https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-409-Cadogan-the-Password-Guardian/12538710/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-412-You-re-Not-Playing-by-the-Book/12538712/
Chapter 411: Wolfsbane Potion
Chapter 411: Wolfsbane Potion
Vampires were part of the third-year curriculum for Defense Against the Dark Arts, a subject Kyle had also studied last year.
While Gilderoy Lockhart was unreliable, the content in his books was not entirely fictitious.
Aside from the "Lockhart's Smile" - a lethal weapon of mass destruction that couldn't be replicated - there were many legitimate methods in his books to deal with dark creatures.
"Garlic emits an odor that vampires find repulsive, similar to the smell of compost in a greenhouse," Kyle explained to Neville as they walked to the library. "You can wear it around your neck or rub its juice on your body."
"Of course, you can also eat it. If you consume enough to permeate your being like Quirrell, emitting a garlicky scent wherever you go, even if you offer your neck to a vampire, they won't give you a second glance."
"I see..." Neville said, enlightened. "I recall Professor Lupin mentioning something similar."
"But this only applies in general cases," Kyle continued. "If you encounter a vampire that's been starving for a long time or one with peculiar tastes, turning yourself into garlic won't help."
...
Neville nodded repeatedly, and with Kyle's help, he quickly finished his Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment.
He lifted his head, hesitated for a long time, and then softly said, "Thank you..."
"What?" Kyle, who was working on his Divination homework, didn't catch that.
"I mean, thank you..." Neville said again. "Ever since I lost the password, it's been a while since anyone has been willing to talk to me.
"Aside from Hermione, you're the second one."
"That's because you haven't approached them the right way," Kyle said, looking up. "If you say to Fred and George, 'Your pranks are pointless,' they'll happily chat with you about it for a whole day or longer.
Or you could find Harry and tell him you saw a pretty girl in Ravenclaw. He'd be delighted to discuss that topic with you for hours."
"Huh?" Neville blinked. "Is it that simple? But I thought Harry didn't like being around me. He kept finding excuses to separate from me earlier."
"Perhaps he just had other things on his mind," Kyle put down his quill and gathered his completed assignment.
Checking the time, he saw that there were less than ten minutes left of the hour that Snape had assigned.
"Just in time," he said.
Kyle stood up and, seeing Neville's confused expression, explained, "For the second half of the detention, we're going to the underground classroom.
Do you want to come? Since you don't have anything else to do, I think Professor Snape won't mind if I bring you along."
"No, no!" Neville shook his head vigorously, his hands fumbling with his quill, nearly knocking over the ink bottle.
"I, I still have a lot of homework to do. You go ahead."
"What a shame," Kyle said, not pressing the issue further. He gathered his things and left the library.
Neville, left alone at the table, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief.
After leaving the library, Kyle made his way through the entrance hall and down to the underground classroom.
Due to the Hogsmeade trip, most of the students were out of the school, leaving even the usually bustling entrance hall deserted. The underground classroom was even more so.
Along the way, Kyle could only hear his own footsteps.
His destination was the third classroom in the middle of the corridor.
When Kyle pushed open the door, Snape was already there, staring at him expressionlessly. "Why are you so late?"
"There are still two minutes left in the hour, Professor," Kyle said.
"Thank you for the reminder, but I believe I can tell the time," Snape replied.
"Sorry, Professor. I intended to come earlier, but..."
"No need, it's the least I could do." Kyle turned his head away, adding, "Of course, if Professor insists on offering me a pint of Pepper-Up Potion as a token of gratitude, I wouldn't dare refuse."
Pepper-Up Potion?
A pint?
Snape's eyes twitched; he had never heard of anyone measuring Pepper-Up Potion by the pint... Did he think it was pumpkin juice?
"I think Madam Pomfrey should have a look at your head." Snape pointed, "But that's for later. For now, clean that cauldron spotless and bring it over here."
Following Snape's finger, Kyle saw a cauldron that was a size larger than usual, with some pungent brown potion still inside.
"Spotless, it is." Kyle brandished his wand.
The potion inside vanished, leaving the cauldron immaculately clean.
Turning around, Kyle had expected Snape to refuse and insist on manual cleaning, but surprisingly, Snape said nothing.
"What are you dawdling for? Bring the cauldron here quickly."
"Oh, right."
It was better to save effort where he could, so Kyle picked up the cauldron and placed it in front of Snape.
"Professor, may I take my leave now?"
"Of course... you may not!" Snape sneered. "You didn't think I brought you here just to clean a cauldron, did you? My detentions are not that easy."
He waved his wand, summoning a large pile of potion ingredients onto the table in front of Kyle.
"Deal with these, I'll need them later."
A cold smile played on Snape's lips as he watched Kyle, his voice dripping with malice, "Remember this well... I'm only going to say it once. If you make any mistakes or fail to prepare these ingredients as instructed, I won't remind you.
But then again, you might end up with one less professor to deal with."
"Listen well...
Reduce the lionfish bones to a fine powder, slice the ginger roots, three drops of armadillo bile, three drops of mandrake juice, wolfsbane leaves - only the top part and they must be undamaged..."
Snape spoke rapidly, as if afraid that Kyle might actually remember it all.
Fortunately, Kyle had a good memory and noted everything he said.
After that, he silently began to prepare the ingredients.
As he was grinding the lionfish bones into a fine powder, about to slice the ginger roots, Snape spoke again.
"Now, put the lionfish bone powder into the cauldron..."
Kyle nodded and poured the powder from a dish into the cauldron.
Soon, the potion inside turned a pleasant orange color.
"Professor, may I ask what potion this is?"
"Oh?" Snape raised an eyebrow, "Our straight-O student can't recognize this?"
"At the very least, it's not something we're supposed to be learning. Not even in our seventh year..." Kyle said.
"So, in your opinion, anything that's not in the textbook is unimportant, is that it?" Snape snorted.
"If you had bothered to read up on potion-making, you'd know that lionfish bone powder, combined with ginger root and armadillo bile, creates a potion that keeps one's mind alert. Mandrake juice and wolfsbane leaves, on the other hand, suppress the effects of dangerous transformations...
"Hearing this, can't you figure it out yet?"
Kyle pondered for a moment before asking tentatively, "Wolfsbane Potion?"
It was the only one that kept the mind alert and was related to dangerous transformations.
"Not completely thick, then." Snape said, his tone laden with meaning.
...
(End of Chapter)
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