Adam walked into the Great Hall, and as he had expected, there were no students around at this hour. Just as he was about to take a seat at one of the tables, he noticed someone entering through the small door near the teacher's table. A man with a gloomy face, dressed entirely in black, walked in. He headed to his seat and sat down, his eyes buried in the newspaper he held.
Adam was surprised to see Professor Snape appear in the Great Hall so early. It seemed Snape hadn't even noticed his presence, remaining engrossed in the paper. Adam felt uneasy at the thought of facing Snape and possibly even Dumbledore alone. He feared that if either tried to peer into his mind using Legilimency, his secrets might be exposed. But he remembered how even Mrs. Greengrass had only managed to glance at unimportant thoughts. It had to be the system protecting itself.
With sudden resolve, Adam decided to greet Snape. It was a bold move, but he trusted that his system would never let him down.
He walked to the front of the hall and stood before the teacher's table. Clearing his mind, he put on a bright smile and said, "Good morning, Professor."
Snape glanced at Adam briefly, then returned to his newspaper without a word. Adam knew it wouldn't be easy to have a conversation with the Potions Master, but he hadn't expected to be outright ignored. Still, he didn't budge. He stood there, smiling patiently.
Finally, after a full minute, Snape could no longer endure the persistent gaze.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
Adam flinched slightly at the sharpness of his tone, his expression turning fearful. In a nervous voice, he replied, "Professor, I just wanted to say good morning."
Snape looked at him with a flicker of suspicion before muttering, "Good… morning…"
Adam immediately replaced his frightened expression with a cheerful one and introduced himself, "Professor, I'm Adam. Adam Taylor. I heard you teach us how to brew potions. Is that true, Professor?"
Snape stared into Adam's eyes as if trying to peer into his soul. The cold, calculating look sent a chill down Adam's spine.
"Yes," Snape replied slowly, his voice flat and unreadable.
Adam couldn't help but think, Now I know why everyone's afraid of him.
He hesitated, wondering if he should say more, but then decided it was now or never. If he tried speaking to Snape in front of others later, the man would surely ignore or ridicule him. This was the perfect moment—and if Snape tried to read his mind, all the better. Adam was curious to see how his system would hold up.
"Professor, can I ask you something?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. "I've never stayed away from home before. I always had breakfast with my parents. Would it be alright if I had breakfast with you today? No one else is here yet."
He braced himself for rejection, but it never came. Snape simply looked at him, face devoid of emotion, clearly weighing something in his mind.
"Come up," Snape finally said.
Adam was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected Snape to allow him to sit at the teacher's table—this was more than he'd hoped for. Maybe it had something to do with the duel. Perhaps Snape was curious about how he'd cast those spells.
Without wasting a second, Adam stepped forward and stood across from Snape. With a casual wave of his hand, Snape conjured a chair.
"Sit down, Taylor."
Adam sat obediently. Breakfast appeared in front of him shortly, and seeing Snape had already begun eating, he followed suit.
The silence between them stretched on for several minutes. Adam found it unbearable, so he searched for a conversation topic—which wasn't hard. He knew exactly where Snape's interests lay.
"Professor, when will we have our first Potions class? I'm really looking forward to it. When I first saw the textbook, I was fascinated. I tried brewing some potions during the vacation but failed most of the time. Still, it made me realize how beautiful and intricate potion-making is. I even read through the entire book—recipes, ingredients, preparation methods. But I noticed some ingredients lose their unique properties during brewing…"
He went on, speaking passionately. His excitement was genuine, and Snape could tell. Though the professor pretended not to listen, he hadn't turned a single page since Adam had started talking. Adam knew that meant something.
After a few minutes, Snape finally spoke—correcting some of Adam's misconceptions and pointing out the flaws in his potion-making attempts. His words were few, but they were precise, solving issues Adam had long struggled with.
Surprisingly, Adam found himself enjoying the exchange. Even Snape, who rarely engaged in casual conversation, seemed to tolerate this one. Their discussion continued even after the plates were cleared.
