HP Starlight

Esther showed up in the office on time the next night, and Professor Snape was brewing the potion.

"Come and help." Professor Snape urged Esther to start working unceremoniously.

Esther had to wash her hands and walked to the front of the console.There are some materials on the table, Esther handles the ones that need to be ground and cut the roots separately, and then picks up a few sleepy beans on the table and squeezes them with the side of the knife to make them ooze silvery juice.

"Why did you do that?" Professor Snape asked in surprise when he saw Esther's movements.

"Taught by a senior." Esther thought of the Half-Blood Prince's potion book that had been put back, and couldn't help thinking about it.

"It's surprising. I thought that Miss Collins' excellent potion skills were all innate."

"In front of the potion master, I dare not say that my level is excellent." Esther is familiar with Professor Snape's way, "Even if I learn some superficial things, I still want to thank you for your teaching."

In the dense smoke, Esther saw the corner of Professor Snape's slightly raised mouth, thinking that this confinement should not be very tormenting.

Esther was busy with Professor Snape all night. In addition to the sleeping potion, he also made anti-blue potions and rejuvenation potions.Esther didn't know if these were going to be used in Professor Sprout's greenhouse, or in Gamekeeper Hagrid's pumpkin patch.What surprised Esther the most was that Filch would come to Snape to take a bottle of potion mysteriously.

Esther still likes this kind of confinement content, because he can learn a lot by working with the potions master.But when Professor Snape asked her to make it independently the next day, she felt that Professor Black Robe just wanted someone to share the workload.

After four days in a row with various potions, Esther was relieved when he finally entered the office on the fifth day without seeing the familiar crucible and various tools.There was no one in the office, and it looked like he was called away on a temporary basis.Esther walked over to her small desk, where a dozen first-grade papers were laid out.You won't even push the work of correcting papers to yourself.Aster felt helpless in her heart.

Now seeing the first-grade thesis again, Esther couldn't help but feel disgusted, the sentence was unreasonable, illogical, and the text was wrong.Sure enough, Professor Snape wanted to give her the most boring and useless job.Esther complained a little in her heart, but still imitated Professor Snape's handwriting, compared with the comments she got at the beginning, circled the wrong parts, and wrote some revisions.

While writing, she suddenly discovered that when writing the letters l and y, the ending part of the font was very similar to that of the Half-Blood Prince.But the other characters are not quite similar. The professor's characters are long and sharp, with few embellishments, while the prince's handwriting is relatively round.Besides, the prince seems to be much older than the professor, after all, the book is so old.Maybe people who are good at potions can write similarly?

"what are you doing?"

Esther didn't even notice that Professor Snape was back when he was thinking wildly.Her hands trembled in fright, and a large drop of ink smudged from the parchment.

"Professor, you are back. I saw you put the first-year papers on the small table. I thought this was my job today." Esther said, frantically cleaning up the drop of ink with her wand.

"It was just put there temporarily by the students. Miss Collins is so confident that she thinks she can replace the professor." Professor Snape narrowed his eyes dangerously, and there was strong dissatisfaction hidden behind his calm voice.

Esther was very aggrieved, "I never thought about it that way, Professor. I really thought you asked me to do it. You see, I followed the notes you wrote to me. And I only pointed out the wrong part, Waiting for your rating."

Professor Snape took a look at the parchment, seemed to be relieved, pointed to the words on it and said, "You wrote this?"

Esther nodded and dared not speak.

"You imitated my handwriting?" Professor Snape asked.

"Um, yes, Professor." Esther answered honestly.

"It seems that I underestimated Miss Collins. If you plan to do something bad, I'm afraid it's not easy to be discovered." Professor Snape stared at Esther with dark eyes, which reminded her of those people who went around a few years ago. Getting into trouble, stealing into the kitchen last year, and this year in the owl hut, suddenly she realized that she shouldn't think about it, and quickly cleared her mind.She saw those dark eyes again.

