Harry Potter and the Great Old Ones

Chapter 571 Potions Class for Sixth Graders

Harry, Ron, Tyella, and Hermione parted ways at the fourth-floor staircase. Hermione was heading to the library to use the time to preview other courses and prepare for the Hogwarts entrance exam.

Tyella happened to have some calculations to do, so when Hermione invited her to go to the library, she only thought about it for a moment before agreeing.

Harry and Ron declined Hermione's invitation and continued walking towards the Gryffindor common room on the eighth floor.

"Harry! Hey Harry!"

Harry and Ron turned around and saw Jack, one of the Gryffindor Quidditch players from the previous year, running toward them.

“Hey, hey, Harry,” Jack said breathlessly, “Listen, listen, I heard you’re the new captain. When are you going to start casting?”

“I haven’t confirmed it yet. It’s just the start of the semester. Everyone needs a little time to adjust to the new term,” Harry said, privately thinking that Jack would be very lucky to be back in the team. “I’ll let you know when I’ve confirmed the date.”

“Oh, okay, I hope it can be this weekend so we can start training as soon as possible,” Jack said.

“Okay, I will,” Harry said.

After resting in their dorm for a while, they went downstairs to have lunch with Hermione and Tierra. After lunch, the four of them headed to the Potions classroom on the basement floor to attend Professor Horace Slughorn's Potions class.

The Potions classroom was as cold and damp as ever. When Tierra and her group appeared in the classroom, not all the students had arrived yet, and the classroom was empty.

They found a place to sit down.

Hermione was engrossed in a book, while Tyrell was calculating something.

Harry and Ron looked around aimlessly.

As time went by, more and more people filled the classroom.

After no one else entered the classroom through the door, Horace Slughorn, heavily pregnant, walked in and greeted everyone with an inexplicable enthusiasm.

But when he saw Tiera, his enthusiasm faltered for a moment, and he casually turned his gaze elsewhere.

Horace Slughorn walked to his lectern, on which were placed four crucibles.

“Now, everyone, please take out your scales,” Professor Slughorn said, his obese figure trembling slightly amidst the shimmering steam. “Please take out your scales, and your potion-making kits, oh yes, and this book, *Advanced Potion-Making*—”

Horace Slughorn's words were interrupted by a heavy knocking on the door.

"Uh," Professor Slughorn scratched his somewhat balding head, puzzled, and said, "Please come in."

The old wooden door to the Potions classroom creaked open, and Tyella, dressed in a smart suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, walked in.

“Hello.” Investigator Tierra gave a polite bow. “It’s an honor to meet you, Professor Horace Slughorn.”

Investigator Tierra jogged over and shook hands with Horace Slughorn.

Horace Slughorn, somewhat bewildered, shook hands with Tyella.

“I’ve long admired your name, so I came to sit in on your proceedings. I hope you don’t mind?” Investigator Tierra asked.

"Huh?" Horace Slughorn seemed a little confused. He looked at Tiera in a suit and tie in front of him, and then looked back at Tiera standing in the crowd, wearing a wizard's robe.

“Coco. But, didn’t you already…” Horace Slughorn asked, puzzled.

“He is a student,” Tierra said with a gentle smile. “A student’s duty is to study hard and listen attentively in class.”

“I am a Hogwarts Investigator certified by the British Magical Association,” Tierra continued with a smile. “My main responsibility is to investigate the teaching situation within Hogwarts, report these findings to Dumbledore, and work together through the monthly Hogwarts Teachers’ Meeting to improve and correct our educational system.”

"You, you want to, you want to sit in on the conversation?" Horace Slughorn asked nervously.

“Don’t be nervous, Professor Slughorn,” Tyella said gently. “I’m not the Dark Lord, and this isn’t Death Eater stronghold. Every teacher and student here is a fellow traveler on the path to truth. We should support each other. Please don’t let my presence cause you any unnecessary tension.”

Aren't you the Dark Lord?

Horace Slughorn opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't say what was on his mind. Instead, he awkwardly replied, "Okay."

"Ahem, well then, students." Professor Slughorn turned around, cleared his throat, and prepared to continue the lesson. "Please turn to your books, 'Advanced Potions—'"

“Professor?” Harry asked.

