Seeing Porgy Charlemagne descending toward the island, Tonks's face immediately showed anxiety. If Porgy caught the Hufflepuff, with his deep-seated hatred, he would surely do something crazy. Although Porgy was considered a clown in the Herbology community, he still possessed some magical skill. There were even rumors that he had joined the Death Eaters, though he had been spared a trip to Azkaban because he hadn't received the Dark Mark before Voldemort's fall. But anyone who would even consider joining the Death Eaters had to have some knowledge of dark magic. How could a first-year wizard possibly stand a chance against him?
"Damn it! Get out of my way!" Tonks struggled to keep her balance on the lurching broom, firing spells at the house-elf that was harassing her. But the elf simply Apparated repeatedly, avoiding her attacks and preventing her from getting away. With no other choice, she raised her hand and cast a spell to send her voice echoing across the island. "Char! Hide! Wait until I sort this out!"
This was exactly what Char had planned. With an Auror from the Ministry of Magic present, why would a first-year wizard like him need to take action? Although Tonks looked a little disheveled, she was in no real danger. She would one day join the Order of the Phoenix; she clearly had some strength. Besides, Char could see that the house-elf harassing her was already wounded and out of breath. It was only doing the bare minimum to complete its master's orders. It wouldn't be long before Tonks could get free and call for reinforcements. It would be a miracle if Porgy Charlemagne could escape. In a sure-win scenario, why would he risk exposing his own magic?
So, when Porgy arrived at the entrance of the crack, Char had already donned his Invisibility Cloak and quietly retreated back into the underground cave.
"Char Sprout, I know you're here!" Porgy shouted into the darkness. "What, you don't dare to come out?" The only response was the echo of his own voice. He hurled more insults, trying to provoke Char, even using Tonks as a threat. "Your companion is fighting for you! Isn't Hufflepuff the most loyal and united house? Do you want to watch her die?"
But to his surprise, Char didn't move. The little badger was so patient. This wasn't good. He glanced up at the battle in the sky. Tonks was steadier on her broom now, and the house-elf was slowing down, visibly exhausted. Porgy cursed angrily. "You waste! Useless piece of trash! Knock her off that broom right now, or I'll whip you to death, you damned green-skinned bastard!" He knew the elf wouldn't last much longer. Once Tonks was free, she would call for backup, and that would be trouble. He had to catch Char before then.
He sneered into the crack. "You think if you don't come out, I can't do anything to you? The game of hide-and-seek is over. I know you're in there." He grasped his wand and cautiously entered the cave. Under the light of his Lumos spell, he saw an empty space, filled with hot air and the smell of sulfur. Where was he? His gaze fell on the lifeless Cinderis Fern. He saw the gem-like plant, and greed flashed in his eyes. "This is… a Cinderis Fern?! Here?!" This precious plant was the lifelong dream of many herbalists. If he could get it, he could make big news, and his lost reputation would be restored.
But as he looked closer, he felt a wave of remorse. He was too late. He saw the top of the fern, where the spores had been, and realized they had been picked, along with a leaf. He knew instantly what it meant. The fern still had viable spores, and Char had taken them. A look of delight crossed his face. "It seems that today, the heavens are making up for the suffering I have endured. Not only do I get to deal with you, you bastard, but I also get a Cinderis Fern." His eyes scanned the cave. "I know you're here. The spores are still fresh. You're just hiding. Disillusionment Charm? Invisibility Cloak? It doesn't matter. Do you really think I can't do anything to you?"
He took a seed from his pocket, cut his palm, and soaked the seed in his own blood. With a wave of his wand, fleshy, tentacle-like vines grew from the seed, first blocking the exits of the cave, then spreading throughout the cavern.
Under his Invisibility Cloak, Char's eyes showed a hint of surprise. "This is—"
Porgy's triumphant voice echoed through the cave. "Surprised? Scared? This is a magical Transfiguration far deeper and more powerful than anything you've learned. I bought this magic from a very evil wizard in Knockturn Alley at a high price. Even your Hogwarts professors would be terrified by this. This flesh-and-blood vine will continue to spread. No matter how you're hiding, it will catch you and suck your blood!"
As Porgy roared, Char's expression grew strange. This was indeed a form of Dark Magic Transfiguration, but Porgy had likely only mastered the use of the spell, with no understanding of its underlying principles. According to the system's rating, Porgy's skill wasn't even at the Iron level. It was far inferior to Char's. He didn't know where Porgy got his confidence.
