Chapter 324: A Sly Move
Chapter 324: A Sly Move
Unlike Harry, Kenneth Towle didn't receive lenient treatment from the headmaster for his actions, and it was only because no lives were lost that he wasn't expelled.
For the next month, Kenneth will be confined under Snape's supervision. The incident of the contaminated Baruffio's Brain Elixir had almost driven Snape insane.
The matter didn't end there, as news of the contaminated elixir had spread throughout the school. Many students who had purchased the elixir from Kenneth were now seeking refunds, not wanting to be the next unlucky victim of poisoning.
Fortunately, the issue was discovered before any exams, otherwise, their exam preparations would have been ruined as well.
Several students who had bought the elixir went to visit the Slytherin student who was now hospitalized, grateful for his unintentional sacrifice that had spared them from harm.
If it weren't for Kenneth's confinement with Snape, he would likely have been sent to the hospital wing by an angry mob.
Whenever this incident was mentioned, there was no shortage of schadenfreude, and no one sympathized with Kenneth.
Cheating in exams was unacceptable, and everyone believed in fair play.
One day, as Albert was heading to the Great Hall for lunch, he spotted Sana speaking with an older student from Ravenclaw. The senior's tone was unfriendly, and it seemed they were discussing the Baruffio's Brain Elixir.
"What's going on?" Albert walked over, recognizing the student and guessing the nature of their conversation.
The Ravenclaw student was insisting on a refund.
However, Sana had already spent some of the Galleons, and didn't have enough to return the full fifteen Galleons. Even if she wanted to refund the money, she couldn't.
Fred, George, and the others shot disdainful glances at the senior student.
Finally, Albert stepped in and offered ten Galleons to buy back the bottle of elixir from Sana, who then paid the remaining five Galleons.
"Thank you!" Sana quickly expressed her gratitude to Albert.
"Don't mention it," Albert smiled, "Consider it as if you had initially chosen the ten Galleon option."
As he inspected the seal on the potion to ensure it was intact, intending to put it away, he noticed Terence Higgs approaching with his eyes fixed on the bottle of Baruffio's Brain Elixir in Albert's hand.
"Is that Fred, George, and the others nearby were all stunned, unable to comprehend what was happening. Albert had just spent ten Galleons to buy back the elixir, and now someone was willing to pay three times that amount for it?
Could these two be conspiring to pull a fast one on them?
The thought crossed everyone's minds.
"Who said I'm selling it?" Albert rolled his eyes, reminding them with righteous indignation, "That would be illegal."
Everyone turned to look at the Ravenclaw student who had just attempted to get a refund, their expressions strange.
Feeling the weight of everyone's stares, the student's face turned red, and he quickly walked away.
"I bet he's regretting asking for a refund now," said Lee Jordan with thinly veiled glee. "It's Baruffio's Brain Elixir, after all. How could Albert possibly use a contaminated potion as a prize for the Wizarding Contest?"
Lee's face was filled with schadenfreude, and Fred and George beside him were laughing so hard they had to clutch their stomachs. Their laughter seemed particularly malicious.
The surrounding students were all half-believing, and with the seemingly interested Slytherin student also appearing to believe it, they started to as well.
Everyone was curious as to where Albert had obtained the bottle of Baruffio's Brain Elixir.
"Do you think he'll go snitch to Snape?" Sana asked, watching the Ravenclaw student walk away.
Ever since the incident with the contaminated Baruffio's Brain Elixir, the sale of such potions had been prohibited within the school.
"I didn't sell it," Albert winked.
As long as they weren't caught, there was little that could be done as long as there was no solid evidence.
"I recall that diluted Baruffio's Brain Elixir can't be stored for too long," George suddenly spoke up.
"Yeah, it lasts about a year at most when preserved properly. Do you guys want some?" Albert suddenly pulled out a bottle of potion from his pocket and offered it to George.
"Never mind, it's too precious," George mumbled.
"Go on, drink it. I think Snape will be here soon," Albert urged.
"Snape?" The three of them froze, quickly realizing what was happening.
"That jerk," Fred muttered.
"If you guys don't want it, I'll drink it myself." Albert had already broken the seal and was about to pour it into his mouth.
"Who said we don't want it?" George snatched the bottle from Albert's hand.
"Leave some for me!" Fred complained, and so the three of them shared the small amount of potion among themselves.
"How does it feel?" Sana asked, swallowing her saliva.
"It's amazing. The feeling is so... wonderful," George replied.
Before long, they saw the Ravenclaw student approaching with Snape.
"Professor, the potion has been drunk. If you don't believe me, you can ask them," Albert said, picking up the empty bottle from the table and gesturing for Fred, George, and Sana to head to the library to study.
"Yes, it's gone. We all saw it," Sana spoke up, and the others nodded in agreement.
Snape glared at the Ravenclaw student who had tried to get a refund, his voice cold. "I recall you telling me that you drank that potion. Lying to a professor will cost Ravenclaw twenty points. Perhaps a stint in detention will teach you to be more honest."
"Cough, cough!" Fred, George, and Lee Jordan stifled their laughter, barely able to contain themselves in front of Snape.
"Well, I think you shouldn't waste any more time. Head to the library to study!" Albert urged.
As soon as they left the Great Hall, the trio burst into laughter, their strange behavior attracting curious glances from passersby.
"Alright, stop making a scene!" Albert covered his face with his hand in embarrassment.
"Ah, it's a bit of a pity, though. A thirty-Galleon potion, gone just like that," Fred said after he had calmed down, feeling a twinge of regret.
"What you drank was just a Cognition Potion," Albert said, pulling out the bottle of Baruffio's Brain Elixir again once they were out of earshot of others.
"Hahaha!" The three of them looked at each other and burst out laughing again, holding their stomachs. If they hadn't been supporting each other, they might have fallen to the ground.
"By the way, how did you know that jerk would go snitch to Snape?" Fred asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"He lost face. What would you have done if you were him?" Albert retorted.
"I would've wanted revenge, too. I was just wondering why you were so generous," Fred admitted.
"A Cognition Potion only costs a few Galleons," Albert said, a bit annoyed. Of course, the ingredients for a Cognition Potion were far cheaper than those for Baruffio's Brain Elixir.
"I feel my heart aching again!" Fred exclaimed.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
