Huh?!
Devero heard Snape's words.
His brain completely stalled!
What did he mean, he could use whatever he wanted?
Did that mean he could handle all the ingredients and finished Potions in this room?
Judging by their value, everything in this room had to be worth at least five thousand Galleons!!
Even if they sold Devero, they still couldn't get back that much in rare ingredients!
"P-Professor, do you mean I can use these to brew Potions?"
Devero stammered out the question.
He still hadn't recovered from the shocking news.
"Which word didn't you understand? Yes, that's exactly what I mean!"
Snape replied with a frown.
Devero immediately stood up straight.
He fixed his gaze on Professor Snape.
Good heavens!
The Snape in front of him felt like a stranger!
Was this really the same Old Bat?!
Why was he so generous today!
Snape naturally couldn't stand seeing Devero looking so pleased with himself.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Of course, I get an eighty percent share of the Potions you make."
Devero froze.
An eighty-twenty split?
The eighty percent went to Snape!
Devero immediately wanted to bargain.
This was exploitation!
The Potions he made with the Potion Spirit trait.
They were the kind you couldn't buy on the market!
He deserved at least thirty percent!
"Professor! That's not a fair deal!"
Devero wasn't the helpless little nobody he'd been before, eating Snape's food and living under Snape's roof with no way to protect himself!
He'd grown some wings!
Snape's gaze sharpened at those words.
And so the two of them began a long battle of verbal gymnastics.
At last, after Devero argued his case at length.
Snape gave in and agreed that Devero could keep twenty-five percent.
And at Devero's insistence.
Snape reluctantly signed a written contract with him.
Devero had initially wanted to make an Unbreakable Vow with Snape.
But there was no witness present.
So he decided to bring it up another time.
They already had a written agreement, anyway.
He didn't have to worry about Snape going back on his word.
Devero contentedly stuffed the contract into his pocket.
Snape looked displeased.
Signing the contract seemed to have put him in an especially foul mood.
But Devero found even that sour expression a delight to look at.
He was in an absolutely wonderful mood!
Right now, he wanted to take some of the ingredients and head down to the classroom to get started!
However.
Though he had the Potion Spirit trait.
He could instinctively sense things about the ingredients before him.
He could even vaguely guess what they might be used for.
Still, it was best to have Snape explain them first.
And go over any precautions, too.
That would help him avoid danger.
Snape said darkly.
"Enough. I need you to understand a few things you have to be careful about. I don't want to come back one day and find the Storage Room destroyed."
As he spoke, Snape walked over to the wall lined with jars of Magical Creatures' body parts.
His fingers brushed lightly over the jars one by one.
His tone was cool but professional.
"These are body parts from Magical Creatures that I've collected over the years. Each has its own particular use."
"For instance, Unicorn Tail Hair has gentle properties and is an essential ingredient in beauty Potions."
Snape turned and stared into Devero's eyes.
Only after making sure he was listening did he continue.
"But remember, materials like hair are highly volatile. Unicorn Tail Hair is especially fragile, and its magic will quickly dissipate if it's damaged. So don't touch these jars unless you want to ruin a Potion worth a fortune."
"Of course, special processing can make it less fragile, but that would also reduce the effectiveness of the Potions we brew."
Devero nodded.
He silently made a note of the precautions.
After all.
Now that they'd signed the contract.
As soon as Devero started making Potions.
A quarter of all the ingredients in this room would belong to him!
Of course he had to take good care of them!
Then.
Snape went on to explain the special uses of several other Magical Creatures' body parts.
Devero nodded along each time to confirm he'd remembered.
He was an Exam Prodigy now.
And there was no way he'd forget the points Snape emphasized over and over.
Snape watched him suspiciously.
After all, Devero wasn't taking notes.
Nor did he look like he was straining to remember any of it.
"Did you really remember all that?"
Snape couldn't help asking.
Devero grinned.
He tapped his head with his index finger.
"Professor, I'm not bragging, but my brain really is surprisingly good."
Watching Devero's smug expression.
Snape's mouth twitched.
Then he ignored him.
Turning around.
He walked over to the wall lined with magical herbs.
"These magical herbs are the basic ingredients for making Potions," he continued.
Then he picked up a glass jar filled with dried powder.
"This is Dittany. You should have learned about it in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. It's part of your first-year curriculum."
Devero nodded slightly.
"Dittany is a magical plant that can be used to make Potions. It also has powerful healing properties. But be careful: it must be kept at a constant temperature while drying, or its magic will be greatly weakened."
"And Agave can be used to increase a Potion's potency, but using too much will cause serious side effects..."
Snape picked up each herb and explained it to Devero.
He emphasized the uses and restrictions of each one.
Devero listened carefully.
His eyes moved back and forth between the jars.
He tried his best to remember every detail.
Finally.
Snape finished explaining the entire wall of herbs.
Devero narrowed his eyes.
He rubbed his temples.
Trying to cram so much information into his head.
Even as an Exam Prodigy.
He felt a little dizzy.
It was as if, in the space of an hour.
He'd sat through an entire term of Herbology.
Snape, meanwhile, seemed to be enjoying himself.
His expression had grown noticeably smug.
Devero darkly suspected.
Snape couldn't stand seeing him do well.
That was why he'd force-fed him such an overwhelming amount of information.
He was trying to wear Devero out so he could indulge some sort of perversion.
While Devero was silently cursing Snape.
Snape walked over to the wall in the middle of the room.
He paused.
Then turned back.
His expression was deadly serious.
More serious than at any other point that evening.
He raised a hand.
And pointed to the finished Potions on the last wall.
"These are Potions I made with great care. Every one is dangerous or valuable."
"I won't tell you what each of them does."
Snape stood in front of the wall, blocking it from view.
He faced Devero.
"But I will tell you this: every one of these Potions is extremely dangerous. Some could even kill you outright!"
The threat in Snape's voice grew more pronounced.
"I don't want to come back next time and find you've turned into a corpse. And..."
Ha!
Snape let out another cold laugh.
"These Potions are very expensive. If you accidentally knock one over, then we'll have to change the terms of the contract you just signed to a ninety-ten split! You'll get only ten percent of the payment, and the rest will all go to me."
Devero silently cursed Snape for being such a greedy cheapskate.
Besides, he could tell what those Potions did just by looking at them.
Did Snape really need to explain?
But outwardly, he nodded respectfully.
"Yes, Professor. I'll be very careful."
At Devero's reply.
Snape finally straightened up.
He walked around Devero and left the Storage Room.
He said, sounding a little tired.
"All right, that settles the matter of the Storage Room. Let's talk about the Polyjuice Potion recipe."
As he spoke, Snape somehow produced a piece of parchment out of thin air that looked like a contract.
He set it on his desk.
Devero forced himself to keep his hands from reaching for the ingredients right away.
He left the storeroom.
Speaking of Polyjuice Potion—
Something suddenly came to mind.
"By the way, Professor, I've thought of a way to finish brewing the Polyjuice Potion within seven days."
As soon as he said that—
"What?!"
Snape sprang to his feet.
Before you continue