Dudley's weekends were now spent with Snape. He was putting in over eight hours a day studying Potions, starting in the afternoon and going late into the evening. During this time, he endured a constant stream of verbal venom. When Snape got sarcastic, he could really be a piece of work.
Since it was his first time brewing these unfamiliar potions, a few mistakes in the details were inevitable. Potion-making wasn't just about boiling things in a cauldron; that was only one of the seven methods. During his demonstrations, Snape used six different techniques to create a perfect batch of Draught of Euphoria, and Dudley was amazed. He had never considered any of these methods before, as the first-year textbook only covered the basic boiling method.
Snape's expectations for Dudley were incredibly high—at least ten times stricter than they were for any other student. It was absolutely ridiculous. Snape would demonstrate a technique only once, then assign Dudley to brew the Draught of Euphoria using at least three of the methods he'd just shown. He simply expected Dudley to start brewing on his own, following his instructions perfectly.
When Dudley presented his finished, ordinary-grade Draught of Euphoria, brewed using three different methods, Snape tore into him.
"Do you have a gang of trolls dancing in your brain?"
"Perhaps the trolls aren't dancing in your brain. Perhaps you are the troll."
"What's in that head of yours? Troll snot?"
Snape seemed to have a thing for linking Dudley to trolls. He would always bring them up whenever he was on a rant, and Dudley couldn't shake the feeling that he was making a not-so-subtle jab at his size.
If it were me... if it were Lily... we would have made a superior potion, Snape thought. When he was in teaching mode, this was his only frame of reference. He completely ignored the fact that he and Lily were on the verge of graduation at the time, while Dudley was still a first-year. But then again, who would instinctively treat a 6-foot-tall, incredibly muscular man as an eleven-year-old?
This high-pressure teaching method ignited Dudley's competitive spirit. He decided to take on the Draught of Euphoria head-on. Relying on his "data eyes," he began to relentlessly practice brewing the potion. The Potions classroom had a surplus of materials, so it was the perfect opportunity.
By Sunday evening, the table was covered with finished Draught of Euphoria potions. From a humble beginning of brewing an ordinary-grade potion using three methods, Dudley had progressed to using five methods to create a perfect-grade one in just two days.
With a perfect batch of Draught of Euphoria, Dudley was skilled enough to get a job at St. Mungo's Hospital right out of Hogwarts. And yet, it was barely enough to earn a shred of satisfaction from Snape.
"It took you two whole days to produce something barely acceptable. I truly believe a troll snuck into your head at night. Your talent is an insult to your aunt's good name. And for Merlin's sake, don't tell anyone I'm the one teaching you."
Snape stared into Dudley's eyes, his face expressionless, as he put away the perfect-grade potions. "Your Aunt Lily would have done it in a day using all seven methods."
Since Dudley had started calling Lily his "aunt" in front of Snape, Snape had gradually begun to use the term himself, and it was becoming more and more natural to him.
Dudley didn't know just how talented his aunt was, but from Petunia's descriptions and Snape's own words, it was clear she had been a top-tier Potions Master. It seemed there was no potion she couldn't brew and no potion she couldn't perfect. This ignited a competitive desire in Dudley to measure himself against her.
Even if Snape was exaggerating about her being able to brew the potion in a day, Dudley was the kind of person who loved to prove others wrong. He was Dudley, the never-say-die challenger! He knew that the higher the goal, the more rewarding it was to achieve.
Dudley had found his two little goals at Hogwarts: his physical fitness would be on par with Hagrid's, and his Potions skills would be on par with the "Aunt Lily" in Professor Snape's mind.
"Next weekend, we'll be working on Shrinking Solutions and Invigoration Draughts. I hope you'll take the time to study beforehand so you don't show up as ignorant as a troll."
Dudley didn't respond. He had learned over the last two days that the angrier he got, the more Snape enjoyed it.
The Shrinking Solution was a potion taught in the third year, a potion that could shrink a person or creature back to an earlier state. You could even fit an entire group of pigs into your pocket. It was technically less difficult than the Draught of Euphoria, but since Snape was teaching it, it wouldn't be simple. The Invigoration Draught was a fifth-year potion that revitalized the drinker. The potion Dudley had given to Malfoy was a simplified version of this one.
"Dursley, why are you still here? Are you hoping I'll let you stay for dinner?" Snape asked impatiently. "If so, you'll be disappointed. I don't have enough food to satisfy a troll like you."
"Professor Snape," Dudley said, maintaining his respectful tone. Snape's words might have been venomous, but he was a dedicated teacher. Though Dudley considered himself a simple man, he respected authority.
He slowly pulled a book from behind his back and placed it on the table in front of Snape. It was an old, well-worn Advanced Potion-Making textbook. On the corner of a yellowed page, a small signature read, "The Half-Blood Prince."
"May I take this book with me? The notes inside are very helpful." Dudley handled the book as if it were a long-lost love, gently wiping dust from the cover.
Perhaps it was Dudley's reverence for the book, or the fact that he consistently refused to take the bait and remained respectful, but Snape's tone softened. For once, he didn't rant.
"Where did you find it?"
Dudley pointed to a pile of old books on a shelf in a corner of the classroom. "Over there, Professor."
"That book is much too advanced for you," Snape began to say, then stopped himself. He remembered he was already teaching Dudley advanced magic. He waved his hand. "Take it, if you wish. You can look through it for now."