As Slughorn had said before class, the Swelling Potion wasn't a complicated potion.

Even if the "Puffer Fish Dismantling Knife Practice" is added to the brewing process, this basic potion may be a bit exaggerated for today's Hogwarts second-year students to concoct with their eyes closed, but it will not make most mistakes.

Before the hourglass of recording time at the lectern was finished, almost all the students had finished boiling and were in the process of fine-tuning.

Slughorn's gaze swept around the basement classroom, and he didn't see any of the students' potions that changed color significantly, and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows again and nod secretly, something he had never encountered in class before.

If these children remain at their current level, each of them will be able to take Potions classes in the future.

A 100% promotion rate, which was completely unimaginable in the past at Hogwarts.

Even if there is no genius girl like Elena Kaslana, this is already an unprecedented new era, a new era of Potions - Slughorn was in a trance, as if he had seen his dream when he was a student.

Potions can one day become a brilliant magical art recognized by the entire wizarding world, rather than a mere tool.

"Okay, time...... Here!"

As the last grains of gravel in the hourglass fell, Horace Slughorn exclaimed.

"Please turn off the fire, stop what you're doing, and I'll check them one by one. ”

Slughorn walked slowly from table to table, taking turns examining each cauldron and the results of the puffer fish dissection on each counter.

He didn't make any comments, just stirring occasionally, leaning in and smelling it, or casually looking through the treated or untreated puffer fish tissue, checking the integrity of the internal organs, eyes, and epidermis.

Since students up to the third grade were working in pairs to complete potions, it didn't take long for Slughorn to scrutinize the entire Potions classroom even with an additional criterion added to today's class—and as he had predicted, almost all of the potions and materials were on the pass line, with only minor differences.

Ten minutes later, Slughorn circled the underground classroom, returning to the front of the classroom.

Perhaps it was some strange habit that Horace Slughorn had deliberately left Elena, Hermione, and the two tables where Draco and Harry were in the final round of inspections during his previous rounds.

Slughorn took a closer look at Harry and Draco's puffer fish slices, then at the nearly perfect swelling potion in the boys' cauldrons, and nodded approvingly.

There was no doubt that Harry had clearly inherited her current talent and was impeccable in Potions class.

On the other hand, Draghorn was also a bit of a surprise to Slughorn by coming from an ancient magical family, as he remembered that there were very few examples of Slatterin students and Gryffindor students being paired together.

As for the more practical details, Draco didn't show it too obviously.

In the course of teaching just now, Slughorn deliberately observed this special pair of inter-house combinations, whether it was in the processing of potions materials such as pufferfish, or in the operation of potion brewing, Harry Potter was more in charge, while Draco Malfoy was more in the role of a potions assistant.

And judging from the results, the crystal clear fish fillet, the intact internal organs, and the almost perfect potion......

Even the most discerning Potions Master is difficult to find fault with in the face of such an achievement, and the in-class test completed by these two students can be said to have reached the "perfect score" that Hogwarts students can hand in.

Merely......

Slughorn shrugged his shoulders and didn't comment immediately, instead continuing to walk forward.

If Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter presented works that are almost as perfect as students can achieve, what kind of answers will the first and second genius girl duo in last year's grade hand in?

Not to mention, among these two little witches, there is also a demon witch who is rare in a thousand years.

And the decomposition of the puffer fish that first appeared in front of Slughorn's eyes did respond to the old man's expectations.

The whole puffer fish skin, the clean puffer fish eyes, the sorted offal, and the thickness of the fillet that looks like a piece of paper, like a cluster of white flowers in full bloom, are quietly placed on a golden plate.

As the first wizarding chef of the Hogwarts kitchens, Elena Kaslana has indeed shown overwhelming skill.

"It's really amazing, and it really deserves to be ......"

But when Slughorn saw the contents of the crucible between the two, the praise that had been blurted out suddenly stopped, and the old wizard frowned and sniffed the potion carefully, stirred it a few more times, and a look of disbelief appeared on his face.

This, the ...... inside this cauldron?

Slughorn took a deep look at the pot of mist that slowly rose, as perfect as the potion in Harry's cauldron.

"What's wrong, Professor Slughorn?"

