"Everyone must submit a finished potion."
Snape's voice came from the front of the classroom.
"Working in pairs is meant to let you check each other's work. If anyone plans to leave everything to their partner, they may leave now."
Ron had only just sat down beside Hermione when he immediately pulled his cauldron closer.
Harry glanced at the two small cauldrons on the table.
It looked as though he really would have to listen carefully to Miss's instructions today.
Malfoy laid out the ingredients one by one and picked up a mortar.
"Start with the snake fangs. Grind them to an even consistency. Don't throw whole chunks in."
As she spoke, the pestle in her hand was already turning.
Her movements were steady. In a few strokes, she ground up the snake fangs, then carefully checked them over.
Harry tried to copy her movements, but used a little too much force. His pestle knocked against the rim with a soft clink.
Malfoy immediately looked over.
"Potter, are you grinding the ingredients, or planning to add the mortar too?"
"It's my first time. I'm not quite used to it."
"I can tell." The girl gave a soft huff, but pushed her own mortar a little to the side. "Relax your wrist. Don't just press down."
Harry did as she said, and it was indeed much easier.
"That's much better. Thanks."
The corners of Malfoy's lips lifted slightly. "I won't teach you every step twice."
The girl raised her chin with an air of affected reserve, but she could not hide the smugness in those gray-green eyes.
Well, Potter?
Now you know how good I am, don't you?
So what if you stole all the limelight in front of Professor Snape earlier?
Being able to recite the answers doesn't mean you can brew a potion!
In the end, don't you still have to obediently follow my instructions?
Just thinking of how Harry, who had left her eating humble pie earlier, now had to dutifully learn from her put Malfoy in an especially good mood.
Hmph, hmph.
That's more like it!
She, Miss Malfoy, should be the more capable one!
Harry did not reply, because the panel had opened as he went back to processing his ingredients.
[Recorded: Cure for Boils.] [Current status: not mastered.] [Ingredient preparation tip: large particles remain in the powdered snake fangs. Further grinding recommended.]
Harry glanced down.
To the naked eye, it already looked quite fine, but he followed the prompt and ground it a little longer anyway.
Until that line of advice disappeared.
Next came the dried nettles and horned slugs.
Malfoy identified the ingredients with practiced ease and barely needed to readjust anything when weighing them.
Harry was slower. He checked the blackboard while listening to her reminders, then made adjustments according to the problems the panel pointed out.
"Too much, Potter."
The girl glanced at his weighing pan.
Harry used a small spoon to remove a little.
"Like this?"
"Mm." Malfoy withdrew her gaze in satisfaction.
But Harry glanced at the panel again and quietly removed an even smaller amount.
[Ingredient proportions: meet requirements.]
He put down the spoon. This thing was even more useful than he had imagined.
As the ingredients went into the cauldrons one after another, a strange smell soon drifted through the classroom.
Around them, some students fumbled frantically through their books, while others held up ingredients, repeatedly checking the next step.
Malfoy, however, had already begun controlling the heat.
"Don't overcook the slugs. Watch how their surfaces change instead of just staring at your book."
Harry immediately lowered his head. The panel's prompt appeared almost at the same time.
[Current heat slightly too high. Reducing heat recommended.]
He lowered the flame a little. After a while, the prompt changed again.
[Continue stirring at an even speed.]
Harry gripped the stirring rod and carefully moved it in circles.
Malfoy glanced at him twice from beside him and finally said nothing more.
This Potter was reasonably obedient, at least.
In the classroom, Snape began making his rounds.
He stopped at several tables, pointing out problems with weighing, heat, and ingredient preparation. His voice was not loud, but it always made those he singled out tense their shoulders.
When he reached Malfoy, he stopped.
The girl had already removed her cauldron from the heat and was preparing to add the porcupine quills.
Seeing this, Harry moved his own cauldron away first as well.
"Pay attention to how she handled the slugs." Snape looked at the nearby students. "Their shape is intact, and the heat did not get out of control."
Malfoy raised her chin, barely able to conceal the smugness in her eyes.
She glanced at Harry.
Did you hear that? The professor himself approved.
Harry nodded to her.
Only then did Malfoy turn back in satisfaction and complete the final few steps.
Her potion gradually stabilized, taking on an even blue color.
Snape took a small sample and examined its color and condition.
"Good, Malfoy."
At that assessment, the nearby students all looked over.
Malfoy put down her tools and sat even straighter.
