Chapter 76: Seventy-Six

Here's a bonus chapter for you all! Thank you so much for waiting. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and I hope you have a wonderful time reading!

Due to Lys's uncontrollable magic.

It was common knowledge that from the preparation of potion ingredients to the brewing process and even the storage, magic was strictly prohibited. Magical fluctuations could unpredictably alter a potion's properties, rendering it unstable or even ineffective.

Since last year, Lys had been struggling with uncontrollable magic, and the situation had worsened.

Being in a phase of rapid magical growth, she had to rely on magical stabilizers and supplements to balance her power. The magic she unintentionally emitted during this process far exceeded that of her peers.

This excess magic disrupted the final reactions in potion brewing. The solution was for Lys to stay as far away from the cauldron as possible during the mid-to-late stages of brewing.

Although the problem was resolved, it left Lys frustrated. She had always believed the issue lay in her technique or ingredient preparation, only to discover that the potions were spoiled simply because she was the one brewing them.

In the next Potions class, she finally handed in a potion that Professor Slughorn deemed satisfactory.

As a result, Slytherin earned 10 points, thanks to Snape's willingness to help.

Relieved to have resolved one troubling matter, Lys turned her focus back to Advanced Healing and Repair Magic. While she understood many of the spells theoretically, she struggled with practical application—she lacked subjects to experiment on.

After consuming a large dose of magical stabilizer, Lys brought the book to Madam Pomfrey's office. The matron was organizing potions, and when she emerged from the storage room, Lys, clutching her book, bombarded her with questions. Madam Pomfrey simply brought out milk and biscuits, inviting Lys to sit down for a chat.

"It's rare for young witches your age to take an interest in healing magic. Most of them are drawn to dangerous-looking spells instead. Like that Gryffindor lying in the ward—Merlin knows why he thought casting a Firework Charm on his own teeth was a good idea."

Madam Pomfrey sat in the sunlight streaming into her office. "I rarely invite anyone into my office. They're usually too reckless. Drink your milk, child. I must say," she said, gently squeezing Lys's wrist, "you're far too thin."

Indeed, Lys often struggled to eat. Previously, it was because the images from her experiment manuals haunted her. Now, it was the same, compounded by a bad habit—she avoided the Great Hall.

Instead, she would grab something from the kitchen and eat it in a tree, a classroom, or some deserted corner, leading to irregular meals.

Offering Madam Pomfrey a faint smile, Lys picked up her book and continued asking questions. However, many issues couldn't be resolved through words alone; such was the nature of many spells.

"On my first try, I was well-prepared, but the house-elf's toe bone still ended up dislocated," Madam Pomfrey shrugged. "So, Lys, if you're truly interested in this, I suggest waiting until your fifth year to practice these spells. It'll be safer—not just for you."

Eyeing the milk, which seemed to glow with a holy radiance in the sunlight, Lys gulped it down and asked, "Madam, may I keep my lily in your office? I'll take care of it. My dormitory doesn't get any sunlight at all."

Lowering her head to wipe the milk from her lips, Lys added, "And I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it anywhere else."

She looked up hopefully at Madam Pomfrey, suddenly realizing that her gaze was obscured by her long hair. Hastily tucking it behind her ears, she failed as it fell back down.

The sight of this child nearly battling her own hair amused Madam Pomfrey. "Of course, child. I think my office could use a touch of greenery, don't you?"

"There's one more thing," Lys hesitated, recalling Madam Pomfrey's response to students bringing pets to her: 'I'm a school nurse, not a veterinarian.'

"I asked the Care of Magical Creatures professor, but he always disappears after class. Dryncorpse's fang is swollen. Could you take a look?"

"Dryncorpse, open your mouth. Open wide! Like this, ah~" Watching the child attempt to communicate with her snake, Madam Pomfrey marveled at her innocence.

In the end, when Dryncorpse refused to cooperate, Lys forcibly pried its mouth open.

Seeing Dryncorpse's fangs up close for the first time, Madam Pomfrey realized just how restrained the snake had been around others. Those long fangs—and this wasn't even an adult specimen.

The slightly inflamed gums were indeed different from the surrounding healthy tissue. Lacking prior experience with such cases, Madam Pomfrey suggested trying dental-strengthening potions, provided Dryncorpse could tolerate the taste.

Dryncorpse was not pleased about being force-fed the potion. Even snakes found the taste of potions unappealing.

Coiled around Lys's shoulders and neck, Dryncorpse used its stubby tail to mess up one side of her hair, making her look like a ruffled red-feathered chicken.

But the potion worked. The redness and swelling of Dryncorpse's fang, caused by external force, quickly subsided.

Those fangs were Dryncorpse's most vital assets. They couldn't afford to go wrong.