HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Ian walked over and sat down next to Severus, shoulder to shoulder. He naturally took the hot teapot that Aris pushed over, poured a cup for Severus, and then poured one for himself.

"How is it?" Severus closed the book and asked in a low voice.

"We've got it sorted out." Ian's voice was also very low, making sure only the two of them could hear. "Regulus carried Lucius's message."

Severus's eyes narrowed slightly.

"They expressed their regret and then offered to help if we had any real difficulties," Ian said, taking a sip of hot tea. "I declined."

Severus was silent for a moment, his dark eyes filled with thoughts, before finally understanding dawned on him: "He believed it."

“Regulus said the same thing.” Ian leaned back on the sofa. “He thinks Lucius really believed it, and… he just felt it was a pity.”

"This means that, at least in this matter, we are safe." Severus's voice was soft, carrying a sense of relief.

"Hmm." Ian's lips curved into a smile. "A little peace and quiet for a while, time to prepare NEWTS."

Severus grunted in agreement, reopened the book, but his gaze remained fixed on the pages for a long time.

Kevin finally lost the game, sighed, and snatched the notebook from Aris's hand: "I'm not looking anymore! Aris, can't you lose just once to make me happy?"

"A victory based on facts is more valuable than false comfort, Kevin." Aris adjusted his glasses, took back his notebook, and said, "Want another round? I can give you a queen."

"This is an insult!" Kevin shouted loudly, but he immediately realized that his voice had weakened.

Aris calmly put the pieces back on the board one by one: "Based on your obvious tactical mistake on the seventeenth move, I think giving up a queen is a reasonable assessment of strength, not an insult."

"You're humiliating me!"

Ian watched them bicker, a slight smile playing on his lips, and relaxed his shoulder against Severus.

Severus seemed to have his last trace of melancholy dispelled by the daily noise, and turned his gaze back to the pages of the book, only this time at a much slower pace.

The next few days were indeed peaceful.

They focused on Slughorn's blood-replenishing improvement project as planned.

Kevin was captured by Aris to be a "stabilizer tolerance tester." He had to drink various slightly modified potions with a bitter face, and then Aris recorded his magic power and facial expression changes every minute.

"I feel like a guinea pig." Kevin gulped down a glass of water to wash away the bitterness in his mouth.

"The lab rat won't complain, and your Potions class grades will improve as a result. Overall assessment." Aris noted without looking up.

"real?"

"It's fake, but hard work always pays off."

"Aris!"

Ian smiled and shook his head, then pushed an ancient magical script annotation that required cross-verification to Severus.

Severus took it, tapped the quill tip on a few characters, and whispered something. Ian leaned over to look, and the two heads were almost touching.

……

On the last Hogsmeade weekend before the Christmas holidays, Slughorn organized a "small party" in the upstairs private room of the Three Brooms.

The list of invitees was short, but very "concise".

Severus didn't want to go, but Ian said, "Nott, Carol, Malfoy, and that guy from the Shafiq family will all be there. It would seem deliberate not to go."

The atmosphere at the party seemed relaxed. Ms. Rosmerta served up a specially made mead, and Slughorn's laughter made the crystal glasses clink.

Lucius Malfoy was also there. After graduating, he seemed to be in a leisurely and respectable position in the Ministry of Magic. He was more elegant and composed than he was in his student days, with a kind of condescending friendliness.

He casually strolled over to Severus and Ian, holding his wine glass.

"Professor Slughorn is never stingy with praise for outstanding students," Malfoy smiled, his grey-blue eyes sweeping over Severus. "Especially you, Severus. It's a real shame to give up that interesting direction, but improving the blood-replenishing agent is also a very practical choice. Pragmatism is a virtue."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Severus said flatly.

"Just call me Lucius," Malfoy said, swirling his glass gently. "What are your initial plans after graduation? With your talent, it would be a waste to be stuck in St. Mungo's apothecary or piles of papers in the Ministry of Magic."

"I haven't decided yet," Ian replied, his tone as usual carrying a hint of student uncertainty about the future. "I haven't taken the NEWTs test yet, there's no point in thinking too far ahead."

“Indeed, one step at a time.” Malfoy nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on Severus’s face. “However, some opportunities are fleeting. Truly valuable research often requires… a more open environment and more abundant resources. Pure-blood families, especially those with foresight, are always happy to invest in the future.”

This was said subtly, but the meaning was clear.

Nearby, Nott was talking quietly with Carlo, his eyes occasionally drifting over.

"I'll consider it," Severus said, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Malfoy seemed satisfied, and after chatting for a few more minutes about the weather and mead, he gracefully turned to Slughorn, who was talking to Miss Shafik.

In the latter half of the party, Slughorn announced a little surprise: he had borrowed a "fun little gadget" from a "collector friend" for everyone to admire.

It was an antique brooch inlaid with black gemstones, which was brought out on a velvet tray.

There seemed to be an undercurrent flowing within the gemstone, carrying an ominous allure.

"It's said to slightly enhance the wearer's magical perception," Slughorn said, beaming. "Of course, it's safe; it's been tested and registered by the Ministry of Magic..."

Many students curiously gathered around, but Ian and Severus exchanged a glance and didn't move.

Carlo picked up the brooch, examined it closely, and then handed it to Nott beside him. "Exquisite ancient craftsmanship, the enchanting method is... unique."

Nott took it, ran his fingertips over the surface of the gem, and commented without much expression: "It's like the work of a fairy, but something else has been mixed in."

"Oh? You can tell?" Slughorn asked with interest.

"Just a little bit," Nott put down the brooch, his tone flat. "I have some similar collections at home, and over time, they inevitably pick up some mixed influences."

His words elicited knowing, slight laughter from several of the core circle's pure-blooded disciples.

Malfoy smiled but didn't say anything.

Ian's heart skipped a beat. He and Severus both studied ancient magical artifacts. The enchantment patterns on the brooch were extremely subtle, but it was by no means as simple as Nott had casually described. It was a kind of unorthodox and dangerous soul suggestion magic. Long-term contact with it was not as simple as "enhancing perception." It could also subtly affect the wearer's emotions and judgment.