Chapter 32: Magic Study
Three weeks later, the Room of Requirement.
This was a comfortable room styled like a study.
Two rows of bookshelves on either side were filled with various books and notes—none of them of any value, seemingly extracurricular books left by previous students.
Opposite the door stood a floor-to-ceiling window. Outside the window, magic simulated a raging storm. In contrast to it, this room, with its expensive wool carpet and a fireplace with a roaring fire, seemed exceptionally warm and cozy.
On a plush sofa, Vaughn closed the book in his hand and rubbed his eyes.
“System!”
【 Host: Vaughn Weasley 】
【 Magic Power Scale: 438 (Normal adult wizard is 500) 】
【 Talents: Charms Mastery 7, Dark Arts 6, Transfiguration 8, Potions Mastery 10, Herbology Mastery 6, Divination Mastery 2 (Max is 10) 】
【 Spells: Legilimency LV5 (MAX)… Obliviation LV0 （0/2 ）, Shattering Curse LV0 （0/2 ）, Disillusionment Charm LV0 （0/2 ）, Vanishing Spell LV0 （0/3 ）, Sectumsempra LV0 （0/3 ）,… Scarping Apparition Curse LV0 （0/4 ）, Patronus Charm LV0 （0/4 ）, Fiendfyre LV0 （0/5 ）… 】
【 Potions: Felicity Potion, etc. New additions: Enhancer, Veritaserum, Draught of Living Death, Love Potion, Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion, Polyjuice Potion… 】
【 Reputation Points: 22 points 】
Looking at the changes in the Magic Power Scale and Reputation Points, Vaughn suddenly came to his senses.
A whole month had passed!
Since receiving Professor Snape’s approval to borrow advanced books from the Restricted Section, he had spent all his time in the Room of Requirement outside of classes.
His diligent study had finally reached a temporary conclusion.
Vaughn dropped his book, sighed, and shook his head, which felt groggy from prolonged concentration. He looked at the System Panel.
The prompts for newly added spells and potions made his previously dormant heart leap with joy.
These were things he couldn’t access for years, no matter how hard he tried. Even the relatively common spells like Shattering Curse and Obliviation lacked learning channels in the market.
This was because they were spells restricted by the Ministry of Magic. Unless one was a student in a formal school like Hogwarts with a record and registration with the Ministry of Magic, wild wizards would never be able to learn them—
Wild wizards were not uncommon in the wizarding world. They might be werewolves, vampires, etc., bitten since childhood, or they could be unregistered dark wizards drifting in from foreign lands.
Not all dark wizards were as “high-class” as Death Eaters; many were petty thieves operating in gray areas.
What Vaughn didn’t expect was that Snape had actually approved his borrowing of a Dark Arts book.
That book, titled 《 An Exploration of Dark Arts 》, contained mostly simple poison curses and curses. However, at the end of the book, someone had added a handwritten page.
It recorded “Sectumsempra” and its counter-curse “Vulnera Sanentur,” and also, Fiendfyre!
Vaughn didn’t need to think to know who had added it.
Indeed, it was a former Death Eater, someone completely uninhibited by Dark Arts.
Of course, the other party didn’t dare to be so audacious as to let Vaughn learn the Unforgivable Curses right now.
However, Vaughn was already very satisfied. If Snape hadn’t helped him through unofficial channels, he would have probably taken another four or five years to learn these spells.
As for Dark Arts, perhaps he could only learn them like wild wizards, by going to Knockturn Alley or the black market and finding people in the underworld.
That would involve too many risks. The underworld was full of swindlers and scoundrels. Being cheated out of money would be the best outcome; he feared dark wizards trying to double-cross him.
Staring at the System Panel for a while, the brief excitement faded, and Vaughn pressed his forehead:
“There are too many new spells. If I practice them myself, it will take a long time. The most ideal method is to use Reputation Points to level up one or two times, reach an introductory or proficient level, and then practice them myself.”
“22 Reputation Points are simply not enough… I need to find a way to generate income!”
Thinking this, Vaughn no longer hesitated. He invested all his points into “Scarping Apparition Curse,” raising it to LV2 （10/16 ） in one go.
This spell would be of great help to him in developing potions later on. Potions, in turn, could help him generate income and increase his monthly Reputation Points.
While he was still attending school, investing all his Reputation Points into this was undoubtedly the most effective strategy.
After adding points, Vaughn took out a bottle of Potion of Boils, poured it into a cup, and with a light wave of his wand, a practiced incantation, as if rehearsed thousands of times, left his lips:
“Revelaspell!”
His vision immediately changed. The potion in the cup he saw emitted light!
Various colors floated on the surface of the light, mixed together yet incredibly clear, distinct.
Vaughn suddenly felt that this formed potion could be dismantled by him!
So he waved his wand again—
The azure potion in the cup immediately separated into several blobs under a mysterious force. Their colors rapidly shifted, transforming from pure blue and gradually returning to the colors of materials like Viper’s Fang and Dried Nettle.
The ritual that formed the potion was disrupted by the spell, and then, under the spell’s effect, it tried its best to revert to its former state.
Vaughn observed for a moment, then poured out the Potion of Boils.
It was useless now. The Scarping Apparition Curse could only revert, not re-form a potion.
“A magical spell. I wonder how that wizard named Scarping developed it?”
“It’s a shame he died so long ago; his ashes can probably not even be found…”
Using another Scouring Charm to clean up the trash, Vaughn stretched and prepared to return to his dormitory to sleep.
Starting tomorrow, he would begin the creation and development of potions.
He already had some ideas in this regard and planned to make a stunning debut!
Then, as he walked out of the Room of Requirement, he encountered Dumbledore…
The greatest white wizard of the century, wearing a rather pinkish-purple bathrobe and a childlike nightcap, stood in the Eighth Floor corridor, pretending to bump into him.
“Ah—Mr. Vaughn Weasley, good evening. Are you also going to the toilet?”
“…?”
Vaughn blinked in surprise.
Dumbledore continued with a smile, “So you’ve discovered this place too. How peculiar. I’ve walked this path countless times in my hundred years at Hogwarts. One day, I was in a hurry to use the toilet, and a room suddenly appeared on this wall, filled with all sorts of toilets I like. Thank Merlin, it’s become my favorite ever since!”
This old fellow was playing dumb again…
Vaughn quickly reacted and, with a smile, bowed, “A truly magical room. Unfortunately, I am not here to use the toilet. I am still young and do not need it at night, Headmaster Dumbledore.”
Dumbledore, as if he hadn’t seen the books tucked under Vaughn’s arm, smiled and said, “Yes, I am quite old after all, unlike the young. But I still think you should try it when you have the time.”
Vaughn shrugged, “I probably won’t be coming here anytime soon.”
“Oh? Why?”
“I’ve finished reading most of the books. I need to start developing potions and perfecting my theories. I’m afraid I’ve disappointed you, Headmaster.”
“Severus has been praising you to me, calling you Slytherin’s Potions Prodigy.”
Vaughn smiled, “It’s all thanks to Professor Snape and your favor. It’s getting late, Headmaster. I need to go back and rest. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Weasley.”
Two foxes, one large and one small, exchanged greetings and parted ways, as if it were a chance encounter and ordinary small talk.