"Occlumency? It's surprising that Miss Collins has already started." Professor Snape said with narrowed eyes.

"Did I use Occlumency just now? I mean, I didn't realize it. Did I succeed? Was it successful?" Esther became excited, completely oblivious to Snape's emotions.

"Barely considered a success." Professor Snape replied very briefly.But Esther was very encouraged. Their dean was rarely willing to recognize others directly.

Esther's excited eyes sparkled, and he said to Professor Snape without thinking, "Then can I practice Occlumency with you? I want to make my protection stronger."

"You don't have to practice, who cares what a 13-year-old thinks." Professor Snape said impatiently.

"I'm not going to be 13 forever! And I'm easily influenced by other people's emotions. My perception is very strong. I need to avoid the control of my emotions. Occlumency works for me." Esther said unconvinced .

"Then you should also choose someone you trust to practice with you. After all, the practice process will inevitably expose your memory, which is your secret, a private secret." Professor Snape said.

"You didn't care whether my secret was private or not just now. Besides, you are someone I trust, and I have no doubt about it." Esther retorted seriously.

Professor Snape froze for a moment, his eyes became unfathomable.He said slowly, "Your trust should not be given lightly."

"It's not gullible, Professor, I promise I've thought it through. From the first time I met you, you helped me. You have taught me far more than others since I entered school. Although sometimes it is not so direct and pleasant, but I have to say that I have benefited a lot from you. This is also the reason why I worked hard during the confinement. I don’t think this is a punishment, I am learning from you, and I sincerely hope to help you share some work within my ability.” Ai Sturt blushed, she never thought she would dare to talk to Professor Snape like that.

Professor Snape was silent for a while, then went to his desk and sat down to start grading papers.Just when Esther was at a loss and thought he would stand until the end of the confinement, Professor Snape's voice came from behind the parchment, "If Miss Collins really thinks so, you should sit down and continue your work just now, Instead of standing there in a daze."

Esther quickly sat down and picked up the pen.She knew that Professor Snape at least approved of what she said, whether he wanted to teach her or not.

At the end of the last day of confinement, Professor Snape finally allowed her to come to his office every Thursday night to practice Occlumency with him.As for occupying the professor's personal time, Esther also expressed his willingness to use his spare time to continue the various tasks he had done during the previous confinement.

Occlumency training is quite painful, even for a person like Esther who has already started and is good at self-control, it is extremely difficult.Every effort to get Professor Snape's Legilimency out of her head made her break out in a cold sweat.

After a few weeks of training, Esther has begun to practice detaching her memories from her emotions.The busy life after school and strict emotional control make Esther look more and more indifferent.

"What's the matter with you recently? I feel that you are different from before." Leona stood up the "Magic Dictionary" to cover her face, and asked Esther sideways.

"It's okay, what's the matter?" Esther looked at Leona.

"It's fine, you've been too lately... I don't know how to say it properly. For example, yesterday the snail ran out and caught it. Why did you have to kill it? It seems a bit heartless." Li Ona looked at Esther with some concern.

"No, I just think it's faster to deal with it that way, and it won't hurt people, right?" Esther smiled at Leona, but the smile didn't have much warmth.

"But before you... Well, if you insist that you are fine, please tell us if you have something to do? We are friends, right?" Leona looked at Este sincerely.

Est nodded.She didn't tell Leona about her Occlumency practice.This was originally her private matter.She craves the company of friends but also wants to retain her own space of independence.What she didn't realize was that this had caused a misunderstanding among her friends, and the misunderstanding would only deepen.

Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw in the Quidditch match before Easter.Esther has matured a lot as a main player, and his style of play has become more confrontational.She hit her opponent many times, and in the final stage of sprinting for the Golden Snitch, she directly forced the opponent's Seeker into the stand column, causing rib fractures and was sent to the school hospital.

"Your attack on the field just now was a bit too much. You can obviously bypass him and catch the Snitch, but you insist on hurting him." Leona expressed dissatisfaction with Este's behavior.

