Kane casually tossed two large chunks of meat into the cauldron, then randomly added a whole bunch of vegetables.
Now came the moment of truth. The pile of food in the cauldron began transforming without any warning, bizarrely shifting from solid to liquid form, finally condensing into several round, transparent solids.
Everyone watched as these transparent solids gradually took on color from the inside out, becoming the same meatballs they'd just put in their mouths.
"Whoa... do you think the house-elves' kitchens cook for us like this too?" Harry looked at Hagrid. After all, watching Kane use a homemade stone pot and a cauldron from Hagrid's house to make two batches of magically hardcore meatballs...
It was very magical, and very hardcore.
Ron thought for a moment. "Probably not. My mum knows tons of household spells, but even she can't make ingredients transform directly into meatballs like this. House-elves probably can't either."
After speaking, he grabbed another meatball without caring if it was hot and started chomping away with bulging cheeks.
The others quickly helped themselves to the meatballs too, eating them with gusto. In the blink of an eye, they'd devoured everything.
The group sat in Hagrid's yard, watching him use his wand (disguised as a small flowery umbrella) to wash the cauldron clean before putting it back in the house. For a moment, they felt a sense of peaceful contentment.
"Seriously, if I had your ability, Kane, my status in my family would shoot straight up. Even Ginny couldn't compete with that."
Hagrid chuckled at Ron's fantasy, but then poured cold water on it.
"Professor Snape would never let you get away with it. Can you imagine if you turned a potion into a pot of meatballs in Potions class? Professor Snape might just turn you into a meatball."
Kane, who had been enjoying the peaceful moment, suddenly looked up. "Potions class? I'm not following."
"You..." Ron and Hagrid stared at Kane. "Obviously you brew potions in cauldrons. You can't possibly not know that, right?"
Kane lowered himself onto a large rock. People always said that when someone was truly at a loss for words, they could only laugh.
Right on cue, he let out a small, helpless laugh.
The thing was, when he had used that cauldron to make meatballs earlier, he had not put even the slightest bit of shadow into it.
The whole thing had just happened perfectly, almost like being in that strange, effortless state people talked about when taking Felix Felicis.
And now you're telling me Potions class requires using a pot?
"What else? Potions class doesn't use pots—are you gonna use a grinder to make powder and press them into candy tablets? Or did you not read your acceptance letter carefully?" Harry scratched his head, quite puzzled.
"That can't be right. Kane is Dumble—" Before Hagrid could finish, he heard Kane break into a thunderous coughing fit.
Interrupt! He had to interrupt! Harry still thought Kane used to sleep under bridges and live in dumpsters. If he found out that was completely made up, and Harry got angry about it, Kane's fragile sanity would drop!
"Are you okay?" Hagrid asked.
"Uh, I just remembered—I still need to go to the library to find a book Professor Flitwick mentioned. Harry, Ron, come with me. Hagrid, we have to go now. Bye!"
Kane frantically pulled Harry and Ron up and hurried away.
As for Potions class—he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. Maybe Professor Snape was a kind professor who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside and cared deeply about his students?
Soon, the three arrived at the library. Kane showed the note from Professor Flitwick to Madam Pince, the librarian, then left Harry and Ron outside while he walked into the Restricted Section.
Meanwhile, Hermione also entered the library. Having eaten her fill and completed a couple of wizard chess tasks, it was time to relax with a couple of books.
As she searched through the vast sea of books for something interesting, and was about to touch a corner of the Restricted Section, Madam Pince's magic timely blocked her path.
"Beyond this point is the Restricted Section. Ordinary students cannot enter," Madam Pince reminded her quietly.
Just then, Kane walked out carrying a massive tome called "Complete Guide to Summoning Charms" and left with Harry and Ron. As they passed Madam Pince and Hermione, he greeted them.
"Hi, Madam Pince. Hi, Hermione."
After the greeting, the three strode away, leaving the library.
Watching this scene, Hermione felt the class system of the entire wizarding world crushing down on her, making it hard to breathe. What could she do?
She didn't know, but she couldn't exactly kill him, could she?
Back in the Gryffindor common room, the three found a corner. Harry and Ron started a game of wizard chess while Kane sat alone reading that Complete Guide to Summoning Charms.
After studying for an entire afternoon, Kane accepted his fate.
Just like you couldn't learn English without knowing the 26 letters of the alphabet, or learn chemistry without the periodic table, Kane hadn't attended a single Transfiguration class. He'd only self-studied for a few days in Diagon Alley.
It would be absolutely miraculous if he could learn this.
Fortunately, the first class that afternoon was Transfiguration. He'd have plenty of time to absorb knowledge then, and could ask Professor McGonagall questions after class. What could be better?
Kane imagined himself after learning the Summoning Charm—with a wave of his wand, killer bees would leave nothing in their wake, toad armies would advance on the enemy, not leaving them a single thread.
If he really encountered enemies with health bars, sooner or later he'd craft a couple of bosses for them to taste.
Or his Shadow Blade would work just as well.
Speaking of the Shadow Blade...
Although he could control shadows, he still needed to find more gold to upgrade his workbench and study it before he could unlock that spell.
Just like learning magic, having fire elemental affinity didn't mean you could create Grindelwald's gas stove right after birth. You still had to develop, earn money, get gold, rubies and sapphires—all of that required money.
Just then, he felt his pocket move. Kane realized he still hadn't returned Huginn to Neville.
Neville should be in the next dorm over. He'd better return it quickly.
Kane jogged into the boys' dormitory, returned Huginn to Neville, then headed back to the common room. But just as he left the corridor, he ran right into Hermione.
At that moment, her eyes held three parts warmth for a friend, three parts kinship with a fellow academic, four parts gratitude for helping her and Neville before the Sorting Ceremony, and the remaining ninety points were pure hatred for a class enemy.
Kane watched with his own eyes as Hermione, upon seeing him, instinctively gave him a wide berth, as if she didn't want to see him—or rather, seeing him gave her the urge to knife him. But because they were still friends, she simply kept her distance, leaving him his dog life.
"Hiss..." Kane rubbed his chin, somewhat curious as he watched Hermione's retreating back.
"Kane, Transfiguration class is about to start. What are you doing standing here?" Harry asked curiously, seeing Kane frozen at the staircase.
"Nothing, just wondering what's gotten into Hermione. But it probably has nothing to do with me. Let's get to class."