That chill felt like it carried some strange kind of magic, instantly calming Harry's mind.
Then it quickly spread through his torso and limbs.
Wherever it passed, all the magic in his body seemed to receive some kind of command and began operating on its own.
Driven by this peculiar force, Harry raised his wand almost instinctively.
First, a grayish-white beam struck Ron, blasting him backward.
Then the glowing wand lashed hard against the spell Snape had fired, smashing it apart in one blow.
Sss!
After a strange sound, a large amount of magical light dust slowly drifted down around Harry.
The entire classroom fell into brief silence at the sight.
Anyone qualified to take NEWT-level classes wasn't mediocre.
They all recognized what Harry had just done.
First, he used a burst of magic to push Ron away, then he countered Snape's spell with a reversal.
Most importantly, throughout the entire process, Harry used silent spells.
And not just that, but multiple silent spells in succession.
This was no longer something a normal Hogwarts student could achieve.
Even many Aurors might not be able to pull off techniques like this.
"Oh my god! Harry! How did you do that?"
Ron jumped up from the ground, grabbed Harry, and cheered, "That was amazing! You're a genius!"
Harry was shaken back and forth by Ron's excitement. The cold force inside him had already completely faded, and he stared blankly at his wand, unable to believe it himself.
At that moment, Snape's gloomy, venomous voice sounded quietly, "Well done, Mr. Potter, you...."
"You don't need to call me 'Mr.,' Professor," Harry cut him off. "I think I've succeeded, right? So now shouldn't you be giving me... and Gryffindor... some points?"
As soon as he said that, several students gasped in shock, Hermione included.
No one had ever dared to talk back to Snape like that in his class. It was practically asking for death.
But behind Snape, Dean, Seamus, and the other Gryffindors wore approving smiles.
To them, this was exactly how a Gryffindor should act. Brave Gryffindors feared no suppression.
Harry noticed them too and waved at them proudly.
Hermione quickly stepped forward and grabbed him, trying to stop him from provoking Snape any further.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
"Detention. Saturday night. My office," Snape said coldly. "I do not tolerate disrespect. Potter… even if you are the Chosen One."
———
"Harry! That was incredible!"
After a Defense Against the Dark Arts class that was almost unbearable, Ron had just stepped into the common room when he shouted at Harry, "I can't believe you did it so easily!"
"And Neville too... you did great! Ha! Did you see Snape's face? He looked like someone who bit into an apple and suddenly found half a worm inside!"
As soon as Ron finished speaking, the Gryffindors who had returned with Harry burst out laughing.
Harry laughed loudly too. He thought Ron's comparison was spot on.
This time, although he had been punished with detention, making Snape lose face like that made it worth it.
The other Gryffindors clearly felt the same way.
It wasn't because the punishment hadn't fallen on them, so they didn't care.
It was because, as Gryffindors, detention really didn't mean much.
Among those present, any Gryffindor above third year... how many hadn't been punished by professors before?
To them, it really wasn't a big deal.
"Honestly, I don't understand what Dumbledore and Link were thinking, letting Snape teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. That guy's arrogant and nasty, totally unfit! Remember what he said at the start of class?"
Ron seemed to be getting into it, cleared his throat, and mimicked Snape's tone, "Oh! If I hadn't given you a round of extra lessons at the end of last term, a large portion of you wouldn't even qualify to continue NEWT-level Defense Against the Dark Arts!"
"Ha! That's ridiculous!"
"Anyone with half a brain knows that the reason we got high marks last year in Defense Against the Dark Arts and other subjects was because Link ordered the D.A. to open those supplementary classes!"
"What does that have to do with Snape?"
"And he actually has the nerve to take all the credit!"
By the end, Ron's expression had twisted with anger.
It was clear he was venting the frustration from being targeted in class.
The surrounding Gryffindors played along and burst into laughter again.
This time, though, Harry didn't laugh.
Hermione frowned and said, "I think instead of complaining here, you should practice silent spells more, or prepare for your other classes. If your grades are good enough, Snape won't have any reason to pick on you next time."
"Hah... Hermione, do you really think that?"
Ron looked like he'd just heard the biggest joke ever. "Your logic is completely flawed! Snape just wants to pick on us."
"It has nothing to do with our grades! Aren't your grades already good enough? And what happened? Didn't Snape still target you just now?"
