Four days have passed since the start of the school year.
Today is Friday, and the first class of the day is Potions.
After eating a sleepy breakfast, Victor arrived at the Potions classroom. It was still a while before class started, but the room was already full. This was probably because of Snape's notorious reputation; no one wanted to be caught by him.
"Victor?" Hermione looked confused when Victor walked into the classroom and sat down next to her, skillfully pulling out all the necessary tools for Potions. "What are you doing in the Potions classroom? This class is with Slytherin!"
"It's fine, I went to the other classes too," Victor said with a smile. "It saves a lot of time this way!"
His strange response completely baffled Hermione.
————
Meanwhile, on the eighth floor of Hogwarts Castle, in the headmaster's office, a portrait of a noble man suddenly appeared on the wall. He spoke to Dumbledore, who was sitting at his desk. "Albus, the student you asked us to keep an eye on was in both the History of Magic and Potions classrooms today."
Dumbledore's quill suddenly stopped, and he looked up. "Everard, what do you mean?"
"The boy split into two people," replied Everard, a former Hogwarts Headmaster.
"...I see," Dumbledore said, putting down his quill and falling into deep thought.
Everard saw his reaction and didn't say anything more. He turned and walked into the depths of the portrait, disappearing once again.
After a while, Dumbledore stood up. He picked up an unopened letter that had just been delivered by an owl and once again looked lost in thought.
————
Back in the Potions classroom, Hermione was still trying to convince Victor to leave. "Victor, you're not joking, are you? This is Professor Snape's class. Haven't you heard of his reputation around the school? You can still leave before Professor Snape gets here!"
"I'm afraid it's too late now…"
As soon as Victor finished speaking, the Potions classroom door was pushed open with a loud bang, and a figure quickly walked in. His imposing presence instantly silenced the noisy classroom.
He was thin, with greasy, flat hair, cold and impenetrable eyes, a sallow complexion, and a large hooked nose. He was wearing black robes and a cape, looking like a large bat.
Yes, he perfectly fit Snape's description. He strode to the front of the classroom, his hands clasped together, and looked down at the students.
"This class requires no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations, so I imagine many of you will not appreciate the subtle science and exact art of potion-making."
"However, for the very few of you who are truly willing…"
Snape subtly glanced at Malfoy, who immediately looked proud.
"I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame and brew glory, and even put a stopper on death."
"Now, attendance."
After his intimidating speech, Snape opened the class register on his desk. Meanwhile, Hermione leaned over and whispered to Victor, "I told you to leave, but you wouldn't, and now it's too late!"
"Professor Snape is the Head of Slytherin House. I heard from the second-years that he often deducts points from other houses for all sorts of reasons, which is why Slytherin has won the House Cup for the past few years!"
"I know," Victor said with a nonchalant shrug. "But that doesn't have anything to do with me, and I've already earned enough points for our house this week. A few points won't matter!"
In the first week of school, Victor had earned a lot of points for Ravenclaw due to his exceptional understanding of various subjects. Also, since Ravenclaw's first Potions class was not until Friday afternoon, Victor hadn't earned any points from Snape yet. Of course, when dealing with Snape, not losing points was a win in itself.
As someone who knew the ending of the Harry Potter series, Victor held a certain level of respect for Snape.
Compared to the other professors at Hogwarts, Snape was indeed cold-hearted, cruel, and mean. He often criticized and tormented students without mercy, and he certainly had a malicious side to his personality. But at the same time, he also had many admirable qualities: Potions Master, the Half-Blood Prince, and Master of Occlumency.
Severus Snape was a man of extreme devotion, who loved Harry Potter's mother, Lily Evans, his entire life. He was willing to endure everyone's misunderstanding and silently protect the child of the woman he loved and the man he hated. In the end, he was looking into Harry's eyes, the same as his mother's, right up until his death.
He also served as a double agent between Dumbledore and Voldemort, an incredible feat that contributed significantly to Voldemort's downfall. He had a great sense of responsibility and duty. Before the Battle of Hogwarts, he, as headmaster, protected the students from the Death Eaters, preserving the strength of the magical world for the final battle.
He was an incredibly talented wizard. He was the youngest Headmaster of Hogwarts since its founding, the youngest Head of Slytherin House, a Potions Professor, a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, and a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Second Class.
Therefore, compared to his torment of students, the things he did for the wizarding world were far more commendable. That was why Victor felt a sense of respect for Snape.
Inside the classroom, Snape had just read Harry Potter's name and stopped. He spoke in a low, mocking voice: "Oh, yes… Harry Potter, our new, famous celebrity."
"Some of you may have come to Hogwarts with extraordinary abilities and incredible self-confidence. So, Potter! Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Snape immediately began to torment Harry without even finishing roll call, simply because Harry had the exact same eyes as the man he hated.
Harry nervously glanced at Ron, who was sitting next to him, but Ron was just as stunned. Hermione, on the other hand, was sitting next to Victor with her hand raised high in the air.
"I don't know, Professor," Harry said, his lips trembling slightly.
"Tsk, tsk. It seems fame isn't everything," Snape sneered. "Let's try again! Potter, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
"I don't know, Professor!" Harry's eyes were now filled with confusion and anger. He couldn't understand why this professor was so intent on embarrassing him.
