Chapter 10
When Snape came and opened the doors to the classroom everyone got in. While they were all taking seat at their for them usual seats Jack stared at Snape with utter dismay. The professor looked too much like Pitch. He would have stared at Snape the whole time if Neville haven't pulled him out of his thoughts. It seemed as if the boy understands that Jack looked horrified by Snape. But Neville thought that Jack was horrified from the professor and not that the professor just looked like someone Jack was afraid of.
In the end Jack was seated between Hermione and Neville.
Jack hoped that the professor didn't saw him staring before. He was quite sure that no one liked being stared at. But as always Jack wasn't that luck.
"So, we have this year a new student in our rows. Let us hope he will be something beter that you lot of hopeless cases. So Mr. Frost. Tell me what I will get if I add Powdered Root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood"
Now Jack was glad that he had studied every single one of the books that North bought him.
"They make sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. " Answered Jack without hesitation. And it continued that way.
„Where would you look if I tell you to find me a Bezoar? "
„A Bezoar is a stone, taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from the most poisons.
„What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane? "
„They are the same plant which also goes by the name of Aconite. "
Jack already thought the professor would give Gryffindor some points, but he was proven wrong. Snape had an emotionless face. But behind the masks he didn't know if he was proud that he had some intelligent students in his class or to be disappointed that Frost wasn't in his house.
After this little surprise test Snape was worse tempered as before.
They had to make some potion in record time. Jack was relieved that he could do something so it didn't bother him how it would go. He still gave his best, but he wasn't as nervous as Hermione and did his job without rushing or shaking hands, like the others did.
The most students didn't get the draught right. Hermione had got it somehow right. But Ron's seemed as something had crawled into his pot and died. And so it stunk. Jack was proud that he was one of the students who got it mostly right. He thought that Harry's could pass as a good one but seemingly Snape thought otherwise. Snape made the potion vanish. Jack didn't understand it. A lot of the Slytherins had worse looking potions, especially the gorillas, but Snape just ignored their failure. Before Jack could say something about the unfairness of the situation Neville's potion started to bubble like it would explode. Jack remembered the spell that Snape used to vanish Harrys potion and took his wand out. Snape noticed that Neville's pot was short from exploding and it was too late for him to intervene, he already thought about the best way to get the nearest students to the hospital wing, when the potion suddenly vanished. He looked perplexed around and saw Jack standing by Neville holding a wand in his hand.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for endangering other students with a failed potion, Neville." There was a loud groan from the Gryffindors. It just wasn't right. "Also. Fifteen points for Gryffindor for Jacks fast intervention that has surely saved a few students from bad burns, or worse. You are dismissed."
There was quite some astonishment. Snape did never give points to other houses than his, especially not Gryffindor. But it seemed that Jack was keen to break rules of any sorts so it wasn't a surprise that he was in the middle of this rule break.
Jack was relived to finally get some fresh air as he exited the dungeons. He hated being surrounded by cold stone walls. Not that he minded the cold but it reminded him too much of Pitch's nightmare castle.