The sudden influx of a large group of Muggles immediately drew the attention of the witches and wizards inside the pub.
They were experienced enough to guess that these Muggles were likely Hogwarts families with new students, but curiosity still got the better of them.
Yes, just as Muggles were curious about wizards, wizards were equally curious about Muggles.
The new students felt somewhat awkward under the stares of the surrounding witches and wizards, and the parents were little better.
No one enjoyed being gawked at like this.
“This is so rude,” a woman murmured quietly.
Tom, the pub’s landlord, had noticed them when they were still standing outside and had already instructed a waitress to open the back door.
Seeing Lockhart enter, he immediately pointed towards a corner of the establishment.
“He’s waiting for you over there, big celebrity.”
Lockhart knew who he meant, but he still greeted Tom warmly before looking towards the corner where a figure was slowly rising.
The man wore black wizard’s robes and had a stern expression.
His long, lank hair hung down like seaweed, obscuring most of his face.
He was enveloped in an aura that could freeze the very air, his entire being radiating an unmistakable air of keep away.
Lockhart strode over quickly.
“Hello, Severus.
Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“I was not aware that our relationship had progressed to the point of using first names…
and Lockhart, you are five minutes late,” Severus Snape said coldly.
Clearly, he did not like Lockhart.
This was not only because Lockhart had taken the Defence Against the Dark Arts position he coveted, but also because his personality clashed with flashy peacocks like Lockhart.
Lockhart was not offended in the slightest, his smile unwavering.
“My apologies, Professor Snape.
It rained yesterday, and the weeds grew quite a bit.
One of the students insisted on fulfilling his agreement to help a neighbor finish mowing the lawn before coming.
I spent some time helping him out, which caused the delay.”
“Understandable.
I was under the impression that the limited flexibility of your brain might have allowed you to make up that time.
Clearly, I was mistaken.” Snape’s tone remained disagreeable.
“Enough time has been wasted.
Let’s get moving.
My cauldron needs its next stir in four hours.”
“But I would like you to greet the parents of these new students first,” Lockhart insisted.
“It’s basic courtesy.”
Snape had already begun to turn away but stopped at these words.
Lockhart could see Snape’s lips twitch slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.
He then shot Lockhart a dark glare before striding over to the group of new parents, head held high.
“Parents of new students, I am Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts, and also Potions Master.
There is no need to bow to me, as your children are destined not to enter Slytherin.
You may ask the person who brought you here for the reason.
Regardless of which House they are eventually sorted into, even if it is Hufflepuff, I expect them to apply themselves diligently to Potions.
I am not known for leniency when it comes to deducting points or grading examinations.”
With that, he gave a curt nod, which served as his greeting.
The parents quickly returned the gesture, but Snape had already turned away before they could finish.
Lockhart knew Snape was not inherently rude, but as Head of Slytherin, a bastion of pure-blood wizards, he could not appear overly friendly with Muggles.
If he did, the pure-bloods would hold it against him.
Yet this was precisely why Dumbledore had sent him.
While pure-blood wizards might not dare openly harm these Muggles, a bit of mischief was not out of the question.
Having Snape here could prevent many problems.
Lockhart quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
“As he said, this is my colleague, Professor Snape.
He is exceptionally strict with students, perhaps second only to the Head of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall.
Please follow us, everyone.
It’s time to start shopping.”
The new students had been momentarily intimidated by Snape’s presence, but Lockhart’s intervention reminded them why they were there, and they hurried after him.
Arriving in the back alley behind the pub, Snape drew his wand and stopped before a wall.
“All of you, watch closely!
I will only do this once.
If you cannot remember, you will have to ask someone else next time!”
The young witches and wizards quickly crowded closer, trying to see better.
“There is a rubbish bin here.
It does not move.
Count up three bricks from here, then two across, and tap it.”
As he spoke, the tip of Snape’s wand tapped the brick in question.
The moment his wand touched it, the brick seemed to be pushed inward, revealing an opening.
Then, the bricks on either side began to slide aside, rolling along the wall.
“Simple, is it not?
I wager even a troll with water in its brain could remember after seeing it once.”
Ignoring the wide-eyed students and parents behind him, Snape continued forward.
“If you have memorized that, follow me.
First, to Gringotts to exchange currency, then to purchase textbooks, robes, and wands.
I will personally inspect their potions ingredients and cauldrons this year.
I will not have substandard brass cauldrons passed off as proper ones, only to melt because someone failed to remove their Scrofulous Potion from the fire before adding the porcupine quills.”
The group stood there exchanging bewildered glances, clearly not understanding a word Snape had said.
Once again, it fell to Lockhart to intervene.
“As I mentioned earlier, Professor Snape is rather…
taciturn.
However, his mastery of Potions ranks among the top three in the entire wizarding world.
Now, let’s follow him!”
Everyone quickly trailed behind Lockhart and Snape towards the legendary Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Along the way, a few of the new students who had become acquainted in the car whispered among themselves:
“Did you hear that, Mason?
He said that Potions professor is the Head of Slytherin!”
“And he said the Gryffindor Head is even stricter.”
“I remember Magical Me mentioned that Hogwarts has four Houses.
Besides those two, there’s also Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.”
“I hope I get sorted into Ravenclaw.
It sounds like the House for elite students.
If not, Hufflepuff would be okay.
I definitely don’t want to be in that professor’s House.”
“Speaking of which, how does the sorting actually work?
Do the professors choose?
Maybe we should have our fathers pull some strings beforehand?”
“You mean bribery?
I wouldn’t recommend acting rashly before understanding the professors’ characters.
It’s too risky.”
Lockhart had no idea that his earlier introduction was influencing a group of young witches and wizards in their House preferences.
But he did know that in front of outsiders, he must consciously uphold the honor of Hogwarts and demonstrate solidarity with his fellow professors.
So even if he disagreed with Snape’s frosty demeanor, he would not voice it publicly.
Whether he liked it or not, once he used Hogwarts’ influence to enter the Ministry of Magic, he would be labeled as part of the Hogwarts faction.
Under these circumstances, what possible benefit could there be in making an enemy of a Hogwarts professor?