Chapter 83: The Potion Monster
Harry was growing weary of the anticipation. His mind was constantly on the edge from the last three days as he waited for the final event of the first year to unfold. Like Quirrell, he too was biding his time, waiting for Dumbledore to leave the castle. That would be Quirrell's moment—the moment he would attempt to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry couldn't help but smirk at the thought of Voldemort's reaction when he discovers the fake stone in its place. And knowing his nature, he is bound to kill Quirrell then and there for failing.
As Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room with the group of first years, his thoughts were elsewhere. He was subtly manipulating his magical energy, stretching his awareness beyond the confines of the common room, silently keeping watch over the third-floor corridor. It was as if he was in two places at once: here, laughing and talking with everyone yet simultaneously patrolling the third floor corridor with his magical energy.
While maintaining both of these things simultaneously wasn't easy, Harry somehow managed, mainly due to his inherent sensitivity to magic and his past as a Chairman and a CEO.
As the chatter around him continued, Harry spotted Fred and George descending from their dormitory. Their eyes had dark circles and their faces showed how tired they were. Yet they still had their identical smirks on their faces which showed how pleased they were with their work.
Harry excused himself from the conversation and made his way towards the twins. The moment they saw him approach, the twins greeted him in unison.
"Harry, our favourite partner in crime!" Fred greeted.
"How's life treating the Boy Who Ate?" George added with a wink.
Harry chuckled. "Bored, but other than that everything is going well." he said. "How's the business going?"
Fred and George exchanged a smirk before Fred reached into their pouch and pulled out a piece of folded parchment. "Almost like a dream," he said as he handed the paper to Harry.
Harry unfolded the paper, scanning it quickly. He couldn't help as a smirk crept onto his face. The twins pranks have blasted through the roof. With orders pouring in masses, they have earned almost 1000 galleons in the past month alone. This was only by selling prank and joke items. The twins had received 10,000 galleons from Spudmore for the development of the Floating Fizzbees, which they were solely using for refining the fizzbees.
Harry was extremely pleased as he finished reading the parchment. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, knowing that the twins' hard work and ingenuity were paying off in ways even they hadn't imagined. Well Harry had imagined, but not the twins.
"This looks really good," Harry said with a proud smile, handing the parchment back to Fred. "Thousand galleons in a month is no small feat. You've outdone yourselves."
Fred and George grinned. George pulled out a pouch and handed it to Harry.
"This is your share for the past months Harry. A total of 637 galleons." Fred said.
Harry accepted the pouch this time.
"637 galleons?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "You two are making me rich," he joked.
Fred laughed, "Says the third richest wizard in the entire country."
Harry smirked, "Hey riches are built one galleon at a time."
Fred and George both laughed but agreed. The twins exchanged a look of shared gratitude, their playful demeanor softening for a moment. Fred spoke first, his voice a little more serious. "You know, Harry... we wouldn't be here without you. It's not just the gold—it's everything. Thanks for believing in us, mate."
George nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you didn't just invest in us, you believed in us when no one else did. We were just two blokes selling tricks and pranks in the common room. Now we're running an actual business."
Harry waved them off with a small smile. "Come on, why wouldn't I help my brothers? Don't keep mentioning it again and again. You're making me feel bad."
"Besides, this is just the start." Harry smirked. "Now that you've got this momentum, it's pretty much guaranteed you'll keep at least half of that as a steady income going forward, if not more. It's time to start thinking bigger—about opening up a proper shop."
The twins exchanged a glance, their faces betraying their emotions. "A shop?" George repeated.
Harry nodded. "Yes. During the summer holidays, the three of us can look for potential locations. Diagon Alley would be perfect for something like this, but any other location would work too, since everyone loves your items." He leaned in, lowering his voice. "And it just so happens that I've come across some unexpected money recently, so I'll be investing more into the business. We can set up a proper contract at Gringotts. It'll be a full-fledged business."
Fred blinked unable to react from the shock and excitement. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious," Harry replied. "We have seen that your prank items will really sell, so there is no need to keep dawdling about anymore."
George scratch the back of his head, "But... how do we run the shop, if we're stuck here at school?"
Harry grinned, already having thought it through. "You don't have to run the shop. Your dad could along with other staff that you hire."
Fred and George both froze, the color draining slightly from their faces at the thought of asking their father to quit his job at the Ministry.
"Ask... Dad?" Fred repeated, unsure about that.
"Why not?" Harry countered. "Think about it. You are making triple the amount your dad makes at the Ministry—in a single month, no less. He's been underpaid and overworked for years. This is your chance to give him something better."
George finally spoke, a slow grin forming. "You know, I think he'd actually love it. And Mum... she'd be thrilled if Dad wasn't having to deal with all that Ministry nonsense anymore."
Fred nodded slowly. "Yes, we could get him to manage the store, while we focus on developing more products."
