Luke carefully examined the seven intensely hot snake eggs laid by the fire snake. He moved them to his test bench, aware that these "fire eggs" were essentially live bombs that could easily ignite the entire room if mishandled. The mother snake, seemingly having fulfilled her duty, slithered back into the fireplace to recover her energy without a backward glance.
Luke felt a pang of apprehension, realizing he might have created more trouble than it was worth. The fire lizards, at least, were confined to flames and posed little threat. But these fire snakes could venture out for an hour and lay scorching eggs, making them mobile fire hazards. He worried they might burn down his painstakingly built castle if left unwatched. Yet, now that they were born, destroying them was out of the question.
He waved his hand, casting a freezing spell to put one of the eggs into a state of dormancy. He suspected these fire snake eggs might be similar to the Ashwinder eggs from the magical world, which were valuable potion ingredients for concoctions like love potions, Wiggenweld Potion, or Felix Felicis. He wanted to test if these could be a viable substitute.
The remaining six eggs spontaneously burst into flames, and from their fiery embrace, six slender, ash-white snakes hatched. They instinctively swallowed the surrounding flames, leaving trails of ash as they slithered towards the nearest heat source. Three crawled over to the mother snake, settling comfortably in the warmth. However, the mother, devoid of maternal instinct, glared at them as if they were invading her territory. She tried to drive them away.
The other three young snakes made a beeline for the fire lizards' fireplace, not only interrupting the lizards' "activities" but also pushing them to the very edge of the flames, where they huddled pitifully. Then, the little snakes began to squabble amongst themselves, each trying to claim a patch of fire. Luke sighed, a headache brewing.
He quickly summoned six new flames, distributing them to the newborn snakes to prevent them from harming each other. He realized he needed a dedicated, enclosed space for these creatures. Allowing them to roam freely would endanger his castle, and if they escaped, the nearby Hogsmeade village and surrounding woods would be at risk. To prevent any accidents, Luke found an empty, fireproof room.
After expanding it with the Undetectable Extension Charm, he installed over a dozen small fireplaces along the walls. He arranged the mother snake and her six offspring there. The two fire lizards, less of a threat since they died quickly outside of flames, were left in the main fireplace, serving as unique, living decorations.
Having experimented with the Luke's Heart fragments and the fire demon's blood to create fire lizards and fire snakes, Luke decided to pause these animal trials. He understood that the fragments were the primary catalyst for transforming ordinary creatures into magical ones, with the blood acting as an enhancer. Both were limited resources, and he couldn't afford to waste them on further animal experiments. He planned to save them for more significant future applications.
With the experiments on hold, Luke shifted his focus to another pressing matter: the petrified underwater watcher that remained dormant in his space box. Leaving it in stasis served no purpose. He decided it was time to create a recovery potion to restore and subdue it.
He made his way to the herb garden, specifically the room where the King's Grass grew. Stepping inside, he was met with warm, humid air. The room felt like a small, self-contained world, with an endless blue ceiling dotted with clouds and bright sunshine. Small hills covered the ground, intersected by a clear stream that flowed into a small lake. King's Grass, once a mere few hundred plants, now thrived like wildflowers, their pure white blossoms filling the air with a sweet, comforting fragrance.
A portion of this King's Grass had been transplanted to his outdoor garden, where, thanks to the presence of a Holy White Tree, it flourished even in Weathertop Peak's unsuitable climate. It was no longer a rare herb, and Luke often instructed his steward, Edward, to provide it to villagers seeking remedies for serious illnesses. However, Luke's current quest wasn't for King's Grass.
He walked to the lake, which teemed with goldenberries and water lilies gifted by Tom. The water lilies, from the Willow River, carried the blessings of a river spirit, while the goldenberries possessed healing properties even more potent than King's Grass. He circled the lake to the other side, where a dozen broad-leaved plants stirred on the grass. Their roots were buried, forming a circular pattern, as if whispering secrets to the earth. Sensing his presence, most fell silent, feigning stillness, but a few yanked themselves from the soil and scuttled away on tiny roots. These were Mandrakes.
