As the two entered the Potions classroom, they couldn't help but hug each other tightly.
The classroom was somewhat chilly, but that wasn't the main reason, as the Slytherin dormitories, also underground, were just as cold. The main issue was the row of glass jars along the wall, filled with various animal specimens, which, combined with the eerie environment, made it rather creepy.
Dressed in a black robe, with greasy hair that looked like it hadn't been washed in years, Snape walked into the classroom, picked up the attendance book, and began taking attendance.
He paused when he called out the name "Harry Potter."
But to Ethan Jones's surprise, Snape also paused when his name was called.
After taking attendance, he closed the attendance book and casually tossed it onto the lectern.
Then, he looked at the whole class, his dark eyes devoid of any warmth, filled only with indifference and emptiness.
"You have come here to learn the art of potion-making, to learn the precise science and rigorous craftsmanship." His voice was not loud, only slightly higher than whispered, but everyone heard him clearly.
"There are no silly wands waving here, so many of you probably won't believe that this is magic."
He paced back and forth with his eyes closed.
"I don't expect you to truly understand how wonderful it is to smell the delicate fragrance wafting from the large pot of steaming white smoke as it simmers over a low flame."
You will never truly understand the wondrous, captivating power of that fluid flowing into your veins, its ability to enthrall and bewitch the mind.
Suddenly, he stopped, opened his eyes, and faced everyone: "Here, I can teach you how to increase your reputation, cultivate glory, and even prevent death."
He said those words very softly, but they aroused everyone's longing.
He raised his voice: "But! You have to be different from the idiots I usually encounter."
After the opening introduction was finished, the whole class was silent, not a sound was made.
Suddenly, Snape spoke up: "Potter, what would I get if I added daffodil root powder to wormwood infusion?"
Ethan Jones watched intently, observing Snape and Harry's expressions, his heart pounding with excitement: "Here it comes! The iconic scene is here!"
Harry, looking completely bewildered, glanced at Ron, who was also looking equally bewildered, shook his head, and said softly, "I don't know, Professor."
Snape said sarcastically, "Tsk tsk, fame doesn't mean everything, does it, Mr. Potter?"
"Since that's the case, I'll give you one more chance. Where can you find a bezoar?"
"I have no idea."
Ethan Jones looked at Hermione's raised hand and gestured for her to lower it, but Hermione, though she saw the gesture, stubbornly kept her hand up and refused to lower it.
After Snape asked Harry his last question about aconite, Hermione couldn't help but stand up with her hands raised. She couldn't stand Snape's harassment of Harry, nor could she tolerate Draco and the others mocking him.
This wasn't to defend Harry, but because Hermione valued the honor of the House highly and didn't want to tarnish Gryffindor's reputation.
However, she was clearly unaware of the feud between Snape and Harry Potter.
Snape angrily berated Hermione, telling her to sit down, and then reprimanded Harry mercilessly.
Ethan Jones helplessly placed his hand on his forehead, avoiding looking at Hermione's slightly reddened eyes.
Under Snape's assignment, he teamed up with Malfoy to prepare a potion to treat scabies.
"First, weigh out three grams of dried nettles, pour them into a pot, and simmer over low heat for ten minutes. Then add one gram of crushed snake venom fang powder and simmer together for another ten minutes."
Meanwhile, in another cauldron, slugs with tentacles were steamed.
Ethan Jones followed the steps in the book, working on them one by one.
"When you pour out the nettles, stir them three times clockwise!" Snape said beside him.
"Yes, Professor!"
Snape gave him a deep look before going to check on the potion-making progress of the other groups.
"When adding the fang powder, remember to add it in two batches, stirring well each time." Snape was at it again.
"Okay, Professor." These are steps that aren't written in the book.
When he took out the slugs that Draco had steamed, an accident happened—Neville ruined his potion.
A plume of green smoke rose up, and the medicine in the cauldron spilled onto the ground, corroding holes in the shoes of nearby students.
"Idiot!" Snape roared, and after sending the unfortunate Neville to the Hospital Wing, he took the opportunity to deduct a point from Harry.
Snape swept away all the potions from the ground, leaving the rest of the people to continue brewing them.
"Damn it! The slug we just made is no good, Draco. The instructions were to chop it up immediately after cooking, but it's all cold now. We need to prepare another one while we still have time."
Draco hurriedly went to prepare the slugs, while Ethan Jones watched the potion being brewed, observing its color to see if it matched the color described in the book for this stage.
"Here comes the slug!" Draco said quickly, producing a small, chopped-up slug.
"Good job! Let me see. Weigh out five grams, add it to the medicine, stir constantly until the medicine turns green, then continue to boil for another five minutes."
He held the stirring stick and stirred it continuously in one direction, watching the color of the medicine gradually change towards green.
"Alright, take the cauldron off the stove. When it stops bubbling, add the porcupine quills. Then put the cauldron back on the stove and simmer until the porcupine quills are completely dissolved and the liquid turns dark green. The potion is ready."
He was focused on the progress of his first potion, paying no attention to Snape who kept passing by them.
"It's done!" He gave Malfoy a high five.
Potions class is a long class with plenty of time. Snape paired students up because brewing these potions requires two large cauldrons.
This time, Ethan Jones was the assistant, and Draco personally prepared the medicine, which he also brewed perfectly for treating scabies.
"Alright, class dismissed." Time flew by in the midst of the busyness. Not many people were able to brew the potion perfectly in this Potions class, and Hermione was one of them. However, she was not very happy because she felt that she was being targeted.
After leaving the classroom, Ethan Jones kept comforting Hermione, telling her not to be sad.
"Ethan Jones, stay here for a moment."
He was puzzled, wondering why Snape wanted to see him.
Under Hermione's worried gaze, he returned to the Potions classroom and stood face to face with Snape.
"Professor, is there something you need from me?"
Snape didn't speak, but just stared at him with empty eyes, his lips moving slightly.
Suddenly, Ethan Jones felt a tingling sensation in his brain.
"What are you doing!"
"A natural-born Occlumens, no wonder. Good luck, Mr. Jones." Snape glanced at him with pity and headed toward his office.
"What's wrong with you!" Ethan Jones was annoyed. He didn't know what Snape was doing, but the stinging pain, which was more intense than before when he was sorted by the Sorting Hat, made him very uncomfortable.
He suppressed his anger, left the classroom, and went with Hermione, who was still waiting for him, to visit Neville at the Hospital Wing.