Among Slytherins, humility isn't a virtue!

Whether he'd seen Devero's smug expression,

or simply wanted to give Devero a hard time,

Snape immediately put away his shocked look.

His expression returned to its usual gloom.

"Fine. From now on, come here every Friday afternoon. I'll have a task for you."

Snape issued the order in his low voice.

Devero heard him out.

His face fell.

Seriously?

He had to spend an extra afternoon alone with the Old Bat every week?

What a miserable prospect!

But Snape was a professor and the Slytherin Head of House.

Devero couldn't refuse.

As if determined to keep Devero from feeling at ease,

Snape brought up something else.

"Also, let's talk about the spells."

Devero curled his lip.

At last, here it came.

Snape was probably going to reprimand him for attacking Malfoy on the train.

Although Harry and his friends had once jinxed Malfoy on the train in the original story,

Devero couldn't be sure he'd get the same treatment as the Boy Who Lived.

"Professor, Malfoy insulted my friend first. That's why I attacked him."

So Devero tried to argue his case as reasonably as he could.

"What Malfoy?"

To Devero's surprise,

Snape seemed to have no idea what he was talking about.

He furrowed his brow.

"I mean when I used a spell to attack Malfoy on the train... Er, Professor, you didn't know?"

Snape impatiently waved a hand.

"That doesn't matter! I'm asking why you know so many advanced spells, and have even mastered Apparition! It's an extremely dangerous spell!"

Devero blurted out,

"So, Professor, I'm not going to be expelled for casting a spell on a fellow student?"

Snape gave a cold snort.

He pointed at the piece of parchment on his desk.

"With this, I won't let you get expelled unless you've committed murder!"

Devero was stunned.

He hadn't expected the Polyjuice Potion to have such an effect!

It had actually made Snape protect him to this extent!

Just then,

the words Marcus had spoken to him at the Slytherin table echoed in Devero's ears once more.

"Among Slytherins, humility isn't a virtue!"

Seeing Snape's attitude,

Devero felt much more at ease.

As long as he wasn't going to be expelled, that was fine!

So Devero relaxed completely.

His conversation with Marcus, combined with Snape's attitude toward him,

had made one thing clear.

He absolutely couldn't hide what he could do.

Playing dumb,

and pretending to be some little kid—

a new student who didn't know anything—

wasn't going to work at all!

He was a super-genius.

Why?

Because at school, there were many places only the truly outstanding could go.

For example, only top students who ranked first in their year,

or those who excelled in some other way, could get into certain places.

Besides, if you were good enough,

the school's leadership would turn a blind eye

to some of the things you did!

Just like Voldemort back then!

So, if he wanted to explore every corner of Hogwarts,

and get more help and privileges at school later on,

he had to show the old geezers in charge what he was made of!

After all, he had the Transmigrator trait.

Legilimency couldn't touch him.

So what did he have to worry about?

He'd show them what a truly gifted wizard looked like!

With that thought,

Devero leaned back in his chair, relaxed.

He looked as if he were sitting in his own home.

Snape's brow furrowed even more.

Devero shifted in his chair, then sat up straight.

"Professor, the reason I know so many spells isn't because I've made a deal with a Dark wizard, or done anything else illegal. It's because..."

He looked Snape in the eye, his gaze firm and serious.

"I'm actually a genius!"

"I can learn any spell in an instant!"

"For example, with Apparition, I watched someone do it once and got the general idea of how it worked."

"After watching a few more times, I could use it proficiently. It's the same with other spells."

Devero finished speaking.

A long silence followed.

Snape folded his hands together,

covering half his face.

With his black hair in the way,

Devero couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Maybe he was holding back a laugh?

Or maybe he was considering whether Devero's claim was believable.

Of course, Devero thought the first was more likely.

"You watch someone cast a spell, and you can learn it?"

Snape repeated the words.

"Despite having had no training, no systematic instruction, and your own wand for only a month."

His low voice gave nothing away.

"Just a few glances, and you can master spells that even older students can't manage."

Devero nodded repeatedly as Snape spoke.

He confirmed that was exactly right.

Smack!

Snape slammed both hands down on the desk.

The books on it jolted.

"Do you take me for a fool?"

The dark figure sprang to his feet.

He leaned forward,

looming over Devero.

Snape fixed his eyes on Devero's, fury seemingly ready to burst from them.

They were so close now

that Devero could smell Snape's shampoo.

Well...

Actually, it was probably the smell of his greasy hair.

Devero completely understood why Snape reacted that way.

After all, he'd lived with Snape for a whole year.

Just as with Potions,

he hadn't given any real indication before that he was an unparalleled spell-casting genius.

So Snape's disbelief was understandable.

But it was true that he knew all kinds of advanced magic.

And, on top of that, he'd brewed Polyjuice Potion and modified a wand.

That had probably shocked Snape quite a bit.

Now, with the revelation that he was a magical prodigy, too,

Snape should have built up some resistance to surprises by now, right?

Besides, he hadn't said a single word that wasn't true.

So he wasn't afraid of Snape testing him later.

Devero was about to say something else,

but Snape ignored him completely

and walked straight out of the office.

He warned Devero not to leave,

and not to go into the Storage Room or anywhere like that.

So now he was all alone in Snape's office.

To be honest,

he was practically itching to go.

He wanted to visit the Storage Room and see what was inside.

But he had a feeling Snape might come back at any moment.

Devero struggled with himself over and over.

It was just like when his parents had gone out in his previous life,

and he'd wanted to sneak a turn on his phone.

Finally,

after who knew how many rounds of inner turmoil,

Devero decided to take a chance!

He hopped down from the chair.

Devero went to the Storage Room door.

First, he tried to open it by hand.

But the doorknob wouldn't budge at all.

Devero immediately pulled out his wand.

"Alohomora!"

He was already very proficient with the unlocking spell.

And Snape's Storage Room hadn't yet been visited by Hermione, Dobby, or the others.

Clearly, the security wasn't much to speak of.

The door opened easily with a single spell.

Devero's lips curled into a smile.

Just as Devero was about to open the door and pay this holy site of Potions ingredients a proper visit,

"What are you doing?"

It was like a bucket of ice water in the dead of winter.

Devero shivered uncontrollably.

He turned around.

Snape was staring at Devero with a dark expression.

"Come with me."

Strangely,

Snape didn't pursue the matter.

Instead, he said with a dark expression,

"We'll put you to the test and see if you really are the so-called 'genius.'"

Devero smiled faintly.

He'd been itching for a fight.

Besides, he'd never planned to convince Snape with words in the first place.

He gladly followed Snape out of the office.