Chapter 32

[The glow mushrooms you cultivated have undergone an unknown mutation]

When Char saw this message appear above the patch of mushrooms, his heart grew serious. He'd seen plant mutations before, both in his past life and now, and he knew that not all mutations were good. In fact, most of the time, a mutation made the plant weaker or less useful, not better.

Char's first thought was to figure out what had caused the mutation. If it was just a random accident, it might not matter. But if it was due to something in the soil, water, or his spellwork, he needed to know—otherwise, the whole crop might change, and he'd lose his hard-earned rewards.

He began a careful inspection of the experimental field. "The soil looks normal… The water source hasn't changed… The duration and frequency of the Lumos spell are the same as always… My mood has been steady, no big emotional swings…"

One by one, he ruled out the usual suspects. Finally, Char returned to the patch of red-tinged mycelium. "No other glow mushrooms have changed like this. Maybe something fell here by accident…"

Suddenly, he remembered: about a week ago, after washing his hands, he'd noticed a few drops of blood fall in this exact spot. "Could it be blood?" he wondered. "Maybe blood can trigger a mutation in glow mushrooms?"

He frowned. Professor Sprout had never mentioned this, but then again, glow mushrooms were a low-priority plant for most Herbologists. Maybe no one had ever studied them closely.

Char decided to test his theory. He took a small sickle and, after a moment's hesitation, made a shallow cut on his palm. A few drops of blood fell onto the mutated mycelium and the surrounding normal mushrooms.

He watched closely. The blood on the ordinary glow mushrooms was simply absorbed into the soil, nothing more. But the red mycelium reacted instantly—absorbing the blood eagerly, growing thicker and more vibrant by the second. The red color spread, and soon the patch looked nothing like the rest of the field.

Char exhaled, both amazed and cautious. "So, blood really is the trigger. But it only works on the already-mutated mycelium, not the normal ones. Maybe it's just luck—or maybe there are other factors, too."

He gazed at the shimmering red patch. "Since this new species is born from blood and looks like crystal, I'll call it Blood Jade."

A new message appeared above the mycelium:

[You named the unknown mutant species of glow mushroom as Blood Jade.]

[You have successfully planted the Blood Jade, and you will receive a reward—Unknown (Bronze Level, in the making)]

[After the Blood Jade matures, the reward will be upgraded to—unknown (silver level), unknown (black iron level)]

Char's breath caught. The ordinary glow mushrooms only gave Black Iron-level rewards, but Blood Jade could go all the way to Silver! That was the same as the Guardian Tree—a plant considered legendary in the wizarding world.

He wondered if his legendary vitality, and the strength in his blood, might help Blood Jade grow even faster. He squeezed a little more blood onto the patch, and the mycelium absorbed it eagerly, growing even thicker. But soon, it stopped—no matter how much more blood he gave, it wouldn't absorb any more.

The Blood Jade was now as thick as fully mature glow mushrooms, but it didn't produce a cap or show signs of ripening. The reward orb above it hung motionless. Char sighed. "Of course it wouldn't be easy. Legendary-level rewards never are. There must be some other condition I haven't figured out yet."

Knowing he needed help, Char went to find Professor Sprout. After listening to Char's story and examining the Blood Jade, she checked him carefully for curses or dark magic. Only when she was sure he was safe did she relax.

"Char, you should have called me right away when you noticed something strange," she scolded gently. "Many blood-fed plants are connected to dark magic. You're lucky this one isn't cursed. Promise me you'll be more careful next time."

Char nodded, chastened. "I promise"

Professor Sprout examined the Blood Jade with growing fascination. "This is remarkable. I've never seen anything like it. There's a vibrant magical energy here—I bet it could be used for powerful healing potions. But it's going to take time to mature."

Char's admiration for his aunt grew. She could see things he'd never noticed. "You're amazing!"

She smiled, her pride obvious. "Leave it to me. I'll study it and figure out how to help it grow. And when we publish our findings, you'll be the first author, Char. Publishing in a top journal at eleven—that's worth at least fifty points for the House Cup!"

She laughed, but then her smile faded. "Even with those points, it might not be enough. Slytherin is already catching up. Severus will do anything to win the Cup, and Gryffindor always finds a way to get bonus points at the end. Still, it's wonderful that Hufflepuff is leading, even for a little while."

Char's heart stirred with determination. "Tomorrow is Friday, and we have Charms class. Professor Flitwick is holding a quiz on the Lumos charm—first place gets ten points. And in two weeks, there's a bigger test with twenty-five points and a custom spell as a reward. Plus, there are Quidditch points. We still have a shot at the House Cup!"

Professor Sprout smiled gently. "It's a tough year, Char. But I'm so proud of you for caring so much. If we can't win, second or third would still be an improvement."

She left the greenhouse, pausing to look back at the warm glow of Char's Lumos spell flickering among the mushrooms. She sighed, both proud and worried. No one at Hogwarts worked harder than Char—but sometimes, talent was just as important as effort.

She clenched her fists. "I need to find those potion ingredients for Char's talent enhancement. I owe him that much."

Meanwhile, Char was focused on his work, unaware of his aunt's worries. He cast spell after spell, watching the bronze light of the Lumos charm on his system panel grow deeper and richer—approaching a critical point.

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