Chapter 164 "Wizarding Schools Potions Championship"

Skyler thought for a while, and since his relationship with Professor Snape had progressed to this point, and he had demonstrated some of his strength and influence, it seemed that he could try to recruit him.

So, Skyler asked, "Professor, what are you going to do after the Dark Lord returns? Will you follow Dumbledore's orders and go undercover for the Dark Lord?"

Professor Snape's face, usually like an iceberg that lasted ten thousand years, couldn't maintain its cold composure at this moment and suddenly changed color. He shouted in a cold voice, "What are you talking about?"

Skyler shook his head and said with a smile, "Professor, you are my father's best friend and the dean whom I respect. I have always regarded you as one of my own! When you asked me about the missing students, I had no intention of hiding anything and told you the truth directly—what you are doing now is a little bit... It's not interesting enough."

Skyler continued, "Among my allies are clever diviners, so I don't really know anything about the future, and I'm not afraid to tell you honestly, I have already seen the end of your fate!"

Professor Snape's pupils shrank slightly, and his whole body trembled quickly. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Am I dead?"

"Yes, Professor," Skyler said with a sigh. "You died like a tragic hero, bearing the name of a traitor, and Potter also walked on the path arranged by you and Dumbledore, having a one-on-one decisive battle with the Dark Lord..."

"What happened? How?" Professor Snape's body trembled visibly, and this time he finally abandoned his usual reserve. He asked eagerly, even his breathing became a little faster.

Skyler shook his head and said, "It's hard to say. Judging from the results of divination, the Dark Lord died in the duel, but Harry also entered the Netherworld at the same time, which means that he may die, but he may also return to this world...even a master of divination can't see all the future..."

Professor Snape's face looked as if someone had forcefully stuffed it into his mouth, which was as ugly as it could be.

"Dumbledore! We agreed to protect Lily's child together. Is this how you protect her?"

Professor Snape was such a smart man. Although he only heard the final result from Skyler's words, he immediately figured out the key. Harry was clearly put on the stage by Dumbledore and used to deal with Voldemort.

This old man, with all his earth-shattering strength, blindly and foolishly placed all his hopes on a vague prophecy!

At this time, Skyler spoke at the right moment, "Professor, I can help you change this situation... You don't have to die, and Potter doesn't have to fight the Dark Lord..."

Professor Snape's lips trembled, but he turned around and looked away. The two fell into silence for a moment.

After a long time, he finally turned around to face Skyler and said with difficulty: "What price do I need to pay..."

"Professor, don't think of me as such a fussy person..." Skyler suddenly said with some humor, "So tell me! Among my allies are masters of alchemy, masters of divination, experts on magical animals, and masters of herbal medicine... The only thing missing is a master of potions. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Professor Snape restored his always indifferent face, nodding.

"I will hand you a list of students," Skyler said. "You will continue to be the dean and professor at Hogwarts, but you must provide all the students on the list with the greatest help you can provide."

"Okay." Professor Snape nodded; these things were simply a piece of cake for him.

"After the Dark Lord returns, hey," Skyler smiled, "the world will apparently be divided into three camps - those who follow the Dark Lord, those who oppose the Dark Lord, and those who refuse to believe in the Dark Lord's return. Don't doubt it; all of these have been shown in the divination results, and we will not join any camp-"

Skyler's eyes glowed with confidence, and his voice was low and powerful, "We lurk in the dark and let them do what they want. Fighting life and death, and finally coming out as a savior to clean up the mess... Don't worry, I will make sure that nothing happens to Potter in the process... Do you need me to make an unbreakable vow?" Professor Snape stared at him with a deep look.

Skyler waited for five seconds, and then said softly: "No need."

"Okay, Professor," Skyler finally showed a sincere smile, "Then I wish us for a happy future, I am looking forward to our cooperation, Professor!"

[Severus Snape has been established as an Ally!]

Professor Snape snorted in disbelief, and then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he said: "Before you leave, there is another thing.

During this year's summer vacation, I haven't received any news about the exact time, but it is estimated that around mid-August, the magic garden in the French Pyrenees will host the 85th Wizarding School Potions Championship.

Judging from the level of potion mastery you displayed in class today, it seems you already have the skills to enhance potion recipes.

The Potions Championship, originally established to honor Quintia McQuoid, a 15th-century potion researcher who tragically lost his life after inventing a magical potion to treat malaria, has evolved into a competitive platform for major magic schools to showcase their potion expertise.

Participation in this competition comes with conditions. Contestants must be students from one of the 11 most prestigious magic schools globally and must receive a recommendation from a potions master.

In the early 16th century, Zygmunt Budge, the renowned author of "The Book of Potions," aspired to compete in the Potions Championship at the age of fourteen.

Despite being the top student in his Potions class and even correcting his teacher's errors in potion-making using the tails of soft-clawed land shrimps, he faced a hurdle.

Coming from an ordinary family without a recommendation from a Potions Master, he sought assistance from the Headmaster of Hogwarts at that time.

However, the Headmaster rejected his request, citing his age (under seventeen) and the perceived danger of the tournament. Frustrated, Zygmunt applied to drop out of Hogwarts, convinced that the school was deliberately obstructing his path to becoming a pharmacist.

Upon leaving school, he discovered a critical detail—he could only participate in the championship as a representative of Hogwarts, and leaving the school made him ineligible.