"I don't think going around will ensure that I catch the snitch first." Esther disagrees.

"But he was seriously injured and was admitted to the school hospital." Leona couldn't believe Esther's expression of indifference.

"So what, it's not normal to be injured in a Quidditch match, and it's the same for me. Am I going to give up my victory for the safety of my opponent? Are you sympathizing with him? Are you his friend or mine? ?” Esther asked Leona impatiently.

Leona stared at Esther with wide eyes in surprise and anger, "How did you become like this now? No wonder they all said that I was out of my mind to make friends with Slytherin. You have also become an unscrupulous Cold-blooded animals, Esther, cold-blooded!" Leona went up the marble steps without looking back.

Orion, who hadn't spoken the whole time, sighed and looked at Leona's back with regret.

This Easter is the most difficult holiday for Esther.She didn't have many friends before, and now she doesn't have any.Leona didn't talk to her, and she didn't want Orion to be caught in the middle.She hid alone in a quiet corner, clearing her mind to keep herself calm.Her Occlumency was stronger, and she even fooled herself.

Every year when the exam period is approaching, Hogwarts needs to prepare a large amount of tranquilizers for fifth and seventh graders.Madam Pomfrey couldn't do it alone, so she would ask Professor Snape for help.And now Snape was very used to squeezing Esther's spare time.Especially at the end of the term when professors are at their busiest.

"What's the matter with you?" Professor Snape asked Esther as she helped prepare the tranquilizer.

"It's okay, Professor." Esther said perfunctorily.

"Although your Occlumency no longer needs my guidance, you still can't fool me," said Professor Snape.

"I didn't lie to you, even if my Occlumency is strong enough, I wouldn't lie to you, Professor." Esther narrated flatly.Since getting along for a long time, Esther and Snape talked more casually.

"Then what's the matter with you and Miss Brown? Recently, I saw that you avoided her in Potions class. You used to whisper a few words in almost every class." Professor Snape raised his eyebrows.

"She thinks I'm a cold-blooded animal who will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals." Esther tried her best to keep her emotions from fluctuating.

After a while Esther continued, "Maybe she's right, I'm cold-blooded. As long as I can win, nothing else matters. I don't know if this is right or wrong. I worry that I will become cruel one day." The more Ster spoke, the softer his voice was, trembling slightly.

"I don't know when Miss Collins became so good at accepting other people's opinions." Professor Snape said mercilessly, "If you really want to know the real yourself, you should take a good look at yourself instead of thinking about what others say. what."

Esther nodded, put the dried potion into the crystal bottle, cleaned the crucible, and tidied up the table.After everything was packed, she picked up her schoolbag and prepared to leave.Professor Snape stopped her, "How is your Patronus Charm?"

Esther didn't answer, she stretched out her wand silently, pointed upwards, and said a spell, "Call God to protect you!" The wand didn't respond.

"The wand draws a circle, like this," said Professor Snape and demonstrated once more, "Spell with emotion, focus on the things that make you happy, and release your emotions. Try again .”

Esther thought about how they practiced the spell in the Room of Requirement, "Call for protection!" The wand seemed to be shining with some silver light, but it dissipated before it gushed out of the wand.

"Not enough, more happy memories." Professor Snape said.

"No, I've tried all the happy memories since Professor Babazi taught us the spell." Esther said dejectedly, "Maybe I just won't have a Patronus. Will I end up being a dark wizard ? I've heard that only dark wizards can't summon Patronuses."

"Those are just rumours," Snape said impatiently. "The Patronus Charm requires emotion and belief, and has nothing to do with what magic you are good at. In fact, most wizards can't summon a Patronus. You need positive emotions as Support is enough, if the memory of happiness is not strong enough, maybe—" He hesitated, "you can try the feelings you strongly want to protect."

Esther tried a few more memories, looking for Easter eggs with Harry, reuniting with Leona, and running away with Orion. The silver light became stronger little by little, and a filament flowed out from the wand.

