prevoiusly in chapter 3
Ignoring Hermione's protests, "Harry, no way! You heard what Madam Hooch said. Besides, you don't even know how to fly!" Harry mounted his broom and flew up after Draco. Hermione, exasperated, muttered, "What an idiot." In the air, Harry confronted Draco again. "Give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom!" Draco smirked, "Is that so?" and hurled the Remembrall high into the air. Harry shot after it, zooming toward the castle, narrowly avoiding crashing into a tower as he caught the Remembrall just in time. The students cheered as Harry landed smoothly back on the ground. "Nice going, Harry!" one boy shouted, while another added, "Oh, that was wicked, Harry!"
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Chapter 4
In a secluded part of the vast Hogwarts castle, Grey stood in the middle of an empty room that had once been consumed by dust and cobwebs. The room was now transformed into a neat, organized space, with shelves lined with ingredients, a bubbling cauldron in the center, and flasks neatly arranged on a nearby table. This was Grey's haven, his potion room, where he sought solace in the art of brewing.
Today, the air in the room felt different—a sense of anticipation hung heavy as Grey prepared for a monumental task. His very first potion. "Everything ready," he muttered, eyes scanning the setup before him. Several vials of ingredients, precise and measured, lay beside him. The salamander blood, lionfish spines, Flobberworm mucus—all were in place. Satisfied, he exhaled and stepped up to the cauldron.
Channeling his mana, he felt an immediate surge of power. His eyes began to glow bright white, the raw energy coursing through his veins, sending a tingle through his body. "Whoa... this feels invigorating," he chuckled, flexing his fingers and watching the glow intensify for a moment.
He focused, steadying his breath. "I can make this potion in 100 minutes," he reassured himself, mentally reviewing the steps one last time. The process was intricate, requiring precision and focus—no room for error.
He began by uncorking the vial of salamander blood. "Alright, first step..." Grey murmured, tipping the vial over the cauldron and letting the thick, ruby-red liquid drip in. The potion inside immediately darkened, bubbling furiously as it transformed. He watched closely, waiting for the exact moment it turned red. Once satisfied, he grabbed the long metal spoon and stirred with deliberate, rhythmic movements.
The liquid began to shift, turning from deep red to a bright orange. "So far, so good," he noted as he added more salamander blood, carefully measuring each drop. The potion obediently changed to yellow. He stirred again, letting the potion shift through the colors, each change bringing a slight sigh of relief.
Once it turned green, Grey stopped. "Focus," he whispered, as the next steps needed his utmost concentration. He added more salamander blood, watching it shift to turquoise. His hand hovered above the flame, increasing the heat beneath the cauldron. The potion hissed as it slowly darkened, turning indigo.
"Almost there," he muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. Another precise addition of salamander blood, and the potion finally shifted to pink. He adjusted the heat once more, watching as it transformed back into a deep red.
The lionfish spines came next. He picked up a small jar, opening it with a soft click. Five spines dropped into the cauldron, releasing a small puff of steam as they dissolved. He adjusted the heat again, until the potion shifted from red to yellow.
Another five lionfish spines joined the mix.
Next came the Flobberworm Mucus—Grey grinned at the viscosity of the substance. "This should be interesting." He added just enough until the potion turned a deep purple, stirring again until it brightened back into a familiar red. His motions were fluid now, in sync with the rhythm of the potion's reactions. More mucus, this time for the orange hue. Stirring till the liquid swirled into a vivid yellow, Grey could feel his excitement mounting.
Reaching for the honeywater, he added it in precise droplets, watching with satisfaction as the potion turned back to turquoise. "Almost there," he said aloud, the room's atmosphere now heavy with the scent of herbs and chemicals. Finally, a few drops of boom berry juice, sending a small fizz to the surface of the brew. With one last stir, Grey stepped back and let the potion simmer for thirty minutes. The soft bubbling of the liquid filled the quiet space, his heart steady as he watched it brew. The glow in his eyes flickered gently, the mana still flowing but calm.
As the potion simmered, Grey allowed himself a moment to take in the room before chuckling as the system notification rang.
[Ding!]
[Congrats to the host for creating a low-grade Wiggenweld potion]
[ Name: Grey ]
[ Mana: 72/100 ]
[ Skill:
Potion-Creation: You can create a potion using two or more materials as long as they can harmoniously blend together. Any potion created using the potion creation skill has a 1% chance of granting a permanent effect. There is a 50% chance of failure when this skill is used. Cost: 1 MPM lv.1 (10%) ]
[ Name: Wiggenweld Potion ]
[ Grade: Low ]
[ Description: This basic healing potion, made with the level 1 Potion-Creation skill, utilizes salamander blood, lionfish spines, Flobberworm Mucus, Honeywater, and boom berry juice. It grants a temporary healing effect, accelerating the recovery of minor injuries and cuts by up to 30%. The potion goes through several color transitions, indicating the stages of preparation, and must cool before consumption. No permanent effects. ]
[ Deterioration-Rate: 100% ]
"10% exp in 28 minutes, not bad at all," Grey thought to himself with a smile as he looked at his first-ever potion. "30% restorative effects, it's not bad as well," he analyzed the potion, then placed it on a small belt for potions on his waist. "What was it called when items have permanent enchantments? Right, bewitching. I should try bewitching items to both preserve and have expanded space." He had to think of several things to have an easier life as a potioneer. "That would come in due time, but for now, I need to try and reach level 2," which was what he tried to do since he still had a lot of mana left and more ingredients. Grey tried again, but this time, luck wasn't on his side as he failed.
"Guess 50% wasn't just a number," he sighed, looking at the ingredients he had left, which was enough for one more potion. "Good thing that I still get exp for failing, otherwise this would have been disastrous." So despite the failure, Grey tried again, and this time he didn't fail, but something much more magical happened.
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A/N: As a side note, this is where we start to fully focus on Gray, and where I begin to change things or completely skip scenes that he isn't involved in, which you'll see by the end of this year(at hogwarts). Hopefully, you guys enjoy it!