Hogwarts: I am Snape

Chapter 109 He often had questions he wanted to ask me.

The dome was pressed low by dark clouds, and rainwater meandered down along the transparent veins.

"The owl is coming!" someone shouted.

A flapping sound came from the auditorium as owls swooped down through the rain-splashed windows. Water droplets fell from their feathers, sprinkling onto the students' heads and food.

The owls flew around the dining table until they found their respective recipients and dropped letters or packages onto their laps or the table.

Snape instinctively raised his arm to shield himself, only to see a greywood owl flying straight toward him, clutching a large, square package in its claws.

The package looked very heavy, and the owl almost lost its balance at the last moment.

The package slammed down between the jam dish and sugar jar in front of him, causing his silver fork to bounce on the porcelain plate with a crisp clinking sound.

"What did you buy?" Abbott whistled. "Bricks?"

Snape ignored his teasing. The parchment wrapping was damp with rain, but the sealing wax was intact—the mark of "The Practical Potions Master".

Upon opening the packaging, inside was a thick, latest issue of a journal. The first line of the title prominently read, "Complete Formula of Wolfsbane Medicine and Its Clinical Application."

Snape instinctively looked up, his gaze passing over the noisy Great Hall and landing on the Gryffindor dining table.

In the middle of the Gryffindor table, Lily looked up from a magazine with the same packaging, her emerald eyes lighting up when she saw the same magazine in his hand.

Their eyes met in mid-air, and they smiled at each other.

Not far from Lily's seat, James gripped his fork tightly, his hand trembling. Sirius followed his gaze and scoffed, "Never mind them, James."

“Shut up, Sirius.” James’s voice was terrifyingly deep, and a hint of gloom that Sirius had never seen before flashed in his eyes.

Oblivious to the hostility from afar, Snape lowered his head again and eagerly turned the pages of his book.

He quickly scanned the table of contents. This issue of "Practical Potions Master" was almost twice as thick as usual, and he only understood why when he turned to the section on wolfsbane potions.

The first paper is merely a lengthy introduction, in which the author, Damocles, emphasizes the difficulty of its creation in an almost intimidating tone:
"...I must warn all readers that wolfsbane medicine is not something amateurs should attempt. Its core ingredient, aconite—though I prefer to call it wolfsbane aconite, which is undoubtedly more apt—is extremely toxic..."

"Incorrect temperature control, the addition of common excipients such as sugar, can all lead to the medication becoming ineffective and resulting in huge waste... I strongly recommend that patients in need contact me directly to purchase the finished medication. This is far more practical and economical than trying it yourself..."

Snape couldn't help but curl his lip. From what he knew, most werewolves were at the bottom of society and simply couldn't afford the price of the finished potion.

He quickly flipped to the "Continued on page 67" mark at the end of the article to view the complete formula and production process, and found that the second half of the journal was full of key points on the production of wolfsbane medicine.

“Look at step three,” he said to Pandora, pointing to the page. “What does it say after ‘Add three drops of dragon’s blood’?”

“‘It is recommended to use blood from Australian protein-eyed dragons,’” Pandora squinted and pulled the book closer, “‘Other dragon species may reduce the efficacy of the medicine…’ This is not cheap.”

“Yes,” Snape said, mentally calculating the prices of the various materials, “this is not something an average family can afford.”

After a cursory glance, he became even more certain that making wolfsbane potion was by no means a simple matter. Not only was it extremely costly, but the steps involved were also outrageously complex:

Aconite boat-shaped tuber is a highly toxic substance that was previously widely believed to have no therapeutic effect. It must be handled with extreme care to remove any of its toxic properties.

The auxiliary materials not only include many expensive and rare materials such as dragon blood, moonstone powder, bird snake eggs, and mandrake juice, but also have additional requirements for specific quality.

Moreover, the entire production process is filled with vague descriptions such as "two pieces," "three drops," and "medium temperature."

“No wonder Damocles would publish the potion recipe in its entirety,” Snape said sarcastically to his companion. “Even if he had it, how many wizards could actually concoct such a potion? Besides, isn’t this description just like the Chinese cooking instructions for oil to reach 40% heat, adding a little salt, a suitable amount of sugar, and some vinegar?”

