Hogwarts: Bourne Returns from Warhammer

During her summer vacation at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger decided to go to the Weasleys' house to visit her friend Ron.

Because of her previous experience, Hermione did not ask Mr. Weasley to pick up her family. Instead, she took her parents on the Knight Bus and came to the village of Ottery St. Catchpole.

The Weasley family's "Burrow" is located just outside the village of Ottery St. Catchpole, surrounded by rolling hills and fertile grassland. In addition to the Weasley family, there are also several wizarding families living there. nearby.

The Burrow is a place full of magic and warmth. For Hermione, it is always full of novelties and surprises.

She felt that even if she had to classify something as pleasant as writing summer homework, it would be more comfortable to do it in the burrow than in her own home.

Although Ron and Ginny strongly questioned this, Hermione began to write her summer homework, and Ron "not to be outdone" took out the parchment and quill.

When writing homework, he had a standard answer beside him for reference. Such an opportunity was rare, and he wanted to take the opportunity to write more quickly.

After all, when next semester starts, Harry will probably have to make up for his homework alone, and it will be difficult for him to "occupy" Hermione's homework alone.

"Tell me, what are they doing?"

A top student is a top student. Ron couldn't copy homework as fast as Hermione. When Hermione finished all the two essay assignments assigned by Professor Snape in Potions class, she couldn't help but think of a question.

"'They', are you asking Harry and Burn?"

As Ron spoke, he took the paper written by Hermione and looked around, trying to find a few sentences that he could copy directly.

"Harry may be in a bad situation. Although it shouldn't be worse than when he stayed at his aunt and uncle's house last summer. Hogwarts doesn't lack food and drink, but after all, he has to be dragged by Professor Snape to observe the magic He must have had a hard time with the special drug training class.

Two potions lessons a week are already overwhelming. I can't imagine what kind of torture it is to have to take Snape's lessons every day!

As for Byrne, I guess he might be better, I heard he was working on some very complicated potions recently - do you remember that giant carrot he made at the dinner before the holidays, George and Fred? After trying it at home, both of their ears were almost pulled off by their mother.

The two of them added the 'swelling potion' to the 'growth potion' and experimented with the pumpkins grown in my backyard...

Hermione, you know, those pumpkin explosions blew up my vegetable garden, and even the goblins nesting several feet underground were killed!

This most stubborn 'pest' in the wizard's family actually took the initiative to pack up his belongings that day and escaped from my vegetable garden that night. "

At this point, because he remembered the terrible scene that day, Ron raised his head and looked at Hermione with fearful eyes, and said seriously: "My father said that things like potions are always very dangerous. When you need to use them, go to the right place." Just buy it from the regular store in Corner Alley. A sensible wizard would be better off trying to make your own potion at home.”

"But Potions class is also fun, isn't it?" Hermione retorted a little unconvinced.

Ron just shrugged his shoulders and offered a thin veil: "Putting aside the facts. I see that you are happy after class in other classes. But only in Professor Snape's potions class, after class, you are happy." After that, you always looked like Harry and I, with a face that looked like we had eaten a whole bitter melon.”

Hermione asked curiously: "My teeth have obviously been corrected, why are you paying attention to my face?"

-

"It can't be because it looks good, right?"

Harry replied a little uncertainly. This was the first time I took the initiative to answer the professor's questions in Potions class. However, the professor standing on the podium in this class was not Snape, but the grandfather of his roommate Bourne.

"Correct answer, Mr. Potter." Slughorn praised enthusiastically: "I knew that you inherited your mother's talent in potions, and your intuition is very accurate."

He just asked a question to the students in the special magic training class: Why are most magic cleaners made in gold?

At this time, the old professor stood on the podium, his round belly wrapped in a bright purple robe, with an amiable smile on his face.

His eyes sparkled under the magic light, and he was holding a bottle of sparkling liquid in his hand. He was about to show the students the secrets of the most common and best-selling "Mrs. Skoll's Universal Magic Stain Remover" in the wizarding world. The mystery contained.

"Okay, okay, my dear students," Professor Slughorn's voice was gentle and contagious, "Today we will learn about a very practical and interesting potion - [Skoll Lady's Brand] All-purpose Miracle Stain Remover - This isn't just a cleaner that can remove the toughest stains on any surface, but it also has a little secret you'll soon discover."

The students' attention was attracted. They looked at Professor Slughorn, looking forward to his next explanation.

