Chapter 526: Potions Class Opening Remarks (4k)

Wizard Sean glanced at Professor Lupin and sat silently beside Professor Snape.

Lupin looked back thoughtfully at the Potions professor and realized Snape was still glaring at him fiercely.

“As for our third new teacher,”

Dumbledore continued after the applause subsided,

“I regret to inform you that our Care of Magical Creatures professor, Professor Kettleburn, retired at the end of last term to enjoy more time with his old bones and joints.

However, I am pleased to announce that the one filling his position is none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching role in addition to his duties as gamekeeper.”

At the long tables, Jia Jia Siting, Hermione, and others exchanged stunned glances.

Then they joined the rest in applauding, with the Gryffindor table’s applause especially loud.

Wizard Sean looked to his left and saw Hagrid’s face flushed red, his eyes lowered to his large hands, a broad smile hidden behind his wild, tangled black beard.

“We should’ve known!”

Ron was pounding the table, shouting,

“Who else would make us prepare a book that bites?”

Wizard Sean and the others were the last to stop clapping, when Professor Dumbledore began speaking again; they saw Hagrid wiping his eyes with a tablecloth.

“Alright, one final important matter.”

Dumbledore said.

The young witches and wizards all leaned forward, awaiting Dumbledore’s final announcement.

What could it be?

Hogwarts has welcomed three new wizards: Professor Lupin—oh, not many know him…

A gamekeeper, Hagrid—everyone knows him well; he’s the one who decorates the Christmas trees every year…

And as for Mr. Green—Merlin’s beard, who doesn’t know him?

Even the new first-years?

More importantly, dear Mr. Green is the Potions class teaching assistant.

With the kind Mr. Green beside Professor Snape, surely their Potions class won’t be so terrifying anymore?

“Wait, Wizard Sean—did you just move your class from the book to the dungeon?”

Ron asked Harry, slightly excited.

“At least when we ask questions, we won’t get—‘What could possibly penetrate that thick skull of yours?’”

Harry imitated Snape perfectly.

“Exactly—”

Ron burst out laughing.

“The final matter still concerns our dear Mr. Green.

Rubeus Hagrid told us he needs an assistant to help him guard the Forbidden Forest and prepare lessons.

When he was distressed, our dear Mr. Green extended his helping hand.

Naturally, the final matter is to welcome Mr. Green as our Care of Magical Creatures teaching assistant and Forbidden Forest keeper—”

Dumbledore said, blinking.

“Brilliant—”

At the Gryffindor table, Fred and George shouted in excitement.

The wizards also clapped enthusiastically.

Occasionally, a first-year would whisper a question, and older students eagerly explained:

“Mr. Green isn’t qualified to be a Care of Magical Creatures assistant?

You must not have read all of the Green Notes.

Remember, Newt Scamander himself was among those who contributed to the Green Notes: History of Magical Creatures!

He called Mr. Green the most gifted wizard he’d seen in fifty years, and it’s said Mr. Green once studied under Newt Scamander—they still exchange letters to this day.”

As the Gryffindor spoke, he heard laughter beside him.

“The Great Green’s Forbidden Forest—”

Fred whispered to George.

“The completely accessible Forbidden Forest—”

George winked.

“And now—dinner!”

Headmaster Dumbledore opened his arms wide.

Suddenly, golden plates and goblets before the wizards filled with food and drink.

This was Wizard Sean’s first time dining at the Head Table; he was too short, his head barely rising above the table.

He heard Professor Snape grunt, and his chair quietly grew taller.

This astonished Professor Lupin, who had just pulled out his wand.

Just as a first-year becoming a Potions assistant—Snape making such a choice… was unbelievable.

Wizard Sean was unaware of Lupin’s many speculations; he simply noticed the Head Table offered an unobstructed view—he could see every student’s dining behavior.

Wizard Sean saw Harry and others, ravenous, taking portions of everything within reach, devouring greedily.

Laughter and clinking cutlery echoed through the Great Hall.

