Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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When the doors of the school hospital wing opened again, it marked the day that Mikkel had finally fulfilled his long-cherished wish and was officially discharged.
He looked a little unwell, though, his steps unsteady and he was retching constantly.
Furthermore, before today, Kyle had never imagined that a person's face could be blue.
Even the most avant-garde and fashionable portraits in the castle wouldn't dare use such a bold color.
But Mikel had done it.
His entire head, including his forehead, nose, and lips, was blue, even his hair and teeth were included.
From a distance, he looked like a giant blue dandelion.
"Kyle..."
Mikkel held out his hand, his voice hoarse. "What are you laughing at? Give me a hand."
"Nothing, I just thought of something happy." Kyle stepped forward to support Mikkel, turning his head away, trying not to look at his face.
"I gave Hufflepuff twenty extra points yesterday."
"That's definitely something to be happy about," Mikel nodded, not asking any more questions.
He really didn't want to talk right now. He didn't know what the nurse at the school hospital had just poured into him. Not only did it taste terrible, but his throat was also burning and it was so uncomfortable to open his mouth.
The two of them walked slowly towards the underground classroom.
It is worth mentioning that when they just arrived at the pendulum courtyard, Mikel's blue head gradually returned to normal.
Although it didn't return to its previous appearance, it was at least not so eye-catching. Moreover, the lighting in the castle was generally dim, and you couldn't see anything without looking carefully.
It seemed that Madam Pomfrey had no intention of making him embarrassed in public.
The two walked all the way through the castle, but because Mikkel walked so slowly, when they arrived at the underground classroom, they were late as expected.
Snape had just finished counting the roster when he looked up and saw the two people standing at the door.
"You're late for your first class! Are all the first-years this year so bad?" Snape drawled, "Ten points deducted from Hufflepuff."
Mikel looked at Snape, his eyes suddenly widening as he blurted out, "Huh? You're the one...hiss..."
Luckily, Kyle reacted quickly and decisively stepped on his foot, preventing Mikel from finishing his words.
Otherwise... they might not have been able to leave this Potions classroom.
Seizing this opportunity, Kyle quickly said, "Sorry, Professor Snape, we won't do that again next time."
"Humph, if there's a second time, it won't be as simple as ten points deducted." Snape gave them a cold look. "What are you still standing there for? Go back to your seats! Five more points deducted from Hufflepuff!"
Afraid that Mikel would say something reckless again, Kyle quickly pulled him to an empty table at the back of the classroom.
Snape withdrew his gaze and said in a sinister voice, "Potions is a profound and important subject. I do not expect you to truly appreciate the beauty of a simmering cauldron emitting white smoke and bursts of fragrant aroma.
Nor do I expect you to understand the magical transformation of ordinary ingredients into something sublime when cooked over a rapid fire."
"Every mistletoe berry and every bezoar in your hands will be condensed here, in this crucible, into a myriad of forms and compositions. They hold the greatest secrets of the wizarding world."
Snape's voice gradually grew even. "I can teach you how to enhance your reputation, brew honor, and even prevent death—but only if you are not the fools and idiots I so often encounter."
Snape's words instantly silenced the entire class. The Slytherin snakes proudly held their heads high and sat bolt upright, as if this proved they weren't fools and idiots.
In contrast, the Hufflepuff badgers felt more timid. They looked at each other, none daring to meet Snape's gaze.
Especially Mikel, who, after recovering from his shock, nearly buried his head under the table.
But even that was no use; what was coming was coming.
"Drake!" Snape suddenly said, "When making a Cure for Boils, do you need to add slugs or porcupine quills first?"
"What potion?"
Mikel looked up blankly and said cautiously, "Put the porcupine quills in first, professor."
"Tsk, put the porcupine quills in first..." Snape said sarcastically, "If you had flipped through the book before school started, even if you only glanced at it, you would have known that to make a boil potion, you need to put snake fang powder in first! You have such a poor foundation and you dare to be late? One point deducted from Hufflepuff."
"Why don't you write this down!"
The classroom suddenly rang with the rustling sound of fumbling with quills and parchment.
"Open the book, page one!" Snape returned to the podium and said in a deep voice, "Today we are learning to make a simple potion to treat boils.
Although this potion is so simple that as long as your intelligence is higher than that of a troll, you can definitely complete it. But I still want to remind you, you must be cautious when operating... if you don't want to get boils all over your body."
"The ingredients for brewing the potion are in the storage cabinet. Now, work in pairs... Oh, right! "
At this moment, Snape seemed to suddenly think of something and came to Mikel again.
He glanced down at the table and said mockingly, "Although there is no need to wave your wand foolishly here, given your current poor condition and for the safety of the other young wizards, I think it is unnecessary."
Snape took the crucible from the table, inspected it, and said to Kyle, "Go and form a group with Kanna. Don't disturb Drake reading here."
In the crowd, Kanna looked up with a confused look on her face, staring at Kyle who was getting closer and closer to her in disbelief.
Damn it! She was already on time and the last one to enter the classroom, and she couldn't even hide?
Besides, by this time, the other young wizards had also completed their groups. Even if she wanted to hide, there was no vacant seat.
How about switching with someone else?
Kanna found her roommate sitting behind her and was about to ask to swap places with her when Snape's voice came from the podium again.
"What are you still standing there for? Waiting for me to help you make a potion?!"
Amidst Snape's roar, the classroom suddenly became busy.
Watching her roommate set up the cauldron and then rush to the storage cupboard, Kanna could only sigh softly and turn back to grind the snake fang on her desk.
For some reason, when Snape walked nearby, he casually placed a bag on her desk.
It contained exactly the ingredients needed to make the potion, and there were three copies of each, so Kanna didn't need to go to the storage cupboard like everyone else.
[End of the chapter]