Potions Ingredients Missing

"Are you okay?"

Michael carefully helped Sean up.

The young wizard was still gasping heavily.

"I'm fine."

After a few minutes of recovery, Sean came back to himself.

He had still overestimated this body of his, which had only just recovered from a serious illness.

He decided to walk more slowly next time and moved the importance of learning to fly higher up his priorities, making it the most important task after getting a Scholarship.

"All right."

Michael's brows drooped, his gaze flickering.

Once they reached the dormitory, Sean's tasks became much simpler.

He only had to deal with the straightforward homework for History of Magic, Transfiguration Class, Potions class, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.

These assignments had originally been due in a week, but Sean clearly had no intention of dragging things out that long.

He finished the Defense Against the Dark Arts essay in only half an hour.

The Charms essay did not even last twenty minutes in his hands.

The only thing requiring attention was the one-foot History of Magic essay.

Though it was a lot, Sean had mostly finished it last time and only had the ending left.

"You've got to be kidding..."

Michael, who had watched the entire process from the side, was somewhat dazed.

"You just did this, then that, and finished homework for three subjects?

Including that terrifyingly long History of Magic essay?"

Sean turned his head, his long lashes trembling slightly.

"Don't look at me with that expression like, 'This is normal, can't you do it?'"

Michael slammed his book shut with a bang.

"I guarantee that at a time like this, no one can finish all this homework!"

As he spoke, he quickly left the dormitory. When he returned, two wizards were following behind him—

Terry and Anthony.

"Sorry for disturbing you."

Anthony greeted them politely.

"Michael said there was Mer..."

Terry began shyly.

The Black-Haired Young Wizard swiftly covered his mouth.

"Sean, look, no one else has finished either."

Michael proudly raised two sheets of Parchment. They bore nearly three inches of writing, but were still far from the required one foot.

"So please, teach us!"

Sean was a little puzzled. There was indeed quite a lot to write, but it should not have been this difficult...

Looking at the three pairs of eager eyes, Sean nodded and picked up his own Parchment.

"Actually,"

Sean pointed at his writing.

"Writing a history essay is very simple. Professor Binns's topic is Emeric and Ulysses the Odd.

"The first step is to draw a timeline and determine the era these two wizards lived in..."

Sean picked up the timeline he had drawn and handed it to the three, who did not dare let their attention wander for even a moment.

"Then we can find the background of their lives. The material in History of Magic is already detailed enough;

"Next comes the second step: analyze the deeds of these two wizards in light of that background. Um, there's a very good line in the book: judging a person apart from their background is the act of a rogue;

"Then comes the third step: reassess their actions and put forward your own argument;

"After that is the fourth step: compare the two with other figures and events in historical records, combining history and analysis. This is the heart of a history essay;

"Lastly, you can write a brief conclusion or discuss the value of your argument. It wouldn't hurt to add some deeper prospects, either."

Sean seemed to recall something and opened a notebook that was already half filled.

"Since the chronology in History of Magic is chaotic, I used timelines and several books, such as Famous Wizards and Weird Magical Failures and Their Revelations, to organize some material. You can use my notes directly."

After he finished speaking, he watched the three young wizards' eyes go from blank to brighter and brighter.

At last, Michael reverently accepted the notebook and murmured:

"Sean, you're an angel Merlin sent to save us...

"This is my bible...

"Parchment, where's my Parchment?

"I'll battle it for another three hundred rounds!"

Terry and Anthony also burst with unimaginable enthusiasm.

The three of them flipped through the notes.

At once, the dormitory held only the scratch scratch of Quills and the crackle of the fire in the hearth.

Anthony's solemn thanks still lingered in Sean's ears.

He nodded and effortlessly completed his Transfiguration Class essay as well.

In fact, that method could be applied to every assignment.

Sean did not mind the two extra people in the room.

He set aside his Potions class homework and wrote the second step of his plan in the notebook he carried with him:

Find ingredients for brewing potions

He had already gained a preliminary grasp of how to process ingredients. As long as he had the materials in hand, the preparatory work for brewing potions would be complete.

But where could he get the ingredients?

The school supply list had not required them to buy ingredients. The young wizards all used the potion ingredients provided by Hogwarts.

Could they use them after class?

Sean thought.

They probably could, but the chances of Professor Snape agreeing were infinitely close to zero.

For no reason at all, Sean pictured Professor Snape's face, written all over with refusal.

He sighed softly.

If there was anything more frightening than having no talent, it was having no talent and running into Professor Snape.

What should he do?

The question circled through Sean's mind.

Dusk also enveloped Hogwarts.

Blue and bronze silk draperies hung from the vaulted ceiling, dyed a deep blue nearly as dark as night by the thin moonlight filtering in through the windows.

The air was filled with the faintly astringent scent of old book pages, the supple smell of Parchment, and a chill like the air after rain.

Sean's gaze turned toward the enormous arched window.

His Jade eyes seemed veiled by the mist so common in Scotland during autumn and winter, reflecting the wavering glimmer cast by the fireplace.

"There'll always be a way."

Sean told himself.

"This is magical Hogwarts."

The long night passed, and the castle awoke once more.

The first warm orange rays climbed over the stone statues in the corridors.

They also made the young wizard holding a book raise a hand to shield his eyes.

Wednesday.

Since Ravenclaw had no first class in the morning, the first-years were still immersed in dreams.

Sean, however, had gotten up early.

At this time in the past, breakfast was served at the orphanage. If he missed it, there would be no second helping.

So Sean had developed the good habit of sleeping early and rising early.

He entered the Great Hall and launched an assault on pumpkin soup, Chicken and Ham Pie, and Kribbige Wizard Biscuits.

Justin appeared beside him as reliably as ever, wearing a gentle smile.

"Good morning, Sean."

"Good morning."

Sean nodded, then saw Justin take out a thick Directory of Contemporary Famous Magicians and begin reading.

"Hogwarts really is amazing. If Professor Binns hadn't assigned that one-foot essay,

"I think I'd have more time to explore the castle and the Kitchen beside the common room..."

At the mention of homework, Justin frowned slightly, and a hint of gloom appeared on his sunny face.

"Mm."

Hearing the word Kitchen, a little more light appeared in Sean's bright green eyes.

Damn Sorting Hat. I want to be a Hufflepuff with unlimited snacks too...

He thought.

Then he noticed something strange.

"Professor Binns assigned Hufflepuff a one-foot essay too?"

"Too?"

Justin looked up in surprise.

"Could it be..."