Most of the talking was still done by Adam, while Snape would occasionally interject, often in curt but informative phrases. Still, it was a conversation—something rare for the Potions Master.
As students began arriving, they were stunned to see Adam sitting with Snape, talking animatedly. Even more shocking was that Snape hadn't dismissed him.
Adam noticed the attention and realized Snape was growing irritated by the stares. He decided it was time to wrap things up.
"Professor, thank you for having breakfast with me. I didn't even feel like I was away from my family. I'll join my friends now. Have a nice day, Professor!"
The words came straight from the heart. That morning meant a lot to him. He'd even managed to ask about ingredients from the Dreamless Sleep Potion and now understood how he had brewed it incorrectly. He was determined to try again, this time with better results.
Just as Adam was about to leave, Snape spoke.
"Taylor, I heard you had a duel in Diagon Alley… and that you were injured."
Adam froze.
He turned slowly, remembering that Snape was a known acquaintance of Lucius Malfoy. Perhaps the duel had influenced Snape's unusual willingness to talk earlier.
Adam composed himself quickly. "Yes, Professor. I had a duel with Draco Malfoy."
Snape studied him, then asked, "And you won the duel?"
"Yes, Professor."
"And your injuries were serious?"
"They weren't deep wounds," Adam replied. "But I lost a lot of blood. Oddly, the bleeding wouldn't stop, even from small cuts."
He recalled the scene clearly. That duel had indeed been bloodier than he'd anticipated.
"How did it feel when you were injured? Do you remember the incantation of that spell?" Snape's voice carried a faint trace of anger, but Adam sensed it might just be an illusion—an attempt to intimidate.
"Professor, it might sound ridiculous, but it felt like someone had thrown knives at me. The wounds looked like I'd been slashed by blades or swords," Adam replied, his tone honest but controlled. "Oh, and the incantation Draco used was Sectumsempra. I tried looking it up in several books, but there was nothing. Professor, do you know anything about this spell?"
Adam's voice was laced with innocent curiosity. He didn't mention Lucius Malfoy using the same spell on him—no need to reveal everything. He kept his expression neutral, his eyes wide with inquiry.
Snape looked at Adam, directly into his eyes.
Adam felt it—a slight ripple in his mind, the warning trigger from his system seem to be alerting him of an intrusion. He immediately began thinking about the exact memory of the duel. It wasn't difficult. Thanks to the impactful duel he had with Draco and his own discipline, he had practiced rewatching it multiple times. He painted the memory clearly, letting Snape see only what he intended: the duel, the injuries, the spells.
Snape didn't linger. Within seconds, he withdrew.
But Adam noticed the tension—the clenched fist, the tight jaw. There was anger simmering behind the Potions Master's cold exterior.
"This spell isn't known by many," Snape finally said, his voice sharper than before. "Do not dwell into it. If not for Professor Flitwick healing you, you'd already be resting in your grave."
Adam blinked.
"No one—except those who know the counter-curse—can treat wounds caused by that spell," Snape continued. "Don't challenge pure-blood families."
It was the most Snape had said to him during their entire conversation. Adam noted it immediately—this wasn't mere disapproval; it was a warning, laced with subtle concern.
"I understand, Professor. I didn't want to challenge anyone. The circumstances just… pushed me into it," Adam replied sincerely. Then, with a spark in his eyes, he added, "But Professor, do you know this spell? Can you teach me? It's powerful. I couldn't even dodge it."
The question was bold, but Adam asked it anyway.
It never hurts to try, he thought.
"It's Dark Magic," Snape replied flatly, once again picking up the Daily Prophet.
"So?" Adam tilted his head, pretending to be confused.
"Dark Magic is considered the worst kind of magic in the wizarding world," Snape said without looking up.
"But isn't all magic just… magic? Can magic be good or bad? If we could save people with Dark Magic, would it still be bad?" Adam asked, his voice soft, curious, and genuine.