Despite several attempts to transfer to other magical institutions, Zygmunt's disheveled appearance hindered him, and he wasn't taken seriously.

Undeterred, he ventured alone to Hermetray in the Hebridean Islands. Settling on La Island, he immersed himself in potion studies without distractions, ultimately crafting his magnum opus, "The Book of Potions."

Zygmunt's remarkable contributions include the creation of the charm potion, which exudes charisma, a venom to eliminate vixens, and a magical elixir with extraordinary effects. Furthermore, he enhanced numerous ancient potion formulas, such as shrinking potions and sleeping potions.

As mentioned earlier, the ancient sleeping potion originally featured moon dew as its primary ingredient. Zygmunt's innovation involved replacing moondew with mugwort, giving birth to the prototype of the Draught of Living Death.

As previously discussed in this book, the global wizarding world recognizes three premier honors for students: the "Triwizard Tournament," the "Cairo International Alchemy Conference," and the "Wizard Interschool Potion Championship."

These competitions hold international significance, and triumphing in any one of them is sufficient to gain renown in the wizarding community worldwide. While there are additional contests and accolades in the magical realm, such as the "Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting " and the "International Wizarding Chess Competition," their prestige pales in comparison to the top three.

Even though Skyler has already participated in the Triwizard Tournament, he is determined not to miss the other two competitions.

His goal is to become the Triple Crown Champion, surpassing even Dumbledore's achievements during his student years.

"Yes, Professor," Skyler spoke confidently, retrieving a bottle of blue flame potion from his bag. "This creation originated during my first year.

It draws inspiration from Muggle accelerants, but after numerous refinements, it now significantly amplifies the flame intensity and temperature, easily achieving a tenfold increase."

Professor Snape's eyes registered a subtle shift. The ability to craft potions in the first year, even if the work is rudimentary, is undeniably impressive.

He produced an ancient formula for the "Elixir to Induce Euphoria" and inquired, "If I tasked you with improving this formula, what approach would you take?"

Skyler glanced at it casually and remarked, "The primary issue with this Elixir lies in its potential side effects, such as singing and nose twisting due to excessive excitement. A common remedy is to introduce peppermint, which is already quite effective."

Professor Snape's brows furrowed deeply, "Are you suggesting... there are superior ways to enhance it beyond peppermint?"

"Passion flower (passiflora)," Skyler affirmed. "It helps individuals return to a state of calmness after experiencing excessive excitement."

(Note: Modern Chinese botany translates passion flower as passion flower, but the author finds "passion flower" pleasant and easy to remember.)

Professor Snape's facial expression was inscrutable. He appeared somewhat disappointed yet also wore an expression that suggested, "This is to be expected." He shook his head, stating, "That's not possible. The passion flower would directly counteract the joy potion's effects, diminishing its potency."

"Not necessarily," Skyler said, "Professor, you once emphasized that potion-making is a precise science and requires strict craftsmanship. The passion flower falls within the Mercury segment of the herbal sequence, also aligning with the Leo sequence.

By controlling the timing of potion refinements—such as when Mercury is positioned between the sun and us—the passion flower's effects can be delayed until the side effects of the potion manifest."

Professor Snape lapsed into contemplation, mentally running through the steps outlined by Skyler for potion preparation and calculating the success rate for formulating the euphoric agent. After a while, he nodded, conceding, "It does work."

Subsequently, Professor Snape retrieved a roll of parchment from his belongings and handed it to Skyler. "This is the recommendation letter I drafted for you. With this, you can participate in the Potions Championship. Given your skill, there should be no issue in joining the competition. I will personally clarify to Dumbledore that his ideal candidate is, in fact, Gryffindor's Head Boy, Morne."

Skyler snorted derisively and sneered, "The headmaster certainly favors Gryffindor. If memory serves, Gryffindor has held the position of male student union president for three consecutive years, right? After all this, are you still not content? Must Gryffindor Champions be strategically placed even in other competitions? If the Triwizard Tournament doesn't rely on neutral magical items for selection, will Gryffindor champions still be appointed?"

(Note: Looking at the entire book, aside from our Lord Voldemort, all known male and female student council presidents are from Gryffindor—Dumbledore, McGonagall, James, Lily, Bill, Percy.)

Professor Snape's expression darkened, reminiscent of a certain schoolyard bully who had ascended to the position of male student union president.

Nevertheless, he maintained a cold demeanor as he remarked, "That's not the case. Morn's potion skills are indeed quite commendable. Additionally, he's older than you. The competition is inherently perilous. While I believe you surpass him in potion preparation techniques and raw material combinations, he possesses knowledge of a broader range of potions due to having studied under me for three more years."

After a brief pause, Professor Snape continued, "However, this is not a significant issue. There are still several months before the competition. You can seize this opportunity to enhance your understanding of potions. Simply read more books and practice consistently. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to seek my guidance."

"Okay, thank you in advance, Professor."

Capitalizing on the moment, Skyler took out Professor Snape's magical research notes and delved into inquiries regarding the spells he invented and the concept of "weaponless flight."

Addressing each query comprehensively, Professor Snape and Skyler bid farewell politely, leaving the interaction with a satisfied expression.

[Obtained a recommendation letter to participate in the Wizarding Inter-School Potions Championship!]