HP North Star's Radiance

Prareas strongly suspected that Professor Snape might have some strange bias against her and overestimate her abilities.

While facing the pressure of Voldemort's test, Prasris also experienced a genuine joy that Professor Snape acknowledged—which to some extent alleviated her psychological burden.

Today, Praris is no longer just a student in the eyes of her mentors and elders, but a "collaborator" who receives full respect and the right to equal dialogue.

Chapter 247 A Secret Maneuver

Starting the next day, Prarese began her research in earnest.

In the early stages of her research, she spent a considerable amount of time writing a preliminary research plan, primarily focused on emotional restoration, using euphoria, Felix Felicis, and the Happiness Mantra as starting points for her research.

The two potions and one spell mentioned above can bring feelings of happiness and joy, but they cannot truly heal the wounds inflicted by the Dementors.

A body that has been "visited" by a Dementor is like a dilapidated thatched hut that has been chilled by the cold, with drafts coming from all sides.

The winter wind is so strong, and the cold is so terrifying. On days like these, the sunlight sometimes has no warmth. It's just dazzling, but it can't bring any comfort, like the light in a refrigerator.

Even if it can bring temporary "warmth," it will be carried away by the north wind at an extremely fast speed—to linger for this temperature is tantamount to suicide.

Praris had heard of such people. Because of poverty, they could only endure the cold. The sunlight outside the window looked bright, but the temperature was still very low. The human instinct to crave warmth led them outdoors, but the reflection of the snow and the low temperature effect only brought cold, causing that person to die a violent death in the bright sunlight and snow.

In a sense, these three methods are like sunlight without warmth in the snow. They are temporary, external, superficial, and fleeting pleasures.

Relying on euphoria drugs and mantras to treat emotional trauma can easily become addictive. Once stopped, there is a chance that despair and sadness will return, perhaps even more intensely, ultimately leading to a person's breakdown.

Praris was aware of these things, but that doesn't mean they weren't worth studying.

If euphoria is superficial, it is entirely possible to improve it, enhance its effects, reduce its addictiveness, and weaken its side effects—as the most basic and lowest-level product in the research process.

Besides, if Prarese doesn't start her research soon, it will make her seem less than enthusiastic about the tasks Voldemort assigned her.

But if she finds the right path and completes the task without much effort, Voldemort might think she has the capacity to spare and ask her to delve deeper into the subject at the soul level.

These collected useless cases and flawed paths were what Prarese used to demonstrate her "efforts" and lower Voldemort's expectations—after which any small progress would seem all the more precious.

After hearing about Rita's automatic quill, Praris had specifically studied automatic writing magic to make writing tedious assignments like papers on the history of magic easier. Now, the spell was finally coming in handy!

Prarese rested her chin on her hand, watching the fish in the Black Lake outside the window, while her quill pen followed her will, scribbling across the parchment as she wrote her lengthy masterpiece.

Holding this lengthy, complex, and rigorous preliminary research proposal, reminiscent of the Saga style, Prarese could already imagine Professor Snape's unpleasant expression.

"Understand me, sir," Praris said with a playful malice. "If you can bear it, you can make Voldemort suffer the same way."

To avoid being criticized in person, Prarese came up with a good idea: to avoid facing Professor Snape directly.

A few days later, in the corridors of Hogwarts.

“Professor Carlo!” Praris quickly caught up with Amicus, who was on patrol, pulled a large roll of parchment from his cork bag, and said with a smile, “This is my research—”

Amicus's small eyes, squeezed by the fat, widened instantly, and he sternly interrupted Praris: "This is your homework, isn't it!"

"Huh?" Praris paused for a few seconds, then showed a look of realization. "Yes, this is my homework, I need you to hand it in—"

Amicus interrupted her again: "Alright, alright, I understand!"

He suspected deep down that this girl had traded her emotional intelligence and IQ for her talent in potions and magic. She hadn't even kept it a secret, brazenly handing him the Dark Lord's quest right there in the hallway!

“I thought—” Amicus said, “that you had already put this matter behind you!”

"How could this be!" Praris exclaimed in surprise. "I devoted all my energy to this... assignment and finished it overnight. I hope I haven't let you and... down!"

"Alright, I've got it." Amicus waved his hand. "Go back!"

