Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle

"You eat it, I can't eat it."

Harry sighed, "I wonder why Snape targeted me in the first Potions class."

"Have you known each other before?"

"I only found out there were wizards in this world a month and a half ago."

"Then forget it. George told me that the old bat is targeting Gryffindor students. He's worried that our scores will surpass Slytherin and we'll snatch the house cup."

"But why me?"

"Because you're unlucky?"

"Maybe." Harry sighed again and scooped out a mouthful of mutton soup with a spoon.

Hermione next to her suddenly said, "You should have prepared for it."

"what?"

"You should have studied the book, 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi', in advance so you can answer the professor's questions."

"..."

Harry was speechless and felt a little tired.

Just this afternoon, the freshmen of Gryffindor and Slytherin had their first Potions class. Professor Snape picked him out from dozens of students, asked him several questions in a row, and after humiliating him, deducted five points from Gryffindor.

When will Granger understand that not everyone can memorize the textbooks before school starts?

Even if I memorize the textbook, Professor Snape will always find opportunities to make things difficult for me.

He harbored such clear malice.

Harry put the spoon into his mouth. The warm mutton soup brought some comfort. At least the food at Hogwarts was much better than the Dursleys'.

……

"Creak, creak, creak!"

"Creak, creak, creak!"

The silver metal knife cut through the steak, rubbing against the ceramic plate, making a slightly harsh sound. The professors in the guest of honor seat didn't care. They enjoyed the food while chatting about what happened in the first week of school.

Professor Sprout took a sip of wine and suddenly turned to ask, "Melvin, are Muggle fertilizers effective on magical plants?"

Melvin was a little surprised, his knife and fork still in his hand as he replied, "A professor in Ilvermorny has conducted experiments, but there are no definitive results. Very few fertilizers are effective, and some fertilizers can hinder plant growth. Magical plants are different from ordinary plants. Rather than figuring out what fertilizers they lack, it's more important to satisfy their preferences."

"Can I ask for details?"

"I only know one way. When the pus in the Babo tubers is at its stinkiest, add some smelly nitrogen fertilizer to them. They will become more active and mature earlier."

"It's amazing, I have to try it."

"..."

Dumbledore listened to their conversation while savoring the overly sweet mousse cake with gusto.

Another round of conversations broke out. Talking about the students returning to campus, the professors always had endless common topics to discuss, such as the repetitive writing of papers and forgetting something in Egypt during a trip...

"Melvin's arrival has brought new vitality to Hogwarts." Professor Flitwick raised his glass in congratulations.

"Thank you, Hogwarts."

"Thank you, Hogwarts."

Melvin raised his glass and clinked it with the professors one by one. Only Snape had a cold face. When he saw the glass raised in front of him, he reluctantly touched it with a look of disgust.

Chapter 17 Draco: Professor Snape has a crush on my mom! ?

Melvin put down his glass, unconcerned. He was always friendly and united with his colleagues. "I heard that Professor Snape gave the freshmen an introductory Potions class this afternoon. Gryffindor and Slytherin took the class together. How was it going?"

"Nothing special. This is the worst freshman class ever."

Snape raised his eyes indifferently, his tone icy. "I didn't expect them to truly grasp the wonders of potions, but their performance is truly disappointing. The vast majority of freshmen don't understand the wonderful magic of a simmering cauldron, nor do they understand how captivating those magical liquids are. Many don't even believe potions are magic. They're only interested in subjects that involve silly wand-waving."

Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick's smiles froze.

Transfiguration and Charms were what he called silly wand-waving subjects.

The two exchanged glances, a similar look of helplessness on their faces. They knew that Snape's words were purely out of character and had no intention of targeting them, but they still felt inexplicably offended.

“It’s worse than previous years…”

Melvin didn't listen to his mumbling and continued, "To deepen my understanding of the British wizarding world, I've read some materials and noticed that some of this class's freshmen had already made a name for themselves before they even started school. For example, the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter from Gryffindor, and the pure-blooded boy, Draco Malfoy from Slytherin. I used to think they were quite talented."

Dumbledore held the silver spoon, tasting the sweet cream while listening to their conversation without joining in.

“Fame isn’t everything.”

Snape sneered, his sarcasm evident in his tone. "That Potter is just a fool with an empty reputation. He's clueless and arrogant. He can't even answer the most basic Potions questions. After being criticized, he even tried to talk back to the teacher. In some ways, he's even worse than the Muggle-born Granger."

"..."

Dumbledore frowned slightly and looked at Harry at the Gryffindor table with a deep gaze.

"There must be some misunderstanding here. Although Potter is often late for class, his performance in class is quite good."

"He's an honest and kind child."

"Yeah yeah……"

Several professors who were listening made a few explanations, and Dumbledore's expression became gentle again, but unfortunately Snape didn't listen.

"What about Draco Malfoy? From what I've heard, the Malfoy family is very influential here, with ample financial resources and generous and enthusiastic spirit. Every year, they donate to institutions like the Ministry of Magic, St. Mungo's Hospital, and the Quidditch Committee, and they've made friends with many influential people. As a result, this young Mr. Malfoy has attracted attention and gained some reputation before even entering the school."