"And how do you think I got targeted last class? Why do you think Harry got detention?"
"I was saving you! How can you say something like that to me now?"
Hearing Ron's words, Hermione's face flushed red again.
Harry felt helpless.
He thought another argument was about to start.
He really couldn't understand these two. Why did they argue every single day?
But what he didn't expect was that Hermione, her face red, lowered her head and said, "Thank you…"
"What did you say?"
Ron frowned, staring at Hermione in shock.
He couldn't believe those two words had come out of her mouth.
Normally, shouldn't she have snapped back at him?
For a moment, he even wondered if his hearing was off.
Then Hermione suddenly lifted her head and shouted at him, "I said, thank you!"
Her voice echoed through the entire Gryffindor common room.
Now Ron was completely at a loss. He stammered for a while before finally mumbling, "You're welcome."
That set off another round of laughter from the students.
Harry laughed too.
He wrapped an arm around Ron's shoulders and said, "It's great if you two can make up. But honestly, I think what Snape said in class earlier… wasn't completely wrong."
"Which part?"
"The part where he said a lot of people only got into NEWT classes because of him," Harry said thoughtfully.
"If you think about it, that's actually true. Not everyone had the chance to join the D.A. and attend those extra lessons."
"For a lot of ordinary students, it really was Snape who helped them cram at the last minute and get good results.
Also, him teaching us silent spells today… was probably meant well.
It really is a useful skill. If we can master it, it'll help a lot in any battles we might face in the future.
So even though Snape is unpleasant… overall, he's still a competent professor.
At least he's way better than Umbridge or Lockhart, right?"
Harry had kept these thoughts to himself for a long time.
After today's class, he genuinely felt Snape wasn't that bad.
In fact, if you ignored his awful personality and his constant targeting of them, he could even be considered a good teacher.
But Ron, Hermione, and the others clearly didn't feel the same.
Because the moment he finished speaking, he realized everyone around him was staring at him with extremely strange expressions.
Ron even stepped forward and placed a hand on his forehead, frowning.
"You don't have a fever… so why are you talking nonsense?"
"What are you talking about?" Harry slapped Ron's hand away. "Is anything I said wrong?"
"Let's not even talk about whether you're right or wrong. I think there's something wrong with you," Ron said with concern.
"I've noticed it for a few days now. You've been changing… becoming more… kind? No, more gentle and disciplined. You don't sleep in anymore."
"You make your bed after getting up. You keep yourself clean. You don't waste food. You're polite to younger students, even to Slytherins. And now you're saying Snape isn't that bad?!"
"Aren't those… things I should be doing as a student?"
"Sure. But you weren't like this before. The changes in you lately are huge. What's going on with you?"
Hermione came over too, "And also! What about your performance in Potions and today's Defense Against the Dark Arts class? You weren't this smart or outstanding before."
"But today, you perfectly brewed the Draught of Living Death and became the second person in class to master silent casting! That's not normal!"
Harry stared blankly at Ron and Hermione.
Their words left him confused.
He had noticed the changes in himself.
Overall, they were all positive.
So he hadn't paid much attention to them.
But now, being pressed like this, a question finally surfaced in his mind.
When exactly had these changes started?
Was it when he began living with Sirius?
Or when this school term started?
Or… when he started having that beautiful dream?
Looking at Ron and Hermione's concerned expressions, Harry found himself at a loss for words.
He didn't know how to answer his two best friends.
Because even he didn't know which of those possibilities was the real answer.
"Harry! Huff! Harry Potter! And Neville Longbottom!"
At that moment, a somewhat childish voice suddenly rang out.
The interruption broke Harry's train of thought.
The others also lost interest in continuing the discussion.
Everyone turned to look and saw a second-year Gryffindor boy running toward them.
He looked like he had sprinted all the way from the classroom. Sweat covered his forehead, and he was breathing heavily, bent over with his hands on his knees.
Even so, he struggled to hand over a wax-sealed letter to Harry and Neville.
"I… I've got a letter for you… from Professor Slughorn… he told me to deliver it!"
"A letter?"
Harry took it, confused. "Why is he writing to me again?"
"What else could it be? Probably inviting you to dinner again!"
Ron said in a slightly sarcastic tone.
