Vivian flinched, almost dropping the tweezers. Alex, however, remained calm. “Yes, Professor. I’m sure. Go ahead, Vivian.”

  Nodding, Vivian followed Alex’s instrus, carefully dropping the puffer fish eyes into the potion. The dark blue mixture started to shift, slowly settling into a pale green.

  Sched the rea with a sharp, scrutinizing gaze before letting out a dismissive huff and walking away. “And as for the rest of you,” he snapped, his voice cutting through the room, “stop stirring like brairolls! You’re making a potion, not a pigsty!”

  Vivia out a quiet sigh of relief, fshing Alex an appreciative look. “He nearly scared me out of my wits,” she whispered, stig her to in an exaggerated gesture.

  Alex, unfazed, stayed focused. Blog out the distras, he pleted his potion well before the others. His reward? A curt nod and a muttered, “Satisfactory,” from S wasn’t much, but Alex knew he’d done a good job.

  As soon as css ended, students bolted from the room like prisoners set free. Even the Slytherins seemed eager to escape Snape’s oppressive presence. Alex, however, lingered until the room was empty before approag the professor. Better to hahings now than have Snape breathing down his neck for the rest of the term.

  Snape looked up from his desk, his expression cold and impatient. “What is it, Mr. Wilsoo challenge me to a duel, perhaps?”

  Alex ighe jab a his toeady. “Professor, I wao apologize for yesterday’s i. It wasn’t my iion to be disrespectful. I… didn’t fully uand your role here.”

  Snape scoffed, his lips curling into a sneer. “Spare me your excuses. I know who you are. The one who saved Sirius Bck, wasn’t it? As his friend, I’d expeothihan insolence. Only the foolish could befriend someone so thhly disgraced.”

  Alex’s jaw tighte the mention of Sirius, irritation flickering in his eyes, but he held his posure.

  “I’m also a friend of Lily’s,” Alex said calmly, his voice firm. “Maybe her influence rubbed off on me more than you’d like. Does that bother you, Professor?”

  Snape’s expression darkened, his anger palpable as he stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. “Mr. Wilson, I suggest you tread carefully when speaking to your superiors.”

  Alex met his gaze, fused but unwavering. “If I’ve offended you, I apologize,” he said evenly. “But if there’s something else behind this hostility, I’m not sure what I do about it.”

  Snape’s sneer returhough his tone softened slightly. “Arrogant brat,” he muttered, more to himself than to Alex. “Perhaps there’s a flicker of sense in you after all. But tell me this—st night, while I was iing the Slytherin on room, your absence was spicuous. Do you sider yourself too good to stay with your own house?”

  Alex uood the accusation hidden in Snape’s words. Choosing his response carefully, he said, “The reason I’m not staying in the Slytherin dormitory is for my own safety. You’re well aware that I’m Muggle-born.”

  Snape’s expression remained unimpressed. “Excuses,” he said dismissively. “The Dark Lord is gone, and your so-called ‘skills’ are hardly remarkable. As head of Slytherin, I’m you to return to the dormitory. I’ll check it myself tonight, and I expect to find you there.”

  Left with little choice, Alex nodded, masking his frustration. As he left the dungeons, he mulled over Snape’s stubbornness. Moving back to the dormitory wasn’t a big deal. With the spell cards he’d accumuted, he felt more than ready to handle any pure-blood troublemakers.

  Determined, Alex made his way to the Slytherin on room. The se that greeted him was ued—a poker table set up in the middle of the room, surrounded by students engrossed in the game, while others watched with fasation. Apparently, poker had bee a thing in Slytherin.

  As Alex entered, youudents whispered among themselves, curious about the unfamiliar face. Despite wearing Slytherin robes, his rare appearances in the on room had clearly made him a strao many.

  Among the crowd, Alex spotted a familiar face—a pure-blood ravers, gring at him with barely cealed hostility. Alex smirked, remembering how he’d outwitted Travers in the past. Travers’s wallet had gone missing twice over the years, and Alex doubted he’d ever figured out who was behind it.

  Travers stormed over, sneering. “Well, well, if it isn’t Slytherin’s ghost, finally deg to haunt us. Maybe the S Hat got it wrong—you don’t belong here.”

  Alex chuckled, tilting his head. “Funny ing from you, Travers. Slytherin’s supposed to be full of clever, dignified people. Yet here you are, proving otherwise. Do you ever stop and think before you talk?”

  Travers’s face turned red with anger, aook a step forward, only to be restrained by his friends. Rozier held him back while Travers shouted, “Let me at him! This Mudblood o be put in his pce!”

  The otiohe attention of everyone in the room, including the poker pyers, who turo watch. Before things could escate, a senior student stepped in. Lavender Wilkes, a fourth-year with light brown hair and an air of pure-bloance, pulled Travers back.

  “Enough, Travers. Don’t embarrass yourself,” Wilkes said sharply. He turo Alex with a forced smile. “e on, we’re all in Slytherin. No need for this kind of drama.”

  Alex raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Adjusting his posture, he replied coolly, “You’re making it sound like I’m the oarting trouble.”

  Wilkes’s smile didn’t falter. “Travers is the heir of an important family. Provoking him doesn’t help anyone.” His tone shifted to something more patronizing. “In Slytherin, having more friends than enemies is a smart move. Don’t you agree?”

  Alex crossed his arms, his smirk deepening. “What do you want, Wilkes?”

  Wilkes’s tone became businesslike. “You’re a top student, respected by professors. We’re you an opportunity. Support us, and we won’t hold ygle heritage against you. Travers,” he g the still-fuming boy, “will five your… disrespect.”

  “Five this Mudblood? Why should I?” Travers snapped, his voice dripping with disdain.

  “Enough, Travers,” Wilkes said sharply, before turning back to Alex. “You’re clever. Aligning with us would be in your best i.”

  Alex’s smirk faded, repced by a look of icy disdain. They thought they could buy him off, make him bow his head in exge for tolerahey were sorely mistaken.