Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 133: Numerous Obstacles

There are many obstacles.

It is a curse, but an extremely effective one.

"Quickly casting the 'Barrier Charm' can delay an opponent for a while or stop a magical creature from moving for a while. This charm is a crucial part of wizard duels."

—This is what Ms. Miranda Goshak wrote in Standard Spells.

The spell lasts for about ten seconds and can temporarily slow down an opponent. It can also suspend wasps in mid-air.

Professor Snape used wasps as his test subject, and he said ominously:
"If you fail, Sheen Green—some pain might make you more clear-headed!"

Sheehan nodded, not noticing the wand Professor Snape was clutching tightly beneath his robes.

"Impedimenta! (Obstacles abound!)"

Blue and white sparks burst from the tip of Sheen's wand, instantly halting the rapidly charging wasp.

[You practiced the Obstacle Charm to expert standards once, proficiency +50]

……

[Barrier Charm: Expert Level (110/3000)]

A new title in the realm of dark magic has been unlocked.

Compared to the progress of other branches of magic, Sheen always manages to make breakthroughs in the field of dark magic in a relatively short period of time.

One hour of black magic can take you from apprentice to expert...

Sheehan sometimes felt that he wasn't casting dark magic, but rather that the dark magic was flowing out of his wand on its own.

Even though he didn't harbor any strong "malice" in his heart, the power of his dark magic was never weak.

"Ha—consider yourself lucky, Green—"

Seeing that Sheen looked tired, Professor Snape waved his wand, and the wasp that was about to attack again disappeared.

"Take it—"

Professor Snape tossed a booklet to Sheehan, who turned around to see his letters displayed in a glass cabinet.

But in the blink of an eye, the letter and the small jar disappeared.

Dazzled?

Sheen thought.

"What are you waiting for?! To wait for the potion ingredients to process themselves and then jump into the cauldron?!"

Professor Snape's anger surged again.

The crucible resembled a train's exhaust nozzle, emitting billowing white smoke that then dissipated into the snowflakes.

Sheehan's Guide to the Way was filled with notes, and Professor Snape, unusually, did not add any sarcastic remarks, but instead made precise improvements to the contents.

Furthermore, a new drug was added: the euphoric agent.

It appears in Master Libasho Pollach's "Advanced Potion Making," which is supposed to be something a fifth-year student should be able to learn, making it very difficult for Shin in his current state.

But Sheen keenly noticed one thing: this potion possessed the perfected and improved rituals and induction methods of Master Libashe Polachi.

So, while Professor Snape may have presented an impossible task, he actually left much hope unresolved.

"Are you satisfied with brewing potions that even trolls can make?"

Professor Snape scoffed.

The euphoric potion is a high-level magical potion, and its difficulty is undeniable.

Fortunately, the reformed rituals and guidance methods have steadfastly forged a path.

[You have successfully brewed a potion of euphoria to the standards of an apprentice. Proficiency +1]

[Enjoyment Potion: Not Unlocked (1/30)]

"What have you done?!"

Professor Snape's voice rang out along with the panel notification sound. Then, he gave Sheehan a sinister look before his gaze subsided.

"Get out of here!"

Sheen seemed to understand something, and he subconsciously added a small sprig of peppermint to it.

When his will was extremely focused, his actions were almost entirely instinctive. Only after he joined in did he remember the story of this peppermint.

That was Professor Snape's original creation in the Half-Blood Prince's Notebook.

He tidied the table as usual, then wrapped his scarf tighter and left the cellar.

Before I even stepped outside, I discovered that I had somehow acquired ten Galleons in my hand.

"Ah--"

A sinister laugh echoed from the depths of the cellar.

……

Snape watched Sheen walk away silently, inexplicably lost in a daze.

His potion-making talent was gradually emerging, and he was quite certain that the idiot didn't have his own notes.

As if he had thought of something, his complex gaze was tinged with a hint of reminiscence.

in the corridor.

Sheen's shorthand quill kept scribbling away:

The core pursuits of alchemy may be more complex and less materialistic than they initially appeared.

It has three stages: black stage, white stage, and red stage.

The first step in alchemy is melting, often referred to as the black stage;

The second step, the conversion of lead into gold, is the white stage;
The third step, the final stage, is the red stage.

As the flames intensified, the sacred red light bathed the white stones in a beautiful, vibrant crimson hue… The reddening of white matter is often metaphorically described as being stained with blood.

Where's the potion?
As his will sank into the misty crucible, Sheen sensed the disappearance, transformation, and final metamorphosis of the old matter.

He had a strong intuition that was absolutely applicable even in alchemy.

So he found this part without much difficulty in "Alchemical Parables: The Four Elements":

Alchemy—that is, finding the Philosopher's Stone, turning base metals into gold and granting the owner eternal youth—was once considered possible and real.

One interpretation of the "instructions" left by alchemists is that they symbolize a spiritual journey, guiding them from ignorance (base metals) to enlightenment (gold).

Isn't the process of brewing potions also a journey from ignorance (ordinary materials) to enlightenment (magical potions)?

Sheen finally understood the fundamental connection between potions and alchemy, and after grasping this point, his progress in alchemy was incredibly rapid.

He made the floating quill pen in just two days, following the notes.

When he guided alchemical magic with this perceived willpower, his only concern was where to find the Weasley brothers.

As his alchemy skills improved, his focus returned to potions.

Professor Snape not only taught him how to make the elixir of pleasure, but also taught him about other potions that Master Libashe Polacht possessed for improving rituals.

The stimulant and the common antidote are the last records of Master Ribasius Pollack.

Once Sheen had gained enough experience from the reformed rituals, he truly inherited this unorthodox knowledge.

On a rainy and snowy night, Sheen sat by the bay window, watching ravens fly by.

Wizards created potions, but they couldn't understand them.

When Zygmunt Bach's portrait on Hemetra Island awoke, centuries had passed, yet the truth remained unchanged;
Thus the pilgrims learned that the secret of the entire magic was still hidden within the crucible.

Will you be the last pilgrim—Sheen Green?

　To our dear readers,

　　Tomorrow morning at 10 AM and night at 10 PM are both the third watch.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)