"Boss, can you let me taste the lightning magic you release?"
Aethel chirped eagerly, looking at Lucien with anticipation.
Taste lightning magic?
Lucien considered it. Thunderbirds could indeed consume lightning, and it likely would not harm them.
He channelled magic into his wand and casually cast an arc spell. A streak of electricity tinged with faint purple shot from the tip.
Aethel swallowed it in one gulp, then smacked his beak as if savouring it.
"Rich and lingering flavour. Truly a rare treat."
Lucien paused.
Where had this bird learned to talk like that?
Was it self-taught, or did the Unicorn's Blessing translate according to his own understanding of language?
Even picking up his expressions?
Lucien rubbed his forehead and asked,
"How is it? Can eating this fill you up?"
"I think it's still…"
Before he could finish, Aethel suddenly became alert.
"Boss, you're not planning to feed me only this from now on, are you?"
"Actually, this lightning magic tastes really good, but it's not as filling as charcoal-roasted whole lamb, boiled steak, spicy fried chicken… those are what really fill me up. After all, we Thunderbirds still need to hunt. If we only eat lightning, we'll get sick."
Lucien often found himself at a loss with this little troublemaker. Among all the magical creatures he kept, Aethel's appetite was definitely the strongest.
"Alright, alright, I never said I'd cut your food."
...
Ravenclaw common room.
"Marietta, could you call Cho Chang for me? I need to discuss something about Quidditch with her."
As Cho's roommate and close friend, Marietta was taken aback by Lucien's request.
Her expression shifted from excited curiosity at the first half of the sentence to slight disappointment at the second, but she quickly recovered, made an approving gesture, and ran toward the girls' dormitory, calling back,
"No problem, no problem. Don't rush."
Lucien found a sofa and sat down. At Hogwarts, girls could enter the boys' dormitories, but boys were not allowed into the girls'.
In Ravenclaw, two silver suits of armour stood guard at the staircase leading to the girls' dormitory. If a boy tried to force his way in, he would first have to test the sharpness of the axes they carried.
In Gryffindor, the staircase itself was enchanted. If a boy tried to climb it, the steps would turn into a long, slippery slide.
Lucien had read in a book on Hogwarts history that this design was created by Rowena Ravenclaw, who believed that boys were less trustworthy than girls.
Not long after, Cho entered the common room. Her nose was slightly red, and as she approached Lucien, she turned her head and sneezed softly.
Her voice carried a faint nasal tone as she spoke with a hint of embarrassment.
"Achoo~~! Ehm.. Sorry, Lucien. I was just about to go to the Seventh Workshop to buy some cold medicine. The potion you invented works really well, and it doesn't taste strange. Most importantly…"
She paused, her tone showing a trace of relief.
"After drinking it, steam doesn't come out of your ears like with Madam Pomfrey's stimulating potion."
Tomorrow was the Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff Quidditch match, and Cho certainly did not want to add any misty "special effects" to herself.
Lucien stood up, his wand already in hand. He murmured a spell, and a gentle white aura flowed from the tip, enveloping Cho.
Cho immediately felt the lingering drowsiness and congestion disappear, her whole body becoming refreshed.
"Thank you, Lucien. Your healing magic works so quickly."
Lucien thought that this was also due to the Unicorn's Blessing. Whether he cast healing magic or received it, the effect would be enhanced.
"Marietta said you were looking for me, about Quidditch. Could it be that you've changed your mind and decided to join our house team?"
Expectation and excitement appeared in Cho's eyes. Ravenclaw's Quidditch strength had always been the weakest among the four houses.
After all, Ravenclaw had fewer students and a long-standing imbalance with more girls than boys. Being able to field a full team of seven was already impressive.
If Lucien joined…
"Ahem, Cho. Since the match against Hufflepuff is the day after tomorrow, I wanted you to debut the true Eurus on the field."
As he spoke, Lucien took out the final version of the Eurus broom from his pocket.
Hearing that Lucien still had no intention of joining the house team, Cho could not help but feel a slight disappointment, but she quickly adjusted. Lucien always had his own things to focus on.
Her attention soon shifted to the broom.
"Is this the same broom the Gryffindor and Slytherin Seekers used earlier? It doesn't feel exactly the same. This one seems more stable."
As for Lucien pulling such a long broom out of his pocket, Cho was already used to it. After all, he had invented so many magical tools since the start of term.
Lucien nodded and handed the Eurus to her.
"That's right. This is the final version. Its stability in all aspects has been improved."
Cho's eyes lit up, filled with anticipation, as if she wanted to try it immediately.
"Lucien, how did you come up with the idea of inventing so many magical tools? And I heard that Alchemy is only taught in sixth year. Did you learn all this on your own?"
Because he needed to repay his loan… Lucien thought silently.
"'Self-taught' is an exaggeration. I met a very good teacher during the summer, and he taught me a great deal of valuable knowledge."
"And I suppose I make these tools to earn money."
Hearing this, Cho looked at Lucien with suspicion. Make money?
This kid did not seem short of it.
When she voiced her doubt, Lucien looked up at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle and let out a long sigh.
"I just enjoy the feeling of making money. And I also want to improve everyone's learning experience."
Seeing his serious expression, Cho could not help but laugh.
"Haha, so after you graduate, do you want to become a businessman or a teacher?"
"Actually, I would rather become Headmaster or Minister for Magic, so I can promote educational reform in the wizarding world. The current situation… well…"
The look in Lucien's eyes made Cho realise he was not joking. She gradually stopped smiling and said warmly,
"Alright, then I'll be sure to vote for you in the future."
"Oh, right, Lucien. Before the official match with the new Eurus, could you… practise with me? I want to get familiar with its performance in advance."
Lucien agreed without hesitation.
"Of course. Can you get up at four?"
Cho blinked, clearly puzzled.
"What time? Four in the morning?"
"Yes. At that time, Hogwarts is especially quiet and peaceful."
After a brief silence, Cho finally spoke in a flat tone,
"Lucien, are you really not going to reconsider joining the Quidditch team? With your diligence and discipline, you would definitely become a famous player."
Lucien rubbed his chin.
"I think I'll pass for now. I don't want to crash."
"?"
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