High spirits and firm resolve—Harry lacked neither.
From the tip of his wand, dense, silvery mist poured forth. It swirled and coiled, striving to condense into a shape. Within the mist, a hazy, indistinct figure began to emerge.
The head was unclear.
But four sturdy, powerful legs stood out, along with a muscular body.
Snape's expression softened slightly. These weren't the legs of a stag; they resembled a carnivorous creature of some kind.
Harry focused on maintaining his magic.
The mist rolled in waves, but the creature within remained caught between transparency and solidity, struggling to take form. Doubt crept into Harry's mind—Why hasn't it fully materialized yet?
With a soft pop, the entity disintegrated into a swirl of vapor, dispersing to either side.
Harry frowned slightly. It wasn't a matter of emotion—he could feel he was just one step away. Something was missing.
Looking at Snape, who seemed ready to unleash a snide remark, Harry suddenly realized what he lacked.
It was the essence of the charm itself—the belief in protection.
That understanding was fundamental to the Patronus Charm, as its name so clearly conveyed.
And a Witcher of the School of the Wolf would never lack such a belief.
Harry raised his wand again and recited, "Expecto Patronum!"
Brilliant silver light erupted, and a weaker mist swirled, giving way to the emergence of a large animal from the tip of his wand.
A thick mane. A whip-like tail.
A lion.
It landed lightly, standing guard in front of Harry. It bared its teeth, growling and huffing toward Snape, ready to protect.
"A dim-witted lion even a professor can't mistake," Snape muttered, waving his hand dismissively. "Dismiss your spell."
Harry ignored him, gazing fondly at his Patronus.
He'd expected a wolf, given his connection to the School of the Wolf.
But a lion was just as fitting.
"Mr. Potter!" Snape's tone sharpened.
Harry reluctantly flicked his wand, dissipating the Patronus. "You seem pleased, Professor."
"Of course," Snape sneered. "Because it means I won't have to endure your idiotic face all night."
"Don't think producing a corporeal Patronus on your first attempt makes you special," Snape added, flicking his wand to summon a box.
"Surely you know that many dark magical creatures can only be repelled with the Patronus Charm," he said coldly. "Now, use your Patronus to drive this away."
The box snapped open, revealing a black cloak.
But Harry could sense the pulsating life force and magical energy emanating from it. This wasn't fabric—it was a living creature.
He quickly identified it in his mind: a Dementor Bat.
A rare cursed creature, native to tropical regions.
"I was expecting a Dementor, Professor," Harry quipped.
"I'm just grateful you didn't mistake it for an ordinary cloak," Snape replied dryly, casting a Confundus Charm.
The bat let out a shrill screech and darted toward Harry.
"Don't use anything you learned from Professor Flitwick," Snape warned.
"Don't draw the Sword of Gryffindor either. Use the Patronus Charm!"
Snape kept his wand at the ready, his voice icy. "Don't worry—I'll mercifully save you before it devours you."
The bat moved with terrifying speed.
Silent as a shadow, it was upon Harry in an instant, spreading its enormous wings to reveal its small, furry body.
It was almost… cute.
Certainly more endearing than the grotesque monsters Harry had fought before.
Harry raised his wand and incanted, "Expecto Patronum!"
The lion surged forth, swiping the bat away with a single paw. Its tail lashed as it crouched protectively before Harry. Finding no threat in the bat, it turned its wary gaze back to Snape.
"Well done," Snape remarked without emotion. "It would be better if your Patronus had more intelligence."
"Mr. Potter, ten inches of parchment on the Patronus Charm. Due tomorrow."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are we done for the evening, Professor?"
"I thought we might practice Occlumency," Harry suggested.
Snape tossed a book at him. "Read this first. Then we'll talk about Occlumency."
"While I'd enjoy watching you flounder when someone invades your mind, your insipid thoughts hold no interest for me."
Harry caught the book and tried again. "What about more practice with the Patronus Charm?"
Snape flicked his wand, causing the office door to fly open. "Get out!"
"Wait, Professor. I have some questions about potions," Harry said, unwilling to waste a moment.
With visible irritation, Snape answered each question.
Advanced potion-making techniques began to overlap with those of Witcher alchemy. Both disciplines often required high-proof alcohol as a base. Vesemir had stocked so many spirits in preparation for brewing potions.
If Harry could adapt Witcher potions to his world's magical principles, it would greatly benefit him.
Harry kept asking until it was nearly curfew.
Snape, finally fed up with Harry's lingering presence, waved his wand to physically toss him out of the office.
The moment the door shut behind him, Harry donned his Invisibility Cloak and slipped into the kitchen.
"Kreau!"
With a soft pop, the house-elf appeared.
"Little wizard!" Kreau exclaimed, puffing out its chest. "Everything Kreau was asked to prepare is ready!"
It snapped its fingers, and with a heavy thud, a large buffalo appeared out of thin air.
The creature was enormous—bigger than Snape's desk.
For the first time, Harry fully understood what the Weasley twins meant when they said house-elves spared no effort in completing tasks. This buffalo was so massive it wouldn't fit under his Invisibility Cloak.
"Can you take it to the edge of the Forbidden Forest without alerting anyone?" Harry asked after a moment's thought.
"Of course!" Kreau replied eagerly. "The little wizard need only call my name."
At the forest's edge, Hagrid was patrolling with Fang.
Once they were out of sight, Harry whispered, "Kreau."
The elf didn't appear, but the buffalo materialized silently before Harry.
Waving his wand, Harry used vines to bind the creature, lifting it into the air and leading it toward the unicorn's territory.
He found fresh dung nearby—less than a day old. The unicorn had been lingering in this area recently.
Setting the buffalo down, Harry uncorked the vial of Amortentia and poured it over the animal.
A faint aroma of grass, wood, and the sea wafted into Harry's nose—a strangely alluring scent.
He burned unicorn hair, scattered flower petals across the ground, and cast a spell to cut the buffalo's skin, letting blood flow freely.
To be continued...
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Powerstones?
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