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

Chapter 198 Professor Emeric

"Hermione, I chose Elric's Grail class, do you want to come with me?" Draco looked up at the other side. Ron and Harry could forget about it; Emeric would definitely think they were clumsy.

"Well, I also chose Professor Snape's Potions class, so we can have class together." Hermione glanced at the remaining two, utterly exasperated. She tapped the table. "Harry, if you want to be an Auror, you absolutely have to choose Potions. And you, Ron, we both chose Potions, aren't you coming?"

The two of them sighed and lowered their heads as if their lives had been seized, ticking off the courses on their schedules. Fortunately, Hermione and Draco didn't make them choose the same courses, and even gave them plenty of time to practice Quidditch.

They soon received the semester's schedules. Most of the four students' schedules overlapped, with only a small number of classes requiring separate attendance, which greatly reduced Hermione and Draco's workload.

"You have Potions class tomorrow morning, so don't oversleep. I'll be waiting for you in the Great Hall." Draco paused for a moment before continuing, "We're not sure who'll be teaching yet, so you three Gryffindors had better get there early. The Godfather's been in a bad mood these past few days, and if you get caught, I can't help you."

"?"

"What happened?" Ron looked up, curious about which genius dared to provoke Severus and make him angry for days.

Harry lowered his head and didn't say anything. He silently picked up his teacup and covered his mouth. If Severus knew that he was talking about him behind his back, he would definitely be scolded to tears by Potions class.

"Uh...it's nothing, just don't cause trouble lately," Draco said casually, preparing to change the subject. "Don't ask others; knowing too much isn't good."

There's nothing we can do about it; it's all Lucius's fault. Who told him to stand next to Severus and laugh at him? Now Harry and Draco have to be careful, in case they get angry.

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Morning light streamed through the bright glass onto the headboard, where the two slept soundly in each other's arms. The cheerful chirping of birds from the window disturbed their peaceful slumber.

Emeric forced his eyes open, staring blankly at the ceiling. After a moment of daze, he prepared to get up. He had several classes to teach today, and his current place was too far from the classrooms; if he dawdled any longer, he would be late.

"Severus, sleep a little longer." He gently pulled his arm away from the man's body and covered him with the blanket. "I'm going to class. Breakfast is on the dining table in the living room. Remember to eat it later."

Emeric picked up his coat and put it on, then bent down to kiss Severus's lips, brushing a strand of hair from his cheek. "I'll be back soon."

He grabbed a sandwich for breakfast, which was just enough time for him to finish eating and catch any students who were about to be late.

"Ahem." He coughed lightly outside the classroom, reminding the young wizards inside to put away anything that shouldn't be there, or they would lose points if he saw it.

"Attend class."

"Mr. Weasley eating in class, five points deducted from Gryffindor." How could someone not wipe their mouth after eating, with sauce still so visible? Well, don't blame him for deducting points then!

What made Emerich feel relieved was that the sixth-grade students at least wouldn't explode the cauldron and could understand what he was saying, making it much easier than teaching the first-grade wizards.

"Alright, bottling. I don't think I need to teach you this step." Emeric stood on the podium, looking at the students below. The thought of seeing those faces again in the magic rune classroom later gave him a headache.

After all the students had left the classroom, Emeric checked the quantity of the medicinal herbs before leaving himself; he didn't want to have to deal with a potion accident while attending a spell class.

His spellcasting classroom was chosen next to the potions classroom, so he could save a lot of walking, especially after Dumbledore returned to be the headmaster and he and Severus moved back to the dungeons.

"We meet again~" Emeric tapped the blackboard, especially happy to see that there were only a few people in the classroom. As a newly opened elective course, this was really great. Fewer people meant less work, and he didn't have to keep walking around like he did in Potions class.

"There is a piece of brass on your left. The task for this lesson is to use magic to engrave the pattern on your right."

As Emeric explained, he demonstrated, drawing them to his side for a closer look. The advantage of having fewer people was evident. "This is the simplest protective rune. Once you learn it, you can carve it anywhere you want. The prerequisite is that this thing itself doesn't have any runes carved on it, otherwise it will explode. Of course, if you have the ability to smooth out runes, then disregard what I said."

After the demonstration, Emeric had them return to their seats and try it out. Because the rune itself only had a few lines, everyone learned it before the end of get out of class, making the entire lesson very efficient.

"Alright, get out of class dismissed. Homework consists of three pieces of brass, with the minimum requirement being that the patterns are clear." Emeric paused, revealing a malicious smile. "Bring them to class next period for a test. Whoever has the most defective pieces will have to stay and clean up."

His classroom didn't need much tidying up; he could simply cast two spells to clean it up, pick up the potion basket in the corner, and leave.

On the way back, they ran into McGonagall, who had just finished class. She had come specifically to stop Emeric, not wanting him and Severus to have dinner in the principal's office, since the principal was expected to participate in group activities.

"Airi, how did you and Severus sleep last night? I remember Albus hid a lot of candy in the principal's office. You two need to find it quickly, or it will attract cockroaches."

"Thank you for your concern, Professor McGonagall. Severus and I were up until midnight yesterday and barely managed to find a bunch of candy. We'll deal with the rest this weekend. We have a lot of classes these days and don't have time to take care of things."

"Just call me Minerva. Like Severus, we're colleagues now."

"Okay, Minerva." Emeric noticed that McGonagall wanted to touch her head, so he lowered his head slightly so she could touch it without having to stand on tiptoe.

"You and Severus are going to the Great Hall for lunch, the Headmaster can't be absent," McGonagall reminded him before leaving, almost forgotten by Emeric.

"OK..."

Back in the principal's office, Severus lay in a rocking chair by the window reading a book, the soft sunlight falling on him.

"I'm back." Emeric walked to the window, buried his head in the man's chest, and said in a dejected tone, "Severus, we're going to have lunch in the Great Hall from now on."

He has less and less time to spend alone with them. He can only endure it for a few more days. Once he finds Dumbledore's whereabouts, he will definitely bring the man back to continue being the headmaster.

"Did Minerva tell you that?"

"Um."

"Still haven't found Dumbledore?"

"No..." Emeric was frustrated at the mention of this. His men hadn't even found Dumbledore's hair. "If I still can't find it by next week, I'll ask my father for help." He'd rather be in the cellar reviewing documents than sunbathing in the headmaster's office.