Afterward, watching Harry gradually shut down under Snape's repeated questioning, Ivan recalled a theory he had read in his previous life.
The questions Snape asked Harry, when analyzed individually, all possessed deeper meanings.
The most obvious was that the Latin meaning of asphodel, used to make potions, is 'My regrets follow you to the grave'.
Wormwood usually implies bitterness and regret.
Ivan found it hard to imagine what kind of emotions the gloomy, resentful Snape held when facing Harry.
Guilt for leaking information that led to Lily's death? Or the deep affection of knowing his lover had died, willing to die together?
Thinking this, a hint of pity gradually appeared in Ivan's eyes.
"Ivan Hals!" Perhaps noticing that Ivan's gaze was a bit strange, Snape, after questioning Harry with three questions, turned his wand and pointed it at Ivan.
"Next, you answer these three questions!"
Ivan was first taken aback, not expecting Snape to question him, but he quickly reacted and answered.
"Adding powdered asphodel root to wormwood juice creates the Draught of Living Death, a powerful sleeping potion. Bezoar is found in the stomach of a goat, and monkshood and wolfsbane refer to the same plant."
Having read the original work, Ivan was naturally not stumped by these three questions, but he was also a little uneasy, afraid that Snape would ask other questions.
Although Ivan had read the Potions textbook several times before the Potions class, Snape clearly wouldn't play by the rules. None of the three questions he asked Harry were content that first-year students should be learning.
[Ding, you answered the professor's carefully prepared difficult questions in class, answering three questions with 100% accuracy, awarding 9 Academic Credits]
An unexpected system notification rang in Ivan's mind.
Ivan's expression instantly changed from worry to surprise and then to ecstasy, and all his original concerns were thrown aside.
Come on! Ask whatever you want, I won't even frown!
Ivan looked at Snape with a firm expression, a true warrior never fears any challenge!
It would be best to ask ten or eight questions, Ivan didn't believe he wouldn't know at least one, every Academic Credit counts!
Ivan's face-changing act left a deep impression on the young wizards.
However, to Ivan's surprise, Snape didn't even look at him, but turned his head and mocked Harry expressionlessly.
"Did you hear that, Potter? It seems not every newly enrolled wizard is as ignorant and foolish as you."
"Professor, I-" Harry stood up angrily, intending to retort, but Snape interrupted him decisively.
"Potter! Gryffindor loses one point because of your performance!"
After speaking as if delivering a verdict, Snape turned around and continued teaching without mercy, while Harry was desperately pulled back by Ron, his originally fair cheeks flushed red with anger.
Ivan, who was ready to face Snape's Make things difficult, was also a little confused by this neglect. After giving Harry an apologetic look, he had to continue listening to the class in peace.
Hoping that Snape would continue to ask questions to make things difficult for him.
To Ivan's regret, Snape seemed to have forgotten him in the next class. Apart from occasionally taking the time to scold the young wizards who made mistakes, he was only very interested in Harry.
He was like a piece of iron attracted by a magnet, constantly wandering around Harry, his hollow eyes carefully observing every step of Harry's potion-making, and if there was a slight mistake, he would be met with a head-on mockery.
Ron, who was sitting next to Harry, was also out of luck. His pet rat Scabbers was searched out by Snape, who grabbed it by the tail and publicly designated it as a white mouse for testing the potion's effects, Ron almost cried on the spot.
When he learned of his fate, Scabbers' cries were so miserable.
If it hadn't been for Neville accidentally burning through his cauldron, ruining Snape's interest, Scabbers would have been forced to drink the stool-yellow potion made by Ron, with unknown ingredients and effects.
Ivan looked at Scabbers, who was slumped on the table, with a hint of sympathy, lamenting Peter Pettigrew's bad luck, having been frightened twice in just a few days since coming to school.
The one-hour Potions class was simply torture for most young wizards, and they all fled from the dungeon as if escaping.
"My God, how could Dumbledore hire Snape as a professor? He almost killed Scabbers!" After Potions class, Ron comforted the still-trembling Scabbers while angrily wanting to smash the wall.
Harry nodded in agreement, standing on the same front as Ron. Being so openly targeted in the first class of the semester was something no one could tolerate.
Harry really couldn't understand why Snape hated him so much?
"Harry, if you could read more books before class, you wouldn't have been unable to answer Professor Snape's questions." Hermione had a different idea, and after saying that, she looked at Ivan and continued.
"Just like Ivan, Professor Snape knows that Ivan can answer, so he doesn't make things difficult for him."
Hermione's praise made Ivan feel ashamed. If he didn't know the plot, he might not have been able to answer Snape's questions.
"Hermione, not everyone can memorize the Potions book within a few days of the start of school. Besides, the questions Snape asked Harry are not in the first-year textbook." Ivan sighed.
Hermione pursed her lips and didn't refute, because she had also seen Snape's actions in Potions class today, but she was used to abiding by the rules and obeying the professor's arrangements, so she helped say a few words of defense when Ron started to criticize.
Ron and Harry were very dissatisfied with Hermione's behavior of helping Snape speak, and the three of them walked along the way as if they were sulking. Fortunately, with Ivan's persuasion, they finally dispelled the grudges in their hearts before reaching Hagrid's hut.
"Hagrid, we've come to see you!"
Harry moved forward and knocked on the door, and then the four of them heard barking and running sounds from inside the house. After a while, the door was opened, and a huge figure walked out of the house.
"Harry, you're here, come in quickly" Hagrid greeted Harry warmly, while not forgetting to appease his restless dog Fang.
Ivan followed Harry into the hut.
The entire house had only one room, the layout was a bit cluttered, many dried meats and hams were hung by the window, and there was a large stove in front. A pot of boiling water was burning on the stove, and a patched bed was placed on the right against the wall.