Harry stared at the strange Dementor with Lockhart's face, opened his mouth, and for a moment did not know what to say.
Sagres waved his wand again, creating several more of these unusual Dementors. "Since practising the Patronus Charm requires actively drawing on happy emotions, these might offer a slightly less serious kind of 'assistance.'"
He put his wand away and turned to Harry. "Come on. I'll take you to Professor Lupin. He should be willing to guide you personally."
With that, he led Harry toward the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor's office.
After the two of them explained their purpose, Lupin readily agreed.
"Of course, I'd be delighted to help you practise this spell," he said gently. His gaze swept over the glowing parchment in Harry's hand. "It seems Professor Greengrass has already given you very detailed notes, which is excellent. We—"
Lupin's words were cut off by the door flying open with a rush of cold air.
The office door was suddenly pushed wide, and Professor Snape strode in, his face expressionless, carrying a small cauldron that emitted an ominous green smoke.
A strong, bitter, rotten-egg stench of potion instantly filled the small office.
"Lupin," Professor Snape said, his voice as cold as the dungeons. He did not even glance at Harry and Sagres beside him as he walked straight to Lupin's desk. "Your… potion."
He set the cauldron down heavily, and a few drops of thick liquid splashed onto the desk, releasing thin wisps of green smoke.
Sagres raised an eyebrow at the sight but said nothing.
Lupin, on the other hand, smiled gently, completely unbothered by the other man's attitude. "Thank you, Severus."
His tone was calm.
"Make sure you drink it on time," Professor Snape said coldly. His dark eyes finally swept across the room. His gaze paused briefly on Harry, filled with undisguised distaste, then shifted to Sagres, narrowing slightly.
"I don't want to find a shredded… student in some corner of the castle one morning," he added pointedly, his eyes piercing through Lupin's worn robes, "or a professor."
Lupin ignored the sarcasm entirely and replied casually, "I will, Severus. Thank you for the reminder."
"Right now," Professor Snape said icily. "I'll watch you drink it."
"Don't worry, Severus, I will," Lupin nodded. "But it needs to cool first. It looks a bit too hot at the moment, doesn't it?"
Professor Snape gave a faintly mocking smile.
"I am merely fulfilling the duty Dumbledore has entrusted to me. After all, not everyone possesses the professional expertise to recognize and guard against dangerous creatures."
His gaze swept over Harry again, as if he were the potential victim of that so-called "dangerous creature."
"Potter, I suggest you keep your distance from certain classes and certain people. Your father's recklessness and arrogance have clearly been inherited perfectly, but luck may not be."
"Professor Snape!" Lupin's voice stiffened slightly.
Sagres stood calmly to the side the entire time.
His composed gaze moved between Professor Snape and Lupin, his face expressionless, though a trace of amused interest flickered in his eyes.
Caught in the middle, Harry felt the tension pressing in on him and barely dared to breathe. For a moment, he even wished he could simply vanish.
Professor Snape seemed to have had his fill of Lupin's discomfort. He let out a contemptuous snort.
"Very well. Remember what I said, Lupin." He turned sharply, his black robes billowing behind him as he swept silently and swiftly out of the office.
The door slammed shut with a bang. Yet the potion in the cauldron on the desk, still giving off eerie green smoke, continued to release its nauseating stench.
A brief silence settled over the room.
"What is that stuff?" Harry finally could not help asking. He pointed at the gently bubbling potion in the cauldron, his face full of curiosity. "And what did he mean by all that he said?"
Lupin's gentle manner quickly returned after Professor Snape left. When he looked at the potion in the cauldron, his expression carried a hint of helplessness, but none of the anger or humiliation Harry had expected.
He sighed softly, skirting the heart of Harry's question. "Nothing special, Harry. Just a potion to treat my condition. Severus… well, Professor Snape is indeed very skilled at Potions, and Headmaster Dumbledore asked him to brew it for me."
His tone was light, clearly trying to gloss over the subject.
As he spoke, Lupin's gaze flicked briefly toward the silent Sagres beside him.
The other man still stood calmly, but Lupin noticed the faint curve of Sagres's lips, a fleeting, playful smile appearing for just a moment.
"A minor ailment?" Harry frowned, clearly unconvinced.
Professor Snape's malicious hints and Lupin's evasiveness only made him more uneasy.
"But Professor, that stuff looks and smells like… a pot of poison! And Professor Snape, he…" Harry lowered his voice, his words filled with the blunt concern typical of a teenager. "He's always wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, hasn't he? Everyone knows that! He could have poisoned it! I really think you shouldn't drink it!"
Lupin was startled by Harry's bold suspicion, then let out a soft laugh, tired but indulgent, touched by Harry's naïve concern.
"Oh, Harry," he shook his head. "It's not that serious. While Professor Snape is… well, not very likable, he is a true Potions Master. When it comes to brewing, his professionalism and rigor are beyond question. And Headmaster Dumbledore would never allow him to do such a thing."
He tried to reassure Harry.
Just then, Sagres, who had remained silent, finally spoke.
He stepped forward toward the desk, his gaze settling on the thick, constantly bubbling green liquid in the cauldron, his nostrils flaring slightly.
"The potion's effects are indeed potent. However, Professor Lupin…" He lifted his eyes, the faint smile on his lips deepening a little. "I suspect Professor Snape added something extra to it. For instance, a few drops of rat bile? Or crushed stinking snargaluff seeds? But as for the potion's effectiveness—"
Sagres shook his head. "Not in the slightest will it be compromised. It is purely for adding a bit of flavour, or rather, to express the brewer's unique sense of care."
At this, Lupin's expression became a mix of wry amusement and helpless resignation.
He looked at the potion in the cauldron as though staring at a dreadful ordeal he had no choice but to endure, then finally nodded, accepting Sagres's assessment.
"I thought as much."
Every time he drank this potion, it felt like torture, and Professor Snape clearly took pleasure in adding extra "seasoning" to it.
"I just hope he didn't spit in it."
Lupin said this as he picked up a clean cup from the desk and poured the foul-smelling potion into it.
"Are you really going to drink that, Professor?" Harry swallowed hard. "I really don't think that's a good idea."
Lupin looked at Harry's sincere, anxious face, and a warm feeling rose in his heart.
"Harry, I truly appreciate your concern. But I have to drink this potion."
His tone was gentle yet firm. "This is Headmaster Dumbledore's arrangement, and it really does help me. Professor Snape's skill in Potions is something even those who dislike him the most cannot deny."
He glanced at the potion still giving off green smoke and took a deep breath, as if bracing himself.
"Alright, let's stop talking about this. Weren't you here to learn the Patronus Charm? Let's focus on that, shall we?"
With that, he lifted the cup and drank it in one gulp.
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