It was a complete waste of time to reason with Snape; he was the only one who called the shots in his classroom.
But on second thought, this was exactly what I wanted; it was a perfect opportunity to Fortune Points and establish my persona.
What does it matter if points are deducted? Dumbledore will find an excuse to add them back to Gryffindor sooner or later anyway. It's a win-win situation.
In stark contrast to Draco's calm demeanor, the Gryffindor students around him were all extremely anxious.
Hermione's face changed, and she gently tugged at Draco's sleeve under the table, desperately signaling with her eyes for him to stop talking.
Many people were silently praying that Draco would stop provoking the unpredictable cellar bat.
Meanwhile, at the long table opposite Slytherin, everyone was laughing hysterically.
Many people covered their mouths to stifle their laughter, while others simply lowered their heads and shrugged, their eyes filled with schadenfreude and mockery.
As if watching a clown who had asked for trouble, snickers drifted over on the cold wind.
Draco temporarily put aside his thoughts and stopped making any trouble, intending to wait and see what Draco would do next.
But Snape clearly had no intention of letting Draco off so easily. A cold glint flashed in his dark eyes, and he suddenly launched an attack.
"Since you have so many questions, then show me the skills that match them, Malfoy!"
What would I get if I added Asphodel Root Powder to Infusion of Wormwood?
Upon hearing this, Harry and Ron exchanged a sharp glance, their eyes instantly lighting up with surprise.
really!
Exactly what Draco said this morning!
They've already memorized this question, so they're sure to win!
They were even waiting in their hearts to see Draco answer easily, thus slapping Snape in the face.
But to everyone's surprise, Draco didn't immediately give an answer. Instead, he slightly raised his eyes and directly asked in return:
"Professor, isn't this a formula that's only required for upperclassmen?"
In an instant, the entire Potions cellar fell silent, and everyone's expression froze.
Hermione was taken aback at first, then her eyes widened slightly, and she instantly understood.
Draco wasn't incapable; he was using the rules to fight back.
He neither argued back nor showed weakness, but instead threw the question back to Snape, which was both dignified and sharp.
She quietly clenched her fingers, feeling both surprised and impressed.
The surprise on Harry and Ron's faces froze instantly, turning from "It's a sure thing" into three question marks, "???".
The two looked at each other blankly, completely unprepared for this turn of events.
They were extremely nervous, not knowing what Draco was up to.
Neville was completely stunned, his mouth slightly agape.
Only one thought crossed my mind: Draco actually dared to question Snape? And using school rules and curriculum requirements at that! That's incredible...
The laughter and smugness from the Slytherin side came to an abrupt halt, and the mocking expressions on everyone's faces froze on the spot.
Everyone was dumbfounded, never expecting Malfoy to act unpredictably and even use the course grade requirements to shut down the professor.
For a moment, no one dared to laugh anymore, and the atmosphere instantly became extremely awkward.
Snape stood on the platform, his face visibly darkening.
"Oh... Mr. Malfoy not only interrupts lectures, but also criticizes the curriculum."
"What... astonishing insight."
"It seems you have a very clear understanding of your own ignorance."
"Let me explain to you, Malfoy! In my classroom, knowledge has no 'grade' boundaries, only the distinction between the 'capable' and the 'incapable'."
"Clearly, you've decisively categorized yourself as the latter."
After he finished speaking, the cellar fell into an eerie silence.
The Gryffindor students all held their breath.
Low chuckles rose again from Slytherin's side, with many glancing sideways, watching the spectacle with amusement, convinced that Malfoy was doomed this time.
Draco suddenly chuckled softly and said, "Professor, what if I knew?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the quiet classroom.
The Gryffindor students looked up abruptly, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief, a flicker of anticipation instantly appearing on their previously tense faces.
Snape's face showed a strangely fake yet dangerously unsettling curiosity.
His dark eyes narrowed slightly, and a cold, chilling smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spoke like a viper flicking its tongue:
"Oh? That's quite an unexpected declaration."
"So let's assume that the 'famous Malfoy ' did indeed reserve space in his empty head for some real knowledge."
He raised his hand, making a gesture of utter contempt:
"Speak, Malfoy! Let us all hear your... insightful opinion! If you truly know, then why did you question the validity of the question just now?"
Draco met his gaze and said helplessly, "Professor, it seems that answering correctly or incorrectly won't work either."
Snape immediately seized the opportunity and said:
"Your statement just now perfectly illustrates what it means to be 'incorrigible'!"
"You're trying to use glib excuses to cover up a simple fact: you're lazy, you didn't prepare, you know nothing! When you realize you can't get away with using knowledge, you turn to attacking the rules of questioning itself—"
He was already prepared to deduct points, and was about to deliver the verdict as soon as he finished speaking.
Draco immediately interrupted, giving the answer in rapid succession, word for word:
"Wait! Adding Asphodel Root Powder to Infusion of Wormwood will create 'Draught of Living Death' —a powerful sleeping pill."
In an instant, the entire Potions cellar fell into complete silence.
Hermione and the others were naturally not worried.
But all the other Gryffindor students held their breath.
Their hearts, which had been pounding in their throats, suddenly relaxed, their eyes filled with shock and admiration.
Draco actually knew the answer! And he answered it when Snape cornered him—that was so cool!
The laughter, smugness, and mockery from the Slytherin side vanished instantly; they couldn't believe Malfoy had actually solved such an advanced problem.
Their expressions, which had initially been amused, turned into surprise, embarrassment, and a hint of resentment.
At this moment, Snape's face was as dark as the shadows deep in the cellar, and every word he uttered was filled with suppressed rage:
" Malfoy, you made the choice that resulted in the fewest points deducted. First—interrupting the teacher, Gryffindor loses five points."
He seemed to swallow something extremely disgusting, and said, "... Secondly, the answer is correct."
The word "correct" was forced out of him like poison, harsh and unwilling.
"But you clearly know the answer. This means your questioning just now wasn't out of a pursuit of knowledge, but purely to show off and contradict your professor."
" Gryffindor, another ten points deducted."
His gaze swept across the entire room, and he spoke in a voice as cold as ice:
"Because Mr. Malfoy proved that some people's cleverness is only used for attention-seeking and disrupting classroom order."
"This kind of behavior is more despicable than ignorance."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Slytherin table erupted in a burst of barely suppressed laughter, eager to see Draco embarrass himself even more.