Hogwarts: Lacus doesn't want to be a witch who destroys nations.

Lux and the others hurriedly moved to the new classroom, which was their first potions class.

Professor Horace Slughorn opened his arms wide and proclaimed in his mead-infused voice, "Welcome to Hogwarts!"

The Professor Horace before us was quite different from the later image of a "bloated, bald, fat old man only interested in delicacies and good students." Horace Laghman at this moment was indeed wealthy, but his upright posture and well-tailored dark green robe accentuated his distinguished bearing. His meticulously groomed silver-white goatee and shrewd, small eyes made him resemble a wealthy businessman more than the stereotypical professor.

"Potionology," he uttered slowly, as if savoring a fine piece of chocolate, "is not the kind of magic you imagine, waving a wand and chanting spells. It is silent alchemy, the secret transformation of matter under the catalysis of fire and time." He paused deliberately, letting the weight of the word "silent" sink into the students' hearts.

"Many people look down on potions because they don't even need a wand, thinking it's nothing more than a kitchen trick of boiling roots and bark." Slughorn let out a short, slightly contemptuous laugh. "Wrong! The realm of potions, its vastness, far exceeds your imagination! It can reshape flesh and blood, twist fate, and even..." His voice suddenly lowered, carrying an almost whispered seductive power, his body leaning slightly forward, "...beyond death."

Upon hearing this, Tom's eyes lit up. From some point onward, his fear of death and his longing for immortality had gradually deepened.

"Now, please open your books to 'Magic Potions,' and we'll begin our first lesson. First, we'll learn about magic potions..."

After quickly giving a basic lecture on potions from the podium, Slughorn began distributing potion-making materials to the young wizards.

The materials were distributed, and the crucibles steamed slightly above the small flames of the alcohol lamps. A peculiar aroma, a mixture of earth, herbs, and a faint trace of sulfur, filled the classroom. Professor Slughorn quickly read out the name of the potion: "Scabies Treatment Potion! Very simple, perfect for beginners. Let's see who can present it perfectly first; the first one will earn ten points for his school!"

Lux tried hard to recall the steps in the book and what Professor Slughorn had said. She carefully picked up a dried nettle and chopped it up with a silver knife as instructed... However, the book didn't specify how much to chop it up, so Lux simply cut it into pieces of varying sizes.

"It's alright, the book doesn't say what to add first or last, just pour it in first." She muttered to herself, throwing the nettle powder into the crucible. Several large bubbles rose in the light green liquid in the crucible, followed by the snake fang powder... She held her breath, afraid that her breath would blow the powder away, and scooped up a small pinch with a small copper spoon. When the powder was sprinkled in, it brought up a small pinch of dust floating on the surface.

"Stir, stir counterclockwise five times, gently, like smoothing the surface of water..." Lux looked at the steps in the book and picked up the stirring stick. The first two rounds went smoothly, but the third round was too slow because she was thinking about "gently." While she was distracted, the flame scorched the bottom of the crucible; she should lower the temperature now. When she stirred for the fourth time, the liquid in the crucible suddenly changed from light green to a murky, unsettling yellowish-brown!

A pungent smell, like burnt rubber mixed with rotting vegetables, instantly filled the air. Lux frantically tried to move the crucible, but it was too late. The liquid inside the crucible boiled violently, bubbling in protest, its color darkening until it finally turned into a sticky, tar-like substance bubbling with purplish-black bubbles.

"Oh no, the alchemy attempt failed miserably. System, shouldn't I be a magical genius? Why did I fail? I followed the book step by step." Lux was filled with doubt.

[Potion brewing is not a basic skill; the host must learn it on their own.]

"All cleaned up!" Professor Slughorn arrived just in time, waving his wand to wipe away the disaster in Lux's cauldron. His round face held a perfectly measured hint of regret, but his eyes remained gentle. "Ah, Miss Gryffindor, it seems the slight fluctuations in the flame temperature and the lack of coordination in stirring caused the drastic change in the properties of the substance. It's understandable for a first attempt. Next time, pay attention to the temperature and be patient with the potion's properties." He politely patted Lux's shoulder, offering little reprimand, but it was clear he didn't care much about most of his students.

Just as Lux was staring at the empty cauldron, wondering what was wrong, Professor Slughorn's undisguised praise came from the other end of the classroom.

"Perfect! Absolutely flawless!" Slughorn's booming voice was filled with delight as he stood before Tom Riddle's lab bench, bending down to carefully examine the liquid in the crucible. "Pale green in color, clear as dew on new leaves in spring! The scent is fresh and pure, with just the right amount of herbal fragrance! Mr. Riddle, I must say, this is one of the most perfect scabies treatments I've seen today, perhaps even recently! Slytherin, ten points!"

