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Hermione emerged from behind a row of bookshelves, her face contorted with rage.
"Looks like you two have finished arguing," Morris said casually, his tone calm.
He certainly noticed Hermione and Ron's argument, but he had no interest in getting involved in children's bickering, so he simply walked away.
Arguing about such things is, in his view, quite childish.
Hermione's anger, which had been almost quelled, surged up again when she saw Maurice's indifferent and aloof demeanor.
"Maurice," she said coldly, "as a friend, shouldn't you stop Weasley from copying homework? You know perfectly well he's wrong."
"Is that so?" Morris spoke, his voice still steady. "Unfortunately, I can't force Ron to change his mind. Ron certainly understands that this is not good, but it is his choice, and I choose to respect it."
In his view, people act according to their own will.
As a friend, Ron would certainly do his best to help if he said he wanted to study, but Ron's idea of using unconventional methods to get by with his homework was Ron's own, and he didn't want to force him to change it.
At most, I'll offer a suggestion, nothing more.
"Ah, found it."
Before Hermione could speak, Morris's gaze fell on a book with a dark brown cover on the top shelf.
Advanced Potion Crafting
This is the second to last book on Snape's reading list.
He climbed to the top of the ladder and pulled out the heavy book.
After getting down, he looked at Hermione, who was still standing there with a complicated expression, and said, "I still have several books to find. Goodbye, Hermione."
He paused, then finally added, "If you want friends, it's best not to use a lecturing approach when communicating with others. Apart from me, very few people can stand it."
"I wasn't lecturing!" Hermione retorted instinctively.
"Perhaps." Morris didn't argue, he just nodded and walked toward the bookshelf next door.
If you talk too much, the other person will get annoyed.
Despite his usual demeanor, he is quite tactful in handling interpersonal relationships (in his own opinion).
...
Chapter 48 Recipe
Morris spent an entire afternoon searching for just one book from Snape's reading list.
Hogwarts' library is so large that even with its detailed classifications, finding the book you need is a huge undertaking.
Fortunately, Mrs. Pince knew the location of all the books perfectly.
After asking, Mrs. Pince immediately found all the books on his list for him.
One can only say that he truly deserves to be called the librarian of Hogwarts.
Morris regretted not seeking help sooner.
After repeatedly assuring Mrs. Pince that he would not damage the books, he successfully carried them back to his dormitory.
In the days that followed, he immersed himself in these books, almost neglecting to eat or sleep, absorbing everything about potions.
Those complex recipes, ancient potion theories... unfolded little by little before his eyes.
Strange and fascinating.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the necessary materials with him and could only try out some simple recipes in potions class.
Gradually, this could no longer satisfy him.
Just like a college student, if you make him do elementary school problems repeatedly, he will inevitably find it boring.
On the last Saturday of October, Maurice also found the potion recipe he had been searching for—the Water of Life and Death.
The recipe is in that book, "Advanced Potion Making".
That was actually the Potions class textbook from sixth year at Hogwarts.
The raw materials for the "Life and Death Water" include narcissus root powder, valerian root, sleep bean, and more than a dozen auxiliary ingredients, and the brewing process is even more complicated and precise.
It is obvious that this is a very high-level magic potion.
Making it successfully is certainly not as simple as making a pustule medicine.
Morris couldn't wait to try it immediately.
But the problem now is—how should he obtain the raw materials for the Water of Life and Death?
...
In the afternoon, Maurice found the Weasley twins in the courtyard, playing with a few dung balls like marbles.
"The raw materials for the Water of Life and Death?"
After reviewing the list of raw materials Morris had given him, Fred said with some difficulty, "This is not going to be easy."
Is it expensive?
Fred nodded. "These are all uncommon materials. I estimate that one set might cost tens of gallons. And... if we only order through Owl Mail, it's practically impossible to buy all of these kinds."
Morris felt a headache coming on.
From this perspective, all his possessions were only enough to buy one set of materials for the Water of Life and Death.
What's more troublesome is that even if you have the money, you might not be able to buy it.
"Go to Diagon Alley? Can you buy it there?"
Fred thought for a moment and nodded. "I think it's possible, but the price won't be cheap."
Upon hearing this, Morris breathed a slight sigh of relief; as long as there was a way to buy the raw materials, that would be fine.
As for the price—he can only try to make some money.
Sure enough, no matter where you are, being broke is the biggest problem.
"Thank you, Fred, George," he said earnestly.
"You're welcome."
George and Fred exchanged a glance and simultaneously revealed sly smiles.
They squeezed to either side of Morris, getting very close, and clamped down on his arms.
"What's wrong?" Morris asked suspiciously, sensing that the twins had some ill intentions.
"Don't rush off, Morris," Fred said in a low voice. "Dozens of Galleons, that's no small sum. I doubt you can afford it."
"And we happen to know a shortcut that can perfectly solve this problem," George added mysteriously.
Morris watched them warily.
"What shortcut?"
"Let me make this clear first, I will not do anything illegal."
"Oh, even selling one's body won't do. Unless the other party... never mind, anyway, no way!"
The twins grinned at the same time.
"We never do anything that breaks the rules!" Fred said seriously, raising one hand. "We are law-abiding students."
George blinked and whispered, "There's a potion-making supplies storehouse in the basement of Hogwarts. I think you should know that—it's right next to the Potions classroom."
"You mean...?"
"Literal." Fred released his arm. "George and I sneaked in before, and the materials inside were much more complete than what you listed, even the processing tools were all there."
Morris frowned. "That probably doesn't comply with the regulations."
George replied lightly, "Those are school property, and as Hogwarts students, we theoretically have the 'right to use' them, so it's fine."
"Nonsense," Morris thought.
"Don't worry, Morris," Fred patted him on the shoulder again, saying matter-of-factly, "As long as you don't get caught, it's not considered breaking the rules."
Morris was speechless.
Is this what the twins mean by "we never do anything that violates the rules"?
They really are two guys who fear neither heaven nor earth.
but.
He doesn't object.
Morris pondered for a moment and said, "Just one more question: who manages the potion ingredient warehouse?"
"Professor Snape," Fred replied.
Sure enough, Morris nodded.
Who else could it be but Snape?
This school has only one potions professor.
"The key is in the leftmost drawer of Snape's desk," George said. "It's not locked, but there's something wrong with the drawer's slides. You can pull it all the way out by lifting it up a little, so you can't use too much force."
Upon hearing this, Maurice twitched the corner of his mouth.
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