Hogwarts: I'm Truly a Model Wizard

After finding the page on the Philosopher's Stone, Kyle carefully placed the book on the table and read through it thoroughly:

"The greatest achievement of ancient alchemy, a magical substance with astounding abilities: it can transmute any metal into pure gold and produce the Elixir of Life, granting immortality to the drinker.

Three Philosopher's Stones have appeared in history, each bringing with it tragic and bloody wars. The longest of these wars raged for twenty years, and the nation holding the Stone was obliterated within the first decade.

Due to the horrific bloodshed it has caused, the Philosopher's Stone is also called the Bloody Gem.

Of these three Stones, one was destroyed by Merlin and King Arthur, while another was acquired by Rowena Ravenclaw, who, alongside three allies, established the renowned Hogwarts School. This feat came at the cost of the complete destruction of the Stone.

The only known remaining Philosopher's Stone belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, a distinguished alchemist and opera enthusiast."

Below the text was an illustration of the Philosopher's Stone: a brilliant red, irregularly shaped stone, resembling an uncut ruby.

Kyle stared at the image for a while, examining its details closely. He was still deep in thought when Cedric came to remind him it was time to eat. On the way to the Great Hall, Kyle managed to return the book just before the library closed. Madam Pince raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, assuming Kyle had been doing research for an assignment.

For the next few days, Kyle didn't think much about the Philosopher's Stone, instead directing all his attention to Snape's notes. Despite Snape's disheveled appearance, his notes were meticulously organized. They contained detailed annotations and explanations, making even the most complex ideas easy to follow.

Inspired by these notes, Kyle remembered something else he had stumbled upon during one of his nighttime excursions. He had discovered an old copy of Advanced Potion-Making in a forgotten closet of the underground classroom. It was tattered, but on the inside cover, there was a small handwritten note: "This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince."

Tsk, the Half-Blood Prince… I didn't know Snape was such a bookworm, Kyle thought with amusement as he tucked the book under his arm. He decided he'd buy a new copy soon to replace it.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was December. Hogwarts was blanketed in a thick layer of snow, and the lake had frozen over. With Christmas just around the corner, the students were more excited than usual, and it took every professor ten points or more per class just to keep their attention.

Of course, a few professors were exceptions to this rule. Professor Binns never docked points for inattentiveness, and in Potions, no one dared daydream with Professor Snape at the helm—even if Christmas were the very next day.

Today was no different. In the dimly lit underground classroom, everyone was focused on the careful steps required to brew their latest potion, and even the whispered exchanges were kept barely audible.

At the moment, Snape stood behind Kyle, observing him with a curious expression as Kyle used the flat of his knife to crush Sopophorous beans, expertly extracting their juice.

"What on earth is going on? I really don't know what to think…" Snape muttered under his breath.

He'd noticed Kyle's rapid progress in Potions over the past few days. The improvement was far too substantial to have happened naturally, especially since Kyle was already one of the most proficient students in class. Snape suspected that Kyle had somehow peeked at the notes he'd given to Kanna, which only covered content up to fifth year.

To test his theory, Snape had abandoned the planned lesson on the Hair-Raising Potion and opted for the more challenging Draught of Living Death, a potion not typically taught until sixth year.

His plan was simple: if Kyle attempted to make this advanced potion, his unfamiliarity with sixth-year techniques would expose him.

Snape had already decided to deduct fifty points, whether Kyle's attempt was successful or not. After all, the Draught of Living Death was notoriously difficult, requiring painstaking precision and a high level of skill. Snape was certain that Kyle's attempt would reveal evidence of unauthorized access to his notes.

But now… Snape found himself uncharacteristically stumped. Kyle's method of extracting the juice from the Sopophorous beans was flawless—even Snape himself couldn't have done it more efficiently. And this technique wasn't in the notes; it was clearly something Kyle had learned independently. Next to him, Kanna struggled to slice the slippery beans, barely managing.

Could he really not be using my notes? Snape thought, frowning. Even the most gifted student couldn't progress this much on their own in such a short time.

He decided to keep a close watch, positioning himself right behind Kyle for the entire lesson. When a cauldron exploded across the room, Snape didn't even move—he simply flicked his wand to clear the mess and ejected the unfortunate student from the classroom, all while keeping his gaze fixed on Kyle's work.

By the end of class, Snape stared at the cauldron containing Kyle's perfectly brewed Draught of Living Death. For a moment, he opened his mouth, as if about to deliver a scathing critique, but the words failed him. Instead, he let out a sharp, annoyed huff.

"How did you do that?" he demanded, voice tense.

"Pardon?" Kyle looked up, clearly confused.

"I mean," Snape continued, his face hardening, "why has your potion-making improved so drastically?"

"I'm not sure, sir," Kyle replied with a friendly smile. "It might be due to my time with Director Sykes at St. Mungo's. She taught me a lot over the summer and let me study many of her potions."

"Pegasia Sykes?" Snape's eyes narrowed. He knew of Sykes, one of the most accomplished Potioneers of the generation, though he doubted that this fully accounted for Kyle's recent skills. If Sykes's influence were the reason, Kyle's improvement would have been evident at the start of the school year, not months in.

"Tell the truth!" Snape demanded, staring intensely into Kyle's eyes.

"I am, Professor," Kyle replied, his face a picture of sincerity. "If you don't believe me, you could write to Director Sykes yourself—she'd confirm it. Oh, and I recently ran into an older student who lent me some of their old textbooks. They've been really helpful."

Snape's expression darkened further. He cast Kyle one last, piercing look before turning and leaving the Potions classroom without a word. An older student's textbook? As if any past student could brew such a flawless Draught of Living Death in class…