Potions Class

Defense Against the Dark Arts.

This was probably every Hogwarts student's favorite class.

What was Defense Against the Dark Arts supposed to be like?

Dashing, cool, silver light flashing everywhere, sparkle sparkle~

Powerful spells bursting from wand tips, scorching magic flying through the air and making all the girls present weak in the knees with excitement.

What was the real Defense Against the Dark Arts class like?

A room reeking of garlic, with a stammering instructor.

Dressed like an Indian, Professor Quirrell babbled incoherently about his adventures abroad. The turban wrapped layer upon layer around his head was particularly irritating to look at.

A completely meaningless Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Other than listening to Professor Quirrell brag, Gemini had learned nothing.

Still, one thing could not be denied: Quirrell really was quite an exceptional wizard. Dumbledore had said as much in the original story.

Beneath his disguise, Quirrell was actually a very talented man.

So sleepy, so sleepy...

Gemini really wanted to lie down on the desk and take a nap. Or pull out some snacks from his storage space to eat. Or simply leave the classroom altogether. Given how Quirrell taught, even if he left, Snape probably would not say anything to him.

But his good upbringing still prompted Gemini to remain in his seat, quietly flipping through his guide to self-defense.

Fortunately, just before class ended, Professor Quirrell finally taught everyone a spell—

Rictusempra...

Gemini's feelings at that moment were beyond words.

Then, he suddenly thought of something amusing.

Voldemort was currently possessing Quirrell. If he hit Quirrell with a Rictusempra now, would Voldemort start laughing too?

The thought lingered stubbornly in Gemini's mind, but reason ultimately made him abandon it.

It would be fine if Voldemort did not laugh out loud. But if he really did laugh and exposed himself, the students from the two Houses in this classroom might be in danger.

Gemini did not particularly care about their safety, but he could not bring himself to let them die because of him.

Unlike the utterly worthless Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class was far more serious.

"Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic you will study at Hogwarts. Anyone who misbehaves in my classroom will be asked to leave and never allowed back in. I have warned you."

On the very first lesson of term, Professor McGonagall gave the students a firm warning.

Her stern, earnest expression made even the restless Draco instinctively shrink his neck.

But Professor McGonagall was right. Transfiguration truly was the most complex and dangerous subject at Hogwarts. Of course, first-years who had only just begun learning basic Transfiguration would not yet encounter anything dangerous, but it was genuinely complicated.

That was why Gemini had learned quite a few spells before school began, yet had not studied Transfiguration at all.

It was simple: he could not understand the Transfiguration textbook in the slightest...

If the spells in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms were compared to language arts and mathematics, then Transfiguration was Hogwarts' physics and chemistry. Unlike the first two, which could be used as long as one knew the incantation and understood how to cast it, Transfiguration pursued an understanding of magic's essence.

However, Gemini had heard that Charms was only relatively easy in the early years. By sixth or seventh year, Charms became much harder than Transfiguration in many respects, because advanced Charms included Transfiguration. Defense Against the Dark Arts was even more demanding—it was practically all about talent. Without outstanding magical ability, studying it in the later years was pointless.

For example, Expecto Patronum.

It was top-tier Defense Against the Dark Arts magic, yet most adult wizards could not cast it.

Even those who could cast it were not necessarily able to do so under the despair brought by a Dementor.

In their first-ever Transfiguration lesson, after spending more than half the class taking notes, Professor McGonagall asked the students to try turning a matchstick into a needle.

Looking at the matchstick before him, Gemini lightly gripped his wand and calmed his mind.

He had already memorized all the key points Professor McGonagall had made them write down. Now it was time to put them into practice.

As he softly recited the incantation, flecks of white light poured from the tip of his wand. Then, something magical happened.

The matchstick before him trembled violently before transforming into a bright silver sewing needle.

"Slytherin, five points!"

Professor McGonagall's voice came from behind him. Gemini looked up to find her standing there with her lips pressed together, watching him approvingly.

Gemini smiled gently. "Thank you very much, Professor McGonagall."

"You earned it, Mr. Fox." A faint smile appeared at the corner of Professor McGonagall's mouth.

Although the rumors about Gemini circulating among the students had grown rather outrageous, every teacher who had interacted with him had developed a favorable impression of him. Even Professor Flitwick had said that it would have been better if Gemini had not played that frightening prank...

A handsome face, exceptional talent, impeccable clothing, and polite manners.

A pearl long buried beneath dust was slowly beginning to shine with the light it deserved at Hogwarts.

At last, Friday arrived.

Today, the little Slytherin snakes and the little Gryffindor lions would have Potions Class together for the entire morning—two Potions lessons, both scheduled for Friday.

It was still the dim underground classroom.

The moment Snape burst through the door and strode into the classroom, he picked up the roll call sheet. When he reached Harry Potter's name, he paused.

"Oh... yes... Harry Potter..." Snape's voice was calm, giving no hint of his mood. He merely drew out the words as his gaze swept over the face of a scrawny boy somewhere in the class. "Our newly arrived—celebrity..."

Beside Gemini, Draco and his two lackeys—Crabbe and Goyle—all began snickering.

When Draco saw Gemini sitting calmly and showing no reaction, he suddenly felt that what he was doing was rather pointless and stopped laughing awkwardly.

An excellent role model naturally made others want to follow and imitate him.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making."

Snape's voice was slightly louder than usual. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic."

"Of course... I do not expect you to truly understand the beauty of a softly simmering cauldron giving off pale smoke and fragrant aromas. You will not truly understand the liquid that flows into people's veins... that intoxicating, will-befuddling power of magic..."

"I can teach you how to brew fame, bottle glory, and even organize death—if you are not as big a bunch of fools as I usually have to teach."

The classroom fell completely silent. Like Professor McGonagall, Snape seemed to possess an air of authority that could quiet a classroom without any effort.