Nature's Gift

“Potion Improvement Theory originated with the Potion-Charm Conversion School. Ethan Abdullah developed the Flesh-Consuming Potion using the Flesh-Stitching Curse as a foundation, then used the Flesh-Consuming Potion as a foundation to transform the Flesh-Stitching Curse into the Flesh-Consuming Potion Spell. Some wizards saw an advantage in this: using Charms to mimic the effects of potions was clearly an ‘improvement,’ since replenishing magic required no precious ingredients and could effectively reduce the cost of certain potions. The most famous experiment involved turning Felix Felicis into a Charm.”

“Felix Felicis? How much must that experiment have cost?” Will clicked his tongue. Brewing Felix Felicis was already an extremely difficult undertaking. Not only did it require all sorts of rare, priceless ingredients, it also took half a year to brew. As far as he knew, the number of people in all of Europe who could brew it could be counted on one hand, and two of them, Snape and Slughorn, were in England.

"The cost of that experiment was unimaginably high. After several years of trials, the Potions Master involved had nearly bankrupted himself, without making any tangible progress. In the end, he declared the experiment a failure, leaving only the words 'Potions are nature's gift.' He then spent several years brewing potions for others to recover his losses, which spared him from spending the final decade of his life in poverty." Professor Flitwick's knowledge was remarkably broad, and he recounted these little-known details with ease.

Hearing that the research had failed, Will nodded to himself. He had never heard of a "Felix Charm."

"Then, Professor, did he mean anything in particular by 'Potions are nature's gift'?"

"It's difficult to say exactly what he meant. It was only his personal view. He believed that, in certain respects, human magic could not replace natural ingredients rich in special magical properties. Unicorn blood, for example. He believed that wizards could never reproduce the power of unicorn blood with their own magic, just as an Animagus cannot transform into a magical creature. In a sense, potion brewing is nature's gift to wizards, allowing them to enhance themselves with other things that contain magic.

"This affair also had a considerable impact on Potion Improvement Theory, so much so that almost no one took an interest in it afterward."

"I see." Will nodded thoughtfully.

Seeing Will lost in thought, Professor Flitwick picked up his teacup.

In reality, however, Will was frowning at the notification before him.

[You have acquired distorted potions knowledge. Your potions experience +19]

Distorted Knowledge? Will frowned in confusion. Why was that Potions Master's theory "distorted"?

Could the correct understanding of potions be that wizards really could use their magic to replace those ingredients? Could wizards actually do it?

Will decided to investigate what “Distorted Knowledge” meant. It would affect his future understanding of systems of knowledge.

"There's no need to get hung up on these things. The magical world has many fringe theories like these. Each has some merit, but the vast majority are misguided notions that won't yield results even if you devote your whole life to them. You're still young, and you have a very bright future. There's no need to delve into them. You should know that even the professors have only heard of a small fraction of these theories, and none of us have wasted time studying them in depth." Professor Flitwick was now very worried that Will might go astray. Many theories seemed perfectly reasonable at first glance, and for a gifted young wizard like Will, they might waste his energy—or even his life.

But to Professor Flitwick's surprise, Will raised his head at those words and grinned. "Since I can't figure it out, I'll stop thinking about it."

"Really?" Professor Flitwick was astonished. Had Will really managed to let it go so quickly? Quite a few students had lost precious time to books from the Restricted Section.

"Of course. With what I know now, it's practically impossible for me to understand things that took our predecessors countless hours and enormous effort to work out. Rather than waste my time now, I'd be better off analyzing them once I've become truly knowledgeable."

"I'm very glad you can think that way." Professor Flitwick nodded. He had feared that Will might act on impulse, become captivated by these ideas, and try to produce results for others to admire. "Especially a young wizard as clever and gifted as you."

"Professor, fools think they know everything, while the wise know their own limits. I'm only learning while standing on the shoulders of those who came before me."

Will had never thought himself particularly clever. He just had cheats.

“Foolish. Utterly foolish, Mr. Potter. Surely you haven't failed to learn that Agapi Flowers must be handled with gloves? Their nectar will give you quite an experience.” Harry stared fixedly at his Potions professor, Severus Snape. In the dim Office, his greasy long hair almost blended into his black robes, forming enormous bat wings.

Snape had given both him and Malfoy detention, yet he had let Malfoy leave after just two hours of processing slugs, while Harry had to remain there, enduring intense discomfort as he continued preparing potion ingredients.

Harry's hands hurt and itched so badly that he felt he would be better off dead. He fixed Snape with a murderous stare, longing to stuff the flowers into his mouth. He could see a glimmer of pleasure in Snape's eyes, and he was convinced that Snape was enjoying watching him suffer.

Even if Snape could be trusted, as Professor Dumbledore had said, Harry had no doubt that Snape hated him to the marrow. He did not even know where that hatred came from.

The two continued staring at each other in Snape's Office, surrounded by strange smells and jars and bottles. Harry still did not know what was special about the Agapi Flowers in his hands.

Agapi meant "love" in Ancient Greek.

As the two stared each other down, someone pushed open the door to the Potions Office, breaking the strange atmosphere between them.

Harry and Snape turned their heads at the same time and saw a short wizard enter the Office. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, because Professor Flitwick was very approachable.

"Filius, what is it?" Snape sounded displeased, apparently because Flitwick had interrupted his staring at Harry Potter.

“Severus, I'd like to speak to you about Mr. Behrens, concerning the books he's been reading from the Restricted Section.” Professor Flitwick approached on his short legs. Seeing Harry incessantly scratching his hands, he drew his Wand and waved it. All the nectar on Harry's hands vanished, and the itching stopped instantly.

"Harry, remember to wear gloves when handling these," Professor Flitwick reminded him. He also used a Summoning Charm to fetch a pair of gloves and handed them to Harry, who felt rather touched.

"Filius, Dumbledore approved Behrens's reading those books. I merely provide him with the permission slips." Snape sat down in his chair. Harry seized the opportunity to tuck several nectar-coated Agapi stamens into a clump of stamens. He hoped Snape would get a good taste of that nectar.

The thought of Snape itching in agony made him want to laugh, but when he heard that Will was reading books from the Restricted Section, he could not help pricking up his ears...