By the time Skyl returned to the Gryffindor common room, Percy and the others were enthusiastically describing the contest from Potions class.
"The old bat really is incredible. Anyone who's seen him brew a potion would say he's elevated it into an art. Compared with him, our new assistant teacher was… hey, Skyl's back."
"Skyl, it's a real shame you missed class," the students all said.
"Is that so? How do you know I didn't attend?" Skyl knowingly asked.
"Oh, come on, Skyl. We all know you were teaching Transfiguration to the first-years."
"You're talking about the duel between Professor Snape and Ms. Collins, aren't you? Want to make a bet? Guess whether I can describe the whole contest from start to finish." Skyl raised his hand, caught a Drooble's Best Blowing Gum someone tossed over, and put it in his mouth to chew.
The bubbles blown from this magical candy could last for days without popping. For a while, bubble-blowing had become a trend in the House. The common room and dormitories had been filled everywhere with colorful magic bubbles like crystals, so thick it was hard to even see the path.
The students looked at one another, then happily said, "Fine. What are we betting?"
"The losers have to run one lap around the Black Lake."
"That's it? That's it?" the boys shouted.
Skyl raised an eyebrow and added, "Without clothes."
Percy's expression changed. He was a respectable man with a girlfriend, and the Head Boy besides. If he lost this bet, what kind of image would he have in the professors' minds?
"Wait. Don't fall for it, everyone. What if Skyl asked someone about it on the way here?" "Oh, right, right. Skyl is sneaky as hell." "Look how happily he's smiling. There has to be a trick."
Skyl raised his hand and swore, "Merlin as my witness, I absolutely did not ask anyone, nor did I use any magical tricks to peek. In fact, I learned the truth through Divination."
"Then we'll take that bet!"
The transfer student sat down leisurely in the chair by the window and slightly closed his eyes.
His consciousness entered a trance, stepping into the river of time and moving upstream against the current. His body, however, began to speak, recounting the scenes he saw in that wandering state. Like this, he truly resembled a prophet, speaking fate's revelations in the form of a dreamlike murmur.
"Mm, I see it. Snape asked Ms. Collins three questions, about aconite, bezoars, and the Draught of Living Death. She answered all of them. Then they were about to compete to see who could finish faster…"
The students who had made the bet began to panic. Percy's face turned especially pale as he muttered, "No way, Skyl. You're actually serious?"
Skyl appeared in the Potions classroom during the first class of the morning, found an empty seat, and sat down as a quiet observer. No one could see him.
Lily and Snape each stood beside a worktable.
"Shall we begin?" Lily challenged this old friend she had fallen out with many years ago.
Snape nodded expressionlessly and said to the students, "Watch every single step that follows. This is a rare learning opportunity for all of you. Clear every stray thought unrelated to potions from your heads… do you hear me?"
"Yes, Professor," the students of all four Houses answered in unison.
The two Potions experts began brewing the Draught of Living Death. First, they quickly went to the storage cabinet to choose their ingredients.
The moment they began, Snape displayed the skill he had honed over many years. His hands were more precise than a set of scales. With one reach, he took exactly the right amount. By contrast, Lily had to use the silver scales. By the time she returned from the storage cabinet, Snape had already lit the flame, and a faint blue smoke had begun rising from his cauldron.
One step slower meant every step slower, and Lily did her best to keep up with Snape's pace.
One student pretended to be muttering to himself while reviewing and said, "I remember Professor Snape saying the best way to process sopophorous beans is to crush them with the side of a silver knife instead of slicing them."
With a natural expression, Lily used the knife to crush the sopophorous beans, releasing a great deal of juice.
Snape glared at that student and said sharply, "Must I remind you again? No unnecessary noise."
Ten minutes later, Snape's cauldron began bubbling vigorously. He added the remaining ingredients in several batches, then began stirring. He had his own special trick, seven counterclockwise turns followed by one clockwise turn, which made the potion's reaction smoother and more complete.
