Professor, I Was Wrong

Alex stood next to Avery, looking at Hermes without averting his gaze this time.

He didn't like his gloomy roommate, but now, seeing him lying in the hospital bed, something replaced the long-suppressed cowardice in his heart.

It has nothing to do with courage, but it's similar to Avery's thinking: after experiencing things, you gain confidence.

His lips moved, but he wasn't as arrogant as Avery; he simply said, "Get well soon."

The visit didn't last long; Madam Pomfrey hadn't set a time limit today, but the three of them prepared to leave after less than five minutes.

As Regulus turned away, Hermes suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse like sandpaper. "... Thank you."

Regulus didn't turn around, he just raised his hand and waved.

Stepping out of the Hospital Wing, I bumped into Abros Mulciber at the door.

He was still wearing that dark-patterned black robe, standing in the shadows of the Corridor like a stone statue.

Regulus stopped in his tracks and said to Avery and Alex, "You two go first."

Avery looked at Abros, then at Regulus, and nodded.

He and Alex bowed slightly to Abros as a greeting, then quickly left.

The Corridor fell silent.

Abros didn't say anything, but turned and walked towards the corner, with Regulus following.

The two stopped at a dead end on the stairs; there were no Portrait there, and no students passing by.

"Dumbledore came yesterday morning," Abros began, his voice low and even. "He lifted the curse on Hermes."

Regulus and others will continue the story.

"He didn't say anything else," Abros added.

Regulus understood what this meant: Dumbledore come and dealt with the curse, but had not pursued the responsibility of the Mulciber family, nor had he mentioned the details of the Astronomy Tower.

This might be a kind of exchange, or a tacit understanding.

But he believed that Abros would seize the opportunity given to him by Dumbledore.

Abros's gaze fell on Regulus's face, his grey-brown eyes flickering with emotion. "From now on, Hermes will need your help."

Regulus's heart skipped a beat; Abros certainly wasn't just trying to get Hermes to follow him.

Is the Mulciber family making a statement?

He thinks I'm one of Dumbledore's men?

This differs from the deal made by the Old Bok Burke family, who sought the support of the Black family in Wizengamot.

The Mulciber family were likely seeking a safe location under Dumbledore's watchful eye.

Dumbledore spoke with Abros, the content of which is unknown, but the result was that the Mulciber family chose to let Hermes get close to Regulus.

This might be a way of telling Dumbledore that we accept oversight and approve of the people you trust.

Of course, this was all Regulus's guess, but he felt that he might be right.

Dumbledore.

"Okay," Regulus replied curtly, his tone flat.

Abros nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Potions Class this morning, with Gryffindor.

Professor Slughorn was teaching about Boil-Cure Potion today. On the materials table were Snake Fangs, Dried Nettles, Horned Slugs, and several jars of strangely colored pus.

Regulus and Alex were paired together. Regulus was quick and efficient, but he wasn't decisive enough when dealing with the Snake Fangs.

Regulus was in charge of the boiling process; the liquid in the crucible changed from dark green to brownish-yellow, and then to a uniform, deep brown, similar to melted toffee.

The surface is free of bubbles, the viscosity is moderate, and a pungent but stable sulfur smell can be detected when you get close.

Professor Slughorn strolled over, scooped up a little with a silver spoon, and examined it against the light.

The liquid forms a uniform thin film in the spoon, with good light transmittance and pure color.

"Perfect!" The professor's face broke into a smile. "Color, viscosity, and odor all meet or exceed expectations. Slytherin, ten points!"

A few suppressed gasps echoed in the classroom.

On the Gryffindor side, Mary MacDonald gave Regulus a thumbs-up, and Regulus nodded slightly to her.

Alphard Pruitt pursed his lips and continued stirring his still-bubbling mixture.

After the Dismissal Bell, the students packed up their belongings and left.

Regulus didn't move, and Avery and Alex, seeing this, also remained in their seats.

Once the classroom was empty except for the three of them, Regulus stood up and walked to the podium.

Slughorn was organizing materials when he looked up and saw them, raising his eyebrows.

"Professor," Regulus began, "We need to apologize for what happened with Hermes Mulciber."

