Keeping Secrets and Potions Research

The next day, Saturday.

Vaughn, who had been assigned to Gryffindor duty today, saw Harry and Ron heading toward the Forbidden Forest early in the morning, with Hermione following behind them, clutching a book.

"I'm going to keep an eye on you." That was her answer.

Ron thought Hermione was definitely trying to get back at him. She was planning to watch their every move, wait for them to make a mistake, then report them to the professors.

But Harry did not think so. "Hermione values House points more than anything. She wouldn't wait for us to mess up and cost Gryffindor points."

"Then what does she want? Merlin's beard, every time I turn around, there's someone creeping along behind us. Do you know how scary that is?"

Harry did not want to know.

Together, they went to Hagrid's hut by the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid welcomed them warmly. Hermione entered as well, but she spoke almost exclusively to Hagrid and ignored Harry and Ron the entire time.

There, Harry found a newspaper reporting that Gringotts had been robbed. Judging by the date, it had happened on the very day he and Hagrid had gone to Gringotts.

Thinking of how Hagrid had gone to Gringotts to collect something, Harry quickly connected the two incidents.

On the way back, he slapped the newspaper and said to Ron and Hermione, "The people who robbed Gringotts might have been after the thing Hagrid took. He was acting all mysterious at the time and only kept saying it was important."

"Look at this report: 'The vault searched by the intruders had, in fact, been emptied earlier that same day.' It has to be right! Vault 713! There was only a dirty little package inside, and Hagrid took it away. Doesn't that mean it had been emptied?"

"Cool!"

Ron let out a whistle.

Then Harry seemed to remember something. He looked at his two friends pleadingly. "Uh, Hagrid told me not to tell anyone about this. You'll keep it secret, right?"

"Absolutely!" Ron thumped his chest hard, then began coughing.

Hermione gave a snort. "I've always been excellent at keeping secrets!"

Well, that was exactly what Harry had told Hagrid at the time.

So the next day, Vaughn knew...

"The Philosopher's Stone..."

Vaughn went to the library and found a book introducing this alchemical marvel. Staring at the illustration inside, he fell into thought.

Unlike in the fanfiction he had read in his previous life, where many people considered it insignificant.

The more Vaughn studied magic, the more he understood how astonishing the Philosopher's Stone was. It could reverse matter and accomplish what even the most advanced Transfiguration could not—altering the essence of a substance and turning any metal into pure gold.

The Elixir of Life brewed with it was also the only confirmed thing, with actual examples, capable of conquering death.

Nicolas Flamel and his wife, Perenelle Flamel, had lived an extra six hundred years because of it...

A full six centuries!

Was there anything more incredible in the wizarding world?

Of course, that immortality seemed to have side effects. Vaughn remembered seeing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in his previous life, where Flamel had appeared.

A comical old man suffering from severe osteoporosis.

"Apparently, the Flamels live in seclusion somewhere in Devon. My family is in Devon too, but there's no more precise location. And given how cautious they are, their hiding place has probably long been protected by magic similar to the Fidelius Charm. No one else could find it."

"Otherwise, I really would like to visit him and have a proper chat."

Vaughn had not yet encountered alchemy. Books introducing this even more mysterious discipline could be found in the Hogwarts library, but they left him utterly confused.

They went on at length about "spiritual journeys" and creating things from nothing. It read like something someone had written while drunk.

Vaughn closed the book and was about to leave when the system panel popped up before his eyes.

[New quest activated]

[Side Quest ①: Obtain the Philosopher's Stone]

[Reward: Alchemy Talent]

"..."

Vaughn was a little speechless. The system's quests were becoming more and more outrageous.

The Philosopher's Stone was currently the focus of both the Dark Lord and the White Lord. He would have to be insane to make a move on it.

Ignoring the system panel, Vaughn returned the book. Seeing that it was getting late, he hurried to Professor Snape's office.

Honestly, Vaughn thought Snape's taste was truly terrible.

Whether it was the Potions classroom or his office, both had been placed in the darkest parts of Hogwarts Castle.

The moment Vaughn stepped into the corridor, he felt the gloom closing in around him. With taste like that, how could Snape possibly compete with James Potter?

No girl would ever like him!

But when Vaughn pushed open the office door and saw the shelves full of potion ingredients, along with the piles of potions stacked upon them...

He was hooked!

It really did smell wonderful. Many people thought potion ingredients were strange and must stink, but after processing, most of them carried a unique fragrance.

Not to mention those bottle after bottle of potions in the cabinets, gleaming crystal-clear as they reflected the firelight from the fireplace!

Snape still wore that poker face, standing ghostlike in the corner as he watched Vaughan coldly.

Only when Vaughan gazed at the potions with fascination did a faint smile appear on his face—

His two days of painstaking selection from his private collection had not been wasted, filling the newly bought potion cabinet!

It had not been easy. They had to be precious, yet not look like he was showing off, and they also had to be educational!

"Professor, this place is truly a treasure trove!"

Vaughan praised him sincerely.

Snape suddenly found himself in an excellent mood. It reminded him of Friday night, when he had gone to the headmaster's office and shown Dumbledore Vaughan's improved Cure for Boils.

The old man's astonished face had delighted him.

The savior was nothing special, yet his evil classmate was a genuine Slytherin potions prodigy!

"Vaughan Weasley," Snape said slowly. "You will have plenty of time to look around later. Now, let me see what is so remarkable about your method of extracting magic."

"Oh? Plenty of time to look around? Professor, does that mean I can come here every weekend from now on?"

Vaughan clearly knew how to seize the important point.

Snape did not answer, which was clearly an acknowledgment. He stepped aside, revealing the cauldron behind him. A potion was brewing inside—the Cure for Boils.

Clearly, today he intended to observe Vaughan's brewing process from start to finish.

Vaughan did not mind. He drew his wand and got to work.

After that, the only sounds in the gloomy dungeon were the processing of ingredients, the stirring of the cauldron, and the occasional exchange of a few words.

"Hmm—an odd choice. How do you ensure the magic permeates it?"

"Familiarity with the materials, Professor. Perhaps it also has something to do with a talent for Transfiguration. My magic can easily observe their insides."

"Of course, ordinary wizards can also choose to practice extensively. Practice makes perfect."

"...Let me try."

"Certainly, Professor!"