His gaze fell on the spreading vines. "That should be a magical plant called a Flycatcher," he mused. "Porgy must have used his own flesh and blood to combine with the Flycatcher seeds, and then used Transfiguration to create this special plant. In a way, this is also a plant variant." The thought made his eyes light up. So, I can also use this method, using my own flesh and blood to transform plant seeds and create variants with specific traits? I could even induce certain characteristics to get the rewards I want. He looked at the spreading vines not with alarm, but with a strange sense of joy. Porgy Charlemagne had just given him a whole new way of thinking.
He took a closer look. The transformation was only temporary. When the magic wore off, the vines would return to their original state. And Porgy had to continuously provide his own blood to maintain them. This method wouldn't be able to create a plant variant that could yield system rewards, but it was still worth studying. As the vines spread, Char concentrated, feeling the effects of the transfiguration on the seeds. It was a similar process to his creation of the [Giant Killer] and provided him with a wealth of sensory data. He gestured with his wand under his cloak, trying to replicate the changes. On his system panel, bronze spots of light began to emerge on the words "Dark Magic Transfiguration."
Suddenly, the vines stopped spreading. He frowned and looked over at Porgy, who was now panting, visibly weakened from blood loss. Char looked dissatisfied. All that bragging, and this is it? I haven't seen enough. He needed to give Porgy some motivation. He moved his wand, and one of the vines twitched. It was like flipping a switch. The nearby vines suddenly swept toward the spot, forming a cage of flesh and blood. The cage was empty, but it was enough to cheer Porgy up. The prospect of catching Char seemed to erase the weakness from his blood loss. He cut his palm again, squeezing out more blood to soak more seeds. The vines began to spread once more.
Soon, nearly half the cave was covered. "Run!" Porgy cackled. "Keep running. Let's see how long you can hide. I'll catch you right away!"
Char had already forgotten about Porgy's taunts. He was completely absorbed in observing the growth of the vines, flashes of inspiration filling his mind. "I see. The key to using flesh and blood to transform plants is also a twisted, blasphemous will. You use transfiguration to distort the plants, and your flesh and blood act as a medium." His understanding grew deeper and deeper, and on his system panel, the bronze luster on the words "Dark Magic Transfiguration" spread faster and faster.
In the cave, Porgy was still bleeding. His body was shaky, and he was seeing stars from the blood loss, but as he looked at the ever-shrinking open space in the cave, he grew more and more excited. He was so close to catching Char, to getting his revenge, and to getting the Cinderis Fern. He was on the verge of a double victory.
Finally, the vines had filled the cave, leaving only a small corner. Porgy gasped, his eyes fixed on the spot, holding the last seed in his hand. "That's it. It's over. You have nowhere to run."
In that corner, under his Invisibility Cloak, Char's eyes reflected the image of the growing vines. There were no secrets left in the process for him. "Crude," he said, his voice echoing through the cave. "It's too crude. Your mastery of this magic, and that of the so-called evil wizard who taught you… your understanding of flesh transfiguration is extremely crude."
Porgy wondered if he was hallucinating. Such disdain in Char's voice? He was trapped, with no escape. Shouldn't he be feeling fear and despair? In a rage, he threw the last seed, and the vines surged toward the corner where Char was hiding.
At that moment, Char looked at the Dark Magic Transfiguration on his system panel, which had now turned a complete, solid bronze. A curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. The speed of his improvement had exceeded his expectations. But it made sense. He already had a solid foundation in Transfiguration, and this was, at its core, still Transfiguration. With plenty of blood for testing and Porgy's own flesh-and-blood vines as further material, it was only natural that he would be promoted to the Bronze level.
He looked at the approaching vines, a strange look in his eyes. "Flesh and blood transformation… it's not for you to use this time." He squeezed his fingertips, and a drop of his own blood splattered onto the swarming vines. He moved his wand. "Watch carefully. This is how Dark Magic Transfiguration is used."
The bronze-level magic lit up on his system panel. Porgy's paltry, entry-level skill was completely vulnerable in the face of Char's own. The flesh-and-blood vines he had created, under the combined effect of Char's blood and his own superior magic, began a second mutation. They expanded like pythons, filling every gap in the cave until the whole place looked like the scene of a "python disaster." And the swollen vines were no longer surging toward Char. They had changed direction, and were now heading straight for Porgy.
He was frozen, staring at the strange and horrifying scene. It was something he couldn't comprehend. His eyes were wide with fear and terror. What the hell is this?! The magic he had used, the one he had learned from Knockturn Alley, the one that would land him in Azkaban if he were discovered… a first-year wizard had just hijacked it and turned it against him? Was this magic that could be learned at Hogwarts? He knew Char was from Hufflepuff. Was the Sorting Hat crazy? This boy didn't belong in Hufflepuff; he belonged in Azkaban!
"Dumbledore!" he cried out in anger and alarm. "What the hell did you teach this little wizard?! How did Hufflepuff become such a mess?!"
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