? It tastes excellent."
"No, thank you," Snape said with disgust.
He really couldn't understand why, with so many kinds of candy in the Wizarding World, Dumbledore had to like things that looked so bizarre.
They looked even more nauseating than Flobberworm mucus.
As if he hadn't noticed Snape's disgust, Dumbledore continued, "Kind, brave, honest, and calm in a crisis. Hogwarts hasn't had such an outstanding first-year witch or wizard in a long time.
I remember her mother, Diana, was in Slytherin too, and only one year above you."
"Shut up!"
At that, the corner of Snape's eye suddenly twitched. His face darkened as he said, "Never mention that name in front of me again. Never! Ever! Again!"
By the time he reached the last few words, Snape was practically shouting.
The portraits of former headmasters were furious, scolding Snape for his insolence and daring to talk back to the headmaster.
Snape didn't pay them the slightest attention.
He dared to yell at the current headmaster. Why would he be afraid of a few paintings?
He called them headmasters out of courtesy. Without that courtesy, they were just scraps of paper—too stiff even to wipe out a cauldron.
"I didn't realize you still remembered that after all this time."
Dumbledore ignored the clamoring portraits too and sighed softly. "But Severus, even now, I still think you were in the wrong back then.
"Diana was a well-mannered, lovely girl. If you hadn't said that filthy thing to Chris, why would she have blocked your way in the common room every day..."
"Bang!"
Before Dumbledore could finish, the loud slam of a door cut him off.
The noise was so great that even Fawkes, who had been sleeping nearby, was startled. The phoenix flapped his wings furiously toward the direction Snape had gone, making his displeasure at being woken perfectly clear.
"Pfft..."
Watching Snape storm out, a plump wizard in one of the portraits suddenly burst out laughing. But when he saw the knowing look in Dumbledore's eyes, he immediately clapped a hand over his mouth and scurried off into another frame.
Dumbledore soothed Fawkes, muttering under his breath, "Honestly, why do people get more and more fond of reminiscing as they get older..."
"Hmph, hypocrite."
On the wall, Phineas Nigellus Black, a former headmaster with a goatee, couldn't help saying, "Don't think I don't know you did that on purpose. Look at you, so stingy. Young Snape only asked for a few extra potion ingredients. What's the big deal? Back when I was headmaster, I...
"Wait, Dumbledore, what are you doing? Fine, I'll stop. Don't come over here!"
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