Chapter one : Snape's defeat
Severus Snape can never understand why James Potter is so well-like among the pupils in Hogwarts without much effort on his part. Everyone seems to be attracted to James, clamouring for his attention, hoping to gain acceptance as part of his elite group. In fact, Potter is treated as a demigod in Hogwarts, with preferential treatment given to him and lavish praises heaped by both teachers and students . Any errors committed by Potter, however grave and major it may be will always be regarded as insignificant and be dismissed perfunctorily while a good deed by him will be exaggerated, amplified and trumpeted. It is no wonder, as days passed by, James Potter became more and more arrogant, thinking that he can do what he like without bothering much of the consequences ahead and the feelings of others. In contrast to the elite social circle that has surrounded Potter, Snape is an outcaste among his friends. What poor Snape hankers after is just a friend whom he can share his problems with, borrow a shoulder to cry on when the going gets tough, but unfortunately no such person has appeared thus far. Instead he has to tolerate the regular taunts and ridicule from James Potter and his "elite group". Other of his classmates are either too enamoured by James or too overwhelmed by the influence he holds on Hogwarts that no one dares approach him for fear of being regarded as an outcaste, alongside with him. Everyone avoids Snape like a plaque, so afraid that their unblemished reputation that they have so painstakingly tried to preserve in their years in Hogwarts to be tarnished .
Only Lily Evans is different. Though she has never publicly denounced Potter's discrimination, her expression towards Snape is always one filled with sympathy and helplessness. On several occasions, Snape has noticed how Evans tried to convince Potter and his group to treat him more humanely, at the very least not hurling any insults and abusive language but was unfortunately met with greaet resistance.
The bell rang. Enough of self pity. Time for reality to set in. Severus shoved his thoughts aside and ran towards his next class with lightning speed, praying hard that he will reach his next class, Potions on time conducted by Professor Dumbledore, his favourite teacher.
Potions. How wonderful this subject is. Severus knows that he has a natural talent in Potions as evident from the time he takes to master a difficult potion compared to rest of his peers.
And Professor Dumbledore. Someone whom he respects with all his heart. He is the epitome of goodness , his powers unsurpassed by any wizards of his generation. From day 1 in Hogwarts, Snape was already impressed by the gusto and verve that Professor Dumbledore had delivered his speech. The nuggets of wisdom that Dumbledore had peppered his speech with had completely won Snape over and since then, Snape was determined to emulate Dumbledore.
Panting heavily, Snape reached his class on time and found a empty seat besides Lily Evans. Shortly after Snape settled down, Professor Dumbledore entered the class. " Good morning, class. I hope that everyone had a well- rested weekend. Because we are having a SURPRISE TEST on Potions today." Professor Dumbledore uttered these words in a raspy and deep voice. This surprise piece of news was met with numerous groans and grunts, except for Snape who was as usual, calm and nonchalant. Professor Dumbledore continued slightly louder and clearer, " Whoever produces the best potion will not only earn his house fifty points and in addition, receive a special gift from me which I will not disclose yet. But you can be assured of its usefulness. And when I say good potion, it means the effectiveness, texture of it. Game to take up this challenge? The potion is." Professor Dumbledore flashed his wand once and the name of the potion starts to take shape slowly. "Azortkis"..
Upon seeing the word "Azortkis", most groaned because Azortkis is such a difficult potion to produce. The number of ingredients it requires is already a headache for most students, which include frog legs, snake gall, grasshoppers and a myriad of grasses and flowers. The procedure is complicated and tedious, requiring undivided attention because the adding of these ingredients must be in sequence and of the correct timing. Azortkis is a potion used to treat patients who have been stunned by Dementors and the effectiveness of Azortkis varies from one individual to another.
Everyone scrambled into action. The thought of gaining a mysterious present from Professor Dumbledore and the chance of catapulting to fame spurred everyone to give his best shot. Yet however hard some tried, the end result was dismal for some. As time slowly trickled past, the number of students whose potions were making headway also dwindled. At the last half an hour, only James Potter, Severus Snape and Lily Evans were still hard at word, determined to be the best in potions. Other students had either given up on this mind boggling task or had failed miserably in their attempt to produce this sacred potion. From time to time, James cast surreptitious glances on Snape's work, so afraid that his potion will be of a more inferior quality than Snape. Snape, however was very much oblivious to the surroundings, deeply concentrating on what he was doing.
