If you want to read 4 chapters in advance, you can support me on patreon.
patreon.com/arcanedruid
.....................…..
September 1, 1942
During breakfast in the morning, Minerva Mcgonagall handed us our weekly schedule of classes. She had already been at Hogwarts for a couple of years and she was teaching all the lower years in Transfiguration. Professor Dumbledore took the owl and newt classes and sometimes taught the lower years. But it was usually Professor McGonagall who taught the lower years, including us. As I was going through the weekly schedule, I noticed that our first class was Potions with Professor Slughorn. It was hard not to groan for a moment. In the past, Hagrid had been pretty bad at this class thanks to his clumsiness, but the worst part of it was that we were taking it with the Slytherins. The theory of blood purity was just taking off at this time. My main target because I am a half-blood. Another thing I noticed this year was the reduction in class hours, in the past we had about 3 hours a week on each subject, even if it varied from subject to subject. But this year the longest lecture was on potions and it was 2 hours, which made sense considering the time needed to prepare a potion. I think starting this year the professors wanted us to spend more time on individual work. Potions class was to start in an hour. I finished my breakfast slowly and left the Great Hall to go to class. I had put all my books in the pocket-sized bag I had turned into a bag the day before, so I headed straight to the potions classroom without going up the Gryffindor tower again. Unlike Snape, Professor Slughorn did not teach in the dungeons, but in a classroom on the third floor, which was more airy. When I arrived in the classroom, I saw that no one had arrived before me, so I chose a seat in the back row and sat down. As I was studying the potion book I took out of my bag, the classroom was slowly filling up. The classroom was almost completely full. But still no one sat next to me. This didn't affect me, who had the mentality of an adult, but in the past Hagrid had been very upset as a little boy by this exclusion. A few minutes later Professor Slughorn entered the classroom through the door behind the teachers' desk. As soon as the professor entered, all conversation immediately ceased. Whatever the books said about Slughorn, he knew how to teach and how to keep the class under control. After taking attendance, he kept his eyes roaming around the classroom for a while longer. Then he cleared his throat and began to speak.
"First of all, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, as you have all noticed, we have reduced the number of class hours this year for several reasons, but the most important reason is that students need to start doing their own work. So if you want to make potions on your own, you can make a written application to me and prepare your potion in the prepared classrooms. Does anyone have any questions about this?" Obviously, in the books and movies, there was no mention of renting a classroom for their own use. There were so many differences now, though, that I didn't care much. When there were no questions from the class, Slughorn continued speaking. Meanwhile, he was walking around the classroom.
"If Hogwarts was divided into three levels. These would be grades 1-2, grades 3-5 and grades 6-7 respectively. This is particularly evident in Potions class. In the past two years we have focused on how to prepare potion ingredients and how to simply follow the instructions in the books. This year things are changing drastically. You will now strive to modify the potion formulas in a way that suits you best. You will have to spend long periods of time learning and perfecting the necessary experimentation processes." As Slughorn spoke, a Slytherin student in the front row raised his hand.
"So, Ms. Parkinson, what was your question?"
Parkinson was the typical description of the modern-day pureblood. Arrogant, stuck-up, cocky and a firm believer in pureblood theory.
Parkinson started to speak in an arrogant and cocky manner. "Why do we have to change the potion formulas if they are already in the books and following them is enough for now."
Slughorn spoke with a small smile on his face.
"Everyone's magic power is different, basically no two people have the same magic power. Potions are one of the least active uses of magic power, but your magical energy still comes into contact with potions. Even advanced potions require the active use of your magical energy. This leads to the following conclusion. Preparing the best potion requires different formulas for everyone. For some of you, ten minutes of boiling may be enough, for others it may take fifteen minutes. The formulas in the potion books are as generalized as possible, but no matter what, you cannot make an extraordinary potion with these formulas. I suggest you lower all the grades you have received in the past for potions you brewed at school by one grade. Are there any other questions?"
This time it was Kane's turn to raise his hand and ask questions, a muggle-born gryffindor. He was a tall, polite boy, and as far as I remember, he was pretty good at potions.
Slughorn saw Kane raise his hand and spoke.
"So, Mr. Kane, what is your question?"
"Professor, I have heard that arithmancy is very important for creating new spells and potions. I wonder if it will be compulsory to take arithmancy in the future?"