Snape looked at him, studied him for a moment, then looked away.
Adam understood—he wouldn't get the spell today.
"Sorry for asking, Professor. I'll head back now," Adam said respectfully. He greeted Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall, who had just arrived at the table, then turned to return to the Gryffindor side.
He had barely taken a few steps when Snape's voice stopped him.
"Taylor. Get an O in my Potions class. Perfect marks in the theoretical part," Snape said slowly, not looking up from his paper. "I'll consider teaching you the spell."
Just a little compensation for the duel, Snape thought, though he didn't say it aloud.
Adam's eyes lit up.
"Thank you, Professor!" he said brightly, before hurrying back to the Gryffindor table, where Hermione was already seated.
He plopped down beside her, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Did you finish your breakfast? And the timetable?" he asked quickly.
Hermione looked at him, surprised by the sudden enthusiasm in his voice. It was rare to see Adam this animated—and even rarer to see him show it so openly.
"Yes, I was waiting for you," she replied, handing him a copy of the timetable. "I got one for you, but when I asked for Neville's, Professor McGonagall refused. Said he has to come to the Great Hall himself. He's probably still asleep."
She paused, eyeing him curiously. "What happened to you? What were you talking about with Professor Snape? Everyone's been staring. I heard he's really scary and the worst professor at Hogwarts."
She glanced toward Snape, then back at Adam, clearly puzzled by what she had just witnessed.
"If you're done with breakfast, let's head back to the common room. We should get ready for our classes and wake Neville so he doesn't miss his breakfast," Adam said excitedly, leading Hermione out of the Great Hall. On the way, he told her about his conversation with Snape.
"I asked Professor Snape about the problems both of us faced in Potions last month. I got a lot of answers. I'll tell you more during lunch. Also, don't believe those rumors—Professor Snape is actually a good professor, maybe even the best professor at Hogwarts. You just need to be interested in Potions. If you are, he'll teach you everything. But if you perform poorly or show no interest, then... well, he might as well be the king of hell. So let's give our best in his classes."
"Let's give our best in all classes," Hermione chuckled, amused by how highly Adam spoke of Snape.
Once they returned to the common room, Hermione headed to her dorm while Adam searched for Neville and woke him up. Neville, surprised to see Adam, quickly thanked him and rushed to the showers after noticing the time. Adam also returned to his room to get ready.
Adam wasn't sure if the timetable had changed, but Herbology was still listed as their first class, shared with the Hufflepuffs. It was followed by Defence Against the Dark Arts. As expected for the first day, they weren't taught anything practical. Professor Sprout let them explore the greenhouse, warning them not to touch anything, and introduced them to a few magical plants.
Professor Quirrell, with his stammering voice and ever-present garlic-scented turban, gave an overview of the dark creatures and curses they'd be studying. Adam's eyes kept drifting to the back of Quirrell's head. He knew what was hidden beneath the turban—Voldemort. But he didn't intend to do anything. Everything would play out by the end of the year, just like before.
Next was Transfiguration. Unlike the other professors, Professor McGonagall didn't spend much time on introductions. She dove straight into the lesson, explaining the key factors affecting Transfiguration: body weight (a), viciousness (v), wand power (w), concentration (c), and an unknown variable (z) that played a role in the complex formula. Although Adam could use Transfiguration through his system, he lacked deeper theoretical understanding, which made him focus intently on her lecture.
Everyone listened carefully, though many were disappointed that they weren't allowed to cast any spells yet. But it was understandable—it was only their first class.
After lunch, Adam joined Hermione and Neville for Charms. Both he and Hermione were excited for Professor Flitwick's class. He'd been in touch with them during the past month and had even saved Adam's life after the duel, also always offering knowledge while firmly forbidding unsupervised magic.
