The exemption from Transfiguration classes indeed saved Sean quite a bit of time—not just the time for the classes themselves, but also the time for writing assignments.
Sean devoted all the time he saved to his Potions thesis. If Professor McGonagall knew about this, she would probably become quite unhappy.
No, not probably—she would definitely become unhappy.
Of course, Sean would absolutely never let Professor McGonagall know about this.
The first period of the afternoon was free, so after lunch, Sean returned to the common room with Blaise, planning to go back to his room to rest a bit and read some books.
Walking into the common room, Sean immediately noticed the subtle sense of rejection from the Slytherins inside.
Actually, Sean was very clear that not everyone necessarily thought his killing of the Basilisk was wrong. Even those who felt he shouldn't have killed the Basilisk were only a minority. They were just rejecting him because of the Slytherin Brotherhood reserve organization's attitude. Sean didn't blame them, but he would never again have any so-called house loyalty to Slytherin or anyone else.
Walking straight through the Slytherin common room hall, Sean prepared to return to his room.
But just then, Malfoy blocked Sean's path with Goyle and Crabbe, looking at him provocatively.
Looking up, Sean stared at Malfoy like—no, he was looking at an idiot. He didn't understand what gave Malfoy the nerve to cause trouble for him. Did he think that after Sean left the Slytherin Brotherhood reserve organization, he could just push him around?
What was this brain even thinking?
Could it be that years of unrequited love for Harry had left him so devastated that he'd become mentally unclear and unable to recognize reality, leading him to bring two brainless second-generation Death Eaters to cause trouble and block his path?
Had he gone mad?
"Sean Bulstrode, if you don't want trouble, I advise you to voluntarily return my dragon reserve. That's my favorite thing. If you don't know what's good for you, then I won't be polite to you!"
As soon as Malfoy finished speaking, Goyle immediately said: "That's right, Draco has already joined the Slytherin Brotherhood reserve organization in your place. If you don't know your place, then the Slytherin Brotherhood definitely won't let you off. You..."
Bang!
Understanding where these three idiots got the courage to provoke him, Sean had no patience to listen to their continued babbling.
He punched Goyle in the nose, making blood and tears flow as he couldn't help but crouch on the ground.
Then Sean swung again, breaking the nose of Crabbe, who was trying to retreat. Looking at Crabbe crouching on the ground, Sean turned to Malfoy.
Malfoy kept backing away, looking at Sean as if watching a troll approaching him.
"You, don't come over. I've joined the Slytherin Brotherhood reserve organization. My father won't allow you to hit me either. You..."
Bang!
"Oww..."
Malfoy crouched on the ground, tears and snot mixed with blood flowing down. He mumbled something incoherently, but Sean didn't understand and didn't intend to understand.
Three punches left three guys crouching on the ground with bloody noses. Sean returned to his room.
He glanced at Kulkan. Ever since this creature had devoured the Basilisk's eyes and flesh, she had been in a long slumber, only waking for about two to three hours each day. Even when awake, she was groggy, usually spending that time eating and drinking.
Yesterday when Sean returned, he saw Kulkan's head buried in water, asleep, with bubbles gurgling up. If he'd been any later, Kulkan might have drowned.
Sitting at his desk, Sean rested briefly, then opened his partially written thesis and continued writing.
The thesis on improving the efficacy and modifying the formula of mental recovery potions was basically ready. Actually, before killing the Basilisk, Sean had already completed five experiments. Except for some mistakes and issues in the first two attempts, the subsequent three all proved that Sean's theory was correct—he had successfully brewed a completely new mental recovery potion that was updated and improved based on the original!
Regarding this new mental recovery potion, Snape's evaluation was "not bad." This assessment seemed unremarkable, but getting such an evaluation from Snape was already quite rare.
This meant Snape felt that Sean's thesis could basically be confirmed for publication in The Golden Cauldron.
Shaking his somewhat sore hand, Sean glanced at his watch and found it was almost time for afternoon classes. He tidied up, gathered his things, and was just about to take his books when he heard a knock at the door.
At this time, it was probably Blaise. Sean picked up his books and opened the door, but instead of Blaise, he saw someone from the Slytherin Brotherhood reserve organization.
Sean remembered this guy—he was from Oliver's faction, so when Sean saw him, he immediately knew the visitor had ill intentions.
"If there's nothing important, please move aside. I need to go to class."
"Sean Bulstrode, you're quite arrogant. You just beat up our new member. It seems you haven't learned your lesson from before."
"Mm, are you finished? If so, I need to go to class."
Seeing that Sean didn't take him seriously at all, the person's expression changed. He stepped forward and stared hard at Sean: "Do you think that just because you killed an old, decrepit Basilisk, you're invincible in Slytherin? Don't think we don't know that you killed that old, decrepit Basilisk because of Gryffindor's sword. You want to use killing the Basilisk as a pretense to lord over Slytherin—you don't have that qualification. I advise you to keep your tail between your legs!"
As he spoke, the person reached out to point at Sean's forehead. Just as his finger was about to touch Sean's forehead, Sean suddenly reached out, grabbed the finger, and snapped it directly.
Under the person's incredulous gaze, he let out a pig-like scream.
Looking at him, Sean directly followed up with a punch. Hearing the sound of the person's nose bridge breaking, Sean cheerfully kicked him away to clear the path.
Then Sean took his books and left the common room with Blaise, who had just arrived.
"Sean, what happened just now?"
"Nothing much. Just some guys who heard rumors from somewhere and thought I was a pushover they could mess with, so they sent some brain-dead guy to test me. I just sent that guy back where he came from. It's fine now."