"You don't need it to change the potions to suit you, but I would like to give you some advice. Although it is not compulsory, to get NEWT level potions, an OWL of at least 'acceptable' level of arithmansi will be very useful. Also, for apprenticeships almost no one will accept candidates without an aritmansi NEWT. If you plan to do an apprenticeship in any field, I suggest that you speak to your heads of house immediately and add arithmansi to your curriculum." Slughorn surveyed the class for a moment and when he saw that no one had any questions, he continued. "Since no one has any questions, you will first prepare a wiggenweld potion to see how you have progressed in your potions lessons over the past two years. You can get the ingredients from the cupboards." As soon as Slughorn finished speaking, the whole class flocked to the supply cabinets. From the second year onwards, the supply cupboards were stocked not only with good quality materials, but also with rotten and inferior materials. Apparently Slughorn thinks that a good potion maker should be able to distinguish between good and bad ingredients. Even though there were enough quality ingredients for everyone, the wiggenweld potion was one of the longest and most complicated potions we have ever made. If we spent too much time searching for ingredients, we wouldn't be able to finish the potion in time. All of this led to this stampede scene happening right in front of my eyes. After taking a deep breath, I started to walk into the crowd, and right there in the classroom a miracle happened, like Moses parting the red sea, and the people in the classroom started to crush each other to get out of my way. When I first approached the supply cabinets, I immediately felt the difference between last year and this year. Voxnaturae was at work. Apparently I could sense which materials were not quite ripe or were too old. Voxnaturae was definitely extremely versatile. It was basically an upgrade in every area associated with nature. While thinking about how great Voxnaturae was, I gathered the potion ingredients and went to my desk. Unlike the previous two years, this year everyone had their own individual cauldron. After finding the recipe for the Wiggenweld potion in the book, I poured the amount of purified water into the cauldron and followed the instructions.
Add newt blood until the potion turns red.
It took 8 drops of salamander blood to turn the potion red, but just as I was about to stop adding blood, I had a strange feeling that I was doing something wrong. I thought briefly about what to do and then decided to listen to my instincts. If I messed up, it would be another insignificant notch on my glorious list of past failures, but if everything went well, I would probably discover another voxnaturae-derived talent and have all the advantages of being a potion genius. After deciding, I very carefully added 2 more drops and as soon as the second drop fell into the cauldron, the strange feeling disappeared and I moved on to the second step.
Stir the potion until it turns orange.
In this step, the book also suggested to stir clockwise. I once again listened to my instincts and stirred it counterclockwise. When the potion turned orange, I moved on to the next step.
Add more salamander blood until the potion turns yellow.
This time I did exactly as instructed without any changes.
4.Stir until the potion turns green.
I stirred counterclockwise again.
Add more salamander blood until the potion turns turquoise.
I followed the instructions in the book without any differences.
6.Heat until it turns indigo.
7.Add more salamander blood until the potion turns pink.
8.Heat until the potion turns red.
9.Add five lionfish spines.
I added six spines instead of five.
10.Heat until the potion turns yellow.
11.Add five more lionfish spines.
This time I added four whole and one half thorn.
12.Add flobberworm mucus until the potion turns purple.
13.Stir until it turns red.
This time, unlike before, I stirred three times counterclockwise and 2 times clockwise.
14.This time add more flobberworm mucus until it turns orange.
15.Stir until it turns yellow.
16.Add honey water until it turns turquoise.
17.Add a few more drops of bom berry juice.
I only added two drops, I hope I don't mess things up, I've done almost the opposite of what the book says, increasing and decreasing some ingredients in seemingly completely illogical ways.
18.Stir the potion again and let it boil for thirty minutes.
I boiled for thirty-five minutes
19.Remove the potion from the stove and let it cool.
20.When it cools down, it is ready for consumption.
After the potion had cooled down, I bottled it and made my way to Slughorn. Although I was one of the first to get the potion ingredients out of the cupboard, some of the steps were longer than in the book, so there were others who delivered their potions before me. I noticed that unlike in previous years, there were no 'outstanding' grades so far. The best ones exceeded expectations. On average there were grades ranging between 'acceptable' and 'poor'. Indeed, our grades had dropped by almost a full grade. When it was my turn, I presented my potion to the professor. At first he gave it a cursory glance, but then he became attentive and started to examine it in more detail. When he finished, he started to speak with a big smile.
