"Sigh..." Putting down the book in his hands, Sean frowned slightly, turned to look out the window, and muttered to himself: "This won't do. With this formula and brewing difficulty, you'd need considerable family wealth to afford the costs.
The failure rate of the Wolfsbane Potion is too high. Unless it's a top-tier Potions master, there's a good chance of failing two or three times during brewing, which essentially doubles or triples the already expensive material costs. This isn't a price ordinary wizard families can bear."
Is the Wolfsbane Potion useful?
Absolutely useful!
Is the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion great?
Absolutely great!
Can the Wolfsbane Potion change the living conditions of werewolves?
Impossible!
This is reality!
Setting aside the obviously high patent fees, the materials alone are enough to make life unbearable for werewolf wizards who already live in hardship. More importantly, the Wolfsbane Potion needs to be taken every full moon night each month. It's not a one-time cure that provides permanent safety and allows werewolves to maintain their sanity forever during transformation.
Combined with what Sean mentioned earlier, unless top Potions masters like Snape or Slughorn handle the brewing, there would likely be two or three failures during the brewing process. After all, brewing the Wolfsbane Potion is extremely difficult with very high requirements. Overall, the actual effect the Wolfsbane Potion can achieve becomes minimal.
Looking at the Wolfsbane Potion before him, Sean frowned slightly and fell into thought.
Was it possible to modify the Wolfsbane Potion's formula to make it easier to brew and cheaper?
With this thought, Sean listed out the Wolfsbane Potion's formula and began studying each component.
Actually, Sean hadn't really intended to research a simplified version of the Wolfsbane Potion. He was just looking for something to occupy himself during the holidays at home. However, once he started researching, he became completely absorbed.
Though he wouldn't call it sleepless devotion, aside from eating meals and chatting with his parents and Caesar, Sean spent most of his time researching the Wolfsbane Potion problem. In the blink of an eye, it was late August.
A knock came at the door. Yard opened it and saw Aldrich standing outside, immediately welcoming him in.
"Sir, is the young master still in his study?"
During this period, Aldrich had been mainly busy with relocating the training area. He had found an abandoned orphanage in the London suburbs, cleaned and renovated it, and then used it as a living space for the children and adults from the training area. Of course, under the renovation by the adult wizards from the training area and Aldrich, the interior space was much larger than it appeared from outside. The total area was not smaller than the training area within Bulstrode Manor. In fact, it was considerably larger.
During the relocation, Aldrich came here weekly to report to Sean on the relocation progress and the expenditure accounts for the funds Sean had provided. Sean didn't decline but fully accepted Aldrich's reports. Today was another such reporting day.
Yard took a plate of fruit from Jade and handed it to Aldrich, saying: "Take this up for Sean to eat when you go. The boy has been researching potions lately. Although he always comes out for three meals with us, he rarely eats fruit anymore. Make sure he eats more when you go up.
You should eat some too. I can see you've lost quite a bit of weight. Please take care of your health."
Taking the fruit, Aldrich nodded and said: "Thank you for your concern, sir."
"Go on, remember to eat more."
Nodding, Aldrich carried the fruit upstairs to Sean's study and placed it on the desk.
At this moment, Sean was calculating something while saying to Aldrich: "You're here. Have a seat, wait for me a moment. Let's talk after I finish calculating these things."
Looking at Sean, Aldrich nodded and didn't rashly interrupt him.
Since the end of last month, when Sean was researching potions, he had started writing many numbers and symbols that Aldrich couldn't understand. He told Aldrich these were Muggle science that could be applied to potion research. This only made Aldrich more confused. He couldn't understand how so-called science invented by Muggles without magic could be applied to potion research. After much thought, he could only attribute this apparent contradiction to his young master's intelligence and talent.
"As expected, this material can indeed be substituted!"
Putting down his pen, Sean exhaled and smiled.
After more than a month of effort, he had finally found a substitute for one of the Wolfsbane Potion materials. It was a potion brewed using six other materials. According to Sean's calculations and deductions, this potion made from six low-grade materials would not interfere with other materials in terms of either medicinal effects or magical properties and could replace that extremely expensive ingredient. The price of this substitute was only about one-tenth of the original, and the brewing method was very simple. Anyone with second or third-year Hogwarts Potions level could brew it.
Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling.
Sean turned to look at Aldrich and asked: "Aldrich, how is the laboratory setup on your end?"
During previous reports, Aldrich had mentioned setting aside a place at the orphanage specifically as Sean's potion research laboratory.
"The laboratory is basically ready. Except for some high-end magical equipment, everything else is usable."
"That's sufficient. I just want to test whether the substitute materials I've researched can actually be used. As long as we can brew potions there, it's fine. But before that, we both need to make a trip to Diagon Alley to purchase some materials, then we'll go to the orphanage."
"Yes, young master."
Watching the two leave, Yard breathed a sigh of relief and said to Martha: "Sean finally went out. He's been staying in his study researching potions this whole time. I was really worried he'd develop problems from being cooped up too long."
Hearing Yard's words, Martha held Caesar, gently rocking him while saying: "I asked Aldrich before. He said that the academic journal Sean published in, called... called Golden something..."
"The Golden Cauldron!"
"Oh yes, that's right, The Golden Cauldron. That journal is the highest-level Potions academic journal in the British wizarding world and even throughout Europe. For us, it would be similar to journals like The Lancet.
So the research Sean is conducting should also be research that can help more people. As long as he can maintain his health, I think we should support him."
Hearing Martha's words, Yard was stunned for a moment, then looked in the direction Sean had left and slowly nodded: "You're right, we should support him."