"5,4 ,3 ,2 and 1. ok stop what you are doing. Lily, Severus and James, bring your potions to the front for inspection. And class, please gather in front of the teacher's bench", Professor Dumbledore bellowed. Lily, Severus and James hugged their pots of potions, so afraid of accidentally dropping them.
The three transparent pots were placed deferentially on the table, like some ritual rites. The atmosphere was heavy and tense. The class was polarised into two groups of supporters, one for James Potter and the other for Lily Evans. No one supported Snape, though no one dares to boo Snape for fear of incurring Professor's Dumbledore wrath.
The three crystalline solutions were held under the luminous light for inspection, checking how much light was able to pass through the solutions.
"It mustn't be too thick, nor too diluted because the effectiveness is dependent on its concentration too", Professor Dumbledore explained to his students who were rapt in attention. He continued, "I am extremely pleased with the prelimary round of inspection as all three pupils have surpassed my expectations. All the potions were of the right texture and concentration. To further determine the superiority of the potion, a secondary investigation involving the use of the wizards indicator will have to be put into use."
"One drop of wizard indicator is sufficient to determine the best potion and I want all of you students to concentrate on what happen when this drop is added. Take down the colour changes." Dumbledore spoke solemly.
One drop each was added to Snape, Lily and Potter's potions respectively. It was truly a feast for the eyes to witness what happened immediately after the addition. All three solutions started changing colours at regular intervals. Blue, green, yellow, violet, red, pink-all were displayed upfront. The students, including Snape and Potter were all enchanted and mesmerised by what they had seen before them.
When the changing of colours was finally over, Professor Dumbledore started giving his comments on the potions.
" Lily, I can see that you have put in your heart and soul making this potion. However the major demerit of your potion is that it's a tad too mild. Look at the intensity after the addition of the Wizards indicator. The colour intensity is a shade lighter than that of Snape and Potter. Remember INTENSITY IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POTION. Lily, your potion is just sufficient to treat a third degree shock. But overall good effort. Number of colours =8. Twenty points to Griffindor for good effort."
Lily scowled because she had expected to win after so much hard work. After all this was her best attempt in making Azortkis and she had taken days and nights memorising the sequence and ingredients needed.
" It is apparent that both Potter and Snape solutions are equally good. It is a tough choice to decide which of the two potions is the better one. Both have the same colour changes, thirteen in total and the same intensity. I would very like to declare both winners but only one present is available, a V200 broom. No matter who's 1st or 2nd, I hope that everyone will treat this as a learning experience.
"The winner is.." from the background, cheers for potter reverberated round the lab.
"James Potter " Everyone erupted in joy upon hearing that James won, all except Snape who sank down slowly at one corner of the classroom.
Amidst the numerous congratulations given to James by his supporters, Snape pondered deeply over his loss. Tears were brimming in his eyes, threatening to spill any moment. But he was determined not to reveal his vulnerability to the class. He gritted his teeth and took deep breaths to calm his frazzled nerves.
However he could not help but brood over his loss. What had gone wrong? Throughout his experiment, he had taken great care to ensure that the ingredients were of the right quantity and quality and were added in the correct sequence and time. He could not stand the smirk James had given him after the results were announced.
Throughout his school life in Hogwarts, no matter how hard he tried, he always lost to James Potter by a marginal bit. He was not willing to take this lying now that even Potions, the subject in which he excelled was letting him down. What has James Potter done to deserve all this? He, Snape, has studied conscientiously for the past few years to achieve what he has now whereas James has aced his exams without much effort on his part. Why is it so unfair that no matter how hard I try, I am always tailing behind James.
" Snape, are you all right?" Professor Dumbledore whispered, tapping his shoulder simultaneously. Snape was momentarily jolted out from reverie. Looking directly into the wisdom-filled eyes of Dumbledore, Snape felt a calming effect wash over him. He felt no anger against this man who had chosen Potter's potion over his because he knew very well that Professor Dumbledore had been partial in his inspection. It was true that James' potion was indeed better than his and he had only himself to blame for his lacklustre performance.
Professor Dumbledore continued, " I know that you are feeling miserable right now and nothing I say can alleviate your grief. But you must be strong to take any setbacks in your stride. Do not despair, my son, as a great future lies ahead of you."
" Thank You, Sir. I will not disappoint you."
"Good. Do not allow this small defeat to damp your spirits for the day. Hurry up and join your class for the next lesson."
