"Who can use Anesthetic Mist?"
"Wizards, Muggles, magical creatures…"
"Wrong. Without magical protection, Muggles would be paralyzed by that potion."
"Oh, right."
As Lucien quizzed him, Harry scribbled notes furiously.
No sooner had Harry finished writing than Lucien fired off another question.
"What's the precaution for using Odor-B-Gone?"
"Uh… I don't remember."
"It can't be exposed to open flames, or its effect is as explosive as Confringo."
"…"
The more Lucien taught, the more he realized Harry had some gaps to fill. The kid had a knack for Potions, no question—his practical brewing skills were solid. But when it came to theory, especially the nitty-gritty details of potion use, Harry's memory was shaky.
Apparently, he'd just memorized the general effects before and chucked potions at people's faces without much thought.
No way I'm letting him loose like this, Lucien thought. Harry's magical skills wouldn't drag Lucien down, but a half-baked student could tarnish his reputation as a tutor.
Practical potion-making could stay as it was, but for theory? Time for memorization, written exercises, homework, and quizzes.
A chill ran down Harry's spine as he wrote, though he couldn't quite place why.
Finally done with the tutoring session, Harry rubbed his cramped wrist. "Lucien, thanks for helping me out yesterday with the healing."
"That clear liquid—it's gotta be pricey, right? I'll make it up to you…"
Harry had started to offer Galleons but stopped himself. Lucien had made it clear before that he didn't want payment for tutoring, saying it was insulting. Besides, Lucien didn't exactly seem strapped for cash.
"Uh, how about I grab some books from Gringotts for you? As a thank-you for the help!"
"Oh, and Hagrid's already headed to Gringotts today. He should be back with those books we talked about."
Lucien nodded, accepting the gesture. Getting Luster to produce some qilin saliva wasn't hard, but the stuff was valuable. And after yesterday's display, Luster's saliva was clearly a cut above the native qilin saliva described in books—practically a "heal-from-the-brink" miracle potion.
That little qilin's a walking treasure trove, Lucien mused. He wondered about the potential of other qilin materials—shed scales, fur… Could he trade those with Snape for rare potion ingredients? He remembered the stash of goodies in Snape's office.
"Lucien," Harry said suddenly, breaking his train of thought. "Did I mess up last night?"
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
Harry looked down, his voice small. "If I'd just run, maybe none of it would've happened. It's good it was me who got bitten and not Ron or Hermione, but it was my fault for trying to play the hero…"
Instead of comforting him right away, Lucien asked, "Why do you think we learn all this stuff?"
Harry blinked, confused. "To get smarter?"
Lucien nodded, then shook his head. "Learning helps us understand the world, solve problems, or strengthen our minds. But knowledge isn't for showing off or putting you and your friends in danger."
Harry listened, a bit lost at first, then lowered his head again, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Seeing the future Savior like this, Lucien chuckled softly. "But your instinct to protect your friends? That courage was absolutely right."
"Courage is humanity's greatest anthem."
Harry looked up, hanging on Lucien's words.
"Of course," Lucien added with a grin, "along with courage and knowledge, sometimes you've gotta master the art of a strategic retreat!"
Harry didn't fully get it but nodded enthusiastically anyway.
…
"Alright, Harry, memorize this stuff. I'll quiz you when I'm back."
After assigning Harry his study tasks, Lucien left the hut and ventured toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He called for Luster.
"Let's go see what magical creatures you've found."
Ten minutes later, Lucien—cloaked in a Disillusionment Charm and doused with Invisibility Essence—observed a group of creatures from a distance, jotting down notes:
Dodo Birds.
Plump, flightless, covered in fluffy feathers.
He watched as one dodo vanished suddenly, reappearing a short distance away.
Well, that's neat, he thought.
His quill scratched on:
Capable of short-range, rapid teleportation.
This jogged a memory from a book. Dodo birds, known as Diricawls in the wizarding world, had a surprising Muggle connection. Muggles called them "dodos" and believed they'd hunted them to extinction, unaware of their teleportation ability.
Ironically, this misunderstanding had spurred Muggle conservation efforts, reducing overhunting. The International Confederation of Wizards decided there was no harm in letting Muggles think dodos were gone.
Watching the playful, chubby birds, Lucien thought of the Muggle records he'd read and the skeletal displays in museums. Better they stay hidden, he decided.
After noting their traits and habits, Lucien needed their physical measurements. This was also a chance to test his theory: Were Fang and Fawkes drawn to him because of his connection to the qilin? Would it work on other creatures?
He dispelled his Disillusionment Charm and let the Invisibility Essence fade, revealing himself to the dodos.
Whoosh.
Every single dodo vanished in an instant.
Lucien waited patiently. One by one, the birds reappeared, eyeing him curiously from about ten meters away.
Their cautious return confirmed it—something about him was drawing them in. Normally, wild magical creatures wouldn't come back after fleeing danger, unlike some daft animal peeking back out of curiosity.
Must be the qilin's influence, he thought. But these wild dodos were still wary, so he decided not to approach too quickly and risk scaring them off for good.
If his affinity for animals was indeed tied to the qilin…
"Luster," he called softly.
The little qilin materialized beside him. The moment it appeared, the dodos perked up, hopping excitedly. After sizing Lucien up, one bold dodo waddled over, followed by the rest, who circled Luster playfully. A few brave ones even nudged its legs.
One dodo chick toddled right up to Lucien, staring at him with pure, curious eyes.
Lucien crouched down and gently scooped up the "extinct" dodo.
"Hey there, little guy."