Aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse

Because the Quidditch Match was coming up soon, Mia mercifully gave Hermione, Harry, and Ron three a holiday; anyway, their strength could now be said to be without a shred of self-preservation ability when encountering danger.

Ron almost shed tears upon seeing that he could finally take a break.

Ron: The bitter days are over, family.

Mia plunged headfirst into her studies as soon as she finished giving them their holiday, spending every day in the Room of Requirement either practicing potions and spells or researching alchemy and Ancient Runes.

Before the holiday last year, Theodore had given her a Dark Magic defense item, so Mia thought about giving Theodore a return gift. Voldemort would be reborn at the Goblet of Fire match, which meant wizarding families would serve Voldemort once more. No matter what Theodore's stance turned out to be in the end, Mia hoped Theodore would be safe, along with Draco and the others.

They indeed had many conflicts, but Mia did not want to see them separated by life and death in the end.

Damn it, why did she not finish watching the movies and reading the novels before time-traveling? Now she knew nothing, only knowing that Voldemort was not dead-damn it! Could she not have been given a reminder on her next time-travel?

Mia cursed and grumbled as she made the alchemical items and carved the runes.

As she worked, Mia's mind involuntarily began to wander. After coming to the wizarding world, she had deliberately tried to understand many things. First was their parents Lily and James's friend Sirius, who had been locked up in Azkaban for killing The Potters, while the hero Peter had died. Given that Peter was the true culprit, then this Sirius should be a scapegoat; once Mia mastered the evidence, she could clear his name for him. Peter was currently with Ron, so how should she expose him?

As well as Trelawney's prophecy from back then: The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.

Because of this prophecy, Voldemort and the Death Eaters frantically attacked the families of children born at the end of July. Among them, besides her and Harry's parents, there was someone else: Neville's parents, who were tortured by Death Eaters using the Cruciatus Curse and left with aftereffects, receiving treatment at St. Mungo's.

The aftereffects left by the Cruciatus Curse roughly included psychological trauma, impaired cognitive function, and emotional numbness. The treatment methods in the current era could only alleviate them.

Mia placed the completed defense item into a dedicated box, took out her spell notes and potion notes, and thoughtfully wrote down the things in her mind.

Analogizing the Cruciatus Curse to reality, it was roughly extreme psychological trauma, so perhaps one could try using modern treatment methods.

The United Kingdom in the 1990s was developing rapidly in terms of psychiatric medicine, but the wizarding world was unwilling to communicate and interact with the human world, so the wizarding world of the present day was quite backward regarding psychological treatment.

As for the treatment of Neville's parents, it would be using cognitive behavioral therapy or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (researched from data, might not be accurate), combined with potions perhaps it could work—it was just a question of whether they were willing.

As for potions, there were none quite suitable either. Mia wrote down her thoughts: treating the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse required a potion that could alleviate symptoms like anxiety and depression, similar to the Elixir to Induce Euphoria and the Draught of Peace, yet different from those two potions.

Perhaps Professor Snape might know?

Thinking and doing, Mia simply tidied up the Room of Requirement and went down to the dungeons.

"Professor! Professor!" Mia pushed the door open anxiously with her notes in hand, while Snape was sternly criticizing some students with a gloomy look on his face.

Hearing Mia's rash voice, the being-scolded students thought they were done for-Professor Snape was going to curse them to death-only to see Snape make a gesture telling them to get out.

Saved? The two students scrambled out in a flurry without forgetting to close the door.

"Did I disturb you, Professor?" Mia also discovered that she had been somewhat rash when pushing the door open, asking with embarrassment.

"What is it, kicking up such a fuss?" Snape was not annoyed, sitting down behind his desk as Mia sat opposite Snape.

"It's like this, I have an idea regarding the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse." Mia handed her notebook to Snape. The moment Snape heard, he knew who it was for—this somewhat overly kind little girl.

Yet Snape always indulged Mia's various whimsical ideas, flipping through Mia's notes earnestly.

"You mean to invent a potion that can alleviate depression and anxiety while also treating the mind? You must know that inventing a new potion is very difficult. Why do you want to do this?" Snape did not rush to dismiss Mia's naive idea, instead wanting to know why Mia wanted to do so.

"Back then, because of a prophecy, I don't know how many people died at the hands of Voldemort or the Death Eaters, and how many more were tortured to the point of being unable to care for themselves. My idea might indeed be a bit naive, but I think, since I have the ability, why not try to help them? Their children lost loved ones, just like me and Harry—that kind of pain, I can understand it very well."

Mia did not know that her words accidentally poked at Snape's scars, but she truly felt just as she thought in her heart: since she could, and had the ability, why not go and help?

Snape looked at Mia silently for a long time. "You really are the spitting image of your mother." Kind and righteous.

"I know. I will tell the Headmaster about your idea and let St. Mungo's experiment with this method. As for the potion, let us try it together."

"Really?! Thank you, Professor!" Mia snapped her head up, her green eyes shining brightly as she looked at Snape, the bottoms of her eyes brimming with delight.

"It is real. Alright, I will study it first. If you have nothing else, you should head back."

"Goodbye, Professor!"

Snape's actions were also swift. After Mia left, he cast a Patronus to convey Mia's idea to Dumbledore, and Dumbledore immediately fetched Mia.

Headmaster's Office

"Headmaster." Mia never expected that an idea of hers would alarm so many people. Looking at Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Snape in the Headmaster's Office, was it really making such a big fuss?

"Don't be nervous, child. Your idea is wonderful. Can you talk to us about it in detail?" Dumbledore handed Mia a cup filled to the brim with hot cocoa.

"Of course I can. My idea is..." Mia had also been very erudite in her previous life, having dabbled in various fields out of interest.

Mia spoke fluently and with ease about her own ideas, and the professors listened exceptionally attentively.

From time to time they raised some doubts and questions, and Mia was also able to supplement them promptly. By the time they finished talking, nearly a whole day had passed.

"This idea is indeed feasible." Professor Sprout nodded first. One had to know that Herbology required possessing very strong pharmacological knowledge and botanical knowledge, so Professor Sprout was able to judge whether Mia's idea truly had value.

"Since that is the case, I will contact St. Mungo's to carry out experiments, and the potion aspect will have to be left to you, Severus." Dumbledore's face was full of joy; one had to know that he felt deeply grieved over the Longbottoms as well, for they had all been outstanding members of the Order of the Phoenix.

"It is already very late, Mia, you should also go back and rest." Professor McGonagall looked at the sky and urged Mia to return. After Mia left, the several professors continued their discussion from just before.

"I never expected this child to be so outstanding." Professor McGonagall looked at the seat Mia had just occupied and let out an exclamation of praise.

"If this problem can truly be solved, then this child will indeed be a great contributor." Professor Sprout beamed with smiles.

"If it can truly be solved, that would be wonderful..." Dumbledore sighed with emotion.

Tonight's moon was truly round.