HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Leah looked at him, her eyes filled with worry, but even more so with understanding and a certain pride.

"An assistant? Do you know how to handle unicorn horn powder? Do you know how to safely handle salamander blood without causing a small explosion?"

"I saw you do it last summer, and you also helped Seaver deal with even more complicated issues," Ian replied. "If I don't understand something, I can learn it."

John finally nodded: "Go. But remember, you're only going to assist with potion research. Don't get involved in things you shouldn't be involved in. If anything seems amiss, contact your family or professor immediately."

"I know."

Three days later, Ian appeared at the gates of Hogwarts Castle.

Professor McGonagall was somewhat surprised by his early return to school, but after checking his paperwork and his parents' letters, she allowed him to go.

"Mr. Snape is in the library or the potions room. Mr. Burke, please follow the summer school rules and be careful."

The castle was so empty that you could hear your own footsteps echoing through the stone corridors.

Ian went to the potion-making room in the cellar first, but no one was there.

He then turned to the library and, in a quiet corner of the seventh-floor east section, saw that familiar black figure.

Severus lay on the table, surrounded by mountains of ancient books, manuscripts, and scraps of paper covered with dense symbols.

A lone magic lamp cast a warm yellow glow, outlining his overly focused profile and slightly furrowed brow.

Ian stopped a few steps away without saying a word immediately.

He watched as Severus carefully touched a fragile piece of ancient parchment with the tip of his quill, uttering a low, obscure syllable, causing a rune on the parchment to glow faintly.

A few minutes later, Severus seemed to notice the gaze and suddenly looked up.

The moment he saw Ian, he was clearly stunned. The quill in his hand hovered in mid-air, and ink dripped down, spreading a black dot on the scrap paper.

"...Ian?" His voice was uncertain. "What brings you here?"

"Delivery." Ian took off his backpack and placed it on the table. "The moonstone powder that just arrived at Mr. Bokin's place, and the venomous beast horn you requested, and also..."

He opened his backpack. "Those peppermint plants in my greenhouse are going crazy if I don't deal with them soon. I brought them here for you to experiment on."

Severus stood up, first examining the runes encapsulating the moonstone powder, then carefully unwrapping the dragon skin covering the horn of the venomous beast.

After confirming that everything was correct, my gaze finally fell on the few potted plants that were thriving.

"...Did you cultivate it?"

"Otherwise what? Dora doesn't have that kind of patience." Ian looked at him as he bent down to examine the seed, a hint of barely perceptible smugness in his gray eyes. "The seeds were sent from Norway by Aris, and I improved the cultivation method."

Severus didn't speak, but he gently touched the tender shoot of the moonflower with his fingers, a very light touch.

"And another thing," Ian said, pulling out a paper packet as if by magic, "Doraemon's meat pie. My mom said, 'Don't let Severus only eat house-elves' sandwiches.'"

Severus took the oil paper package; it was still warm. He glanced at Ian, then quickly looked away. "...Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ian pulled up a chair next to him, stretched, and said, "Well then, assistant Ian Burke is officially reporting for duty."

"My dear Potions Master, what's next? Deal with these materials, or continue struggling with this parchment that looks like it's about to fall apart?"

Severus's lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but held it back.

"Let's go back to the lab first."

"Understood."

The lights in the potions lab always stay on very late.

Ian found being an assistant harder than he had imagined; Severus's demand for precision bordered on obsessive.

"You weren't this picky last summer," Ian couldn't help but say as he cleaned the crucible for the hundredth time.

"Last year's goal was to make sure you didn't blow up the cauldron," Severus said without looking up, stirring a potion. "This year's goal is to create something that will make it into the Potions Society archives."

His tone was calm, but Ian could hear the tension beneath.

In the second week of August, the research made a breakthrough; they needed the venom of the giant eight-eyed spider.

There was no stock in the potion storeroom, and it was impossible to get any in Knockturn Alley in the short term. In his reply, Mr. Bogin subtly indicated that the potion had recently been monopolized at high prices by certain "specific customers".

"So, we still have to go to the Forbidden Forest." Ian fiddled with a silver knife. "Among Aragog's descendants, there are always some who live in seclusion, or young and belligerent individuals, whose venom sacs might actually be of better quality."

Severus glanced at him. "Danger."

"I know." Ian sheathed his sword and stretched his wrists. "That's why two of us have to go, the usual."

They occasionally venture into the forbidden forest to "collect inspiration," and have long since figured out most of the paths and the distribution of flora and fauna. But the eight-eyed giant spider is different; it is a dangerous creature classified as XXXXX.

They prepared for two whole days before heading to the Forbidden Forest.

After walking for nearly an hour, some broken spider silk suddenly appeared on the ground.

Severus stopped, crouched down, and used his wand to illuminate the ground. "Fresh marks, more than one, but not very big. They're probably recently independent individuals. Over here."

They followed the trail and proceeded more cautiously.

After passing a thicket of bushes, a spider web hung between a few trees ahead, with the remains of some small animals stuck to it.

Severus quickly scanned the area, his gaze settling on the shadow of a protruding rock.

A dark shape, about the size of a car tire, could be vaguely seen there, with eight eyes reflecting a faint red light in the darkness.

"That's it." Severus's voice was extremely low. "Medium size, its venom glands should be fully developed. I need to approach from the side, hit it with a stun spell, and then harvest it quickly. You..."

“I’ll go to the other side and use noise to attract attention. If any other spiders are disturbed, I’ll lead them away, and we’ll meet up at the usual spot,” Ian said calmly. “Be careful, Severus.”

"The same to you."

Just as he was about to step forward, Ian suddenly grabbed his wrist.

The force was so great that Severus was pulled backward half a step, almost crashing into his arms.

"Someone's there." Ian's voice was very low, his lips almost touching his ear.

Severus immediately cast an illusion spell.

The two held their breath and hid in the shadows behind a boulder.

On the other side of the woods, two figures dressed in black robes emerged from deeper within the forest.

The robes were oddly styled, neither the Hogwarts school robes nor the style usually worn by professors.

The hoods covered most of their faces, but one of them held a wand inlaid with a conspicuous emerald.

A third figure appeared from another direction.

The man wasn't wearing a robe, only a tattered animal skin. He was hunched over and walked in an odd way. His face was too far away to be seen clearly, but his tangled gray hair and overly long fingernails were still shocking in the dim light.

The three shadows met in the open space.

One of the men in the black robes seemed to be saying something, waving his arms.

The shadow wrapped in animal skin nodded repeatedly, occasionally letting out a low, hoarse sound.

This is not something students should see.