Hermione still had her hand raised high, looking as if she wanted to stand up and answer the question herself.
"I suppose you haven't opened a single book before coming to school, have you, Potter?" Snape's mockery grew deeper. He then asked, "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"I don't know, Professor." Harry tried his best to look Snape in the eye, but he couldn't stand his presence and slowly lowered his head.
"Well, since Potter can't answer, perhaps another student can!" Snape suddenly turned his attention to Victor without warning. "I just noticed that we have a foolish bald eagle that has wandered into our classroom!"
"Mr. Dreyar, if you cannot answer the three questions I just asked, Ravenclaw will lose fifty points for your foolish mistake of being in the wrong classroom…"
Victor stared at Snape with deadpan eyes. Bald eagle? That's a pretty broad insult! But knowing what Snape was like, Victor didn't take it to heart. He slowly stood up and pulled down Hermione's hand.
"The powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood make a powerful sleeping draught known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and is a powerful antidote to most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, also known as aconite." This was no challenge for Victor. He had memorized this basic knowledge with memory magic long ago and could retrieve it from his mind like a computer whenever he needed it.
Snape's expression remained grim even after Victor gave the correct answers, but he didn't continue to torment him. Instead, he yelled at everyone in the classroom, "Do you understand?! So why don't you have all of this written down!" His powerful presence filled the classroom, and the students were so scared they put their heads down and started writing furiously, terrified of being his next victim.
"Potter, because of your ignorance, five points from Gryffindor." Snape glared at Harry. "As for Mr. Dreyar, even though you answered the questions correctly, Ravenclaw will lose five points for your foolish mistake of being in the wrong classroom."
"..." Victor didn't say anything or try to explain. He knew it would be pointless. By keeping quiet, he at least saved Ravenclaw from losing ten points.
"Why are you still here?" Snape asked, frowning at Victor.
"Professor, my History of Magic class was this morning. Since I'm already here, I'll just sit in," Victor said with a fake smile.
Snape narrowed his eyes. He looked at the full set of potion-making equipment in front of Victor and felt that this student hadn't made a mistake at all; he had come prepared. Snape neither accepted nor refused Victor's request. He simply began the lesson, which meant Victor could stay.
Snape divided everyone into pairs and started instructing them on how to brew a simple Pimple-Curing Potion. Conveniently, with Victor, the number of students in the classroom was now even.
Potions was a subject that Victor needed to study carefully at Hogwarts because Origin's learning ability did not apply to anything outside of magic.
Potion-making was very complex and difficult. Every step, from the order of adding the ingredients to the exact measurements, required precise execution. Even the direction and number of stirs had strict requirements.
For example, with the simple Pimple-Curing Potion, Victor followed the steps on Snape's blackboard to the letter, but still almost failed. Snape took the opportunity to deduct another five points from Ravenclaw.
Victor also found that the Pimple-Curing Potion was very dangerous before it was finished. Neville, who was sitting at the table next to him, got a little on himself and was immediately covered in boils, so he was sent to the hospital wing. Later, two more Slytherins had to be carried out. Madam Pomfrey would probably be cursing again.
The students finally breathed a sigh of relief when the bell rang and Snape left the classroom.
He had to admit that taking Potions was like being in a war; you were constantly on edge.
"Mr. Dreyar, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you," Professor McGonagall said to Victor as he was about to leave the classroom after Potions.
"Oh, no, not again!" Victor sighed, holding his head. He couldn't understand why they were so fixated on him when he hadn't done anything wrong. He was just a little flamboyant, that's all.
"I'll wait for you in the library," Hermione whispered, seeing that Victor had to go somewhere.
Victor nodded reluctantly, then turned to Professor McGonagall and said without any energy, "Let's go, Professor McGonagall!"
Although it was bound to happen eventually, Victor hadn't expected to meet Dumbledore, the Headmaster who was both respected and feared by the entire European wizarding world, less than a week into the school year.
Was I really too high-profile? Victor reflected temporarily in his mind.
Dumbledore's office was located in a separate, small tower in Hogwarts Castle. Just like the common rooms of the four houses, it required a correct password to enter. The guardian of the headmaster's office was a giant stone gargoyle, behind which was a spiral staircase. At the top of the staircase was the office door.
"Cockroach Clusters," Professor McGonagall said to the stone gargoyle. The gargoyle slowly opened, revealing the staircase behind it.
Professor McGonagall led Victor up the stairs, and the gargoyle slowly closed. At the top of the stairs was a shiny oak door with a brass griffin-shaped knocker. When they opened the door and entered the room, they saw a white-bearded old man standing at a table, munching on Cockroach Clusters.
"Albus, Mr. Dreyar is here," Professor McGonagall said, looking at Dumbledore's sugar-coated white beard with a hint of disgust.
"Ah, welcome! Mr. Dreyar, would you like a Cockroach Cluster?" Dumbledore turned around with a smile, looking into Victor's eyes with a deep gaze, as if trying to find something in them.
At that moment, the traveler from another world and the Headmaster of this world finally met.