If one were to rely on repeated experiments to create a finished medicine, the cost would be prohibitive for most wizards, and besides, the market would be limited, so it would have little commercial value. Snape thought that unless he could standardize the process or find alternative materials…

After finishing his meal, Snape knew his morning Potions class was about to begin. He stuffed the magazine into his bag and headed towards the Potions classroom.

The air in the underground classroom was filled with the complex scents of various potions. He skillfully squeezed the sleep bean with the side of his silver dagger, while his ears caught snippets of Lily and Mary's conversation at the other end of the classroom.

“The toxicity of aconite is too unstable…” Lily’s voice came through, “According to Gobarlot’s Fourth Law, the additional components should…”

When the bell rang, Snape immediately packed up his equipment, moving even faster than usual.

He took out "The Practical Potions Master" from his bag and whispered to Abbott and Pandora, "You two go first. I have some questions about Wolfsbane Potion that I need to ask Professor Slughorn."

Pandora and Abbott exchanged a knowing look, nodded, and left.

Snape walked toward the podium and saw Lily moving toward it from another direction, also holding the same journal.

Their eyes met again, and Lily winked at him.

Slughorn was busy locking several precious samples into a cabinet when he turned around and saw Snape approaching. A look of panic flashed across his face.

"What are you going to do, Severus?" He clutched his chest, his voice filled with obvious panic.

“Professor, about the Wolfsbane potion in ‘The Practical Potions Master’,” Snape said, pretending not to notice the professor’s wariness.

“Oh, that!” Slughorn visibly relaxed, wiping non-existent sweat from his forehead. “I thought you had some terrible new discovery…”

Lily eagerly stepped forward, opened the journal, pointed to a page, and asked:
"Professor, look here. The addition of dragon's blood as an additive would theoretically enhance the potency of the target medicine, which contradicts the principle that excipients must not conflict with the main ingredient..."

“Miss Evans,” Slughorn looked at him in surprise, “you’ve even studied Gobarlot’s Fifth Law?”

The three quickly engaged in a heated discussion. Snape pointed out the difficulties in temperature control, Lily questioned the proportions of certain ingredients, and Slughorn shared several solutions for adjusting rare materials.

As the other students in the classroom gradually left, James stopped at the classroom door, watching the scene with a somber expression. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, his eyes flashing with complex emotions.

“Come on, James,” Sirius said, pulling on his arm. Lupin put his hand on James’ back as well, and together they pulled him out.

"...So the key lies in accumulating experience at each step," Snape concluded, tracing a densely packed passage of text on the page. "Drying, grinding, boiling, and dosage all require precise measurements."

Lily bit her lower lip, thinking, "But it's hard for us to achieve completely precise control..." "Muggle experimental equipment," Snape suddenly said, and the two looked at him in surprise, "measuring cups, droppers, mechanical scales—electronic equipment won't work at Hogwarts, but old-fashioned mechanical mechanisms will. There are also thermometers and timers."

“Severus, that’s brilliant! How come I didn’t think of that!” Lily’s eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but slap the book, making a dull thud. “I used those things when I was in elementary school!”

“It’s an obvious choice,” Snape said with a shrug. The young wizards come to Hogwarts at the age of eleven to receive their magical education. Even Muggle-born wizards miss out on most of the school’s science education. But he is an excellent successor who has received nine years of compulsory education.

“My dear children,” Slughorn looked skeptical, his face full of confusion, “potion making is a magical art, how much can Muggle… uh… toys help?”

“Accuracy, Professor,” Lily replied immediately. “If it is as difficult as Mr. Damocles says, then judging the temperature by simply visually counting the number of bubbles in the crucible is far from sufficient.”

“However,” Slughorn continued, “the Ministry of Magic has explicitly prohibited the use of Muggle items.”

Lily was stunned; clearly, she hadn't considered this possibility.

