Trying to understand his own mind felt like picking a lock with the wrong key. It never quite worked, but he kept trying anyway. Every night before sleep, Harry would lie still, shut his eyes, and let everything go quiet.
That Saturday night his mind finally let go. There were no arguments or frantic thoughts. Everything simply paused. He felt as if someone flipped a switch and all the noise inside him fell silent at once. His chest expanded, relief spreading through his limbs. Calm settled over him without effort. He leaned back, letting the stillness carry him out of the room and beyond the castle walls. It wasn't a daydream or wishful thinking. It was the same pull he'd felt in second year, the way Tom Riddle's memory had drawn him in.
He sank through ribbons of color that curled around him like living paint. They pulsed softly, shifting from violet to gold to deep emerald. Gravity felt different here, gentle almost, and he drifted until the swirls gave way to open air. Below him spread a tiny island ringed by a churning sea. He landed on pale sand that glowed under a sky streaked with the same living veins he'd just passed through.
Everything felt unreal and right at the same time. The ocean rose and fell with a restless rhythm. The island itself was empty apart from a single tree at its center. Its bark was smooth and dark, branches twisting toward the sky like fingers. When he stepped closer he saw a small door carved into the trunk, its painted surface chipped but still bright.
His hand found the door's edge and he leaned forward to push. The wood gave with a soft click and he stepped through into the glow beyond. The atrium stretched out before him. Harry paused, his pulse racing as he took it all in.
The walls glowed with a soft, unbroken light that stretched in every direction, as if the atrium had no edges. Dozens of doors broke the smooth brightness, each one framed in dark stone and waiting to reveal its secret.
He reached for the closest door and flinched when a surge of anger swept through him. He drew back, shook his head, then moved on. At the second door shame and cold doubt knotted in his stomach. He kept going until a mellow warmth brushed his skin, gentle and steady. He let his hand rest on that handle and pushed.
He paused at the threshold, heart pounding so hard he thought it might echo in his ears. The room felt warm, almost too warm for comfort. He took a hesitant step forward, every footfall slow. There, in soft golden light, stood a woman with red hair that fell in gentle waves around her shoulders. She held a bundled baby against her chest and offered him a wooden bottle. The woman's low humming filled the space. He recognized the tune from somewhere deep inside him, though he had no memory of it.
"Drink well, Harry," she said, brushing a strand of hair back from her face.
He found himself standing closer, though he couldn't say when he'd moved. She rocked the baby in her arms, her eyes never leaving his tiny face. He could see every detail of her youth and kindness. How her smile creased the corners of her eyes as she murmured words only for him. A lump rose in his throat. His vision blurred and tears slipped down unbidden. He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the ache of a love he'd never known and the emptiness it left behind.
Every gentle movement, every loving breath was a cruel reminder that Lily Potter was gone, that his mother had been stolen from him forever. He couldn't tell how long he stood there.
The memory faded the moment the door clicked shut. Harry's heart raced as he scanned the atrium, trying to shake off the warmth behind him.
He took a cautious step back, blinking against the dim light. On the smooth stone floor sat a single wooden chair he hadn't noticed before. His pulse hammered as he realized someone was in it. The figure slouched with easy confidence, a younger version of himself wearing a crooked grin. Cold eyes met his. Harry's throat tightened. "Well, well," the Cruel Harry said, voice silky and mocking. "Look who came home."
"You…" Harry eyes widened. "You cannot be here!"
The slouched figure pushed himself upright. "Here where?" he asked, eyebrow arching. "In my dimension?"
"Dimension? What are you talking about?!"
Cruel Harry's grin widened until it split his face. He threw up his hands and uttered a hissing spell. Water ripped from the floor in a smoking torrent, coiling into a towering wave. It roared toward Harry faster than he could think.
"NO!" he yelled, lunging forward. He slammed his hand into the wall of water and it shattered in a blinding spray. Liquid shards flew outward in every direction and then vanished into thin air.
Cruel Harry staggered on the cold stone, shock making his features twitch. Harry didn't look back. He sprinted for the nearest door, every heartbeat pounding in his ears. He burst through into the glowing sand of the island.
