Chapter 158: Snape's Injured Leg
"Professor, are you in there? I have a question I'd like to ask."
Russell knocked politely on the door.
Recently, he had been trying to improve the Wolfsbane transformation potion, attempting to remove the berserk side effect.
He had even asked Wednesday why they didn't simply eliminate that flaw. After all, for Esmeralda, it shouldn't have been particularly difficult.
Wednesday's answer left him speechless.
According to her, the berserk effect had been deliberately preserved—because it made Halloween parties far more entertaining.
Honestly… that was perfectly in line with the style of the Addams family.
Since that approach was clearly a dead end, Russell had decided to seek help from Severus Snape.
What he didn't expect was that Snape's office door wasn't fully closed.
It was only slightly ajar.
And Russell—unfortunately—had pushed a bit harder than he intended.
The door slowly creaked open.
Revealing the two shocked figures inside.
Russell froze.
What he saw was an unforgettable scene.
Snape was sitting in a chair, his robes lifted above his waist—
while Argus Filch crouched in front of him, shifting around awkwardly.
Russell's mouth fell open.
Then he forced it shut, turned around immediately, and began walking away.
"Sorry for interrupting—"
"Come back here!"
Snape barked suddenly.
He grabbed his wand from the desk and flicked it sharply.
BANG.
The door slammed shut.
"Ahem," Snape said stiffly.
"Filch was merely helping me treat a wound."
He lifted his robes slightly to reveal the injury.
Russell stepped closer.
The wound looked brutal.
"Let me handle it," Russell said, pushing Filch aside.
"I still have some dittany that Professor Sprout gave me."
He pulled a small jar from his pocket.
"Filch," Snape said curtly, "you may leave."
"Of course, Professor."
Filch nodded politely—then shot Russell a vicious glare before leaving the room.
Whether intentionally or not, he left the door slightly open again.
Just like before.
Snape ignored it and said coldly,
"Dittany will not help with this injury."
"Alright then."
Russell immediately put the jar away.
Snape's lips twitched.
"…Actually," Snape added after a moment, "it may have some minor effect. Apply it."
Russell crouched down and looked more closely.
Then he inhaled sharply.
The wound on Snape's leg was horrifying.
The entire calf had been torn open, with several deep bite marks still bleeding.
As Russell applied the dittany, even Snape—whose pain tolerance was legendary—tensed visibly, veins bulging on his forehead as he clenched his teeth.
"…Well," Russell said after a moment, "it really doesn't seem to be helping much."
No surprise.
The bite of a three-headed dog was bound to contain poison—and probably a curse as well.
Russell put the jar away.
Then he suddenly remembered something.
I know a healing spell.
He hesitated briefly, then pointed his wand toward Snape's leg.
"Sanare Integrum."
A soft green light spread across Snape's calf.
Faint wisps of dark mist could be seen dissolving into the air.
Snape felt a wave of warmth rising from his leg and spreading through his body.
He looked genuinely surprised.
This spell… can neutralize the poison of a three-headed dog?
The green light faded.
At that exact moment, Russell suddenly felt dizzy.
Breathing heavily, he collapsed into a nearby chair.
The spell was incredibly effective.
But the cost was enormous.
It was clearly an ancient-style spell—brute force in magical form.
Great results, but it consumed several times more magic than modern spells.
For a wizard, that meant severe physical exhaustion.
Snape noticed immediately.
He opened a cabinet behind him, retrieved a small bottle of pale red potion, and tossed it to Russell.
"Drink it."
Russell uncorked it and swallowed it in one gulp.
The taste surprised him.
It was sweet—somewhere between apples and pears.
Russell blinked in surprise.
"Professor… I didn't know your potions could taste this good."
Snape's face darkened instantly.
After drinking the potion, warmth spread from Russell's stomach throughout his body.
His exhaustion faded rapidly.
The potion restored more than half of the energy he had just spent.
Russell immediately recognized the potion.
It was basically a "large mana and stamina restoration potion."
His eyes lit up instantly.
If I had a whole backpack full of these… I'd never have to worry about prolonged battles again.
"Professor," Russell said eagerly, "could you give me a few more bottles?"
Snape glanced at him coldly.
"You think this grows like cabbages in your garden?"
He had seen straight through Russell's intentions.
"At most, you get three bottles," Snape continued. "If you want more, gather the ingredients yourself. I can teach you how to brew it."
He flicked his hand and tossed three small vials toward Russell.
Russell caught them immediately and stuffed them into his pocket like precious treasure.
"Thank you, Professor."
"Mm," Snape replied with a small nod.
He lifted his chin, about to ask Russell why he had come—
When suddenly the office door burst open again.
A figure stumbled inside, nearly falling to the floor.
Russell looked over.
It was Harry Potter.
"Professor Snape," said Argus Filch smugly as he followed him in. "He was sneaking around outside the door. No idea what he was up to."
Filch looked extremely pleased with himself.
He had merely been cleaning nearby and hadn't expected to make such an interesting discovery.
"Potter…" Snape's face instantly darkened.
What worried him most was whether Harry had seen the injury on his leg.
Harry forced a stiff smile.
"Professor, I came to ask for my book back. The one you confiscated—"
"Get out."
Before Harry could even finish his sentence, Snape had already shoved him back out of the room.
The door slammed.
Harry stood outside looking completely bewildered.
Inside the office, Snape took a slow breath.
"Thank you, Filch. Please close the door."
Once Filch left, Snape's expression grew troubled.
If Potter saw that wound…
That thought cast a shadow over his mood.
At that moment, Russell suddenly leaned forward with a vicious expression, making a slicing motion across his throat with his hand.
"Professor," he said in a low voice, "do you want me to take care of Potter?"
"You've lost your mind?" Snape stared at him in disbelief.
"Aren't you two on good terms?"
Russell shrugged.
"Just joking."
Then he added casually,
"By the way, Professor… what happened to your leg?"
"It looks like something bit you."
Snape turned sharply toward him.
"Fythorne. You are not to ask about this again. And you are not to mention it to anyone else."
"Understood?"
"No problem, Professor," Russell said immediately.
"My lips are sealed."
He even mimed zipping his mouth shut.
"Good."
Snape nodded slowly.
"Now then—what did you come here for?"
Only now did he remember Russell's original reason for visiting.
Russell had intended to ask about potion research.
But the question changed at the last moment.
"Professor… if my Sectumsempra can't break through an Shield Charm, is that normal?"