Oh no, I won't expose myself anymore
The Magic Power cost of Spatial Warp is equivalent to a Disarming Charm, which is tolerable.
But Regulus felt a vague sense of fatigue in his mind, a side effect of not having fully digested the inherited Magic, and his mental burden was greater than usual.
There has been progress, but not enough; it is still far from practical application.
To make a spell travel through space, the trajectory and landing point of the Warp need to be precisely controlled, and the smaller the error, the better. Moreover, that would definitely be more difficult than teleporting objects.
For the Shield Charm to take effect remotely, Warp must be completed instantly, ideally with no time consumption.
If the battle requires him to use such methods, even a delay of a millisecond could be fatal.
To directly attack a target's internal organs, one needs to penetrate multiple layers of defense on the wizard's body, including Magic Power barriers, physical tissues, and even soul protection.
Each of these requires countless hours of practice, a deeper understanding of space, stronger control over Magic Power, and a more resilient spirit.
But he was patient; if he could see the path, he would simply walk it.
Regulus put the Galleon back into his pocket, stood up, and thought it was time to go back.
Regulus stepped out of the Room of Requirement, the door closing silently behind him, the walls returning to their original state without a trace.
He enveloped himself in Disillusionment Charm and returned to his Slytherin Dormitory along the same route.
They encountered no one on the road, the portraits were all asleep, the armor lay motionless in the Niche, and the Castle was as quiet as if it had sunk into the Shenhai.
It was almost 1 a. m. when I got back to the Dormitory. Avery and Alex were already asleep, and I could hear their even breathing coming from under the bed curtains.
Hermes ' bed was empty, the curtains drawn tightly, and no one was inside.
After washing up, Regulus lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
The Star Orbit Meditation operates automatically, with four Silver Star slowly rotating deep within the consciousness, the Magic Power circulation soothing mental fatigue.
However, the deep-seated burden caused by the excessive influx of inherited knowledge requires a longer period of rest to alleviate.
He decided to reduce high-intensity practice for the next few days and first digest and absorb the knowledge of Natural Magic and Spatial Anchor Charm.
sleep.
January at Hogwarts was bitterly cold, with snowflakes falling from the sky, making it somewhat gloomy.
Outside the Castle, thick snow covered the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and a thin layer of ice covered the surface of the Black Lake, which shimmered with a grayish-white light under the gloomy sky.
The situation inside the Castle was no better; the stone walls of the Corridor were icy to the touch, and condensation formed on the windowpanes. Even with Magic maintaining the temperature, the students still wrapped themselves tightly in their robes.
Herbology Class was held in the Greenhouse Three.
Regulus went into the Greenhouse, where it was much warmer than outside.
The Magic maintained a suitable temperature; the air was humid and carried the scent of earth and plants.
The Greenhouse was filled with all sorts of Magical Plant, from common Devil's Snare to rare Poison Tentacle, each growing in its own area.
Professor Sprout stood in the center of the Greenhouse, wearing his mud-covered apron and holding a small shovel.
"Today we're loosening the soil and repotting the Mandrake Seedling." Her voice was gentle and clear, echoing throughout the Greenhouse.
"Work in pairs, each pair receives one pot of seedlings. Remember the steps: first put on earmuffs and Dragon-hide Gloves, then proceed."
The students lined up to receive earmuffs and tools. Avery volunteered to be in a group with Regulus and received a pot of Mandrake Seedling.
The seedling, no bigger than a palm, was planted in a black ceramic pot. Its leaves were light green, and a tiny purple flower bloomed at the top.
It looks harmless, but this thing is incredibly powerful when it grows up.
The Mandrake's Cry can be fatal, affecting both the body and mind.
In the original story, during Herbology class, Neville Longbottom, overly nervous, forgot to wear earmuffs and briefly fainted after hearing the Mandrake's Cry.
If it's an adult screaming, it could even lead to instant death.
But seedlings are different; their Magic Power is not yet fully developed, and their deadly Magic Power has not yet taken shape.
Regulus put on the earmuffs, and the world instantly fell silent; he could only hear his own breathing and heartbeat.
He looked at the seedling, his senses spreading, and gently touched the seedling's leaves, roots, and soil.
He saw the Magic Power flow within the seedling, like a delicate silver stream, slowly circulating among the plant tissues.
That flow carried a certain quality, and now that he had mastered Natural Magic, he could see it more clearly.
Rather than describing the emotions of plants, it's more accurate to say they possess Magic Power attributes or tendencies.
Some Plant Magic Power properties, making them suitable for healing, such as Dittany.