"Potter, yours-"
She turned, only to stop abruptly.
Harry was completing his final round of stirring.
[Stirring speed too fast. Slowing down recommended.]
He slowed his movements slightly.
The potion swirled gently in the cauldron, its still somewhat uneven color gradually becoming clear.
The last tiny flecks of foam disappeared too.
[First successful brewing.] [Cure for Boils: beginner (20/100).]
Harry stared at the panel, momentarily stunned.
That was it? He had thought he would have to fail at least once or twice.
Beside him, Snape had already turned. His black eyes settled on Harry's cauldron and lingered for several seconds.
"Take out your finished potion."
Harry hurriedly picked up a clean glass bottle.
The potion poured in, its color even, with no obvious sediment.
Snape took the bottle and raised it to the light.
Then lowered it again.
He looked at Malfoy's finished potion once more and placed the two bottles together.
Side by side, the difference became apparent.
Malfoy's was already very good, but Harry's potion was clearer, its color more stable too.
Somewhere in the classroom, someone stopped stirring first.
Then the students at several nearby tables could not help looking over.
Ron still held his little spoon, his eyes already wide.
Hermione looked at the two bottles, then at the prepared ingredients in front of Harry, her expression turning serious as well.
"Potter." Snape spoke more slowly than before. "Have you brewed this potion before?"
"No, Professor."
Malfoy whipped her head around.
No?!
What had she just heard?
Snape said nothing and examined Harry's finished potion again. A moment later, he set the bottle back on the table.
"The best one in this class so far."
An irrepressible murmur rose through the classroom.
"Better than Malfoy's?"
"Isn't this his first time?"
"The genius Harry Potter..."
Hearing that description, Harry felt a little embarrassed.
He had only wanted to get through the lesson smoothly, practice his skills in peace, and lie low while he grew stronger.
How had he accidentally taken the top spot in class?
That was a little too easy. Of course, he did not dare say that aloud.
Especially while Snape was still watching him.
The professor's gaze moved from the potion to his face, then lingered for a moment on his green eyes.
What lay in that gaze suddenly became difficult to distinguish, as though he wanted to say something, but ultimately did not.
Harry grew increasingly uncomfortable under his stare.
"Professor?"
Snape's gaze shifted slightly.
"The genius Harry Potter."
He repeated it.
This time, Harry actually could not tell just how much sarcasm there was in those words.
"Write down what you just did. Next time, I will see whether you can produce it again."
With that, Snape turned and walked toward another table.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately felt another gaze on him.
Malfoy was watching him. The smug little curve of her lips had vanished completely.
"You've learned this before."
She sounded utterly certain.
"This is my first time."
"You've definitely learned this before!"
The girl kept her voice very low, but her cheeks had already begun to redden. "So you were pretending the whole time?"
"What?"
"You deliberately pretended you didn't know how, made me teach you, then produced a better potion!"
Harry froze for a moment. How on earth had she twisted it into that?
"I really didn't know how just now. The things you taught me-"
Malfoy turned her head away outright.
She did not want to listen.
Harry had said she was good, invited her to be his partner, and dutifully followed her instructions.
She had even genuinely thought that this Potter had finally developed a little discernment.
And what happened? She had spent all that time explaining things beside him, only for him to casually do better than her!
He had even made the professor put their potions side by side to compare them.
Malfoy pressed her lips together and put away the tools in front of her one by one.
Harry called to her again.
She did not answer.
For the rest of the lesson, Miss did not say another word to him.
When the bell rang, Harry had just put his textbook into his bag.
Malfoy stood up and walked past him.
The next instant, her shoe came down squarely on the top of his foot.
"Ow-what are you doing?!" Harry immediately looked up.
The girl had already withdrawn her foot, her chin raised even higher than before.
"Potter, just you wait."
"I'll make you pay! Goyle, Crabbe, let's go!"
The two girls hurriedly packed up their things and followed.
As Goyle passed, he glanced at Harry, then at the young lady who had already reached the door. In the end, he said nothing.
At the classroom doorway, that long platinum hair swished, then quickly vanished down the corridor.
Ron finally came over with his textbooks in his arms. He glanced at the doorway and lowered his voice.
"Harry, you'd better watch out for her. That woman Malfoy is a venomous snake."
There was no response from beside him.
"Harry?"
Ron couldn't help turning his head.
Only to see Harry still gazing in the direction Malfoy had left.
The corners of his mouth were actually still curling upward.
He was...
Smiling?
Before you continue