Lucien followed Professor Sprout to the area around the Whomping Willow.
The once tall and vigorous tree now looked somewhat withered, its branches drooping weakly, no longer radiating its former vitality.
Seeing the large hole in its trunk, Lucien couldn't help but click his tongue. The impact had been severe, nearly breaking it entirely.
"The Whomping Willow is injured and weakened right now, but it's also more irritable and dangerous. The slightest disturbance will cause it to attack indiscriminately, which makes treatment and recovery even more difficult."
Sprout looked at the tree with regret and concern, silently lamenting how troublesome those two Gryffindor students had been.
"Originally, you only needed to press a knot on one of its branches to make it freeze instantly, but that no longer works."
"As for the method Lockhart mentioned earlier… never mind, let's not talk about it."
Lucien understood the situation. The Whomping Willow needed rest and slumber to recover, but in its current state, it was weak and frenzied. Any movement would cause it to lash out, reopening its wounds and undoing any progress made in healing.
Dumbledore must have considered the qilin saliva's ability to restore vitality, intending to first strengthen the tree's life force. Once it recovered enough, proper treatment could begin.
However, it would be better to calm it first and approach the problem from both angles.
Calm, slumber…
Lucien took a pair of specially made earplugs from his pocket and handed them to Professor Sprout.
"Professor, please put these on first. I'd like to try to calm the Whomping Willow. It should make treatment easier."
Sprout looked at the earplugs in confusion. During the earlier Herbology lesson, she had been checking on other groups and hadn't noticed anything unusual about Lucien's.
Even so, she put them on, curious to see what he intended to do. In any case, it couldn't be more outrageous than Lockhart's idea.
Lucien raised his wand, his lips parting as he began to sing in a distant, ethereal melody.
"Moonlight soft, rest beneath your pillow,
Night deep, concealing all fear.
Let breath sink into the silver lake,
Let sweet dreams sprout with the moonlight…"
Gradually, the trembling branches and leaves of the Whomping Willow stilled completely, as if it had fallen into a deep sleep.
After confirming through the Eye of Peering Magic that the magic within the Whomping Willow had also settled, Lucien cautiously approached it.
He had no intention of gambling on whether the plant affinity granted by "Diligent Little Gardener" would still work on a frenzied Whomping Willow.
So, he chose to first lull it into sleep with Moon Slumber Melody. The idea of a plant falling asleep felt somewhat strange, but this was magic, after all.
In any case, the effect seemed quite good.
When Sprout saw Lucien about to step into the Whomping Willow's range, she instinctively moved to pull him back. However, the tree showed no reaction at all, and its previous restlessness and aggression had completely vanished.
As an expert in magical plants, Sprout quickly determined that the Whomping Willow had entered an extremely calm and stable state, almost as if it were asleep.
Wearing the earplugs, she couldn't hear what Lucien had been chanting, but seeing him holding his wand, she knew he had cast a spell. Still, she had never seen a charm with such a long incantation.
Lucien walked up to the tree, reached out to touch the broken section, and silently offered an apology.
He then took out a small bottle and poured a few drops of qilin saliva onto the roots of the Whomping Willow.
Soon, the withered appearance of the bark began to fade, and the tree visibly regained some vitality.
Professor Sprout also began treatment, applying a special potion to the damaged area and securing it with bandages.
Seeing the bandages, Lucien couldn't help but mutter inwardly that they really did work.
At the same time, Lucien gathered the scattered branches, leaves, and bark from the ground.
These could be used in potion-making or incorporated into certain alchemical creations to produce even more magical effects.
Of course, what Lucien needed most was to use them to construct a piece of magic.
It was also something he had learned from an ancient magical text, called: [Knowledge Barrier.]
Its effect was similar to Occlumency, capable of resisting mental intrusion and protecting the soul.
In addition to Legilimency, Knowledge Barrier could also defend against other forms of magic targeting the mind and memory, such as the Imperius Curse and Memory Charm, making it more comprehensive.
As for its principle, it used the caster's own knowledge to form a protective structure, achieving a semi-permanent effect through a combination of Alchemy and Charms.
In a way, it was somewhat similar to the Eye of Peering Magic, except it didn't require any physical alteration.
One thing Lucien particularly liked about this magic was that the more knowledge one possessed, the stronger the protection became.
Compared to Occlumency, it suited him far better.
By the time Lucien had finished collecting the branches, leaves, and bark, Professor Sprout had also completed her work.
Seeing this, Lucien returned to the Whomping Willow, took out a bag, and spread the fertilizer inside to aid its recovery.
Standing nearby, Sprout immediately recognized it.
"This is excellent fertilizer, Lucien! Where did you get it?"
As a Herbology professor and gardening enthusiast, she naturally had a keen interest in high-quality fertilizer.
...
In the Great Hall.
The twins had set up a stall for the Seventh Workshop (Hogwarts Special), and their loud calls quickly attracted the attention of other young wizards.
A number of students had already gathered around. After suffering through the troublesome staircases and comparing themselves to those Gryffindors who had purchased the compass maps, the difference was immediately obvious.
They didn't even need active promotion; people were already asking about the source of the items.
Malfoy, who happened to be passing by, approached with his two companions and began examining the goods on display.
When he heard that these were Lucien's inventions, his interest was piqued, and he soon learned their specific functions.
The route-planning map was indeed useful, and as for the price, that didn't concern him. Malfoy was not lacking in money.
He had Goyle ask about the price and prepared to pay, treating it as a way to support Lucien.
"Hey, George, our custom map should be ready soon, the one Zabini ordered."
"Oh, right, right. Wealthy pure-bloods always go for custom-made ones, with their family crest or a unique personal emblem engraved on them. Unique items are the standard for nobles, aren't they?"
"Speaking of which, this will be the first custom map. It's bound to make a lot of people envious."
Listening to the twins' seemingly casual conversation, Malfoy's hand paused as he reached for his money. Custom-made? Unique?
That's right. Buying the same thing as everyone else, even if it's the most expensive version, doesn't really mean much.
Catching the change in Malfoy's expression, the twins subtly exchanged glances.
Plan accomplished.
________
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