He had been annoyed for a long time that Slughorn had invited only Harry and Neville on the train, leaving him out.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he saw Harry and Neville, who had just opened the letter, looking at him strangely.
That made him realize something.
His mouth fell open.
"I was just… guessing. Don't tell me I actually got it right?"
"Yeah, Ron, you guessed it perfectly. But it's not dinner... it's a gathering."
Harry said with a wry smile.
Hearing that, Ron let out a scream, grabbed the invitation from Harry, and examined it closely.
As he read, he threw an arm around Neville and shouted excitedly, "Oh my god! Harry! Neville! Slughorn must have taken a liking to your talent!"
"Just imagine... he could whip out a whole cauldron of Felix Felicis! How much are you going to get this time? Merlin's beard, you're going to be rich!"
"Wait, what Felix Felicis? What do you mean rich?"
Seamus frowned, confused. He hadn't taken NEWT Potions, so he didn't know what had happened in class.
Ron was so excited he could barely contain himself.
He jumped onto the long table and started telling everyone about Harry's feat from the morning class.
From the look of him, you'd think he was the one who had won the Felix Felicis.
Harry didn't join Ron's storytelling session.
He walked slowly to the window and stared at the Forbidden Forest in the distance, its leaves gradually turning yellow. His brows were tightly furrowed.
He didn't think Slughorn's invitation was just about making them rich.
In his mind, Slughorn must have some more practical motive.
Maybe he had taken an interest in something Harry possessed?
Or maybe he had noticed the drastic changes in Harry and wanted something from it?
Harry didn't know.
He just felt a sudden unease.
This gathering… might not be so simple.
But no matter what, he had to go.
Because Slughorn might know something about his mother Lily.
And Harry was very curious about that.
———
At the same time, Snape and Draco were walking along the streets of Hogsmeade.
Compared to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade on a Thursday afternoon was almost empty.
Aside from a few bored shop assistants chatting idly, there were barely any visitors.
Many shops on both sides of the street were already closed.
Even so, Draco still looked extremely nervous, to the point that he couldn't stop shivering.
Snape seemed to notice.
His deep gaze swept over Draco's trembling shoulders. After hesitating for a moment, he reached out and took his hand.
Draco glanced at Snape in surprise.
Snape, however, kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, as if that hand wasn't his at all.
Unlike his cold and greasy outward appearance, his hand was warm, dry, and firm.
Feeling the warmth, Draco's nerves eased slightly, and his body stopped shaking.
He took a deep breath and asked, "Professor Snape… do you think my father will really be released?"
"Even if your brain is filled with troll snot," Snape said flatly, "you should still understand that Link wouldn't joke about something like this. If he said we're going to pick up your father, then your father will be released."
"Then… do you think my father might have been tortured into madness? Or had his arms or legs cut off?"
"No."
"Why are you so sure? You know how cruel Link Flamel is. Maybe he really... "
"Silence!"
Snape suddenly snapped, cutting him off. "From now on, I don't want to hear a single syllable from your mouth! Nor do I want to read even the slightest hatred or insult toward Link from your mind! Do you understand?"
Draco stared at him blankly, his eyes gradually turning red.
He hadn't expected Snape, whom he regarded as a godfather, to side with Link... and to speak to him so harshly.
But Snape had no intention of explaining.
He yanked Draco forward and dragged him into the Three Broomsticks.
Jingle~
As they entered, the bell above the door rang crisply.
It startled Madam Rosmerta, who had been dozing at the bar.
She quickly looked up, wiping drool from her mouth.
"Welcome! We have... uh!"
Her words cut off as she stared at Snape in surprise.
As the owner of a pub whose main customers were Hogwarts students, she of course knew Snape.
In fact, she was quite familiar with him.
After all, almost every student who drank here would end up complaining about Snape at some point.
What surprised her today was that Snape looked different.
He had changed into a gray robe and even washed his hair, making him look far less greasy.
Even more unusual, he was holding the hand of a platinum-blond student.
Where were they going?
Rosmerta couldn't help but wonder.
"We'll be using your Floo Network fireplace," Snape said coldly, as if issuing an order.
"O-of course, go ahead.", Rosmerta stammered.
In truth, before she even finished speaking, Snape had already dragged Draco into the fireplace.
By the time her words ended, Snape had thrown a handful of Floo powder and said expressionlessly, "Ministry of Magic!"