"When handling tentacled slugs, you need to pay attention to the distribution of their mucus, try to choose when they secrete more mucus.
If you see them extending their tentacles to touch the table, don't hesitate, this is the best time for boiling… A small reminder, when you see small bubbles appearing in the cauldron, you can stop boiling… Very good! Mr. Dickinson, perfectly handled.
Oh! Mr. Green, perhaps you boiled it a little too long, remember? You can stop when small bubbles appear in the cauldron…"
In the Greenhouse.
Twelve cauldrons bubbled, steam diffused, making the pumpkin-shaped plants sway slightly.
Professor Sprout had just finished praising Senior Bruce when she hurried to Sean's side to help him put the runaway slug back on the table.
She smiled gently and said:
"Mr. Green, don't let the slugs run away next time."
Sean was indeed a bit flustered, as he was handling two cauldrons simultaneously.
Senior Bruce, on the other hand, seemed much more at ease.
As for Professor Sprout, she could not only boil seven cauldrons at once but also had ample time to guide Sean.
"Observe the mucus, wait for the bubbles to appear…"
Sean silently recited the techniques Professor Sprout taught him while operating carefully.
As time passed, Sean's boiling technique gradually improved, though he still couldn't avoid some fumbling.
The liquid in the cauldron gradually turned dark green, and Professor Sprout walked over.
Sean gripped the spoon, awaiting the Professor's evaluation.
He was a bit apprehensive, partly because of his poor talent and partly because he felt bad about wasting materials.
Tentacled slugs were not cheap; the purchase price in Diagon Alley was one Galleon per jar.
The prices of materials in the magic world were always frighteningly expensive.
This made Sean realize one thing: Potions must be highly profitable, otherwise, one couldn't afford the materials at all.
Soon, Professor Sprout gave her evaluation:
"Mr. Green, a qualified handling."
Sean let out a small sigh of relief. Although Professor Sprout allowed them to use materials freely, he couldn't keep wasting them.
Once he got into the rhythm, Sean quickly finished processing the tentacled slugs.
The three of them placed the boiled liquid in glass bottles and selected slugs with enough mucus, putting them in a large jar.
Professor Sprout said that this selection would help Young Wizards increase the success rate of brewing Murtlap Essence.
As for the boiled slugs, they would be used as exemplary demonstrations and to help Professor Snape with some preliminary work.
While selecting porcupine quills, Professor Sprout also revealed a piece of news that surprised Sean.
"Yes, children, herbology and Potions are always interdependent. Severus always comes to the Greenhouse during harvest season."
Sean imagined Professor Snape holding a hoe, then continued to select porcupine quills.
"porcupine quills should be about three inches long, and their thickness about the size of two slug tentacles…"
As he left the Greenhouse, Sean reviewed the key points of the process and recorded them on the parchment he carried with him.
By now, Sean had a deep understanding of all four ingredients for Murtlap Essence: dried nettle, porcupine quills, poisonous snake fangs, and tentacled slugs.
This meant that the first step of his plan was complete.
At this thought, Sean's eyes grew brighter.
"I say, Sean, we've already left the Greenhouse, there's no need to record it again, is there?"
Senior Bruce, with his arms crossed, somewhat helplessly pulled Sean away, preventing him from bumping into a standing suit of armor due to his intense focus.
On the suit of armor, a lady in a ceremonial gown covered her mouth and chuckled, making the knight opposite her stare in a daze.
The clock pointed to six o'clock.
The breeze was gentle and unhurried.
On the path bathed in warm, slanting sunlight, Sean heard the Hogwarts bells chime.
Senior Bruce stopped.
In the corridor next to the Greenhouse, Leon held a book, his golden hair gleaming in the warm sun, while Pister held a potted plant, its tender leaves swaying in the wind.
Both looked at Bruce.
Senior Bruce grinned:
"These two guys…"
He turned to bid farewell to Sean.
Before he could speak, a piece of candied pineapple was placed in his hand.
"Snack exchange, Hufflepuff tradition, Senior Bruce."
He was momentarily stunned, and Sean had already walked away briskly.
"Is he really not a Hufflepuff?" Leon closed his book.
"Perhaps the Sorting Hat made a mistake." Bruce carefully put away the candied fruit.
Suddenly, he exclaimed "Hey!" and, with both arms, pulled Leon and Pister close.
His arms powerfully encircled their necks like a warm lock, securing their three heads together.
"Gotcha!" he laughed loudly.
"Idiot." Leon stumbled.
Pister carefully protected his potted plant… Since borrowing enough books from the library yesterday, Sean's only problem was not having enough time to complete his homework.
At eight o'clock, the Hogwarts library would close, and Sean finished dinner at six-thirty.
Therefore, Sean chose not to go to the library but returned directly to Ravenclaw Tower.
The Ravenclaw double dormitory had desks, thoughtfully equipped with floating candles—yes, the same kind as those in the Great Hall.
It was clearly a good place to do homework.
The wisdom of Ravenclaw, Sean thought.
"Sean, are you going back to the Tower?"
At the entrance of the Great Hall, Sean bumped into Michael, who was playing Gobstones.
"Yes." Sean nodded.
"Oh! Wait for me!"
Michael quickly made his move, his Gobstones swinging a big stick, knocking his opponent's last piece flying.
"A narrow victory." Michael smiled as he put away his pieces, then ran towards Sean.
The stairs back to Ravenclaw were still terribly long.
Michael climbed breathlessly, complaining as he went:
"The welcome speech said Ravenclaw would help Young Wizards seeking knowledge to climb the steps of wisdom, but it didn't say the steps were this long!"
Michael looked up; ahead were endless stairs.
"Merlin… I have to climb these stairs for seven years?"
Before he finished speaking, a strong gust of wind blew.
It was an older Ravenclaw, who entered the Tower riding a broom, causing exclamations from the surrounding Young Ravenclaws.
"Cool!" Michael stared intently at the elegant Wizard, his heart also warming.
The steps gradually decreased, and Sean and Michael were finally almost there.
"…Perhaps many people think the glorious era of the Chudley Cannons is over, but everyone knows it will regain its past glory…"
At this point, Michael's complaints had shifted to an yearning for Quidditch.
He was about to continue recounting the glorious history of the Chudley Cannons, but he first noticed the staggering Young Wizard beside him.
"Sean!"