Potions Class (Seeking Collection, Seeking Recommendation)

When the doors of the hospital wing opened once again, it signaled that Mikel had finally fulfilled his wish and was officially discharged.

His current state, however, looked rather poor; his steps were unsteady, and he kept dry-heaving.

Furthermore, until today, Kyle had never imagined that a person's face could actually be blue.

Not even the most avant-garde, stylish portraits in the castle would dare to use such a bold color to depict their faces.

But Mikel had managed it.

Including his forehead, nose, and lips, his entire head was blue, and not even his hair or teeth were spared.

From a distance, he looked like a giant blue dandelion.

"Kyle..."

Mikel reached out, his voice sounding terribly parched. "What are you laughing at? Give me a hand, at least."

"It's nothing, I just thought of something happy." Kyle stepped forward to support Mikel, turning his head away as he tried his best not to look at his face.

"I gave Hufflepuff twenty points yesterday."

"That is indeed worth being happy about." Mikel nodded, not asking any further.

He really didn't want to speak right now; he had no idea what the nurse in the hospital wing had forced him to drink. Not only did it taste atrocious, but his throat felt like it was burning, and it was agonizing every time he opened his mouth.

The two of them walked slowly toward the dungeons.

It is worth mentioning that just as they reached the Pendulum Courtyard, the blue color on Mikel's head began to fade back to normal.

Although it didn't return to his original appearance, it was at least less conspicuous, and since the lighting in the castle was generally dim, one wouldn't notice anything unless they looked closely.

It seemed Madam Pomfrey hadn't intended to let him make a fool of himself in public.

The two made their way through the castle, but because Mikel walked so slowly, they were, unsurprisingly, late by the time they reached the dungeon classroom.

Snape had just finished calling the roll when he looked up and saw the two standing at the door.

"Late for the very first lesson—are this year's first-years really this incompetent?" Snape drawled. "Ten points from Hufflepuff."

Mikel looked at Snape, his eyes suddenly widening as he blurted out, "Huh? Are you that... hsss~~"

Fortunately, Kyle reacted quickly enough to decisively stomp on his foot, preventing Mikel from finishing his sentence.

Otherwise... they probably wouldn't have been able to walk out of this Potions classroom.

Taking advantage of the moment, Kyle hurriedly said, "Apologies, Professor Snape, it won't happen again."

"Hmph, if there is a second time, it won't be as simple as losing ten points." Snape glared at them coldly. "What are you standing there like idiots for? Get to your seats—another five points from Hufflepuff!"

Fearing that Mikel might say something else suicidal, Kyle quickly pulled him to an empty table at the back of the classroom.

Snape withdrew his gaze and said in a sinister voice, "Potions is a profound and important discipline. I do not expect you to truly grasp the beauty of a simmering cauldron emitting white smoke and wafting a delicate fragrance.

Nor do I expect you to understand the magical transformation that occurs as ordinary ingredients gradually sublimate under intense heat.

Every sprig of mistletoe, every bezoar you hold in your hands will be condensed here, in the cauldron, into various forms and compositions; they are the most mysterious secrets of the magical world."

Snape's voice gradually leveled out. "I can teach you how to increase your fame, brew glory, and even stop death—provided you are not the sort of dunderheads I usually have to deal with."

Snape's words left the entire class in dead silence. The little snakes of Slytherin held their heads high, sitting up straight as if to prove they were not dunderheads.

In contrast, the little badgers of Hufflepuff felt much more guilty; they looked at one another, none daring to meet Snape's eyes.

Mikel, in particular, having recovered his senses, nearly buried his head under the table.

Yet, even that was useless; what was coming was inevitable.

"Drake!" Snape said suddenly. "To brew a Boil-Cure Potion, do you add the slugs or the porcupine quills first?"

What potion?

Mikel looked up blankly and said cautiously, "Add the porcupine quills first, Professor."

"Tsk, add the porcupine quills first..." Snape said sarcastically. "If you had flipped through your book before the start of term, even for a single glance, you would know that you must add powdered snake fangs first to make a Boil-Cure Potion!

With such poor foundations, you still dare to be late? One point from Hufflepuff."

"Why aren't you writing this down!"

A rustling sound of quills and parchment suddenly filled the classroom.

"Open your books to page one!" Snape returned to the podium and said in a low voice, "Today we are learning to brew a simple potion to cure boils.

Although this potion is so simple that anyone with an IQ higher than a troll could certainly complete it, I must still warn you to be cautious... unless you want to end up covered in boils yourself."

"The ingredients for the potion are in the storage cupboard. Now, work in pairs... oh, right!"

At this moment, Snape seemed to have suddenly thought of something and walked over to Mikel once more.

He glanced down at the table and sneered, "Although there is no need to wave your wands foolishly here, given your current wretched state, and for the safety of the other young wizards, I think these are unnecessary."

Snape confiscated the cauldron from the table, scanned the room, and said to Kyle, "You go and pair up with Kanna. Don't disturb Drake while he reads."

In the crowd, Kanna looked up, stunned, staring in disbelief at Kyle as he drew closer and closer.

She was doomed. She had cut it close and entered the classroom last, yet she still hadn't managed to avoid this?

Moreover, by now, all the other young wizards had already finished pairing up; even if she wanted to hide, there were no empty spots left.

"How about I swap with someone else?"

Kanna found her roommate sitting behind her and was just about to suggest switching seats when Snape's voice rang out from the podium once again.

"What are you all standing there for, waiting for me to brew the potion for you?!"

Amidst Snape's roar, the classroom instantly became a flurry of activity.

Watching her roommate set up the cauldron and dash toward the storage cupboard, Kanna could only let out a soft sigh and turn to grind the snake fangs on her desk.

For some unknown reason, when Snape had walked by earlier, he had casually dropped a bag onto her desk.

Inside was exactly what was needed to make the Boil-Cure Potion, and there were three full portions of every ingredient, so Kanna did not need to head to the storage cupboard like everyone else.