Christmas Gift

"Severus Snape?" Nicolas repeated softly, but he could not find that name anywhere in his memories.

Among the people he knew, the only living wizard connected to Potions was Pegasus Sacia, and the last time he had seen her had been sixty years ago... or perhaps seventy. Too much time had passed for him to remember clearly.

"He's Hogwarts' Defence Against the Dark Arts professor," Kyle reminded him from beside him.

"Huh?"

This was already the second time Nicolas had been surprised. He could not help asking, "Has Hogwarts' hiring standard become this high now?"

A Defence Against the Dark Arts professor had actually brewed the most complicated potion currently known. Were Hogwarts professors all this versatile?

Wasn't that a bit too competitive? How were the other schools supposed to survive?

"No, no... you've misunderstood." Kanna hurriedly explained, "Professor Snape has always been in charge of Potions Class. He only became the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor this year."

Only then did Nicolas nod in realization.

If that was the case, it was much easier to accept.

"It seems he really cares about you," Nicolas said to Kanna. "By the way, he used the ashes Fawkes left behind during his rebirth too, didn't he?"

"Sorry, I don't know." Kanna turned to look at Kyle.

"Yes," Kyle said immediately. "I remember Professor Dumbledore mentioning before that when Fawkes was reborn, Professor Snape took some of the ashes."

"No wonder." Nicolas nodded.

At that moment, he vaguely remembered that when he had gone to Hogwarts two years ago, Dumbledore had mentioned the name Severus as well, saying that some of the ashes had already been used.

But Dumbledore had only said that much at the time and had not mentioned what that Severus taught. Besides, Nicolas' attention had been entirely on