By the time Alexander returned from the Owlery, the castle was already buzzing.
He noticed it immediately, the moment he stepped back into the greenhouse.
Students were whispering.
Not normal whispers either—the kind that stopped the second he walked past.
"…that's him…"
"…grabbed her hand and walked out…"
"…Snape looked like he was going to explode…"
"…heard a cauldron blew up right after…"
Alexander raised a brow.
That spread fast.
The noise inside was even louder.
Students from both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were clustered in small groups, all talking about the same thing—the Potions incident.
Alexander ignored every stare directed at him and walked straight to his workstation, sitting beside Cho as if nothing had happened.
He placed his bag down casually.
"So," he said, leaning back slightly, "did I miss anything?"
Cho looked at him like he'd just asked about the weather.
"…You're unbelievable."
He smirked faintly. "I try."
She sighed, then leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"I heard that after we left… Professor Snape went on a yelling spree."
Alexander looked interested now.
"Oh?"
"He started lecturing the whole class about how Potions is a serious discipline and not a place for childish behavior."
Cho tried to imitate Snape's cold tone.
"Potions is an exact science. A delicate art. Not a circus for attention-seeking students.'"
Alexander nodded slowly.
"Accurate so far."
Cho continued.
"And then… he addressed what you said."
She hesitated slightly.
"He said he is not racist. That he is a Professor and a renowned Potions Master. And those accusations like that are ignorant and insulting."
Alexander hummed, thinking.
Then shrugged.
"Hmm. Sounds like something he would say."
Cho stared at him.
"You're not taking this seriously at all, are you?"
"Not particularly."
She shook her head but couldn't hide a small smile.
Herbology class began shortly after.
Professor Sprout moved the lesson forward, asking questions about magical plant containment and proper handling techniques.
As usual, most students struggled.
As usual, Alexander did not.
He answered every question calmly, sometimes before others even finished thinking.
When a Hufflepuff student nearly mishandled a patch of Devil's Snare, Alexander stepped in and corrected the grip and wand angle before it tightened.
Professor Sprout beamed.
"Excellent work, Mr. Chen! Twenty points to Ravenclaw for both knowledge and assisting your classmates."
Murmurs filled the greenhouse again.
Alexander simply returned to his seat like it was routine.
After lunch came Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The atmosphere shifted the moment they entered.
Professor Blackwood stood at the front as always, tall, composed, unreadable.
The lesson?
The same as before.
Reading from the textbook.
Theory.
Definitions.
No demonstrations.
No practical instruction.
Alexander rested his chin on his hand, eyes half-lidded.
Still hiding.
He raised his hand.
Blackwood paused. "Yes, Mr. Chen?"
"What's the most efficient counter-curse to a mid-tier paralysis hex if wand mobility is restricted?"
A few students blinked.
That… wasn't in the book.
Blackwood answered coolly, "Chapter twelve covers basic counters."
Alexander nodded slowly.
Then raised his hand again.
"What about layered hexes? If paralysis is stacked with sensory disruption?"
A pause.
Blackwood's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Advanced topics are not for first-year students."
Alexander tilted his head.
"Then what level would you personally classify yourself at, Professor?"
A few students sucked in quiet breaths.
Cho closed her eyes slightly.
Here we go again…
Blackwood's expression did not change—
But his eyes did.
For a split second…
Anger flashed.
Sharp.
Controlled.
But real.
Alexander noticed.
There it is.
He kept going.
"So hypothetically—if you were ambushed by two dark wizards simultaneously, would you prioritize shielding or disabling first?"
Silence filled the room.
The air felt heavier.
Blackwood closed the book slowly.
"That will be enough questions for today."
He looked around the classroom.
"Class dismissed."
Students blinked.
"But—there's still twenty minutes—"
"Dismissed."
He turned and walked out without another word, robes sweeping behind him.
The door shut firmly.
The room exploded into whispers.
Cho looked at Alexander.
"…What was that about?"
Alexander watched the door thoughtfully.
A slow smile formed.
"Hmmm…"
He packed his books calmly.
I'm getting close.
He stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
Let's see how long you can play this game, Professor.