Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 296 A New Experience in Potions Class (Part Two)

Slytherin and Ravenclaw naturally formed a group of four and stood at two tables, leaving Harry, Ravenclaw, and their two companions to team up with Ernie.

After everyone had found their places, Slughorn returned to the back of the podium and, through the orderly movement of the cauldrons floating in the air, said, "Alright, let's begin class... Please take out your scales, potion pouches, and your 'Advanced Potion Making' textbooks."

"Professor?" Harry raised his hand and said, "I have no books, no scales, nothing, and neither does Ron... We didn't expect to be in the advanced class..."

"Oh...right! I almost forgot, Professor McGonagall mentioned this."

"You can use the materials in the storage cabinet today. You can also use the old balance and textbooks for now..." As he spoke, Slughorn walked to a storage cabinet in the corner, took out two worn textbooks, a balance, and a crucible, and handed them to the two of them.

"Alright, let's get back to the main topic!" He returned to the back of the podium. "I've prepared a few potions to broaden your horizons; they're in the cauldrons right in front of you. If all goes well, you'll be able to make them once you finish the advanced course."

"I imagine that even if you haven't used them yet, you've certainly heard of them... Now, can anyone tell me what kind of potion this is?"

Slughorn walked to the Slytherin table and opened the lid of the cauldron. Everyone else crowded around and saw that it was full of a liquid that looked like clear water.

"Truth serum," Hermione said directly. "It's colorless and odorless, and it forces people to tell the truth."

"Very good!" Slughorn said happily, then went to the Ravenclaw table. "So, what is this one?"

"Here's a hint: it was mentioned in some of the pamphlets the Ministry of Magic has been issuing lately..."

"A compound decoction," Hermione replied calmly.

She was no stranger to compound decoctions and had even successfully prepared them, although her experience using them at the time was not very pleasant.

"Yes, yes! So, can you recognize the next one, darling?" Slughorn opened the cauldron on Harry's long table, and Hermione recognized it at a glance.

"Aphrodisiac...the really high-quality kind."

Hermione's performance piqued Slughorn's interest, and he immediately opened the cauldron on the podium.

"Miss Granger, come and see, can you recognize what this is?"

Hermione looked at the crystal-clear potion in the cauldron, which emitted a peculiar scent. She sniffed it and answered without hesitation, "Felix Felicis! Professor."

"Excellent, excellent!" Slughorn clapped his hands happily, his words full of praise.

"As expected of the best student in the entire grade, Gryffindor +20 points!"

He raised his hand to signal everyone to return to their seats, and then said, "Truth Potion, a potion that makes people tell the truth. It is mostly used for interrogation and is a potion strictly controlled by the Ministry of Magic."

"Compound decoctions are also strictly controlled medicines, and now they are explicitly prohibited. This is because they can completely transform a person into someone else. Under the current circumstances, I don't need to emphasize their dangers."

"Aphrodisiacs, magical potions that can induce sexual desire, are also classified as controlled substances."

“I saw a love potion in a shop in Diagon Alley, but it was a modified version that only lasted for twenty-four seconds at most. But this pot in front of you is different,” Slughorn said. “I need to remind you that this love potion doesn’t create lust; it only brings intense obsession and infatuation, which can very likely last for months or even years.”

"Finally, Felix Felicis." He gently shook the potion in the crucible, letting its strange and alluring aroma waft out, attracting everyone's attention before closing the lid. He then took a small bottle from the pocket of his vest and shook it.

"Perhaps the most magical potion, just this small bottle can bring twelve hours of good luck. After you drink it, you will feel that everything you do is effortless, as if you have been favored by Lady Luck."

"Of course, this good luck isn't permanent, and you can't drink it all the time. Who knows why?"

"Because excessive consumption of FLORS can cause dizziness, and can also make people reckless and arrogant; simply put, it can change a person's personality."

Hermione's answer pleased Slughorn, who added another ten points to Gryffindor's score.

"Excellent answer!" Slughorn said. "So, you all heard that, no matter how good something is, don't overdo it. Even Felix Felicis has some toxicity... However, this small bottle is perfectly fine!"

"I've decided! This will be a prize for this lesson!" he said. "Now, turn to page ten of your Advanced Potion Making textbooks. In the coming days, you will attempt to make a Living Hell Potion."

"This is a complex potion you've never encountered before, and I don't expect anyone to brew a perfect one... Therefore, the reward will go to the most outstanding person!"

"Let's begin!"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone brought out their own crucibles, turned to page ten of the book, and began to cook according to the steps written on it.

Everyone was very serious, wanting to obtain the Felix Felicis and have that lucky day. Slughorn, however, walked among them with great interest, unlike Snape who had a stern face; his face was full of a kind smile.

But not everyone had such a smooth journey; Harry ran into trouble. The blank spaces of the old textbook he received were filled with annotations, and some steps had been crossed out, making it impossible to see the original operating procedures.

Harry hurriedly retrieved the ingredients, only to be completely bewildered when faced with the textbook. But he had no other choice but to grit his teeth and begin the process, following the instructions written within.

Squeeze the sleep-inducing bean with the back of a knife to extract more juice; pour the juice into a crucible, and once the potion turns a pale bluish-white, stir it counterclockwise seven times, then immediately stir it clockwise once. The potion will then turn a pale pink...

Harry didn't know the original steps, but following the instructions in the book made it easy to lighten the color of the potion. By the time Slughorn told everyone to stop, the potion was only a faint pink color and was about to become as clear as water.

Slughorn checked everyone's work one by one. He made no comments, occasionally stirring and smelling it, but Harry could see clearly that none of the others' potions were as pale pink as his.

Ron's was a pot of mush, Ernie's had a strange, foul smell, and Hermione's was nothing but clear water...

and many more!

Clear water?!

(End of this chapter)