Chapter 11: Potions Class

Harry couldn't help but agree, but when he saw Ivan constantly feeding Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans to Scabbers, he couldn't resist speaking up.

"Ivan, if you keep feeding him like this, Scabbers is going to burst."

Hearing Harry, Hermione, who was about to ask another question, had her attention drawn to Scabbers in Ron's hands. The once scrawny, mangy rat was now looking very different. After running around the dormitory and getting covered in dust, Ron had given him a thorough cleaning with a brush. Plus, after days of being fed, Scabbers had clearly put on a little weight.

"How could that be? The amount I'm feeding him is normal! Scabbers was so thin before; he needed extra meals!" Ivan insisted, offering another bean to Scabbers' mouth.

"Besides," Ivan added, "this is just my way of making it up to him."

Scabbers didn't seem the least bit grateful, glaring at Ivan in anger and swatting his hand away with a haughty little paw. It wasn't until he realized he couldn't overpower Ivan's strong grip that he reluctantly bit into the offered bean. After all, it was right in front of him, and no matter how upset he was, food was food, right? Besides, he couldn't exactly escape. Actually, if you took the time to taste them, Bertie Bott's beans weren't all that bad, aside from a few questionable flavors.

Noticing the rat's resistance had weakened, Ivan couldn't help but reflect on how, despite all his years of hiding, Peter Pettigrew's mindset had remained remarkably stable. Even though just a few nights ago, he had been chased by the one person he feared the most, now, after just one night, he was back to enjoying his meal. Of course, that "chase" had only been a nightmare. But that also meant Peter Pettigrew didn't know the Fear Charm, an obscure dark magic. Perhaps he just thought Ivan had somehow turned his sweet dream into a nightmare. After all, Ivan, this little wizard, had no reason to know about events from eleven years ago. And he definitely couldn't know that Sirius Black's Animagus form was a big black dog.

"What if he gets too fat?" Ron asked, looking worriedly at Scabbers, who seemed to be getting special treatment from Ivan.

"Don't worry," Ivan reassured him, "Scabbers doesn't need to deliver messages anymore. Fattening him up will just stop him from running around so much."

Ivan secretly thought to himself that if it weren't for Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort's plan for resurrection would have never been so easy. When Scabbers got fat enough to become a little ball, Ivan would love to see if he could still escape from the pursuit of Crookshanks and Sirius.

As they chatted, they made their way to the dungeon for Potions class. Upon entering the classroom, Harry and Ron became even more convinced of the rumors about Snape being a dark wizard.

The room was small, but the atmosphere was deep and ominous. Glass bottles filled with bluish-green liquid lined the shelves, and in some of them, the faint outlines of animal bodies could be seen floating in the liquid. And with the classroom being underground, if they hadn't known they were at Hogwarts, Ivan would have sworn they had walked into a dark wizard's secret laboratory.

"Let's get to our seats, we have to be careful in this class!" Ron said, his voice tinged with concern.

By now, Ron had completely stopped doubting what George had said earlier and hurriedly ushered Ivan, Harry, and Hermione to their seats, hoping to avoid giving Snape a reason to deduct points.

But Ivan knew that even if they sat quietly for the whole class, Snape would find some excuse to make trouble.

Bang!

Just as the small group of young wizards sat down, the heavy door to the classroom was suddenly thrown open. The sound of the door slamming against the wall echoed through the room.

Soon, a thin figure walked in from the door, with pale yellow skin hidden beneath a long black cloak. His cold, calculating eyes swept over the students, and his hawk-like nose made him look like a giant human bat. When his gaze fell on Harry, it lingered for a brief moment before he moved on.

Snape walked to the front of the room, waved his wand, and the curtains around the room automatically drew shut, blocking out the sunlight that had been coming through the windows. The classroom immediately became much darker.

As the light dimmed, Ivan could clearly see Snape's tense expression loosen slightly.

This master of potions, having completed his little ritual, picked up the roll sheet and glanced around at the students, who were now all quiet and intimidated by his presence.

"Next, I will take attendance. I hope no one dares to disappear from my class!" Snape's deep voice echoed through the room. The usual mischievous students were now silent, with only Draco Malfoy from Slytherin daring to chuckle under his breath.

"Neville Longbottom." 

"Ivan Hals." 

"Harry Potter."

When Snape called Harry's name, his normally emotionless voice wavered just a bit. 

"Ah, right, I almost forgot," Snape continued, his face still expressionless, but with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "We have a new celebrity at our school!" 

All the students in the room turned to look at Harry. Draco and his two cronies even snickered under their breaths. 

Harry felt suddenly uncomfortable being singled out, but what he didn't know was that this was just the beginning. 

Snape turned away from Harry and addressed the class. 

"You're here to learn the intricate art of potion-making." 

"Because there are no foolish wands being waved around here, many of you may not believe this is real magic. I do not expect any of you to truly understand the beauty of potion-making." 

Snape paused, then continued in a dreamy, almost hypnotic tone. 

"Just imagine, the cauldron bubbling with ingredients, the white smoke rising... and the liquid flowing through veins, a liquid with such intricate power... It can make your heart swoon, your senses intoxicated... I can teach you how to bottle glory, how to brew honor, and even... how to ward off death... as long as you aren't as foolish as the idiots I've taught before." 

After this long monologue, Snape suddenly snapped out of his reverie and addressed the class again. 

"Potter, what would happen if you mixed powdered daffodil bulb with the juice of mugwort?" 

Harry was at a loss. 

What was a daffodil? And what was mugwort? 

He looked to Ron for help, but Ron seemed just as confused. Hermione, however, had her hand raised high, but Snape ignored her. 

Ivan, sitting farther away, opened his mouth and silently mouthed the words "Deathwater" and "Sleeping Draught."

Harry felt panicked, but Snape's intense gaze made him reluctant to look at Ivan. He couldn't quite figure out what Ivan was trying to say. After a long pause, he could only stammer out a few words. 

"I don't know, Professor!" 

Ivan sighed and rubbed his forehead. He had tried his best. Even if he had told Harry the answer beforehand, it wouldn't have helped. Unless Harry memorized every potion book, Snape would always find a way to pick on him.