300 gems = 1 bonus chapter
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The first time Aiden set foot in Hogsmeade, the village was alive with color and noise. Wizards and witches bustled along the cobbled streets, laughter and conversation spilling out from the shops and pubs. The windows of Honeydukes gleamed with sweets, Zonko's was packed with pranksters, and the air itself seemed to hum with magic. Yet, Aiden barely spared the scene a glance. While most children would have been dazzled by the spectacle, his mind was already elsewhere, focused on the next step of his journey.
He slipped away from Bill's side, his thoughts turning inward. He needed to prepare for his advancement, and that meant gathering the right ingredients—no easy feat in a world where some things simply did not exist.
"Pathways System, list the ingredients for my advancement potion," he instructed silently, his eyes scanning the faces in the crowd.
A gentle chime echoed in his mind. "Main ingredients: the complete pituitary gland of an adult iridescent lizard dragon, ten milliliters of spinal fluid from a Falsman rabbit. Auxiliary ingredients: five grams of chestnut tree bud spores, eight grams of dragon tooth grass powder, three petals of pure white spirit flower, and one hundred milliliters of pure water."
Aiden frowned, weaving through a group of third-year Hogwarts students. "But the pituitary gland, spinal fluid, and spirit flower—those don't exist in this world, do they?"
The system replied, "The characteristic extraction function can be used. This system has calculated the following substitutions: extracting the pituitary gland of an African rainbow lizard and dragon blood can synthesize the iridescent lizard dragon's pituitary gland. Extracting the spinal fluid of a rabbit and hag feathers can synthesize Falsman rabbit's spinal fluid. Extracting dittany and gillyweed can synthesize pure white spirit flower."
So that's how it works, Aiden mused. The lizard dragon covers the sub-dragon component, the Falsman rabbit represents the half-spirit, and the spirit flower is for healing. It was a clever solution, and he felt a surge of anticipation. Now the potion was possible.
He tucked away his thoughts, glancing at Bill, who was peering longingly into the window of Honeydukes. Aiden smiled to himself and quickly thought up a way to send Bill on a little errand.
"Bill, could you go to Honeydukes and buy some sweets? And bring a few back for Ginny and the others," he said, pressing five Galleons into Bill's hand.
Bill blinked, surprised. "But aren't I supposed to help you buy potion ingredients?"
Aiden grinned, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Don't worry, I've already written out the list. I can handle it myself. Besides, it's not every day you get to visit Hogsmeade. Don't you want to try some new treats?"
Bill hesitated, torn between responsibility and temptation, but in the end, the promise of sweets won out. "All right, we'll meet at the entrance to Honeydukes," he said, already drifting toward the door.
With Bill distracted, Aiden strode confidently toward J. Pippin's Potions, his heart beating a little faster. The shop was tucked between a wizarding tailor and a shop selling enchanted quills. The bell above the door chimed as he entered, and the scent of herbs and old parchment filled the air.
"Welcome to J. Pippin's Potions!" called Jerome Pippin from behind the counter.
Aiden saw an elderly man with a thin frame, dressed in a slightly worn but spotlessly neat green robe. His white hair was tied back in a tidy ponytail, and his eyes sparkled with both gentleness and sharp intelligence.
"Hello, Mr. Pippin. I'd like to buy some potion ingredients. Here's my list. Oh, and in addition to those, I'll need a set of scales, a few glass bottles with corks, some dragon blood, and some gillyweed." As he spoke, Aiden subtly used his Audience ability to appear harmless and trustworthy.
Jerome scanned the list, his finger tracing the neat handwriting. "Most of these are for a simple scabies cure. What about the extras at the end?"
"They're for practicing potion improvement," Aiden replied smoothly, meeting the shopkeeper's gaze with practiced innocence.
Jerome chuckled, clearly amused. "You're a thoughtful young wizard. I'll gather your materials. Please wait a moment."
While Jerome disappeared into the storeroom, Aiden wandered the aisles, letting his fingers trail over the jars and vials. He marveled at the variety—powdered moonstone, dried billywig stings, and bundles of knotgrass. There was a quiet magic to potion-making, a sense of order and possibility that always soothed him.
