It is disgraceful for a professor to engage in a brawl in front of students and end up with a bleeding nose and a few broken bones.
When Snape entered the Headmaster's office, he lightly patted Anton on the shoulder.
That night, Anton tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His mind was consumed by images of Fiennes's teachings, he pondered whether Europeans would adopt similar practices.
Driven by curiosity, he donned his wizard's robe, packed his belongings, and embarked on a journey.
Draco mumbled 'Pottah, pottah' in his sleep, while Crabbe's dream seemed to involve savoring something delicious as he opened and closed his mouth. Goyle appeared uncomfortable, twisting restlessly.
"Tsk tsk tsk." With a disapproving click of the tongue, Anton gently nudged open the bedroom door, the soft light of the wall lamp guiding his steps as he navigated towards Snape's office.
A rhythmic knock on the door pierced through the stillness of the night, signalling Anton's presence outside Snape's office as the clock solemnly chimed ten times, marking the passage of time in the quiet halls of the school.
Snape, roused from his slumber, appeared slightly irate. As a form of reprimand, he retrieved the bird from its cage and presented it to Anton, commanding sternly, "Collect its blood for me!"
Excitement surged through Anton; his intuition had proven correct.
Skillfully donning a dragon leather glove on his left hand, he secured the fat bird's feet and body to prevent it from struggling. Placing his thumb against the bird's neck, he delicately penetrated its fluffy exterior, palpating the bones and warm blood vessels within.
Although outwardly plump, the bird felt surprisingly lean upon touch.
"There appears to be a flaw in your approach," Snape interjected, bringing Anton's movements to an abrupt halt with his authoritative tone.
"We don't follow Muggle ways of taking blood." Snape clarified, his demeanor composed as he drew his wand with precision. "In Muggle physiology, the heart functions as the central mechanism, circulating blood throughout the body, nourishing the limbs and organs before returning to the heart in a continuous cycle of sustenance."
Curiosity flickered in Anton's expression as he raised a questioning eyebrow. "Professor, do you know a lot about Muggle psychology?"
A subtle, enigmatic smile played upon Snape's lips as he responded cryptically, "Knowledge goes beyond limits."
Anton almost forgot, despite Snape's mixed heritage, he had spent his childhood in the Muggle world.
"Blood, in its essence, carries potent magic and plays a pivotal role in many dark and ancient magical rituals. It surpasses its physical form within the confines of the body's veins and arteries," Snape imparted with a tone underscored with a gravities that hinted at the depth of his knowledge and experience.
With a swift flick of his wand, a parchment from the adjacent bookshelf soared out and unfolded before him. Snape tapped on the pattern sketched on the parchment.
"Blood originates from bones and essentially serves as an extension of the soul's physical manifestation. Therefore, even if one loses a limb, as long as the soul remains unchanged, potions and magic can be utilized to regenerate corresponding bones and blood." Snape explained, his words carrying a weight of profound understanding and insight.
"This principle underpins various healing spells and resurrection magic." he continued, further unraveling the complex interplay between magic and the essence of life.
"In cases of severe soul damage, even the most profound resurrection spells may fail to restore an organ permanently. If a vital internal organ is irretrievably lost, even the most potent magic may prove futile." Snape's voice dripped with a hint of cynicism, underscoring the harsh realities of magical healing in the face of severe injuries.
"Your plan to extract the blood from its veins can only yield surface-level blood." he remarked, his tone infused with a critical edge as he scrutinized the conventional approach..
"By utilizing magic to deplete the creature's energy to generate blood, culminating in the blood extraction process, this is known as deep blood collection." he said.
"We administer a suitable potion to the creature, stimulating continuous blood production. This is extractive blood." he elaborated, delving deeper into the intricacies of the method.
"At the pinnacle, we convert entire creatures, including their bones, into blood, even merging their souls with the blood. This is known as 'Blood-root,' the highest-grade potion ingredient." he clarified, shedding light on the rare and powerful substance.
"Furthermore, administering different potions or even the emotional state of the wizard during blood extraction will yield varied effects." he added, detailing the nuanced factors influencing the outcome of such intricate magical practices.
"Blood extraction is an art, offering myriad techniques to procure blood for potion-making." Snape concluded, his comprehensive knowledge and expertise evident in his detailed exposition on the subject.
Snape had evidently delved into extensive research.
