Harry and Ron had clearly bought into the outrageous rumor completely.
At lunchtime, the two of them hurried over as if they had uncovered some earth-shattering secret. Without even giving Ryze a chance to react, they dragged him away from the bustling crowd and into a quiet, deserted corner outside the Great Hall.
"Ryze, I'm telling you—Snape is definitely the one behind yesterday's troll incident!" Harry declared eagerly, his voice filled with conviction. It was obvious he had repeated this theory several times already that morning. Without pausing, he continued, shifting to what they had discovered during their Potions class.
"Snape is limping. I saw it myself! I only glanced at his leg for a second, and he immediately docked two points from me. That just proves it—he must have been bitten by Fluffy when he tried to steal whatever's being hidden there!"
To strengthen his argument, Harry cleverly linked his theory to a past event. He quickly pulled out a slightly crumpled copy of The Daily Prophet from his bag and handed it to Ryze.
Ryze lowered his gaze and read the headline. It reported an illegal break-in at Gringotts.
"Back when Hagrid took me to Gringotts to withdraw money," Harry explained, leaning in closer as if sharing classified information, "we also went to another vault. Hagrid took out a small package and said it was something Dumbledore had asked him to collect."
Harry tapped the newspaper for emphasis.
"And guess what? Just after we left, news broke that someone tried to break into that same vault. According to this article, the contents had already been removed earlier that day. So, whatever Hagrid took must be what's hidden in that room now!"
He looked at Ryze with bright, excited eyes.
"If we go ask Hagrid right now, we can figure out exactly what Snape is after!"
Ryze listened calmly, his expression unchanged. He didn't immediately refuse, but after a brief pause, he shook his head slightly.
"When I asked Hagrid to take me to feed Fluffy, I made a promise," Ryze said in a steady tone. "I swore I wouldn't pry into what's hidden beneath that trapdoor. So I can't help you investigate this."
Harry's enthusiasm dimmed a little at that response, but Ryze wasn't finished.
"However," he added, "there's nothing stopping you from asking Hagrid directly. You could even tell him your suspicions about Snape and see how he reacts."
That suggestion seemed to reignite Harry's determination. Though disappointed that Ryze wouldn't join them, he nodded decisively.
"You're right. We'll go ourselves. We don't have any classes this afternoon anyway."
Ron, who had been unusually quiet for a moment, suddenly spoke up as they prepared to leave.
"Just be careful during class this afternoon," he said, glancing at Ryze with concern. "Snape's temper is way worse than yesterday. Don't be alone with him, alright? I've got a bad feeling he might try something nasty."
Ryze gave a small nod, acknowledging the warning.
Once the two boys left, another figure approached.
Hermione.
Unlike Harry and Ron, her expression wasn't filled with excitement, but with hesitation. She seemed conflicted, as though she was struggling to reconcile two opposing thoughts.
"I don't think Snape is a good person," she began cautiously, "but… I also don't think he's as evil as they're making him out to be. Right?"
She looked directly at Ryze.
"What do you think?"
Her question carried weight. Unlike the others, she wasn't asking out of curiosity or thrill—she was genuinely trying to understand the situation.
Ryze considered her for a moment before responding.
"You should go with Harry this afternoon and hear what Hagrid has to say," he replied.
Hermione frowned slightly.
"That's not really answering my question," she pointed out.
Ryze remained composed.
"Hagrid has been at the school for decades," he continued. "He knows the professors far better than any of us. His understanding of Snape will be much more reliable than the conclusions we've formed in just a couple of months."
Though she hadn't received a direct answer, Hermione could see the logic in his suggestion. After a moment, she nodded.
"Alright. I'll go with them."
With that, she turned and left, her thoughts still clearly unsettled.
The atmosphere in the dungeons that afternoon was suffocating.
The moment the students entered the Potions classroom, they could sense something was off. The air felt heavier than usual, as if tension itself had taken physical form.
To the disappointment of many Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students, Snape was already seated at his desk, waiting.
Without any preamble, he announced in a cold, sharp tone:
"This session will serve as your mid-term examination. Each of you will brew a potion according to the instructions I provide. Failure is not an option."
A wave of unease spread across the room.
What made matters worse was Snape's posture. He remained seated the entire time, his long black robes draped fully over his legs, concealing them completely.
Naturally, this only fueled the rumors.
Many students tried to sneak glances, hoping to confirm whether his leg was truly injured. However, anyone who dared to look in his direction for too long was immediately met with a harsh reprimand.
"Eyes on your cauldrons!" Snape snapped repeatedly. "If I catch anyone idling again, I will deduct points without hesitation."
As a result, no one could confirm anything.
Meanwhile, Ryze found himself in a slightly different situation.
Unlike the others, he hadn't been assigned a task.
After waiting briefly, he approached Snape's desk.
"Professor, what is my assignment?" he asked calmly.
Snape didn't respond immediately. Instead, he reached into his robes and tossed a small key toward Ryze without looking at him.
"Being able to brew the most basic shrinking potion does not make you competent," Snape said coldly. "At best, it proves you are not entirely hopeless."
He gestured dismissively.
"That key opens the third-year storage cabinet. Retrieve the materials yourself."
Ryze caught the key without difficulty.
"Professor McGonagall has requested that I give you additional time," Snape continued, his voice carrying a faint edge of irritation. "This class period will be included."
He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes locking onto Ryze's.
"If you can successfully brew the second variant of the shrinking potion before curfew tonight, I will allow you to register for the Potions Tournament."
There was a clear challenge in his tone.
Snape was watching closely, as if waiting for the slightest sign of arrogance or complacency.
But Ryze showed none.
Without a word, he turned and headed toward the storage cabinet.
Inside, he first gathered the ingredients he had used previously—the standard components for the basic shrinking potion. Then, after a moment of consideration, he selected additional materials.
The night before, he had consumed an energy potion specifically to induce a prophetic dream. Within that dream, he had carefully analyzed the brewing process for the second type of shrinking potion.
The difference between the two variants was subtle but significant.
The first reduced the size of the body proportionally.
The second, however, was designed to restore youth.
That distinction required not only different materials but also precise variations in technique.
One of the key insights Ryze had gained from his dream was the importance of leech selection.
Previously, he had used a non-blood-sucking species.
This time, he deliberately chose a blood-sucking variant.
The choice was not random.
During their first Potions lesson, Snape had asked him about the uses of leech saliva. At the time, the question had seemed somewhat trivial. Now, however, its significance was clear.
The type of leech directly influenced the potion's effect.
Armed with this understanding, Ryze gathered his materials and returned to Snape.
Snape gave them a brief glance.
His reaction was subtle—a faint snort, followed by a dismissive turn of the head.
"Stop wasting time," he said curtly.
Though the response appeared indifferent, Ryze recognized something important.
It wasn't disapproval.
If anything, it suggested that he had made the correct choice.
With quiet confidence, Ryze returned to his workstation.
He began by carefully preparing the ingredients, ensuring each step was executed with precision.
His plan was methodical.
First, he would attempt the standard textbook method.
Then, he would try Snape's preferred variations.
If both approaches failed, he would rely on divination to analyze the outcome and refine his process.
He had already set a clear objective for himself:
No more than five attempts.
Within those attempts, he intended to successfully brew the second variant of the shrinking potion.
As the cauldron began to heat and the first ingredients were added, Ryze's focus sharpened.
The noise of the classroom faded into the background.
For him, this was no longer just a class.
It was a test of skill, intuition, and control.
And he had no intention of failing.
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