Luke eyed the fastest-fleeing Mandrake, raising his hand to levitate it. "You're running so fast; it must be you!" The Mandrake twisted and shrieked in protest, a deadly, ear-splitting sound. But Luke had already cast a Silencing Charm. Ignoring its cries, he used a syringe to extract its green sap until he had enough.
He then tossed the now-weak and whimpering Mandrake back to the ground. Typically, a recovery potion required the entire Mandrake root, but guided by Professor Snape's potion notes and his own idea of sustainable harvesting, he had opted for sap extraction. The relieved Mandrake promptly burrowed into the nearby bushes and vanished.
Luke left the room and headed to his potion lab. Days flew by, and when the recovery potion in his crucible was finally ready, a satisfied smile spread across his face. Thanks to Snape's meticulous notes, his first attempt at the recovery potion was a complete success, achieving perfect consistency.
He poured the potion into several glass bottles, keeping one for the petrified underwater watcher and refrigerating the rest. Recovery potions weren't just for petrification; they could also reverse transfiguration spells or undo the effects of dark curses. It was always good to have extras on hand.
Carrying a bottle of the potion, Luke entered the space box where the underwater watcher was stored. He approached the colossal, stone-like octopus and poured the entire bottle directly into its massive mouth.
As the potion took effect, the watcher's petrified surface gradually transformed from gray back to dark green, and its rigid tentacles began to writhe. Even the tentacles severed by his Divine Edge Shadowless Curse slowly started to regenerate, now free of lingering dark magic.
Regaining consciousness, the underwater watcher spotted Luke and angrily lashed out with a giant tentacle. Luke remained calm. A flick of his wand unleashed Fiendfyre, which instantly incinerated the attacking tentacle.
The flames expanded rapidly, filling the entire space within the box, transforming it into a fiery realm. Luke stood unharmed amidst the inferno, the sentient flames obediently swirling around him, making him appear like a king of fire.
The watcher, however, shrieked in pain as the Fiendfyre engulfed it. Had Luke not been controlling the flames, it would have been reduced to ash by now. The intense heat caused it immense suffering, making it feel as though it would be consumed at any second. Yet, astonishingly, despite its agony, there were no visible burn marks on its surface.
Luke watched the water watcher coldly. When it was nearing its breaking point, he gestured for the Fiendfyre to recede, but the flames still glowed fiercely, ready to strike again. "I know you can understand me!" Luke stated coldly. "I can forgive your previous offense, but you must submit to me! Otherwise, these flames will slowly consume you—first your tentacles, then your skin, internal organs, bones, and finally your consciousness. Choose now!"
The Fiendfyre seemed to cooperate with his threat, condensing into monstrous shapes—dragons, basilisks, and even images of the fire demon, the Luke—all staring with violent, greedy eyes, poised to strike. The water watcher recoiled in horror, its tentacles huddled together, terrified of contact with the flames.
Fear and hesitation filled its eyes as Luke's threat echoed in its mind. But as the scorching heat crept closer, the primal instinct for survival took over, and just as the flames were about to touch it, it hurriedly nodded. The Fiendfyre reluctantly retreated, as if disappointed it couldn't devour its prey.
Luke waved his wand, and a drop of blue blood lifted from the water watcher, floating between them. Luke then drew a drop of his own blood and cast a spell. The two drops merged, forming a swirling red and blue bead, which Luke then guided into the octopus's mouth.
Once inside, the bead dissolved into its body, spreading through its blood vessels and forming an invisible, powerful bond. Under the continued menace of the Fiendfyre, the octopus dared not resist and meekly complied. This was a variation of the Blood Oath, similar to the one he had used on the basilisk, ensuring the octopus's unconditional obedience and preventing it from ever harming him.
After the binding ritual was complete, Luke fully dispelled the Fiendfyre. "From today on, you are no longer the Water Watcher. You are Kraken, my pet." The colossal octopus, now named Kraken, bowed obediently to Luke, signifying its complete submission.