Unlike Snape, Slughorn possessed an approachable demeanor that made him almost atypical for a Slytherin. While both taught Potions, Slughorn's style differed vastly. Snape seemed perpetually lost in the dark depths of his own making. Slughorn, on the other hand, was enthusiastic, and his classroom reflected that. Open windows allowed the warm, golden sunlight to stream inside, bringing with it the dampness and freshness of the morning air.
Inevitably, this reminded the students of Remus Lupin, and they initially hoped they'd stumbled upon another near-perfect Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
However, they soon discovered that Slughorn and Snape shared a common trait: hypocrisy.
Snape's hypocrisy manifested in his petty attitude and blatant favoritism, swayed by whatever house was involved. His attitude toward Harry and those he disliked was always skewed.
Slughorn's double standards were most obvious in his teaching. He always seemed to 'discover' exceptionally talented geniuses, granting them special treatment while seemingly ignoring those he deemed mediocre or struggling.
Ron had lost count of the number of times he'd greeted Slughorn, only to be ignored. His questions were met with polite indifference, even outright hostility. He even suspected Slughorn hadn't bothered to learn his name; he'd been called the wrong name over a dozen times!
Thus, most of the young wizards quickly developed a distinct dislike for their Potions professor.
...
In Defense Against the Dark Arts class, despite the relative comfort afforded by warm sunlight and a gentle breeze, most of the students wore expressions of profound boredom. This was a combined class of Gryffindors and Slytherins, and few of the Gryffindors found any favor with Slughorn. The sentiment was clearly mutual.
Slughorn stood at the podium, ready to launch into a lengthy lecture about his famed "Slug Club," a club exclusively for gifted students. He paused, a flicker of frustration in his eyes.
This won't do.
How could he possibly lure Harry Potter and the others into his "Slug Club" without first demonstrating his superior teaching abilities?
"Ahem, I believe you all know me by now. So, do you have any questions?"
"..."
"Perhaps I should teach you something a little different this lesson? Something you likely haven't encountered in your textbooks. Has anyone heard of the Winged Demon? Does anyone know how to defend oneself should they encounter one?"
"..."
"I propose we conduct this lesson in a question-and-answer format. The student who earns the most house points… will receive this!"
To ignite the students' competitive spirit, Slughorn produced a small vial of clear potion, holding it up for all to see. "A very rare potion, Felix Felicis!"
"Hmm?"
"Wait, I think I've heard of that before!"
"Merlin's beard! Is that…?"
"..."
Seeing the students finally stir, Slughorn's lips curled into a smile. His eyes crinkled, and he decided to fan the flames. "Just one sip, and you'll find yourself blessed with extraordinary luck, for a short time, of course!"
"Oh?"
"That amazing? Or is it just hype?"
"Short hair, short brains. Never even heard of Felix Felicis, have you, lion?"
Seeing that the foolish Gryffindor couldn't even recognize Felix Felicis, Malfoy launched a mocking attack. Slughorn, however, made no move to stop them. The fiercer the competition, the better.
"Harry, shall we snatch that bottle of Felix Felicis for ourselves?"
From a seat further back, Malfoy leaned in and whispered to Harry. Even to one as wealthy as Malfoy, Felix Felicis was of great value... more than he could acquire with several months' allowance.
Harry pondered. "We'll see. If Cassandra doesn't want it, then we'll take it."
He knew that Cassandra, currently engrossed in her own "study world," was unlikely to fight for it anyway. She hardly lacked for such things with Voldemort as her private tutor. Furthermore, Cassandra likely wouldn't deign to compete with them. With Tom absent, she showed little desire to perform for anyone else's benefit, considering none of her peers as rivals and having no interest in any of their petty games.
Slughorn lightly rubbed the small bottle containing Felix Felicis between his fingertips, satisfied with the current situation. He was about to strike while the iron was hot when…
Most of the students below, including almost all of the Gryffindors and most of the Slytherins, deflated—all their prior excitement vanished.
What a joke!
Even if Felix Felicis was all it was cracked up to be, it wasn't as if they stood a chance of actually winning it.
Forget previewing the lessons; they hadn't even bothered opening the book covers yet.
Fine, since we can't win, might as well not have the Felix Felicis.
"…"
Slughorn's expression darkened. What on earth was going on?
Are all Hogwarts students like this now?
How can you know you can't win if you don't even try?
But that was the reality.
Gryffindors: You get ten points and then lose twenty, while others get a hundred and then get an extra two hundred. How are you supposed to compete with that?
Slytherins: Sorry, my rank isn't high enough. The Death Eaters' superiors specifically stated it had to be taken by one of them, so I can't really compete for it, can I?
Of course, Slughorn was completely oblivious. He gave a dramatic sigh. "Looks like this lesson won't be happening."
Well, not exactly. Lecturing at this point would be, at best, ineffective, so Slughorn decided to try a different approach: he'd tell these kids about his brilliant eye for talent back in his prime.
Slughorn loved to brag about his outstanding students and to show off his impressive interpersonal connections.
"Since none of you are in the mood for an ordinary class, I'll tell you something else."
Slughorn stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I'll tell you about some of my former students."
Hmm?
I'm intrigued by this.
No one dislikes gossip, and no student can resist hearing their teacher tell stories outside of class.
Seeing that the students were captivated by his words, Slughorn snorted with satisfaction. His biggest worry when showing off was that others wouldn't care or pay any attention.
"I've mentored many outstanding students, most of whom now hold significant positions in the wizarding world. Some are high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic, some are renowned professors, and others excel in diverse fields such as performing arts and business."
Slughorn stepped down from the podium and started walking among the students. "However, my most outstanding student has achieved far more accomplishments than all the others combined."
The students' curiosity was ignited, becoming uncontrollable. Even Harry and his friends, who already knew the answer, looked on with interest. Cassandra glanced at Slughorn and then looked away, clearly disinterested.
"I think you all know him."
Hearing the students' whispers and murmured questions, Slughorn's vanity swelled. "His name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. I doubt there's anyone in the wizarding world who doesn't recognize that name, even today."
"…"
The students around him echoed, "WHAT?!"
---
Straight up. The goal's far. Won't pretend otherwise. But every powerstone moves the needle. On everything it adds up. Drop them. Act accordingly.