After exchanging a few more words with Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore left the hospital wing with Kyle. As they walked, Kyle took the opportunity to ask the headmaster about some issues he had encountered while practicing magic. Dumbledore, ever generous, answered each question patiently.
However, their paths soon diverged. Kyle had his own destination, and Dumbledore returned to the headmaster's office, where Severus Snape was already waiting for him.
"These are the materials required for the magic suppressant potion," Snape said in his usual drawl, tossing a long parchment onto Dumbledore's desk. "Our dear deputy headmistress insists that it contains several rare and expensive ingredients, and it seems to require your signature."
Dumbledore smiled faintly as he picked up the list. "Minerva has always been too cautious. I told her ages ago that she could handle school matters herself. Besides, it's just a simple suppressant potion. How expensive could it—?"
His voice trailed off as he scanned the list, and his expression quickly changed from nonchalance to disbelief.
The first few items on the list read:
Mandrake Juice: 50 ounces
Hoclapp Juice: 50 ounces
Australian Ocellated Dragon Eggshell: 5 pieces
Erumpent Explosive Fluid: 10 ounces
Horns of the horned camel: 5
Aconitum: 100 pieces
And the list went on, detailing over thirty additional ingredients.
Dumbledore felt a headache coming on. Most of these ingredients had nothing to do with the magic suppressant potion. The Australian Ocellated Dragon Eggshell, for instance, was primarily used in brewing berserk potions, not suppressants. How did that end up on the list? And 50 ounces of Mandrake Juice? That would produce enough suppressant potion for the entire school to use for a week! As for the horns of the horned camel – Snape was requesting five whole horns, not the usual ground powder sold in apothecaries. The expense alone was staggering.
It quickly became clear why Snape had come to Dumbledore for approval. Professor McGonagall would never have signed off on such an outlandish order. Snape likely hadn't even bothered to approach her.
"Severus…" Dumbledore began, giving Snape a questioning look. "Are all these ingredients truly necessary for brewing the magic suppressant potion?"
Snape responded without missing a beat. "Yes, Headmaster."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "And what about the Australian Ocellated Dragon Eggshell? What role does that play?"
"It's part of a new recipe I'm trying," Snape replied, maintaining his usual calm demeanor.
Dumbledore paused. "It seems you've requested quite a bit more than what's needed."
Snape shrugged. "I haven't brewed a magic suppressant potion in a while. It's natural to make some mistakes, so I need to ensure the supplies are sufficient."
"Well, I suppose I can't argue with that," Dumbledore said with a resigned smile, taking up a scarlet quill. With two swift strokes, he signed his name on the parchment.
Snape, eyebrows raised, accepted the signed parchment with satisfaction. "Mr. Mikel will appreciate your generosity, Headmaster," he said dryly, already thinking of how he could stockpile the excess ingredients for his personal experiments.
Before Snape could leave, Dumbledore spoke again, this time in a more casual tone. "Severus, what do you think of Kyle?"
Snape's pleased expression disappeared, replaced by a hint of disdain. "Kyle?" he repeated mockingly. "What schemes are you hatching now, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "No schemes, Severus. Just the usual curiosity of an old headmaster when he sees an exceptional student. But if you don't want to share your thoughts, it's no matter."
The headmaster reached into a bowl and pulled out a piece of cockroach-shaped candy. "Fancy one?" he offered with a smile. "They're quite delicious."
Snape wrinkled his nose in disgust. "No, thank you."
He could never understand why Dumbledore was so fond of such bizarre-looking sweets when there were countless other, far more appetizing treats available in the wizarding world. The candy resembled something that should have been scraped off the floor of a Potions classroom.
Ignoring Snape's disdain, Dumbledore continued to speak, seemingly to himself. "Kyle is brave, kind, calm under pressure, and honest – a rare combination these days. Hogwarts hasn't seen such a promising first-year in a long time."
He paused, smiling thoughtfully. "I recall his mother, Diana, was also in Slytherin. She was just a year younger than you, wasn't she?"
At this, Snape's expression darkened, and his hands clenched into fists.
"Don't. Mention. That. Name," Snape hissed, each word dripping with venom. "Never bring it up in front of me. Ever!"
He was practically shouting now, his rage palpable. The portraits of former headmasters hanging around the office began to stir, muttering disapprovingly at Snape's lack of decorum. Some even voiced their objections aloud, condemning him for his rudeness in addressing the current headmaster so disrespectfully.
But Snape ignored them. He had no qualms about yelling at Dumbledore – why should he care about a few portraits of deceased headmasters? To him, they were little more than animated scraps of parchment, barely fit to line a cauldron.
Dumbledore, unfazed by the outburst, continued speaking in his usual calm manner. "It's been so long, Severus, yet you still hold onto that grudge."
He sighed, as though reflecting on a long-past memory. "I've always thought you were in the wrong, even back then. Diana was a well-mannered girl. Had you not said those awful things to Chris, she wouldn't have confronted you in the common room every day…"
Before Dumbledore could finish, Snape stormed out of the office, slamming the door so hard that it rattled the windows and startled Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix. The majestic bird gave an indignant squawk, flapping its wings furiously in Snape's direction, as if protesting the disturbance.
In the aftermath of Snape's sudden exit, one of the portraits – a particularly portly former headmaster – couldn't help but snicker. He quickly stopped himself, though, upon noticing Dumbledore's amused glance, and hastily fled to another frame, covering his mouth to stifle further laughter.
Dumbledore sighed, turning his attention to the now-ruffled phoenix. He reached over to gently soothe Fawkes' feathers, murmuring, "Ah, it seems the older I get, the more nostalgic I become."
"Don't be so coy, Dumbledore," came a voice from one of the other portraits. It was Phineas Nigellus Black, the former Slytherin headmaster, speaking in his typically snide tone. "You provoked him on purpose. All this fuss, just because Snape requested a few extra ingredients for his potions? When I was headmaster—"
"Enough, Phineas," Dumbledore interrupted, giving him a pointed look. "Unless you want me to come over there…"
The portrait of Phineas quickly fell silent.
(End of chapter)
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