Harry's words naturally went in one ear out the other.
Young people, you know how it is, thinking about how to fly before they've learned to walk.
But their attention was quickly drawn back by the Magic Stone generation, after all, what's more captivating—Apparition Displacement or fascinating videos?
Those who chose History of Magic could sneak a bit of phone time in Professor Bin's class—but not in any other class, of course. No student was brave enough to play in Professor Snape's class.
You could imagine the consequences if Professor Snape caught someone playing on their phone in Magic Potion Class.
"Now then..." Professor Snape began the Magic Potion Class, asking, "Who can explain Gobalot's Third Law—"
Hermione still persistently raised her hand high, even though Professor Snape never called on her.
She was already used to it, but she still wouldn't give up.
I don't believe you'll never call on me!
However, Professor Snape precisely targeted Ron, who was trying to hide his face behind a book.
A hint of "I've got you" crept upon his lips.
"Mr. Weasley!" Professor Snape suddenly called Ron's name: "You answer this question."
Yet, while Slytherin's students gleefully watched Ron, waiting for him to fail, they found Ron answered fluently.
"Gobalot's Third Law states that the antidote for a mixed poison is greater than the sum of the antidotes for the individual components." Ron spoke swiftly and concisely.
A flicker of barely detectable surprise crossed Professor Snape's pitch-black eyes.
This is a Weasley?
If you knew the answer, then why were you hiding behind a book?
Then he realized.
Could it be that Weasley, this kid, was pretending not to know the answer, to lure me into calling on him?
Alright, alright, today's students aren't reading textbooks; they're studying military strategy instead?
"Correct. Gryffindor scores two points," Professor Snape huffed, "but since you were sitting improperly just now, Gryffindor will lose two points!"
Points deducted or added, the ultimate authority is mine.
If I say you lose points, then you can't earn points!
But Ron was clearly quite pleased with the outcome. Getting one over on Snape was something he had never dared dream of.
Over there, Professor Snape continued explaining Gobalot's Third Law.
"...If we've correctly used Scapin's Revealing Spell to analyze the potion's components, our primary goal isn't simply choosing the antidote for each individual component, but finding an additional ingredient that can transform disparate components almost alchemically—"
Over there, Seamus's eyes went wide.
Couldn't understand, absolutely couldn't understand.
Of course, part of it was not being able to understand, but mostly due to staying up all night.
Finally, Snape said: "Now line up, each of you, come to my podium and fetch a small vial; you must concoct the antidote for what's inside before the class ends. I hope none of you gets your hand burned through for not wearing protective gloves. Otherwise, you'll not only suffer pain but also lose points accordingly."
Because some had stayed up playing on their phones the night before, it was inevitable that some weren't quite alert; Hermione was still yawning while preparing the antidote.
"Your prince won't be able to help you this time." Hermione whispered to Ron, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
But Ron didn't mind much; he had long been immune to Hermione's sharp tongue.
However, Ron remembered something interesting.
Antidote?
He remembered Professor Snape mentioning bezoar during the first Magic Potion Class; although Harry's response had infuriated him, Harry later explained to him that bezoar, a stone found in the stomach of a goat, could counteract various poisons.
And in Professor Snape's private lessons, Ron had also encountered bezoar.
Ron glanced at Professor Snape, seeing that he hadn't moved, he approached the storage cabinet, pushed aside the Unicorn Horn and piles of dried herbs, rummaging around until he found a small cardboard box at the back, scribbled with "Bezoar" on it.
He opened the box, finding six wrinkled, shriveled, brown things that looked more like dried kidneys than stones.
He took one, then put the box back in the cabinet, and quickly walked back to his cauldron.
At this moment, Professor Snape announced that time was up.
As he passed by Seamus and caught a whiff of the durian-scented potion Seamus had concocted as an antidote, Professor Snape's face darkened.
"Seems you're not just a baboon who likes waving sticks, but also one who can't properly comprehend how to concoct an antidote." Professor Snape was clearly not one to miss a beat, and quickly gave another nickname: "Rather, a Wing-Folding Demon opened your head, Mr. Finigan, but left disappointed."
"And then, Professor?" Ron asked gleefully.
Professor Snape appeared quite pleased with Ron's role as his stooge, casting a slightly approving glance at Ron, who had been performing excellently of late, and said, "The dung beetle beside it lights up."
Initially, everyone still didn't quite understand what was going on.
But once they got the joke, the Magic Potion Class burst into uproarious laughter.
"Quiet!" Professor Snape's voice was low, "As for you, Mr. Finigan, Gryffindor will lose ten points for your carelessness."