Chapter 237 Section 1 Potion Lesson
Hogwarts, ground floor, potion classroom.
"Woo, it hurts, Hannah, you're too heavy."
Elena anxiously followed her tangled hair and whispered with sorrow. For a moment, she even felt as if her soul was almost being dragged down by Hannah.
"Shh, be quiet."
Hannah lifted her index finger and, with a hushing gesture, turned her head towards the lectern in front of her on the right.
The potion classroom is much colder than the main building of the castle. Some animal and plant specimens are immersed in glass jars placed along the wall. At this moment, there is also a teacher with a cold and indifferent demeanor in the classroom. The classrooms exude low pressure and a somber atmosphere; even if a hundred ghosts were crowded in this room like sardines in a can, perhaps they could not create a more suffocating atmosphere.
All little wizards were extraordinarily cunning, speaking softly and carefully, as if at the slightest raise of their voice, Professor Snape sitting at the lectern would transform into a giant serpent, swallowing the noise.
Unfortunately, Snape next to his desk was unaware of the imagination in the minds of the little wizards. At that moment, he was silently scanning the list of students, his eyes occasionally flicking to the class, his lips moving silently, evidently counting the number of people in the room.
... Forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one, alright, here it is.
Snape's fingers tapped lightly on the list, and a hint of satisfaction glinted in his eyes. It was just a quarter to nine o'clock, and all the students in the class had already arrived. It was just.
In a certain sense, it was finally good news.
"Well, it seems like everyone is here."
Severus Snape stood up holding the list of students and cleared his throat a bit, then noticed that all the children in the classroom, except the silver-haired witch, were trembling slightly. Was he that terrifying?
Perhaps later, he should allow Professor Dumbledore to add a rule to the school regulations, strictly prohibiting discrediting or disparaging various subjects, especially the image of the Potions Professor, on any private occasion.
Snape's cheeks twitched slightly, suppressing the dissatisfaction within him, and continued at his own pace without hesitation.
"Before we start with the roll call, there are some classroom discipline rules that need to be emphasized. Please, gentlemen and ladies, remember them well. I will not repeat them again."
"Firstly, whispering in my class is forbidden. To speak, you must first raise your hand and ask questions only after my approval."
Snape glanced at the students sitting in the potion class, focusing on the first-year wizard from Ravenclaw for a moment; as for Hufflepuff, these children were a little spirited, almost boring, but generally quite obedient.
"Secondly, do not attempt to use tricks learned in other classes to be lazy, and do not be foolish to attempt to use any spells that may assist in potion-making. The only spells you need to use are for cleaning and healing."
Snape said, looking up, observing Elena who was listening attentively.
Based on years of experience, little wizards who show outstanding talent in magical spells are not always able to demonstrate their talent in potion classes; not because they lack talent, but because some children unconsciously use their talents to perform tricks.
"The third point is also the most important. Potion-making is the most rigorous and dangerous subject in all of Hogwarts. Please strictly follow the steps I explain, do not use your puny minds to skip, add, or modify my steps."
As he spoke of this, Snape's tone turned a bit somber.
Despite emphasizing this topic several times a year, the number of injuries in the potion class remains high. Those little "geniuses" constantly challenge Snape for the potion. Imagination.
For example, in the process of preparing the calming potion, a destructive force comparable to the blasting spell occurs; the simple fever-reducing potion becomes a highly corrosive potion; while concocting the hair growth potion, an almost poisonous smoke cloud developed throughout the classroom...
Snape shook his head, suppressing the bad memories that kept rolling in his mind, looked around at the young faces in the classroom, paused, and said softly and indifferently:
"In the history of Hogwarts, it is not uncommon to see injuries, disabilities, and even deaths due to irregular operations. I hope that by the end of this semester, you will not become one of them due to your stupidity and recklessness."
With the cold voice of Severus Snape and his black eyes as deep as two dark tunnels, most of the little wizards couldn't help but shudder again, feeling as if their whole body was contracting into a circle. Once again, their heads were filled with fear.
"So, if there are no more questions, we will start with the roll call and grouping."
Snape raised his eyebrows. If he could make these children less foolish and less incorrect, even if he had to intimidate them, and even if he scolded them more severely, it seemed necessary.
