Chapter 124: Chapter 124 "Professor Snape"
Following Professor Sprout's instructions, the Slytherin and Hufflepuff students began to equip themselves individually.
Wearing a four-layer mask over his face made breathing difficult.
They all donned Dragon leather gloves before following Professor Sprout into the greenhouse.
Finally, they were able to approach this dangerous flower.
Though beautiful, once its dangers were understood, no one dared to appreciate its beauty.
"Groups of four, everyone. Watch out for the poisonous tendrils over there. They're growing teeth!" Professor Sprout warned, giving a firm pat to a crimson plant with spikes inching toward a student from Hufflepuff.
"It's alright, don't be afraid," Professor Sprout reassured her. "Pay attention to differentiating between the stamens and pistils, and protect the flowers while brushing the pollen. Avoid damaging..."
Pollination was a delicate process. The boys struggled, while the girls excelled.
By the end of the lesson, everyone was sweating and covered in mud.
Following Professor Sprout's guidance, they removed their layers of masks.
After a quick shower, the Slytherin students hurried to the Transfiguration classroom.
Their second class of the morning was Transfiguration.
...
Matthew had anticipated a more serious atmosphere in the Transfiguration class.
To his surprise, when he arrived at the classroom, "Professor Severus Snape" was engaged in a friendly conversation with a group of Ravenclaw students.
There was no trace of pretense in his demeanor.
This left Matthew both surprised and more perplexed about his true identity.
As the bell rang, Slytherin students, particularly the girls, had not yet arrived.
Only Millicent Bulstrode was present.
Due to the effects of the Herbology class, most of them needed to shower during the "break time."
Among the girls, bathing was typically a more extended affair.
It was five minutes past the start of the class when Agnes Lestrange, Pansy Parkinson, and Daphne Greengrass arrived.
Matthew sneakily observed "Professor Snape," whose expression remained impassive.
"What's going on?" His brows furrowed slightly as he addressed the tardy girls. "This is your first Transfiguration lesson!"
The girls hastened to explain that they had gotten filthy during the Herbology class, necessitating a shower in the classroom.
Matthew had expected "Professor Snape" to react angrily, yet he responded with more composure than anticipated.
"I see..." He nodded thoughtfully. "I will discuss this with Professor Sprout and suggest she allocate a few extra minutes for you during Monday's Herbology class... Now, take your seats."
The girls breathed sighs of relief and settled down.
Observing "Professor Snape," Matthew's doubts deepened.
...
Transfiguration was challenging, especially since they had not received comprehensive and systematic instruction during the previous semester.
Many students struggled with the coursework.
In the previous semester's final exam, most first-year students had scored lower marks in Transfiguration.
Now, their task was to transform a beetle into a button—a feat more complex than the polymorphism they had learned before.
"Transfiguration is a highly intricate and delicate form of magic," Professor "Snape" began, echoing the opening words of Professor Troka a year ago. "And in many instances, it can be dangerous. Some accomplished wizards even employ Transfiguration for combat, making their opponents' defenses ineffective..."
Suddenly, Matthew recalled President Grindelwald's duel with Morgana the Black Witch.
Indeed, Professor Grindelwald's Transfiguration skills played a pivotal role in securing their victory.
However, Professor "Snape" approached Transfiguration from a different angle than Professor Trocar.
"Caution is undoubtedly vital during Transfiguration. It prevents errors."
"However, relying solely on caution will only lead to a lack of progress... Remember, creativity is paramount in Transfiguration."
Professor "Snape" concluded without hesitation.
"The transformation process is beautiful, as each instance of Transfiguration is an act of creation. Do not halt due to danger, and do not fear transformation."
"To become true masters of Transfiguration, you must confront challenges..."
Evidently, Professor "Snape" possessed genuine talent in the field.
His perspective, however, diverged from that of Professor Trocar.
Still, Matthew refrained from pondering his true identity and instead focused on taking diligent notes of every word spoken.
Afterward, Professor "Snape" guided them through transforming beetles into buttons.
As he allowed them to practice independently, the classroom quickly became chaotic.
Many students struggled, their beetles evading their wands and darting about.
Matthew, however, succeeded.
Just before the end of the class, a small button appeared before him.
...
The lesson concluded without any assigned homework, leaving the students somewhat uneasy.
"Professor Snape is quite amiable!" Matthew deliberately took his time cleaning up as he heard Draco and others discussing while packing their things.
By the time they left, only Professor "Snape" and Matthew remained in the classroom.
"Come along, Mr. Wickfield. I need to lock up," Professor Snape called from the doorway.
"I apologize, sir!" Matthew swiftly gathered his belongings and hurried out of the classroom.
After hesitating, he decided to ask, "Professor, you graduated from Slytherin, just like us, right?"
As Professor "Snape" locked the door, he shook his head without hesitation.
"Absolutely not. I graduated from Gryffindor."
With that, he walked away.
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Chapter 125: Chapter 125 "Hello Matthew"
"Severus Snape," the Professor from House of Gryffindor, was a complete surprise to Matthew.
