Mutable Flesh Puppet?
Lucien quickly skimmed the loan details.
[Loan: Mutable Flesh Puppet (Weekly Loan)]
[Repayment Deadline: 7 Days]
[Loan Description: The Mutable Flesh Puppet can transform into any non-magical creature. It is a living entity with adjustable levels of consciousness and requires periodic nourishment to survive.]
[Loan Task: Defeat a troll head-on.]
Transform into creatures? With adjustable consciousness?
Lucien's first thought was that this would be perfect for practicing Transfiguration. Living-to-inanimate transformations, living-to-living transformations—it was ideal.
When transfiguring living beings, a wizard needs to suppress the creature's consciousness. Plants have almost no consciousness, animals have active ones, humans even more so, and wizards, who can resist with magic, are the hardest to transform.
Based on the description, the Mutable Flesh Puppet seemed like a solid training tool. It could take the form of any non-magical creature, survive on regular feeding, and be endlessly versatile.
Lucien had already paid off the Chimera Manual loan, mastering the inanimate-to-living section. With the manual's detailed biological data and the puppet's ability to shift forms, he could quickly tackle living-to-inanimate and living-to-living transformations. After that, he might even be ready to attempt becoming an Animagus.
As for the loan task—defeating a troll head-on? That wasn't too tough. Conveniently, the loan triggered just as Quirrell announced the troll's intrusion.
Bit too perfect, isn't it?
The reward was decent, too, saving him the trouble of tracking down various creatures for Transfiguration practice.
Lucien connected with the system and accepted the Mutable Flesh Puppet loan.
[Ding! Loan application successful. Item has been placed in system space and can be retrieved at any time.]
[Note: This is a perfectly respectable puppet, so don't get any funny ideas! (・ε・｀)]
[P.S.: For the host's healthy development, certain transformations of the Mutable Flesh Puppet are locked until you turn 18.]
Lucien's face darkened. What the—? I wasn't even thinking that, and the system's already jumping to conclusions?
"Quiet!"
Dumbledore's voice, amplified by his wand, boomed through the Great Hall. "Prefects, take your house students back to the dormitories immediately!"
With the greatest wizard of the century in charge, the students' panic was swiftly quelled. Prefects began organizing an orderly evacuation.
First-year students from all four houses were ushered out first. Lucien deliberately lingered at the edge of the Ravenclaw group as they left the hall. When they passed a dimly lit corridor, he slipped into the shadows, his wand flicking silently to cast a Disillusionment Charm over himself.
Then he turned and darted down a side passage.
Little troll, where are you? Time to take one for the loan.
His movements were so quick and natural, and with the chaos of the troll's intrusion, no one noticed him slip away—or so he thought.
"Ron, Lucien's gone!" Harry whispered urgently, nudging Ron.
"Gone? You sure you didn't miss him?" Ron scanned the Ravenclaw group. With their smaller numbers, it was easy to see Lucien wasn't there. "Where'd he go? There's a troll loose in the castle!"
"We've got to find him!"
Harry and Ron quickly agreed—they couldn't leave their friend in danger. They slowed their pace, dropping to the back of the group, and seized their chance to slip away.
But before they'd gone far, a sharp voice stopped them.
"You're going the wrong way!"
Harry and Ron froze, turning to see a bushy-haired young witch.
"Hermione? What are you doing here?"
"No time for that! Lucien disappeared down that side corridor. Come on!"
Led by Hermione, the trio darted through the castle's hallways. Moments later, another figure joined them—a boy with mushroom slices stuck in his hair.
"Heh, Lucien, up to something against the rules, are you? Looks like I won't have to wait until tomorrow to get you expelled from Hogwarts," Malfoy muttered, wiping greasy hair and flicking off bits of creamy soup and mushrooms.
He'd noticed Lucien vanish and, on a whim, followed. Now, he figured he might catch Lucien in the act—maybe even skip their planned duel.
Unbeknownst to Malfoy, another shadowy figure trailed him quietly.
---
Lucien prowled through the castle. The girls' bathroom is probably the best place to look. If the troll's not there today, I can always check the Forbidden Forest…
Suddenly, a revolting stench hit him—like unwashed socks mixed with a neglected public toilet.
Ugh!
Lucien nearly gagged but quickly cast a Bubble-Head Charm to filter the air.
That smell's definitely troll. It's close.
"Little loan buddy, where are you? Your VIP has arrived," he murmured.
A minute or two later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sprinting through the corridors, gasping for breath.
"Ugh!"
All three retched in unison.
"It's—it's the troll. It's nearby. Be careful!" Hermione whispered, recognizing the stench from her textbook descriptions.
It was nauseating.
"Let's go!" Harry said, pinching his nose and urging Ron and Hermione to keep moving.
They rounded a few corners and reached a long corridor. A low, rumbling growl echoed from the far end.
The trio froze, their breath catching as they spotted the massive creature. It stood nearly twelve feet tall, its granite-gray skin dull and lifeless. Its legs were short and thick, its flat feet rough and calloused. Compared to its enormous body, its head was comically small. The stench was so overpowering it seeped through their fingers, making them dizzy.
The troll dragged a massive wooden club behind it.
"Troll!"
But compared to the beast's hulking frame, the boy standing at the corridor's near end seemed tiny.
"Lucien!"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione instantly recognized him. The troll's terrifying presence made them tremble, freezing them in place.
Tap!
Someone took a half-step forward.
It was Ron.
He drew his wand, refusing to stand by while his friend faced danger. His move spurred Harry and Hermione into action, and they raised their wands, rushing toward Lucien.
True Gryffindors never lacked courage.
"We—let's get out of here!" Ron stammered, his voice shaking with fear, though he still aimed his wand at the lumbering troll.
Lucien glanced over his shoulder, seeing Ron trembling beside him. His peripheral vision caught Harry and Hermione—and two familiar figures slinking behind a stone pillar.
Quite the crowd tonight, Lucien thought with a smirk.
He placed a steady hand on Ron's shaking shoulder, his voice calm and reassuring. "It's fine. Let's make this a preview lesson for the future."
He raised his other hand, his sleeve sliding back to reveal his silver-and-black wand.
"Today's topic:"
"How Wizards Fight."