A short while later, Jerome returned and set the neatly packaged ingredients on the counter. "Here you are, young man. That will be forty Galleons. Can you manage all this?"
"Of course, Mr. Pippin." Aiden paid for the supplies, his heart pounding with excitement as he carefully gathered the parcels.
When he returned to Honeydukes, Bill was still lost in the joy of sweets, arms full of packages and a smear of chocolate on his chin.
"Bill, it's time to head back. Did you get everything?" Aiden asked, amused by Bill's sugar-fueled daze.
"Yeah, let's use the fireplace at the Three Broomsticks," Bill replied, juggling his purchases.
The walk to the Three Broomsticks was filled with the sounds of laughter and the clinking of glasses from inside the pub. The old fireplace in the corner was already glowing with green flames. Bill tossed in a handful of Floo powder, called out "The Burrow!" and vanished. Aiden followed, stepping into the flames and feeling the familiar tug as the world spun around him.
*****
That afternoon, they arrived back at The Burrow. Bill was the first through the door. "Mum, we're home!"
Molly turned from her work, eyeing the Honeydukes packaging suspiciously. "Bill, didn't you go for potion ingredients? Why do you have all those sweets? Did you spend your brother's money?"
"No, Aunt Molly, those are just snacks. I wanted to share them with Ginny, Ron, and the others," Aiden explained quickly, sensing Molly's disapproval.
"Yes, Mum," Bill chimed in, eager to avoid trouble.
"All right, Bill, go share your sweets with your brothers and sister. I'll stay and watch Aiden make his potion," Molly said, waving Bill away.
Once Bill had left, Molly set a cauldron on the fire. "All right, Aiden, let's see your skills."
Aiden subtly used his Audience ability to nudge Molly's attention away from his more unusual ingredients. He began brewing the scabies potion, his hands steady and precise. With the audience's perfect control, he moved through each step methodically. The scent of herbs filled the kitchen, and the potion shimmered a gentle blue.
Molly watched, impressed. "What a skillful technique! The quality is excellent, Aiden. You really do have a talent for potions."
"Thank you, Aunt Molly," Aiden replied, pleased with her praise.
"Good work. That's enough practice for today. Go and play for a while. I need to clean the cauldron and then tackle the attic—the ghoul has been making a racket again," Molly muttered as she started tidying up.
"Aunt Molly, let me clean the cauldron. It's a good chance to practice spells," Aiden offered, seizing the opportunity.
"Spells? But I thought you didn't have a wand yet," Molly said, puzzled.
Aiden smiled. "I found one in the Prewett family vault. Watch." He cast a Scouring Charm, and the grease vanished from the table.
Molly blinked in surprise but tried to hide it. "Well, Aiden, that was beautifully done. All right, you can handle the cauldron."
Finally alone, Aiden quickly gathered his special ingredients and whispered, "Pathways System, extract and synthesize the required materials."
A soft chime answered, "Synthesis complete."
He steadied himself, using the audience's calm, and began preparing the Legilimens potion. He added pure water, ground chestnut bud spores into a fine powder, and combined them with dragon tooth grass, pure white spirit flower, the synthesized pituitary gland, and spinal fluid. With a wave of his wand, he infused the mixture with his spirituality.
To Aiden, brewing a Sequence potion felt like tossing spices into a cauldron—strange, yet somehow right. He finished the process, bottling the shimmering, seven-colored potion in a glass vial that sparkled in the afternoon sun.
At last, everything was ready for his advancement. But he knew not to rush. Caution was key.
He carefully cleaned the cauldron, extinguished the fire, and returned to his room with the potion in hand.
Outside, Ron, George, and Fred were still playing in the yard, their laughter drifting through the open window. Knowing he wouldn't be disturbed, Aiden closed the door and windows, sealing himself in.
He set the potion on his desk, watching the colors swirl in the glass. His heart pounded with anticipation, but he forced himself to wait, to be certain that every step had been followed and every precaution taken. The journey from ordinary boy to something more was never meant to be rushed.
He sat on the edge of his bed, listening to the distant sounds of the Burrow, and allowed himself a moment of quiet pride. He had come so far, and yet the real adventure was only just beginning.
Now, it was finally time for advancement.
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