HP: It's a snake, not a badger.

Chapter 140 Extra: Potions Master

(This is a fictional story. Suppose Severus accepts Thaddeus's sponsorship and goes to work for the Ellis family after graduation.)

"Sorry, Severus, Ambrose and I are going on a long trip, so I'll leave Ellie in your care." Calvin said apologetically, feeling bad about having his good friend take care of the child, especially since Emeric wasn't exactly a good kid.

"Come back quickly..." Severus hugged Emeric and desperately wanted to quit. He had spent more time with the butler, so why did they choose him, someone he had only seen a few times a year, and who was now clinging to his leg right away?

If it weren't for Kaven's promise to bring back medicinal herbs, he wouldn't have wanted to bring the child. The man, saying one thing but meaning another, carried Emeric back to his workshop, even conjuring a small cauldron for the child to play with, fearing he'd get bored. "Play by yourself, don't bother me."

Severus, still feeling uneasy, moved Emeric to the front before lowering his head to continue the experiment.

Emeric sat obediently on the small chair, resting his chin on his hand, watching Severus's movements without moving. If Calvin saw this, he would definitely think Emeric was crazy, otherwise he wouldn't be so quiet.

"Gurgle." Kids get hungry easily. Emeric hadn't eaten much all morning, and his stomach started growling at mealtime. The sound was especially loud in the quiet room. Severus quickly finished his work, picked up Emeric, and carried him into the dining room.

The man felt a little guilty. The adults had only been gone for half a day, and he had already let the child go hungry. With an awkward gesture, he patted Emeric's head as a way of comforting the child.

"Tell me what you want to eat." Severus placed Emeric in his designated seat and called Fufu over to let him order.

"Fufu, I want to eat veal steak and vegetables." Putting everything else aside, Emeric is particularly obedient when it comes to eating; he eats both meat and vegetables.

"Just give me a curry rice." Severus wasn't picky. Ever since he started at Hogwarts, he had been eating Fawkes' cooking, and now whatever Fawkes made was to his liking.

He was relieved that Emeric had good table manners and didn't need to be held and fed. After wiping the little boy's face clean, Severus hesitated for a moment, but ultimately took the child's hand and led him to the garden. Emeric was still small and couldn't be kept out of the sun like he was.

That evening, Severus put Emeric back in his room, intending to return to his workshop to continue his experiments. However, not long after he got back, Foucault came running to him.

"Mr. Snape, the young master is having a nightmare and is crying! You must come quickly!!!"

"Don't pull me, I'll go, I'll go." Severus snatched back his sleeve and went to Emeric's room.

He turned on the light and saw Emeric hugging the blanket, his large, smoky purple eyes filled with tears, which dripped onto the blanket, making him look extremely pitiful.

"Don't cry, I'll sleep with you. I'll come over after I've washed up." Severus sighed, abandoning tonight's experimental plans. He couldn't bear to see Emeric cry like this.

A week later

Carter and Ambrose returned with gifts, and as soon as they met, they tried to bribe Severus with the gifts, clearly knowing that it was too much of a burden for the Potions Master to take care of the children.

"Severus, did Airi cause you any trouble?"

No, he's very well-behaved.

"That's good."

This was Severus's honest opinion. Emeric wasn't as mischievous as they made him out to be; he did whatever he was told. He wouldn't do anything naughty while Severus was brewing potions, which made him more well-behaved than his classmates back in school. Especially when Severus was explaining the properties of herbs to Emeric, he would obediently ask questions instead of making wild guesses.

From then on, Emeric followed Severus to learn potions.

"Severus, this is for you!" Emeric handed Severus his newly lost animal tooth, which held special significance in the family as a token given to a future partner.

Taking advantage of Severus's ignorance, Emeric openly gave it to him; the 12-year-old had his own little schemes.

To stay by Emeric's side, Severus even returned to Hogwarts as a professor. He was afraid Emeric would be mistreated at the school, because Emeric had suffered a lot before receiving Thaddeus's financial support.

