Potions classroom.
Speaking of Potions, last year, due to Snape's sudden disappearance, the responsibility of teaching the subject had temporarily fallen to Professor Minerva McGonagall.
It was worth mentioning that period had been the happiest and most relaxed time for the Gryffindors, especially for Harry Potter, who was so often singled out by Snape...
That arrangement lasted until this week's Potions class, when Professor McGonagall finally stepped down from her role as acting professor and returned the position to Snape, who had come back alongside Dumbledore.
And so, at this moment, Professor Snape, eternally dressed in black, once again stood behind the Potions lectern after a long absence.
That unmistakable hooked nose, the cold, inscrutable gaze sweeping over the classroom, and his frame, which looked even thinner than before. Seeing Snape like this caused every memory associated with Potions to come rushing back.
This was the Severus Snape etched into Draco's mind, and into the minds of most wizards.
Perhaps sensing Draco's gaze, Snape briefly glanced in his direction. Their eyes met for just a moment, but Snape showed no intention of speaking.
The very next second, his attention had already shifted back to Harry Potter.
Mm. That really was Snape, all right.
Long used to this, Draco murmured quietly, "Looks like his work outside the school is finally finished?"
Ever since Snape had left Hogwarts with Dumbledore during the Triwizard Tournament, then appeared only once at the start of the new term before vanishing again, an entire week had passed before he resumed his role as Potions professor and returned to the classroom.
Strictly speaking, this was the closest Draco and Snape had been face-to-face since last year.
How long had it been since they'd exchanged a complete sentence?
Even last Christmas, Draco hadn't received any return gift from Snape at all.
And that was despite the fact that Draco had sent plenty of rare and valuable potion ingredients. He also had countless questions he wanted to ask his godfather...
...
The moment Snape stepped back into the Potions classroom, the Slytherins below immediately lit up.
Having gone so long without seeing their Head of House's gloomy expression, perhaps they'd even missed him a little.
Naturally, that feeling was not shared by the Gryffindor students present.
They had assumed this class would still be taught by Professor McGonagall. Instead, the long-absent black bat appeared before them once more, leaving the young lions thoroughly disappointed.
Harry Potter, in particular, wore an especially regretful and sour expression. When Snape shot him a cold sneer, Harry felt the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead begin to throb faintly again...
Taking in the expressions of the students below, Snape drew his robes closer around himself, his face dark.
"Silence!"
Once his gaze left Harry Potter's eyes, Snape's icy voice rang through the room.
In truth, there was no need for him to order them to be quiet. The instant he appeared, the Potions classroom had already fallen deathly silent. Any remaining fidgeting or whispered movements stopped at once.
Even Draco had no desire to provoke Snape at a time like this, let alone the other students.
Simply put, as long as Snape appeared, he didn't even need to speak. His presence alone was enough to plunge the entire class into silence.
That, at least, was something Umbridge likely couldn't manage to this extent...
In the suffocating silence, only Snape's slightly sharp, cutting voice rang out.
"Before we begin today's lesson, I believe it is necessary to remind you that next June, you will be sitting an important examination. At that time, you will demonstrate just how much you have learned about the brewing and application of potions."
As he spoke, Snape's gaze abruptly settled on Neville Longbottom's face. He held it there until Neville finally lowered his head, only then continuing.
"Although a few among you appear to suffer from certain… intellectual shortcomings, I still expect all of you to scrape through your O.W.L.s. Otherwise..." Snape paused, his tone turning colder. "I will consider whether you are fit to continue attending my classes."
It was painfully obvious who those words were meant for.
Neville Longbottom, having been singled out, was clearly frightened by Snape's words and stare. But that fear only fueled the righteous indignation of the Gryffindor students around him. Their angry expressions all but declared that they would definitely pass their exams.
And besides, they didn't particularly care for Potions anyway. Especially Potions taught by Snape.
If they couldn't take it, then they wouldn't.
Snape, utterly indifferent to the glares being thrown his way, let out a cold sneer....
"Of course, after this year, many of you will no longer be attending my class," he continued. "I only select the most outstanding students for my N.E.W.Ts Potions course. That means some of us will be forced to say goodbye."
Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry Potter. The glint in his gaze was unreadable, but Harry stubbornly glared right back.
At that moment, just the thought of reaching sixth year and finally dropping Potions with Snape in it made Harry want to laugh out loud.
What he didn't realize was that achieving good results in Potions was an extremely important factor for one's future. If you wanted a decent job after graduation, it mattered a great deal.
In other words, this wasn't something you could simply give up on a whim, unless you had no intention of holding any significant position in the wizarding world....
Perhaps that was exactly why the look on Snape's face carried such undisguised mockery.
After fixing those green eyes with a hard stare, Snape finally lowered his voice.
"But before we reach that delightful moment of parting, we still have one more year to endure. Today, we will be brewing a potion that frequently appears in the Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations."
Snape drew his wand and tapped the blackboard behind him.
"Ingredients and method of preparation—"
He barely got halfway through before a voice cut in.
"Please allow me to interrupt, dear Severus."
"......"
Draco could see it clearly. Snape's face was dark with barely restrained fury.
For Snape, nothing was more intolerable than having his class disrupted, let alone being interrupted mid-sentence.
And the wizard with the audacity to do so...
Was none other than Dolores Umbridge, the very same woman Snape had ignored from the moment class began.
At that moment, Umbridge rose from her seat in the back row, a pink notebook held neatly in her hand.