Hogwarts Dungeon — in front of the Slytherin Head of House's office.
Develo took a deep breath, still feeling a little hesitation in his heart.
"I wonder how Snape plans to deal with me?" he murmured.
He had just come from the common room. Before dinner, he had visited the school infirmary. Madam Pomfrey had immediately given Develo a full-body check-up, confirming that there were no lingering issues with him. Still, she had taken the opportunity to give him a long lecture on safety precautions before finally letting him go.
Fortunately, Develo had managed to copy her [Exquisite Medical Skills] entry—so it wasn't a total loss. At the moment of copying, Develo suddenly felt as though he had transformed into a seasoned doctor with over thirty years of experience!
Then came the flood of system prompts:
[Ding!]
[New spell added to library!]
[New spell added to library!]
[New spell added to library!]
...
Dozens of healing spells were instantly mastered by Develo. He felt as if he could open a clinic right outside Hogwarts! But it didn't stop there—his mind was filled with extensive knowledge and experience related to herbs and potion-making. Books could only offer theoretical knowledge, but this practical know-how was something else entirely. Potion modulation experience, especially, was rare and difficult to acquire.
Now, with all this newly gained experience, Develo felt like a true master of potions!
Even earlier that day, regarding the improvement suggestions he'd given Snape for the Polyjuice Potion, Develo had since come up with additional refinements—ways to make it even more practical. The value of experience-based entries was simply overwhelming!
Many wizards who lacked extraordinary talent had still spent decades immersed in specific fields. Their accumulated experience might be even more valuable than raw talent. This sparked a new idea in Develo's mind.
If someone like Snape or Professor McGonagall had talent-type golden entries that hadn't yet reached their full potential—could he help them achieve mastery and then convert their entries into experience-type entries? And once that happened, wouldn't he be able to copy them?
It would be as if he gained their decades of wisdom without having to go through the long years of effort himself!
Whenever Develo thought about this strategy, he couldn't help but grin foolishly and even drool a little. He now had a new mission: to cultivate talented individuals, help them fully realize their gifts, and then reap the rewards by copying their upgraded experience entries. A perfect plan!
While he was still lost in this fantasy—imagining a future where his mentors marveled at how his talent surpassed theirs—he was jolted back to reality by a deep, cold voice from behind him.
"What are you grinning at? Aren't you a wizard? Can't even open a door?"
Snape emerged from the shadows of the corridor, wearing his usual black robe. His long hair partially obscured his face, leaving only a pair of sharp, intense eyes visible.
Actually, Snape had always looked like this.
The moment Develo saw him, he stood up straight, chest out, head high, and put on a polite expression. After all, he'd just confronted Snape in class, requesting not to be given constant detention like that pink toad—Umbridge.
"What are you standing there for? Get in," Snape said, flicking his wand.
The office door opened automatically.
Develo quickly stepped in, followed closely by Snape.
"Alohomora. I should have shown it to you during the entrance exam. Do you still remember it?" Snape asked as he dropped into the main seat, peering at Develo with half-closed eyes.
"Of course I remember," Develo replied confidently.
Back during the talent assessment, he had already learned Alohomora by observing others casting it on the street. So naturally, he had mastered it quite well.
"Good. If I'm not around on Fridays in the future, you can come in on your own."
Snape stood up after saying that.
"Huh?"
Before Develo could fully process what Snape had just said, the professor had already walked over to another door.
"Alohomora!"
With a soft click, the lock opened, and the door slowly creaked open.
"Come here," Snape said, turning his head toward the bewildered Develo, who was still sitting in the chair.
Develo quickly got up and followed him into the storage room. The door closed behind them with a dull thud.
The moment he looked around, Develo was captivated.
The storage room was meticulously organized, divided into three sections across three walls.
The first wall was filled with the bodies and limbs of magical creatures, most preserved in variously colored liquids. Some solutions were crystal clear, others deep blue or green, and some murky yellow. The specimens varied—from dragon claws to unicorn tails to werewolf teeth. Every jar had a detailed label indicating the collection date and purpose.
Develo's eyes widened as he gazed at them. The powerful magic sealed in these body parts resonated with his [Magical Potion Spirit Body]. He could barely resist the urge to stuff them all into a cauldron right away!
He suppressed the desire and turned to inspect the second wall, which housed magical herbs. Most were dehydrated and dried, stored in glass jars—nettle, mandrake, agave, and more. The jars emitted faint fragrances. Some leaves were dark green, others bore vibrant, even dangerous-looking flowers.
Each jar was clearly labeled with the herb name, collection date, and preservation method. It was a conventional and well-maintained herb storage system. Still, Develo frowned. Some potions required fresh, living herbs for effectiveness. So why were there only dried ones here? Didn't seem very professional!
With that thought in mind, he turned to the last wall—lined with shelves of finished potions.
These weren't ordinary brews. They were rare and precious potions.
Develo's attention was immediately drawn to one labeled Veritaserum.
"My god! Snape keeps Veritaserum on hand? Who's he planning to use that on?" Develo thought, clicking his tongue in disbelief.
There were many more valuable potions: freshly brewed Polyjuice Potion, Felix Felicis (Liquid Luck), Skele-Gro, sleeping draughts, antidotes—all arranged neatly, each radiating a subtle glow.
Develo licked his lips.
These potions were virtually impossible to find on the market. And Snape had so many of them stockpiled here?!
Yet, despite his astonishment, Develo still didn't understand why Snape had brought him here. Could it be...?
A cold gleam flashed in Develo's eyes.
Is he planning to kill me and soak me in one of these solutions?
Of course not. That was ridiculous.
Still, Develo couldn't guess what Snape was thinking.
While he was caught up in these wild thoughts, Snape suddenly turned around and fixed his deep, dark eyes on him.
"I've already shown you how to get in," he said. "You can use anything here as you see fit."
Then, after a pause, Snape frowned and added, "Just don't be wasteful. These things aren't easy to acquire."
Develo's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
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