Hogwarts on the Tip of the Tongue

Frankly, Penny didn't like the Snape boy from the start.

Not just because of his weird outfit, his rambling words, his unpleasant pranks, or the possibility of robbing his sister...

More importantly, he, like Lily, later James Potter, and everyone else in the wizarding world, had a sense of superiority.

This superiority is not always manifested in direct "arrogance" and "contempt", but sometimes in condescending "sympathy", and sometimes in seemingly harmless "joke".

Just like when she and Vernon met that James, wizards always like to express their unique talents, consciously or unconsciously, and they are like those disabled people who are ridiculed, not even rising. Capital to resist or express anger... Maybe that's why Vernon Dursley demands magic so much.

With her sister and her own separate families, Penny once thought she would say goodbye to the weird magical world completely and live independently without interfering with each other.

However, just after Dalí's first birthday, her infant nephew showed up at their door.

And with it, there are the deaths of Lily and her husband, and the introduction of "magic murder" like a madman.

After some psychological struggle, Penny chose to take in her nephew, and made up her mind to erase all the weirdness of her nephew as much as possible and stay away from the magical world as much as possible.

It's just that all the effort seems so ridiculous with the crazy owl letters and giant visits - Hogwarts doesn't even bother to send a full professor to explain it.

Just like the "harmless" prank of James Potter at the beginning, they can't refuse the requests of wizards without magical talent, and even the most basic respect depends on charity.

Arrogant wizarding world, annoying wizards, uncomfortable magic...

In fact, for a long time, Penny had been telling herself so firmly.

She hates everything about magic.

It wasn't that magic rejected her, it was she who rejected magic.

until……

She received an invitation letter from Hogwarts.

The recipient signed her name, not Penny Dursley, but...Penny Evans.

"Dear Lady Evans, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry invites you to—"

When she saw this line of words, Penny suddenly realized that she never really let go of that dream about magic.

And with Severus Snape appearing at the gates of Hogwarts, Penny was surprised to find that the conflicts and contradictions of childhood seemed to have faded away with time.

Like old friends reunited after a long absence, the two carefully recalled the past - Severus was no longer the aggressive and arrogant boy of the past, and she was no longer the willful and sensitive thirteen-year-old girl, Hogwarts. Tsz School of Witchcraft and Lily seem to be connected by some invisible bond, making them seem to have returned to the playground of decades ago.

Just like the signed name on the "invitation letter", as she stepped into this magical castle, she temporarily changed back to Penny Evans.

And although Snape didn't say it, she could hear some of the same complex emotions in the other's words.

In this world, the only people who can really remember and miss Lily are the two of them, right?

On the other hand, many Gryffindor students and parents gathered around curiously as Penny unintentionally told the past.

Even Professor McGonagall and Filch, who were not far away, lowered their voices, quietly and secretly paying attention to the movements on this side.

Among the many professors at Hogwarts, Severus Snape is definitely the most mysterious and aloof.

Even his fellow professors don't know much about his past, let alone anyone else - as Dumbledore's specially recruited Potions professor, the youngest potions professor ever at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry , The youngest Dean, this Slytherin Dean is like an iceberg with countless secrets sealed, making people full of curiosity and fear.

And now, this iceberg seems to have cracked a small crack, giving people a chance to peek at some of the secrets that are kept secret.

"So, Aunt Petunia, what kind of person is Professor Snape? How did you meet?"

"...Well, what kind of person is Severus? A clumsy, arrogant nasty guy."

Pene Dursley glanced at Harry, paused for a few seconds, and said with a smile.

"As for how you met..."

She looked up at the golden-red curtains next to her, as if she saw the golden-red decorations in their bedroom after Lily's vacation, and there was a look of memory in her eyes.

Speaking of which, Snape must have been planning to strike up a conversation for a long time.

However, because she offended her, she was easily upset for the first time.

Looking back on those trivial things now, I don't have the anger that I had been offended at the time, only the sighing and yearning nostalgia is left.

Penny Evans glanced at the people around her who were listening, the corners of her mouth raised slightly, and she said softly in a story-like tone.

"I remember when Lily had just passed her tenth birthday, I was on a swing with her at the playground next to her house, and then a boy dressed in weird clothes suddenly jumped out—"

…………

Meanwhile, in the Slytherin House common room.

Snape's brows were furrowed, and his thin, pale face was frighteningly sullen.

Compared to the annoying, clumsy Pippi shrimp in class, he finally found something even more annoying:

Some of the noisy parents of "Pippi Shrimp" - the parents of Slytherin House, are undoubtedly the most difficult of the four houses.

The most important thing is that, as the dean of Slytherin Academy, he has to follow up on matters related to the parent-teacher conference today, and there is no way to hide in the potions office.

"Mr Greenglass, I repeat for the last time, I don't know where Dumbledore has gone-"

Snape exhaled softly, suppressed the irritable emotions in his heart, and said indifferently.

For some reason, since a few minutes ago, he's been feeling a particularly bad irritability, as if someone were blowing up his office door again.

"As for some of the content of the parent-teacher conference, such as speculation about the future of the magical world... I recommend that you write directly to the Ministry of Magic for this content."

Before waiting for the "big men" of the pureblood family gathered beside him to speak, Snape waved his hand, his voice full of impatience.

"I'm just a potions professor and academy dean. I can't influence the future direction of the magical society."

"But you obviously know more than we know..."

