Snape suddenly lecturing on werewolves from the last chapter immediately caused a commotion among the young wizards. However, given Snape's consecutive point deductions from Harry and Hermione earlier, despite the commotion, the students didn't dare say much.
After the class ended, everyone had gained a preliminary understanding of werewolves.
During class, Snape had repeatedly emphasized content about how to identify werewolves. Most people listened somewhat impatiently, but Sean noticed that sharp-minded young wizards like Hermione were already looking troubled, obviously having noticed something under Snape's repeated hints.
When class ended, Hermione didn't even leave with Harry and Ron. She was the first to leave the classroom, heading directly to the library. She wanted to look up some books about werewolves.
Sean and Blaise left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The two separated when they reached the first floor. Blaise had arranged to watch Quidditch practice with Andy and the others, while Sean followed in Snape's footsteps to his office.
Entering Snape's office, Sean closed the door and said: "Professor, how is my third material substitute? Is it acceptable?"
"I tested it before class. There are some problems."
Hearing this, Sean's brow furrowed tightly. According to his calculations, the third material substitute should have been fine, but as they say, practice reveals truth. Calculations alone might not account for all variables and could easily have omissions.
So when Sean heard Snape's words, he immediately asked: "Professor, where is the problem?"
"If it's purely about medicinal effects, your substitute doesn't differ much from the original material. Even if there are very subtle differences in efficacy, they're within an ignorable range. But there's one issue. One material in the third substitute potion conflicts with one material in the first substitute potion. When brewing the potion, these two materials repel each other, causing the potion to explode and fail. This conflict cannot be reconciled. We can only choose a new substitute plan. Either replace the first one or replace the third one."
When researching substitute materials, Sean knew he would eventually encounter the problem of substitute potion conflicts, but he hadn't expected to encounter this problem so quickly. This was only the first phase of research!
"I'll go back and think about it, trying to replace them with materials with milder effects to reduce the possibility of future conflicts."
"I'll also keep an eye out. Go on."
Taking Snape's experimental materials, Sean went directly back to his bedroom, gathered his previously accumulated materials, and headed to the library.
This time Sean didn't use a quill pen. He used the pencils he had brought at the start of the term. To be more comfortable and faster when calculating, Sean had brought quite a few pencils and draft paper.
Unfortunately, electronic devices couldn't be used at Hogwarts, otherwise bringing a computer or calculator would make calculations much faster.
After an unknown amount of time, Madam Pince came before Sean. She looked at the calculation papers beside Sean's hand, then at the five or six mental recovery potions on the nearby table. Even she, who usually wasn't fond of Hogwarts students, couldn't help but soften her attitude.
"Time's up. I need to close the library."
Madam Pince's words stunned Sean for a moment. Coming back to his senses and looking at the darkened sky outside the window, he said, somewhat bewildered yet enlightened: "It's dark already? So fast..."
"If you go back now, you still have time to ask a house-elf to prepare some food for you. You haven't eaten dinner yet, have you?"
Nodding, the now-alert Sean said to Madam Pince while packing up: "Indeed I haven't eaten. Thank you, Madam Pince. I'll be careful after I go back."
"Mm, don't forget your things, and don't forget to take your trash with you."
"Yes, Madam Pince."
Sean packed up quickly, but he didn't return to the Slytherin common room. Instead, he went directly to the kitchen to ask house-elves for some food and drinks, then took the items straight to the Room of Requirement.
Sitting in the comfortable Room of Requirement, Sean simply ate and drank a little, then consumed two potions. One to relieve physical fatigue and one mental recovery potion.
After resting briefly and letting the potions take effect, Sean picked up his pen again and continued the unfinished calculations.
Early the next morning, Sean stood at the entrance of Hogwarts castle. Looking at the light rain outside, he reluctantly took out his wand, cast a waterproofing charm on himself, and then summoned an umbrella at his wand tip before walking out of Hogwarts castle toward the Quidditch pitch.
At this time, the match at the Quidditch pitch had already begun.
He could see that Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had already started their battle.
However, compared to matches between Gryffindor and Slytherin, both sides were much more civilized, with many overly aggressive behaviors absent.
Sean came to the Slytherin stands. Since Slytherin wasn't one of the competing teams, not many people were willing to brave the rain to watch the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match.
What somewhat surprised Sean was that Malfoy and his group had actually come. He wondered if it was to watch Harry or to watch the match.
Finding Blaise, Andy, and Jansen, Sean walked over, yawned, and plopped down on a seat that Andy had cast a drying charm on. He put away his umbrella. The stands had rain covers, so no umbrella was needed.
Blaise looked at Sean, wanting to say something, but when he saw Sean's appearance, he was immediately startled.
"Sean, what did you do last night? Why are your dark circles so heavy?"
Hearing Blaise's words, Andy also looked over. When he saw the dark circles on Sean's face, he was also shocked: "Sean, didn't you sleep at all last night? We looked for you this morning, and you weren't in your room. We thought you had gone out early, but now it seems you didn't sleep last night?"
"Mm, I found a place to work on my thesis and data."
"How were the results?"
"Completed. One day and night. When I came here, I had just submitted the thesis to the Head of House. I just need to wait for the Head of House's notification. This phase of research is also concluded. I need to rest well for a while and replenish my energy. The next phase of research won't be so easy."
Just as Sean finished speaking, sudden exclamations rang out from the spectator stands. Harry, who had just soared into the clouds chasing the Golden Snitch, was falling from mid-air, and accompanying Harry's fall, numerous Dementors flew out from the dark clouds, swooping toward the students in the stands!