But Harry, Jia Jia Siting, and others hurried to finish eating so they could speak with Hagrid and Wizard Sean.

They knew how important becoming a teacher was to Hagrid.

Hagrid was not a fully qualified wizard; he was expelled from Hogwarts in third year over a false accusation.

It was Wizard Sean who led them last term to clear Hagrid’s name.

As for Wizard Sean—he always did things that left them speechless, without a word.

Finally, the last few slices of pumpkin pie vanished from the golden platters; Dumbledore announced it was time for bed, and only then did they get their chance.

“Congratulations, Hagrid!”

They reached the staff table, and Hermione shouted loudly.

“Thanks to you all.”

Hagrid said, wiping his shiny face with a napkin, looking up at them,

“I can’t believe it… such an incredible man, Dumbledore… Professor Kettleburn said he’d had enough, and Dumbledore just came straight to me… this is exactly what I’ve always wanted…”

Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in the napkin.

“Wizard Sean…”

They turned to Wizard Sean again—the boy’s chair was too tall; he seemed suspended atop it.

They saw Wizard Sean tap the chair lightly, and it magically sank lower.

“That’s…”

This sight made Harry and the others rub their eyes.

“A simple transfiguration.”

Wizard Sean said, stepping down from the chair.

A common Ravenclaw trick—the wandless version of transfiguration.

Also a simple, convenient ancient magic, primarily for transforming “inanimate object” to “inanimate object.”

A basic-level transfiguration…

Yet such casting still granted ten full points of Master-level transfiguration proficiency.

It seemed the interface was constantly pushing him to explore deeper realms of magic.

“That’s not simple.”

Ron lowered his jaw, forgetting to even ask when Wizard Sean had decided to take a position at Hogwarts.

…

The morning of the second day of term.

Wizard Sean was preparing for his first Potions class.

Not as a student.

Potions class was held in an underground classroom.

It was colder than the main castle above; glass jars lined the walls, their preserved animal specimens making you shiver.

First-years along the way had already hunched their shoulders.

Professor Snape stood early on the podium, thin morning light mingling with mist to illuminate his face.

His eyes were as black as Hagrid’s, but lacked Hagrid’s warmth.

His eyes were cold, hollow—reminding you of two pitch-black tunnels.

This unsettled the new Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs even more.

Only when they saw the Ravenclaw prefect whose head didn’t even rise above the podium table did they feel slightly better.

“I heard Potions professor is the scariest at Hogwarts.”

A Ravenclaw whispered to his companion in a very low voice.

May Mr. Green protect us.

The timid Ravenclaw girl looked toward Wizard Sean.

Wizard Sean looked slightly awkward, thinking of what he was about to do, he let out a faint sigh.

“Mr. Green sighed!”

The timid young wizard let out a soft gasp.

His companion looked up in horror, eyes filled with the look of doom.

“Say…”

Professor Snape studied the trembling young wizards for a few seconds, then spoke to Wizard Sean.

“You have come here to learn the precise science and strict art of potion-making.”

The Ravenclaws heard their senior speaking.

His voice was barely louder than a whisper, yet every word reached them clearly.

His tone carried calmness and an almost imperceptible weariness, but the young wizards did not think so.

They were utterly intimidated.

“Since there is no foolish wand-waving here, many of you will not believe this is magic.

I… Professor Snape does not expect you to truly appreciate the beauty of a slow-simmering cauldron sending up white smoke and filling the air with a fragrant scent.

You will not truly understand the magical power of liquids flowing through veins, stirring the soul and clouding the will…

Professor Snape… and I can teach you how to raise your stature, brew glory, even prevent death—but on one condition: you must not be the kind of idiot we so often encounter.”

After Wizard Sean delivered his brief opening remarks, the entire class fell silent.

Wizard Sean himself had not expected that the first thing he inherited from Professor Snape would be the opening lines of the Potions class.

It made him wonder: was the professor’s opening speech itself passed down?

