Lin Mei gazed at the Charms professor before him with anticipation.
After all, a crying child gets the milk—and Lin Mei had just helped Ravenclaw immensely. Surely, Professor Flitwick wouldn't mind offering him a small reward, right?
The tiny professor stroked his beard thoughtfully before waving his hand.
"Alright, since you're so eager to learn, I won't stop you. However, there's one condition—" he said sternly. "You must swear not to use this knowledge for ill purposes, nor teach it to other students. You know how dangerous these magic patterns can be."
Lin Mei nodded vigorously, agreeing without hesitation.
He had coveted these ancient magical patterns for a long time.
If he could study them thoroughly, he was confident that he could create his own spells—something unheard of for a first-year wizard.
It would be undeniable proof of his exceptional magical talent.
Just then, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Lin Mei! Are you alright?"
Lin Mei turned to see Harry and the others arriving, led by Professor McGonagall from the direction of the girls' bathroom.
Ron, looking particularly excited, wasted no time in launching into his story.
"Lin! You won't believe it! Harry and I—"
But before he could continue, McGonagall's sharp voice cut through.
"Enough, Mr. Weasley! Do you have any idea how reckless your actions were today? What would you have done if you had been seriously injured?"
For once, Ron fell silent.
Seeing the professor's growing irritation, Hermione quickly stepped forward, her voice filled with guilt.
"It's my fault, Professor. I take full responsibility."
McGonagall sighed, her expression softening slightly. Gryffindors were brave—sometimes too brave—but she had a duty to discipline them.
"Regardless, you three disobeyed direct orders to return to your dormitories during a crisis. As a result, Gryffindor will lose 15 points."
"Ah—!"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione groaned in unison.
But before they could lament their punishment, Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.
"On the other hand, Lin Mei, for your bravery in defeating three trolls and protecting your fellow students, Gryffindor is awarded 30 points!"
The trio's expressions instantly brightened.
Lin Mei, on the other hand, remained unfazed.
For him, the real reward was the knowledge and connections he had gained. House points were just a nice bonus.
Dumbledore stepped forward, his voice calm yet commanding.
"Alright, everyone. It's late. Lin Mei, please escort Harry and the others back to the Gryffindor dormitory. The rest of the professors will conduct another search of the castle to ensure there are no lingering threats."
With that, the group dispersed.
As they walked, Harry hesitated before finally speaking.
"Did you notice how Snape was the first to leave the Great Hall when the troll appeared? And even after the trolls were dealt with, it took him a long time to return."
Ron's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Harry, are you saying you think Snape's behind this?"
Harry shook his head.
"I'm not saying he did it, but his behavior was definitely suspicious. Also, did you see how he was walking? I think he hurt his leg."
Lin Mei tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"He does smell like blood, and his leg is definitely injured. But Harry, shouldn't you be focusing on the upcoming Quidditch match? It's your first game, after all."
Harry immediately snapped back to reality, his concerns about Snape temporarily pushed aside.
After all, this was his first Quidditch match ever—and he was the youngest player in Hogwarts history.
As they reached the Gryffindor common room, Lin Mei approached the entrance.
"Pig snout."
The Fat Lady swung open the portrait, greeting him with an enthusiastic tone.
"Welcome back, Gryffindor's little hero!"
Hermione frowned slightly at the unusual warmth in her voice.
"That's strange… the Fat Lady usually isn't this friendly."
Lin Mei merely shrugged, stepping inside.
The moment he entered, a wave of excited voices crashed over him.
"Lin Mei! You're back!"
Dozens of Gryffindor students surrounded him in an instant.
"Is it true? Did you really defeat three trolls all by yourself?!"
A voice from the crowd spoke, filled with admiration and disbelief.
Lin Mei smiled but inwardly sighed.
They're way too enthusiastic…
More questions followed in rapid succession.
"Lin Mei, how did you do it? I saw you take down the troll near the common room like it was nothing!"
"My friend in Ravenclaw said you punched a troll across the room—was that true?"
"Lin Mei! We snuck out to the Great Hall earlier and saw you levitate a troll down the staircase with the Hover Charm. How did you do that?!"
Even the Weasley twins appeared, grinning.
"Come on, Lin Mei, you gotta teach us! How'd you knock out a troll with just your fist?"
Lin Mei immediately recognized that Fred and George must have used the Marauder's Map to sneak out.
For a moment, he just stood there, bombarded by endless chatter from all directions.
In the end, Lin Mei had no choice but to retreat to his room, seeking a moment of peace away from the overwhelming attention.
It was inevitable—after displaying such incredible strength, he had become a celebrity at Hogwarts.
Time passed, and as November arrived, the weather turned bitterly cold.
By now, Lin Mei had already received a powerful antidote—specially prepared in advance by Professor Snape.
This particular potion was capable of forcibly neutralizing the effects of heavy metal poisoning, making it exactly what Lin Mei needed.
As soon as he got the antidote, he entrusted Lin—the entity within him—to help seal the potion inside his body for safekeeping.
Meanwhile, there was still another promise Dumbledore had made to him.
However, the headmaster had only told him to wait a little longer, offering no further details.
With no other choice, Lin Mei refocused his attention on studying magic patterns.
Under Professor Flitwick's guidance, he had nearly mastered all the patterns recorded in the Ancient Magic Pattern Collection.
However, a frustrating obstacle remained—these powerful patterns required a special carrier, and nothing he had encountered so far could withstand the intense magical energy they generated.
Unless he could find a rare metal strong enough to contain them, his research would remain at a standstill.
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