Slughorn walked around the lectern and came to them, placing his hands folded on his stomach.

"We knew he went to the Astronomy Tower," Regulus continued, "But we didn't report it in time; we wanted to find out the truth ourselves."

Avery reacted quickly, taking half a step forward and saying, "We were wrong, Professor."

Alex added quietly, "I'm sorry."

Slughorn looked at them, his smile fading slightly, but his eyes held no blame.

He paused for a few seconds before speaking, "It's normal for young wizards to be curious and want to prove they can solve problems. I did something similar when I was young, though of course, not as dangerous as what you're going through."

He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "But I want to tell you, the professors at Hogwarts here don't just teach you how to stir cauldrons or wave wands."

We're also responsible for making sure you graduate alive. Some secrets are secrets because they can really kill you.

His gaze swept over the three of them. "Next time you encounter something like this, come to me first, or another professor. This isn't weakness, it's wisdom, understand?"

"Understood." Regulus nodded.

"Very good." Slughorn smiled again and took a Crystal from the drawer, which contained a golden liquid.

"One drop per person, taken before bed, can help stabilize emotions and eliminate the effects of negative feelings."

The three accepted the gift, thanked the man, and left.

Stepping out of the Dungeons, Avery breathed a sigh of relief, "I thought I'd get points deducted."

"No," Regulus said. "The professor wants the attitude."

"What attitude?" Alex asked.

"Admit your mistakes, accept guidance, and don't repeat them next time," Regulus said calmly.

That's what he said, but Regulus thought to himself, "It's okay to admit your mistakes and correct them, but you'll just make the same mistake again."

The Herbology Class this afternoon is in the Greenhouse Three. Today's topic is fertilizing Puffapod.

Professor Sprout, wearing thick Dragon-hide Gloves, demonstrated how to evenly spread Dragon Dung Fertilizer around the base of the bean pods without stimulating them to secrete corrosive sap.

Regulus was given a bean pod that was unusually long.

He crouched down, holding the bean pod shell with his left hand to prevent it from moving, and used a small shovel in his right hand to dig away the soil around the roots.

Simultaneously, his Magic Perception unfolded, allowing him to sense the lively, almost mischievous vitality within the pod, as well as the coarse yet pure Magic Power contained within the Dragon Dung Fertilizer.

The moment the two came into contact, the pod trembled slightly, and the outer shell shimmered with a healthy, oily green sheen.

After the class ended, the other students left, Regulus remained in the Greenhouse.

Professor Sprout was watering a Screaming Cactus when he saw him and nodded. "Is there something you need, Mr. Black?"

"Professor," Regulus approached her, "I have a question about the properties of Magical Plant."

Sprout put down the kettle, wiped his hands with his apron, and said gently, "Go on."

If Magic has opposing attributes, such as light and darkness, do plants also possess similar properties?

Is there a plant that is naturally able to counteract dark Magic Power, or bring hope?

Professor Sprout looked at him with a questioning look in his eyes, but more so with approval.

She turned and walked deeper into the Greenhouse, with Regulus following.

The two stopped in front of a shelf against the wall, on which were placed several ceramic pots containing inconspicuous silver grass with slender leaves and serrated edges.

"Moonlight Orchid," Professor Sprout said, "Blooms only on nights with a full moon, its petals emit moonlight, and the colors vary depending on the month."

It has a repelling effect on some low-level dark creatures, such as the carrion Rot Worm that accompany the Inferi.

She reached out and gently touched a leaf. "More importantly, its pollen, after being refined, can be made into Calming Draught to help wizards stabilize their minds and resist minor mental erosion."

St Mungo's often used it to heal the emotional wounds caused by Dark Arts.

Regulus examined the plant closely; its leaves had extremely fine hairs that shimmered like pearls under the Greenhouse lights.

"But it can't fight against darkness of the level of Dementor, can it?" Regulus asked respectfully.

Dementor, possessing extreme Magic Power attributes, and embodying despair.

Professor Sprout shook his head. "No, Moonlight Orchid's effects are more auxiliary and mitigating. To truly combat that level of darkness, you need something more extreme."

"For example, Professor?" Regulus pressed.

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