Inside the Potion Class classroom.
Lucien was toying with an uneven sphere. As the gears turned, the grooves and metal pillars on the sphere's surface moved rhythmically.
At the same time, he subtly adjusted the internal components of the sphere with his wand. This was a simplified puppet core he had made last night, which could serve as a power source for golem puppets or mechanical constructs.
Because it was very simple, the power it could provide was also limited, probably only enough to drive a mechanical animal the size of a cat or dog at most.
But it was sufficient; he only needed to create an alchemical mechanical animal, without any specific requirements for size or function.
Hmm, the core itself was fine, just simple Alchemy forging and mechanical knowledge.
However, when it came to assembling the form and making it move, Transfiguration would be needed, specifically, solidified Transfiguration.
Otherwise, this mechanical construct could only be used by him, and he would need to frequently cast spells to maintain the Transfiguration effect.
It turned out that refining mechanical animals and mastering solidified Transfiguration, which seemed like a choice between two tasks, were actually pretty much the same task.
"Lucien, what's that in your hand?"
Lucien looked up. Ron, in the front row, was looking at him with curiosity, or rather, at the spherical core in his hand.
"Just a little toy I made on a whim. What, are you interested in this kind of thing?"
"You made it yourself? Lucien, you're really amazing! Hehe, my dad likes Muggle technology, including complex mechanical constructs, so I know a little about them."
Lucien nodded. Yes, Ron's dad had modified a flying car, and the boy himself was quite bold, managing to drive Harry to Hogwarts in his second year.
He glanced at the seat next to Ron.
"Has Harry not arrived yet? Class should be starting soon."
Ron spread his hands:
"I called him this morning. He said he'd get up after a bit more sleep. Harry seemed to be memorizing something last night; he wasn't asleep before I fell asleep, anyway."
Lucien felt a bit embarrassed. It seemed Harry was indeed working on the memorization task he had assigned.
That boy shouldn't be late, right? Today was Ravenclaw and Gryffindor's Potion Class together, and he was looking forward to some drama in the front row.
Ding-a-ling-ling—
The class bell rang.
Lucien looked towards the door.
Well, the first to float in was Old Bat.
"Put away anything unrelated to Potion Class. Roll call begins now!"
"…"
"Harry Potter."
No one responded. The classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"Weasley, where is Potter?"
Ron, as if summoned by the King of Hell, trembled all over.
"Pro-Professor, Harry, Harry has a stomachache and went to the washroom!"
"Oh, is that so."
"Gryffindor, five points deducted!"
Lucien could already feel the anger in Snape's tone.
He hoped Harry wouldn't forget to take his Potion before he arrived, and wouldn't forget to take off his glasses, otherwise he'd be in for a rough time.
"This lesson, we will be brewing a Stomach-Soothing Potion…"
"…"
After explaining for more than ten minutes, Snape finished introducing the effects and brewing method of this Potion.
"...The smell of Entwining Stonegrass is pungent. If you are sensitive, tearing and nasal congestion from its irritation are normal. Do not make a fuss when that happens!"
After giving his last instruction, Snape glanced at the empty seat next to Ron.
A cold voice squeezed out from between his lips:
"Weasley, you had best explain it to Potter. He seems to be in great need of this Potion."
Hearing this, Ron nodded profusely.
Lucien sat behind him, hearing him mutter softly:
"Harry, hurry up and come! If you don't come soon, I'll die…"
Lucien shook his head. If this continued, it would be a case of two lives lost.
It seemed he should appropriately reduce the amount of homework. Ensuring children get enough sleep was still very necessary.
Just as Lucien was about to start processing the ingredients, his peripheral vision caught a figure sneaking into the classroom.
Hmph, that boy finally arrived.
"Oh, it seems the one most in need of Stomach-Soothing Potion has arrived."
Even though Harry was tiptoeing and Snape had his back to the classroom door, the cold sarcasm, suppressing anger, still echoed in the quiet classroom.
Lucien saw Harry's movements visibly stiffen.
Wow, truly hearing as sharp as a bat.
Snape turned around, his icy gaze fixed on Harry, words popping out from his lips,
"Eighteen minutes and thirty-four seconds late, Potter. Your sense of time has also flushed down the…"
Suddenly, Snape's words stopped.
It was as if a venomous snake had its throat choked by the venom it was about to spit out.
Harry, who had been hunched over, suddenly lifted his head, meeting Snape's indifferent eyes.
Alas, he couldn't see from this angle.
Snape was now facing Harry, but that meant his back was to Lucien.
Although Lucien couldn't see, Harry saw clearly.
Snape's eyes, which had been as cold as a venomous snake, suddenly became dull, then bewildered.
After a full ten seconds of silence, Snape finally spoke, his tone cold, but also with a hint of stiffness,
"Po… What were you doing just now?"
Snape's question made Harry pause. Wasn't he just late?
But Harry's peripheral vision caught Ron, who was frantically gesturing at him, his mouth trying to form words.
With almost no hesitation, Harry said firmly:
"The washroom, Professor. I suddenly had a bad stomachache before class."
Lucien clearly saw Ron in the front row let out a sigh of relief, his tense back slumping.
Was this the tacit agreementbetween good brothers? One dared to lie, and the other dared to follow.
"Hmm, go sit down."
"You can ask Wes… ask Grafton about the previous explanation."
Harry was a bit confused by Snape's instructions, but he still walked over and sat down next to Ron.
"Does it really work? Lucien was right!"
Hearing Harry's soft murmur, Lucien also saw his bright emerald green eyes, no longer obscured by glasses.
Hmm, a teachable student.
While processing ingredients, Lucien explained the effects and brewing method of the Stomach-Soothing Potion to Harry, and also mentioned the precautions for Entwining Stonegrass.
Harry also quickly began to prepare. Although he had avoided the reprimand just now, based on previous experience, Snape would most likely still come to find fault with him.
Only two or three minutes passed.
Snape, as if impatient, stood in front of Harry's desk and asked condescendingly:
"How should Armadillo Bile be processed before use?"
Harry's hand, which was processing the Entwining Stonegrass, paused. However, thinking that he had just memorized this knowledge point yesterday, there was no need to be nervous, so he looked up and answered directly:
"Filter three times with an ice crystal funnel."
"How should Crimson Blood Tree Bark be collected?"
"First, first use a Freezing Charm, then cut with a golden knife after cooling."
"What can be obtained by mixing Absoluted Bird Droppings and Mandrake root?"
Faced with this suddenly out-of-scope question, Harry couldn't answer. At the same time, the smell of the Entwining Stonegrass in his hand began to sting his nose.
An urge to cry made Harry want to lower his head.
But a sentence from Lucien earlier flashed through Harry's mind:
"...Even if you cry, you must stare at him…"
Harry, fighting back tears, stubbornly straightened his neck and stared into Snape's eyes.
"I don't know!"
This almost shouted answer, however, did not provoke much of a response.
Snape merely looked at Harry, at those eyes unobstructed by lenses, at those eyes most like Lily's, at those eyes brimming with tears…
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