Amicus was initially pleased with Praris's enthusiasm for the matter, having been spared the hassle of being urged, but as he held the large roll of parchment, a strange feeling arose in his heart.

He just couldn't understand what Prince had written that was longer than a course paper!

Back in his office, he hesitated for a moment before opening the parchment before handing it to Snape. It wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't opened it; once he did, Amycus felt a little dizzy from the words.

"Could it be because my potions grades are too bad?" Amicus couldn't help but wonder. "I know every single word here, but I can't understand it when they're put together."

While writing the Potions version of "Saga", Neville and Ginny reconnected with Praris.

“I really don’t know how you did it,” Ginny said gratefully, “but you really didn’t have to—”

With a lizard in her left hand and a toad in her right, Prarese looked exactly like a witch from a Muggle stereotype. She lowered her eyelids and said, "Isn't there any need to worry about Longbottom?"

“That’s right,” Ginny said sincerely. “It’s too dangerous for you. You’re an important partner to us, and we can’t risk your life. Neville has been trained in willpower and is mentally prepared; nothing will happen to him!”

Praris raised his eyelids and glanced at Neville, noticing that his face showed no displeasure, only approval—it seemed this was the result of their joint discussion.

“Do you think I’m willing to take risks? Or do you think I have any deep feelings for you?” Praris chuckled. “If it were Hermione standing there, I wouldn’t hesitate to take the risk for no reason. Anyway, I can fool Amicus Caro.”

“To be precise—Neville, you’re the one who didn’t need to step forward, although I can understand your thinking,” Praris said slowly. “Mr. Snape’s new school rules have reduced the number of students the Caro siblings can torment. Their suppressed desires are rebounding, and once they do, they’ll only be more ruthless than before, not to mention you’ve angered him.”

Prarese's subtext was: If I don't help you, you can go to St. Mungo and reunite with your parents!

Ginny remembered that Neville and Ernie had been taken to the office and tortured, and quickly looked at Neville.

“I’m fine, Ginny!” Neville patted his chest. “That fat pig handed us over to his sister. We weren’t tortured for long before Seamus arrived with Professor McGonagall.”

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Neville was alright—the current DA couldn't afford any more losses.

Praris warned them, "We've already had two incidents in our class, and Amicus Kalo must be on his guard. Whatever happens next, I will not help you."

Ginny and Neville were well aware of how sensitive Prarese's identity was, and they wouldn't blame her. After all, Ginny had originally opposed Prarese openly helping them.

Praris was pleased with the two men's sensible attitude: "I will deliver the potions you need to the Requirement House before tomorrow."

"When?" Ginny asked eagerly.

Praris shook his head expressionlessly: "You don't need to know—just silently recite 'The room where Talia's treasure is hidden' in the Room of Requirement tomorrow, and you will find it."

Her secretive attitude made Ginny a little worried.

After the meeting, Ginny asked Neville, "Is it really okay for Praris to do something so dangerous all by herself, without anyone to help her?"

Ginny was willing to take the risk; she was fearless. But if she wasn't involved, she would worry. Her mind raced with images of Praris being caught delivering the potion, or of Praris safely delivering it, only to find the potion missing from the Room of Requirement... and so on.

Neville disagreed with Ginny, saying, "Trust her, just like you would trust Hermione."

Praris has plenty of ways to get the potion DA wants.

She could sip some herbs from the Death Eaters and take some potions from Slughorn—these were all normal losses.

Especially when Slughorn is lazy, Praris will even take care of the whole process from making potions to delivering them to the school infirmary, and no one will know how many potions he takes!

However, this situation only lasted for a while. Since Praris recently accepted a mission from Voldemort, her time has become increasingly limited, and Slughorn can no longer enjoy such preferential treatment.

Praris hid several bottles of potions in her cork bag and carried them downstairs openly. She walked all the way to the abandoned classroom where she usually studied potions, and closed the door behind her.

After checking and confirming that no one else was in the classroom, Praris began to call out softly, "Barney! Barney!"

A short, thin house-elf with big ears, bulging eyes, and wearing a paper chef's hat appeared in the middle of the classroom.

Barney bowed deeply to Princess with a beaming smile and said in a high-pitched voice, "Miss Prince! Is there anything Barney can help you with? It would be my pleasure to serve you!"

