章 216: Chapter 216: The Soothing Potion
Regarding the Potions OWLs, Augustus felt no particular concern. In sixth year, Potions was a required subject, and the fundamentals of alchemy shared similarities between the two worlds, offering a sense of familiarity.
When the bell rang for the first class, Potions with Snape, the trio entered the smoky classroom. The large dungeon was already packed with students. Despite being dominated by Slytherins, Snape's stern reputation ensured even his own house respected and feared him.
"Silence," Snape said coldly, shutting the door with a flick of his hand.
There was no need for further commands. The moment the door clicked shut, the room fell silent. Any minor distractions ceased immediately; Snape's mere presence was enough to command stillness.
Before class began, Augustus idly tapped his fingers on the desk, awaiting Snape's announcements.
"Before we start today," Snape said, striding to the podium and glaring at the students, "I must remind you that come June, you will take an important exam. It will test your knowledge of potion-making and usage. Although there are a few dim-witted individuals in this class, I hope at least some of you will scrape a 'pass' in your OWLs—because if you don't, I will not be pleased."
Neville turned pale, his eyes darting nervously. Hermione, however, sat straighter, determined to prove herself. To continue Potions in sixth year, she knew she would need an exceptional performance this term to meet Snape's standards.
Malfoy glanced toward Harry in the corner of the room. Judging by Snape's disdain for him, this would likely be Harry's final year of Potions. Losing the entertainment of watching Snape torment Harry might make future classes duller, Malfoy mused.
"Of course, by the end of this year, many of you will no longer be in my class," Snape continued. "I only accept the best into my N.E.W.T.-level Potions course. This means some of you will have to say goodbye."
"Today, we will brew a potion often featured in the OWLs: the Soothing Draught. This potion calms and eases anxiety. However, if you are careless with the ingredients, the drinker could fall into a deep, and sometimes irreversible, sleep. So, pay attention."
Lilian straightened in her seat, focusing intently on Snape's instructions.
"The ingredients and instructions," Snape said, flicking his wand at the blackboard. "Everything you need is there." With another flick, the supply cupboard opened. "You have an hour and a half. Begin."
The Soothing Draught? Augustus scanned the blackboard briefly before drawing his wand to retrieve the necessary ingredients from the cupboard: powdered moonstone, syrup of hellebore, and bezoar, among others. After cleaning his cauldron, he began.
He added the powdered moonstone first, stirring counterclockwise three times and waiting for it to boil. Three minutes later, he carefully added two drops of hellebore syrup. He then measured out three grams of bezoar, slicing it into granules before adding it to the cauldron.
The dungeon filled with rising steam as students worked on their potions. Snape approached Augustus's workstation and peered into his cauldron, where the liquid shimmered a pale silver and emitted silvery vapor. Snape nodded approvingly, his dark eyes flashing with a faint, fleeting smile.
"Excellent. At this stage, your potion should resemble Augustus's—emitting silvery steam," Snape said, his voice cutting through the classroom like a blade.
Hermione glanced at Augustus's potion and compared it to her own. Apart from a slightly lighter hue, her concoction was nearly identical.
Snape passed Hermione without comment, his silence a testament to her precise execution.
Lilian, however, frowned at her potion's yellowish tinge. Something had gone wrong. After rechecking her steps against the blackboard, she deduced the issue: the bezoar granules she had cut were too large, leading to uneven heating. With a sigh of frustration, she emptied her cauldron to start over. Spotting Malfoy's cauldron filled with a sticky black sludge, she couldn't help but feel a little better.
Meanwhile, Snape stopped at Harry's cauldron and looked down at its contents with a scornful expression.
"Potter, what is this?" Snape asked icily.
"A Soothing Draught," Harry replied nervously.
"Potter," Snape said in a low, mocking tone, "do you know how to read?"
Draco Malfoy burst into laughter.
Lilian shook her head at Malfoy. How could he still laugh, given the state of his own potion?
"Augustus," Snape said without a trace of emotion, "tell Potter what went wrong with this mess."
Augustus glanced at Harry's cauldron, which emitted a dark green gas and contained a thick, semi-solid substance.
"Clearly, he skipped the third step," Augustus replied, "failing to add the hellebore syrup. That caused the potion to solidify. Additionally, his bezoar must have weighed over five grams, resulting in an overly dark color."
"Did you hear that, Potter?" Snape said coldly, his eyes boring into Harry. "Those two crucial steps—did you follow them?"
Harry looked down and mumbled, "No."
"Louder, Potter. I didn't catch that."
"No," Harry repeated, louder this time. "I—"
"I already know you failed, Potter," Snape interrupted. "Which means this sludge is utterly worthless. Evanesco!"
Harry's potion vanished, leaving him staring blankly at an empty cauldron.
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