Silan pushed open the door and went in.
Wearing his signature black robes, Snape turned his gaze away from the window, returned to his seat, waved his wand, closed the window, and started a fire.
The flames in the fireplace flickered, and the chill in the office quickly dissipated.
Seeing Silan's rather heavy dark circles, Snape was somewhat taken aback. He frowned and asked, "What happened to you?"
She tugged at her clothes, Silan hard to get.
"It's nothing, Professor, I'm just a little sleep-deprived."
Snape chuckled coldly, his displeased gaze fixed on him. "Were you out for a night stroll? I really don't know... what could possibly attract you to the castle at night?"
He spoke slowly and deliberately in his peculiar tone, drawing out the words: "If you weren't a student of our college... I would put you in solitary confinement right now."
Unfortunately, these words posed no threat to Silan.
Solitary confinement is basically just handling Potions Ingredients in your office, isn't it?
It's no big deal.
It's not much different from now.
With these thoughts in mind, Silan spoke with a hint of apology.
"I'm sorry, Professor."
Snape glanced at him, slowly leaned back in his chair, and asked casually:
"Although I know your foolish purpose is useless... in order not to affect my teaching later, I'll still ask. What exactly happened that required you to go to such lengths?"
Silan told the truth, "It's because of making quill pens."
Upon hearing this answer, Snape was greatly disappointed and glared at him with some annoyance. "I can't believe you've wasted your precious time on this!"
"Haven't you already made a lot of money?"
"It's not nearly enough, Professor," Silan said pitifully. "The other day, it was Miss Granger's birthday, and I made her a necklace using Alchemy. It took quite a bit of materials."
That's the truth.
"Then, while studying the Half-Blood Prince's notes, I developed a strong interest in Fire-Control Potion and wanted to try making one myself."
"But as you know, the seeds of the main ingredient Tonguefire Grass, are very expensive, and I really can't afford them, so I thought I'd make more quill pens."
Most of it is true, but...
[Silver Tongue: Proficiency +1]
Silan sounded increasingly pitiful as she spoke.
Looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, he left Snape with only a pitiful and melancholy expression.
Her lips were pressed into a slightly downward curve, her eyes trembled slightly, and her forlorn expression was accompanied by a silent sigh...
If it weren't for the pop-up notification that Silver Tongue" eloquence proficiency" had increased, Silan would almost have believed it herself.
Snape remained silent.
The sarcastic words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat by Silan's words and actions, and he couldn't say them at all.
How can I put it?
There is absolutely no room for criticism.
Study the Half-Blood Prince's notes to learn the correct way to make Potions and develop an interest in their contents.
Is there anything wrong with that?
That's right.
Exemplary students should be encouraged.
To make a birthday gift for Miss Granger, to deepen their childhood friendship and enhance their affection for each other.
Is there anything wrong with that?
That's right.
Friendship and affection among classmates should be encouraged.
"That's...understandable." Snape nodded in agreement, then asked, "What kind of necklace was it?"
Silan: "???"
Professor, isn't that a bit too much?
Wasn't I here to learn about Potions?
Why don't you ask about Potions, but about gossip?
Silan hesitated before speaking, "It's made using Alchemy, a silver-blue necklace."
"Following Nicolas Flamel's advice, I applied some Transfiguration Spell and other Spells to the necklace, allowing it to transform into small animals such as magpies, larks, and canaries."
In closing, Silan deliberately emphasized one point.
"Of course, it can also turn into a rooster or a goldfish. When Miss Granger is tired from studying, she can use the necklace to conjure up small animals to relax."
Snape's questioning was, in a sense, a good thing.
If you tell him beforehand that the necklace can turn into a bird and a rooster, he can testify for Silan when they actually encounter the Basilisk and the necklace comes into play.
The ability to transform into a rooster was an original function of the necklace.
This would cover up the fact that Silan knew in advance that there was Basilisk in the school.
Make everything seem reasonable.
Snape praised it highly, "Well done."
It seems that learning Alchemy did have some benefits for Prewett; at least he could make some small things to please girls.
I wish I had learned some Alchemy back then...
Silan stared intently at Snape.
You were so disappointed with the quill pen, but you praised it highly as a birthday gift for Hermione, right?
"Uh... I mean, caring for classmates..."
Snape wore an unnatural smile, which looked somewhat eerie.
"Ahem." He coughed lightly, quickly turned his head, and when he came back, his expression had returned to normal, and he snorted coldly in his usual tone.
Why are you looking at me like that?
"Do I have Potions Ingredients on my face?! Hurry up and go to the storeroom and bring me the ingredients for the Baruffio's Brain Elixir!"
Seeing Snape hurriedly shooing him away, Silan gave a reply and turned to walk towards the storeroom.
He thought to himself with a hint of helplessness, "I've been playing the victim for ages, Professor, why aren't you doing anything about it?"
Watching Silan's retreating figure, Snape's eyes flickered twice, and he frowned in thought for a moment.
Silan entered the storage room, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the bottle of Tonguefire Grass seeds on the shelf.
It's still in its original place, completely full.
If Snape hadn't been right outside the door, Silan would have opened it right now, grabbed a handful, and taken it with him.
"With so many materials, will Professor Snape be able to use them all?" Silan couldn't help but think this every time she came to the storeroom.
After recalling the Potions recipe, Silan took the materials for three portions of Baruffio's Brain Elixir and went to the workshop.
Snape gently waved his wand.
The Potions Ingredients swirled around the workshop before finally settling neatly on the table.
"Today I'll teach you how to make Baruffio's Brain Elixir."
Snape was fully engaged in the lesson, his expression and tone returning to normal.
It was as if the person who had just asked Silan about gossip wasn't him, but rather his friend Half-Blood Prince.
"Baruffio's Brain Elixir, was invented three centuries ago and is effective in enhancing the user's mental abilities." Snape knew the history of Potions like the back of his hand. "Its formula has been iterated twice since then."
"The current mainstream formula greatly prolongs its efficacy."
Snape was serious and focused when explaining Potions, a stark contrast to his usual strange tone.
"A century and a half ago, a wizard gave Troll 50 bottles of Baruffio's Brain Elixir, wanting to test whether the Troll could learn to read after drinking the potion."
At this point, Snape seemed to recall a guy named Potter, and deliberately asked, "Do you think he succeeded?"
"No." Silan shrugged.
"Why?"
"Because idiots are beyond saving."
"That's right!"
Snape's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Silan gave him the answer he had been thinking about, which felt like a gentle itch had been scratched, bringing him immense satisfaction.
Just like me!
"I'll teach you how to make Baruffio's Brain Elixir first, and then I have something to tell you," Snape said.