Praliss didn't have Hermione's noble sentiments; she had no interest in liberating house-elves and only had a soft spot for Barney.

In her view, if Barney, after careful consideration, still doesn't feel he needs to be liberated, then Barney doesn't need to be liberated.

This is the same idea Praris has for Sofia and Fiona; she will give Fiona ideas for solving problems, but she will not make choices for Fiona.

In Prader's mind, there was no inherent good or bad in her and Hermione's ideas; they were simply different. Therefore, she never opposed Hermione's ideas and even offered her some advice.

“Barney, I need your help.” Praris crouched down, facing the house-elf wearing a paper hat. “I need you to deliver something for me, without letting anyone know, is that alright?”

When Barney heard Praris calling him not to order food, he seemed a little frustrated, but he quickly realized what he was thinking and his expression turned terrified.

"Barney shouldn't have done that! Barney shouldn't have done that!" Barney raised his hand to slap himself. "How could Barney expect Miss Prince to order! Miss Prince can do whatever she wants! How could Barney have his own ideas!"

Barney felt an unprecedented fear; he doubted that his mind had been corrupted by Dobby, and that he could have made such a mistake!

Amid Barney's shouting, Praris calmly said, "Barney, I won't allow you to hit yourself."

Barney's slap, which was about to fall, stopped in mid-air. It lowered its head in embarrassment: "Miss Prince, Barney is not a good house-elf."

“I don’t think so, Barney,” Prarees said gently. “I thank you for reminding me—I haven’t had your Scotch eggs in ages. Could you prepare a separate serving for me tonight?”

“Of course!” Barney’s eyes immediately lit up.

Praris smiled and said, "Before that, could you help me deliver something?"

Barney obediently found Praris a wooden box, neatly packed all the potions inside, and then Apparated to the Room of Requirement to place it there.

"The password you chose for the room is 'The Room Where Talia's Treasure Is Hidden,' right?" Praris confirmed again.

Barney nodded firmly: "Barney entered the Room of Requirement and then used this password!"

Praris nodded in satisfaction and said sincerely, "Barney, I look forward to your Scotch egg."

Upon hearing Prares's words, Barney seemed to receive immense affirmation and left happily.

Although house-elves take pride in serving their "masters" and are ashamed of receiving payment, some of them still have some selfish motives.

From the moment Prarese first "ordered" food, Barney demonstrated his need for value as a chef—someone wanted him to cook, and someone appreciated his cooking.

Prarese's way of respecting Barney is to reciprocate in ways Barney can accept, such as ordering food, giving suggestions, and leaving positive reviews. Barney has always enjoyed this interaction between chef and diner.

Recalling her early days at Hogwarts, she was incredibly wary. Years of hunger had instilled in her a deep-seated insecurity about food, leading her to launch a thorough search as soon as she settled in, solely to find the kitchen.

Based on the structure of traditional castles, Praris deduced that the kitchen must be located in the underground building.

She then thoroughly searched the entire underground area and discovered something unusual about a painting next to the Hufflepuff common room—the pear pattern on it showed obvious signs of wear.

And so, Praris opened the kitchen door and met the house-elves. Barney was the house-elf who stepped forward to ask her what she needed.

Praris recalled that, knowing little about house-elves, she had asked, "So, you're the cooks at Hogwarts? Can we ask for food outside of mealtimes?"

So, at 3:30 p.m., Praris received a plate of cookies from Barney, remarking, "The chefs in the wizarding world are something else!"

Chapter 248 Unlucky Crabbe

In the basement corridor, a figure hunched over furtively, pressing most of his body against the door of an abandoned classroom. Not far from him stood Gao Er, looking around nervously.

Goyle crept over and whispered to Crabbe, "Vincent, let's go! If Prince finds out we've been following her, he'll definitely come after us!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Crabbe shoved Goyle's hand away, his face darkening. "This woman is definitely suspicious!"

According to Draco, Crabbe was only slightly smarter than Goyle, if not much. Therefore, his suspicion of Prareas was not due to intelligence, but rather to harboring resentment.

When someone is convinced that another person has a problem, they can find something suspicious about that person even if that person is actually perfectly fine.

As Crabbe came out of the common room, he happened to see Prares walking by carrying a handbag and immediately decided to follow her.