Chapter 15 – First Day 03.
[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]
Third Person POV
Hogwarts.
...
...
In the next few seconds, everyone looked at Snape, surprised and at a loss for words, as silence took over the atmosphere. Professor Pomona Sprout watched Snape with great interest, unable to resist staring at the boy with considerable curiosity.
"Is Professor Sprout saying that this guy is Snap?" A student asked.
"Snape? That Snape?! What happened to him... he's so..." another Ravenclaw student said without taking her eyes off Snape.
"Handsome..." Her friend replied with a dazed look.
Meanwhile, all the Slytherin students looked at Snape, wondering what kind of change had occurred for him to transform like this.
Snape remained alone at his table, keeping everyone at a distance. He didn't even want to come to this class, but it was necessary for as long as he wanted to explore the castle and learn everything he could.
The professor listened to the students' gossip for a moment before turning back to Snape, "Snape, it's good to see you, but if you could answer my question to satisfy my growing curiosity, how did you end up like this?" The professor asked what everyone wanted to know at that exact moment, while all eyes in the room fixed on Snape, who remained unfazed.
Snape sighed before returning his calm gaze to the professor. "I had an accident with a potion. I blew up the cauldron just as I created something new. I ended up consuming the liquid and went through this transformation after several days of immense pain," he concluded, as everyone watching him resembled vultures at that moment.
"And no, I don't have the potion recipe. After all, I lost everything I was noting down when I made the potion. Even accessing my mind, I made it by accident and don't know how to recreate it." Snape made it clear to everyone that he couldn't replicate the effect, as all the students looking at him with stars in their eyes, hoping to spend their family's fortune to achieve the same effect, were disappointed upon hearing Snape's words.
The professor sighed a bit, also hoping to achieve a beautiful appearance as her age was showing and her wrinkles were becoming visible. "I see..." She lamented but quickly shook her head and returned to her usual posture, shifting the focus back to her lesson.
"Alright, let's focus on our Herbology class. This week, we're exploring the healing properties of magical plants, with a special focus on Mandrake and Valerian. Both are essential for preparing healing potions and powerful antidotes."
She sighed again and continued, as all the students opened their notebooks to take notes, although many still glanced back at Snape, who hadn't opened anything and just listened. Professor Sprout noticed this but continued the lesson, ignoring Snape for the time being.
"First, we'll do a theoretical review of the Mandrake. As you know, it's a plant that, when young, its scream can knock a person out for several hours. As it ages, the Mandrake's scream can be fatal. It's crucial for the antidote against petrifications," she said before approaching one of the pots and pulling one out of a pot of soil. The next moment, its scream filled the room as students covered their ears and some glasses began to crack.
"This creature is really annoying..." Snape commented while scratching his ear with his pinkie, showing he was better off than the others, not that there was anyone to notice as everyone was trying not to have their eardrums burst. Professor Sprout, accustomed to this and equipped with earplugs, looked around satisfied as she put the mandrake back in the pot, ceasing its horrible scream.
"I bet you missed that scream. It was in your first year that you were introduced to this lovely root, wasn't it?" She said while petting its leaves above the soil, despite many dissatisfied students, no one said anything as she moved on to the next plant.
"Next, we'll study Valerian, a plant known for its strong calming properties, used in many potions that require mental tranquility to be effective." She approached a pink plant and began to touch it, but this one didn't seem as magical as the last.
"After the theory, we'll move to the greenhouse for practical work with these plants. You will have the opportunity to replant Mandrake seedlings, which as you witnessed, is a delicate process that requires the use of earmuffs due to its dangerous scream. We will also collect Valerian roots, which are vital ingredients in many calming and sedative potions."
She began to write on the board while citing various properties and uses of the plants. For the old Snape, it would have been interesting to note all this information, but now he was just listening, unlike all the other students, especially those who wanted to pursue a career as a potion master.
She concluded the introduction to the lesson with an encouraging smile: "This will be a great opportunity for you to apply what you've learned about these plants in practical situations. I'm looking forward to seeing how you handle and care for them. Remember, Herbology knowledge is essential for any wizard or witch, as magical plants are fundamental to our lives."
She said and began to walk to a door, opening it before turning to the class. "Now, follow me, everyone!" She announced, and all the students started to move, heading to the greenhouse for the practical lesson.
