After obtaining a clean sample of Peter Pettigrew's hair, Luke promptly deposited him into a bathroom stall and left.
He then returned to Slytherin's dormitory, pondering the need to prepare materials for the compound potion. Crafting the compound potion demanded various precious ingredients, and though Luke had a significant number of Galleons, he couldn't leave the school to buy them in Diagon Alley.
The Christmas holidays were approaching, but they were still more than ten days away, and he couldn't afford to wait that long. The brewing process alone took 21 days, and the conditions required were quite demanding. A single mistake could undo all the effort.
The compound potion was proving to be an arduous task, and Luke couldn't help but think how much simpler it would be when the frog cub could bring back a transformation technique.
"Perhaps I'll have some time to visit the Forbidden Forest," Luke mused as he considered the wealth of resources hidden within. Hagrid guarded it as the gamekeeper, but Luke possessed the means to access it easily. With an herbalology class scheduled for the next morning, he thought he might visit the forest in the afternoon to gather the required materials.
Having planned his itinerary for the following day, Luke closed his eyes and settled in for a well-deserved night's rest.
The following day, during Professor Sprout's herbalology class, she posed a question to the students. "Luke Geralt, if you found yourself entangled in Devil's Snare, how would you rescue yourself?"
Luke replied, "By not struggling and relaxing my body."
Professor Sprout nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for him to take his seat. "Your knowledge impresses me, Mr. Geralt."
"Thank you, Professor."
Luke's consistent performance was earning Slytherin House numerous points. In the current house point rankings, Slytherin was leading.
Ravenclaw students, despite their intellect, had acknowledged that they couldn't compete with these advanced topics. They might be wise, but they weren't omniscient.
After the herbalology class, Luke was set to pack up and head to the Forbidden Forest to gather materials. However, he ran into Professor Snape on his way.
"Good afternoon, Professor Snape."
"Good afternoon," Snape replied, his eyes half-squinted as he observed Luke, but he didn't see the familiar young Gryffindor wizard around. What concerned Snape more was that Luke was consistently alone after class, with the exception of the young Gryffindor who always accompanied him.
Bullying? Snape could understand that situation.
"Have you managed to decipher the contents of that notebook?" Snape inquired with his characteristic nasal tone.
"No, Professor. There's still much I don't understand," Luke responded. The contents of that notebook were extensive and highly intricate. He and Hermione had stayed up late discussing the problems, and they had filled several sheets of paper with their findings.
After hearing Luke's numerous questions, Professor Snape took a moment to contemplate and then swiftly responded, "Come to my office after dinner. Some of these issues are important."
He hadn't anticipated that Luke would present such a multitude of questions, and some of them even caught him off guard, especially when he learned that many of these queries had originated from Hermione.
"You are the most talented students I've ever had in this class," Snape sighed softly. Luke consistently outperformed his peers, often finishing potion concoctions well ahead of the rest.
"Very well, Professor, I'll be there," Luke replied, reluctantly shelving his plans to venture into the Forbidden Forest. Now that Snape had extended an invitation, he had no reasonable excuse to decline. Furthermore, with Snape's role as Slytherin's head of house, he undoubtedly had a tightly packed schedule.
As for his so-called illness, Snape's potions could likely provide a remedy, but that would have to wait.
At the restaurant, Luke shared the news with Hermione, who was out of class, her eyes glittering with intrigue. However, she hasn't gotten an invitation to Snape's office.
"Could you please ask these questions for me!" Hermione passed another note to Luke.
"I will see."
Accepting the note, Luke scanned its contents before tucking it into his pocket.
---
"Professor Snape, I'm here."
Knocking on Snape's office door, it eventually creaked open.
"Come in," Snape's monotonous voice emanated from within.
Luke entered, shutting the door behind him. Snape's office was rather cramped, crammed with a hodgepodge of items, including books and potion bottles. At the moment, Snape was meticulously grinding a liquid grass into powder.
Observing this, Luke's eyes brightened. He recollected that Snape's office was likely stocked with a wealth of hoarded ingredients and materials.
"Flower grass, used in the production of high-level potions. You haven't studied this yet, but with your aptitude, I believe you can begin," Snape remarked, offering an aged book.
"Take a look when you have the time."
"Of course," Luke replied, taking the book, which bore the title "Advanced Potions Refinement and Analysis."
It was evident that this book wasn't meant for first-year students, but upon perusal, Luke discovered that its contents overlapped with the notes he'd received earlier, albeit in more comprehensive detail. Some of the fundamental concepts were explained with great precision.
By the time he exited Snape's office, the sun was sinking towards the horizon. The previously empty notebook in his hand was now filled with densely scrawled English text.
Snape had delivered a wealth of information in a short span. Gazing at the golden hues of the setting sun, Luke made a firm decision to forego his visit to the Forbidden Forest tonight.
Instead, his evening plan was clear.
.....
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