It was amusing to see Professor Flitwick topple off his stack of books when he read Harry Potter's name during roll call. He gave a brief introduction, demonstrated the Levitation Charm on Neville's toad—sending it gliding around the classroom—and wrapped up with a short theoretical explanation.
The final two classes of the day were Astronomy and History of Magic. Like Herbology, each lasted just 45 minutes. Students were especially surprised to find a ghost, Professor Binns, teaching history.
Their first day of classes ended without learning any actual spells, much to Hermione's dissatisfaction. She'd been hoping to learn magic right away. Many students were late to classes—some arrived just before the lessons ended—so Adam thought it was fair that the professors had taken it slow.
No homework was assigned, as the teachers wanted students to use the time to explore the castle and memorize the routes to their classrooms. Taking advantage of that, Adam led Hermione and Neville on a tour of the castle. He kept tapping on portraits and statues, much to their confusion, until he finally found a secret passage. Surprised but intrigued, Hermione and Neville began helping him search for more. Other students, seeing this strange behavior, started calling them weirdos behind their backs.
Still, the three of them were having fun. Neville, much more relaxed than he had been on the train, chatted freely. He even admitted something unexpected.
"My gran told me to stay away from you, Adam," he said. "A lot of wizarding families told their kids to avoid you. They think you're from some hidden pure-blood family."
It was probably the first time Neville had ever disobeyed his grandmother. Adam had heard a bit about hidden pure-blood families from Sophie, but nothing practical. Curious, he asked Neville more about it. Neville, being from a pure-blood family himself, shared what he knew. Hermione, who knew little about wizarding traditions, listened intently.
Days passed. Still, no spells were taught—just more basics. Professor Flitwick focused on wand movements and incantations, with no actual magic involved. Professor McGonagall made them memorize Transfiguration alphabets and precautionary rules. She explained Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration and its five exceptions.
Professor Quirrell, surprisingly, was the only one who taught any actual magic, though it was minimal—just a simple light spell that emitted red and green sparks, useful for signaling.
On Wednesday night, they studied the stars and planets through their telescopes, learning their names and movements.
Potion class, which Adam and Hermione had been eagerly awaiting, was postponed until Friday due to Snape's unexpected leave. This puzzled Adam—there had been no mention of Snape leaving in the original story. Hermione, now well-prepared thanks to everything Adam had discussed with Snape, was just as eager for the class.
Not having practiced magic for over a week, Hermione began pestering Adam almost daily. She wanted to find an empty classroom and practice spells. But Adam, still cautious, would pull her away to explore more secret passages instead.
Then, on Thursday, everything changed.
All the professors announced that they would begin teaching actual magic starting Monday. Professor Flitwick, in particular, said it was the first time he'd ever done so early in the year. He usually spent a whole month teaching incantations and wand movements before introducing spells around Halloween. But due to the Ministry's introduction of advanced studies post-graduation, he decided to accelerate the curriculum. Students now needed mastery over a wide range of spells to qualify for research and further studies.
The Gryffindor common room erupted with cheers that evening. But the excitement dimmed quickly when they remembered they had a double period of Potions early the next day—with Slytherins.
The rivalry between Gryffindors and Slytherins had already flared up on the very first day, thanks to Draco mocking Harry about his scar and his parents. The older Weasley twins hadn't helped either, spreading terrifying—possibly true—rumors about Snape's classes.
Draco, thankfully, continued to avoid Adam. For now, that was enough.
"It's really nice to enjoy peaceful school life," Adam thought to himself whenever he appeared before Draco and saw the boy quickly turning away.
Over the past few days, Adam had enjoyed himself so much that he'd nearly forgotten the ominous conversation he overheard on the train—and even the task Sophie had asked him to complete. He only remembered it whenever he saw Daphne, but since he had no leads regarding the trial left behind by Rowena Ravenclaw, he chose to wait patiently for her to approach him.
For now, Adam could only hope that these peaceful days would last forever. But even he knew that he had to start his adventures soon, especially to get stronger and also to solve the trial and save Astoria.