For the remainder of the term, Hogwarts finally returned to its usual state of daily life.
After spending only three days in the hospital wing, Severus Snape returned to his post as the Potions professor.
Unsurprisingly, Kyle's Muggle Art Appreciation class had the entire student body of Hogwarts complaining bitterly. However, this situation completely reversed in the fourth week, the moment Kyle let them handle guns for the first time.
At the thought of being able to dominate the battlefield like the Father-Sorrowers, every student immediately perked up. These firearms were far more effective than wands. Consequently, during the subsequent "military training" sessions, they exploded with unimaginable enthusiasm.
Of course, that enthusiasm was quickly dampened by the backaches and soreness caused by the powerful recoil of the weapons.
After that day's Muggle Art Appreciation class ended, the four members of the Father-Sorrowers did not split up to return to their respective house common rooms as usual. Instead, they gathered at Kyle's Akina Mountain Villa.
Before Christmas, Kyle and Cedric Diggory had discussed the possibility of fusing the bloodlines of magical creatures. Initially, the two of them had selected the Basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets. However, after Tom Riddle hatched a Hydra to attack Hogwarts, they found themselves with a much better option.
In terms of bloodline rank, the Hydra—an ancient legendary creature—was far more powerful than a Basilisk. Kyle, the fickle old "Sea King," immediately shifted his sights toward that Hydra.
Thus, as soon as the battle ended, Kyle called the other three Father-Sorrowers over to begin looting the corpse. After all, brewing a Bloodline Fusion Potion required material components from the creature being fused. Even though the Hydra's massive carcass was large enough to brew tens of thousands of portions, they didn't want to waste a drop.
The day after the battle, Cedric began brewing the potion under the guidance of Kyle, the "Junior Potions Master."
The Bloodline Fusion Potion was a considerably complex ancient concoction; brewing it was no simple feat. Fortunately, Kyle's "sugar daddy" pockets were deep enough. To him, potion ingredients that outsiders would consider priceless were as common as weeds by the side of the road—he could grab them by the handful.
After ruining two cauldrons of potion, Kyle and the others finally succeeded on their third attempt. They watched as the liquid in the cauldron turned a crimson color, as red as blood.
This meant the Bloodline Fusion Potion was a success. For the final step, they only needed to toss in the Hydra materials, and the "Hydra Vitality Soup" would be finished.
Staring at the blood-red potion before him, Cedric felt a bit conflicted. The pungent, bloody stench alone made him feel like gagging. Did he really have to drink this "Vitality Soup"?
Seeing right through him, Kyle slapped him on the back of the head.
"What are you waiting for? Drink it, now!" Kyle said fiercely.
This cauldron of potion was worth at least two thousand Galleons. He thought he could just choose not to drink it? One more word and Kyle would sell him to Knockturn Alley to work as a gigolo to pay off the debt.
Just as Cedric put on an expression of tragic resolve, ready to down it in one go, Kyle suddenly remembered something and reached out to stop him.
"Wait, drink this first."
Kyle reached into his ninja tool pouch and pulled out a glass bottle shaped like a Baisuishan mineral water bottle. It was filled with a liquid that looked like molten gold.
Watching Kyle pull out Felix Felicis, the faces of the other three Father-Sorrowers twitched violently.
We know your Dumbledore family is rich, but having such a massive bottle of Felix Felicis is just over the line! That's like carrying ten thousand Galleons in your pocket!
Kyle poured out a tablespoon's worth and handed it to Cedric. The molten gold liquid flowed down his throat and into his stomach. Cedric immediately felt an incredible sense of exhilaration spread through his body. He felt invincible, as if he could pin the other three Father-Sorrowers present to the ground and beat them in a 1v3...
Actually, sorry—he still couldn't do that. This was Felix Felicis, not vodka. Unless he had a side of peanuts to go with it, Cedric wouldn't have come up with such a crazy thought.
After drinking the Felix Felicis, Cedric picked up the Bloodline Fusion Potion and downed it gallantly in one gulp. The next second, he nearly vomited from the overwhelming, endless taste of blood.
Suppressing the churning in his stomach under the concerned gazes of the other three, Cedric carefully sensed the changes in his body. Not long after taking the potion, a tingling, itchy sensation suddenly surged from his abdomen, rapidly spreading through his limbs and bones until it reached every corner of his body.
Cedric knew this was the potion beginning to remodel his body's cells. The magic contained within the Bloodline Fusion Potion surged through him, soaking into every single cell. Cedric could clearly feel his body gradually changing under the wash of this magical power.
Soon, the bone-deep itching vanished, replaced by a comfortable sensation, as if he were soaking in a hot spring. A few snake scales surfaced on Cedric's face before instantly vanishing again. Kyle, who had been watching Cedric's condition intently, caught this brief moment.
After the tide of magic circled through Cedric's torso, it headed straight for the most important part: the brain. Cedric did not try to control this magic; he simply sensed its movement.
As the magic poured into his eyes, Cedric felt a swelling pain in his ocular region—it was extremely uncomfortable. Fortunately, the sensation receded quickly.
Cedric blinked. His eyes had suddenly turned into vertical slits like those of a serpent, his amber pupils shimmering with the cold-blooded glint of a reptile.
Seeing everyone staring at his eyes without stopping, Cedric asked curiously, "Is something wrong with my eyes?"
The moment he spoke, the other three Father-Sorrowers saw the forked tongue inside his mouth.
"Uh, it's not just your eyes. Your tongue changed too," George said, pulling out a mirror. "See for yourself."
Cedric took the mirror and stuck out his tongue. He found that his tongue had turned into a long, flickering snake's letter. Feeling that he looked absolutely disgusting, Cedric quickly retracted it. However, he didn't expect it to retract so fast; the wet, flickering tongue slapped against his own face with a splat.
That made it even more disgusting.
Kyle rested his chin in his hand, his eyes shining with a studious, inquisitive light.
"I was just thinking... in the future, when you kiss Cho Chang, that tongue of yours..."
The twins carefully envisioned the various scenes that might occur and couldn't help but snort, bursting into laughter. Kyle was also tickled by the mental image and began laughing hysterically, clutching his stomach.
Under Cedric's murderous glare, the other three laughed harder and harder until they all ended up in a row, going from clutching their bellies to pounding the floor in fits of laughter.
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)