noveltune Chapter 174 Achievement and Appeasement
Chapter 174 Achievement and Appeasement
Chapter 174 Achievement and Appeasement
"I've tried several formulas," he admitted calmly. "The adhesion and concealment are achieved, but the persistence of the mark isn't enough for long-term tracking. I'm afraid we'll need you, the potion master, to solve this."
Snape, who was about to turn back to continue stirring his cauldron, paused slightly upon hearing this.
He looked at Lynch again, his sharp gaze replacing some of the sarcasm.
"Long-term tracking?" He keenly caught the word, his voice softening slightly. "What exactly do you intend to use it for? What requires leaving a mark in water, and so—covertly?"
"I've found a clue to the monster in the secret room," Lynch replied calmly, looking directly at Snape.
The air in the cellar seemed to freeze for a moment.
The sarcasm and indifference on Snape's face receded like the tide, leaving only an extreme, icy focus. His dark eyes were fixed on Lynch, as if judging the truth of his words.
A few seconds later, he squinted slightly and leaned forward.
"Where?" he asked in a low voice, his tone completely different now.
"Pipes," Lynch said, "The monster moves through the pipes in the castle walls."
He paused, a very slight upward twitch at the corner of his mouth, "Just a heads-up, try to avoid using the bathroom alone for the foreseeable future, especially don't sit there alone contemplating life. After all, monsters really might jump out of the toilet."
Snape's facial muscles seemed to tense for a moment, his dark eyes staring at Lynch as if weighing whether it was a bad joke or an unpleasant statement of fact.
The bubbling sound of the medicine bubbling in the crucible in the cellar became unusually clear.
"The internal structure of the pipes is complex, spreading throughout the entire castle, so the potion's adhesion must be excellent," Lin Qi continued, the slight smile on his face disappearing, his tone returning to its usual calm and serious, as if the previous sentence had never been uttered.
Snape took a deep breath, the scent carrying the mixed aroma of various herbs from the cellar.
He remained silent for a moment, his mind racing as he glanced in the direction of the precious materials he had stockpiled.
"Hmph," he finally let out a short nasal sound, as if accepting the explanation and task. "...Moonstone micro powder as the base—the molting mucus of the African tree snake can provide extremely strong adhesion and extensibility—...Perhaps a drop of Meva's tear is also needed to solidify that unique medicinal effect." He muttered to himself, already in research and development mode, his withered fingers unconsciously tapping the table.
He abruptly raised his head, his eyes sharp: "How long will the tracking effect last?"
"At least two weeks, preferably a month."
"A demanding requirement," Snape commented coldly, but he no longer intended to refuse.
He turned around, grabbed a piece of parchment, dipped his quill pen in ink, and began to write several lines of hurried but sharp handwriting.
"Come pick it up tomorrow night," he said without looking up, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, get out. Don't disturb my work."
Lin Qi smiled and nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
As soon as he stepped out of the cold, gloomy atmosphere of the cellar and onto the stone steps of the castle's first floor, he encountered a group of students who had just finished class.
They walked in small groups, their conversations still carrying the relaxed feeling of having just finished their classes.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione lagged behind, whispering amongst themselves.
Upon seeing Lin Qi, the three of them stopped almost simultaneously.
Ron and Hermione gave a slightly awkward bow: "Good afternoon, Professor Lynch."
Harry was a beat slower. He bowed slightly, his voice muffled, and his gaze shifted somewhat unnaturally to the armor beside him: "Good afternoon, Professor Lynch." His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible grievance and frustration, like a young lion that had been inexplicably ignored but didn't know how to express its dissatisfaction.
Lynch stopped in his tracks, his gaze lingering for a moment on Harry's low, messy black hair.
"Mr. Potter," he began, his voice slightly softer than usual in class, "come with me."
Harry looked up abruptly, a hint of surprise flashing in his emerald eyes.
Ron and Hermione exchanged a quick glance, and Hermione gently tugged at the hem of Ron's robe.
"Uh—okay, Professor! Let's head back to the common room, Harry!" Ron said immediately, pulling Hermione along, and they practically tiptoed away, blending into the crowd ahead.
Lynch didn't head into the castle; instead, he turned and led Harry through the foyer and out through the massive oak doors.
The afternoon sun shone on the slightly withered grass, the air was fresh, and there was a cool breeze of late autumn.
The two walked in silence for a short distance, away from the hustle and bustle of the castle.
"Tell me, Harry," Lynch broke the silence, his gaze fixed on the rolling grassy slopes ahead, "what makes you look like a deflated balloon?"
Harry pursed his lips, put his hands in his robe pockets, and kicked a small pebble at his feet.
He hadn't expected Uncle Lin Qi to be so direct, nor had he expected his suppressed emotions to be so easily seen through. He took a deep breath and decided not to beat around the bush—it was pointless to try and confuse Uncle Lin Qi.
"It's—it's about the Chamber of Secrets, Uncle Lynch." Harry's voice was a little hoarse. He looked up, trying to make his gaze appear firm. "Everyone's talking about it, everyone's scared—I know you—you were busy behind that curtain—"
And that night—" He paused, as if organizing his thoughts, "I just—wanted to know what happened?"
How's it going? What exactly is that monster?
He finished speaking in one breath, and felt the lump in his chest loosen a little, but his green eyes were still fixed on Lin Qi, with a youthful mix of worry, curiosity, and a hint of anxiety at being excluded.
Lynch listened with little expression until Harry finished speaking, at which point he subtly curved his lips into a slight smile.
"If I didn't tell you," he said calmly, yet with a knowing air, "would you be planning to one night, grab your wand, and follow that voice to find the answer? Or have you and your friends already spent days rummaging through the forbidden books section of the library?"
Harry's cheeks flushed instantly. He subconsciously raised his hand to scratch his already messy black hair, his eyes darting around. Uncle Lynch's guess was spot on. Hermione was indeed frantically searching for all sorts of information about the Chamber of Secrets and legendary monsters. It was just that their actions didn't seem so abrupt because the whole school was paying attention to this matter.
Seeing Harry's reaction confirmed Lynch's suspicions.
He continued walking slowly forward.
After a moment of silence, Lynch's gaze turned serious, and he spoke again: "Alright, Harry. I'm telling you, but only to you. You can't spread it around."