After exchanging a few more words with Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore left the hospital wing with Kyle.
On the way, Kyle seized the opportunity to ask questions about problems he'd encountered while practicing magic. Dumbledore answered generously, holding nothing back.
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Since their destinations differed, they parted ways shortly after entering the castle.
When Dumbledore returned to the headmaster's office, Snape was already waiting for him.
"These are the materials needed for the Magic Suppression Potion." Snape casually slapped a long piece of parchment on the desk and drawled, "Our Deputy Headmistress says this includes many precious materials that require your signature."
"Minerva is just too rule-abiding. I remember telling her long ago that she can make decisions on all school matters." Dumbledore picked up the parchment and said nonchalantly, "Besides, it's just a Magic Suppression Potion, how valuable could the ingredients be... hmm?"
As Dumbledore clearly saw the contents of the parchment, his expression changed.
Mandrake juice: 50 ounces. Horklump juice: 50 ounces. Antipodean Opaleye dragon eggshells: 5. Erumpent Exploding Fluid: 10 ounces. Graphorn horns: 5. Aconite: 100 pieces. ...
This was only part of it; all in all, there were about thirty different ingredients.
After reading through everything, Dumbledore felt his forehead throb. If he remembered correctly, of the six materials listed at the top, only Mandrake juice was actually needed — the others had absolutely nothing to do with the Magic Suppression Potion.
And Antipodean Opaleye dragon eggshells... wasn't that the main ingredient for Rage Potion? How dare Snape include this — did he really think others knew nothing about potions?
Then there were those quantities.
Fifty ounces of Mandrake juice. If all of it were brewed into Magic Suppression Potion, it would be enough for the entire school's staff and students to drink for a week.
Graphorn horns were typically sold as powder in the market, yet Snape was asking for whole horns — five of them. Didn't he know how expensive they were?
What was this, a private shopping spree at the school's expense? At this point, Dumbledore understood why Snape had come to him for a signature.
With such an outrageous list, Minerva would certainly not approve, or perhaps Snape hadn't even approached her and had come directly to him.
"Severus..." Dumbledore considered his words carefully, deciding to give him another chance, and tentatively asked, "Are these all materials needed to brew the Magic Suppression Potion?"
Snape nodded and said calmly, "Yes, Headmaster."
Dumbledore, "Then what about these Antipodean Opaleye dragon eggshells..."
Snape, "That's for a new formula I'm trying."
"But these quantities seem excessive."
"Margin for error, Headmaster." Snape said matter-of-factly, "I haven't brewed the Magic Suppression Potion in a long time. Making a few mistakes is normal, so the materials must be sufficient."
"It seems I have no reason to object then." Dumbledore picked up a scarlet quill and with two quick strokes signed his name on the parchment.
"Mr. Michael will appreciate your generosity, Headmaster Dumbledore." Snape's eyebrows rose slightly.
After receiving the parchment loaded with personal items, he was eager to go and stock his private storeroom... no, I mean, to brew potions for Michael.
However, at this moment, Dumbledore casually remarked, "Severus, what do you think of Kyle?"
"Kyle?" The smugness disappeared from Snape's face, replaced by a hint of mockery, "Do you have some new plan, great Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"No, no, no, Severus, I think you've misunderstood. This is merely a headmaster's normal reaction upon seeing an exceptional student. If you don't want to comment, that's fine." Dumbledore grabbed a cockroach-shaped candy and tossed it into his mouth, thoughtfully offering one to Snape, "Would you like to try? The taste is quite excellent."
"No, thank you." Snape said with disgust.
He truly couldn't understand why, with so many varieties of candy in the wizarding world, Dumbledore particularly favored these bizarre-looking things. The sight of them was more nauseating than Flobberworm mucus.
The old wizard, as if not noticing Snape's disdainful expression, continued on his own: "Kind, brave, honest, calm under pressure — Hogwarts hasn't had such an outstanding first-year in a long time. I recall his mother Diana was also in Slytherin, and only one year ahead of you."
"Shut up!" Hearing this, Snape's eye twitched suddenly, and with a dark expression he said, "Never mention that name in my presence. Never! Ever! Mention it!"
By the last few words, he was shouting.
This displeased the portraits of the former headmasters, who accused Snape of being disrespectful for daring to talk back to the headmaster.
Unfortunately, he paid them no attention. If he dared to shout at the current headmaster, why would he fear a few paintings? He called them "headmaster" only out of courtesy; without that courtesy, they were merely pieces of paper, too stiff even to wipe cauldrons with.
"I'm surprised you still remember after all this time." Dumbledore, likewise ignoring the clamoring portraits, sighed softly and said, "But Severus, even now, I still believe you were in the wrong back then. Diana was a well-mannered young lady. If you hadn't said that vulgar word to Chris, she wouldn't have confronted you in the common room every day..."
BANG!
Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a loud slamming door.
The noise was so thunderous that even the phoenix Fawkes, who had been sleeping nearby, was startled and flapped his wings vigorously toward the direction of Snape's departure, expressing his displeasure at being awakened.
"Pfft..." Watching the angrily retreating figure, a portrait of a chubby wizard couldn't help but laugh.
However, upon seeing Dumbledore's somewhat playful gaze, he immediately covered his mouth and scurried off to another frame.
Dumbledore, comforting Fawkes, muttered under his breath, "Really, why is it that as I get older, I enjoy reminiscing about the past more and more..."
"Hah, hypocrite." On the wall, former headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black, with his goatee, couldn't help but say, "Don't think I don't know — you did that on purpose. Look how petty you are. Little Snape just wanted a few extra potion ingredients, what's the big deal? Back when I was headmaster, I... Wait, Dumbledore, what are you doing? I'll stop talking, all right? Don't come any closer!"
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