Chapter 42: The Potion Fountain

Kyle didn't expect that Kanna's potion-making skills were surprisingly good.

Whether it was brewing nettle solution or grinding snake fangs, every step was methodical. He couldn't even help much, so he could only sit there bored, staring at the cauldron.

Compared to the other students who were flustered, Kyle looked like he was on vacation.

It was mainly because there was nothing he could help with. Potions were different from other classes. The practical part was limited. Most of the time, they were waiting for the potion to brew.

It was like making soup. Ten minutes to prepare the ingredients, and two hours to simmer.

Of course, this was all contingent on the operation being correct. Otherwise, just making a standard nettle infusion could take some people half a lesson.

Like those two new Slytherins to their left. They had been to the storage cupboard seven times to get nettle.

This caused Snape's face to look unusually grim every time he looked at them. He didn't know whether he was feeling sorry for the nettle, or angry that his house had two students with IQs comparable to "trolls."

Kyle glanced to the left and saw that one of the Slytherins stood up again.

Good... eight times.

"Vlad, Walker, I hope you two will use your barren brains a little." Snape finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He looked at them coldly and said, "If you can't brew a standard yellow-green solution this time, I'll press your heads into the cauldron!"

The two Slytherin freshmen were petrified. The unlucky one who went to get nettle looked like he was going to the executioner's block.

Snape glared at them, flicked his robes, and went to the other two students.

"What have you brewed, licorice syrup? Dump it and start again!"

"Not yellow enough, dump it and start again!"

"Dump it!"

Snape was now like a bat spirit, flitting around the classroom. Everywhere he went, cries of distress could be heard.

Hearing the constant "dump it and redo it," everyone became nervous. They started to move more carefully.

But Kyle was unaffected. He stared intently at the cauldron. When the solution gradually changed from yellow-green to pale yellow, he immediately turned the flame to its lowest setting.

At the same time, Kanna immediately poured the ground snake fangs into the cauldron.

This step was successful. A foul, sweet, and pungent odor quickly filled the cauldron.

"Perfect." Kyle nodded and turned the fire up again.

Then came another long wait.

Kyle looked at Kanna and curiously asked, "Did you brew potions before starting school?"

"No, I didn't." Kanna was slightly startled. She shook her head, "What's the matter?"

"Then you have a good talent for Potions." Kyle said with admiration, "New students usually have a disaster when they first get introduced to potions. They might even cause the cauldron to explode."

"Impossible." Kanna didn't believe it.

Kyle didn't explain. He just gestured for her to look around.

Kanna raised her head in disbelief. Only then did she realize that the Potions classroom was already in chaos.

The students, covered in dust, were running between the cauldrons and the storage cupboard. Their once decent clothing was in tatters. Some even had smoke rising from their hair.

You wouldn't know if they had been hit by a Bombarda curse.

And above many of the cauldrons, various colored fumes were rising. They gathered at the ceiling of the classroom, gradually condensing into a thick, grey-brown, eerie gas. Along with it came a pungent smell that was difficult to describe.

It had a unique odor. It was a bit like rotten eggs and a bit like burning wool.

Kanna only smelled it for two seconds before her stomach churned.

Kanna muttered to herself, "This is impossible. Potions are so simple…"

She turned to look at the Slytherin side. Those students were purebloods. Professor Snape was their Head of House. They should be much better…

Kanna turned her head and saw a sight she would never forget.

The cauldron at the table next to hers had exploded!

No, it was the potion in the cauldron that had exploded.

The liquid potion, for some unknown reason, suddenly bubbled profusely and started to expand rapidly. It filled the entire cauldron in the blink of an eye.

But it didn't end there.

The next second, the bubbles burst out of the cauldron and hit the ceiling of the classroom.

It was a spectacular sight.

"Vlad, Walker, you two morons!"

Snape was murderous. But, as a professor, he didn't immediately punish the two culprits. He quickly pulled out his wand and pointed it at the cauldron that was still bubbling continuously.

"Everte Statum"

"Scourgify"

…

Under Snape's spells, the cauldron and the bubbles were quickly cleaned up.

After making sure no students were injured, Snape angrily went to the two Slytherin students.

He didn't yell at them or deduct points. Instead, he grabbed them by the collars and tossed them out of the Potions classroom.

"Go see Filch. Detention!"

With Snape's roar, the classroom was quiet again. Everyone closed their mouths and tried to avoid making a sound.

Although Kyle didn't have anything to do here, to make himself look less idle, he decided to prepare the ingredients he would be using later.

Actually, "Magical Drafts and Potions" didn't have this step, but Snape required them to cut a thin line on the side of the Porcupine Quill. The Slugs also needed to be steamed.

The reason wasn't stated. Ryan, out of curiosity, asked a question. But Snape deducted three points from him. No one dared to speak up again.

Kyle took the bag containing the ingredients and chose a Porcupine Quill that looked good, preparing to start with the easy stuff.

Because he was trying to waste time, he cut very slowly. A Porcupine Quill less than thirty centimeters long took him ten minutes to finish.

But this blatant act of slacking off quickly caught Snape's attention.

He silently appeared next to Kyle. He casually picked up a Porcupine Quill from the table. Looking at the crooked cut, he sneered, "I remember I said to cut a straight line, didn't I? What is this, dried Flobberworm?

Or can't you understand what 'straight-line' means?"

Huh?

Kyle raised his head in confusion, looking at Snape, then at the Porcupine Quill in his hand that he hadn't finished cutting.

He only took this one, right?

Had he lost his memory?

Or was Snape trying to find a reason to scold him, so he took a Porcupine Quill from someone else?

It couldn't be. Although Snape was shameless when deducting points, he wouldn't be that shameless.

Besides, he wasn't a Potter.

"Pr, Professor…"

Just then, Kanna next to him suddenly raised her hand, her voice trembling, "I cut this."