"Just barely passing..." Snape said casually.

"Is it because the questions you asked are too difficult, Professor?"

“These are all basic knowledge from textbooks.”

Snape glanced at him, not understanding why this fellow named Lewynter was so concerned about the freshmen. Feeling irritated, he raised his voice slightly and said, "Potter doesn't know anything about bezoars, Aconitum, or even what the mixture of powdered narcissus root and wormwood extract makes!"

The front row of the Slytherin House long table was very close, and when they heard the voice of their head of house, the students were silent for a few seconds and began to move aside quietly.

Draco Malfoy was one of them. His eyes rolled around, and instead of moving away, he moved closer, wanting to listen to more of the professor's criticism of Potter.

Less than a week into school, he and the savior boy had already become enemies.

"Narcissus root powder mixed with wormwood extract is the Living Hell Decoction," Melvin replied softly, a hint of laughter in his voice. "Also known as the Water of Life and Death, it's a powerful sleeping pill."

Dumbledore took a bite of the cake, and looking at the smile on his face, he felt that it was quite meaningful.

"Professor Lewynter's answer is correct. He is much better than these freshmen." Snape said sarcastically.

"My Potions grades were average at school, but I was very interested in legends and stories. I read a lot of miscellaneous books, so I learned some interesting facts about potions."

Listening to Melvin's slow tone, Snape frowned, feeling a little uneasy.

"Daffodils are also known as golden spikes. In the eyes of Greek poets, the golden spikes' bare stems, unpleasant smell, and slightly dark purple flowers in winter correspond to the pale death and darkness of the underworld. In Muggle stories, Hades, the god of the underworld, places the souls of the dead in the wilderness full of daffodils."

Melvin eloquently commented: "On the stage, the pale, grayish ochre creates a dark color that perfectly embodies the emptiness and sadness of the underworld. Homer's Odyssey mentions that the souls of heroes slain in the Trojan War reside in the ochre fields."

The other professors listened with great interest, but Snape alone felt a faint sense of irritation rising in his heart.

One of the symbols of daffodils is death, while mugwort, with its unique bitterness, is often associated with pain, sorrow, and deep regret. "Regret prevents rest, and the only way to find peace is to drink the water of life and death," which is the origin of the name of the Living Hell Decoction.

Dumbledore's silver spoon stopped at the edge of the porcelain plate, and a look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes.

The other professors also slowed down their meals, appreciating the name of the potion.

"Greek mythology also tells another story about the daffodil. One day, the beautiful young man Narkissus discovered his own reflection in the water, unaware it was actually himself. He fell head over heels in love with it, unable to extricate himself. Finally, one day, seeking pleasure, he drowned and was transformed into a daffodil. Muggle psychologists later called this disorder of self-love narcissism or daffodil syndrome."

"..."

Snape was just impatient: "What exactly do you want to say?"

"Psychology is a very important field in Muggle science. Psychologists believe that everyone's language and behavior in daily life reflect their inner emotions, or subconscious mind."

Melvin paused for a moment and then spoke slowly, "So I'm wondering if choosing the Hell Potion as the investigation question reflects Professor Snape's inner emotions, or perhaps some subconscious thought that he himself is unable to perceive."

"Absurd..."

Those green eyes came to mind, and despite Snape's angrily denying it, waves of emotion still inevitably surged in his heart, and he was even a little panicked.

The eyes of those present who knew the situation flickered as they glanced at Snape and Melvin with a thoughtful expression.

Is this Muggle knowledge?

In some ways, it's even scarier than Legilimency.

"Although it may be a bit presumptuous, I still want to tell you my guess..."

Snape's pupils contracted and he was about to scold and stop him.

Dumbledore also looked reluctant and was about to call for a stop.

At this tense moment, Melvin suddenly spoke faster: "As far as I know, Draco Malfoy's mother, Narcissa Malfoy, was named after the story of the daffodil, Narcissa.

"If I'm not mistaken, Professor Snape, you once had a crush on Draco's mother, so you used the Living Hell Potion to express your regret from your youth."

There was astonishment in the guest of honor seats.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick stared blankly with their eyes wide open.

Dumbledore opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Even Professor Quirrell in the corner stood there in a daze, stuffing the beef ribs into his mouth and forgetting to chew.

"You have admired Narcissa..."

Snape's brain seemed to be bombarded by something, a bombardment from Muggle psychology, and he was unable to react for a moment.

"Clang clang..."

The metal cutlery fell from his hand and hit the edge of the ceramic plate with a crisp and loud sound.

The professor in the guest of honor seat looked in the direction of the sound and saw Draco Malfoy, who was in the front row of the Slytherin table, jump off the bench and run towards the door in a panic.

Draco didn't even have time to wipe his mouth, didn't care that his platinum hair was stained with oil, and didn't care about any table manners. He ran towards the Slytherin common room with his short legs as fast as he could.

"Huh...huh..."

No wonder his mother specifically told him before school started that their dean would look after him.

Professor Snape did have a preference for him. Granger was so smart and was good at making potions, but he was the only one the professor praised that afternoon.