From one in the morning until four, they delved into profound theoretical knowledge, a worthwhile endeavor.
Enthusiastically engaged in the discussion, Anton found Snape's insights captivating.
Concluding the session, Snape roughly returned the Fwooper Hybrid to its cage and ushered Anton out, Snape's voice held a lingering edge of authority as he issued a stern warning, "If you disturb my sleep again, I will not hesitate to take drastic action!"
Resigned to the gravity of Snape's words, Anton replied in compliance, his tone reflecting understanding and a hint of apprehension, "Of course, Professor."
After a brief pause, Snape's stern voice rang out again, "You are to report to my office every Saturday."
Affirming his commitment, Anton nodded in silent agreement, acknowledging the new routine set forth by Snape.
With a resounding bang, the office door was firmly shut.
Anton felt deeply moved; the wealth of knowledge within the wizarding world was invaluable, particularly the insights gleaned from Snape's private lesson.
It had already surpassed the realm of ordinary potions coursework. Impressive.
With a wave of his wand, a thick notepad emerged from the messenger bag, while several ballpoint pens of varying colors swiftly transcribed the recently discussed content.
Deep in thought, Anton retraced his steps.
This course delved beyond mere blood extraction from potion ingredients; Snape extensively expounded on the comprehensive system framework encompassing blood, soul, and magic.
With a solid foundation already in place, Anton could explore countless ideas independently, particularly concerning the healing of Lupin and the blood-cursed beings Nagini and Anna.
An intriguing observation surfaced: Lupin's blood in his human state mirrored human blood, yet upon transformation into a werewolf, his blood assumed a dark red hue with a faint dark green luminescence.
During his research, Pedro solemnly cautioned against any contact with Lupin's blood, emphasizing the potent wolfsbane potion contained within.
Drawing from Pedro's insights on Lupin's soul transitions between human and werewolf states, Anton began to formulate fresh ideas, aiming to overcome his current limitations.
If individual blood variances are influenced by the soul, could alterations in the soul be reversed?
This concept seemed plausible; following a werewolf bite, the initial point of infection would be the blood, leading to subsequent soul alterations.
While the full implications remained elusive, the breakthrough in overcoming the impasse had begun to materialize.
Anton, deep in thought, conjured a sharp light with his wand, creating a small incision on his finger. Employing a levitation spell, two milliliters of blood hovered before him.
Reciting an incantation and gesturing with his wand, he cast the 'Oculum Mutatio' charm to scrutinize the blood's state—an uncharted territory for him. Frowning, he discerned faint figures through the thin veil of suspended blood.
A test tube materialized from the messenger bag, collecting the blood sample.
Raising his gaze, Anton spotted four young children huddled beneath the shadow of a massive suit of armor in the castle corridor: Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville.
The four individuals eyes widened, their mouths agape as if they could swallow a toad whole.
Confronted by Anton's inquisitive gaze, Ron attempted to speak but only managed to produce a string of incomprehensible sounds. "Abaabaaba..."
Neville stood in stunned silence.
Harry's alarm was palpable as he stammered out his concerns, his eyes fixed on the test tube containing Anton's blood. "You...you were in the school corridor in the middle of the night...with your own blood...what evil magic are you up to?"
Exasperated by the melodramatic reaction, Anton rolled his eyes and let out a resigned sigh, a touch of amusement flickering in his gaze at the exaggerated response to the situation.
Hermione, ever the voice of reason and quick thinking, launched into a rapid-fire recounting of the recent events, "Harry, Ron, and Malfoy were gonna duel in the trophy room, but Malfoy tricked them and told Filch, getting us in trouble. I should've stopped them from the start, but I was worried they'd get in trouble with the school. And then we ran into you..."
Her words spilled out rapidly, abruptly halting as she realized her inadvertent disclosure, prompting her to cover her mouth in dismay.
Hermione's speech was rapid, abruptly halting as she realized her inadvertent disclosure, hastily covering her mouth.
Anton, well aware of Fluffy the three-headed dog, recognized Dumbledore's design of the initial obstacle for Harry and his companions.
"Go to bed early; staying up late can stop you from growing and mess up your skin," Anton's voice floated back, a cryptic message that left Hermione visibly unsettled, a flicker of unease flashing across her features as she watched him depart towards Slytherin dormitory.
Before he could take a few steps, a sharp feline hiss pierced the air, accompanied by approaching footsteps.