"It is an extraordinary potion. Ten points for Gryffindor. I think we can expect a very different performance from you this year than in the past two years, Mr. Hagrid."
"Thank you, Professor."
I took my seat, grateful for Voxnaturae and that the professor didn't question my sudden appearance too much. Yesterday I didn't get a chance to talk to Radagian about the scope of Voxnaturae. I need to know what he can do to avoid being caught off guard like this next time. After class was over, I wandered around the school looking for a place where I could sneak into the pocket dimension. So much had happened yesterday that I hadn't really talked to Radagian. I finally found a deserted and empty classroom, a classroom that had been unused for so long that not even the house elves had bothered to clean it. As soon as I closed the classroom door behind me, I immediately entered the pocket dimension. I found myself in the living room of Radagian's mansion. It was quite large, but it was not one of those large halls usually found in such mansions, which are usually used for receptions, but rather for spending time with the family. A very large balcony had also been added to the hall. It would certainly be a legendary sight when the pocket dimension became green and teeming with living creatures. Radagian's portrait was waiting for me where I had left it yesterday.
"You finally bothered to remember this old man, son."
"Sorry, old man. I had classes in the morning so I couldn't come, and I wanted to ask you a few questions about the class and the subject."
"What's the matter?"
"Last summer, voxnaturae suddenly got stronger. That's why I don't know all her abilities yet. Today in the potions class I noticed something I hadn't noticed before. Not only could I easily tell the quality of the potion ingredients without a detailed examination, but when I was preparing the potion, I had a mysterious feeling as if she was telling me what to do or not to do. When I followed this feeling, I made a potion better than I had ever made before. Was it voxnaturae or something else entirely?"
"Voxnaturae usually doesn't change unless you do something to help nature or until the body, soul-mind, magical energy, also known as the holy trinity, is strengthened or vice versa. For now, let's see this as a lucky event. Maybe we will learn something about it in the future. As for potion ingredients and potion making, yes, that was the voxnaturae's job."
"But what are the exact limits? I won't have the chance to hesitate and think about what to do every time voxnaturae tries to help me."
"Basically, voxnaturae can help you with anything that is associated with nature. In terms of potions, for example, it will help you with healing potions or potions to cure a certain disease in a plant, but it won't help you with potions like Felix Felicis. Explaining exactly where Voxnaturae will help you is not something you can do on the spot. Nature covers more than you think. The only advice I can give is to listen to your instincts, because the voxnaturae will do nothing to harm you."
"But how can I be sure of that?"
"Voxnaturae is the link between man and nature. It can be weakened or strengthened by the user's actions, but it will never harm the user. Even if what you do harms nature, at most it warns you. It never harms you directly or manipulates you into a choice that harms you. It always works in your favor."
"I see."
"You don't need to worry. In time you will understand this connection better. Also, voxnaturae, while useful, is very general. This greatly limits its effectiveness in one area, after all, magic is balanced."
I frowned involuntarily when I heard that. Voxnaturae seemed to be the best skill I had ever heard of. Whether it was the Harry Potter books or the research I did after I was reborn in this world, voxnaturae was one of the best abilities. The fact that there were abilities more advanced than it was once again a sign that this world was much bigger than I knew. I decided to ask Radagian for some information about these abilities.
"What do you mean, none of the abilities I've read about in books so far seem to be equivalent to voxnaturae?"
Radagian started to speak with an arrogant grin on his face.
"You think so, but really powerful abilities are not often made available to the public. To take an example from our conversation earlier, the potionist's touch ability is literally the most freakish ability in the field of potions. If you told me they could make a life potion out of the shit these guys are shitting, I'd believe you."
There's only one thing I can say in the face of this blatant bullshit.
"Don't exaggerate."
"Keep kidding yourself. Potions are the least efficient use of magical energy, but they can do some things that wand magic can never do. Felix Felicis is the simplest example. Those who have the touch of the potion maker are especially blessed in this area. They can make potions that are impossible for other people, such as potions that strengthen one's magical energy."
"I have never heard of potions that strengthen one's magical energy."
"Have you started learning how to customize potions?"
"Yes, we will start this year."
"Okay, so you know that the formulas of the potions need to be customized to work best due to differences in magical energy."
Slowly the penny dropped and I began to understand.
"What you mean is that only those who have the potion potionist's touch can make such potions. "
Radagian continued with a small grin.
