Chapter 69: No experience in showing courtesy
After class, Aaron, feeling uneasy, arrived at Professor Snape's office door.
Looking at the familiar yet strange door, he hesitated.
Normally, he would have entered without a second thought, but today Professor Snape was acting unusually, so unusually that it was as if he was a different person, making Aaron wary.
After a few seconds of silence, Aaron still knocked on the door.
Professor Snape's rather excited voice immediately came from inside the office, "Come in!"
Aaron entered the office, closing the door behind him, and looked at Professor Snape somewhat cautiously, "Professor, you... what do you need me for?"
"Sit down, sit down first."
Professor Snape pressed Aaron into a chair and, with a familiar ease, poured him a drink, "You must be thirsty, have some Butterbeer first.
This is very popular among young Wizards; you'll like it."
Gollum!
Aaron swallowed, looking at the pale yellow drink in front of him, and forced an awkward but polite smile, with no intention of drinking it.
When things are unusual, there's always a reason.
He'd bet Abey's next month's meals that Professor Snapehad never been this nice to anyone.
Who knew if Professor Snape had put some Potion in this drink?
He was still in the early stages of development, and would be for a long time, so he couldn't risk it.
"Professor, my mother has warned me more than once that children shouldn't drink alcohol, no matter how low the proof.
I can't disobey my mother; she would be sad.
So, I won't drink this."
Professor Snape was stunned, gave him a strange look, then took out a box filled with all sorts of snacks, everything imaginable.
"Hmph! Is that all?"
Aaron sneered inwardly.
Although he didn't know Professor Snape's purpose, he felt it was too dismissive.
Which student couldn't resist such a temptation?
However, just as Aaron was being dismissive, Abey in his arms became a little restless, its dragon eyes fixed on the snack box, unwilling to move.
"Ahem!"
Aaron cleared his throat, placing a hand on its head.
Can't you show a little restraint?
Don't drool on me.
"Professor, what is the meaning of this?"
"Don't Wizards your age usually like these things?" Professor Snape asked.
"Those are Wizards from ordinary families.
I've eaten all kinds of delicacies since I was little.
Honestly, money attracts me much more than these things."
Professor Snape suddenly understood.
He rummaged under his desk for a while, then pulled out a large box, which, when opened, was full of Galleons.
The gleam of money sparkled before Aaron's eyes, but he remained completely unmoved, his mouth twitching slightly.
What a joke!
To insult the Weasleys with money, they would beg for more insults.
But he was Gaius, and his family had never lacked money.
Professor Snape's action was a blatant insult.
Who was he looking down on!
However, Aaron also confirmed that Professor Snapeprobably had no malicious intentions towards him, otherwise he wouldn't resort to such extremely low-level tactics.
But if someone is overly attentive for no reason, they're either up to no good or stealing, and he definitely had his own agenda.
"This is the cash I have on hand; my other assets are all stored at Gringotts!"
Seeing Aaron unmoved, Professor Snape hastily declared his wealth, "I am a Potion Master after all.
Although I don't care much about money, I've saved quite a bit over the years.
The amount will definitely not disappoint you, at least dozens of times what's in this box."
"Wait, stop."
Aaron immediately waved his hand, looking at Professor Snape meaningfully, "Professor, at least tell me what you want from me, otherwise I just feel inexplicably confused.
And Professor, you probably haven't bribed anyone in your life, have you!
You can't even pander to others; you're truly righteous, which makes me, your student, feel ashamed!"
Professor Snape was silent for a while before hesitantly saying, "I heard Hagrid say that you have a Potion that can bring people back from the dead."
Aaron:...Damn it!
Hagrid, did I dig up your Giant ancestors' graves?
Why do you always have to go against me?
"Professor Snape."
Aaron's expression became serious, "Besides you, who else knows about this?"
"Do you really have a Potion that can bring people back from the dead?"
Professor Snape stood up excitedly, his eyes fixed on Aaron.
"Don't get too excited, Professor; that thing's use isn't as great as you think," Aaron explained.
"How can I not be excited?
Aaron, give me the Potion; I'm willing to pay any price to exchange for it."