"There is progress, let's stop here today." Professor Snape said briefly.

Although the Patronus has not yet been practiced, recalling those beautiful pasts makes Este feel relaxed.She had her first good dream after a fight with Leona.She dreamed that Leonor and she were reconciled, that they were drinking butterbeer together as before, translating calculated numbers into English, sneaking up the stairs behind the tapestry, past Filch's cat... …

After waking up, Esther's mood became depressed again, because the feeling in the dream was so good, it made her feel even more lonely in reality.

Soon Slytherin ushered in the last Quidditch match.It was a blustery day, against a Hufflepuff team.Their Seekers are not only agile, but they still fly steadily when Esther is blown around.Esther tried his best to fly over every corner of the court, looking for the Snitch, but he didn't dare to get too far away from the opponent, lest he would spot the Snitch first.

The game was deadlocked for over an hour, with Hufflepuff Seeker and Esther battling each other for several rounds of Snitch before both lost track of their target in high winds.Rivers had already started to lose his temper, and Esther knew he couldn't wait any longer.Even though the opponent was by his side, Esther rushed forward the first time he spotted the snitch.The snitch quickly fled to a low altitude. Esther knew that it might be too late to slow down at this distance, but the people behind her made her grit her teeth and decided to try again.Esther kept her speed and rushed over, two meters, one meter, finally she caught the snitch in her hand, and then quickly pulled the broom handle to make herself fly.But it was too late, she was thrown like a cannonball and smashed into the grass.

When Esther woke up again, his eyes were white, and he couldn't see clearly.There was a buzzing pain in her head, and she couldn't figure out where it was.

"She's awake, I'll call Madam Pomfrey." It seemed to be Leona's voice.

A warm feeling rose in Esther's heart.She tried to open her eyes wide, but could only see a vague figure standing by the bed, seeming to be looking at her too.After a while, footsteps came, "Let me see. What do you think, kid?"

It was Madam Pomfrey's voice, she knew she should be in the school hospital. "I have a headache, and I can't see clearly." Esther replied truthfully.

"Can't you see clearly? It might be from the impact on the head. How does the arm feel? Is it feeling?" Madam Pomfrey asked again.

"Arm—ah——" Esther didn't feel it at first, but when she tried to lift her arm, a piercing pain made her cry out unexpectedly.

"It seems that you are still conscious, don't touch the child. It's just that the fracture will heal soon. But it may take a little longer for your eyes to recover." Madam Pomfrey handed her a glass of potion after speaking.

Esther drank the potion in one gulp, it was sticky and had a strange smell.Esther smacked her lips and tasted frog brains and hellebore syrup.

"It's good for others to drink the medicine without throwing up. Do you want to taste it? How does it taste?" Madam Pomfrey, who was always serious, was also amused by Esther's appearance.

"It tastes good, master level." Esther nodded and smiled in Madam Pomfrey's direction.

Madam Pomfrey's cheeks were slightly red, and she graciously allowed Leona and Orion to stay for 5 more minutes.

"Esther, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that about you that day." Leona waited for Madam Pomfrey to return to her office and said first.

"You're just telling the truth, aren't you? Isn't it right for friends to speak frankly?" Esther's heart burst into joy, but his tone didn't have much emotion, and it sounded more like a reproach.

"Yes, and friends should always appear in front of each other, so that she can find someone when she wants to tell the truth?" Leona was not to be outdone.

Finally both of them laughed.

"You are reconciled now, right?" Orion heaved a sigh of relief.

Since Esther's eyes and arms are not perfect, her test scores are not satisfactory.But she wasn't worried. Aunt Connie didn't pay much attention to her grades, so she didn't need to worry about the grades like Leona and Orion.

Another academic year ends, with Slytherins once again claiming the Quidditch Trophy and winning their sixth consecutive House Cup at the end-of-year banquet.Under the envious eyes of other houses, the Slytherins enjoyed a sumptuous banquet safely.Who cares what other people think of them, they're Slytherins.