The gentle ocean became a thrashing wall of water, each wave taller and more furious than the last. Wind whipped across the sand, carrying sharp salt stings to Harry's face. He staggered back, heart pounding again, and shouted, "What is this?" The roar of the sea answered him, a voice of rage and grief that seemed born inside his own chest. He hunched against the wind, watching the black water surge up the shore. Every crash felt like another blow to something fragile inside him. He clenched his fists and pressed his eyes shut, fighting to keep from being swept away by the raw emotion of his own mind.
Harry's bare feet kicked at the glowing sand as another monstrous wave bore down on him. He forced himself to breathe, to remember the door he'd come through. Images of his mother and that cruel mirror-figure flashed through his mind, but he pushed them away like unwanted thoughts. "Focus," he whispered, reaching out toward the swirling colors overhead. The sky's veins split open in a flash of light and the island's storm froze in mid-crash. Harry stumbled forward through a widening rip in the air, stumbling back into the warmth of his own room. He blinked up at the ceiling, sweat cooling on his skin, and let out a ragged laugh of relief. He was back.
~~~~
Daphne classroom.
Harry slid the velvet pouch from his bag and gently lifted the small glass vial. Inside, the venom caught the light like liquid night. Daphne set down a leather-bound case and opened it with a click. She removed goggles, a face mask, and a pair of heavy gloves, arranging them neatly beside the vial.
They locked eyes and something like relief passed between them. Harry offered a shaky smile. Daphne's lips curved into a grin that trembled with excitement and fear.
"Here goes everything," Harry whispered.
Daphne opened her notebook and wrote in crisp letters:
9 November, 15:36
Basilisk Venom Base I
Objective: Incorporate venom into our stabilized salamander-oil foundation and verify its hold time.
Harry cleared a spot on the table and set down their recipe sheet. Daphne leaned in as he read it aloud.
Stabilized Salamander-Oil Base
50 ml cold-pressed Salamander Oil
5 g crushed Basil Balm, steeped at 30 C for five minutes, stirred clockwise seven times
Add 1 tsp Moonstone Powder, fold in counterclockwise three times for slow-release buffering
Conductivity & Stabilization
2 g Fluxweed threads, introduced one at a time with three counter-clockwise turns each
tsp powdered Valerian, stirred in a tight figure-eight to calm volatility
1 pinch Hellebore, added drop-wise to fine-tune intensity
1 pinch Ironroot, for rust-red color marker on infusion
Process Notes
Heat gently until mixture shimmers; do not allow any bubbling.
Let the brew rest under the Magnus crucible's rune regulation for two minutes.
Confirm base color is a deep, even copper with no stray pulses.
Harry poured the salamander oil into the crucible without hesitation. Daphne sprinkled in the basil balm and set her thermometer just so. They watched the oil glow faintly as it warmed to thirty degrees, then Harry counted out seven clockwise stirs while Daphne kept time. Moonstone powder followed, folded in with three careful counterclockwise turns. Next came the fluxweed threads, each slipped in and given three gentle spins. Valerian and hellebore joined the mix, tamed by a smooth figure-eight stir, and finally a pinch of ironroot turned the liquid a perfect rust red.
Harry glanced at Daphne. "How's Tracey doing?"
Daphne's brow softened. "I saw her last week. Still unconscious. No change."
He nodded and turned back to the runes humming around the crucible, keeping the copper glow steady. It was time.
Harry pulled on thick rubber gloves and winced as they stretched over his fingers. Daphne donned a crisp white lab coat over her robes, buttoning it carefully before adjusting her goggles and face mask. She handed Harry his goggles and mask, then secured her own, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears. At the crucible, Harry whispered a safety charm and turned the brass dial to its highest setting. The runes along the rim flared brighter, and Daphne tapped the side with her wand to strengthen the wards.
Harry grabbed the long-handled lifter from the kit beside the table, its tips lined with dragon-hide for heat and magic resistance. The whole set had cost nearly thirty Galleons, imported from a high-end alchemy shop in Prague. Between Daphne's connections and Harry's Gringotts claim, they'd invested in real equipment for this. Nothing from the Hogwarts supply cabinets could've handled basilisk venom safely.
He clamped the tool around the neck of the vial and lifted it off the stand. Daphne gave him one sharp nod. He held the vial at an angle while she leaned in with the obsidian dropper. Her hands didn't even shake. One drop slid free.
