Chapter 17: Potions Class
Miranda continued in a hushed voice, "Pario was already planning to talk to the Head of House about making her the Seeker directly. But unfortunately, that stickler Goschawk insisted that first-year students aren't allowed to play Quidditch, so she was only made a reserve."
Hoffa was a bit surprised. Wasn't this situation eerily similar to Harry's? If Goschawk had been just a little more lenient, Aglaia would undoubtedly have become a first-year Seeker.
He turned to look at the girl at the center of the crowd and thought to himself that she truly fit the protagonist mold. A Seeker—the king of the Quidditch team. In his past life, all the famous characters excelled at Quidditch: James Potter, Harry, Malfoy, Cedric, Cho Chang, Krum, Ginny...
The list went on.
Hoffa had initially thought she resembled Hermione, but now he realized he had been mistaken. She was more of a well-rounded prodigy.
If Hoffa believed that agreeing to Miranda's request would help keep the peace, he was sorely mistaken.
What happened next would once again redefine his understanding of the world.
On Friday, Hoffa had two classes to attend: Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions.
At this point in time, Defense Against the Dark Arts was still a normal class, unaffected by any curses. The professor was a retired Auror named Alathia Melis, who also served as the Head of Gryffindor House.
When teaching lower-year students, Melis was affable and humorous, primarily recounting stories from his youth—encounters with vampires, werewolves, and dark fairies, among other creatures. If Hoffa remembered correctly, Melis was the last "normal" professor to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Seven years after Melis retired, Tom Riddle, having graduated, sought this position. When Dumbledore and others rejected him, Riddle cursed the post. From then on, no professor could hold the position for more than a year.
After finishing Defense Against the Dark Arts in the morning, Hoffa attended Potions class in the afternoon.
The Potions professor was Horace Slughorn, the Head of Slytherin House. During lunch, Hoffa suddenly had an idea regarding the library signature.
Unlike the Snape of later years, Slughorn was an easygoing person. He had shared the secret of Horcruxes with Voldemort and later handed his darkest memories to Harry Potter.
However, all this depended on one crucial factor: gaining his favor.
Indeed, Slughorn only associated with students he deemed valuable or promising, treating them as his most prized "collection." Even after retiring, he returned to Hogwarts solely to teach Harry.
In short, Slughorn judged people by appearances and potential.
Despite his superficiality, Slughorn wasn't a bad person. If Hoffa could win his approval, securing a signature from him for the library should be achievable.
After all, if Slughorn could share the secret of Horcruxes with Voldemort, what was a simple signature?
Usually, Hoffa approached classes casually, but today he made a point of heading to the washroom after lunch to tidy up. He ensured his appearance was neat, combing his black hair smoothly back.
This effort made him look much more spirited. His features weren't unattractive to begin with, and now, with a bit of effort, he appeared rather dashing.
First impressions mattered, and if he could also come across as enthusiastic in class, Hoffa felt confident he could capture Slughorn's attention.
Potions Class
The Potions classroom was located in the basement of Hogwarts. It was even colder than the main castle above, with glass jars lining the walls, containing preserved animal specimens and mutated body organs. Hoffa found it quite fascinating, and figured the Slytherin common room must be nearby.
As he entered, a faint mist filled the room, and the air was thick with various strange odors, alongside the bubbling of many cauldrons. Hoffa glanced around, recognizing all the potions being brewed. Thanks to his above-average mental capacity, he had already memorized most of the potions book. If Slughorn decided to quiz the class, Hoffa felt confident he could stand out.
The tables in the basement classroom were round, so cauldrons could be placed in the middle. Slytherin students sat at one table, and Ravenclaw students at another. This meant that Hoffa would have to sit at the same table as Aglaia.
To make matters worse, the Slytherin table was very close to Ravenclaw's, and directly across from Hoffa sat Tom Riddle, the future Dark Lord.
Hoffa felt cornered, but he didn't show it.
Not long after they sat down, the door to the classroom opened. Slughorn hadn't entered yet, but his large belly had already made its way through the door. Then came a man with a sea sponge-pipe with silver fittings, smoking from it. He wore a tightly buttoned jacket that made him look younger than he would be fifty years from now—still not bald, but significantly heavier.
He smiled cheerfully, resembling a giant smoking walrus.
Once inside, Slughorn scanned the students, his gaze lingering a bit longer on Aglaia and Tom Riddle. These two were the most striking in appearance.
Next, he picked up the roster and began calling roll.
Hoffa thought to himself that Slughorn probably called the roll just to see if there were any students with famous wizarding family names or well-known bloodlines.
So when he called "Tom Marvolo Riddle," Slughorn appeared slightly surprised and stared at Tom in the crowd for a moment. The Gaunt family, after all, was well-known.
Hoffa thought to himself, Alexander, Voldemort is more handsome, and he even has Salazar Slytherin's aura about him. If I want this man's favor, I need to perform exceptionally, or I'll end up like Ron, whose name he wouldn't even remember. Let alone getting a signature to access the restricted section of the library.
After calling the roll, Slughorn puffed out a smoke ring and cheerfully said, "Alright, everyone, take out your scales, potion bags, and Magical Potions and Draughts textbooks."
