Bullying and The Genius lover

After the charm class, Felix and Xeno headed to the dining hall for lunch. As they entered, they witnessed a distressing scene: three fourth-year Slytherin students were bullying two helpless Hufflepuff first-year students. The sight made Felix pause, contemplating whether he should intervene.

"Are you going to help them?" Xeno asked, trying to gauge Felix's character.

Felix looked at him incredulously, as if he had asked the most foolish question. "Of course not. Are you dumb?"

Felix despised helping victims of bullying in his previous school. He had learned the hard way that they would cling to him like leeches, expecting him to shield them from further harm. If he ever decided to stop helping, they would blame him for everything and make his life miserable. Moreover, he was now at Hogwarts, where every student possessed a wand capable of magic. Though forbidden to use it outside of the classroom, Felix doubted the commitment of those aspiring Death Eaters to follow the rules. He didn't want to risk his life over uncertain alliances. But he needed points, so he had to do something.

"Xeno, go get the professor," Felix commanded.

"Why me?" Xeno questioned.

"Because they see me as a Muggle-born wizard. If I get the professor, their hatred will be directed at me. But you're a pure-blood; they'll consider you bad luck," Felix explained, his curiosity about his true parentage and blood status growing.

"Okay, I'll go. Wait for me," Xeno nodded, understanding the situation, and rushed off to find a professor.

Moments later, Xeno returned, accompanied by Professor Flitwick, who wore an angry expression on his face. The professor swiftly intervened, separating the bullies from their victims. He then turned to the Hufflepuff prefect who had arrived on the scene.

"Mr. Longbottom, take these bullies to the Hospital Wing," he instructed, his tone firm. He then directed his attention to Xeno and commended him, "Mr. Xenophilius, you will receive +10 points for alerting me to this incident." With that, he led the scared-looking bullies away towards the Headmaster's office, deducting 10 points from their house.

After lunch, Felix and Xeno made their way to the potions class, their final class of the day. Felix couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry that he wouldn't earn points easily this time, considering the unfortunate encounter he had with Professor Slughorn on the first day. He pondered ways to change the professor's perception of him and make a better impression.

Entering the potions lab, they found Professor Slughorn absent. Felix turned to Xeno, a thought nagging at him. "Do wizards get sick?"

Xeno looked puzzled by the question. "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Well, Slughorn is late. Do you think he'll even show up today?" Felix wondered aloud.

"He's the Slytherin Head of House, Felix. He's probably in the Headmaster's office, dealing with those students and their families," Xeno explained.

"Oh, great. Sigh," Felix sighed, realizing that his chances of earning points from Slughorn were now even slimmer. The encounter on the first day had left a bitter impression, and he feared he had lost any opportunity for redemption.

Just as Felix resigned himself to the situation, the door swung open, and Professor Slughorn entered the classroom, offering his apologies for his tardiness. Introducing himself as Professor Horace Eugene Floccus Slughorn, he explained that they would be learning how to brew an elementary potion called the Cure for Boils. He scanned the room for a moment before his eyes settled on Felix, surprised to see him raising his hand—something he had ignored on the first day.

"Mr. Scarletwound," Slughorn called, giving Felix a chance to shine.

"The Cure for Boils is a potion that removes boils, such as those produced by the Pimple Jinx," Felix answered confidently, seizing the opportunity to capture the professor's attention.

"Very good, Mr. Scarletwound. +5 points for Ravenclaw," Slughorn acknowledged, his eyes gleaming with interest. Felix saw this as his chance to make amends and gain more favor.

"May I list the ingredients?" Felix asked eagerly.

Slughorn nodded, intrigued by Felix's sudden enthusiasm. "Yes, go ahead."

"The ingredients are 6 snake fangs, 4 horned slugs, and 2 porcupine quills," Felix listed confidently.

"Correct, Mr. Scarletwound. Another +5 points for Ravenclaw," Slughorn praised, as he began brewing the potion, providing step-by-step instructions.

As the class progressed, Felix observed Slughorn's interactions with other students. He noticed a pattern: the professor only assisted those who were close to successfully brewing the potion on their own. Students who encountered difficulties or became stuck were ignored. Felix realized that Slughorn was a fan of those who showed potential, and his help was reserved for those who needed it the least.

"So that's why he didn't intervene with me on the first day. He's a sycophant," Felix thought to himself, contemplating how he could leverage this trait to his advantage.

After 35 minutes, Felix waited for Slughorn to be within sight before commencing the second part of brewing the potion. He wanted to stand out as much as possible. Under Slughorn's watchful gaze, Felix removed the lead from his cauldron, revealing a perfectly brewed Cure for Boils potion.

"Well done, Mr. Scarletwound! Well done! +5 points for Ravenclaw," Slughorn praised, impressed by Felix's achievement.

"Thank you, Professor. It's all thanks to your clear explanations and easy-to-understand instructions," Felix replied, expressing gratitude while secretly admiring Slughorn's expertise. Unbeknownst to Felix, Xeno was observing him, noting the emergence of a new trait: ass-licking.

"Hahaha, thank you," Slughorn laughed with genuine delight, looking at Felix as though he had discovered a precious gemstone in his class.

As the class concluded, Felix couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had managed to earn points and salvage his reputation with Professor Slughorn. This newfound understanding of the professor's preferences would surely prove valuable in the future.