Under Ron's worried gaze, rat was already foaming at the mouth, yet its little paws persisted in picking up the multi-flavored beans and popping them into its mouth.
"Are these multi-flavored beans knockoffs?" Ron blurted out, unable to contain his suspicion.
He hastily scooped up the unconscious rat and shook it gently.
It was still breathing!
Relief washed over Ron; after all, he had nurtured this rat for many years and grown quite attached to it.
Luke simply shrugged, choosing not to respond. He felt uneasy looking at the mouse now, always remembering the incident in the bathroom that day.
"Is Luke Geralt here?"
A somewhat chilly female voice cut in from behind.
Hermione immediately turned to look.
There stood a young witch in a green wizard robe, her appearance plain, even... unattractive.
Seeing the face, Hermione let out a silent sigh of relief.
Well, she's not as good-looking as her, at least!
"I'm Geralt. What's the matter?" Luke turned around and asked.
He recognized this Slytherin witch, likely Pansy Parkinson, a sophomore who seemed to be hovering around Malfoy lately, acting as his sidekick.
"Professor Snape asked me to deliver this letter to you!" Pansy's brow furrowed as she glanced at Luke amidst the Gryffindors, then tossed a letter onto the table from her pocket before turning to leave.
"That girl really exudes Slytherin vibes," Harry remarked as he watched Pansy depart.
"As aggravating as Malfoy," Ron added, noticing the evident hostility, even causing Hermione to frown.
"Pansy Parkinson, a pure-blood witch. There's no need to give her the cold shoulder," Hermione advised.
Luke muttered softly as he picked up the letter from Snape, dismissing the trivial witch incident from his mind. Instead, he focused on the contents of Snape's letter, which piqued his curiosity.
What could Snape want?
Opening the letter cautiously, Luke found a straightforward message inside. As he processed the information, Luke folded the letter and stashed it away in the Kamui space.
"Is Snape alright?" Harry inquired, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
Harry couldn't shake the memory of Snape rescuing him from the Whomping Willow incident. Since then, he hadn't crossed paths with the professor, making this potions class a notable event.
Unbeknownst to Harry, Luke contemplated offering him a vial of the potion he had created, though its effects now exceeded the original twelve-hour duration.
Harry couldn't shake the feeling that using too much of the potion might prevent him from transforming back. Coupled with Malfoy's relentless taunting and Ron's increasingly curious glances, he felt trapped.
"It's just a minor issue," Luke reassured him with a shrug.
The afternoon air was chilly, signaling that Hogwarts was still in the midst of winter.
Inside the potions class, Harry ultimately decided against using the potion. He feared his friend Ron's judgmental gaze more than he feared Snape's deductions.
Cho and Cedric had officially become a couple. Upon hearing the news from Fred, Harry hadn't eaten for nearly a day. The pain was unbearable.
He longed for a duel with Cedric, but when he considered Cedric's strength, he sighed in defeat. He knew he stood no chance.
"If only I had time to learn some offensive spells from Luke," Harry mused despondently.
As time ticked by, all the Gryffindors and Slytherins trickled into the class. However, the bell rang, and Professor Snape, who usually resembled a large bat, was nowhere to be seen.
Whispers filled the room as the students huddled behind their cauldrons. Even Hermione gazed anxiously out into the hallway. Snape had never been late before. Something was amiss.
"What's happened to Professor Snape? Why hasn't he shown up?" Hermione turned to Luke, her concern evident.
"I've prepared the lesson on the Elixir of Life and Death in advance. Snape won't be coming; someone else will be taking his place," Luke revealed with a soft chuckle.
"Who? Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione's brows furrowed as she speculated.
In Hogwarts, the only individuals proficient in potions were the school nurse, Madam Pomfrey, and Professor Snape.
"No," Luke replied, rising from his seat and adjusting his black tie, a gift from Hermione.
Under Hermione's wide-eyed gaze, he made his way to the podium.
"Today's lesson will be conducted by me," he announced, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he stood beneath the translucent patterned glass, the soft light casting a halo around his dazzling blond hair.
Hermione remained rooted to her spot, realizing that Snape's absence meant Luke had been asked to serve as a substitute professor.
.....
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