Why Is the Medicine Bitter?

This directly raised the bar for Transfiguration across the entire Wizarding World.

McGonagall even subtly hinted that as long as the actual test results met the standards, a Order of Merlin was practically guaranteed.

As for the medal level, it cannot be determined at the moment, but it will definitely not be the lowest level.

Tom had his own plans, so he politely declined, deciding to accumulate results first and make more contributions later.

A single attempt to obtain the Order of Merlin, First Class, offers the highest cost-effectiveness.

Back in the Great Hall, he immediately spotted Astoria throwing a tantrum.

The little girl gave a haughty snort, then abruptly turned her head away, pretending she couldn't be bothered to pay him any attention.

But those eyes were honest, secretly watching his every move.

"Still sulking with me?" Tom reached out and gently turned her little face back.

He smiled helplessly, "I made you take the medicine for your own good."

"I know," Astoria said, her eyes downcast and looking aggrieved.

"But the medicine is so bitter. I have to drink three kinds every day, and my stomach is about to burst."

Tom couldn't help but chuckle, "Silly girl, you've already made it this far? Daphne said you used to be on your medication all the time."

"I've drunk things ten times more bitter than this, so I should have developed a tolerance by now. Why am I still so afraid of bitterness?"

These words instantly stunned Astoria.

Yes, she used to be surrounded by herbal medicine for many years, and her taste buds had long been numb from drinking all sorts of strange and bitter medicines. She had long been used to this kind of taste.

When exactly did she start becoming so delicate, afraid of bitter tastes, and resistant to taking medicine?

The answer became clear instantly when Tom took out the first bottle of stimulant.

From then on, she no longer had to take a bunch of random medications every day.

With regular use of mild tonics, the body gradually improves and ailments decrease.

It was Tom who freed her from years of hardship and gave her back the right to be picky about food and to act spoiled.

Upon realizing this, a wave of bittersweet emotion washed over me.

Under Tom's gaze, Astoria's eyes instantly filled with tears. She abruptly stood up and threw herself into his arms, her voice choked with sobs.

"I was wrong, Tom. I'll take my medicine obediently from now on and I won't throw a tantrum anymore."

Tom was completely bewildered.

He wondered why the little girl had started crying when he hadn't said anything harsh. He was completely baffled.

Daphne, standing to the side, was also stunned, forgetting to wipe the cake sauce from the corner of her mouth, her face full of confusion.

What happened? What exactly happened in just a few seconds?

Many students nearby turned around to watch curiously, their interest in watching the drama unfold growing.

Tom's eyes turned cold, and a deathly gaze swept across the room, instantly deterring all the peeking eyes. The little snakes in the room turned into quails in an instant.

He gently patted Astoria's back, softening his tone to soothe her.

"We Astoria are the bravest. Hang in there a little longer, and I promise you'll never have to drink these awful potions again."

Astoria responded softly, realizing she was too emotional, and buried herself in his arms, too ashamed to look up.

Tom had no choice but to quickly lead the two sisters away from the Great Hall to avoid further embarrassment for the little girl.

Time flies, and Halloween Eve has arrived as scheduled.

The castle bulletin board updated the list of new Prefect for the academy, attracting countless students to stop and watch.

The Slytherin roster remains unchanged, with the same Shadow Prefect- elected, a sure thing.

The other three houses saw minor updates. Hermione was unsurprisingly elected as the second-year Prefect of Gryffindor, while the Prefect position went to Harry.

This result is reasonable. At this stage, Harry is the ceiling among his Gryffindor classmates in terms of popularity, reputation, and overall performance.

Gemini's overall strength was already sufficient to qualify them for the election.

Even if Professor McGonagall were the most enlightened, she wouldn't put two people with such poor discipline in the position of Prefect.

Even Lee Jordan, who was close to them, was directly removed from the list.

The boy who was ultimately selected consistently ranked high in his class, and was recently chosen by McGonagall to test the practical effects of the Fantasy Potion in combat.

His strength has visibly increased dramatically, and his election is truly well-deserved.

Tom had just stepped into the Great Hall when the notebook in his pocket suddenly vibrated slightly.

He took it out and his eyes lit up instantly.

[XP Goat: Are you there? The good stuff you wanted has arrived.]

[Tom: You're at Hog's Head Inn? I'm coming right now.]

[XP Goat: The Halloween Feast is about to begin, aren't you coming?]

[Tom: Dinner parties happen every year, Runespoor are rare and hard to come by; there's no need to waste time.]

[XP Goat: Okay, come over here, I'll wait for you in the shop.]

Tom put away his notebook, turned to Daphne, and quickly gave her some instructions.

"I have some personal matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving for a bit."

"If Snape asks, just say I went to the Forbidden Forest to gather herbs. He wouldn't dare deduct points from my score so easily."

"Okay." Daphne nodded obediently.

Tom walked quickly against the flow of people out of the Great Hall and rushed out of the castle.

Night had completely fallen, and to avoid revealing their identities...

He first cast a layer of the Traceless Disillusionment Charm on himself, and then took to the air.

At his current flying speed, a round trip from Hogwarts to the Hog's Head Inn would only take a few minutes.

He simply forgot that tonight was a holiday, Hog's Head Inn was packed with a motley crew of all sorts of people.

The loud, boisterous voices of the drunkards inside the bar could be clearly heard from a distance, creating a headache-inducing atmosphere.

To completely conceal his identity, Tom waved his wand, transforming his black school uniform into a long robe with a green hood and gold trim.

At the same time, the facial contours were blurred, and the entire face was hidden in the shadow of the hood, making it impossible to see it.

His unusual attire immediately drew everyone's attention upon entering.

Those who frequent Hog's Head Inn are rarely law-abiding citizens.

Some people noticed his suspicious behavior and sneaked up to him, intending to steal from him.

A cold glint flashed in Tom's eyes, and tiny arcs of electricity suddenly erupted around his body.

A slight numbing current spread instantly, shocking the thief so much that he collapsed to the ground, his body numb.

Upon seeing this, the surrounding crowd was instantly filled with fear and quickly kept their distance, not daring to provoke them any further.

Aberforth, who was busy managing drinks behind the bar and ready to start swearing at any moment, caught a glimpse of the notebook in Tom's hand and instantly recognized him.

He pointed to the stairs to the second floor and lowered his voice. "Go upstairs to my room and wait for me."

Tom nodded slightly, walked straight up the stairs, and entered Aberforth's private bedroom, waiting for him to finish.

Inside Hog's Head Inn, the noisy atmosphere was filled with the smell of alcohol mixed with the voices of people, lingering in the air.

Regular customer Barnes looked at the closed door on the second floor, then curiously approached the bar and teased Aberforth bartender.

"Boss, who exactly was that guy who just went upstairs? He seemed so mysterious. I remember you don't just let anyone in on your second floor."

Aberforth didn't even lift his eyelids; his hands continued to move smoothly as he mixed the drinks.