Potion? Nothing special! [Fifth Chapter]

Daphne's joy was gone.

The iconic scene of Snape verbally destroying latecomers was also gone.

Ian's mood was visibly drooping.

"What's wrong with you?" Aurora asked, showing concern for her seatmate. Ian let out a heavy sigh, his eyes slightly dimmed as he watched Snape stride toward the podium.

"I've lost all joy for today."

He had actually brought a gift specifically for Daphne Greengrass, but who would have thought the girl was still stuck on the first level and hadn't recovered yet, or perhaps the clever young pure-blood witch had anticipated his anticipation?

"Oh, I get it. You've been kissed by a dementor." Aurora calmly organized her textbooks. Her brand-new textbook was actually filled with detailed notes.

Ian noticed this when he turned his head.

"You managed to buy the deluxe edition!"

He spotted annotations that clearly originated from a Potions Master among the ranks of the Apostles, and he let out a low gasp of amazement.

"Geminio!"

Aurora cast the spell at her textbook, and immediately, an identical copy materialized. Her delicate little hand pushed it across toward Ian.

"It'll last just for this class. Next Potions lesson, I'll continue sharing with you again." Aurora's cool, detached voice carried the subtle vibe of an abacus being calculated.

"Actually, I'm not envious at all."

Ian eagerly opened the textbook and began reading the annotations. Come to think of it, tomorrow night he would be able to enter the hazy dreamscape again. He wondered how Teacher Mara's research on the new era of potions was coming along.

"Very well, it seems that all of you present understand the importance of punctuality, which is particularly crucial during the brewing of potions," Snape began his lecture from the podium.

"The preparation of potions is a precise and rigorous craft. Some may feel it is not magic at all; in truth, very few are able to comprehend the wonder of a slow-simmering cauldron emitting white smoke and true delicate fragrances, and even fewer can truly feel the potent magic contained within the liquid that flows into one's veins."

Snape began to sweep his dark, sinister eyes across all the young wizards present.

He paused slightly.

Down below, Ian was whispering to his friend.

"He's about to start bragging."

As soon as the words fell—

Sure enough.

"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even..." At this point, Snape deliberately paused for a few moments before emphasizing every single syllable.

"...stopper death!"

In the end, Ian still got to witness an iconic scene.

A spark of light returned to his eyes.

"Actually, Snape can't do that. His opening speech is completely plagiarized, and he's about to call us idiots and fools any second now." Ian's words left the little girl beside him momentarily stunned.

Then, just as Ian had predicted—

"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death—provided you aren't the big bunch of numskulls I usually have to teach." Snape delivered this year's installment of supreme flexing right on cue.

Since Ian and Aurora were sitting further back, Snape couldn't hear a word of their whispered conversation; he only saw Ian talking to the young Grindelwald.

He chose to ignore it.

"How did you know? Can you tell the future too?" Aurora widened her eyes in disbelief, her bright pupils filled with astonishment.

"Huh?"

Ian was taken aback.

"What do you mean by 'too'?"

He caught the crucial keyword.

"Our family has that kind of talent—the ability to see things in the future. Actually, I saw that exact scene the moment I walked into the classroom." Aurora didn't hold back at all, pointing unhesitatingly at her own eyes.

"Your grandfather too?"

Ian was startled. He honestly didn't know much about the Grindelwald family's situation; before his transmigration, he recalled there was a movie about Grindelwald scheduled to be released soon.

"Far more powerful than me," Aurora answered solemnly.

"Uh..." Ian didn't feel any strange emotions. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Forgiving me for asking, but did he foresee his own end?"

Faced with this inquiry, Aurora's expression didn't change at all.

"His Apostles still believe that the past and the present are merely choices made by my grandfather, all so that the greater good could be achieved."

The Germanic girl didn't give a direct response.

However—

"I understand... The power of faith is truly terrifying."

Ian clicked his tongue in amazement.

"Who's to say it isn't?"

Aurora nodded along.

"Now, work in pairs to brew a Cure for Boils. I must remind you to be extremely cautious in your execution—unless, of course, you wish to keep Miss Greengrass company."

By this time, Snape had finished lecturing on the textbook contents and was preparing to let the young wizards practice hands-on. He glanced at Ian and Aurora, who had been whispering the whole time.

Immediately afterward, he looked toward the Slytherin section with a blank expression.

"Michael Jordan, get back to your own house!" The irritation in his heart needed an outlet, and Snape chose the young Black kid who had been lingering in the Slytherin area.

Having two restricted-skin characters hanging out together there was simply impossible to overlook.

"Huh?"

Michael naturally wore a reluctant look. He glanced over at the Ravenclaw section—specifically at Ian's location—his face plastered with an expression of utter bewilderment as to why things had turned out this way.

"I won't say it a second time."

Snape's voice was stern.

"Yes, Professor."

Michael shrunk his neck, gathered his belongings, and scuttled away toward the corner—where William was still huddled all by himself in the corner as class began.

The lesson continued.

"Quick, go grab the ingredients, or they'll all be taken by the others." Ian pulled out his gleaming golden cauldron and spoke to Aurora while puttering about.

"Oh, right."

Aurora quickly stood up and ran toward the supply cabinet.

Everyone was selecting their ingredients.

Snape surprisingly didn't scold anyone, nor did he deduct any points. He merely paced back and forth around the classroom on patrol, finally stopping in front of Ian, who was making a half-hearted show of setting up his cauldron.

Aurora had already rushed back with the ingredients, moving swiftly because a young Slytherin wizard had directly handed her the pre-selected herbs.

"Mr. Prince, why haven't you started brewing?" Snape looked at Aurora, who was grinding snake fangs, and asked coldly, directing his words at Ian, who still hadn't set up his cauldron after all this time.

"Professor, we have a division of labor," Ian replied with a straight face.

"..."

Snape gave the busy Aurora a speechless look, gritted his teeth, and walked away.

However, his gaze kept glancing back toward Ian and Aurora's direction. Consequently, Snape witnessed a sight that made him grind his teeth in exasperation, wanting nothing more than to throw Ian out of the classroom on the spot.

Aurora ground the snake fangs.

Ian tended the fire.

Aurora prepared the horned slugs.

Ian tended the fire.

Aurora dropped in the porcupine quills and began stirring vigorously.

Ian tended the fire.

After five turns, the potion was complete... and Ian put out the fire.