Inside the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, Harry flipped through one of Logan's Transfiguration books with complete disbelief written across his face.
"You really went to the library?" Harry exclaimed. "I honestly thought you were joking before!"
He shut the book with a defeated expression. The contents inside looked like another language entirely. The theories, magical formulas, and transformation structures were far beyond the understanding of a young wizard who had only entered the magical world a few weeks ago.
Ron, standing nearby, looked equally miserable.
To be more accurate, he looked traumatised.
He still hadn't fully understood the homework Professor McGonagall had assigned that morning, yet Logan was already reading upper-level theory books like some sort of miniature professor. To Ron, the words inside might as well have been goblin financial records.
Neville leaned over from his bed with a grin full of gossip.
"You know," he said slyly, "you've been getting awfully close to Hermione Granger lately."
Harry immediately joined in. "Yeah! I heard she's practically living in the library now. Don't tell me the two of you arranged study meetings behind our backs?"
Ron glanced over as well, though his expression looked oddly complicated. He still occasionally muttered a few comments, but compared to Harry and Neville's excitement, he seemed strangely downcast.
Logan immediately sensed danger.
There were some things in life that only became worse the more you explained them.
Especially when they involved Hermione Granger.
Just thinking about the terrifying little witch gave him a headache. Not only did she possess an unreasonable sense of competitiveness, but she was also one of the few people who knew about some of his embarrassing moments.
That alone was enough to classify her as a high-level threat.
Most importantly, Logan had no time for pointless gossip. His priority right now was increasing his strength as quickly as possible. Everything else could be left for time to sort out naturally.
So without responding to Harry and Neville's increasingly outrageous teasing, Logan simply rolled over onto his bed, pulled up his blanket, and closed his eyes.
A few seconds later, he was already asleep.
"…He ignored us," Harry said blankly.
"He definitely ignored us," Neville confirmed.
Ron snorted. "Serves you right."
.....
Early the next morning, the Gryffindor table buzzed with discussion during breakfast.
Today's timetable included Potions class alongside the Slytherins.
And the professor teaching that class was Severus Snape.
Rumours about Snape had practically spread throughout the entire castle already. According to older students, the Potions Master was notoriously biased against Gryffindor. He deducted points for almost anything imaginable and treated Slytherins with outrageous favouritism.
Some students even claimed Snape would blame Gryffindors for mistakes made by Slytherins just to steal more house points.
At the table, countless exaggerated stories circulated between nervous first-years.
Harry leaned closer to Logan and whispered, "Why do you think Professor Snape hates Gryffindor so much? Do you think he's mentally unstable or something?"
Logan slowly lowered his spoon and looked at Harry with a strange expression.
The answer was actually very simple.
Because your father stole his crush and then spent years bullying him with his friends.
The infamous upside-down humiliation incident alone was enough to create lifelong emotional damage.
Unfortunately, Logan couldn't exactly explain that without revealing knowledge he shouldn't possess. Besides, some truths were better left buried for now.
Still…
Looking at Harry's innocent face, Logan suddenly felt a little sympathetic.
This poor kid had no idea what kind of nightmare awaited him in Potions class.
Harry noticed Logan staring and became increasingly uneasy. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Before Logan could answer, Hermione suddenly sat down beside him with complete confidence radiating from her face.
"Even if Professor Snape dislikes Gryffindor," she declared proudly, "it won't matter. As long as my performance is excellent enough, he won't have any excuse to deduct points from us."
After saying that, she deliberately shot Logan a confident look.
Logan nearly laughed.
Clearly, Hermione still didn't understand the terrifying power of Severus Snape.
Soon enough, Gryffindor would discover what true despair looked like every time Snape opened his mouth and announced another point deduction.
.....
The Potions classroom was enormous, cold, and filled with strange smells.
Gryffindor and Slytherin students sat separately on opposite sides of the dungeon classroom, creating an atmosphere so tense it almost felt like two hostile armies preparing for war.
Despite the hostility between the houses, the room remained unusually quiet.
Everyone was waiting for Professor Snape.
Then the dungeon door suddenly swung open.
Sharp footsteps echoed through the classroom.
A tall man dressed entirely in black swept into the room like an enormous bat gliding through the darkness. His greasy black hair framed a pale face filled with cold indifference, while his dark eyes swept across the students with uncomfortable intensity.
Professor Snape.
He moved to the front of the classroom and looked over the students silently before speaking in a low, icy voice.
"Well. No first-years arrived late this year."
His gaze lingered on the classroom like a blade.
"Let us hope your potion-making abilities prove equally impressive."
The room remained completely silent.
Even Neville looked too frightened to breathe loudly.
After several moments, Snape spoke again.
"In this classroom, you will not foolishly wave your wands around or perform pointless incantations." His voice carried a dangerous softness. "As such, many of you may fail to appreciate the subtle science and precise art that is potion-making."
He slowly paced before the students.
"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even place a stopper in death itself… provided you are not as incompetent as the usual collection of dunderheads I am forced to teach."
At that moment, Snape's eyes abruptly landed on Harry.
The temperature in the room somehow dropped another several degrees.
"Of course," Snape continued smoothly, "some students may already believe themselves exceptional simply because they arrived at Hogwarts with a certain reputation."
Harry, who had been writing notes with his head lowered, remained completely unaware that disaster had locked onto him.
Logan sighed internally and nudged Harry's shoulder.
Harry looked up just in time to meet Snape's cold stare.
"Mr Potter," Snape said softly, "what would I obtain if I added powdered asphodel root to an infusion of wormwood?"
Logan's expression immediately became strange.
Ah yes.
The famous flower-language theory from his previous life.
Asphodel and wormwood together supposedly symbolised deep regret and mourning, which many fans believed represented Snape's feelings toward Lily Potter.
"I bitterly regret Lily's death until the day I die."
Honestly, Logan had no idea whether that interpretation was actually true. More importantly, there was absolutely no chance he would ever ask Snape directly. A man like Snape discussing flower symbolism felt absurdly out of character.
Meanwhile, Harry looked completely lost.
Hermione's hand instantly shot into the air behind Logan.
Snape ignored her completely.
His eyes never left Harry.
"Well?" Snape asked coldly.
Harry swallowed awkwardly. "I… don't know, sir."
Hermione's hand somehow rose even higher.
Snape continued as though she didn't exist.
"Let us try again. Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
Harry remained silent.
Hermione nearly bounced out of her seat trying to attract attention.
Snape ignored her again.
"And what," Snape asked smoothly, "is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
Harry finally admitted defeat.
"I don't know, Professor."
Snape's lips curled slightly with contempt.
"Interesting. Fame clearly is not everything after all, is it, Mr Potter?"
On the Slytherin side of the classroom, Draco Malfoy looked moments away from bursting with happiness. Watching Harry Potter get humiliated by a Slytherin Head of House was apparently the greatest entertainment he had experienced all week.
Harry, however, was reaching the end of his patience.
Frustrated and embarrassed, he finally blurted out, "Hermione knows the answers! And Logan probably does too! Why don't you ask them instead?"
.....
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