Snape did not let anyone down.
All those who didn't turn in their assignments were rewarded with three days of detention.
Not only did they have to complete their assignments at night in the cold underground classroom, but they also had to deal with a whole barrel of Potion Materials piled in the corner.
Although Snape didn't say what was in it, judging from his sinister smile and the stench pervading the classroom, what's inside must be pretty awful.
Mikel and Ryan exchanged a glance, relieved that they had dodged a bullet.
Just ten minutes ago, they had just finished their Potion assignments.
"Today we are learning a new potion: Shrinking Potion."
Snape, in his usual tone, drawled, "I've written down the steps, everyone have a good look, and then you can go get your materials.
What are you all waiting for!"
Everyone immediately left their seats and swarmed towards the cabinet against the wall.
Conna's table, as usual, had the required materials, but unlike the previous full bag, there was only one set this time.
This meant Kael couldn't mooch off her anymore.
Kael glanced at Snape, only to find him also staring back, with a look full of mockery.
"Stingy!"
Kael pouted, got up, and walked towards the cabinet.
Having arrived late, he found only a few broken daisy roots and two or three squeezed Shrunken Figs left in the cabinet.
"All materials are limited."
Snape's voice came from the podium, "So you'd better get it right the first time, don't think about retrying!"
"Before class ends, the person with the worst potion will lose twenty points, perhaps this will motivate you to pay a bit more attention and brew the potion well."
When saying this, Snape's eyes were fixed on Kael.
It's obvious, the person without materials would surely fare the worst.
"Careless..." Kael sighed.
He was used to mooching off Conna's materials, never expected Snape to play dirty.
"You didn't get any materials? Here, use this."
At this moment, a hand suddenly reached over.
In Kael's eyes, this arm seemed to emit a faint, sacred light of hope.
Mikel placed a tray on Kael's table.
"You know, my potions always go wrong, so I always take extra, just in case."
"Thanks." Kael exclaimed in surprise, "You've helped a lot."
"It's nothing." Mikel pointed to a Parchment on the table.
If it weren't for Kael's help, they wouldn't have completed those Potion Class assignments at noon either.
It's a case of mutual assistance.
Seeing Kael had solved his material problem, Snape was immediately unhappy.
He stared at Kael, about to say something, when Conna suddenly swapped the positions of her bag and tray.
"This Leech Juice looks good, can I use it?"
"Of course." Kael nodded.
Visibly, veins popped out on Snape's forehead.
Leech Juice in the tray better?
What a joke!
The items in the cabinet were all prepared by detained students, how could they possibly compare to the materials he prepared himself!
But seeing Kael and Conna already start cutting daisy roots, he could only take deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his anger.
Snape was in a bad mood... he had to pass on this feeling.
Thus...
"The daisy roots are cut too large, Hufflepuff lose two points..."
"Shrunken Fig skin is too thick, Hufflepuff lose three points."
...
After making a round, still not calmed down, Snape came to a Slytherin student.
The student proudly raised his head, waiting to be praised by his House Head.
His potion was a light green, very close to the standard answer.
Under usual circumstances, he would certainly get extra points.
However, the next second...
"A little leech juice is enough, why did you add so much, Slytherin lose two points!"
Indeed... Snape, still in a bad mood, even started deducting points from his own House!
Now everyone's mood was sour.
...
"What's wrong with Professor Snape!"
During dinner, Kael overheard students discussing the matter.
"He actually deducted twenty points from Slytherin... twenty points!"
Others started off not believing it.
After all, all of Hogwarts knows the Professor of Potions was most biased towards Slytherin; even if they blew up a cauldron, they'd just get detention, not lose points.
"This joke isn't funny at all."
At the Gryffindor table, Fred glanced at the flailing Lee Jordan beside him and mocked, "Or maybe you're not awake yet, heard deduction as addition."
"I'm not joking!"
Lee Jordan insisted seriously, "It's all over the place, haven't you heard?"
"Wait, you really aren't joking?" George put down his cup.
"I swear!"
Lee Jordan pointed towards the Slytherin table, "Or you can go have a stroll there, they're talking about it too."
Fred suddenly became interested, asked, "When did this happen!"
Harry and Ron also put down their knives and forks, eagerly listening.
Snape actually deducting points from Slytherin was as unbelievable as Hermione forgetting the common room password.
"In the afternoon Potion Class." Lee Jordan eagerly said, "I happened to pass by when several third-year Slytherins were talking and overheard it."
"I also thought I misheard at first, but then found Slytherin's hourglass actually lost twenty points since before!
And they only had Potion Class in the afternoon."
"Wow..." Harry gasped.
"You said third years?" Fred frowned, "Which House was in class with Slytherin."
"Hufflepuff."
Lee Jordan casually said, "The news first came from these two Houses."
"Kael!" Fred and George said in unison.
Though unsure what happened, intuition told them it had to do with Kael.
Based on years of experience, whenever anything unusual happened at Hogwarts, blame Kael directly. It wasn't a hundred percent him, but at least eight out of ten times it would be.
"Wish we were born a year later."
"And sorted into Hufflepuff."
Fred and George looked across at the Hufflepuff table, eyes full of longing.
Their biggest regret was not being sorted with Kael.
That would certainly be more exciting than their current experience.