Chapter 94: Mid-February Hogsmeade Visit

By mid-February, the school organized a trip to Hogsmeade. Lys decided to go this time to pick up some more yarn.

The sweater she had previously knitted into a chaotic mess had somehow disappeared during one of her less lucid moments.

For the past few days, she had been roaming the castle in nothing but a shirt and a drafty cloak, constantly casting Warming and Insulation Charms on herself. She also had to be careful not to disrupt the stabilizing agents hidden within her robes, which made everything even more inconvenient.

Maybe she could buy some candy, too. After counting the coins in her pouch, Lys decided to buy just a little. After all, she needed to save up to buy more treats for her parents during the holidays.

She fervently hoped they wouldn't abandon her for another "monkey." Shaking her head vigorously to banish the thought, Lys began preparing everything she would need for the trip.

After making slow progress with her spell studies, Lys had turned to alchemy as a way to distract herself from her frustrations.

Now, Gubbon no longer had to curl up entirely inside the ball of yarn. Lys had enchanted its collar with layers of warming, protective, and tracking charms. This allowed it to poke its head out of the yarn ball and enjoy the scenery as they traveled.

Upon arriving in Hogsmeade, Lys headed straight to the clothing store and bought a large bundle of black yarn. After hesitating for a moment, she also picked up a small bundle of bright purple yarn.

After leaving the store, she decided against visiting the candy shop and instead entered the apothecary. She pulled out a large bag of snakeskin, a gift from Hagrid after he had taken away some stones.

After having the materials appraised, Lys sold them at a reasonable price. While handing over the coin pouch, the shopkeeper couldn't resist lecturing her again, "I've told you before, your habits are far too conspicuous. You need to find a way to blend in better."

Lys lingered in the shop for a long time, observing each customer's every move, pondering the shopkeeper's words.

If it weren't for the fact that Lys had introduced Snape—a potion-making genius with high output, excellent quality, and unmatched skill—to the shopkeeper, he would have kicked her out long ago. Many customers complained about the Slytherin girl standing at the door, staring at them intently, which made her seem rather odd.

Lys stayed in the shop until the last moment before returning to school, thanking the shopkeeper as she left. She finally understood what he had meant by "those habits."

Just as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had once mentioned, ordinary wizards could hardly imagine the dangers lurking in something as simple as a candle, a casually touched object, or even a book.

Wizards living in normal villages and streets wouldn't think twice about casually picking up someone else's belongings. They would naturally inspect a potion bottle or accept something handed to them without hesitation.

They would also casually divulge information during conversations. For instance, that brown-haired wizard—after chatting with the shopkeeper for just a few moments—had revealed enough for Lys to locate his home and even abduct his daughter.

But in Knockturn Alley, or among the wizards it represented, things were different. Danger was a constant companion, so they avoided unnecessary contact, refrained from casual responses, and always maintained a high level of vigilance.

In simple terms, it was about caution. Only those mired in the swamp would constantly guard against poisonous creatures, while those living in sunny, fertile lands could relax and enjoy themselves.

That night, tossing and turning in bed, Lys concluded that it was unrealistic for her to change those habits. As long as her mother still needed her, she would continue helping in the Knockturn Alley shop. So, what could she do?

Perhaps a pair of gloves could solve a significant part of her problem. Alchemy. Lys began experimenting with wart hogskin gloves, incorporating bird-snake blood into them.

Charms were used to make the gloves as thin and flexible as possible while providing some protection. The bird-snake blood created a thin layer of space between the glove and the object being grasped, ensuring that certain triggered items wouldn't fully activate.

However, Lys wasn't highly skilled in alchemy, and bird-snake blood was too expensive and always in short supply. The gloves were always just a little short of perfect.

During Potions class, Lys was absent-mindedly brewing a potion at the back of the room, her mind filled with random thoughts.

She tossed a poorly cleaned piece of spiny toad leather—still covered in fat—into the cauldron and stirred it in the opposite direction of the prescribed method, doubling the required number of turns.

The results were dramatic. By the end of class, everyone in the room, including the professor, left with their hair standing on end. Although the effects would wear off in an hour, Professor Slughorn was still a bit upset.

Those students who only knew how to explode cauldrons simply lacked the brains for it. But Lys Black? Even if she wasn't closely following the textbook, her instincts alone would have produced a mediocre potion, not this fiasco. This could only mean that she was barely more awake than if she had been asleep during class.

Though he had no intention of grooming or recruiting her, as her professor, it was his duty to ensure she mastered as many skills as possible.

Hmm, perhaps Severus could tutor her. Maybe he could even warm up a bottle of mead later to relax. With these thoughts, Slughorn left two students behind and returned to his office.

The two students stood in the classroom. One looked impatient but distracted, while the other muttered to herself, gesturing aimlessly with her wrist.

"Severus!" The voice of an angry girl echoed from the doorway of the Potions classroom. Having waited in the Great Hall for Snape, who never showed up, Evans had initially intended to talk to him about staying away from the Dark Arts and refraining from using potions and spells to retaliate against James Potter and Sirius Black.

But what did she see upon entering the classroom? Snape sitting with that Slytherin girl known for her proficiency in the Dark Arts! And when she called his name, he had the audacity to look impatient.

"Sev, you promised me you wouldn't get involved with the Dark Arts anymore. What are you doing now?"

Lys smirked. The tongue-tied Snape had made another appearance. Still, since he was here because of her, she felt a bit responsible. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been stuck here after class.

"Professor Slughorn wasn't satisfied with my potion and asked Snape to tutor me. But he doesn't want to tutor me, and I don't want to be tutored. Now you know why he's standing here looking so annoyed. So, take him away."

Lys tilted her head and gave Snape a curious look, wondering how she had ever thought he was eloquent back in her first year.

Surprisingly, Snape showed no reaction, silently enduring Evans's scolding about his prank on Sirius Black's water flask.

Gathering her cauldron and belongings, Lys left the classroom under Evans's wary gaze. Just as she was about to step out completely, she turned back and said:

"Evans, I was the one who put the halitosis potion in that bottle. What does my looking like a goblin's mine have to do with that stupid dog?"

Satisfied with the stunned silence, she headed to the library. There was still so much to do.

Hmm… should that purple yarn be knitted into socks or a beard warmer?

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