"First of all, the main raw material we need is--" Professor Slughorn paused deliberately, and then said as if revealing a major secret, "a bottle of fresh awn secretion extract!"

The students let out a slight exclamation, and Professor Slughorn smiled with satisfaction and continued: "The blood of the fire dragon can not only restore any items to their original glory, but can also effectively increase the decontamination agent. The foam produced when used. By the way, this is also one of the 'twelve uses of dragon blood' that Principal Dumbledore summed up when he was young."

Then, Professor Slughorn began to introduce other ingredients and cooking methods in detail. His voice was full of enthusiasm and he explained every step very carefully to ensure that the students could follow his ideas.

"Next, we add a pinch of Troll's Beard, which will reduce the chance of accidents when the stain remover is applied to certain dangerous magical items, making it capable of fighting even the toughest magical stains. We then use a simmering Heat slowly until it turns into this beautiful golden liquid."

Professor Slughorn held up the bottle in his hand to show the students the glistening stain remover.

Harry looked at Professor Slughorn and couldn't help but sigh. The old professor's teaching method was in sharp contrast to Snape's harshness and venomous tongue.

"Okay, kids, now it's your turn to practice. Remember, Potions is an art that requires patience and care. Let's get started!" Professor Slughorn smiled and encouraged every student.

Just as he had promised Dumbledore, Horace did not hide his secrets when imparting the knowledge of potions to the young wizard.

The functions and configuration methods of various raw materials he explained about [Skoll's Brand Universal Magic Stain Remover] were the same whether he taught them to Bourne or other little wizards. The only difference is that after dinner, Horace will call Bourne into his temporary office and living room, and have a chat in the "grandparents and grandchildren chat" mode while drinking an after-dinner drink.

The office was decorated to be warm and comfortable. There is a huge bookshelf on the wall, filled with various ancient potions books, and the air is filled with the mixed aroma of various herbs and magical ingredients.

Usually, Horace would take out a bottle of sherry, a plate of pineapple preserves, and an old-looking leather-bound notebook from an office drawer before starting a chat with Bourne.

The same is true today.

"Bourne, I think you have mastered the preparation method of Mrs. Skol's Universal Magic Stain Remover. In terms of potion making skills, in addition to what I tell you, you should try your best to practice using your own wizard intuition. It’s not about weighing, and then increasing the production speed of the potion. Is there anything else you want to ask about this potion?”

Bourne thought for a while, took out the bottle of potion he made in class, shook it in his hand, and the golden liquid began to swirl in the glass bottle.

"Actually, Grandpa Horace, I do have a question. The ingredients of this potion... I always feel that it is a bit unreasonable."

Horace had a playful expression on his face, as if he already knew what Bourne was going to say next.

“In this detergent, the ingredient that can actually produce the decontamination effect is the extract solution of the secretion of M. maculatus.

The blood of the fire dragon may increase the activity of this magical potion, but then three to five troll beards must be added. The latter is a magically inert material that can offset the effect of the fire dragon's blood.

Therefore, the final effect of the troll's beard is to turn the color of the potion into gold.

But in this case, wouldn't fire dragon blood and giant monster beards be redundant? Wouldn't the stain remover without these two materials also be able to be used normally, and the cost and sales price could be lower?

Could it be that it was really like what Harry answered in class - 'because it looks good', so the formula of Mrs. Skol's Universal Magic Stain Remover contains these two raw materials...

Perhaps Mrs. Skoll, the potion master who invented it, originally wanted this potion to be sold more expensively in apothecary stores? "

Horace listened carefully to Bourne's question. He did not explain directly, but first handed over the notebook with a very old cover.

After the special potion training class started, Horace would give him such a notebook every time he came to Bourne for "grandparents and grandchildren chat." These notebooks are generally the notes Horace took when he was conducting potion research more than half a century ago. The potions master could predict the questions Bourne might ask in advance every time, so he would prepare notes in advance that could answer some of Bourne's doubts.

This time is no exception.

When Bourne took the note and opened it, it turned out that the entire note was Horace's own research on "Skoll's brand universal magic stain remover". Moreover, he clearly stated at the beginning that he conducted this research in order to improve or simply invent a better magic stain remover and seize the market share of this brand.

Horace Slughorn was twenty-one years old that year. A few years after graduating, he had just returned to teach at Hogwarts Castle and was directly hired by Principal Dippet as Potions Professor.