Harry Potter: I became Snape

"Listen up, everyone!" Professor Slughorn called out to the class after explaining Golpalott's Third Law.

"Everyone, come to the front and grab a vial. By the end of the lesson, you must brew an antidote for the substance inside. Good luck, and don't forget your protective gloves!"

The students stood and surged toward the front of the room.

Severus Snape grabbed a vial from the desk, uncorked it, and poured the vibrant blue-purple poison into his cauldron. With a flick of his wand, a blue flame roared to life beneath it.

He silently recited Scarpin's Revelaspell. As the spell took effect, shadows of the potion's components began to separate within the liquid. Carefully observing the potion's reactions, he followed a precise process and meticulous technique, quickly identifying the hidden additional ingredient.

When Slughorn first passed by Snape's station, he glanced into the cauldron, his face betraying a flicker of astonishment before he quickly schooled his expression and walked away, hands clasped behind his back.

"Out of favor, are we?" Patrick Abbott had already cleared the foul, rotten-egg-scented sludge from his cauldron and was now idly looking around. "Why isn't old Sluggy praising you anymore?"

"Have some pity for the old man's fragile heart, Abbott," Snape replied without looking up, continuing to wave his wand over the cauldron. "If you were him, just showing up to teach us would be a feat."

Under the low simmer, wisps of white steam rose from the cauldron, carrying a delicate, pleasant fragrance. Snape's antidote was nearing completion.

"Want to score points for this class?" he asked, glancing at Abbott. "Go grab a bezoar from the storage cupboard. Sluggy will give you marks for it."

"A bezoar?" Abbott asked, puzzled. "What's that for?"

"Seriously, mate?" Snape carefully bottled the antidote, which contained eighty-one distinct components, and looked at Abbott with mild surprise. "Don't you read? A bezoar is a stone from a goat's stomach. It's a powerful universal antidote."

"You mean books like Potions Primer or Advanced Runic Translation?" Abbott scratched his head, a bit sheepish. "Those are just covers. Inside, I've got copies of PlayWizard I bought off the school black market."

"What?" Snape's face contorted in mock outrage. "You've got something that good and didn't share? What kind of friend are you?"

"Two minutes left, everyone!" Slughorn's booming voice rang out again.

"I'll share when we're back in the dorm," Abbott promised, rushing toward the storage cupboard. He rummaged frantically, shoving aside piles of dried herbs until he found a small cardboard box in the far corner.

Inside were clumps of brown, kidney-like bezoars. Abbott grabbed one, hastily returned the box, and hurried back to his seat.

"Time's… up!"

Bang!

A deafening explosion cut off Slughorn's words.

Pandora's cauldron had exploded.

The potion inside sprayed like fireworks, scalding liquid splashing onto students, who yelped in pain.

"Quiet!" Slughorn bellowed, raising his wand.

A flash of white light swept the spilled potion from the floor and the students' robes.

"Ravenclaw, twenty points deducted! Prefect, get the injured students to the Hospital Wing! Class dismissed!"

Slughorn and the prefect hurried the injured students out of the room.

Snape, Abbott, and Pandora, unscathed, crawled out from under the table.

"My points!" Abbott wailed, staring after Slughorn's retreating figure.

"That was terrifying," Pandora said, still shaken. "Good thing I'm quick. I saw it going wrong and ducked."

"Good thing we saw you duck and knew something was up," Snape said, eyeing the shattered remains of Pandora's cauldron. "Where'd you get that thing?"

"It's imported," Pandora explained. "The base is a bit thin, but it's way cheaper than the local ones."

"These foreign cauldrons are rubbish," Snape said, slinging his bag over his shoulder and heading for the door. "But you'll have to keep dealing with thin, fragile bases for now. No wizard's bothered to write a proper report on cauldron thickness standards yet…!"

Days passed, and soon it was February.

Hogwarts Castle stirred from its winter slumber, the surrounding snow melting away to reveal tender green shoots.

White clouds drifted high above the castle, curling and dispersing in the breeze. The pleasant weather left the grounds dry and comfortable.

The long-awaited first Apparition lesson for sixth-years was held on the castle's front lawn. Scheduled for Saturday morning to avoid clashing with regular classes, it drew an eager crowd.

The students arrived early, gathering within a large circle marked by white ropes.

Aside from the seventh-years, nearly every other student from the lower years stood outside the circle, whispering with curiosity and excitement.

Soon, the castle doors opened, and the four Heads of House emerged alongside a small wizard. The unfamiliar figure was likely the Apparition instructor from the Ministry.

Once they approached, the students split into their Houses, assembling before Professors McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick, and Sprout.

The instructor's skin was alarmingly pale, his eyelashes nearly transparent, and his hair fine as gossamer. He seemed so ethereal that a slight breeze might carry him away.

"Does he look that frail because he Apparates and Disapparates so much?" a Gryffindor boy whispered to his friend.

"Maybe that delicate frame is just perfect for Apparition," his friend replied, pushing up his glasses with a speculative look.

"Good morning," the Ministry wizard began once the students had lined up and the Heads of House had quieted them. "My name is Wilkie Twycross.

"For the next twelve weeks, I'll be your Apparition instructor, helping you prepare for the important Apparition Test.

"I sincerely hope many of you will be skilled enough to take the test by then.

"As you likely know, Apparition and Disapparition are normally forbidden at Hogwarts."

Twycross paused briefly before continuing. "However, to allow proper practice, the Headmaster has lifted the enchantment for one hour. But only within this circle.

"I must emphasize: no one is to Apparate outside this white circle. Anyone who tries should pay a visit to St. Mungo's to have their head examined."

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