The bell for the end of Charms Class rang.
Ileana Thorne grabbed her books and was the first one out the door. She didn't head back to Ravenclaw Tower. Instead, she went straight to the Library.
She sat at the same spot as yesterday. It was their private table, the place where a miracle had happened.
She spread her books out, but she couldn't read a single word. Her mind felt like a bird chirping with excitement. She kept practicing what she would say today.
'Snape, about that step you mentioned yesterday... I wanted to ask if the flame should be kept at a constant temperature, or is a five-degree fluctuation okay?'
No, that was too stiff. It sounded like an interrogation.
'Hi, Snape. You're here today too? What a coincidence.'
No, that was too obvious. It sounded like something Sirius Black would say. Disgusting.
'Good afternoon, Snape. Your knowledge of Potions is truly impressive. I still have a few questions I don't understand...'
That sounded better. It was a compliment and a natural way to start a conversation.
Yes, she would go with that.
Ileana took a deep breath. She repeated the sentence ten times in her head until every word sounded perfect. She straightened her robes, sat with the grace of a proper Ravenclaw, and began to wait.
Minutes turned into hours.
The bright light outside the window turned soft and golden. The library fireplaces were lit. The dinner bell rang in the distance.
The person she was waiting for never appeared.
He didn't come.
Ileana's heart felt like it had been dropped into ice water. It sank slowly.
Why?
Was it because she accidentally touched him yesterday? Did he feel offended? Or did he think her questions were too stupid? Did he hate being in the same room as her?
Or maybe... he just didn't want to see her again?
A strange feeling of loss wrapped around her heart like vines. It made it hard to breathe. She silently packed her things and left the empty table.
Back in her dorm, she didn't start studying right away for the first time. She sat by the window and stared at the night sky.
She opened her notebook to the page where Severus Snape had helped her. His voice seemed to echo in her ears. It was deep, pleasant, and full of confidence.
She didn't want to give up.
Ileana sat at her desk. Using the bright light from her wand tip, she began to break down the steps he had taught her. She analyzed and practiced his logic. His voice was her only comfort.
[Preliminary Observation and Research Record of "Exception Sample S"]
[Date: October 9, 1974. Weather: Overcast. Mood: A bit gloomy.]
[Record: He didn't come today. I waited all afternoon, from the end of Charms until dinner. I was the only one at the table. The library looks the same as yesterday, but it feels... empty.
Did I scare him away yesterday? Was it because of that stupid stretch? Or was I too dumb and forgot to say "thank you"? I had a hundred questions ready, but I couldn't use any of them.
➤: A bit... sad. This feeling is very strange. It is like brewing a complex potion and failing at the last step because of a tiny mistake. No, it is worse than that.
➤➤: I shouldn't give up so easily. I will wait again tomorrow. Maybe he just had something else to do today. (A drawing of a lonely, chubby bat hugging its knees is next to the text.)]
[Date: October 11, 1974. Weather: Light rain. Mood: Damp.]
[Record: He still hasn't shown up. I have waited for two days now. I saw him in the Great Hall during dinner. He was sitting at the very end of the Slytherin table. There was a whole room between us.
He looked the same as always. He kept his head down and silently cut his food. He didn't look at me once. Is he avoiding me on purpose? Am I bothering him? Is my research ruining his life?
➤: I want to talk to him again. I want to... touch him again.
➤➤➤: Tomorrow is the last day. If he doesn't come, I will... I will just forget him! (A drawing of a grumpy, chubby bat with tears in its eyes is next to the text.)]
On the fourth day, Ileana entered the library just as the dinner bell rang. She had no hope left.
She had spent the last few days wandering around places where Severus Snape might appear. She hadn't even seen the back of his head. She figured he really was hiding from her.
She only came today to find a book on the history of Transfiguration. Her steps were heavy and tired as she walked past the rows of bookshelves toward the history section.
As she passed the familiar corner at the back of the library, she froze.
Someone was sitting there.
A tall, thin figure with black hair was buried in a pile of thick books.
It was him!
Ileana's heart skipped a beat. Then, it started thumping wildly. All the sadness and doubt from the past few days vanished the moment she saw him.
He wasn't hiding! He was just... busy!
She immediately forgot about the history book. She ran to the Potions section, grabbed a few random books, and took a deep breath. She walked toward the table.
She placed her books down gently and sat in the chair across from him.
Snape seemed to notice her. His body stiffened slightly, but he didn't look up. He buried his face deeper into his book.
Ileana saw him acting like a shy ostrich and her nervousness disappeared. She quietly opened her book. She didn't start reading. She gave herself and him ten minutes to settle in.
After ten minutes, she cleared her throat. Her heart was racing again. She used all her strength to keep her voice calm and steady.
"Snape... hello."
The figure across from her didn't move. Ileana's heart climbed into her throat.
"Can I... ask you a question?"
Her voice trembled slightly, though she didn't realize it.
Finally, the person across the table slowly raised his head. His eyes were as black as ink. He looked straight at her through the dim light.
He stared for a long time. Ileana felt like she was going to suffocate in the silence.
Then, he spoke.
"What question."
His voice was still low and raspy. To Ileana, it sounded like music. It saved her heart from sinking. She let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned her notebook toward him.
"About Felix Felicis," she said, quickly getting into her student mode. She pointed at her messy notes.
"I studied the steps you mentioned. The standard recipe says to add horseradish and increase the heat right after adding the Ashwinder egg. You said that was wrong. You said to keep the temperature the same and stir counter-clockwise seven times. Is it because horseradish is too harsh? Does it break the magic membrane of the egg while it thaws? Your method uses low-temperature stirring to create a layer of frost on the shell as a protective layer, right?"
She asked the question she had been thinking about for days.
Snape looked at her notebook. It wasn't just words. She had drawn complex magic flow charts and models of how the ingredients reacted.
A flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
"Mostly correct," he said softly. He began to explain.
"But there is more. That frost isn't just physical protection. It is a microscopic low-temperature magic field. It completely blocks the harshness of the horseradish. When the heat rises later, it acts like a lens. it focuses the heat perfectly into the core of the egg. This brings out the 'luck' essence of the Ashwinder egg to the maximum. It makes the potion last at least thirty percent longer."
"Thirty percent longer?" Ileana's eyes widened. "That's incredible! 'Advanced Potion-Making' never mentions that technique!"
The corner of Snape's mouth curled into a tiny, mocking smile. He raised an eyebrow. His black eyes held the arrogance of a true genius.
"Miss Thorne, if books told you every secret, what would be the point of Ravenclaw wisdom? Or do you think you can become a Potions Master just by memorizing a textbook?"
His words were sharp and insulting. It was his classic style.
But Ileana wasn't angry at all. She actually thought... the way he raised his eyebrow was incredibly cute!
He was mocking her, but he looked so good doing it that she couldn't look away.
"I don't think that at all," she argued back. Her academic pride was on fire.
"But your theory is very risky. Low-temperature stirring slows down the blending. If the speed or the number of stirs is even slightly off, the magic field will fail. It might even cause the magic in the Ashwinder egg to leak out early, wouldn't it?"