Level 4 Potions! Harry's suspicions

Early the next morning, Will began another day of relentless grinding.

He had a book in his hands from breakfast onward. But on his way to class, he noticed Harry Potter staring at him strangely.

Will had no idea what The Chosen One was up to now. Harry's powers of deduction were formidable, after all. What if Harry decided Will was Snape's star pupil just because they spent so much time together, then hated him by association?

In fact, Dumbledore had simply urged Harry to spend more time with Will and get to know him. He had assured Harry that Will would make a very good friend.

But Will had little time to spare. Even if he had known what Dumbledore wanted, he would not have joined the "Chosen One Development Plan." There was too little in it for him.

Will did not want to scrape through the final battle Dumbledore's way, relying on the "magic of love" to defeat Voldemort.

He believed in a more absolute kind of power. Could Harry make his spells stronger? No? Then there was nothing to discuss.

They might be ordinary friends, and they might even fight Voldemort together, but they were not headed down the same path.

Returning to class did not feel good. It was not that Will disliked lessons; the first-year curriculum had simply grown dull. He had already mastered its contents thoroughly.

Only his evening Potions tutoring still held any interest for him.

"Your technique has grown a little rusty, Berens. I take it you brewed no Potions over the holidays. Perhaps you've already surpassed every master before you and no longer need practice. Is that it?" Snape was as caustic as ever.

Will did not mind. As long as he gained experience, he was happy.

"Idiot. Watch how I do it."

"Do you understand? Even the slightest movement while stirring can affect a Potion's quality. I hope you remember that, Berens."

Snape delivered barbed remarks as he worked with his own hands. He truly deserved his reputation as a Potions Master of the age. His technique was so exquisite it was almost art.

It was late at night before Will left the office, still wanting more. A glance at the experience he had gained only made him wish he could have stayed longer.

After returning to school, Will led a life that looked dull to everyone else. Apart from meals and classes, he "wasted" his youth in the library and professors' offices every day, immersing himself in books.

A few students who disliked him gossiped that the holidays had turned him into a complete bookworm, but many others admired him.

During the Quidditch Match, Hermione noticed that Sylvia seemed unhappy. When she went to comfort her, she learned it was because of Will. He was brewing a Potion today and had no intention of watching a Quidditch Match that did not interest him.

Will had politely turned down even Sylvia's invitation, which had hurt her feelings.

The Room of Requirement was quiet, brightly lit, and rather hot.

Will had made it his brewing room. Bright light helped him observe changes in Potions, unlike Snape's dim office. The heat came from the batch he had been brewing for three days; its flame had made the room increasingly sweltering.

The Potion churned and boiled in the Cauldron. Will watched it intently. The instant its eerie blue turned emerald green, he lifted the Cauldron off the fire, swift and steady. The Potion barely rippled.

[You gained new Potions knowledge. Potions experience +3]

At the system notification, a faint smile appeared on Will's face.

[Your Potions proficiency has reached LV4. You may choose one of the following additional abilities.]

A. Essence Extraction: When processing Potion ingredients, you can precisely capture and preserve their residual magic, increasing a Potion's base effectiveness by 3%. You can also extract a tiny amount of usable Potion material from ingredients on the verge of losing their potency.

B. Heat Sense: Establish a faint sensory resonance with a Cauldron, allowing you to sense changes in a Potion's temperature and rate of boiling without relying on a thermometer or visual judgment. (This ability makes it easier to control the heat when brewing Potions with exacting temperature requirements, such as Polyjuice Potion and Felix Felicis.)

C. Potency Boost: Potions you brew are 10% more effective.

Once again, the buffs were powerful. Will chose C without hesitation. It was brute force applied to Potion Brewing: a straightforward increase in effectiveness that needed no finesse.

After making his choice, Will let out a long breath and relaxed. He had put tremendous effort into this batch for those last few experience points and had barely rested these past few days.

He had even turned down Sylvia's invitation to watch Quidditch.

That was right. He had refused to go to the Quidditch Match with Sylvia because his Potions proficiency was on the verge of leveling up.

Will wanted to push straight through to LV4. He had no intention of letting a boring Quidditch Match slow his experience gains. He would only have read a book in the stands anyway. Whether the players overhead wore red or blue, and whether they caught the Golden Snitch or some petty thief, he did not care in the slightest.

Now that his Potions level had risen, Will could turn his attention to other things. First, he needed a proper rest to make up for the past few days.

On the Quidditch Pitch.

Harry had led the Gryffindor Quidditch Team to victory over Slytherin. Gryffindor students rushed over and hoisted him onto their shoulders. In the distance, Ron and Neville jumped up and down, both sporting injuries from the fight they had just had with Malfoy. Ron's nose was bleeding.

Sylvia, standing with Hermione, still looked glum.

Harry was delighted, but a slight figure caught his eye.

A hooded figure hurried down the castle's front steps, clearly hoping not to be seen, then made straight for the Forbidden Forest. As Harry watched, the joy of victory slowly faded. He recognized that furtive gait and the large scarf beneath the hood. Was that Professor Quirrell?

"What's he doing?" Harry wondered.

Sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest while everyone else ate dinner—what was he up to? Once Harry had accepted everyone's congratulations, he returned to the broom shed, mounted his Broomstick, and shot into the air.

He glided silently over the castle. Below, Professor Quirrell ran into the Forbidden Forest. Harry followed him...