Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 344 Aphrodisiacs and Poisons (Part Two)

Hermione pulled Lavender away from the common room. Fortunately, there weren't many people in the corridor at that time, and they easily saw Harry and Ron's backs.

Seeing this, Lavender was about to rush over when Hermione, caught off guard, couldn't stop her and watched helplessly as she ran off. When Hermione caught up, Ron was still uttering those incredibly hurtful words.

"A love potion?" Hermione asked Harry quietly. Harry nodded and pulled Ron toward the stairs, muttering, "Weren't you looking for Romida? Let's go..."

Lavender's eyes welled up with tears again; she was extremely anxious. She had heard Hermione's words and knew what had happened to Ron.

"What do we do, Hermione?"

"Let's follow them!"

Harry and Ron led the way, with Hermione and Lavender trailing behind, and they soon arrived at Slughorn's door. Harry knocked anxiously, and the door opened after just one knock.

"Harry, isn't this a bit too early..." Slughorn, wearing green velvet pajamas, glanced sleepily at Harry and Ron, as well as Hermione and Lavender not far behind them.

"Sorry, Professor," Harry said softly, trying to stop Ron from rushing in.

"My friend Ron has accidentally ingested a love potion. Could you perhaps prepare an antidote for him? I was thinking of taking him to Madam Pomfrey, but things from the Weasley Wizarding World are forbidden, so... it would be very embarrassing if he were asked about it..."

"Didn't you get him an antidote, Harry?" Slughorn asked, having regained his senses.

"I've never concocted an antidote for aphrodisiacs before, Professor. Once I do, Ron might..."

"Where is she! I can't see her, Harry!" Ron suddenly wailed as Harry was explaining.

This shout also brought Slughorn back to his senses. He looked at the lustful Ron with interest and asked, "The potion isn't expired, is it? You know, the longer it's stored, the stronger its effects become."

"I don't know, but it's been at least three months," Harry said breathlessly, having to expend most of his energy stopping Ron.

"Alright, come in, Miss Granger and Miss Brown too, come in..." Slughorn understood and stepped aside. "This antidote isn't difficult to make..."

As soon as Harry stepped aside, Ron broke free and rushed inside, his eyes scanning Slughorn's cramped study while muttering Romida's name under his breath.

Just then, Hermione led a sobbing Lavender in, and Slughorn gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Professor."

"It's alright, it's alright, just like I said, the antidote is simple..." Slughorn said, opening his medicine kit and adding various ingredients to a glass bottle. Surprisingly, the strangely colored ingredients, once added, made the liquid inside the bottle even clearer.

"Drink this; it'll calm you down." Slughorn handed the glass bottle to Ron. "You don't want that beautiful lady to see you looking so impatient, do you? Believe me, ladies don't like that."

"Really? That's great!" Ron took the bottle and eagerly drank the antidote.

Harry and the others looked at Ron, and soon the smile on his face slowly disappeared, leaving only extreme fear.

"Ron!" Lavender rushed over and hugged Ron when he saw this. Ron's body trembled as Lavender helped him to sit on the armchair next to him.

He didn't say anything, but just held Lavender's hand tightly.

"Back to normal?" Slughorn chuckled, and Harry smiled too.

"Thank you, Professor," Lavender said gratefully.

"You're welcome, child," Slughorn said. "I've been teaching for so many years, and this isn't the first time I've seen something like this. He needs a little boost, that's what he needs right now."

With that, Slughorn walked toward a table covered with various drinks.

"Believe me, this emptiness after a broken heart really needs a drink that will cheer you up... Let me see, I have butterbeer, wine, and the last barrel of mead... Hmm, I was going to give it to Dumbledore as a Christmas present..."

"Well, he doesn't know anyway, so why don't we open it and celebrate Mr. Weasley's disillusioned love?"

Everyone laughed except for Ron, even Lavender, whose eyes were still filled with tears.

Slughorn poured everyone a glass of mead, raised it, and said, "Come, a toast to Rover..."

"It's Ron..." Harry whispered a reminder, but Slughorn seemed not to hear him and continued to deliver his toast with a smile.

Harry felt a little helpless and looked at Hermione, who was smiling slightly beside him, only to see her shrug. He then looked at Ron and Lavender, only to find that Ron's cup was empty.

"Hmm!"

"Ron!"

Lavender screamed, but the cup in Ron's hand had already fallen to the ground. He gripped his neck tightly with both hands, trying to stand up from the chair, but instead collapsed, his limbs convulsing violently, and white foam coming out of his mouth.

"Professor! Think of something!" Harry shouted, but Slughorn seemed not to hear him, standing there dumbfounded, muttering "impossible" to himself.

Harry, his face contorted with anxiety, ignored the stunned Slughorn and rushed towards his potion pouch. Hermione, however, was faster; she dumped the contents of the pouch out, grabbed a dungstone, and ran back. Harry recognized it clearly—it was the very stone Slughorn had taken from him during Potions class.

"Pry his mouth open!" Hermione shouted, and before she finished speaking, Harry had already run over and, together with Lavender, began to pry Ron's mouth open. As soon as they pried it open, Hermione stuffed a dung bead inside.

In just a few seconds, Ron shuddered violently, his limbs stopped twitching, and he went limp and motionless.

"Ron, Ron..." Lavender knelt beside him, sobbing, watching Ron's breathing gradually calm down. But his eyes were still closed, and he looked extremely weak.

At that moment, Harry removed the dung stone from Ron's mouth and tossed it aside. He then grabbed Ron's arm, trying to pull him up from the ground.

Before he could exert any force, Ron's body floated up from the ground, only to see Hermione pull out her wand at some point.

"Don't stay here, take him to the school hospital..." Hermione said, walking towards the door, Ron floating behind her. Lavender quickly got up from the ground and followed her.

Harry chased after him, glancing back at Slughorn, who was still standing there, just before leaving the house. A guess immediately came to mind:

This poison, is it perhaps aimed at Slughorn?

(End of this chapter)