"What is it now? It's Harry. What's wrong, my child?" Horace Slughorn looked over impatiently, but when he saw Harry raise his hand, his face instantly softened into a kind expression. "I didn't buy the books, the scales, or anything else... Ron didn't either. We didn't know we'd be in the Newt class back then, you see—"

“Oh, is that so? Professor McGonagall didn’t mention that… Don’t worry, my dear child, there’s no rush. You can use the ingredients in the pantry today, and I’m sure I can lend you the scales. We have a few old books stored here that can come in handy before you write to your parents.”

Horace Lugghorn strode to the corner cabinet, searched for a moment, and pulled out two tattered-looking books on advanced potion making. He then handed them to Harry and Ron along with two sets of dull scales.

“Thank you, Professor,” Harry and Ron said in unison.

“Alright, now then,” Horace Slughorn said, walking back to the front of the classroom and puffing out his already swollen chest so that the buttons on his vest almost burst. “I’ve prepared some potions to show you, just out of interest. These are things you should be able to make after you finish your NEWt course. You’ve probably heard things like ‘Well, even if you can’t make them,’ so can anyone tell me what these are?”

He pointed to the four crucibles placed on his podium.

Harry stood up slightly from his seat and saw what looked like water boiling inside.

Hermione raised her hand before the others.

Horace Slughorn pointed at Hermione.

"That's a truth serum, a colorless and odorless drug that can force the person who drinks it to tell the truth."

“Good! Very good, very good!” Horace Slughorn said, looking quite pleased. “Now.”

He continued, pointing to the cauldron near Ravenclaw, "This one's quite famous; it was mentioned in a recent Ministry of Magic flyer…who can…"

Hermione immediately raised her hand again.

“It’s a compound decoction, sir,” she said hurriedly.

Harry also recognized the bubbling, mud-like substance slowly rising from the second cauldron.

“Excellent, excellent! Now, in this cauldron in front of you… yes, dear?” Horace Slughorn said, looking at Hermione raising her hand again with a hint of disbelief.

“It’s Emerald!” Hermione exclaimed.

“Absolutely right. It seems there was no need to ask the question at all,” Horace Slughorn said, looking quite shocked, while glancing strangely at Tiera, who was still sitting in her seat.

According to the information he obtained, Tiera was also a show-off, so why didn't he answer questions in his class?

"But do you know what use he is?" Horace Slughorn's thought only flashed through his mind before he quickly returned to the classroom.

“It’s the most effective love potion in the world!” Hermione replied.

“Exactly right! I guess you identified it from the distinctive sheen of its shell?” Horace Slughorn asked.

“Of course, there’s its distinctive spiral of steam,” Hermione replied eagerly. “Besides, depending on the scent that attracts us, I can smell new parchment, freshly opened Wall’s ink, and Chers soap.”

Hermione suddenly blushed and couldn't continue speaking.

"What is your name, dear?" Horace Slughorn didn't notice Hermione's embarrassment.

“Hermione Granger, sir,” Hermione replied.

“Granger? Granger? You’re related to Hector Dagworth Granger, the one who founded the most unique Potion Masters Guild?” Horace Slughorn’s walrus-like eyes practically shone.

“No, I don’t think so, sir. You see, I was born a Muggle,” Hermione replied.

"That's even better!" Horace Slughorn exclaimed. "I've never seen such a gifted little witch. Twenty points for Gryffindor!"

“Of course, Emerald does not produce true love; it cannot create or imitate love… It can only simply induce a strong state of infatuation and obsession, possibly the most dangerous and effective potion in this room—” Horace Slughorn saw a hand raised in the middle of the group of students.

“Uh… Ti, Tiera?” Horace Slughorn was initially pleased that someone had asked a question in class, but he quickly realized that the student who asked the question was actually Tiera.

“Tiera…you, you, what’s your problem?” Horace Slughorn glanced at Tiera, the investigator who was listening to the lecture, and then looked at Tiera, the student who was standing in front of him raising her hand to ask a question. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask.

“Professor Slughorn, I have a question for you. What effect will the Emorutide potion have on offspring?” Tiera asked.

“Uh…sorry, I…I don’t quite understand your question,” Horace Slughorn asked, puzzled.

"To put it another way, Professor Slughorn, if a witch uses Amorutide on a male Muggle, and the two... get together and the witch has a child, what kind of effect will the love potion have on the child?" Tiera asked.

(End of this chapter)