Snape was the last to leave, still under the gaze of some students looking back at him, still wanting to approach and talk to the student who was just a shadow of what he once was. Snape entered the room calmly and took a spot further away, facing the pots that Professor Sprout had placed with her magic wand.
"Now, as you all know, you must pull them out by this part," she said, grabbing a part of the root near the soil, which should be the forehead of the plant, and pulled as she did in the classroom. Once again, the sound invaded everyone, but they coped better this time, as everyone had put on earmuffs.
She placed the plant back in the soil before turning to everyone. "Don't worry, these beauties are young, they won't harm you," she commented and waited for all the students to do the same.
So, everyone began to pull the mandrakes out of the pots, creating multiple screams in the room, to everyone's dismay. Professor Sprout was pleased with all the students trying to grab parts of the roots of that creature while avoiding its annoying scream. However, one student caught her attention, Snape had his mandrake in front of him, but unlike his classmates, it wasn't screaming. As Snape patiently removed all the roots he could break from the creature, Sprout thought for a second that Snape had picked a dead plant. But as a herbologist with years of experience, it was easy to see that the root was alive, yet strangely quiet, still wondering what was wrong with it, but not caring much as Snape was doing his job in the end.
From Snape's perspective, when he removed the mandrake from the soil, it began to scream, but as soon as it saw his threatening blue eyes shining, it became so nervous and fell silent. The plant was now sweating as Snape removed parts of its body, praying that this evil being would let it go without killing it.
The lesson continued until all the students had completed the first task, moving on to the next step, which was removing Valerian roots, a task much easier than the last. Snape did everything perfectly, and many students were not far behind him.
"Very well, now that you've completed the tasks, shall we review the lesson?" Sprout spoke and already noticed many Ravenclaw students raising their hands even before she started with the questions.
Snape remained silent as the students answered whatever she asked, the majority of them being from Ravenclaw.
"Very good! 10 points to Ravenclaw!" Sprout announced while those students celebrated.
But her gaze now turned to Snape. "Mr. Snape, I noticed you were the only student who didn't take notes during my lesson, which makes me think you already know the subject. How about you answer my questions?" She suggested.
"It's not that I already knew everything you talked about, but I can easily memorize a lesson," Snape shrugged, as some students chuckled quietly, imagining he would embarrass himself. "But ask whatever you want, I'll do my best to answer your questions," Snape said in a neutral tone.
Sprout nodded. "Very well, Mr. Snape. Let's see then. Could you explain how Mandrake and Valerian can be used together in potions, specifically in a situation that requires both the healing of physical wounds and the emotional stabilization of a patient?"
Snape, with a calm and confident expression, began. "The combination of Mandrake and Valerian in potions is quite intriguing and useful, especially in cases of severe trauma, where the patient suffers both physically and psychologically. Mandrake, known for its regenerative properties, can be used to accelerate the healing of physical wounds. However, its use must be carefully dosed, due to the potency of its effects."
He paused before continuing, "On the other hand, Valerian, with its calming qualities, can be employed to relieve anxiety and stress, promoting a sense of calm and emotional stability. By combining these two, the resulting potion not only heals the body but also calms the mind, creating a conducive environment for a complete and effective recovery. The key lies in the correct balance between the two, so that the healing effects are not overshadowed by sedation, or vice versa."
Snape concluded, adding a detail that had not been mentioned by the teacher. "Furthermore, it is important to mention that the potion preparation method can significantly affect its effects. For example, when preparing Mandrake root, direct use of the scream should be avoided, as even in its distilled form, it can cause adverse effects. Therefore, pre-fermentation of the Mandrake before combining it with Valerian is recommended. This maximizes the healing properties while minimizing the risks."
The students, including those who had doubted Snape, were impressed with his calm and thorough response. Professor Sprout, silent for the first few seconds, but satisfied and somewhat surprised by the quality of the answer, smiled widely. "Excellent, Mr. Snape. Not only did you cover the points discussed in class, but you also expanded the knowledge with additional details. It seems you have an exceptional grasp of the subject and have proven to have a very sharp mind. Ten points to Slytherin."
The class continued until Professor Sprout was satisfied with a few more questions, before concluding, "Well, it seems that's all for today. See you in a few days, then, and wish me luck, I have a class with the first year now, those little pests are so lively..." She commented with a smile, as all the Slytherins and Ravenclaws left the room, and Snape headed to his next class, Transfiguration, something he was very interested in, despite not being very fond of Professor Minerva, and he would be having class with Gryffindor...
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