The sound of students rummaging through their things filled the room.
Hoffa felt a bit disappointed. Was class really starting now?
However, Slughorn added, "But before we begin, I've prepared a few potions to give you a taste of the wonderful and exciting magic of Potion-making."
With that, he pointed to a cauldron on the Slytherin table that was sizzling and emitting white smoke. "Can anyone tell me what this potion is?"
Here it comes! Hoffa perked up, immediately raising his hand high.
When Slughorn saw someone had raised a hand, he nodded happily. "Good, you can answer."
Hoffa stood up and said, "A cold resistance potion. The ingredients are daisy roots and licorice juice in a 1:9 ratio, with sea leopard fat and rat spleen added. It's mainly used in regions like Scandinavia and Siberia."
"Correct!" Slughorn boomed.
"What's your name?" (As expected, he hadn't remembered Hoffa's name.)
"Hoffa Bach, sir."
"Bach, is it? Very well, Ravenclaw gets 5 points."
Slughorn gave Hoffa a nod and gestured for him to sit down.
Hoffa felt a surge of satisfaction. It seemed he had made a good first impression on Slughorn. After completing the course, maybe he'd even be able to get a signature for the library.
Potions Class
The Potions classroom was located in the basement of Hogwarts. It was even colder than the main castle above, with glass jars lining the walls, containing preserved animal specimens and mutated body organs. Hoffa found it quite fascinating, and figured the Slytherin common room must be nearby.
As he entered, a faint mist filled the room, and the air was thick with various strange odors, alongside the bubbling of many cauldrons. Hoffa glanced around, recognizing all the potions being brewed. Thanks to his above-average mental capacity, he had already memorized most of the potions book. If Slughorn decided to quiz the class, Hoffa felt confident he could stand out.
The tables in the basement classroom were round, so cauldrons could be placed in the middle. Slytherin students sat at one table, and Ravenclaw students at another. This meant that Hoffa would have to sit at the same table as Aglaia.
To make matters worse, the Slytherin table was very close to Ravenclaw's, and directly across from Hoffa sat Tom Riddle, the future Dark Lord.
Hoffa felt cornered, but he didn't show it.
Not long after they sat down, the door to the classroom opened. Slughorn hadn't entered yet, but his large belly had already made its way through the door. Then came a man with a sea sponge-pipe with silver fittings, smoking from it. He wore a tightly buttoned jacket that made him look younger than he would be fifty years from now—still not bald, but significantly heavier.
He smiled cheerfully, resembling a giant smoking walrus.
Once inside, Slughorn scanned the students, his gaze lingering a bit longer on Aglaia and Tom Riddle. These two were the most striking in appearance.
Next, he picked up the roster and began calling roll.
Hoffa thought to himself that Slughorn probably called the roll just to see if there were any students with famous wizarding family names or well-known bloodlines.
So when he called "Tom Marvolo Riddle," Slughorn appeared slightly surprised and stared at Tom in the crowd for a moment. The Gaunt family, after all, was well-known.
Hoffa thought to himself, Alexander, Voldemort is more handsome, and he even has Salazar Slytherin's aura about him. If I want this man's favor, I need to perform exceptionally, or I'll end up like Ron, whose name he wouldn't even remember. Let alone getting a signature to access the restricted section of the library.
After calling the roll, Slughorn puffed out a smoke ring and cheerfully said, "Alright, everyone, take out your scales, potion bags, and Magical Potions and Draughts textbooks."
The sound of students rummaging through their things filled the room.
Hoffa felt a bit disappointed. Was class really starting now?
However, Slughorn added, "But before we begin, I've prepared a few potions to give you a taste of the wonderful and exciting magic of Potion-making."
With that, he pointed to a cauldron on the Slytherin table that was sizzling and emitting white smoke. "Can anyone tell me what this potion is?"
Here it comes! Hoffa perked up, immediately raising his hand high.
When Slughorn saw someone had raised a hand, he nodded happily. "Good, you can answer."
Hoffa stood up and said, "A cold resistance potion. The ingredients are daisy roots and licorice juice in a 1:9 ratio, with sea leopard fat and rat spleen added. It's mainly used in regions like Scandinavia and Siberia."
"Correct!" Slughorn boomed.
"What's your name?" (As expected, he hadn't remembered Hoffa's name.)
"Hoffa Bach, sir."
"Bach, is it? Very well, Ravenclaw gets 5 points."
Slughorn gave Hoffa a nod and gestured for him to sit down.
Hoffa felt a surge of satisfaction. It seemed he had made a good first impression on Slughorn. After completing the course, maybe he'd even be able to get a signature for the library.
Aglaia crossed her arms and scoffed disdainfully.
Tom Riddle from the Slytherin table leaned back in his chair with keen interest.
Slughorn walked over to another cauldron emitting a grayish vapor and asked, "Now, which student can tell me what this potion is?"
Without a doubt, Hoffa's hand shot up.
Slughorn looked surprised. "Bach, very well, you can tell us."