“Professor,” Snape calmly continued, “I spoke with Mr. Arthur Weasley of the Office for the Prohibition of the Misuse of Muggle Items. The Ministry of Magic only prohibits the application of magic to things made by Muggles; the use of Muggle items is not illegal.”

“Okay,” Slughorn patted his round belly, his expression gradually relaxing, “this might work…”

“We might need to use your lab, Professor,” Lily said. “And for some materials.”

“If Dumbledore agrees, I can lend you the laboratory,” Slughorn said with a troubled expression. “But as for materials, I’m just an ordinary teacher. Aconite is now twenty gallons a ounce, not to mention dragon’s blood, moonstone powder, serpent eggs…”

“I can go to Professor Dumbledore,” Lily said immediately. “I think he would be interested in this.”

“I’ll go find him too,” Snape said. “I still need to leave school to go to the Muggle store to buy lab equipment.”

When they left the underground classroom and arrived at the dripping stone beast, Lily suddenly froze: "Oh no, I don't know the password..."

At this point, Snape had already started talking to the stone beast.

"Is the principal in?" he asked, his tone as familiar as if he were greeting an old friend.

“I bet Albus is taking a nap,” the stone beast replied, its eyes darting around. “Aren’t you really going to consider staying here?”

“No need,” Snape said. “It would never be a good choice for a young, handsome man to live with an old man.”

“Terrible prejudice,” the stone beast muttered, “even though you’re no different from anyone else living here… Say the password, it’s the rule.”

“Toffee ladyfingers,” Snape said.

The stone beast jumped to one side, revealing a spiral staircase.

"How did you know the password?" Lily asked, her mouth agape in surprise.

“Professor Dumbledore often asks me questions,” Snape said. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

A spiral staircase led them to the wooden door.

Just as Lily was about to knock, the door opened by itself—Dumbledore, wearing a nightcap embroidered with stars and moons, was dozing behind a long table.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up and said gently, "Ah, Severus, Lily, what brings you here?"

“Wolfsbane potion,” Lily said. “Professor, we hope to have your support.”

Over the next ten minutes, the two took turns explaining their plans and needs.

Dumbledore listened intently, his long fingers forming a pyramid shape.

“A very forward-thinking idea,” Dumbledore said when Snape mentioned the Muggle experimental equipment. “The combination of magic and non-magic can sometimes produce unexpected results.” He turned to Lily, “As for the cost of materials, I can personally support you with some, but I hope you will use them sparingly.”

“If we can streamline the process or stabilize production,” Lily nodded and said, “it will help many werewolves and allow them to live relatively normal lives…”

“Lily,” Snape interrupted her, “even if we succeed, we can’t announce our results yet. It might not be a good thing for us if the werewolves can control themselves.”

“You mean…” Lily looked at him questioningly, frowned, thought for a moment, and then said as if suddenly realizing something, “They might be enemies…”

Dumbledore chuckled approvingly.

“To avoid misuse,” he said, “your findings need to be kept confidential. I will also speak with Horace about it later.”

Finally, Dumbledore gave Snape a strange spell: "Knock on the chain lock at the school gate, and the gate will open..."

At the same moment, on the shore of Black Lake, the atmosphere among the four raiders was even more somber than the surface of the lake.

James mechanically threw pebbles into the water, putting all his strength into each one.

“Find another girl, James.” As James threw the tenth stone into the water, Sirius grabbed his wrist, a strange glint in his grey eyes. “You don’t need to be stuck with one tree—”

“No,” James shook off his hand and threw another stone hard, his voice filled with suppressed anger, “no one is like her.”

“I think Sirius has a point, James.” Lupin’s old robes fluttered in the wind, and his face was paler than usual. “It’s okay to give up on the impossible.”

James whirled around, the pebbles crunching in his hands. "All I know is that I'm the only one worthy of her. What is that snotty-nosed brat?"

Peter shrank back, his eyes darting nervously between the three men.

The lake returned to calm, reflecting the silent figures of the four people.

　Thanks to Reading Ghost and Noisy Wind for the monthly tickets.

　　------

　　"Potter, then tell me, what's the difference between Aconitum carmichaelii and Aconitum davidii?"

　　
　
(End of this chapter)