Chapter 74: Seventy-Four

Potions class was always a nerve-wracking experience for Lys Black. Each session presented her with the tantalizing possibility of achieving an "O" (Outstanding).

Yet, she always fell just short of that mark. Working alone, she often couldn't pinpoint exactly where she went wrong.

This near-miss left her perpetually tense. To figure out the issue, she even brewed the potion again in front of Severus Snape. Though Snape's impatience was evident, he remarked that her technique was flawless and that her potion should have turned sapphire-blue instead of the peacock-blue she ended up with.

Determined to perfect this potion—one that was almost guaranteed to appear on the final exam, thanks to Hogwarts' notoriously unchanging exam content—Lys resolved to practice until she could consistently achieve an Outstanding. After all, her father's demand for four "O"s still loomed over her head.

As for Divination, one of her elective courses, Lys deeply regretted her choice.

Care of Magical Creatures, at least, provided useful knowledge about common magical creatures that weren't significant enough to be formally documented. This helped her discern what was safe to eat, what was uncertain, and what was absolutely off-limits.

But Divination? The class was led by a Gypsy witch who constantly shuffled a deck of cards while muttering vague predictions—today foretelling romance for a Brown family girl, and tomorrow warning of trouble for a dark-haired boy.

In class, they mostly drank tea, examined the leaves at the bottom of their cups, and fabricated outlandish stories as "divinations" to earn an "O."

However, Lys was certain her father, who dismissed all electives as "rubbish," would never see any value in such an "O."

Her only option was to excel in her core subjects.

This meant relentless practice in potions. Unfortunately, she soon ran out of ingredients. While Hagrid's supplies included many rare and exotic materials, he lacked the basic ones she needed.

"Hagrid, I must say, your friend has quite the appetite." Lys commented as she helped him prepare a second pot of meat. Meanwhile, Hagrid was busy butchering a third cow.

"There's no helping it. Aragog's had children recently, and he's been working tirelessly to feed them. I just wish I could do more to help."

As for Dryncorpse, Hagrid had found an enormous trough to house it. Even for Hagrid, a man of towering stature, the trough was massive.

The trough was filled with small prey, and Dryncorpse leisurely picked its meals from it. Despite Lys casting numerous "Scourgify" spells on the trough, she still found it somewhat dirty. But Dryncorpse seemed to love it, so much so that it ignored the food Lys tried to hand-feed it.

Eventually, Lys grew numb to the routine. She abandoned the joy of cooking and resorted to stirring with magic instead of a spoon. Finally, she overheard something that piqued her interest.

"…That's right, but ever since patches of Sunlight Orchids started growing there, the Thestrals have stopped going near the area. I was so close to succeeding, Lys, believe me. I'll be the first person in all of Britain to tame a Thestral—they're truly magnificent."

Sunlight Orchids—one of the key ingredients Lys needed for her potion practice.

It had been raining for the past few days, and Lys hadn't found an opportunity to venture into the Forbidden Forest. Moreover, this ingredient only revealed its unique traits under the brightest sunlight.

Saturday brought perfect weather, and with Hagrid away—judging by the way he puffed out his chest, it seemed Dumbledore had assigned him a task—Lys decided to seize the chance.

With Dryncorpse coiled around her neck and wand in hand, Lys stepped into the Forbidden Forest. Over the past two years, she had ventured into the forest numerous times.

Over time, she no longer found it particularly dangerous—except for the risk of getting lost.

But now, with a newly learned Point-Me Charm, even that wasn't much of a concern.

The Forbidden Forest was vast and serene. Apart from the occasional rustling of small animals scurrying away, there was little noise. It lacked the chaotic emotions that sometimes seeped into her mind when her magic went awry. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Lys felt a rare sense of relaxation.

What had Hagrid said? A flat boulder by the stream.

Hmm… Hagrid mentioned a boulder, so it should be quite conspicuous. Perhaps she should walk a bit further.

As Lys continued along the stream, she noticed Dryncorpse seemed unusually alert. Raising her wand, she scanned the surroundings cautiously. Only when Dryncorpse rested its head back on her shoulder did Lys proceed.

Walking through the forest on a sunny day was almost a pleasure. The air carried the earthy scent of damp soil and the fragrance of tree bark and leaves. Birdsong occasionally punctuated the silence… Wait, birdsong?

Lys froze in place. Apart from the murmuring stream, there was no sound at all.

Glancing back, she realized she had ventured quite deep into the forest. Raising her wand, she checked the area but found nothing unusual.