"Hmm? It seems Professor, you have someone very important who is no longer among the living!"
Professor Snape didn't speak, just nodded slightly.
"That's why that Potion is useless to you; it can only revive someone who has died within an hour," Aaron said with regret.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course.
Besides emergencies, who would carry such a precious item with them?"
The sparkle in Professor Snape's eyes instantly faded by more than half.
He slowly sat back in his chair, feeling as if a basin of cold water had been poured over his heart, utterly dejected.
After a long while, he slowly extended his right hand, "Let me see the Potion."
"That's not appropriate, is it?"
Aaron chuckled, "That's my family heirloom.
What if you snatch it away?"
"Don't worry about that.
I still uphold my integrity as a teacher.
Stealing from students is something I wouldn't do.
Besides, if that Potion is really as you say, while it has extremely high value, it's still useless to me."
"Who knows!"
Aaron shrugged, refusing to take out the item.
The Resurrection Potion was his second life; who would so easily hand over their second life to someone else?
Even last night, he only took out the bottle, but it remained in his hand, ready to be put into his system space in an instant, so no one could snatch it.
But once it was in Professor Snape's hands, it was hard to say.
What if he suddenly abandoned his 'integrity'?
Compared to a Potion that could revive any life, integrity was nothing, especially since Professor Snape was a PotionMaster; how could such a Potion not be attractive to him?
Professor Snape seemed to have noticed Aaron's apprehension and said indifferently, "To have so many thoughts at such a young age, Aaron Gaius, it must be difficult for you to be so wary."
"Oh! Not at all."
Aaron said self-consciously, "Compared to what you just did, Professor, mine is just basic operation."
"Alright! Whether you let me see it is your freedom, but... I must remind you that I'm not the only one who knows about this."
Aaron's heart sank, no longer as calm as before, "How many people know?"
Professor Snape smiled without speaking,'So you can get anxious too!'
Aaron gritted his teeth in anger, "Fine, I'll let you see it!"
"A wise decision."
Professor Snape said triumphantly, "I'm just going to study it.
I'll give it back to you immediately after I'm done, and I guarantee the news won't spread."
"Let's hope so, otherwise..." Aaron looked at Abey helplessly, "Otherwise, I'll just have to feed it to my pet."
"Are you mad? You can't be that wasteful!"
Professor Snape exclaimed in shock, but the next second he understood something and nodded, "If it really becomes common knowledge, this might be the best approach.
Otherwise, you will definitely become a target, and countless troubles will come your way."
"That's what I'm worried about.
An innocent man is guilty only for the treasure he possesses!
However, I have a second method, which is to lock the Potion in my family's vault.
The Magical World wouldn't offend a powerful family for a Potion, because that item, while seemingly rare, is actually useless to most people."
Aaron said, taking out the emerald green bottle and carefully placing it on Professor Snape's desk.
Professor Snape picked up the Potion, opened the cap, and a powerful surge of life energy immediately gushed out, making him feel refreshed and invigorated, like lying on a lawn basking in the sun.
But as the cap was replaced, that feeling instantly vanished.
Professor Snape shook his head with some regret, "You didn't lie to me.
This thing contains incredibly powerful vitality; it can snatch recently deceased lives back from Death.
However, it's useless for people who have been dead for a long time.
No matter how strong the vitality, it cannot revive them; at most, it can preserve their corpses."
"Exactly."
Aaron nodded, putting the bottle away again, "But even with just that, it can be called a priceless treasure.
And according to my research, this Potion isn't just for a single Resurrection Potion.
People suffering from diseases can use it to cure illnesses or prolong life, healthy people can use it to extend their lifespan, and more importantly, people who are severely injured or even on the verge of death can use it to recover to their peak condition.
Coincidentally, there's someone at Hogwarts who needs this thing."
As Aaron's last sentence fell, Professor Snape's pupils widened slightly, "What do you know?"
"What do I know?"
Aaron asked, feigning suspicion, "Didn't Hagrid tell you that someone is drinking Unicorn blood in the Forbidden Forestto prolong their life?
Honestly, Hogwarts' security is really bad to let such a monster in."