After the roll call was finished, it was time for Snape's classic recital.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making."
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic."
"I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses."
"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
He recited this opening monologue so fast and so well that Kate suspected he must practice it secretly in private, or perhaps he just had to perform this bit during the first class for every batch of new students.
Thinking about it from either angle seemed a little comical.
"Potter!" Snape said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stunned as he was, while Hermione's hand shot high into the air.
"I don't know, sir," Harry said.
Snape curled his lips in a sneer. "Tut, fame isn't everything."
Snape deliberately ignored Hermione's raised hand.
Any fool knew he was intentionally making things difficult for Harry. Kate glanced at Hermione beside her and tried to grab her hand, wanting her to put it down.
But Hermione refused to pay her any mind, stubbornly keeping her hand raised.
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Snape continued to ask.
Hermione still had her hand up, but Snape didn't even spare her a glance.
Sigh.
Kate sighed silently in her heart and, just like her, raised her hand high.
"I don't know, sir," Harry answered again.
"I thought you wouldn't open a book before term, eh, Potter?"
Snape still ignored Hermione's trembling arm. "Potter, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"I don't know," Harry said quietly. "But I think Hermione or Shafiq knows, why don't you ask them?"
Instantly, a few students laughed out loud.
Snape looked at Kate with anger, but although Kate appeared frightened by his gaze, she still strove to keep her hand raised.
She wasn't the type of person to actively stick her neck out!
Having met Kate a few times, Snape understood her personality somewhat.
His gaze patrolled back and forth along the row: Harry's face forcing calm, Hermione's face full of anticipation, and Kate's face, which was obviously fearful yet tense.
"Put your hands down!" he shouted in a low, angry voice.
He turned back to stare into Harry's eyes again. "Let me tell you then, Potter!"
"Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death."
"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons."
"As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite—why aren't you all copying this down?"
A sudden rummaging for quills and parchment filled the classroom.
While taking notes on her parchment, Hermione kept glancing in Kate's direction.
She hadn't understood just now why Kate insisted on competing with her—but now, she seemed to understand something.
Snape deducted a point from Harry for his cheek.
Although Harry looked very indignant, there was nothing he could do about Snape.
The lesson continued. Compared to other teachers, Snape placed more emphasis on practical operation. He only lectured on the essentials of the Cure for Boils for a brief seven or eight minutes before splitting them into groups to brew it.
Because Kate and Hermione were in different Houses, they couldn't team up, so Kate had to turn around and partner with Pansy, who was sitting behind her.
Snape swept around the classroom in his long black cloak, criticizing almost every student.
After finding another excuse to deduct points from Harry, he finally came to Kate's group.
To be honest, during her studies over the past year, Kate hadn't actually dabbled that much in Potions.
Whether it was Newt or Tina, their grades in Potions during their student days had only been mediocre.
They could barely teach it, but whether they could teach it well was another matter.
So her self-study of Potions was conducted under the guidance of the System.
"Kate, why didn't you follow the textbook instructions to add the horned slugs to the cauldron immediately after stewing them?"
At this moment, Kate had just finished stewing the horned slugs, but she wasn't in a hurry to put them in. Instead, she used a small knife to gently slit their skins open.
Hearing Snape ask her in a harsh voice, Kate's face twitched, and she put down the knife. "To prevent them from splashing when they dissolve, Professor."
Actually, the System had taught her this. It was said to be the optimal solution for brewing the Cure for Boils. As for why it was different from the textbook...
How would she know? She was just used to letting the System guide her at Newt's house!
Hm? Wait a minute...
Kate looked up cautiously and asked tentatively, "Is this method wrong?"
Snape narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Carry on."
Damn it. If he didn't stop her, that meant he approved of this method too.
She placed the horned slugs into the cauldron and quickly removed it from the fire. As expected, no potion splashed out.
Kate's heart was trembling, but her hands remained steady, accurate, and fast as she took the porcupine quills Pansy handed over, added them in, and stirred five times clockwise.
Finally, she waved her wand.
The potion was complete.
She looked at Snape's gloomy old face with trepidation and spoke tremblingly, "Professor..."
"First to complete the Cure for Boils. Ten points to Slytherin." Snape awarded the points without a change in expression before turning to leave.
Kate breathed a sudden sigh of relief internally and hurriedly whispered, "System, the method you taught me wouldn't happen to be plagiarized from Snape's original creation, would it?"
[The System only instructs based on the optimal solution. If the Host does not require it, other methods can be followed.]
Silently placing the cauldron on the table, Kate wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up at Hermione, who was still developing the potion with Harry in front.
Forget it, if she freeloaded, she freeloaded. Snape couldn't catch any evidence anyway.
The techniques developed by this Potions Prince—the most talented in nearly a century—were far better than the methods taught in Hogwarts' long-unupdated textbooks.
At worst, she would learn secretly and just use the textbook methods in class from now on.
As a person, it's better to keep a low profile.
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