A week's time passed in a flash. In the dim Potions professor's office, Sterling's eyes were covered with a layer of pink-purple mist.
His left hand extended above the unconscious Harry Potter, countless azure starlight pouring down from his fingertips.
"How is it?"
Snape held two bottles of potion. After Sterling withdrew the starlight covering Harry Potter's body, he poured it into the jar containing Harry, then sealed it.
"I have some ideas, but need to do this a few more times."
Sterling sensed several vague words transmitted by Scholar of Stars. He could actually piece together a "truth", but considering that a slight reversal of word order could cause problems, he decided to analyse the last few words first.
"If Dumbledore hadn't vouched for you, I definitely wouldn't allow you to do this."
Snape stepped forward to check the jar's seal, ensuring the potion could fully react with Harry.
"Each air circulation requires adding new potion components. If sealed, it only needs replacement every thirteen days."
Sterling couldn't help glancing at Snape's hair. Definitely not his imagination. The volume seemed slightly decreased and obviously more greasy. This potion was a new formula Snape had desperately created in the three days before Harry "collapsed".
Since Harry's condition was a new case, there were countless potions for maintaining vital signs in wizards who had lost autonomy. Snape could brew different ones daily without repetition, but whether Harry in his current magic-less state could still be defined as a wizard was unknown.
To let his fragile post-magic body withstand the potion's effects, Snape's eyes were red as a vampire's when he pulled out the recipe.
This potion's brewing method was also complex. Originally coming every dozen days was fine, but since Sterling suddenly said his magic had improved and he could try analysing Harry's condition, Snape basically did nothing but teach, eat, and brew potions.
"Very soon, Professor. Next time I'll get the complete answer."
After hurriedly bidding Snape farewell, Sterling pulled out paper and pen, writing down the information just obtained.
"Peace", "Voluntary", "Escape".
This paper also had many previously obtained words like "Black Mirror", "Queen", "Alchemy", and others.
Sterling infused "apple" knowledge into his magic power, transforming it into apple-flavoured starlight and reabsorbing it.
This was his newly developed Scholar Magic application, truly suited for "scholar" status.
Eating real food was time-consuming; transfiguring food had problems like dirtying books, occupying hands, needing digestion time, and other inconveniences.
Using Scholar Magic's "starlight bearing knowledge" effect achieved ultimate efficiency while satisfying spiritual enjoyment.
Starlight bearing apple knowledge, like magic power transfiguration, simultaneously possessed apple's taste and nutrition, avoided juice spillage from transfiguration realism, and saved time waiting for transformation completion. Completely self-sufficient internal circulation, absolutely perfect.
Sterling evaluated thus.
No need to eat meals? Suspiciously moving further down the non-human path.
Terry evaluated thus.
Just thinking of Terry, Sterling's chest badge lit up.
"Sterling, when can you cancel the active communication function on Robin's badge? It broadcasts to us every so often. We're right here in Utopia! Less than ten metres away!"
Hermione's dissatisfied voice also came through.
"If it hadn't suddenly sounded and distracted me, I was about to beat Ron!"
Oh, now Sterling's expression became serious.
Nearly achieving victory over Ron in Wizard's Chess? How unfortunate.
"Is Robin alright?"
"I wouldn't stoop to arguing with a pet."
Hermione's huffing voice came through, then Terry reclaimed his badge.
"Anyway, handle this. At least when most of us are in Utopia during the day, it won't feel lonely, right?"
Good point. Sterling nodded and snapped his fingers.
Feeling magic power return, ignoring the sudden sharp cry from the other side, Sterling decisively hung up.
Two days ago he had given Robin an identical badge, not a specially made new batch of alchemical items, but a masterpiece of Scholar of Stars.
Strangely, inexplicably, Sterling felt his Scholar Magic level had advanced by leaps and bounds recently. Just about a week, yet now approached "mastery" level.
Previously, only Hero Magic had jumped directly from ignorance to mastery under the "Witness of the Author's" influence. Even consistently practised Dragon Magic had just crossed the "proficiency" threshold.
Yet Scholar Magic...
Thanks to its mysterious effects, Sterling's greatest previous use was utilising "bearing knowledge" to force himself to remember his foster father's existence.
In mastery degree, he hadn't even touched "proficiency's" edge.
But now, at terrifying speed, it jumped to glimpsing "mastery's" threshold.
This made his diligent Dragon Magic practice seem foolish.
The ability originally limited to reading Harry's current state advanced to tracing entire event origins, a new capability gained after entering "proficiency".
Robin's badge two days ago was similar. Knowledge-bearing starlight could now form long-lasting alchemical items.
Sterling opened his left hand. Dancing starlight formed a slender knight's sword.
His right hand manifested the quill from "Witness of the Author", writing "sword" in the air, then catching the knight's sword that appeared from nothing.
One was Scholar Magic's product, and one was Hero Magic's product.
"Bearing knowledge" and "fantasy manifestation".
Though processes differed, both achieved identical results. Sterling tested both swords clashing; damage was equal, and there was no strength difference.
Differences lie in consumption and duration.
Knowledge-bearing starlight could be recycled, while fantasy-manifested things wouldn't return magic power even when disappearing.
Starlight-formed things couldn't exist forever. At most long-term, requiring Sterling's continuous knowledge recognition. His knowledge changes would affect item form.
Just now, he limited Robin's badge recognition to "ordinary badge". Other alchemical functions naturally disappeared.
Fantasy-manifested things would persist unless Sterling actively cancelled them, unaffected by Sterling himself after manifestation.
Sterling tossed both swords skyward. They naturally dissipated as if never existing.
Checking his pocket watch, Sterling continued toward Professor McGonagall's office. He hadn't had today's examination yet. The second heartbeat's morning and evening duration was increasingly long.
After Sterling's footsteps faded beyond hearing, Draco's head nervously emerged from the corner.
His complexion was much better than a week ago. The black tumour Voldemort had planted on his left forearm mysteriously disappeared while walking to the common room after confessing to Sterling.
Draco could hardly imagine what magic Sterling had used, so efficient and swift. Since that day, he had completely avoided Sterling, wishing to sit diagonally across classrooms during Ravenclaw-Slytherin joint classes.
"I shouldn't come to Professor Snape's office recently..."
Draco muttered.
Conjuring swords from thin air, clashing them twice, then making them disappear. Sterling seemed increasingly terrifying.