Chapter 312: Hermione, the Cat Girl
Chapter 312: Hermione, the Cat Girl
After leaving the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor, Kyle greeted every portrait he passed with a cheerful demeanor.
Hogwarts was indeed full of surprises. Who would have thought that on this ordinary Christmas, he not only got to see the legendary Phoenix Ashes but also received a small bottle of it.
It felt like a dream.
Kyle wasn't sure how often Fawkes underwent rebirth, but he knew it wouldn't be a short period... Dumbledore's eyes had turned red, and it was the first time Kyle had seen him so emotional.
Moreover, Newt's book, 'Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them,' didn't provide any specific information about the timing of a phoenix's rebirth. This implied that Fawkes hadn't undergone rebirth since Newt wrote the book.
If that was the case, then the interval between Fawkes' rebirths must be at least sixty years...
Of course, this referred to the natural state, and special cases like the Killing Curse weren't included.
Kyle couldn't help but take out the small bottle again, examining it under the dim light...
At least sixty years, a small pinch of ashes... This could be considered one of the most precious materials in the magical world, without a doubt.
According to legends, the ashes left behind after a phoenix's rebirth contained both death and new life, making it the ultimate desire of countless alchemists and potion masters.
Kyle even suspected that one of the Deathly Hallows, the Resurrection Stone, might have been created using the ashes of a phoenix's rebirth.
If given the opportunity, it would be worth researching.
Kyle turned back and glanced at the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's Office, subconsciously quickening his pace. He ran down the stairs and reached the first floor.
As he arrived in the entrance hall, he encountered two familiar figures.
"Harry, Ron?" Kyle greeted them and asked, "What are you doing here so late?"
The two of them were startled and quickly turned around, looking at Kyle with nervous expressions.
"We... we couldn't sleep... so we came out for a walk..."
"How... how did you get here!"
The two of them stood close together, looking as if they had been caught during a night out.
"Oh, I just came from the Headmaster's Office," Kyle said casually. "But aren't you wearing the wrong clothes? Why are you so big... wait, what's that tail..."
"What tail? You must be mistaken... haha..." Harry stammered.
Ron quickly nodded, "Yes, you must be tired from reading too much."
It was freezing, yet they were sweating.
Something was off... These two were practically wearing 'caught red-handed' on their faces.
Kyle suddenly looked up in surprise and said, "Professor McGonagall, what brings you here?"
"Professor McGonagall!"
"Ah!"
Harry and Ron turned around simultaneously, but the next second, they realized there was no one behind them.
However, at that moment, Kyle also saw what they had been hiding... a tawny, furry head, which seemed to be... a cat?
When Kyle called out Professor McGonagall's name, she was startled as well and instinctively looked up.
It was confirmed; it was a cat, but with a human body, wearing an oversized robe.
Kyle examined her closely and asked uncertainly, "Hermione?"
"Ah!" The other person screamed and quickly covered her face.
Kyle turned to look at Harry and Ron.
The two sighed, tacitly acknowledging the situation.
The ill-fitting school uniform, combined with Hermione's transformation into a cat...
Kyle couldn't help but ask, "Did she drink Polyjuice Potion with cat hair in it?"
Once again, they chose silence.
After a moment, Ron asked in a low voice, "Do you have any ideas?"
"The Human Transfiguration Spell should work," Kyle thought for a moment and said, "Lockhart mentioned it in 'Wandering with Werewolves,' but I don't know how to cast it. If you want, you can ask Lockhart if he remembers the spell..."
"Lockhart?"
Harry Potter's eyelids twitched, and he immediately shook his head. "Is there any other way?"
Kyle frowned. "I can't be sure if it will work. Let's take her to the Hospital Wing first. Madam Pomfrey will definitely have a solution."
"Okay."
Harry and Ron nodded, covering Hermione again, and headed towards the Hospital Wing.
Fortunately, it was the holidays, and it was already late, so apart from Kyle, they didn't encounter anyone else on their way.
...
"This is quite troublesome..."
In the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey carefully examined Hermione's condition and lifted her head with a grave expression.
"Didn't Professor Snape teach you that Polyjuice Potion shouldn't be used for animal transformations?"
"We... we didn't know... it was an animal's hair..." Ron stammered.
Both he and Harry were prepared to confess, whether it was stealing from Snape's private storage room or secretly brewing Polyjuice Potion.
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Right now, the most important thing was to restore Hermione to her original state. As for the punishment they would face later, they couldn't worry about that now.
"You're so reckless... careless..." Madam Pomfrey said angrily, "You dared to drink it without even knowing what the potion's ingredients were. You're lucky to be alive."
She scolded Harry and Ron but didn't ask a single question about where they got the Polyjuice Potion or what they were trying to do.
Madam Pomfrey then took out her wand and tapped Hermione a few times.
Large patches of hair fell off, but even more remained on her body.
"She will need at least five weeks of treatment here to recover."
Madam Pomfrey waved her hand and started shooing them away. "Now, you should go back."
"We can stay here..."
"No!"
Harry's words were cut off as Madam Pomfrey refused, not allowing them to stay for any reason.
Reluctantly, the two had to bid farewell to Hermione and left the Hospital Wing, looking back repeatedly.
"Why are you still here?" Madam Pomfrey turned to Kyle, who showed no intention of leaving.
"Madam Pomfrey," Kyle asked, "I want to know if Mandrake leaves can be used for this type of incorrect transformation caused by potions."
"Mandrake?"
"I read it in a book," Kyle said. "Someone used Mandrake leaves to restore people who had been transformed into octopuses."
"Don't tell me it's from Lo Hart's book."
Kyle nodded.
In fact, he had read it in the book, With the Hag.
"Mandrake, when used together with Cowbane, can indeed be used to restore those whose appearances have been altered by curses or transformations."
Madam Pomfrey spoke seriously. "But the Resurrection Potion requires not the leaves, but the juice of mature Mandrake."
"Resurrection Potion?"
"That's right." Madam Pomfrey glanced at the two beds in the corner. "This can also be used to save those who have been petrified."
Kyle nodded in realization... so Lo Hart didn't understand the story and made up his own recipe.
If that was the case, there was nothing they could do.
Although the seeds given by the Ministry of Magic included Mandrake and Cowbane, they were both in the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor, which meant they weren't mature yet.
It takes about a year for Mandrake seeds to germinate and grow facial features, and even then, it's just a seedling. It takes another year for it to mature.
Cowbane is even slower... like Venomous Tentacles, it takes at least three years to mature.
...
(End of Chapter)
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