Changes to Luan's Wizard Bar

Luan discovered one of Malfoy's secrets.

He had found the reason Malfoy had been so certain he would be sorted into Slytherin on the boat.

Over these two Potions Classes, Professor Snape had rebuked nearly everyone, yet Malfoy alone had received his praise.

Even though Luan sliced the dried nettles with perfect neatness and ground the snake fangs into fine, even powder, and even though Hermione's movements were light and her incantations flawless, none of it could compare to the elegance with which Malfoy dropped a slug into the Cauldron.

Fortunately, Luan did not deliberately seek praise from professors. He stared intently at the Cauldron on the table, and whenever Hermione stopped stirring, he smoothly added the next Potion Ingredient.

Having reviewed the textbook that morning, Luan knew very well that this potion for treating boils was highly dangerous during the brewing process.

Corrosiveness and intense heat were the defining traits of this unfinished potion. When a pungent acidic smell rose from the Cauldron, Luan became increasingly careful.

Yet the accident still came. Just as Luan lifted the Cauldron off the fire, Neville from the row behind let out a scream.

Luan jumped in fright, but he still held the Cauldron firmly.

Luan, who often did physical work, knew that this was precisely when he could not panic. Otherwise, he might be the next one screaming.

After setting the Cauldron steadily on the asbestos heatproof mat and adding the crushed porcupine quills, Luan finally turned to look at the scene of the accident.

The potion in Neville and Seamus's Cauldron had spilled all over the floor. Its powerful corrosiveness sent the surrounding students scrambling onto their chairs.

That unlucky boy Neville was already crying out wildly from the burns, large red blisters spreading over his arms and legs.

Professor Snape hurried over, drew his wand, and gave it a light flick. All the potion on the floor was instantly cleaned away.

"Idiot! Did you add the porcupine quills before taking the Cauldron off the fire?"

Neville was punished by Professor Snape, but it was Harry who lost points for failing to fulfill his Obligations to remind his classmate.

Luan did not know what exactly had happened between Harry and Professor Snape, but he was now certain that Malfoy and Harry had become the positive and negative examples in Potions Class.

Seamus eventually took Neville to the School Infirmary, while everyone else continued brewing their potions.

Perhaps shaken by Neville's disastrous potion failure, only two groups successfully brewed their potions by the end of class.

Malfoy and Millicent Bulstrode.

Luan and Hermione.

But only Malfoy received bonus points.

Luan and Hermione also failed to receive points because they had not fulfilled their Obligations to warn Neville.

After class, all the Gryffindor students left very quickly, afraid that if they were even a step too slow, Snape would berate them too.

Luan, meanwhile, gathered Neville's textbooks and tools from a table at the back.

When that unlucky Young Wizard had been sent to the School Infirmary, he had forgotten everything here.

As Luan finished packing and prepared to leave, he looked up and saw his reflection clearly mirrored in one of the glass jars containing specimens.

Luan discovered that his Wizard Bar had actually risen a little!

About a quarter of a segment.

This novel discovery swept away all the negative feelings Potions Class had brought him.

Luan had finally proven that he was not a "half-baked spiritual perceiver" incapable of using magic. He could become a true wizard too.

"Luan Scarlett, if you like that bat so much, I would not mind sending you in to keep it company."

Snape's icy voice sounded behind him. Luan froze for a moment before realizing that the glass jar before him held a stuffed black bat, its fangs bared.

"I'm very sorry, Professor. I thought perhaps I could help clean this place."

Luan turned around and explained awkwardly.

"Leave! Now!"

Sensing that Snape was on the verge of erupting, Luan gathered up everything and rushed out of the Potions Classroom.

Yet as he stepped through the classroom door, he still expressed his gratitude.

"Thank you, Professor."

Luan did not know whether the change in his Wizard Bar was related to today's potion brewing, but it no longer mattered. He was simply very happy.

So what if Professor Snape was overly harsh? He had still learned how to brew a potion for treating boils.

One should hold respect for those who taught them knowledge. That was also something Uncle Neil had taught Luan.

Arriving at the Great Hall, Luan enjoyed a delicious lunch while carefully observing the changes in every first-year's Wizard Bar.

When they had enrolled a week ago, Hermione had been the only one with half a segment on her Wizard Bar. Now, one week later, she had thoroughly proven her ability.

She could always cast spells successfully on the first try, and she was equally capable at Transfiguration and potion-making. Not to mention History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts, which only required memorization.

The only place she might lose points was Herbology, because she disliked the foul smell of the fertilizer in the Greenhouse.

But that did not stop her from performing excellently in Herbology.

Hermione's Wizard Bar had already exceeded half a segment. She remained first among the new students, far ahead of the second tier.

Looking around at the first-years seated at every table, Luan spotted several slightly longer Wizard Bars.

Malfoy from Slytherin, Michael Corner from Ravenclaw, and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff.

The Wizard Bars of all three were around one-third of a segment.

Next came Luan. His Wizard Bar was one-quarter of a segment, and several other students had bars of the same length, though most of them were from Ravenclaw.

Then there were his roommates. Luan looked at Harry, Ron, and Seamus.

Uh, theirs still seemed blank.

Of course, only a week had passed. Their current Magical Strength could not represent the future. Luan believed that everyone's bars would gradually grow.

He glanced at the second-years' Wizard Bars and found that the shortest among them was actually as long as his own.

This gave Luan a greater sense of urgency. He did not want to remain like this in his second year, but fortunately, he understood his own weaknesses very clearly.

Weak foundational knowledge, inaccurate spell pronunciation, failure to record the key points of professors' lectures in time.

He had already found solutions to all these problems. Luan felt that his progress in learning magic would surely become smoother and smoother.

But it would not do for things to go smoothly only at Hogwarts. He also had to consider what he would do after returning to Xilin.

At that thought, Luan took a sip of his after-meal tea and quickly ran toward the dormitory.

There were no classes on Friday afternoon, making it the perfect time to go to the Forbidden Forest in search of saplings. Before that, though, he needed to find Hagrid and take Bouncing along to familiarize it with the route.

It was also a good chance to expand Bouncing's range of activity.

Taking the permit Professor Sprout had issued and placing Bouncing on his shoulder, Luan quickly left the castle.

Luan had already asked around for the path to Hagrid's hut. He only needed to leave through the main gate, cross a stretch of grass, and follow the trail.

The scenery along the entire path was beautiful. He could even see the Black Lake in the distance, the very place where he had rocked the boat to scare Malfoy.

Bouncing loved the outdoor scenery, especially the Black Lake. At the sight of it, it chirped endlessly.

"You can come play here in the future too, but you can't enter that forest."

Luan pointed toward the vast forest beyond the hut in the distance.