"Severus, I don't want to go to class." Emeric nestled on the sofa, trying to coax Severus into agreeing not to go out, but unfortunately, he had never agreed to this kind of educational matter.

"Do you want me to carry you there?"

"Okay, okay, I'm going to class now, but I want a hug when I get back!"

"Go quickly."

Emeric walked to the desk, rubbed his face against the desk, and then left with the book in his arms. If he weren't older now, he could have been even more shameless and kissed the desk.

Four years have passed in the blink of an eye, and it's Emeric's 16th birthday.

"Emerick, it's your birthday tomorrow, let's go to Hogsmeade today to celebrate it for you early!"

"We can't have a party tomorrow, it's Monday, so let's go today and just come back on time."

A bunch of small snakes swarmed around Emeric, eager to make friends and get acquainted with him.

"Why don't you talk to the professor and see if we can sneak out for drinks?"

"Well, I'll go back and ask." Emeric was intrigued by the idea of ​​drinking. After reporting his intentions, he left the school with the others, of course without daring to mention that he was going out for drinks.

"What do you want to drink? What do you want to drink?"

"Butterbeer? How about a bottle of Flaming Whisky to try?"

Where is our main character?

"Please help yourselves." Emeric wasn't going to drink any of that. He went to the bar, opened the drink menu, and casually ordered a cocktail. The Flaming Whiskey was too strong for him.

The bar was filled with the noise of students. When Severus walked in, he couldn't help but frown. He couldn't help but regret agreeing to go to McGonagall's party.

"Hey! Severus, over here!" Flitwick raised his hand, pointing Severus in the right direction. "There are so many people here today! Let's get the drinks ready! We're not leaving until we're drunk." The fairy professor always loved to drink, and since he rarely had anyone to drink with today, he was especially excited.

"Felius, I'll only have one drink at most." Severus declined Flitwick's invitation to drink; he didn't want to feel unwell from drinking too much.

"Okay, okay." Flitwick lowered his head, his face full of disappointment, but he quickly raised his head again and cheered up. It was better than nothing.

Emeric had only planned to have one drink, but after losing the game a few times, and with Severus acting like a block of wood and not noticing his advances, he got frustrated and drank too much.

As the curfew approached, he drank seven or eight glasses of strong liquor and, in a daze, leaned on other people's arms for support.

"We're doomed! Emeric is so drunk, Professor Snape will kill us!!!"

"Send them back first, or Professor Snape will really kill us."

At this time, the cellar

Severus unbuttoned his collar, his face flushed with drunkenness; he too had drunk too much. Philius had been urging him to drink, and he hadn't noticed before he became intoxicated.

"Knock knock".

"Professor, we're back..."

Severus took the big boy and closed the door. He was dizzy and had no interest in arguing with these kids.

"Severus, hug me..." Emeric jumped onto Severus, nuzzling him like a kitten.

It's normal for young people to have a temper. As he was rubbing against him, Severus felt something poking him. He looked down and his face instantly turned red. He quickly pushed Emeric away and went into the bedroom to be alone. Finally, he connected the dots in his mind and realized that the little rascal's strange behavior wasn't just acting crazy; he was trying to seduce him.

Left alone in the living room, Emeric opened his misty eyes and stumbled to the bedroom door, banging on it. All he could think about was finding a man.

"Stop knocking." Severus opened the door, took out a bottle of hangover cure potion and poured it into Emeric's mouth, then drank one himself.

"Go to sleep now that you're awake. We're moving out tomorrow."

"You know."

"Hmph." After so many years of getting along, he couldn't bring himself to say anything unpleasant, but he also didn't want to give Emeric a pleasant look.

"So what are your thoughts?"

"Get out."

Hearing that Severus didn't say anything disgusting or hateful, Emeric felt hopeful for the future. It's just about pursuing someone; as long as he doesn't hear a rejection, he can keep going.