Do all Potion Masters do this?

In the time that followed, Potions became the most grueling course for the first-years. Had it not been for a Ravenclaw senior offering guidance everywhere, they believed they might not have survived the class at all.

Even as Wizard Sean left the dungeon, he could still hear students around him sighing and groaning.

“Is Professor Snape the most terrifying professor you’ve ever seen?”

A young wizard asked his companion.

His companion nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking grain.

“Is Mr. Green the gentlest wizard you’ve ever met?”

The young wizard whispered again.

“Of course—”

Only then did his companion’s gloomy eyes light up.

Unfortunately, as they spoke, Professor Snape passed by beside them.

Wizard Sean saw their faces turn instantly pale.

But Professor Snape seemed unconcerned; he merely let out a cold snort and strode away.

When Wizard Sean entered the Great Hall for lunch, he immediately saw Harry glaring at Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy appeared to be telling a particularly funny story to a large group of Slytherin classmates.

As Harry passed, Malfoy deliberately pretended to faint in an exaggerated manner, drawing laughter from everyone.

“Ignore him,”

Hermione said from behind Harry,

“Just ignore him—it’s not worth it…”

“Hey, Potter!”

The Slytherin girl Pansy Parkinson shrieked,

“Potter! Dementors are coming, Potter! Waaah!”

Wizard Sean stopped watching them and pulled out his schedule, sitting down at the long table.

The empty table miraculously sprouted the Weasley twins.

“Great Mr. Green, what are you looking at?”

George looked up and saw Malfoy pretending to faint again.

“That little glutton, oh dear,”

he said calmly,

“When the Dementors came on the train last night, he wasn’t so full of himself. He dove right into our compartment, wasn’t he, Fred?”

“Almost wet his pants.”

Fred said, casting a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

“I wasn’t exactly thrilled either,”

George said,

“Those Dementors are awful creatures…”

“They freeze your insides solid, don’t they?”

“But you didn’t faint, did you?”

Harry sat down and asked Fred quietly, curious.

“Don’t think about it, Harry.”

George encouraged him,

“Remember when Dad had to go to Azkaban? You remember, Fred?

He said he’d never seen a place so terrifying. When he came back, he was limp and shaking… the Dementors sucked all the joy out of him.

Most of the prisoners there ended up mad.”

As Wizard Sean refined his Potions notes, the small table gradually filled with people.

To be honest, Wizard Sean’s time was growing ever tighter.

He needed to brew an expert-grade Potion of Peace, and raise his mastery of the Fiendfyre Curse to master level.

Only then could he earn two new titles within the first week of term.

What would they grant him?

Wizard Sean had been looking forward to them for a long time.

Beside him, Hermione was studying her new schedule.

“Oh, wonderful, Wizard Sean, look—we’re starting several new classes today.”

She said cheerfully to Wizard Sean.

“Hermione,”

Before Wizard Sean could reply, Ron peered over her shoulder, frowning,

“They’ve crammed your schedule full of nonsense.

Look—they’ve got you taking nearly ten classes in one day. Where’s the time?”

“I’ll manage. I’ve already spoken with Professor McGonagall. So has Wizard Sean.”

Hermione added.

“I don’t know about Wizard Sean… but look,”

Ron said skeptically,

“See today’s morning classes? Nine o’clock, Divination.

Then, nine o’clock, Muggle Studies. And—”

Ron leaned closer to the schedule, as if disbelieving his eyes,

“Look—right after, Arithmancy, nine o’clock.

I know you’re brilliant, Hermione, but no one’s that brilliant.

How can you possibly be in three classrooms at once?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,”

Hermione said shortly,

“I won’t be in three classrooms at once.”

“Then how—”

“Pass the orange marmalade.”

Hermione said.

“But—”

“Ron, please—even if my schedule is packed, what’s it to you?”

Hermione snapped,

“I told you, I’ve spoken with Professor McGonagall, just like Wizard Sean has.”

“Oh…”

Ron looked crestfallen.