Hoffa stood up again and said, "The Petrification Potion. It is made from stone-thrush eggs, fire-ash serpent eggs, rock moss, and a cave spider's eye. It is non-toxic and causes a temporary petrification effect, lasting about 15 minutes."
"Very accurate, very accurate! Well done, Hoffa! Ravenclaw gets five more points!"
Slughorn blew out a puff of smoke, his face showing admiration. He turned to the rest of the class and said, "What are you all waiting for? Hurry up and write it down!"
The sound of parchment being rustled filled the room, even Tom Riddle picked up his quill.
But there was one person who remained still.
It was Aglaia. She leaned against her chair, rubbing her chin, staring at Hoffa with a suspicious look.
She started to doubt Hoffa's motives.
Hoffa noticed her ghostly gaze but didn't pay it much attention. His mind was fully focused on Slughorn. If he could leave a good impression and get the signature, he'd be able to get that book on Transfiguration from the restricted section.
Once the students finished taking notes, Slughorn moved to a shallow purple cauldron.
"Anyone know what this one is?"
Before he could finish, a hand shot up.
But this time, it wasn't Hoffa.
It was Aglaia.
Hoffa hadn't expected this sudden interruption, and neither had Slughorn.
He froze, pipe still in mouth.
"Miss Draces, do you… have a question?"
Aglaia stood up directly.
She pointed at the pale purple cauldron and said, "Fear Potion. Drinking it causes hallucinations, and in higher doses, it can cause mental trauma. It's an ancient technique that's been around for over 100 years." (She shook her head disdainfully.) "The ingredients are crow feathers, short deer antlers, and a bit of dark elf blood. Normally, this potion is crimson in color, but to make it more deceptive, you've added a bit of purple mountain flower to it." (She clicked her tongue.) "A clumsy method, but it's enough to fool certain people."
She glanced at Hoffa. "Though I fear some short-sighted people might think it's a healing potion and drink it without hesitation."
Hoffa took a deep breath, biting his bottom lip tightly, and remained silent in his seat.
Slughorn looked utterly astonished, but that wasn't the end.
Aglaia pointed to another cauldron, which was shimmering with a brilliant green glow.
"The Glow Potion. It's made from treant sap, bioluminescent mushrooms, and ghost skin, producing a glowing effect that makes the body shine in the dark. Ancient wizards discovered it when experimenting with animals during mating seasons. But personally, I think if you added a bit of chameleon scale to the potion, it would enhance the glow, making it richer and more lasting…"
(One minute later, the entire dungeon was left with only her showing off. Hoffa's face was pale with anger, while Slughorn was looking at her with admiration.)
Aglaia: "...This one is the Levitation Potion, which makes your body as light as a feather. The ingredients you used are eagle feathers, flying mushrooms, and moon moth wings. But in my opinion, this method is outdated. Just a drop of purified siren blood would achieve the same effect…"
(One minute later)
Aglaia: "…The Wolfbane Potion. It is designed to work against werewolves, but if you add a bit of Wailing Death Bell, it can also be effective against humans with evil intentions. You didn't do that, which is a bit of a shame."
(One minute later, Slughorn was sweating profusely)
"...Of course, I don't think all of the potions in this dungeon are without merit. For example, I think the Sleeping Draught you made is quite unique. It not only helps wizards suffering from depression fall into a deep sleep, but it also makes them feel as though they've naturally fallen asleep."
Aglaia praised a colorless, transparent liquid in front of her, which made Slughorn breathe a sigh of relief.
But then the girl continued:
"However, due to the irresistible potency of the Sleeping Draught, it is considered a controlled substance by the Ministry of Magic and should not be present in a classroom for lower-year students. I assume you wanted it to be a bonus point, but if some students with poor self-control…"
Slughorn started sweating again.
It was unclear how many minutes later, but finally, the silver-haired girl in the center of the classroom finished her lengthy speech. She crossed her arms and scanned the classroom, offering Hoffa a mocking smile when she saw him.
Finally, Slughorn trembled as he took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
In a hoarse voice, he stammered, "You… you and… and the president of the European Apothecaries Association, Igo Moyses…"
Aglaia sneered. "He is my incompetent great-grandfather."
The entire class gasped in surprise.
Hoffa collapsed in his chair, breathing heavily and feeling as though his soul had left his body.
"Indeed," Slughorn clapped his hands, "a natural talent, a natural talent! You are a born potion master! Ravenclaw gets 50 points!"
At that moment, Slughorn looked at Aglaia as if she were a priceless gem.
As for Hoffa, he had long been forgotten.
The entire class clapped behind Slughorn, but Hoffa didn't. He closed his eyes, afraid he might not be able to control the fury in them.
After class, Slughorn cheerfully called out to Aglaia.
"By the way, Miss Draces, I'm having a small dinner party on the 3rd of next month, with a few older students. Would you be able to join us?"
Aglaia frowned for a second before glancing at Hoffa, who looked dark with anger. A knowing look crossed her face, and she smiled sweetly at Slughorn.
"It would be an honor, Professor."
Hoffa stormed out of the door, so angry that it felt like he was about to explode.
It was all ruined! All ruined!
Now, Slughorn only had eyes for Aglaia. How could he possibly get that signature now?
(End of Chapter)
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