HP: Wormwood and Lightning Wood

Harry hid behind West and narrowly escaped Snape's death stare.

He groaned and grabbed a handful of his hair, making his already messy hair look even more like a bird's nest.

"Help! I don't want to go to Professor Snape's class!"

West urged Harry to finish his breakfast, and despite Harry's protests, dragged him toward the Potions classroom.

The Potions class was in a cold, dark basement, filled with glass jars containing animal specimens.

Snape picked up the roll and called out names. When he called Harry's name, he paused.

"The famous Harry Potter," he murmured, "got into trouble right from the start of the school year. Even the savior's aura can't illuminate your monstrous brain, can it?"

Draco covered his twitching lips with the back of his hand, but couldn't help but laugh out loud, earning him a glare from Harry.

"Mr. West Potter," Snape paused again, "I hope you don't learn too much from Harry Potter—your foolish troll brother."

West blinked innocently.

He still didn't understand why Snape hated Harry so much.

Although Snape had no real intention of harming Harry, aside from making a few sarcastic remarks, he did not actually intend to harm him.

After taking attendance, Snape looked up at the students with his dark, empty eyes and spoke in a deep, hissing voice, establishing the rules for Potions class.

Like Professor McGonagall, he was authoritative and intimidating—even more so than the stern Professor McGonagall, he was feared by his students.

West openly drifted off into thought, his eyes landing on Professor Snape's gloomy face.

Snape was tall and slender, his pale skin gleaming like cold jade in the candlelight of the Potions classroom. He had a high-bridged nose, and his slightly sunken eyes set a pair of sharp black eyes. His thin lips were pressed into a sharp line, revealing a faint hint of sarcasm.

"Potter!" Snape exclaimed suddenly.

Harry's body stiffened. "Professor, which Potter did you call...?"

West lowered his head, pretending to casually shift his gaze back to the book, his fingertips lightly rubbing against the parchment.

"Harry Potter." Snape's face darkened, and he shifted his warning gaze from West to Harry. "What would I get if I added daffodil root powder to wormwood infusion?"

West sighed helplessly as he looked at Harry's bewildered expression.

Hermione eagerly raised her hand, but Snape completely ignored her, his hawk-like eyes fixed on Harry.

"Professor, narcissus root powder and mugwort can be combined to make a 'life-or-death potion'."

A calm voice rang out, and Snape glared at West.

"Very well, it seems the other Mr. Potter is more eager for the limelight, is that right?"

Snape strode up to West, his black robes casting a shadow over the entire table.

West smelled a scent that was a mixture of pine resin and wormwood.

"If I asked you to find me a piece of dung, where would you look for it?"

"In the goat's stomach, Professor."

What are the differences between *Aconitum carmichaelii* and *Aconitum kusnezoffii*?

"They are the same plant, there's no difference, Professor."

West replied calmly.

A flicker of admiration crossed Snape's eyes, but his expression remained cold as he spoke in a chilling tone, "For your excellent answer, Slytherin gets five points—but because you answered a question without my permission, you'll be locked up in the dungeons tonight."

Harry gasped, feeling sorry for West.

West lowered his eyes, adopting a docile and obedient demeanor, and said, "Yes, Professor."

Seeing that he showed no displeasure, Snape felt inexplicably calmer, but he still didn't forget to deduct points from Gryffindor.

"Mr. Harry Potter did not answer the question, therefore Gryffindor loses one point."

Potions class continued, and Snape divided the students from the two houses into pairs, instructing them on how to concoct a simple potion to treat boils.

Snape patrolled the classrooms in his long black robes, bringing immense pressure—almost everyone in every house had been sprayed with his venom.

Apart from West and Draco.

West had previewed the textbook content early on, memorized the steps for making the potion, and perfectly replicated each step.

Thanks to his studies during the holidays and his considerable talent, Draco also completed the potion-making process admirably after West.

Snape observed the perfectly prepared boil potion by West, his admiration growing even stronger.

This boy, who resembled Lily, even possessed the same exceptional talent for potions.

Just as he was showing everyone how perfect West and Malfoy's potions were, Neville and Seamus's cauldrons burned out.

The medicine sprayed out and splashed all over Neville, causing red and swollen boils to immediately appear on his skin, which frightened him so much that he started to cry.

"Idiot!" Snape roared, his eyes twitching violently, and ordered Seamus to take Neville to the medical wing.

Then he walked over to Harry and Ron.

Fortunately, amidst the chaos, West had quietly guided Harry and Ron to work together to prepare the potion.

Snape scoffed, "Potter, why didn't you tell Longbottom not to join the Porcupines? Did you think his mistake made you look good? Gryffindor loses a point."

West helplessly mouthed to Harry, "There's nothing I can do."

Harry was completely bewildered, looking utterly aggrieved.

An hour later, West and Ron dragged a dejected Harry out of the basement, intending to visit Hagrid's hut.

"Why are you treating me like this? Why…" Harry said weakly, "Pots class is torture!"

West seemed quite happy, his slightly curly red hair bouncing lively in the air with each step he took.

They passed through the castle and came to a small wooden cabin in front of the Forbidden Forest.

Hagrid was waiting at the door to greet them.

He was clearly taken aback when he saw West's green tie.

"West, you were sorted into Slytherin... even though both your parents were Gryffindors..."

Hagrid didn't finish speaking; a hint of regret flashed in his large, dark eyes, as if he feared West would think he was criticizing him.

West smiled faintly, a chill creeping into his eyes. "Not all Slytherins are bad wizards."

Ron nodded in agreement. West was a very kind man; he even taught them how to make potions.

However, he still felt that most of the Slytherin were evil, such as that little weasel who would turn black whenever he saw him with Harry.

West is Harry's brother, how could he be a bad guy? In my opinion, West should be in Gryffindor.

Hagrid quickly apologized, "That's not what I meant, West, I know you're definitely a good kid."

Hagrid invited the three of them into the house.

After a casual chat, West's expression softened considerably.

"You're just like your mother, and Harry is just like his father," Hagrid said with a nostalgic look.

Harry then told Hagrid about Snape, how much Snape hated him and how Snape targeted him in class.

Hagrid told Harry not to worry, that Snape didn't like any of the students and had no reason to hate Harry.

West clearly sensed that Hagrid guiltily looked away, avoiding Harry's gaze, as he spoke his last words.

Harry muttered, "I think he really likes West, but he still put West in solitary confinement."

"That's because West looks like Lily..." Hagrid suddenly realized he had said something he shouldn't have and quickly shut his mouth.

Lily? Their mother?

West narrowed his eyes.

He roughly understood. Professor Snape favored him because he looked like his mother, so was Harry disliked because he looked like his father?

Snape knew their parents, and judging from their ages, they were probably classmates.

Did Professor Snape love their mother? Or did he have a personal grudge against their father?

Perhaps it was both. West's heart sank.

For some reason, the thought that Snape liked their mother and even paid attention to him because of it made him feel uncomfortable.

West suddenly remembered the first question Snape asked Harry in class today.

Narcissus... Artemisia...

West pressed his lips tightly together.

Severus Snape, what is the cause of your regret? And how long has your sorrow lasted?

"Wester, what are you thinking about! Look at this!"

West was slapped by Harry and snapped back to reality.

Before me was a copy of the Daily Prophet, with a large headline: "Latest Report on Gringotts Intrusion."

West finished reading the report carefully and exchanged a glance with Harry.

"Looks like we're on the same page," Harry nodded, feigning seriousness, "that thing Snape took from Gringotts that day..."