Due to the disparity in the foundation of the little wizards, the teaching method in the lower grades of the potion class is generally conducted in pairs. In this way, it can also be more effective in preventing accidents; after all, the possibility of two people making mistakes at the same time is always much lower than that of one person making them.
Just then, in the back right of the classroom, a white and undulating arm rose high, like a sea moss, swaying with the waves, seaweed waving in the waves, dancing on the waves...
Snape's gaze narrowed, falling from the arm hanging down to the delicate face, to the little blonde girl trying to pull Elena's hand from the air.
"Do you have any dissatisfaction or doubt about the classroom discipline I just mentioned, Miss Caslana?"
"Yes, Professor Snape, I have a small doubt."
Elena threw a "All under control" look towards the next Hannah, nodded, and replied.
"Earlier, you said that whispering is not allowed, but if I notice an error in a nearby classmate's potion during the operation, can I remind them in time to avoid future accidents?"
Upon hearing Elena's question, Snape raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Of course, if they are so foolish that they can't even copy it, at least guide them to the level of ordinary people, making it a safer choice for themselves or for you."
Over the years, this was the first small wizard who asked him like this at the beginning of class, although the question was mundane, it at least demonstrated that the child had seriously considered the few requirements of the course mentioned, instead of just listening.
The legendary [Potion Deduction] - was scrutinized.
Elena's eyes lit up and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
Throughout these years, Professor Snape's deduction criteria had been a terrible dead end.
Mainly due to his reason of no 360° deduction:
Points will be deducted if there is a problem; points will be deducted as if there were no problems; points will be deducted as if no question was asked; and then no points will be deducted for those around them.
No matter what methods the young wizards used to defend themselves, they would always be discovered by the experienced Professor Snape.
However, after gathering wisdom from "pseudo-witches who did not receive the acceptance letter from Hogwarts," people have summarized and discussed a variety of simple and effective countermeasures.
"In fact, I still have a question, may I offend by asking you."
Elena blinked and whispered carefully like a timid deer, "but I think it's very necessary to ask before class, Professor Snape, look..."
"If you have questions, just ask them directly, as long as they are related to the Potion class."
Snape frowned and said impatiently.
"By the way, this is the last question."
Snape lowered his head to look into Elena's clear eyes, thought for a moment, and added an additional sentence, somehow a sense of unease vaguely appeared in his heart, as if something was starting to escape from his control.
Elena smiled sweetly, stood up, looked at Snape with her head held high, and asked him as charmingly as a curious baby in a kindergarten garden.
"I have heard the older sisters from the various houses say that Professor Snape is particularly biased towards Slytherin House, so students from other houses are very likely to be targeted in your class, and will be penalized if they are negligent, confinement or penalties?"
As Elena's voice fell, the whole class became restless.
Almost all the young wizards turned and looked at the silver-haired witch who was looking at Professor Snape in a way that seemed like a martyr and a heroine, one could only say that she almost truly was a manifestation for Slater, is she perhaps the older sister of the Forest House?
"What?!"
Finally, Snape's imperturbable face changed, the green muscles on his forehead tensed slightly, an unpleasant snort escaped, and he squinted his eyes slightly to look at Elena with a thoughtful gaze in his eyes.
"Elena, have you gone mad? What are you doing?"
Hannah, who was sitting next to Elena, was almost frightened and shouted. Her hands were pulling Elena's arm. She wanted to rescue the friend who had suddenly lost her mind. The feeling of being watched by the snake was so terrifying that she didn't even dare to look in Professor Snape's direction.
"But!"
In front of Snape's clouded face and the tense atmosphere in the classroom, Elena smiled slightly and continued easily:
"But... I always thought that a respectable elder who could calmly study peace; a masterful potions teacher who could understand the boiling cauldron with white smoke and the wonderful fragrance of essences; a magical artist who could understand the liquid that flows in people's blood, making people's hearts tremble and minds confused. In any case, he cannot be the ruthless and irrational type they describe."
"Therefore, if you can, could you take a little more time, and generously tell us about a standard for deductions and bonuses in your potions class, so that we can also better comply with discipline in class."
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