Contrary to his expectations, Professor Snape possessed a good temperament and rarely displayed anger, even in the presence of students who made mistakes.
His enthusiasm for people was also noteworthy; he interacted warmly with students, colleagues, and even ghosts.
On the academic front, some of his perspectives were rather "radical," occasionally venturing into risky territories.
In many ways, this version of "Severus Snape" starkly contrasted Matthew's memory of him.
"Do you need anything else, Mr. Wickfield?" Professor Snape inquired gently as he locked the door. "Or do you seem quite troubled? Can I be of assistance?"
"No... it's alright," Matthew hurriedly shook his head and explained, "I apologize, sir. I'm just lost in thought."
"That's alright," Professor Snape smiled, patting Matthew on the shoulder. "The Transfiguration you performed in class was impressive. Achieving it on the first attempt is quite commendable."
"You're being too kind, Professor Snape," Matthew replied modestly.
"No, I'm not exaggerating. I've heard from a friend that you're quite talented in Transfiguration," Professor Snape said, shaking his head in encouragement. "Keep up the good work. See you in the next class."
"Goodbye, Professor," Matthew waved his hand.
As Professor Snape departed, Matthew pondered over who the "friend" Professor Snape had mentioned could be.
...
With two morning classes and a physical activity session in between, Matthew's stomach was growling from hunger. Rushing to the auditorium, he discovered that lunch was already underway.
The lunch spread on the first day of school was abundant, featuring piles of pork chops, beef, and sizable curved sausages.
It seemed as if the kitchen House-elves were welcoming the students' return.
While devouring a hefty pork chop, Matthew noticed Draco, Theodore, and Vincent on the other side, engrossed in discussion.
"Draco?" Matthew called out, "What's going on?"
Upon hearing Matthew's voice, Draco quickly approached, holding a piece of parchment in his hand. Theodore, Vincent, and Gregory joined them.
"Hogwarts clubs are open to second-year students and above," Draco Malfoy explained, "Matthew, any clubs catching your interest?"
"Clubs..." Matthew's tone became more subdued.
Based on his prior university experience, he hadn't been particularly interested in such organizations.
He inquired softly, "What options are available?"
"There's a variety of clubs. Some are large with hundreds of members, while others are smaller with only a few," Malfoy explained, "The more renowned ones include the Quidditch club, the Gobstone fan club, and the Muggle Culture Research Group. The choices are quite diverse."
"Can I opt out?" Matthew asked calmly.
"No." Theodore Knott interjected, "As per the regulations, second-year students must join at least one club. However, it's not obligatory for third-year students and above."
"I see..." Matthew's brow slightly furrowed. He inquired softly, "What have you all signed up for?"
"Draco and I have enrolled in the Quidditch club and the dueling club," Theodore continued, "The others are still contemplating."
"What's the dueling club about?" Matthew suddenly became intrigued.
"They teach us various aspects related to dueling and usually have a teacher present," Theodore enthusiastically explained, "Why not join, Matthew? The dueling club is quite popular at Hogwarts."
"It sounds beneficial," Matthew nodded in approval, "Which teacher will be in charge? Hopefully not, Professor Rosier. I'd be too apprehensive to join."
She was known for her strict demeanor, a club like dueling would fall under her domain of expertise.
"Definitely not. Professor Rosier is extremely busy," Theodore smiled, "It was Professor Flitwick last year, and it's likely to be him this year."
"Then sign me up too!" Matthew decided without hesitation. "I'm interested in that one."
"No problem!" Theodore swiftly jotted down Matthew's name on the parchment.
Draco added, "The dueling club meets every Sunday afternoon, so it doesn't clash with Professor Slughorn's banquets."
"Alright, thank you, Draco!"
As Matthew continued his lunch, he contemplated:
Every second Saturday of even weeks was reserved for after-school practices.
Adding the Sunday afternoon dueling club and Sunday evening Slug Club events, his weekends seemed to vanish rapidly.
...
Monday afternoons were free for Slytherin students, so Matthew initially considered visiting the library.
However, he decided to return to the Slytherin common room first.
With no one else in the dormitory, Matthew ignored what his roommates were doing.
He sat in a soft armchair. After hesitating, Matthew opened his desk drawer, and there it was—a familiar sight.
The yellowed pages and antiquated cover of the book lay quietly within the drawer.
It hadn't moved in half a year.
Matthew had assumed the book would follow him over the summer break after leaving Hogwarts.
Yet, it seemed to have vanished during his visits to Flourish & Blotts Bookstore's basement and Room 13 of the Leaky Cauldron.
As if it had lost its magical connection.
Of course, this was ultimately a good thing; no one wants an item following them around like a ghost.
Matthew felt at ease with no one around, pulling the book entirely from the drawer.
As he turned the pages, he dipped a quill into ink and wrote:
"Long time no see!"
The words quickly vanished.
Within seconds, dark green handwriting in a very familiar script appeared on the page:
"Hello, Matthew!"
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