The second it hit the potion, the surface snapped.
The copper turned molten bronze in an instant. Gold streaks lit up across the top like lightning trapped under water. The Crucible's runes flared white. Its hum deepened into a growl that made the table tremble. Waves of magic rolled out from the cauldron, thick and heavy, pressing against their chests. One flicker of raw power cracked across the floor and disappeared.
Daphne gripped the bench, wide-eyed behind her goggles. "It's holding," she whispered.
Harry leaned in a little. "Holy shit…"
The Crucible kicked in harder, fighting to keep it steady. The pulses slowed. The surface smoothed. The color deepened to a dark, glowing bronze with a faint shimmer of violet around the edges.
They moved in closer. It was full of power.
The potion didn't shake or crack anymore. Daphne held her hand out, hovering above the brew. Just to feel it.
"This isn't just stable," she said, almost to herself. "It's strong. It's alive."
Harry swallowed, heart thudding. "We just made a basilisk base."
The runes along the crucible glowed steady as the built-in timer counted down. Harry and Daphne watched in disbelief as the seconds ticked past one, two, three, all the way to five minutes. Not a single tremor. No heat spike. The bronze surface stayed smooth.
Daphne swallowed hard. "Five minutes and nothing went wrong."
Harry's eyes sparkled. He glanced at the basilisk vial. "Let's push it a little further."
Daphne's breath caught. "Another drop?"
He nodded. "If this base can hold one, it should hold two. Let's find the limit."
She hesitated, then dipped her gloved finger into the obsidian dropper. Harry leaned in, heart pounding. When the second drop slid into the molten brew, the runes flared bright, the hum deepened, but the surface stayed calm.
They exchanged a stunned look.
~~~~
First they slid the protective cover over the crucible, sealing in any stray fumes and keeping the basilisk-base vapor from drifting into the classroom. Daphne waved her wand in a quick Ventus charm to clear the air and murmured an Airflow Detection spell; both came back green. Only when the room felt safe, with the Magnus Crucible's wards humming softly behind the cover, did they dare peel off their masks and gloves.
They pulled two wooden stools up to the side bench at the back of the classroom. On one bench sat their cooled basilisk-base crucible; on the other, a plate of sugar cookies and two goblets of pumpkin juice.
Daphne bit into a cookie and kept one eye on the glowing runes around the crucible. "Four drops," she said quietly. "That was as far as we could push it before it started to ripple and the crucible gave us that shrill warning."
Harry nodded, sipping his juice. "That high-pitched hum lasted thirty seconds, then the wards kicked in and calmed it down. "
Daphne leaned back against the bench. "Now we need to turn this into a healing potion."
Harry unfolded a clean parchment and read from their notes:
Ingredients:
8 ml Whispervine Sap
2 g Murtlap Essence
tsp Dittany Powder
1 tsp Valerian Tincture
1 tsp Moonstone Powder
A pinch of Phoenix Moss
Prepare Base
1.1. Ensure the base is back to a smooth color.
1.2. Confirm no pulses or ripples before moving on.
Sympathetic Healing Phase
2.1. Using the dropper, add 1 ml Whispervine Sap. Stir counter-clockwise three times to wake the healing resonance.
2.2. Repeat step 2.1 for the remaining 7 ml, waiting until the surface smooths between each addition.
Nerve Soothing Phase
3.1. Sprinkle in 1 g Murtlap Essence.
3.2. Stir in a tight figure-eight pattern to calm any nerve-based volatility.
3.3. Add the second gram and repeat the figure-eight stir.
Tissue Rebuild Phase
4.1. Gently sift tsp Dittany Powder into the brew.
4.2. Hold the stirring rod at a 45-degree angle and rotate it two full turns clockwise to bind the tissue-regenerative agents.
Stabilization Buffer
5.1. Pour in 1 tsp Valerian Tincture, stirring four times clockwise to prevent overreaction.
5.2. Scatter 1 tsp Moonstone Powder on the surface and fold in two counter-clockwise turns so the magic releases slowly.
Regenerative Trigger
6.1. Wait for the potion to settle completely.
6.2. Pinch a small bit of Phoenix Moss and drop it onto the center.
6.3. Stir once gently in any direction; the elixir will glow softly when it has fully bound.
Final Check
7.1. Check the color.
7.2. Use a clean silver rod to test the edge response: dip and withdraw, ensuring no pulses or surface cracks.
7.3. Note time held stable. If it holds for five minutes without volatility spikes, the healing elixir is complete.
He looked up. "That covers every angle."