By the time Snape's Draught of Living Death was nearly complete, Lily had only just picked up her stirring spoon. She saw the old bat's smug expression. The smile splitting across his stiff, sagging cheeks looked like a crack letting in life. It was obvious that Snape was deeply interested in teaching a show-off Gryffindor a lesson, so excited he was practically a cat that had smelled blood.
Lily put down the stirring spoon, took out her wand, and pointed it at the cauldron.
Snape's expression changed, and he could not help asking, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Just a tiny bit of insignificant innovation. You're not the only one who understands the mysteries of potions." The witch softly recited an obscure spell, and the potion in the cauldron began spinning rapidly. Almost at a visible speed, it grew clear and transparent, which meant the potion was about to be finished.
"Aren't you afraid the spell's power will affect the potion's efficacy? I should make it clear that if the Draught of Living Death you produce is a failure, then even if you finish one step faster, you still lose…"
"Done!" Lily laughed brightly. With one hand on her hip, she generously invited Snape to inspect the potion.
Snape put down his stirring spoon one second later, and the good mood he had just been enjoying was instantly destroyed.
After the proud Potions professor inspected the potion Lily had brewed, he had no choice but to nod and admit that she was the winner of this contest.
"But that is only because you received some contemptible outside assistance. I would wager you didn't know the sopophorous beans could be crushed instead of sliced."
Lily smiled and said, "Whatever the reason, thanks for letting me win, Snape."
At that moment, class happened to end. The old bat took two deep breaths and dismissed the class. In a cold voice, he said, "Regarding the demonstration just now, I hope what you saw was the value of knowledge itself, not some irrelevant quarrel. Also, do not attempt to imitate Ms. Collins's method. The interaction between spells and potions is extremely complex, especially for you. Doing so would only leave you with a cauldron of inexplicable poison."
Seeing the professor's expression, the students did not even dare breathe too loudly. One by one, they quickly left the classroom, walked up the spiral staircase out of the dungeon, and only then began talking excitedly.
Skyl still remained where he was. He wanted to see what happened afterward.
"Ms. Collins, your skill in Potions is quite impressive. If you were my student, I would certainly remember you." Snape stood in front of Lily, looking down at this proud witch as he spoke softly.
"May I ask which year you entered Hogwarts?"
Lily's eyes were clear. People often said beautiful women were the best liars. The wizard who had resurrected her had shaped her with a sweet and lovely face, deep red hair like fire, and blue eyes lonelier than the sea. A witch like this could make someone stammer and fail to answer with nothing more than a silent, half-smiling gaze.
"In fact, I wasn't very interested in Potions when I was a student… and no offense intended, but back then, I disliked you quite a bit. It was after graduation, when I worked as a potion maker in a workshop in France, that I really refined my craft."
Snape turned his head slightly away and no longer met Lily's sly eyes.
"From now on, the sixth- and seventh-year Potions classes will be handed over to you as well. I will apply for an increase in your salary."
Lily could not have been happier that Snape did not keep asking. She did not want to expose her identity. Otherwise, from now on, she would no longer be able to speak with the wizard from Spinner's End in such a relaxed tone.
"You trust my teaching methods that much? One Draught of Living Death can't prove my ability. Why don't we try competing over Felix Felicis?"
"Felix Felicis takes too long…" Snape frowned at first when he heard the name Felix Felicis, then became thoughtful. He continued, "During the mornings, I will be in the office next door. If you encounter any problems, you may come ask for guidance at any time. I do not mind giving you, my disobedient student, some… necessary instruction."
When such a cold and gloomy person slightly pulled his mouth open, Lily thought for an instant that he was smiling. Then she immediately understood. The old bat was mocking her.
Lily waved her wand lightly, returned the worktables to their original positions, and bottled the Draught of Living Death. Smiling, she said, "Class is about to begin, Professor. Hurry back to your lonely castle."
"Hmph." Snape slowly paced into his office.
Skyl stood in place, thoughtfully looking at Lily. This witch seemed to have fallen into her memories, smiling in a way that was both bittersweet and bright.
The transfer student woke in great satisfaction. That night, a group of Gryffindor upper-year students who were willing to honor their bet marched toward the Black Lake beneath the snowy night with the solemn stride of prisoners walking the Green Mile.
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