Hogwarts: Jade, stop controlling Harry!

Diagon Alley in the early morning.

Through the closely packed buildings on both sides, one can glimpse the distant sky, which is tinged with a light blue and pale white hue.

At this time, most wizards were still fast asleep. In the magical world, there was no concept of waking up early; wizards preferred to sleep until they naturally woke up.

As Harry ran at a steady pace along the winding cobblestone path, he sensed something was wrong once again.

First of all, he did not feel any strain.

Secondly, Harry even felt that the running speed was too slow, as if it were being deliberately slowed down.

So Harry simply started to speed up.

But what's even more surprising is that no matter how fast Harry accelerated, he felt he hadn't reached his physical limit yet!

He can run even faster!

And so, Harry ran all the way to the very end of Diagon Alley before he came to his senses and stopped, slightly out of breath.

If it were before, Harry was certain that he wouldn't have been able to run over so easily as he was today.

Something's not right, this is really not right!

Harry, still grappling with questions about what was wrong with his body, ran back to the Leaky Cauldron in one breath.

Harry finally understood something.

Although he didn't know why his physical fitness had suddenly improved so much after waking up.

But he was certain that his current physical condition far surpassed Xiaoyu's...

Harry scratched his head in frustration, muttering to himself.

"Does this mean I've become Superman too?"

.....

Harry, still completely bewildered, returned to the Leaky Cauldron as usual.

But I found that the bar this morning was not as empty as it had been the previous few days.

A middle-aged man with greasy black hair and wearing a black robe sat in the corner of the bar, but there was nothing on his table.

This guy is a bit strange, Harry thought.

Just as Harry was curiously staring at the back of the dark-haired man...

The dark-haired man, who had his back to Harry, seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around.

His deep eyes were fixed on Harry!

His expressionless face, with its prominent hooked nose, made him look somewhat frightening in the shadows.

Harry was especially startled when he met the other man's eyes, which seemed to see right through him.

The word "bat" popped into my head!

Indeed, this man was like a silent bat, quietly waiting in the dark corner for his prey to come to him.

But the word "bat" made Harry ponder; he seemed to have seen the exact same description somewhere before...

"Mr. Potter, why aren't you resting in your room at this hour? What are you doing here?"

Just as the bar suddenly fell silent.

The man sitting in the corner suddenly spoke in a cold, drawn-out voice.

Harry finally remembered where he had seen this man before—in Jade's diary!

"Professor Snape?"

Harry asked tentatively.

Snape: "..."

"You haven't answered my question yet," he said noncommittally.

.....

Harry finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It turned out he was a professor at Hogwarts, not some dark wizard seeking revenge.

I heard that the Dark Lord Voldemort has a group of followers, most of whom have been captured, but some are still at large.

Meanwhile, Harry was also thinking to himself...

No wonder Xiaoyu described this man as a cold and arrogant bat professor; the description was indeed quite apt.

"I went for a morning run outside, Professor," Harry answered honestly.

He hadn't forgotten that Professor Snape had also given him a large stack of books on Potions as a gift.

Although those potions books were incredibly difficult to understand and made him drowsy, Harry was still grateful to everyone who had given him a gift.

"Morning run?"

Snape emphasized the word, repeating it. He frowned, slowly rose from his seat, and looked down at Harry.

"Wizards are all elegant and learned, and I would much rather you, Potter, use your brain to learn and understand knowledge, rather than simple physical activities... that would only turn you into a stinky monkey."

If Harry hadn't learned about this professor from Jade's diary, he would definitely have been displeased by this statement.

He doesn't think exercise and training are just smelly monkey behavior.

How can one become an excellent mage without a strong physique?

But then Harry remembered Jade's assessment of the professor: sharp-tongued, but a good person.

So Harry changed his tune. "I'm sorry, Professor, I will read the books you gave me after my training."

As expected, upon hearing this, Snape didn't say anything more on the topic.

.....

"Professor, is there something you need from me so early?" Harry asked.

Snape interrupted Harry directly.

"Mr. Potter! Where can I find a dung heap if I want to?"

Harry paused for a moment, then immediately replied, "In the stomach of a cow, sir, dung bezoars are the main ingredient in powerful antidotes."

Although those Potions books were quite dry, Harry still managed to remember some of the basic knowledge.

Perhaps because of his consistent running training, Harry's not-so-outstanding memory has improved considerably. Even if he hasn't reached the point of photographic memory, it's much easier for him to remember things.

Snape didn't stop asking questions after Harry answered one, but continued, "What's the difference between Aconitum carmichaelii and Aconitum davidii?"

Harry blinked and laughed. "There's no difference, Professor. They're all the same plant, collectively known as aconite."

Now Harry also felt that the professor wasn't as difficult to get along with as he seemed, and that the questions he asked weren't deliberately meant to be difficult.

If he had actually read those books, he should be able to answer them easily.

Looking at the confident Harry in front of him, and his bright green eyes, Snape's lifeless face finally showed a hint of emotion, but it was fleeting.

"One last question..."

Harry's expression turned serious.

He noticed a slight change in the professor's tone; his deep eyes were fixed on his own, and he spoke softly.

What do you get when you add narcissus root powder to mugwort infusion?

"It should be... the Water of Life and Death, that's a powerful sleeping pill, right?" Harry blinked and answered softly.

Why did he seem to see a hint of regret in the professor's eyes?

Harry suddenly remembered that he often spent his free afternoons browsing books at the bookstore to pass the time.

In the bookstore, Harry once casually came across a book explaining the meanings of flowers. It stated that daffodils symbolized regret and mourning, while mugwort represented bitterness and loss...

Could it be that the professor was trying to express something to him?

Snape lowered his eyelids and resumed his normal tone.

"It seems, Mr. Potter, you haven't just been indulging in fun and wasting the precious talent your mother left you!"

.....

This made Harry even more curious.

How did this professor know he had a talent for potions?

Harry didn't think that this cold-faced but kind-hearted professor would treat him differently just because he was the famous Savior.

"Professor Snape, do you know my mother?" Harry suddenly thought of another possibility!

The professor, who looked to be middle-aged, was about the same age as Aunt Penny and the others, so he should be about the same age as his parents.

Perhaps the other party knows his parents!

His subtle expression just now might also have been a lament for the passing of his parents...

Xiaoyu is right. This professor, who seems difficult to get along with, is actually a kind person who is tough on the outside but soft on the inside. That's why he didn't say it directly!

This speculation particularly excited Harry, who wanted to find someone else who knew more about his parents' story.

Upon hearing Harry's question, Snape's heart skipped a beat.

He opened his mouth, his lips moved but he couldn't utter a single word.

Can he say he doesn't know Lily?

...