The scorpion tail and stinger of this Manticore had already been severed. As for where the broken limbs went, it was likely that the previous owner extracted the venom and sold it for a high price.
"Oh, poor little thing! How could that bastard be so heartless!" Hagrid exclaimed, bursting into tears again at the sight of the 'little thing' on the ground.
Lys sighed and shook her head, thinking that since the Manticore had lost its scorpion tail, it might as well be called a "Mantibeast"... no, wait, just a "Manticore," as part of its body was already missing.
After instructing Hagrid to restrain its claws to prevent injuries, Lys climbed onto its severely wounded back to examine the injuries.
The wound was about the length of Lys's arm, with curled edges oozing blood and pus. Visibly, the damage was severe, and judging by the protruding swelling and the Manticore's inability to stand, Lys deduced that the wound had likely affected vital internal areas.
"Lys! Don't touch it with your hands—that's a wound caused by a Venom Leopard, it's poisonous!" Lys rolled her eyes and pulled out a pair of gloves she had made herself, muttering, "Say it any slower, and my hand would be gone."
Even after her examination, Lys wasn't sure if the creature could be saved. However, the Manticore showed a strong will to survive—it had sealed the toxins and magical damage within two bones with the strongest magical fluctuations in its body.
But therein lay the problem. Without control over these two bones, the Manticore couldn't stand and had lost its magical abilities, which even affected the normal healing of its wounds.
As for other injuries, Lys deemed them less severe, at least compared to the area she had just examined.
Before taking action, Lys explained to Hagrid that her methods might not be effective and could involve magic he might find unacceptable.
"Are you sure you won't stop me halfway?" she asked.
Hagrid didn't answer immediately. After some thought, he nodded and said firmly, "Whatever happens, it can't get worse. Go ahead!"
Although Lys received his assurance, she didn't fully trust it. If Hagrid's interference caused failure, she wouldn't blame herself.
Checking her pocket watch, Lys signaled to hurry. If she delayed any longer, she might have to skip her Astronomy class.
Lys had a few ideas before starting. She considered extracting the two bones and testing a curse that utilized bone grafts to absorb power. If that failed, she would try Bone Spirit. If that still didn't work, she would resort to using permanent Transfiguration to create two replacement bones temporarily.
However, given that magical creatures relied on every part of their body for magic flow, losing any part would disrupt the flow and cause stagnation.
Moreover, the longevity and power of magical creatures were often sustained by magic. If the Manticore couldn't use its original bones, it would face numerous hidden dangers later.
Even if it survived, it would only live a little longer in pain.
Lys carefully memorized the distribution of the bones and flesh at the original site. The flesh-covered area was sticky and hard to grasp precisely. Glancing at Hagrid's tear-streaked face, Lys took out her wand and began dissolving the flesh bit by bit.
The already unconscious Manticore twitched violently in pain.
After thoroughly noting the connections between each part, Lys was dripping with sweat from exhaustion. In the snow-covered Forbidden Forest, her head steamed like a boiling kettle.
As the sky darkened, Lys created several large lamps and hung them on nearby trees and Hagrid's neck.
Lys had greatly underestimated the complications during the operation. The Manticore started bleeding profusely, and her healing spells always fell short of sealing the bleeding points.
Forced to improvise, Lys glanced at the blinded Hagrid and secretly pulled out the willow wand strapped to her arm.
Exhausted and flushed, Lys finally stopped the bleeding. Ignoring the blood on her hands, she wiped her sweat and began extracting the two bones. This part went relatively smoothly.
The bone used to trigger the curse of bone grafting was Lys's most successful experiment to date. Although the Manticore's power within it was gone, the absorption of the Venom Leopard's magical energy had succeeded.
However, the toxins within were extremely troublesome. Since taking the two bones, Lys had already gone through three pairs of gloves, each succumbing to the intense toxins within a short time.
Running out of time, Lys initially planned to take the two bones for research. If successful, she could restore them to the Manticore later if they remained viable. Otherwise, they would serve as mere experimental materials.
However, after administering three bottles of Bone Spirit to the Manticore, Lys discovered that high-magic-resistant creatures rejected magic different from their own. After waiting for a while, she found that even five consecutive bottles of Bone Spirit had no effect.
The Transfiguration-created bones showed no signs of integration with the flesh.
Left with no choice, Lys continued brainstorming. Meanwhile, Hagrid, now lamp-less, watched the Manticore, which was coughing and retching due to the potion's stimulation. He gently stroked its tangled mane, his heart aching.
Standing there, Lys's mind was close to shutting down. She had thought everything through, but why were there so many problems?
Perhaps sensing Lys's frustration or reacting to her magical fluctuations, the Manticore nudged her head with a crunch and flicked her hand with its tail, as if to say, "If you don't like it, throw it away!"
This gesture sparked an idea in Lys. Her next move shocked Hagrid.
Earlier, Lys's use of black magic rituals had made Hagrid hesitate. Now, he outright tried to stop her.
"Lys!?"
Hagrid grabbed the large cauldron in Lys's hand, staring at her.
"Whimper... Is there no hope for this little cutie? Are you planning to eat it now?" he wailed.
Unable to wrest the cauldron from Hagrid, Lys explained her intentions. She needed to test something.
Now that the toxins in the bones had lost their magical support, they would transform into ordinary toxins. Most biological toxins lose their potency at high temperatures.
Unable to explain thoroughly, Lys, running late, asked Hagrid, "Are we saving it or not?"
Hagrid, stunned, stared at Lys, clutching the Manticore's bloody bones. The gaping wound was still exposed, and she... she actually asked him, "Are we saving it or not?"
How could Hagrid dare say no? He reluctantly released his grip on the cauldron. "You said earlier that your magic might be unacceptable to me, but you didn't mention cooking it!"
Hagrid's wails were so loud that Lys's head throbbed. She cast several Silencing Charms on herself before feeling better.
Lys was indeed taking a risk. During detention with Professor Slughorn, she had boiled snake venom.
The professor explained that animal toxins lose their potency after being boiled at specific temperatures. Surely, the Venom Leopard counted as an animal.
As for whether the boiled bones would still be usable?
In a medical research notebook, a wizard obsessed with studying Muggle diseases recorded that Muggle doctors would remove thigh bones afflicted with tumors, clean them, boil them to kill parasites, and then reattach them.
Although the patients ultimately died, the cause of death was infection, not parasites draining the host's vitality.
Though not entirely applicable here, experiments and saving lives always involve some risk.
With a resolute heart, Lys tossed the two bones into the cauldron.
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