"Exactly, and even more, it takes months, even years of arithmetic calculations and experimentation for a potion master to create a new potion. But those with the potionist's touch can make potions with the desired effect in a very short time."
"Sounds like cheating."
"Exactly, given these abilities, the voxnaturae's help with potions is insignificant."
He paused for a moment and then continued.
"Not to mention the parseltongue."
"What do you mean, parseltongue doesn't just allow you to talk to snakes?"
"There is more to it than that. parseltongue gives one access to a very powerful kind of magic in the field of healing and the dark arts. When I visited India in the past, the healing spells and curses cast by the tribes there with forked spells are beyond imagination. There are also freaks like Merlin, who has no apparent special abilities, yet he is above the level of an archmage."
I knew Merlin was extremely powerful, no surprise there. The man's name was still spoken of in the magical world in an almost godlike way a thousand years after his estimated death.
"Did Merlin really have no special abilities?"
"No, he didn't, but that didn't stop him from being invincible. He once fought 10 archmage-level enemies and their subordinates at the same time."
I interrupted him nervously.
"And who won?"
"Merlin, of course. Only then was it certain that he had surpassed the archmage level."
He thought for a while and then continued.
"Not only that, although his specialty was charms and divination, he created some rare magical metals, such as mithril, which no one in history has ever achieved."
I couldn't help whistling, the man was a genius. Genius, such a person cannot be described as anything less. The historical sources say that he only lived for 100 to 150 years. I thought that was ridiculous because there was no record of how he died. It was also known that magically more powerful wizards lived longer. If Merlin was so powerful that nobody could resist him, how did he survive for such a short time? It made no sense. After a moment's hesitation, I decided to ask Radagian. I didn't want to seem like an ignorant lout, but now that he had talked about it, I was curious.
"If Merlin was so powerful, how did he die? The history books say he died between the ages of 100 and 150."
When he sighed in distress for a moment, I thought he wasn't going to answer. I knew from our conversation yesterday that he was not a patient man and I thought I had tested his patience enough today.
"What makes them think Merlin is dead. I don't know where they've been coming up with this nonsense since yesterday. In my time there was more than one theory about what happened to him. The theory that he was dead was the least believed. Especially since that's when he met Merlin. It was a hard theory to believe because there were still a few old freaks around. The most popular theory was that he had left this world."
Now I was even more confused.
"Leave the world?"
"Son, there is more than one planet in this universe, there are even more than one dimension and universe. The most popular theory is that Merlin left this planet to travel to other dimensions and universes."
Wow, if Radagian was right, this would confirm the multiverse theory. It even meant that maybe I had a chance to go back to his old universe. This was definitely worth investigating. When Radagian closed his eyes and went to sleep, I knew we had reached the end of our Q&A session for the day. After doing a tempus, I realized that there was less than half an hour left before the history of magic class started. And if that wasn't enough, I had missed lunch. I explored the area around where I entered the pocket dimension as Radagian had taught me yesterday. When I saw that there was no one in the classroom where I entered the pocket dimension, I immediately left the pocket dimension and headed towards the history of magic class. When I got to the classroom, there were already a few Gryffindors and Ravenclaws in the classroom. The back rows were already taken, so I sat down in one of the middle rows. After about 10 minutes, the classroom was full. Almost at the same time Professor Binns entered the classroom. Without even taking roll call, he started explaining in the same boring voice how medieval witch hunts contributed to the development of flying brooms.At first I tried to pass the time by playing with Faye. I really tried but after 15 minutes both Faye and I were asleep.If he wasn't a ghost, I would have told the whole class that he had cast a sleeping spell. After a while I was woken up by the sound of the desks moving in the classroom. When I saw that the class was over I headed to the great hall to have dinner. I was sitting at the Gryffindor table eating dinner while I was messing with Faye. The little guy had fallen asleep in potions class. He had just woken up in History of Magic when he was hit by Professor Binns' sleeping spell. Now I wanted to tire him out before we went to the library, so he wouldn't cause trouble there.
Rubeus discovered that Professor Binns could cast a sleep spell. As for why Rubeus was so paranoid about voxnaturae, one night he slept normally and woke up in the body of a book character. As an avid reader of fantasy fiction, he is aware of Lovecraft and is afraid of being the plaything of a godlike being.