Lucien's first Potions class was… tense.
The dungeon classroom smelled strongly of herbs, steam, and poor life choices. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students took their seats carefully, as if sudden movement might summon disaster.
Lucien sat beside Akeno, calm as ever.
Susan Bones paired up with Hermione Granger, who already had her book open and quill ready.
The door slammed open.
Professor Snape swept in like a storm cloud, robes billowing, eyes sharp.
His gaze immediately scanned the room.
…Searching.
Lucien noticed.
Snape's eyes stopped on him.
Just for a second.
Then the lesson began.
⚗️ The Assignment
Without introduction, Snape flicked his wand.
Instructions appeared on the blackboard.
"Today," Snape drawled, "you will attempt to brew Calming Draught Variant C."
Groans rippled through the class.
"You will follow the instructions exactly," Snape continued silkily. "Deviation will result in failure. Or worse."
Lucien leaned forward slightly, eyes on the board.
He didn't start brewing.
He watched.
He reread the steps.
Then… he frowned.
Akeno noticed. "Something wrong?"
Lucien murmured, "Not wrong. Inefficient."
He studied the order of ingredients, the heat timing, the stirring direction.
Then nodded to himself.
"We'll adjust steps three and five," he whispered. "Lower flame earlier. Reverse the infusion order."
Akeno nodded without question.
They began.
🧠 Observation Over Imitation
Around them, cauldrons bubbled unpredictably.
Susan and Hermione worked carefully—Hermione reciting steps under her breath.
Snape stalked the aisles, robes whispering.
He paused.
Peeked.
Lucien noticed—but didn't look up.
Snape moved on.
But he came back.
Again.
This time, he stopped beside Lucien's cauldron.
The potion inside was… perfect.
Clear. Balanced. No excess steam. No instability.
Snape's eyes narrowed.
"…Explain," he said quietly.
Several students flinched.
Lucien looked up calmly. "The written method overheats the infusion phase. By lowering the flame earlier, you preserve compound stability."
Snape stared.
"Why reverse the ingredient order?"
"Because the calming agents bind better after the stabilizer—not before."
Snape leaned closer.
"And the stirring?"
"Counterclockwise reduces magical resistance in this mixture."
Silence.
Snape straightened.
"…Acceptable."
He flicked his wand.
"Twenty points to Hufflepuff."
The room froze.
Susan dropped her spoon.
Hermione stared in shock.
A Ravenclaw actually choked.
Lucien blinked once—then smiled politely.
"Thank you, Professor."
Snape turned sharply and moved away.
If one looked closely—
Very closely—
Snape's ears were pink.
🏰 Aftermath
By the end of class, the dungeon buzzed with whispers.
"Did Snape just—"
"Points?"
"To a Hufflepuff?"
"And not taken back?"
Lucien cleaned his workstation calmly.
Akeno smiled. "You impressed him."
Lucien shrugged. "He values results."
Across Hogwarts, the story spread like wildfire.
Snape.
Points.
Lucien Lionhardt.
Only a few knew the real reason.
In the headmaster's office, Dumbledore smiled knowingly.
McGonagall sighed.
Flitwick hummed happily.
Sprout practically glowed.
And Severus Snape—
For just a moment—
Had seen Lily Evans standing at a cauldron again.