Reaching into his pocket, Alex pulled out a magical photo from last Christmas at the Potters' home. In it, the two families smiled warmly, with Sirius looking particularly smug. Alex's brow furrowed as he stared at the image.
'Can Dumbledore's words really be trusted? Did Sirius actually betray everyone, or did something happen during those months he was missing?' The questions swirled in Alex's mind, but he kept his doubts to himself. He decided to uncover the truth on his own.
Lost in thought, Alex walked to class. The professors didn't seem to mind his distraction—most of the students were restless anyway. With the Dark Lord defeated, the school felt almost festive. Classrooms buzzed with excitement, and even the teachers were in good spirits.
That evening, Alex joined the dinner as Dumbledore had suggested, only to be caught off guard by a surprising announcement.
"Snape… is replacing Professor Slughorn as the new Potions Master? And he's going to be the Head of Slytherin House?" Alex's stomach sank as reality hit him. Just that morning, he'd clashed with the man who was now both his head of house and Potions professor.
At the podium, Professor Slughorn gave a cheerful farewell speech, clearly pleased with the turn of events. The students clapped enthusiastically; despite his quirks, Slughorn was well-liked for treating them like family.
Meanwhile, Snape sat at the staff table, occasionally glancing at Alex. Alex looked down, letting out a sigh. From the way Snape's eyes lingered, it was obvious he hadn't forgotten their run-in earlier.
"Hey, Alex," Vivian leaned over and whispered, "you know the new professor, right? He seems to really like you—he's been staring over here forever."
"Yeah," Alex muttered dryly, stealing another cautious glance at Snape. "I'd rather not be 'liked' that much."
"Where've you been the last couple of days? You missed all the fun! Everyone's been celebrating," Vivian said, her voice still full of excitement.
"I wasn't exactly in a party mood," Alex replied. "How are the pure-bloods handling all this?"
"Oh, they were pretty miserable at first," Vivian said, glancing toward the senior students. "Then Yaxley started stirring the pot, claiming the Dark Lord wasn't really dead and would keep protecting pure-blood dignity."
'He's probably not entirely wrong,' Alex thought. Even though he didn't know every detail of the original story, he was certain Voldemort would return.
"Yaxley and Vanessa had another fight, but things have settled down a bit now," Vivian continued. "Why don't you come back to the common room? It must be boring being by yourself all the time. Plus, you're missing all the gossip."
Vivian wasn't wrong. Some of the Slytherin pure-bloods openly despised Alex and often mocked him behind his back. To avoid confrontations, he'd been leaving early and returning late to the dorm, which annoyed those who enjoyed taunting him. But lately, things seemed to be shifting.
"We'll see," Alex said with a shrug. "Some people don't need a reason to be cruel—they just enjoy it and find excuses to justify their actions."
The dinner ended peacefully, filled with laughter and joy—for most, at least. The next morning, Alex's mood soured as he headed to his first class: Potions, now under the stern supervision of Professor Snape.
Alex sat next to Vivian as Snape swept into the room, his long black robes billowing behind him. His dark, piercing eyes glinted as he moved through the classroom like a shadow. Arms crossed, he scanned the students with barely concealed disdain, pausing when his gaze landed on Alex.
"I don't care what you've learned in Potions so far," Snape began, his tone sharp and cutting. "Professor Slughorn may have had knowledge and experience, but he was far too forgiving of incompetence."
He paused, his cold eyes sweeping over the room. His silence dragged on just long enough to make everyone uncomfortable.
"Potions," he said finally, his voice low and commanding, "is a delicate science and an exact art. For those rare few who truly dedicate themselves, I can teach you to confound the mind, ensnare the senses, and even cheat death itself."
His gaze rested on Alex again, a chill settling over the room. "However," Snape continued icily, "some of you might believe you're already extraordinary. That there's nothing left for you to learn." He moved closer, his tone dripping with disdain. "Mr. Wilson."
Alex sighed inwardly but met Snape's glare head-on, his expression calm and resigned. Rising to his feet, he replied, "Professor."
Snape leaned in slightly, his dark eyes narrowing. "Tell me, Mr. Wilson, what do you get if you add powdered Asphodel root to an infusion of wormwood?"
Without hesitation, Alex answered, "A powerful sleeping potion called the Draught of Living Death."
Snape's expression didn't change as he continued, "And if I wanted a potion to induce euphoria, what would I need?"
"A pot of euphoria requires two Mandala fruits," Alex said steadily. "One whole and unpeeled, the other peeled and sliced into strips."
Snape's eyes flickered briefly before he fired another question. "What could you brew with tainted dragon's blood?"
This was beyond anything they'd covered in class, but Alex remained composed. "Tainted dragon's blood can be used to create the Dragon's Fury Elixir. But it's risky—it can drive people mad."
Snape's face darkened. "Next time, spare us the extra commentary, Mr. Wilson," he said coldly. "It seems some students believe arrogance is a substitute for intelligence."
Alex stayed silent, his calm demeanor unshaken as he sat back down.
"Are you all deaf?" Snape snapped suddenly, his voice cutting through the room. "Write this down. Every. Single. Word."
The class scrambled to obey, the sound of quills scratching on parchment filling the room. Beside Alex, Vivian leaned over and whispered, "Wow, I thought he was already mad at you, but now it looks like he's ready to hex you."
Alex shook his head slightly, letting out a quiet sigh. He knew he couldn't let Snape hold a grudge forever. Somehow, he'd have to figure out a way to make things right.
The lesson moved on to the Swelling Solution, a potion that caused anything it touched to expand. Snape prowled the room like a storm cloud, his presence heavy and intimidating.
As Alex whispered to Vivian, "Get the puffer fish eyes ready. I'll stir three times and add them one at a time," Snape appeared beside them, silent as ever.
"Feeling confident, Mr. Wilson?" Snape said, his voice low and sharp. "So sure you're adding ingredients at exactly the right moment?"