Some Plant Magic Power properties, making them suitable for attack, such as Poison Tentacle.
The Mandrake's Magic Power properties are unique. Regulus carefully guided a wisp of Natural Magic Power to establish a connection with the seedling's Magic Power.
The seedling's Magic Power gave feedback—a natural, chaotic, yet unformed hiss, a vibration at the level of Magic Power, carrying a feeling that made the soul uncomfortable.
If amplified a thousand times, and with sound as the medium and amplifier, it becomes a deadly scream.
But it was still weak; Regulus disconnected after only three seconds of contact.
Even though it was just a seedling, even though he only touched it for three seconds, he still felt a slight wave of nausea, like the nausea he felt after a long, bumpy carriage ride.
A faint dizziness emanated from deep within my brain, which quickly subsided, but it was enough to prove the danger of this thing.
Moreover, he couldn't study it openly, as the Mandrake Seedling was Hogwarts property, precious and rare.
Every single one of these plants is recorded; the loss of even one would be a major problem.
Professor Sprout would not allow him to extract Magic Power indiscriminately, even if it was just a small amount.
However, the Black family also had Mandrake in their Herb Garden in Cornwall, although it was a family business with strict quantity management and record-keeping.
But he's the Heir of the Black family, so using some of his own things won't cause any problems.
Regulus composed himself and began to loosen the soil around the seedlings.
He moved very carefully, gently removing the surface soil with a small shovel to reveal the fine roots underneath.
The roots of Mandrake are pale yellow, like small ginseng, with many branches and tiny Magic Power Light Point on the surface.
Avery helped by handing over tools and stabilizing the flowerpot.
The two worked together fairly well. Although Avery's movements were not accurate enough and he often almost scooped up the root of the target, at least he didn't make any major mistakes.
The other groups didn't have it so easy. One Hufflepuff boy used too much force and broke off a root, earning him five points deducted by Professor Sprout on the spot.
The class passed quickly, and by the time the Dismissal Bell, most students had finished repotting, transplanting the seedlings into larger terracotta pots, filling them with fresh soil, and watering them with a special nutrient solution.
The Mandrake looked more vibrant in the fresh soil, their leaves swaying slightly, and the purple flowers at their tips opening a little.
Just as Regulus was about to get up, Professor Sprout called out to him, "Mr. Black, stay a moment."
As the other students left the Greenhouse, Avery glanced at Regulus, his eyes asking if they should wait for him.
Regulus shook his head, and Avery followed the crowd.
Only Regulus and Professor Sprout remained in the Greenhouse.
The professor took off his gloves, wiped his hands on his apron, and walked up to Regulus.
She was not tall and a little plump, but she stood upright. Her face bore the tan lines from years of outdoor work, and her eyes were a gentle brown.
"We talked about the emotions and Magic Power of Magical Plant last semester," Professor Sprout began, his tone gentle.
"I remember you asked me if it was painful when the Gillyweed secreted pus."
Regulus nodded. "Yes, Professor."
"I said at the time that many Magical Plant do indeed have simple emotions," Professor Sprout continued.
"Now I'd like to add something: the word 'emotion' isn't actually accurate, at least not for Magical Plant."
She walked over to a Dittany plant and gently touched the leaves with her fingers.
"They grow, they react, they have Magic Power, they have feelings, but the pain, pleasure, and anger we talk about are just wizards applying their own standards."
Regulus listened quietly, lost in thought. What had the professor discovered by telling him all this?
"But the magic of Magic Plant Magic Power has properties, that's accurate." Professor Sprout turned to look at him.
"Some Magic Power is gentle and beneficial to wizards, so we say it is good; some Magic Power is violent and harmful to wizards, so we say it is bad."
But Magic Power itself is neither good nor bad; it's just that its nature differs.
She looked at Regulus: "I said the same thing back then, that the Mandrake's Cry contains a powerful spiritual Magic Power."
This kind of Magic Power directly interferes with the listener's soul stability, leading to a collapse of consciousness, which is a form of death on Mental Layer.
Simultaneously, mental breakdown triggers a chain reaction in the body, so ultimately, death results from both physical and mental collapse.
Regulus nodded earnestly; the professor's instructions at the time were indeed like that, and he remembered them vividly.
Professor Sprout then changed the subject. "But the more fundamental reason is that its Magic Power properties contain a tendency to decompose."
That tendency propagates through sound, affecting the body and soul of living beings, causing their structure to collapse.
Regulus's heart skipped a beat. He had just realized this when the professor spoke of it directly. Could it be that the professor had actually discovered something?