((((((
Severus Snape can never understand why James Potter is so well-like among the pupils in Hogwarts without much effort on his part. Everyone seems to be attracted to James, clamouring for his attention, hoping to gain acceptance as part of his elite group. In fact, Potter is treated as a demigod in Hogwarts, with preferential treatment given to him and lavish praises heaped by both teachers and students . Any errors committed by Potter, however grave and major it may be will always be regarded as insignificant and be dismissed perfunctorily while a good deed by him will be exaggerated, amplified and trumpeted. It is no wonder, as days passed by, James Potter became more and more arrogant, thinking that he can do what he like without bothering much of the consequences ahead and the feelings of others. In contrast to the elite social circle that has surrounded Potter, Snape is an outcaste among his friends. What poor Snape hankers after is just a friend whom he can share his problems with, borrow a shoulder to cry on when the going gets tough, but unfortunately no such person has appeared thus far. Instead he has to tolerate the regular taunts and ridicule from James Potter and his "elite group". Other of his classmates are either too enamoured by James or too overwhelmed by the influence he holds on Hogwarts that no one dares approach him for fear of being regarded as an outcaste, alongside with him. Everyone avoids Snape like a plaque, so afraid that their unblemished reputation that they have so painstakingly tried to preserve in their years in Hogwarts to be tarnished .
Only Lily Evans is different. Though she has never publicly denounced Potter's discrimination, her expression towards Snape is always one filled with sympathy and helplessness. On several occasions, Snape has noticed how Evans tried to convince Potter and his group to treat him more humanely, at the very least not hurling any insults and abusive language but was unfortunately met with greaet resistance.
The bell rang. Enough of self pity. Time for reality to set in. Severus shoved his thoughts aside and ran towards his next class with lightning speed, praying hard that he will reach his next class, Potions on time conducted by Professor Dumbledore, his favourite teacher.
Potions. How wonderful this subject is. Severus knows that he has a natural talent in Potions as evident from the time he takes to master a difficult potion compared to rest of his peers.
And Professor Dumbledore. Someone whom he respects with all his heart. He is the epitome of goodness , his powers unsurpassed by any wizards of his generation. From day 1 in Hogwarts, Snape was already impressed by the gusto and verve that Professor Dumbledore had delivered his speech. The nuggets of wisdom that Dumbledore had peppered his speech with had completely won Snape over and since then, Snape was determined to emulate Dumbledore.
Panting heavily, Snape reached his class on time and found a empty seat besides Lily Evans. Shortly after Snape settled down, Professor Dumbledore entered the class. " Good morning, class. I hope that everyone had a well- rested weekend. Because we are having a SURPRISE TEST on Potions today." Professor Dumbledore uttered these words in a raspy and deep voice. This surprise piece of news was met with numerous groans and grunts, except for Snape who was as usual, calm and nonchalant. Professor Dumbledore continued slightly louder and clearer, " Whoever produces the best potion will not only earn his house fifty points and in addition, receive a special gift from me which I will not disclose yet. But you can be assured of its usefulness. And when I say good potion, it means the effectiveness, texture of it. Game to take up this challenge? The potion is." Professor Dumbledore flashed his wand once and the name of the potion starts to take shape slowly. "Azortkis"..
Upon seeing the word "Azortkis", most groaned because Azortkis is such a difficult potion to produce. The number of ingredients it requires is already a headache for most students, which include frog legs, snake gall, grasshoppers and a myriad of grasses and flowers. The procedure is complicated and tedious, requiring undivided attention because the adding of these ingredients must be in sequence and of the correct timing. Azortkis is a potion used to treat patients who have been stunned by Dementors and the effectiveness of Azortkis varies from one individual to another.
Everyone scrambled into action. The thought of gaining a mysterious present from Professor Dumbledore and the chance of catapulting to fame spurred everyone to give his best shot. Yet however hard some tried, the end result was dismal for some. As time slowly trickled past, the number of students whose potions were making headway also dwindled. At the last half an hour, only James Potter, Severus Snape and Lily Evans were still hard at word, determined to be the best in potions. Other students had either given up on this mind boggling task or had failed miserably in their attempt to produce this sacred potion. From time to time, James cast surreptitious glances on Snape's work, so afraid that his potion will be of a more inferior quality than Snape. Snape, however was very much oblivious to the surroundings, deeply concentrating on what he was doing.
