Snape's unusual behavior persisted until the next day, showing no signs of abating.
Moreover, as more people knew, this matter even replaced the upcoming Quidditch selection as the focus of everyone's discussions.
People were all speculating why exactly this was happening.
"It's Points Addiction Syndrome!"
A second-year Ravenclaw young wizard confidently declared, "My uncle works at St Mungo's Hospital, and he told me about an old professor being treated there who's like this.
He can feel satisfaction and joy from the process of deducting points, and even after entering St Mungo's, he continued this habit, assigning houses to everyone he met.
Others greet people first, he deducts points first when meeting someone."
Seeing his vivid narration, many people gathered around, listening intently, their expression more serious than attending Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Class.
With more people around, the young wizard became more enthusiastic in his storytelling.
"My uncle also said he cared for the old professor for only two days, but lost three hundred points, more than he'd had deducted in seven years at Hogwarts."
"Oh! Three hundred points!" A gasp erupted from the crowd.
"Was that old professor also from Hogwarts?" someone asked.
"Of course, a proper Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts professor… has lived in St Mungo's for six years."
"Just liking deducting points and he ended up living in St Mungo's for six years..." A young witch gasped, covering her mouth in surprise, "So does this mean Professor Snape also..."
"You're absolutely right."
The Ravenclaw young wizard said solemnly, "Him deducting points from Slytherin is a sign because it means the other three houses can no longer satisfy him.
Poor Professor Snape, given this situation, he might leave Hogwarts in four years at most."
"But after graduation, I'm planning to go to St Mungo's as a healer… I think, by then, I should just be able to take care of him."
When saying this, his eyes were exceptionally firm, as though taking care of Snape was an unshakable responsibility for him.
This also earned praise and affirmation from those around him, greatly fulfilling his sense of mission.
However, this joy lasted only until the end of breakfast.
Because their first class was Potion Class.
And Snape, somehow knowing what he'd previously said, deducted fifty points from Ravenclaw just within the morning.
This wasn't the worst. Snape even found a reason to put him in detention for three days, making him join the third-year students in handling the large barrels of potion materials.
Poor Ravenclaw young wizard just took one glance into the barrel, his face instantly paling, and his stomach began to churn.
By the end of class at noon, he seemed like a changed person, walking out of the Magic Potion Classroom dazedly, pale-faced, and stumbling, accidentally knocking over an armor in the corridor.
It's worth noting that Slytherin also attended Potion Class alongside Ravenclaw, only this time not only did they lose zero points, they gained quite a bit.
Hmm, it's the familiar taste… Snape seemed to return to his old self overnight.
Plus, with Ravenclaw's "object lesson," during lunchtime, fewer people in the auditorium were discussing this matter.
...
This left Kael somewhat disappointed, as the young wizards' speculations were quite interesting.
Besides "Points Addiction," there was talk of him being hit by a Tebo, drinking fake potion, drinking real potion…
In short, it was a hodgepodge, with all kinds of theories.
From yesterday afternoon until now, he had tirelessly shuttled between each dining table, jotting down all the content related to Snape.
Originally, he planned to fill up ten pieces of parchment and then find Lockhart to help publish a book.
The book title was already decided: "To All Professors of Potion Class, Hogwarts Survival Guide"
He even planned to splash some cash, hoping Lockhart would work overtime to finish it by Christmas, then gift this work to Snape.
Surely, he'd be delighted.
Unfortunately, the young wizards chickened out…
He only filled up three pieces of parchment, which was evidently insufficient for publishing a book.
"What class in the afternoon." Kael sighed regretfully and casually asked.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Conna glanced at the timetable and replied, "But you also have Divination Class and Muggle Studies to attend."
"I'm not going to those two classes." Kael shook his head and said.
There's not much to say about Professor Trelawney's Divination Class, it's purely a test of imagination.
Muggle Studies was similar; he flipped through the textbook twice, and it was all fundamental stuff, even Mikel could easily earn an "O."
If those young wizards from a Muggle background wanted their transcripts to look prettier, choosing this class was sure to help.
After eating, the two left the auditorium and headed towards the common room.
On the way, they encountered a small, grey-haired boy.
He was holding a camera at the auditorium entrance, seemingly waiting for someone.
"Is that him?" Kael quickly approached and whispered, "The one who asked Potter for a signed photo yesterday."
Conna nodded subtly.
"Harry Potter's signed photos" was another hot topic, started by that little boy just now.
Yesterday at noon, he asked Harry for a signed photo in front of half the auditorium, coupled with Malfoy's instigation and Lockhart's meddling, it almost left Harry depressed.
This entire time, whenever he goes out, there's someone who enjoys stirring up trouble, asking him for a signed photo.
It almost drove the kid into depression.
But then again, having such a fervent admirer constantly trailing, hard for anyone to bear, huh.
Oh, except for Lockhart… he'd probably be delighted.
… but only him.
Thinking this, Kael instinctively quickened his pace.
By the time they returned to the common room, a group of fourth-year Hufflepuff students happened to approach from the other side.
Cedric was at the front, looking somewhat disheveled, covered in mud, and his robe was tattered.
The other people looked similar.
"What happened to you all?" Kael asked, "Got into a fight with someone?"
"I'd rather have fought him." Cedric roughly straightened his robe before angrily saying:
"We were attending Herbology Class, but after class, Gilderoy Lockhart suddenly showed up."
"What was he doing in the greenhouse?" Conna asked curiously.
"Teaching Professor Sprout how to trim the excess branches on Poisonous Tentacles!"
Cedric seemed a bit angry.
"But as soon as he entered the greenhouse, he knocked over a table, flipping over more than ten pots of bouncing bulbs."
"And then he ran away!" Someone said irritably, "He dashed off, damn it!"
"That's how it was." Cedric shrugged, "We and Professor Sprout were busy until just now, finally catching all those bouncing bulbs darting around."
"Thanks for your hard work." Kael sympathetically glanced at them.
Plenty of plants in the greenhouse are quite fragile, incredibly sensitive to external environments, so usually magic isn't allowed there.
Cedric and the others probably exerted considerable effort to catch all those bouncing bulbs... This fact was evident from their disheveled appearance.
...