"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class."
Professor Snape almost glided on the floor, his dark cloak billowing behind him like gusts of black wind.
He did not look at Darcie, who had begun attending ingredients seated on the table at the front of the class.
Approaching the lectern, he leaned on it and eyed the first years with his black, beady eyes.
Harry looked at Black and noticed his friend shared the color with Snape. He didn't know what to make of it, though.
It was cold down here, in the dungeons.
The walls of the potions classroom were lined with jars of glass with different colored liquids.
In those liquids, parts of animals were suspended. Some eyes were even blinking, staring hard at the students as if it were the children who had bottled them away.
Not to mention, it was dark.
Cold dark, dimming candles, and Professor Snape. The three seemed to go well together, it felt.
Like Professor McGonagall, Snape possessed a way with the students, keeping them quiet, and at the edge of their seats, without needing to ask for it.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. "As such, I don't expect many of you will really understand…
"... the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… However, for those select few…"
Draco thought Snape had looked at him.
Daphne felt the Professor had eyed her oddly.
Hermione knew Snape meant her, what with all the eagerness she had been showing on her face.
Snape continued, looking at no one in particular, "… who possess the predisposition… I can tell you how to bottle fame… brew glory and even put a stopper in death."
He looked at students, making them gulp.
Suddenly, he let go of the lectern and wrapped his cloak around him. "Ah, yes…" Snape drawled. "We have a celebrity… among us, today."
The entire class turned their heads and looked at the front.
Snape frowned. He followed the children's gazes and looked over his shoulder.
Darcie Malfoy had prepped all the ingredients for the demonstration of Boil-Cure Potion. Sensing the gazes, she lifted her head and planted her dark, green eyes on all of them.
The silence was deafening!
Snape spun his head back so fast that it sent all the flames dancing on the candles. "Not… her," he whispered, sending a shiver running down the students' spines. His gaze landed on the boy-who-lived. "Mr. Potter…"
Now everyone looked at Harry.
Yes. That's the reaction Snape wanted, making him let out a small smile.
Behind him, unknown and unseen to everyone but Daphne, Darcie rolled her eyes.
"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry and Black shared a stunned glance while Ron's mouth opened as if Snape had babbled in a foreign language.
Hermione's hand shot up.
"I don't know, sir," said Harry.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Hermione would have stood up if it wasn't for Daphne putting her hand over her legs.
Harry, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on and why he was being singled out by Snape. There was no need to even mention the question. He could hear Malfoy and his goons shaking with laughter.
Before Harry could shake his head, though, Black chuckled. "Clearly Hermione knows, sir," he quipped. "You shouldn't favor Gryffindor over Slytherin by giving us so many chances to earn points."
A few laughed; Black winked at Harry, who was smiling now.
Of course, Professor Snape was not pleased. He took a measured look at Black, boring his dark stare into him.
"Put your hand down, silly girl!" he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment.
Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Mr…" He didn't even ask, but referred to the roll call list to look up his name. "Ah… Mr. Black… Why I am not surprised…"
Old memories kicked in, making Snape take another, deeper look at Black.
Black would have cared about Snape's gaze if he wasn't preoccupied with the dull-gray notification hovering in front of him.
…
[
Contestant Kai D. Stormborn, you have lost your House a point
Penalty - NA
…
WARNING!
If you lose 10 Points in a year, then you will lose 10 Charisma.
If you lose 50 Points in a year, then you will lose 2 Correspondence.
If you lose 100 Points in a year, then you will lose your Standalone Title - Hogwarts Student
]
…
"Excuse me, sir," Black looked through the notification, nudging Harry and Ron with elbows.
Snape ignored the boy.
Ron kicked Black under the table. "Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."
Black's mouth twitched. "I can't control it," he whispered. Then he shouted over the hush, "Sir, may I ask if Professor Darcie will be taking our classes for the entire term?!"
A few didn't laugh; Ron was too gobsmacked to utter even a whimper as the entire class roared out a peal of laughter.
Harry had gone numb, his head slowly turning to look at the girl in question.
Draco didn't laugh, either. But he was more scared than angry this time, knowing how well his sister held grudges, sometimes going months before taking her sweet revenge.
Daphne didn't laugh because she was finding Professor Darcie suited her friend… just too much.
Hermione was offended the most, though. She snapped her head toward Black, but then suddenly remembered him from beyond the horror of Battle of Legends. She blushed, looking away instantly.
Professor Snape smiled.
Instead of entertaining the obvious, snarky question, he dismissed Darcie. "You can go to the library now," he told her. "Show Madam Pince my signed note."
Darcie nodded at Snape, making his mouth twitch.
Then she walked away, her green eyes never leaving Black's face.
The potions classroom held onto the silence even after Darcie had gone, closing the doors behind her.
For once, Draco pitied the Mudblood.
Daphne scribbled Professor Darcie on the back of her parchment, finding it very amusing.
Ron was appalled. "You don't know her!" he hissed under his breath. "You shouldn't have made fun of her…"
"Why…" Black yawned. "She didn't seem much to me."
Ron gaped, his jaw dropping lower than ever. "Have you lived in a cave till now?!"
On the other side, Harry finally let out a bubbling laugh.
Things didn't turn out well for Gryffindor, though.
By the time the class ended, Professor Snape had deducted one more point from the House, blaming Harry for Neville's mistake.
With the week ending Gryffindor losing 2 points, the boys had only one thing to look forward to —
Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday.
**************
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