Elena gently cupped her cheeks and glanced meaningfully at the old wizard beside her.

"As an experienced elder, such a simple and obvious contrast, such an indisputable winner, do you still have to think? Everyone is waiting for you to announce the final results and see who is the number one today......

"Elena, don't do this-"

Hermione Granger tugged at the sleeve of the little ball next to her, a little annoyed.

Although Hermione also admitted in her heart that the homework she and Elena completed together must be the first.

But Elena's unabashed announcement of victory in advance was a bit too arrogant - if it weren't for Elena's knife bonus, the difference between them and Draco and Harry would not be so obvious in terms of potion quality alone.

Even without turning her head, Hermione could feel the smiles on the faces of the two boys behind her dim a little.

"That's right, that's right — you're right. The undisputed winner!"

Slughorn was silent for a moment, exhaled lightly, and said aloud to the class in the basement classroom.

"Impeccable, flawless, excellent!Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter!I'll do my talk, and when the pot is finished, I'll give you both a vial, and make good use of it!"

In Hermione's incredulous eyes, Slughorn announced loudly, patting the boys on the shoulders appreciatively.

Most of the young wizards in the classroom had the same expressions on their faces, including Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, all of whom looked surprised, as if Slughorn had suddenly turned into a rabbit for everyone.

Except for Elena, a shallow smile spread across the corner of the girl's mouth.

Professor Horace Slughorn, perhaps the old man is a little vain, but he is a qualified professor after all.

"Wait!why, Professor?!Why not—"

Hermione was stunned for a few seconds, then reacted first, and stood up a little unconvinced.

If it was because of the slight difference, then she would admit it, but such a blatant shady, such a proud little beaver is a little difficult to accept, she and Elena cooperated, and actually lost to Harry and Draco?!

"Well, the main thing is that the gap in potions is too big. ”

Slughorn replied gently, with a hint of non-committal beak in his tone.

"On this subject, Miss Granger, you can think about it first, and if you don't have an answer, I can answer it after class, although your handling of the puffer fish is perfect...... But unfortunately, this is Potions class. ”

"How is this possible, we're clear—"

Hermione stubbornly looked at Slug Slughorn, blocking the old wizard's way back to the podium.

She bit her lip and glanced at Harry and Draco's cauldron reluctantly, the difference between the two was really not particularly noticeable compared to their pot of potion, it looked as if the potion had been boiled in a pot and split into two sides.

But...... On the other hand, this also shows that the two sides are extremely similar.

"-Obviously, it's almost ......"

Hermione bit her lip hard, her amber eyes staring straight at Horace Slughorn.

"Even if Harry and Draco are a little better at their potions, you at least have to tell us why, right?"

"Okay, okay. So, Miss Granger, can you tell me what's in your crucible?"

Slughorn sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and asked helplessly.

"Swelling potion, of course—"

"Unfortunately, it's not a swelling potion in your crucible. ”

Before Hermione Granger could finish speaking, Slughorn smiled bitterly.

"Not even a potion to be precise, is it? Miss Kaslana. By the way, I don't recommend using the cauldron of Potions class as a cooking vessel, it's a very dangerous act. ”

"Don't worry, Madam Pomfrey is very experienced in dealing with food poisoning. ”

Elena said casually, in Hermione's eyes that were about to kill, she calmly picked up a piece of puffer fish fillet as thin as a cicada's wings with black walnut "chopsticks" and soaked it in the hot "swelling potion" for a few seconds, slowly put it in her mouth, squinted her eyes happily, and savored the unusual tender and sweet puffer fish fillet.

"Professor Slughorn's remarks are very revealing, and if potions are made from some more abstract elemental extraction, I tried on a whim if I could use magic to remove the magic of potions. ”

"But your method of operation is completely ...... with what the professor said"

Hermione's gaze swam between Elena's mouth, the hot crucible water for a few seconds.

According to the description of the swelling potion, if this was really a pot of qualified, even if it was a potion with some potency, then the tongue and lips of this white-haired balled man would have been swollen at this time, and he would not eat so happily at all.

"I'm just doing the same thing as in the book, but that doesn't mean the magic is the same. ”

Elena shook her finger and explained generously.