Daphne raised her goblet. "Here's to Phase Two."
The second phase turned out to be a success. The only surprise along the way was the base's reaction to the valerian tincture, but they quickly realized the elixir was so full of energy and power that the Magnus Crucible simply needed a moment longer to sync everything. Now Harry and Daphne watched the uniform, golden glow of their healing brew, pride shining in their eyes.
"Is this really happening?" Harry whispered, unable to believe what he saw. "We made a healing potion with a basilisk venom base?"
"Yes," Daphne replied, smiling broadly.
Harry straightened and glanced at the empty vials lined up on the bench.
"We should bottle some of this," he said, reaching for a clean glass phial.
Daphne fetched a dozen small vials from her kit and set them in a neat row. She handed Harry a funnel and a sealed dropper.
"Better to have samples ready," she agreed, clipping labels to each glass.
Harry dipped the dropper into the cauldron, pulled back a perfect amount, and released it through the funnel into the first vial. He capped it carefully and passed it to Daphne. She repeated the process, filling three more vials before pausing to admire the potion's molten bronze glow.
Daphne set down the final vial and turned to Harry. "Ready to test?" she asked, voice trembling.
Harry nodded, his pulse racing. He grabbed one of the small phials from the row and snapped off the cap. He carried it over to the dish of battered mandrake leaves and held it above a single frayed strip. For a heartbeat neither of them moved. Then he squeezed the dropper, and a bead of bronze liquid fell onto the leaf's surface.
Nothing happened at first. Then the leaf shivered as if breathing for the first time. Its ragged edges drew in, seam-stress perfect, and the dull brown faded to bright green. The veins glowed softly, and the leaf straightened out, looking fresh and alive.
Harry threw his head back and shouted, "Yes!" Daphne's face broke into a grin, and she joined in with a whoop of joy. They ran toward each other and embraced, the weight of their months of work lifted in a single, triumphant moment.
Daphne's shoulders shook and tears slipped down her cheeks. "I'm so happy," she whispered, voice cracking with relief. Harry wiped his own eyes on his sleeve and laughed, the sound shaky but full of exhilaration. "Can you imagine Snape's face when he finds out we've been playing with basilisk venom?" he joked. "He'll either kill us or give us an A for bravery."
They pulled back and took deep breaths, the Mandrake leaf still glowing softly on the porcelain dish. Harry straightened. "Okay," he said. "We should finish our write-up now, while it's fresh. Our notes are all over the place."
Daphne nodded, dabbing at her eyes. "This can't just stay a school project. We'll need official permission to test on living subjects. We should start drafting our findings, plan to run it by Professor Sprout, and then apply to the Ministry's Potion Approval Committee." She picked up her quill. "Just think.. our names on the first basilisk-venom therapy paper."
Harry grinned, heart still racing. "Potter and Greengrass, pioneers of basilisk-venom therapy."
Daphne tapped her wrist and whispered "Tempus"
A silvery projection appeared above her skin, showing 18:42. She sighed. "Dinner's in ten minutes," she said. "We'd better tidy up before we get caught."
Harry set the last filled vial beside the others and gave the crucible a once-over. He murmured "Scourgify" and ran his wand tip along the inner rim. The metal gleamed. Daphne gathered the four extra vials, popped them into their padded case, and snapped it shut.
They wiped down the workbench with damp cloths, sweeping mandrake scraps into a little bundle for safe disposal. Harry organized their scattered notes into neat stacks, clipping them together by experiment phase.
Daphne straightened a loose parchment and looked up. "We should meet again next Saturday to start that write-up."
Harry paused by the knife-rinse basin. "I can't. I've got Gringotts meeting." He ran a finger along his robes, thinking. "How about Sunday afternoon instead?"
Daphne nodded, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Sunday works. Same time?"
"Three o'clock?" Harry offered.
"Perfect." She clipped her notebook shut.