Unlike Snape's irritability, Mr. Greenglass was noticeably calmer.

"Of course, when the parent-teacher conference is over today, I will naturally visit Mr. Fudge, but now I have a few questions that I hope you can help answer."

As the voice of the Hogwarts school board, he has the patience and time to slowly grind out the answer.

At the same time, this is what he has to do - the "prophecies" at the parent-teacher meeting today are too dangerous, and if they don't get the answer, many of them may have trouble sleeping tonight.

The magical world is in decline, or, in other words, the magical civilization is in decline.

Even if they didn't attend the Hogwarts parent-teacher meeting, many pure-blood wizarding families were aware of this bad trend.

It's just that no one has really broken the matter before this, and in the eyes of the ancient pure-blood camp, the sky is falling anyway, and the Ministry of Magic will bear it first.

It is a pity that this balance and guarantee has completely fallen apart with the explanations given by the Hogwarts professors at the parent-teacher meeting today - the Ministry of Magic has made a choice, and they intend to launch an unprecedented social introversion in the magical world. This kind of survival of the fittest will undoubtedly Subverting the original situation, the descendants of the pure-blood wizard family may one day be "expelled" from the magical society due to lack of ability.

While the professors did not explicitly describe that last point, people like Mr. Greenglass quickly understood the implication.

Unlike parents at other houses, the parents of Slytherin House know all too well how the magical society works.

"Yes, I believe that the Hogwarts 'new curriculum standard' can cultivate better wizards."

Greengrass said in a low voice, his peripheral vision swept over the two daughters not far away, paused for half a second and then said faintly.

"Under the high-intensity and high-density elite education, most of the wizards who graduate in the future will surpass the previous ones, so they will be in an advantageous position in the future job competition."

"However, it's like bread. Strong newcomers get more and better bread. What about the old ones who are eliminated? Even many of them are not old, Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. The solution seems to only consider the new generation, but not the people who are working today - what I want to know is, the story that is not finished in the follow-up..."

Compared with the lively and crowded non-magical world, the magical society can be described as sparsely populated.

The sparse population means serious job saturation and a seriously unbalanced market. Competition and involution have actually begun a long time ago.

Even now, many wizards can only cultivate a piece of land themselves, as self-sufficient as the humblest Muggle - and there is no meat to eat.

For more than half a century, the legendary "Eighteen Pure-blooded Sacred Clan" have withered in half, and most of the remaining ancient magic families are still in the lingering stage.

"Sorry, I don't quite understand your question—"

Snape frowned slightly and looked helplessly at the entangled school administrator.

"My job is to teach students, not to change society, your problems may only be..."

"Oh, no, no, you can definitely answer..."

Greengrass shook his fingers, and after thinking for a few seconds, he continued thoughtfully.

"Hogwarts is undergoing teaching reform, and the purpose of teaching reform is mainly to prepare for entering society in the future——"

"If it's just optimization, there is absolutely no need to carry out such a large-scale and high-intensity teaching reform, which shows that the definition of 'useful talents' has changed."

"In other words, as a professor at Hogwarts, you must have a rough idea of ​​where the 'new content' will work in the future - I'm not asking you to tell me about all the social changes hidden behind the scenes, but I hope You can give me a little direction. The Hogwarts board, the pure-blood wizarding family, is obviously more trustworthy and cooperative than Muggles, right?"

Greengrass spread his hand, pointed to the parents around him, and said softly with a smile on his face.

"For example, we can sponsor for free, or help solve some small troubles..."

"...Is that so?"

Professor Snape was silent for a few seconds, and his frown slowly loosened.

"Well, I roughly understand what you mean. In fact, this is not a secret - anyway, it should be announced after a while."

"The field of potions should undergo subversive changes this year, from the sale of scattered potions and materials to a systematic, streamlined, and specialized potion standard."

"The previous studies on common potions are almost over, and the follow-up should be about building factories, promoting market norms, and popularizing production and sales... and some Hogwarts students will naturally participate in it after graduation~www.wuxiaspot. com~ After all, the foundation and logic of these potion industries are based on the new potion concept, and the knowledge of the original small workshop is obviously not enough."

After a slight pause, Professor Snape glanced slowly at the people around him and continued to speak meaningfully.

"The domestication and commercialization of potions will inevitably impact the interests of major hospitals for magical injuries and illnesses."

"On the other hand, the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts also seem to have a lot of gaps in the exclusive potion formula, labor, and materials. So..."

"...An industrialized potion? Well, this is indeed a good direction."

Greengrass nodded thoughtfully, and a smile finally emerged from his originally solemn and serious expression.

"Thank you, Professor Snape—about these things, we..." He pointed around. "We'll discuss it as soon as possible to see if we can help."

The distribution of interests between pure-blooded families is a rather troublesome and complicated matter, and it is naturally impossible for Greengrass to discuss it directly in front of everyone here.

Even if Severus Snape didn't say it, Greengrass was aware of the huge profits behind it.

Needless to say, after the parent-teacher meeting was over, they had to stay up all night to get together and have a good discussion.

While Greengrass thought, he looked at Lucius Malfoy, who was standing at the edge of the crowd, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

Even if it is a big cake, the weight that each family can get is different, and it is obviously impossible for some latecomers to be on a par with their old-fashioned families.

However, at this time, Lucius Malfoy did not notice the gaze from Mr. Greengrass.

In fact, following Severus' reminder, his mind was instantly occupied by another matter...

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Great!