The Potions Classroom was still dimly lit, and the air was filled with the long-standing smell of materials. Various glass jars were packed on the brown wooden shelves, and the materials cabinet at the back was even more worn than before, with several charred marks, as if it had been blown up by something.
Vid walked to his familiar seat and sat down, taking out his potion textbook from his bag, while Michael sat down next to him.
"By the way, you haven't been here this semester, so there shouldn't be any notes in your textbook, right? Why don't I lend you mine first?"
Michael said this as he leaned over to take a look, and he saw a lot of dense, small writing at the corners of the pages.
He was silent for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "Did you bring a potions teacher along when you went out?"
"Of course not," Vid said, "I wrote this back in third grade, now I'm just reviewing it."
Unlike Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, the Professor of Potions hadn't been replaced in many years, and the textbooks and teaching process were very standardized. Vid had already bought the complete set of textbooks for seven years and learned and practiced all the potions.
To him, a subject where each step was explained clearly, down to the minute and second, was even simpler than a Spell Class with cheats, akin to doing chemistry experiments before.
But after Vid finished speaking, Michael stopped moving almost imperceptibly, and he even picked up his book and moved quietly to the table next door.
Vid: "..."
Michael slowly turned his head and floated a resentful sentence: "Oh, there seems to be a sad knowledge gap between us now. This Hermes' messenger classmate, perhaps you should study in Atlantis! This mortal world of ours seems not quite suitable for you!"
"Hey, what are you talking about!"
A book slapped the back of Michael's head, followed closely by Padma's voice: "It's not the first time you know, Vid's always learned way ahead of us!"
"I know," Michael said gloomily, "but I probably need to readjust..."
Padma mocked him twice, then turned to look at Vid, sized him up and down, and said with a meaningful smile:
"Haven't seen you in the classroom for a while, Vid... Since you're back to class, I guess your problem should be solved?"
"Of course." Vid smiled, "Basically all solved."
"You won't be missing class next semester, will you?" Padma sat down in front of Vid, turned and rested her arm on his desk, seriously saying, "After all, this year is O.W.L.s year..."
Before she could finish her sentence, excited voices of several Hufflepuffs came from the doorway:
"Do you remember Cedric's feint? Malfoy was completely fooled..."
"I bet he'll definitely make it to the national team after graduation!"
"Maybe he'll go to a club! I heard Cedric received several invitations."
"If you ask me, the Ministry of Magic is still better..."
The students chatted lively until they stepped into the classroom, where they quieted down.
Theo and Leian were also in the Hufflepuff group. After entering the door, Theo habitually swept his eyes around. Upon seeing that familiar figure, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his expression quickly turning from bewilderment to surprise.
He turned his head and said something to Leian in a low, hurried voice, and the two went straight over.
"Vid?" Theo's tone carried some disbelief: "You're really attending class?"
"Of course, I'm right in front of you." Padma shrugged, "We were just saying! The semester is almost over, and he finally managed to make time."
"After all, it's O.W.L.s year." Vid smiled, "If I keep missing classes, I'm afraid I'll have to repeat a year next year."
Leian silently watched Vid, then gently blinked and said softly, "Hmm... This time feels right, you seemed off earlier, not even joining SSC activities."
"Sorry," Vid said, "I really couldn't spare time before."
"I can see... but there's no need to apologize." Leian smiled and said, "Everyone knows you're busy, if you're tired, take more rest."
At this point, Theo's tense shoulders finally relaxed, and he let out a long breath, revealing a smile with a hint of silliness:
"That's great!"
He only said three words as if he didn't know how to continue speaking. But the smile was so bright, it almost lit up the dim Potions Classroom.
Everyone took their seats, with Theo as before, sitting next to Vid. Leian scanned the classroom and walked towards the lone Hufflepuff student, Ernie Macmillan.
Macmillan seemed surprised too, he turned sideways to whisper to Leian: "Merlin, is it really Vid? I thought the professors were giving him special lessons, so he completely ignored these regular classes!"
Leian immediately turned his head, his voice not loud but especially clear: "Has anyone seen any professor giving Vid private lessons? Instead of speculating non-existent special lessons, why not recall—he's read more books than all of us combined."
Macmillan was momentarily at a loss for words, he touched his nose and mumbled vaguely: "I was just saying... Why so serious."
Meanwhile, Theo took out a balance, a cauldron, and a silver knife, setting up a copper timer, and said softly:
"Today's lesson is a review, the content is the first chapter's Soothing Potion. Professor Snape's homework last class was to explain the Soothing Potion formula in a paper... You take a look at the book first, I'll go and get the materials."
As soon as he returned to his seat with moonstone powder and sneeze root syrup and other materials, the bell rang, the classroom door was pushed open with a "bang," a rush of cold air poured in, and the classroom fell silent.
Professor Snape strode into the classroom, his black robes billowing behind him like a whistling wind.
He walked straight to the podium, swept his gaze down, then stopped to stare at Vid.
The Professor of Potions showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, then elongated his tone and slowly said:
"Ah, look who it is? Our genius Alchemist finally condescends to grace this unremarkable Potions Classroom, how... surprising."
Snape slowly walked down the podium, his black robe brushed past the edge of the desk, and the Hufflepuff students shrank back nervously, while the Ravenclaws tried to maintain a stiff expression, their eyes fixed on the blackboard.
Snape said in a silky voice: "A rare sight like Mr. Gray, I suppose the school's humble courses have long been unable to meet your profound knowledge? Or do you think the O.W.L.s exam's difficulty is no longer enough to keep you in this dreary dungeon?"