"The magic is in the heart, based on the mind. Potions is also a form of magic, and what influences how it is presented and how it turns out is not only the right way, but also our expectations and perceptions of it - with the last wave of my wand, I suddenly wondered what would happen if we turned this potion into a white soup with no magic or poison?

"yes, judging by the results, you've got your wish now, right?"

Hermione said in a stiff tone, her face becoming more and more gloomy.

"The perfect swelling potion is not a difficult thing for you or for me, isn't it more meaningful to explore some new knowledge and try than to do the work that can already be done on your own?"

Elena sighed and winked secretly at Slughorn.

"I admit I have an element of gambling, but ......"

"It's interesting that you've found a way to turn potions into non-potions. ”

Slughorn raised an eyebrow and looked at the hot soup in Elena's crucible with a complicated expression.

However, when she is in her second year, she can get past the complicated and esoteric potion reactions and processes, gain insight into the true meaning of potions, and even change the results by hand - such a talented and unscrupulous little witch is really worrying.

Especially when she still lacks a basic reverence for potions, which is a terrible thing.

The old wizard pondered for a moment, cleared his throat, and said calmly.

"But...... Miss Kaslana. It also means that you didn't make the swelling potion I requested in this lesson, as specified, so your score for this lesson is zero. At the same time, Ravenclaw will be deducted five points for your eating behavior in class, as well as dangerous operations, and you will be locked up in the Potions office this Friday night. ”

"As for Miss Granger, you, as a participant, didn't even realize that the nature of the potions had changed......"

Horace Slughorn paused, looked down at Hermione, and said slowly.

"Gryffindor, five points are deducted, not because of your mistakes, but because you still don't realize the problem after I made my judgment, and you don't know what the potion you brewed...... Do you have any objections?"

"No, Professor. Hermione's voice was like a mosquito.

She shook her head lightly and sat down in her seat in silence.

"All in all, I hope you can learn from this. ”

Slughorn raised an eyebrow and walked past Hermione Granger to the edge of the lectern.

"Today's homework is to write a paper on 'Swelling Elixir,' and explain how to identify and process raw magical materials in the wild, no less than two feet long, and give it to Professor Snape for the next lesson. ”

"Alright, class is over—let's go to lunch...... The children. ”

As Slughorn announced the end of class, the students stood up one after another, packed up their things and began to leave the classroom.

Harry, who was sitting behind them, was about to say something, but before he could speak, Draco Malfoy quickly covered his mouth and pulled him out of the Potions classroom.

And Horace Slughorn didn't hesitate to leave the classroom after sorting out the lesson plan for a while.

The old man had a lot of things on his mind, and he was about to confront Dumbledore's old liar - the biggest secret in his heart had been punctured by Elena anyway, and Slughorn now had a sense of relief that he had broken the jar.

......

In less than ten minutes, only Elena and Hermione were left in the classroom.

Hermione looked at the pot in front of her, which seemed to be the same as the successful swelling potion, but it was completely different, and her amber eyes were as calm as a pool of stagnant water, but she didn't have the angry and murderous look she had before.

Gollum –

Elena glanced at the lifeless little beaver beside her, like a robot, and swallowed in fear.

That old walrus is too cold, isn't it?

At that time, what joint and several liability should be pursued?!

In vain for her to make her eyes look so hard, and she didn't know how to take care of the little girl's emotions a little, after such a series of blows, Elena began to worry a little about whether she would use too much force, and accidentally triggered the opening method of blackened Hermione.

"Now, Hermione, are you alright......"

Elena cautiously poked the little wings beside her.

"I'm actually fine. ”

Hermione said, turning her head and asking softly.

"So, is the puffer fish delicious? ”

It's over!

It's really over!

The little hair on Elena's head suddenly stirred, and she instantly smelled extremely dangerous.

"Actually, it's not so, I mean, the elixir actually has a big hidden danger...... If you like, I can ask the professor to teach you how to practice, but Hermione, listen to me, I just wanted to try it. ”

"Oh. ”

"Hermione, don't be angry, that was actually my confrontation with Professor Slughorn, not to target you, I can explain to you slowly later, things are not what you think!"

"Let's go, let's go back to the auditorium for dinner, I'm a little hungry. ”

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Yay!

(End of chapter)