In the Great Hall, Lucien silently ate his oatmeal.
The warm porridge slid down his throat and into his stomach, making him feel a little better.
His headache was still there, but at least it wasn't as intense as when he first woke up. The steady warmth from breakfast seemed to dull the pounding in his temples enough for him to think more clearly.
As he ate, he listened to the young witches and wizards nearby chattering around the long tables.
"Did you see that mist last night? It was silvery-white and so beautiful!"
"I was doing my homework and was completely exhausted, but the moment the mist drifted over, my mood instantly improved."
"I dreamed about things from when I was little, and I woke up smiling for ages..."
Quite a few students were talking about the silvery-white mist.
The topic seemed to have spread through almost every House overnight.
While feeling slightly embarrassed, Lucien's mind raced.
Judging from the reactions of so many students, his Patronus Charm last night had undoubtedly been successful.
In terms of range, it had even been successful beyond imagination.
The Hufflepuff students were talking about it too.
Their common room was in the castle's basement, while his own Ravenclaw common room was high in a tower.
From top to bottom, the mist had practically permeated the entire castle.
The Slytherin students rarely mentioned it, perhaps because their common room was beneath the Black Lake and even farther away.
But the fact that it had reached the Hufflepuff common room already meant the range was absurdly large.
Lucien lowered his spoon slightly.
How could the Patronus Charm have such an enormous range?
Was it because it had drained all of his magic?
Lucien's magical talent was extremely high. Even though he was still a growing teenager, the amount of magic within his body was already far beyond common sense.
If he poured all of his strength into casting a spell, it would naturally increase its power, range, and duration considerably.
That part was easy enough to understand.
But there was another, more serious question.
Why had the Patronus Charm drained all of his magic in the first place?
Lucien vaguely remembered that after casting the spell, his magic seemed to follow some kind of guidance, pouring out recklessly and without restraint.
It hadn't felt like "giving it his all."
It had felt more like someone had turned a valve all the way open and then torn off the handle.
Once the flow began, he had completely lost the ability to stop it.
Lucien frowned slightly.
He hated that feeling of losing control.
For someone accustomed to carefully analysing and controlling his magic, that kind of situation was especially uncomfortable.
He had been too careless.
He had assumed that practising the Patronus Charm wouldn't cause any serious problems, only for his very first attempt to create such a commotion.
Fortunately, nobody seemed to have been harmed.
Quite the opposite, judging from the conversations around him.
Still, luck wasn't something he intended to rely on.
He should find some time to ask Dumbledore for advice.
"Morning, Lucien."
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden greeting.
Lucien looked up and saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione approaching, each carrying their own breakfast.
Harry noticed almost immediately that Lucien didn't look well and asked with concern,
"Lucien, are you feeling ill? Should we take you to the Hospital Wing first?"
Seeing Hermione and Ron looking equally concerned, Lucien forced a small smile and said that he was fine.
He had simply stayed up a little too late the night before and only needed some rest.
Hearing this, Hermione quietly breathed a sigh of relief and advised him softly as she sat down.
"I've read that staying up late is bad for your health, especially during puberty, when you need plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep can affect concentration, memory, and even physical development..."
Ron dropped into the seat beside Lucien and leaned closer to inspect his face.
"Hey, George and the others look like this too after staying up all night exploring the castle. Just eat something good to recharge and you'll be fine!"
As he spoke, he pushed a basket of small steamed buns toward Lucien.
With half a sausage still in his mouth, Ron mumbled,
"Hey, Lucien, did you see that mist last night? That silvery, magical mist. Hermione said it makes people remember happy things, but unfortunately, I was already asleep by then."
Hermione, interrupted mid-sentence, shot Ron a look.
Ron didn't seem to notice her displeasure at all.
Lucien's hand paused slightly as he reached for a bun.
Er...
How was he supposed to put this?
The mist had been released right in front of him.
More accurately, he had been standing at the centre of the entire thing.
Lucien picked up the bun and took a bite instead of answering immediately.
Come to think of it, why had the Patronus Charm he cast, or rather, the still-unformed mist version of it, caused anyone who touched it to recall "happy things"?
The books hadn't mentioned such a characteristic either.
Normally, an incorporeal Patronus was simply silver mist without a stable form.
It could repel Dementors to some extent, but Lucien had never read anything suggesting that it could awaken the memories of everyone nearby.
Could this be what Salazar meant when he said the Patronus Charm could reflect a person's soul talent?
A talent related to memory?
Lucien wasn't sure.
There were too many unknowns involved.
After sitting down, Harry said, "Yesterday, I dreamed about the day Hagrid came to take me away from my aunt and uncle."
His expression softened almost immediately.
"Uncle Vernon had insisted on taking us to hide in a hut on a rock, and it was pouring with rain. But Hagrid still made it inside and brought me a birthday cake."
Harry paused briefly.
"It was the first one I'd ever received."
As he spoke, the corners of his mouth curled upward unconsciously.
"And the dream felt so real, unlike ordinary dreams that don't seem to have a beginning or an end. It was almost like I was there again."
Clearly, the memory of that day was extremely precious to Harry, and he was very happy to have dreamed of it again.
Lucien quietly listened.
That seemed to match what Terry had written in his note.
The mist hadn't simply made people feel happier.
It had apparently brought certain memories to the surface with unusual clarity.
Hermione put down her spoon, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
"I wasn't asleep yet. I was in bed reading Greetings with Magical Creatures. Well, when the mist drifted over, I really did remember the first time I won a prize."
Ron turned toward her with immediate interest.
Hermione continued,
"It was the children's division of the Speed Reading and Shorthand Competition, and the required passage was..."
Her voice suddenly slowed.
As she spoke, Hermione remembered that she had just lectured Lucien about the dangers of staying up late.
And yet she herself had apparently been lying awake in bed reading the previous night.
Lucien looked at her.
Harry looked at her.
Ron slowly stopped chewing.
Hermione's expression became increasingly awkward.
She couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed, and her voice gradually trailed off.
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