"5,4 ,3 ,2 and 1. ok stop what you are doing. Lily, Severus and James, bring your potions to the front for inspection. And class, please gather in front of the teacher's bench", Professor Dumbledore bellowed. Lily, Severus and James hugged their pots of potions, so afraid of accidentally dropping them.
The three transparent pots were placed deferentially on the table, like some ritual rites. The atmosphere was heavy and tense. The class was polarised into two groups of supporters, one for James Potter and the other for Lily Evans. No one supported Snape, though no one dares to boo Snape for fear of incurring Professor's Dumbledore wrath.
The three crystalline solutions were held under the luminous light for inspection, checking how much light was able to pass through the solutions.
"It mustn't be too thick, nor too diluted because the effectiveness is dependent on its concentration too", Professor Dumbledore explained to his students who were rapt in attention. He continued, "I am extremely pleased with the prelimary round of inspection as all three pupils have surpassed my expectations. All the potions were of the right texture and concentration. To further determine the superiority of the potion, a secondary investigation involving the use of the wizards indicator will have to be put into use."
"One drop of wizard indicator is sufficient to determine the best potion and I want all of you students to concentrate on what happen when this drop is added. Take down the colour changes." Dumbledore spoke solemly.
One drop each was added to Snape, Lily and Potter's potions respectively. It was truly a feast for the eyes to witness what happened immediately after the addition. All three solutions started changing colours at regular intervals. Blue, green, yellow, violet, red, pink-all were displayed upfront. The students, including Snape and Potter were all enchanted and mesmerised by what they had seen before them.
When the changing of colours was finally over, Professor Dumbledore started giving his comments on the potions.
" Lily, I can see that you have put in your heart and soul making this potion. However the major demerit of your potion is that it's a tad too mild. Look at the intensity after the addition of the Wizards indicator. The colour intensity is a shade lighter than that of Snape and Potter. Remember INTENSITY IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POTION. Lily, your potion is just sufficient to treat a third degree shock. But overall good effort. Number of colours =8. Twenty points to Griffindor for good effort."
Lily scowled because she had expected to win after so much hard work. After all this was her best attempt in making Azortkis and she had taken days and nights memorising the sequence and ingredients needed.
" It is apparent that both Potter and Snape solutions are equally good. It is a tough choice to decide which of the two potions is the better one. Both have the same colour changes, thirteen in total and the same intensity. I would very like to declare both winners but only one present is available, a V200 broom. No matter who's 1st or 2nd, I hope that everyone will treat this as a learning experience.
"The winner is.." from the background, cheers for potter reverberated round the lab.
"James Potter " Everyone erupted in joy upon hearing that James won, all except Snape who sank down slowly at one corner of the classroom.
Amidst the numerous congratulations given to James by his supporters, Snape pondered deeply over his loss. Tears were brimming in his eyes, threatening to spill any moment. But he was determined not to reveal his vulnerability to the class. He gritted his teeth and took deep breaths to calm his frazzled nerves.
However he could not help but brood over his loss. What had gone wrong? Throughout his experiment, he had taken great care to ensure that the ingredients were of the right quantity and quality and were added in the correct sequence and time. He could not stand the smirk James had given him after the results were announced.
Throughout his school life in Hogwarts, no matter how hard he tried, he always lost to James Potter by a marginal bit. He was not willing to take this lying now that even Potions, the subject in which he excelled was letting him down. What has James Potter done to deserve all this? He, Snape, has studied conscientiously for the past few years to achieve what he has now whereas James has aced his exams without much effort on his part. Why is it so unfair that no matter how hard I try, I am always tailing behind James.
" Snape, are you all right?" Professor Dumbledore whispered, tapping his shoulder simultaneously. Snape was momentarily jolted out from reverie. Looking directly into the wisdom-filled eyes of Dumbledore, Snape felt a calming effect wash over him. He felt no anger against this man who had chosen Potter's potion over his because he knew very well that Professor Dumbledore had been partial in his inspection. It was true that James' potion was indeed better than his and he had only himself to blame for his lacklustre performance.
Professor Dumbledore continued, " I know that you are feeling miserable right now and nothing I say can alleviate your grief. But you must be strong to take any setbacks in your stride. Do not despair, my son, as a great future lies ahead of you."
" Thank You, Sir. I will not disappoint you."
"Good. Do not allow this small defeat to damp your spirits for the day. Hurry up and join your class for the next lesson."
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