HP: Wormwood and Lightning Wood

"What's this?" West took the parchment Snape handed him and looked at it closely.

"The most stable and improved formula for Unicorn Tears," Snape said dryly.

"You really want it, Severus?" West's lips curled into a smile, his heart filled with sweetness. Before Snape could react with anger, he slipped the parchment back into Snape's notebook. "But I don't need it, Severus. I didn't give you the original recipe to get this."

West leaned in and stole a kiss. "I just wanted to make you happy, baby."

Snape's lips tingled, but he persisted, "Doesn't Somerset have several potion-producing industries? This formula is enough to give you even greater control over the market..."

West sighed. "Severus, Somerset is rich enough. Why not donate it to the International Potions Society? The Order of Merlin, First Class, would be perfect for hanging on your studio wall."

Snape's Adam's apple bobbed, and he was about to retort when he heard the other person chuckle softly.

West: "However—perhaps some renowned potions master in the future would be willing to become Somerset's exclusive partner?"

Snape hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

West went to the balcony and took down two teardrop-shaped pendants. The teleportation pendants, having been bathed in moonlight for a period of time, would have a more stable and accurate function.

He wore one on himself and planned to give the other to Harry when he had the chance.

"You've been very good to Potter." The moment the words left his mouth, Snape bit his tongue hard.

Salazar, Potter is West's brother, what does this inexplicable sentiment mean to you?

Snape was somewhat embarrassed and didn't know how to explain.

West held his wrist, bringing it to his lips, his warm breath brushing against Snape's trembling knuckles. "Darling, I love you more." The soft kiss landed on his knuckles, perfectly masking Snape's loss of composure.

The snake-shaped ring on Snape's hand emitted a dark green light, but Snape's mind was elsewhere, so he didn't notice it.

"I know," Snape said sheepishly, "I have to go to class."

After being pestered by West, Snape finally managed to get into the classroom just before the bell rang.

He saw Potter and Draco sitting together, both looking at the same Potions textbook. Draco's golden head rested casually on Harry's shoulder. Harry had a silly grin on his face.

Snape: "..." Salazar couldn't bear to look. He thought Malfoy was about to go mad.

The moment the bell rang, Snape stood behind them, lowering his voice: "...Gentlemen, perhaps you know class is starting?"

Draco jumped up in fright, and Harry immediately sat up straight: "Ahem, Professor, I didn't bring any books, so I can only read with Draco."

He looked at Snape innocently, trying to fool him.

Under Snape's sinister gaze, Harry sat quietly for the entire lesson.

The two of them deliberately kept their distance throughout the class, but when they were mixing potions, Harry's fingertips still "accidentally" brushed against Draco's hand.

The two of them lowered their heads at the same time, pretending to check the recipe, exchanging whispers that only they could hear in the boiling steam.

As soon as the bell rang, Hermione handed in the potion she had already finished, and without even glancing at Ron, left the classroom.

Draco, seeing this, couldn't help but scoff, "Tsk tsk tsk, Weasley, your emotional intelligence is only a teaspoon." This wasn't the first time he'd said that about Ron.

Ron's face turned bright red, and he stammered, unable to speak, before hurriedly following Hermione away.

Snape had no interest in getting involved in or dealing with the emotional drama between the trolls. After collecting the potions from his students, he strode away, only to bump into Karkaroff at the door. Or rather, Karkaroff had been deliberately waiting for him there.

"We need to talk," Karkaroff said abruptly. His fingers were twirling his goatee, and he looked anxious.

"What's the rush?" Snape asked, feigning ignorance.

Harry and Draco slowed their pace and hid to eavesdrop.

"He's a Death Eater, Harry," Draco whispered.

"Should I inform West?" Harry said, secretly releasing his Patronus. They then observed the two people talking ahead.

"Look," Karkaroff said, lifting the left sleeve of his robe to show Snape what was on his arm.

"How is it? Do you see it? It's never been this obvious." He said in a trembling voice, so soft that Harry and Draco could barely hear him.

Karkaroff's gaze shifted to Snape's left arm. "I think you know, since—"

No, I don't know. Snape thought. He looked coldly at the Death Eater before him. "Don't reveal it."

"Aren't you going to react? Snape!" Karkaroff said irritably. "He's coming back...!"

"And, I'm telling you, that person... he reminds me a lot of... that Sa..."

"Who's back? How does it feel?" West appeared silently behind the two of them.

Snape was surprised, but quickly composed himself.

Karkaroff seemed terrified of West. He shrank back, his earlier aggressive demeanor completely gone. "N-nothing..."

West drew near, his footsteps creating an unsettling rhythm.

His long, slender fingers gripped Karkaroff's wrist like iron clamps. "Let me see what treasure makes you so nervous."

"It's nothing!" Karkaroff struggled several times before finally freeing his wrist from West's grasp. He took a step back, forcing an awkward smile. "It's nothing, I'm leaving now..." He turned and strode away as if some monstrous beast was behind him.

"There's no need to talk to him anymore, Severus." West squinted, seemingly pondering how to deal with Karkaroff.

"I was just about to get rid of him," Snape explained. "Don't worry about him, he won't dare go back to Voldemort's side."

"If you think it's okay—Harry, Draco, Pansy, come out."

Harry and Draco came out, giving an awkward smile. To their surprise, Pansy was actually in the classroom behind them, the three of them separated only by a wall.

"Good afternoon, boys and gentlemen," Pansy greeted them calmly and without any embarrassment at being caught spying.

"...Miss Parkinson, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, what are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning up the spilled medicine in the classroom, Dean," Pansy said, feigning innocence.

Snape turned his gaze to Harry and Draco.

Harry smiled shyly and raised his hand, which was holding Draco's. "We... um, we're on a date, Professor."

Draco: "..." Draco felt utterly hopeless. He knew his father would find out soon.

Snape's eye twitched. "There won't be a next time."

"Harry, come to the headmaster's office tomorrow night," West added.

Harry and Draco nodded quickly and hurried away.

Pansy followed behind them, and as they passed West, she whispered, "West?"

West looked down at her and smiled faintly, "Miss, there's no reward for guessing correctly."

Pan Xi breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes sparkling.

Pansy's tense shoulders relaxed instantly, and her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Salazar above! She wasn't wrong! It turned out that West really was the head of the Somerset family!

This discovery made her straighten her back—a secret that even her father had been kept in the dark about was now firmly in her grasp. Wasn't this the most pride-worthy exclusive topic of conversation?

"You just told them that?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Pansy is a smart girl; she knows what she shouldn't say," West said with a smile.