The Newly Brewed Potion and the Net in the Shadows

By the third week of December, Hogwarts' Christmas atmosphere had reached its peak. A massive fir tree stood in the center of the Great Hall, laden with golden bells and little elves that sang by themselves. Yet beneath the festive clamor, the atmosphere inside the Room of Requirement was like the sea before a storm—calm, but brewing with astonishing energy.

The second brewing of the Wolfsbane Potion had entered its most crucial stage—the final fusion of the moonlight extract and the Silverleaf Grass base. This time, Snape's focus reached an unprecedented height. Every movement he made seemed precisely calculated, and the strands of magic flowing from his wand tip were terrifyingly steady. Lin Yanqing acted like his most faithful shadow, accurately providing every form of assistance, sensing even the slightest possible ripple of magic through their contract and responding in advance.

Inside the cauldron, the emerald-green base liquid and the moon-white extract gradually blended as they slowly swirled, releasing a cool, pure aura like congealed moonlight. There was no bubbling, no strange sound—only the faint hum of magic resonating in harmony.

When the final drop of extract had fully merged, and the liquid in the cauldron settled into a lustrous pale blue with a pearly sheen, Snape slowly lowered his wand. He stood there, staring fixedly at the hard-won potion. His chest rose and fell slightly as his clenched fist slowly loosened, leaving deep nail marks in his palm.

They had succeeded.

Though it was only a preliminary product whose effects still needed testing, they had indeed crossed the shadow of their previous failures and completed a theoretically viable improved version of the Wolfsbane Potion.

The laboratory was silent. There were no cheers, no celebration. Snape merely picked up a crystal vial prepared in advance and treated with mithril, then carefully filled it with the pale blue potion using the steadiest motion possible before sealing it.

He held the vial and examined it for a long time beneath the dim green light. This was not a medal of victory, but the first proper weapon they had against unknown dangers—and proof that his personal abilities had held firm under immense pressure.

Lin Yanqing stood quietly to one side without disturbing him. From the other end of their contract, he could sense not joy, but a heavy and complicated emotion mixed with exhaustion, relief, and an even stronger sense of responsibility.

After a long while, Snape carefully placed the crystal vial into a velvet-lined box and tucked it into the deepest part of his dragonhide pocket. He turned around, and for the first time, his gaze truly fell upon Lin Yanqing's face. Deep in his black eyes, something like solid ice seemed to melt at one corner, almost imperceptibly.

"This potion," he said, his voice hoarse from prolonged concentration, "needs to undergo its final test in a... specific environment." He did not explicitly say it would be tested on a werewolf, but they both understood. "Before the next full moon, we must make sure nothing can go wrong."

This meant their actions were about to enter a more dangerous and substantive stage.

Lin Yanqing nodded to show that he understood. He took out the result of his recent practice—a robe with basic Shock Absorption runes embroidered into its lining. The rune lines still looked somewhat immature, but their structure was complete, and a faint magical gleam flowed through them.

"The basic protection is ready," he said calmly, showing it to him.

Snape glanced at the runes. He did not comment on the embroidery, only gave an almost imperceptible nod in acknowledgment. This silent exchange showed the trust they had built through practical action better than any words could.

"Ding-dong! (??????)?? Hidden Quest [The Dawn of Potions] completed! Successfully brewed the initial version of the Wolfsbane Potion (Improved). Reward: Potion Stability Analysis (one use), System Points +100."

"New quest triggered: [Prepare for a Rainy Day]!"

Quest Description: A storm is approaching. Before the crisis erupts, improve the survival capabilities of yourself and your contract partner as much as possible.

Quest Requirements: Before the Christmas holiday begins, complete at least two defensive preparations (such as: becoming proficient with the Shield Charm, successfully crafting an advanced protective item, obtaining critical intelligence, etc.).

Quest Reward: Assessed based on quality of completion. Guaranteed reward: Emergency Key (single-use, short-distance random teleportation) x1.

Failure Penalty: During the next crisis event, risk of injury increases by 30%. (╥﹏╥)

The System's quest appeared at just the right moment, confirming their premonition of danger ahead.

However, just as they had finished the potion and relaxed ever so slightly, the laboratory door—the door created by the Room of Requirement, which should have been absolutely safe—suddenly made a clear sound unlike anything they had heard before—

"Click."

It sounded like some mechanism had been triggered, or like the extremely faint sound of a latch springing loose.

Both of them became alert instantly. Snape's wand was pointed at the door almost at the exact moment the sound rang out, while Lin Yanqing instinctively gripped the Invisibility Dust in his pocket.

Outside the door, there was complete silence.

But this time, the feeling of being watched was stronger than ever. It was as though an icy venomous snake had just slithered past the crack beneath the door, leaving behind a slimy trail.

Snape's face turned ashen. He strode to the door but did not open it at once. Instead, he began murmuring an ancient, awkward incantation that Lin Yanqing had never heard before. A faint, rippling magic flowed from the tip of his wand and swept across the stone door's surface.

A moment later, he withdrew his wand, his expression so dark it seemed as though water could drip from it.

"Someone... just tried to probe the defenses here with extremely sophisticated dark magic," he said coldly. "Not one of the usual tricks seen at Hogwarts. Older. More... vicious."

The Borgin Family. The name surfaced in both their minds at once. Their opponent not only knew this laboratory existed, but had already begun trying to break through its defenses!

Lin Yanqing immediately thought of the [Prepare for a Rainy Day] quest the System had just issued. Clearly, the crisis had arrived faster than they had expected.

"This place is no longer absolutely safe," Snape concluded. He looked around the laboratory that had borne the efforts and secrets of countless nights, a trace of resolve flashing through his eyes. "We need a new base. Immediately."

The joy of the newly brewed potion was swept away in an instant, replaced by an imminent sense of crisis. Their enemies were no longer content with warnings and surveillance; they had already extended their probing claws.

The bells of the Christmas holiday were about to ring, but for Snape and Lin Yanqing, this holiday was destined to have nothing to do with peace. An invisible net carrying the aura of dark magic was quietly tightening around them in the shadows of Hogwarts.