Big Bat Snape

The students had all left the classroom, leaving only Professor McGonagall and Roy behind.

Professor McGonagall held the golden needle Roy had transfigured during class. The exquisite needle was still maintaining its Transfiguration effect, and Professor McGonagall's expression was extremely serious.

Roy waited for a long time, but Professor McGonagall said nothing. Seeing how serious she looked, Roy thought he had done something wrong.

"Um, did I do something wrong?"

Roy asked Professor McGonagall quietly, looking at her solemn face.

Professor McGonagall shook her head, clicking her tongue in amazement.

"No. On the contrary, you did exceptionally well."

Professor McGonagall drew her wand and lightly tapped the golden needle in her hand. The needle trembled slightly, and after quite some time, its golden color slowly faded, with part of it turning back into the shape of a matchstick.

"Roy, your magic is naturally very strong, and it seems to contain a peculiar power. This makes the objects you transfigure highly resistant to the Reverting Spell."

The golden needle in Professor McGonagall's hand gradually lost its color until it finally became the original matchstick.

Hearing Professor McGonagall's words, Roy recalled what Ollivander had said when he bought his wand.

"I heard Mr. Ollivander say that I might have an aptitude for Ancient Magic. Perhaps you know something about Ancient Magic?"

"Ancient Magic?"

Professor McGonagall carefully searched her memories for where she had heard the term before, but ultimately shook her head.

"At least, in all my years teaching at Hogwarts, I have never heard of any child capable of Ancient Magic. Perhaps you could ask Dumbledore."

Roy felt a little discouraged at Professor McGonagall's words. He had yet to find any records related to this blasted Ancient Magic, and now even Professor McGonagall said she knew nothing about it.

"Ahem. Right, that isn't what I wanted to discuss. Regarding the Transfiguration you used in class, I could tell it was Permanent Object Transfiguration. That is something only covered in advanced classes for upper-year students. It is remarkable that you can do it, but a young wizard like you could easily hurt yourself or those around you if you use such poorly controlled magic at will."

Professor McGonagall looked extremely stern as she strictly warned Roy not to casually cast such high-risk spells again. Seeing that she was truly angry, Roy immediately apologized again and again, patting his chest as he promised he would never make the same mistake.

Seeing how sincerely Roy admitted his mistake, Professor McGonagall's mood softened slightly. She sighed and earnestly advised him.

"I know you are very clever, and deep down, you are a kind child. I do not object to you studying profound knowledge, but it must be under the supervision of your teachers, all right?"

"Yes, Professor. I will absolutely follow the professors' arrangements!"

Roy gave Professor McGonagall a crisp, standard military salute.

The contrast of Roy's salute made Professor McGonagall laugh as well.

"All right, you should go to Potions class. Severus is never merciful with late students. And you and Grindelhill..."

Professor McGonagall seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she did not, simply telling Roy to go to class.

Given Professor McGonagall's experience, it was best not to interfere in the relationship between Aisling and Roy. A talented boy and a talented girl—those who knew, knew.

When Roy left the Transfiguration classroom, the third-year students were already preparing to enter. A group of Hufflepuff students smiled and greeted him. In particular, Michael Ovington, a third-year Hufflepuff student, grinned and joked with Roy.

"Yo, Roy, did Professor McGonagall keep you after class?"

"Of course not. Ask Professor McGonagall if you don't believe me. I need to hurry to Potions."

Roy gave a brief reply before quickly running toward the underground Potions classroom.

After sprinting all the way to the Potions classroom, Roy discovered that the door was already closed. There were clearly still ten minutes before class, but at this point, he could only knock with a stiff upper lip.

Inside the Potions classroom, Snape stood at the very front like a great black bat, speaking in a low, drawn-out voice to the little wizards sitting rigidly in the underground classroom.

"Since there will be no foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I do not expect you to truly understand the beauty of a softly simmering cauldron giving off white smoke and fragrant aromas. You will not truly understand the wondrous power of liquids that flow into people's veins, bewitching their minds and clouding their wills—"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Potions classroom door was thick, and Roy pounded on it with all his strength, afraid that the people inside would not hear him.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Snape had been getting into the swing of things when Roy's knocking interrupted him. His face darkened as he strode down from the podium, reached the front door, and yanked it open.

Roy, who had been knocking with all his might, suddenly found the wooden door before him open, revealing Snape's face beneath that great hooked nose.

Before Roy could say anything, Snape deducted two points from Hufflepuff.

"Late. Two points from Hufflepuff."

Roy did not argue. He had long heard from Tonks and the others that Snape simply did not reason with people.

Roy entered the classroom. Every little wizard sat in pairs at a table, with a cauldron placed on each table and the ingredients needed for the day's potion arranged on a nearby shelf.

As Roy walked toward the back, he discovered that everyone already had a partner, leaving him alone. Worse still, only one seat remained in the entire classroom, right beside Snape's podium.

Roy nearly cried. Cedric and the others gave him helpless looks, and Roy could only grit his teeth and sit in the position beside Snape's podium.

Snape returned to the podium and fixed his gloomy gaze on Roy, who was desperately trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.

"Roy Smee, stand up. Tell me, what materials from bats are primarily used in potion-making?"

Roy stood up. Though he did not want to face Snape, he answered confidently and fluently.

"Bat spleens and bat wings are generally used. The spleens are mainly used to brew Swelling Solution. The wings have no direct magical effect, but they serve as a base-liquid blending agent in many potions."

Roy's answer was detailed and correct. Snape immediately knew that Roy had read the Catalogue of Potion Ingredients from Flourish and Blotts. Snape curled his lip and continued questioning him.

"What would you obtain by adding powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Snape deliberately walked behind Roy, trying to pressure him into failing to answer.

"Draught of Living Death. Valerian Root and Sopophorous Beans must also be added. After the Sopophorous Beans are added, the potion turns pale purple. Continued heating eventually turns it into a clear, transparent potion. Drinking it puts a person into a deep sleep similar to suspended death."

Seeing that Roy smoothly recited all the relevant potion knowledge every time he asked a question, Snape finally gave him a trick question.

"What potion can be brewed using Fwooper feathers and aconite?"

"Veritaserum. Belladonna essential oil, shed venomous snake skin, powdered Unicorn horn, moondew, dragon liver, pieces of virginity, and beetle eyes must also be added. Brewing Veritaserum takes a long time. The most important step is to stir the potion clockwise while adding the beetle eyes, otherwise everything done beforehand will fail."

Seeing that his scheme had succeeded, Snape was just about to mock him when Roy paused to think, then continued.

"Oh, and Memory Potion. It can improve the user's memory, but it should not be used too often, or it can easily lead to dementia. Brewing Memory Potion also requires..."

"..."

Snape was speechless. He stood to one side and listened as Roy launched into an endless explanation of the various methods and details for brewing Memory Potion. The entire class listened to Roy explain all kinds of potion knowledge as though he were speaking some incomprehensible heavenly language. Roy only grew more excited as he spoke, while Snape became increasingly irritated by his incessant chatter. Once Roy finally finished discussing Memory Potion, Snape could only sneer in a sinister voice.

"Look at Mr. Smee. He reads a few books on Potions and then dares arrive late to class, thinking himself so clever. Are you teaching your professor how to brew potions? Sit down!"

At Snape's command to sit, Roy lowered his head and silently took his seat. But a moment later, he stood up again and looked at Snape apologetically.

"What is it? Do you wish to attend class standing up?"

"No, I just remembered that for Veritaserum, you should stir first before adding the beetle eyes."

"..."

"Sit down."