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Chapter 31: Snape's Dark History
Chapter 31: Snape's Dark History
After exchanging a few more words with Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore left the hospital wing with Kyle.
Along the way, Kyle took the opportunity to ask about some issues he had encountered while practicing magic, and Dumbledore generously provided answers to all his queries.
...
As their destinations differed, they soon parted ways once they entered the castle.
When Dumbledore returned to his office, he found Snape already waiting for him.
"Here are the ingredients for the Anti-Dark Arts Potion," Snape said, casually tossing a long piece of parchment onto the desk. "According to our Deputy Headmistress, it includes many precious ingredients and requires your signature."
"Minerva is too much of a stickler for rules. I told her a long time ago that she has full authority over the school's affairs," Dumbledore picked up the parchment and said nonchalantly, "Besides, it's just an Anti-Dark Arts Potion. How precious could it be...Hmm?"
Dumbledore's expression changed as he read the contents of the parchment.
Mandrake juice: 50 ounces.
Horklump juice: 50 ounces.
Australian Protean Ocularon eggshells: 5 pieces.
Bombalurker blast fluid: 10 ounces.
Unicorn horns: 5 pieces.
Aconite: 100 pieces.
...
And this was just a portion of it; there were around thirty types of ingredients listed in total.
After reading through everything, Dumbledore felt his forehead throbbing.
If he remembered correctly, out of the first six ingredients listed, only mandrake juice was necessary for the Anti-Dark Arts Potion; the rest had absolutely nothing to do with it.
And Australian Protean Ocularon eggshells...those were the main ingredients for a Frenzy Potion, weren't they? How dare he include them here, did he really think others were completely ignorant about potion-making?
Not to mention the quantities.
Fifty ounces of mandrake juice—that would be enough to brew Anti-Dark Arts Potion for the entire school to drink for a week.
Unicorn horns were usually ground into powder before being sold; Snape had listed five whole horns. How expensive did he think those were?
Was he trying to stock up on supplies from here?!
At this point, Dumbledore understood why Snape had come to him for a signature.
With Professor McGonagall's strict personality, she definitely wouldn't approve of such an outrageous list. Or perhaps Snape hadn't even bothered to ask her and had come straight to him instead.
"Severus..." Dumbledore hesitated, deciding to give Snape one more chance. He asked tentatively, "These are all the ingredients needed for brewing the Anti-Dark Arts Potion, correct?"
Snape nodded calmly. "Yes, Headmaster."
"Then what about these Australian Protean Ocularon eggshells?" Dumbledore inquired.
"That's for a new formula I'm trying out," Snape replied.
"But isn't the quantity excessive?"
"It's to allow for errors, Headmaster," Snape said matter-of-factly. "I haven't brewed an Anti-Dark Arts Potion in a long time, so it's normal to make a few mistakes. Hence, I need a sufficient amount of materials."
"It seems I have no reason to object anymore." Dumbledore picked up a scarlet quill and swiftly signed his name on the parchment.
"Mr. Mickle will be grateful for your generosity, Headmaster Dumbledore," Snape said, his eyebrows arching slightly.
After taking the parchment filled with his added requests, Snape couldn't wait to fill up his private storage room...no, he meant to start brewing potions for Mickle.
"No, no, no, Severus. I think you've misunderstood. This is just a normal reaction from a headmaster seeing an exceptional student. If you don't want to talk about it, then forget I mentioned it."
Dumbledore picked up a cockroach-shaped candy and popped it into his mouth, offering one to Snape as well. "Would you like one? They're quite tasty."
"No, thank you," Snape said with disgust.
He couldn't understand why Dumbledore liked these peculiarly shaped treats when there were so many other options in the wizarding world.
This particular candy looked even more nauseating than the slug-vomiting of a Filibuster beetle.
Dumbledore, acting as if he hadn't noticed Snape's repulsed expression, continued, "Kind, brave, honest, and level-headed—it's been a long time since Hogwarts has had such an outstanding first-year wizard.
I recall that his mother, Diana, was in Slytherin as well, and she was just one year ahead of you."
"Shut up!"
At this remark, Snape's eyes twitched, and his face darkened as he said, "Never mention that name in my presence again. Never!"
By the last few words, Snape was practically shouting.
This outburst displeased the portraits of the previous headmasters, who scolded Snape for his disrespect and audacity in talking back to the headmaster.
Unfortunately, Snape didn't bother to pay them any mind.
If he dared to shout at the current headmaster, why would he care about a few paintings? He addressed them as "Headmaster" only when he felt like giving them face; otherwise, they were nothing more than a piece of torn paper, too stiff to wipe cauldrons.
"I didn't realize you still remembered that incident after all these years," Dumbledore said.
Ignoring the grumbling portraits, he gently sighed, "But Severus, even now, I still believe you were in the wrong back then.
Diana was a well-mannered and lovely young lady. If you hadn't uttered that foul remark to Chris, she wouldn't have blocked your path in the common room every day..."
"Bang!"
Before Dumbledore could finish his sentence, a loud slamming door interrupted him.
The noise startled even the sleeping phoenix, Fawkes, who vigorously flapped his wings in the direction Snape had left in, expressing his displeasure at being woken up.
"Pfft..."
Watching Snape's angry departure, a portly male witch portrait couldn't help but snicker. However, upon catching Dumbledore's amused glance, he quickly covered his mouth and scurried off to another frame.
Dumbledore soothed Fawkes, murmuring, "Now, now, it seems that as we grow older, we tend to reminisce about the past more and more..."
"Heh, hypocrite."
On the wall, the former headmaster, Phoenix Nigellus Black, who sported a goatee, spoke up. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You're doing this on purpose. What's the big deal about young Snape asking for a few extra potion ingredients? Back when I was headmaster...
Wait, Dumbledore, what are you doing? I won't say another word, I promise! Don't come over here!"
(End of Chapter)
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