Tom bowed slightly, a perfectly measured humble smile on his face, but his dark eyes gleamed with undisguised smugness. He tapped his wand lightly, and the potion in the cauldron automatically poured into a crystal bottle, the cork set securely. He handed the bottle to Professor Slughorn with both hands, his movements fluid and confident.

The surrounding Slytherin students cast admiring or envious glances, while several wizards who, like Lux, had been in an uproar, seemed somewhat dejected.

"How did that kid become one?" Lux asked, somewhat puzzled. After all, her method was almost identical to that in the textbook, so there shouldn't be such a big difference.

[Long-term mission: A beginner's trial.]

[Task Requirement: Successfully and independently craft a bottle of scabies treatment potion]

[Quest Reward: 1 Reusable Potion (Potion does not occupy an equipment slot and will be generated directly in the real world)]

[Item Description: Drinking this potion will restore a small amount of health and mana over a short period of time. After the effect ends, the potion will automatically and slowly recharge, and can be used again after 24 hours.]

Lux's eyes lit up instantly. A reusable potion! This was a supply with unlimited power, and in this turbulent magical world, it was incredibly valuable.

But there are obviously some omissions in the book. How can such a damned self-study textbook still exist even in the magical world?

Without any hesitation, Lux quickly stood up and took two steps to Tom's desk while Slughorn walked away from them towards the students.

"Tom!" Her voice was low but urgent.

Tom paused slightly, turned his head, and when he saw that it was Lux, the perfect mask of humility on his face instantly fell, and his face immediately fell.

His voice was gentle but cold, perhaps because there were classmates around and he had to maintain his persona. "Miss Lux, is there something you need? Please note that it is class time." Tom's unspoken message was, "You crazy woman, don't come near me and have your tantrum."

Lux ignored his indifference and quickly glanced in Slughorn's direction. "I just failed at making a potion, but I have to try again. Tell me, what's the most crucial part? This potion book is terrible; there's clearly something it doesn't explain."

A fleeting hint of impatience, and even a hint of pleasure, flashed quickly in Tom's eyes.

For so many years, Lux had suppressed him, and finally Lux came to beg him. Tom's lips involuntarily curled up a few pixels.

Tom glanced at Slughorn, who was still leisurely patrolling the classroom, then at the bottle of potion on his desk, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Although he really wanted to see Lux get her comeuppance, several classmates had already seen Lux arrive, and refusing a classmate who was asking for help in public would indeed be detrimental to his carefully maintained image, especially in front of Slughorn, a professor who liked to collect "geniuses" and "popular" students.

As the head of Slytherin, Tom had already found out about Slughorn's likes and dislikes.

"The nettles should be cut into uniform sizes. When the potion first rises, add half of the snake fang powder and porcupine quills, stir, and then add the nettles. When the potion changes color, add the snake fang powder again, then turn to low heat and simmer slowly until the potion thickens and sets." Tom told Lux ​​the key points in one breath, and then waited for her to look at him with admiration.

Lux raised an eyebrow. "This isn't some kind of spellcasting lesson. These details are clearly something someone told you... Where did you learn that?"

Tom, not receiving any praise, turned cold again: "Purebloods naturally have their own methods."

"Got it. The Slytherin students who took this class before gave me some 'study notes.' Aren't you going to share them with me?"

"Hmph." Tom didn't reply and began to maintain his persona.

Lux ran back to her table and started refining again. Following Tom's instructions, she stared intently at the crucible. The liquid in the crucible, after a brief period of turbidity over an extremely weak flame, quickly sank and blended, its color gradually turning into a clear, vibrant deep emerald green, with a fresh smell and not a trace of burnt residue.

Success! Although the color is slightly lighter than Tom's bottle, it definitely meets the acceptable standard.

[Task completed, reward issued]

Slughorn had just finished his rounds and returned when his gaze fell on Lux's cauldron. His expression instantly shifted from a routine smile to genuine surprise. "Excellent! This Miss Lux from Gryffindor...Lanker...this is an absolutely admirable turnaround! In such a short time, from...uh...a small accident, you've successfully concocted a usable potion! Although the purity could be improved, this demonstrates your potential for learning! Gryffindor's indomitable spirit in the face of setbacks, their immediate attempts, and their grasp of the key points—five points added!"

The surrounding Gryffindors applauded; after all, they were from their own house, so they had to create a good atmosphere.

Lux felt a slight weight in the inner pocket of her robe. She instinctively touched the pocket to confirm that the palm-sized reusable potion was indeed there.

"Children, this lesson is over." Slughorn waved his wand to clear all the remaining materials from the table. "I am very pleased that two wizards were able to successfully brew potions today, which is rare in my many years of teaching. I hope that all of you will do your best to prepare after class."