14 Poor Scabbers

As Harry grew increasingly withdrawn under Snape's constant questioning, Ivan recalled a conjecture he had read in his previous life.

Snape's questions to Harry all contained a deeper meaning.

The most obvious example is the potion, asphodel, which is Latin for "my regrets will you to the grave."

Wormwood, on the other hand, usually has the connotation of pain and regret.

Yvonne found it hard to imagine Snape's dark, bitter face when he was confronted by Harry.

Guilt at having leaked information that led to Lily's death? Or affection at knowing that her lover was dead and would die with her?

Ivan's eyes filled with pity as he thought of this.

"Ivan Harls!" Perhaps sensing that Ivan was looking at him strangely, Snape pointed his wand at Ivan after interrogating Harry.

"Now you answer these three questions!"

Yvonne was taken aback, not expecting Snape to ask her a question.

"When powdered daffodil bulbs are added to the juice of wormwood, it produces the Water of Life and Death, which is a powerful sleeping potion… buttercup is in the stomach of a cow, and bogeys and wolfsbane refer to the same plant."

Ivan, who had read the book, was not fazed by the three questions, but he was nervous that Snape might ask something else.

Even though Ivan had read the Potions textbook several times prior to his first year, it was clear that Snape was not going to play by the book, as none of the three questions he had asked Harry were questions that a first year should be taught.

[Ding, you have answered the professor's carefully prepared difficult questions in class. You have answered the questions three times with a 100% accuracy. You will be rewarded with 9 GPA…]

The unexpected system voice sounded in Ivan's head.

Ivan's expression instantly changed from worry to surprise and then to joy. All his worries were thrown to the back of his mind.

Come on! Just give me a question and I'll admit defeat!

Ivan looked at Snape with determination. A true warrior never fears any challenge!

It would be best if he could come up with eight or ten questions. Ivan didn't believe that he didn't know how to answer any of them. Every point he could add to his GPA was a point…

Ivan's ability to change faces impressed the young wizards.

However, to Ivan's surprise, Snape did not even look at him. Instead, he turned his head expressionlessly and taunted Harry.

"Hear that, Potter? It seems that not every young wizard is as stupid and clueless as you…"

"Professor, I—" Harry stood up angrily to retort, but Snape cut him off.

"Potter! One point is deducted from Gryffindor because of your performance!"

After announcing the verdict, Snape mercilessly turned back to his lesson, while Harry was dragged along by Ron, his fair cheeks flushed with anger.

Ivan, who was just about to face Snape, was baffled by the cold shoulder. He gave Harry an apologetic look before resuming his lesson.

He looked forward to the moment when Snape would continue to make things difficult for him…

Unfortunately for Ivan, Snape seemed to forget about him for the rest of the lesson, and other than occasionally taking the time to berate young wizards and witches who got the steps wrong, he was very interested in Harry.

Like a piece of iron attracted to a magnet, he wandered around Harry, his hollow eyes carefully examining every step of Harry's potion-making process.

Ron, who was sitting next to Harry, was also unlucky. The rat Scabbers had brought with him was found by Snape, and the rat Scabbers, who was carrying his tail, was publicly designated as the guinea pig for the potion's effects. Ron almost cried on the spot.

When he learned of his fate, Scabbers screamed in agony…

If Neville's accidental burning of the cauldron had not spoiled Snape's fun, Scabbers would have forced Ron to drink a yellow potion made of unknown ingredients.

Ivan gave Scabbers, who was slumped on the table, a look of sympathy, and lamented how unlucky Peter Pettigrew was to have been frightened twice in the first few days of school.

The hour-long Potions lesson was torture for most of the young wizards and witches. After class, they would rush out of the dungeon as if they were escaping.

"Oh my God, why did Dumbledore hire Snape as a professor? He almost killed Scabbers!" Ron complained as he tried to calm Scabbers down.

Harry nodded in agreement, siding with Ron, who would not have tolerated being picked on so openly in his first lesson.

Harry could not understand why Snape hated him so much.

"Harry, if you'd read more before class, you'd be able to answer Professor Snape's questions," Hermione said, looking at Ivan as if she had a different opinion.

"Like Ivan, Professor Snape knew Ivan would answer the question, so he didn't give him a hard time."

Yvonne was embarrassed by Hermione's praise, and would not have been able to answer Snape if she had not known the plot.

"Hermione, not everyone can memorize Potions in the first few days of school, and Snape's questions about Harry are not in the first year textbooks," Ivan said with a sigh.

Hermione pursed her lips and did not argue, as she had witnessed Snape's behaviour in Potions today, and was merely used to being law-abiding and obeying the professor's orders, so she tried to defend Ron when he lashed out.

Ron and Harry were extremely upset with Hermione for speaking up for Snape, and the three of them went on their way in a row, but Ivan managed to calm them down before they reached Hagrid's hut.

"We've come to see you, Hagrid!"

Harry moved forward and knocked on the door, and the four of them heard dogs barking and running inside the house. Not long after, the front door opened and a huge figure emerged.

"Harry, you're here, come on in…" Heag greeted Harry warmly, petting his large, restless dog Fang.

Ivan followed Harry into the hut.

There was only one room in the house, and it was a bit of a mess, with lots of dried meat and ham hanging by the windows, and a large stove in front of it. A kettle of boiling water was on the stove, and the bed was patched up and placed against the right wall.