Harry nodded. "Of course. Also you will have to hire salespersons to run the sales but that's something necessary and obvious."
George tilted his head, "You mentioned coming across some unexpected money. How much are we talking about?"
Harry gave a casual shrug. "Haven't counted it yet, but it's a lot." He couldn't exactly tell them that the money would come from gold, which he planned on making using the Sorcerer Stone. "But I'll invest a bit of it in the shop and your business. That said, I'm also planning to start another venture on the side, though it won't be like this business. More of a... program."
Fred raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A program? What kind of program?"
Harry smiled. "You'll know soon enough. It's still in the works."
Before Fred and George could pry further, Percy entered the common room. Spotting Harry, he walked straight over. "Harry, Professor Snape wants to see you. He said it's urgent."
Harry's eyes gleamed. Finally, Snape is likely calling him for the Potions Mastery exam. "Thanks, Percy," Harry said quickly.
Fred, George and Percy exchanged an amused look watching Harry's excitement.
"You almost look happy about being summoned by Snape, Harry," Fred smirked.
Harry smirked back. "It's not Snape I'm looking forward to. It's what comes next."
Before anyone could ask about it, Harry darted out of the common room. He couldn't wait to get his mastery done.
Harry ran until he reached the dungeons. Was he nervous? Heck no—why would he be? The Potion Mastery exam was merely another step in his plans. But boy was he excited. This was one of the crucial steps in his plan and he was very excited to get it done.
He reached Snape's office and knocked briskly before pushing the door open and entering. Snape was already there, seated behind his desk, waiting for him. And Snape was wearing very expensive robes from the looks of it.
"Ah, Harry," Snape greeted. "I assume you know why I called you?"
Harry grinned and stated. "The Potion Mastery exam."
Snape gave a nod, standing from his desk. "Correct. Your ambition is quite something, Harry," he said. "This exam will be difficult—even for you. But something tells me you relish a challenge."
Harry scoffed in his mind. Difficult? Yeah, right. He was carrying at least a thousand books on Potion in his mind. He would be surprised if the exam was even remotely complex, after that.
"You know me too well, Professor." He replied. It was not like he could say out loud what he was thinking.
Snape straightened his robes as he as he approached, "The exam will start in another hour and it will be rigorous. There are three stages."
Harry nodded, eager to hear the details.
"The first," Snape began, "is a practical test. You will be required to brew one of the most advanced and dangerous potions known to the wizarding world. There will be no instructions given to you. All the raw ingredients will be present and you will have to choose the ones used in that potion and execute the brew flawlessly."
Harry's eyes gleamed as a smirk crawled onto his face. This was easy since he knew all the recipes for every known potion not to mention all the unknown potions as well.
"The second part is written. The questions have been set by me and three other Potion Masters. Theoretical knowledge, ingredient lore, and advanced alchemical principles will all be covered."
Harry nodded, barely fazed. Snape noticed that Harry was not even shocked or nervous. His expression was only pure excitement.
"And lastly," Snape said with a subtle smile, "a verbal quiz. The examiners and I will question you directly—on everything from moral dilemmas related to potion-making, to theoretical applications, and political implications of certain concoctions. They will try to catch you off guard."
Harry nodded with a smile. "So it's more than just potions."
"Exactly," Snape confirmed. "It's about proving you're not just skilled, but worthy of the title. Potions Masters have influence, Harry. You'll need to show them why you deserve it."
Harry's smirk returned. "Oh, I intend to."
Snape couldn't help but smirk himself. This eleven year old boy is going to turn the magical world upside down today.
Harry leaned back slightly. "Where will the exam be held?" he asked.
Snape folded his arms, "The Great Hall has been prepared for the event. The examiners are already here, making final arrangements."
Harry nodded. "Will the other Professors be there too?"
Snape replied, "No, apart from Dumbledore and some reporters, no other Professor will be there. The Great Hall will be closed off the entire duration of the exam."
Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Should I head there now, or wait until the allotted time?"
Snape gave a rare smile. "You should wait. We still have time before the exam begins. If you want, I could assist you with some last-minute revisions. It might help."
Harry chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Thanks, Professor, but that won't be necessary. I'm confident I'll breeze through it."
Snape raised an eyebrow, but there was no trace of disappointment. In fact, Harry's confidence seemed to amuse him. "Very well," Snape said. "Though I should remind you that confidence and arrogance are close cousins."
Harry smirked in response. "And I should remind you, Professor, that I've never confused the two."
Snape adjusted his robes and added, "But remember, the Potion Masters you'll be facing won't be as fond of you as I am."
Harry's grin widened. "Good. I just hope they are up to the task."
Snape was momentarily taken aback by Harry's response. It was almost as if Harry was the one testing the Potion Masters, not the other way around. But then again, considering Harry's potion knowledge—which had made even Snape jealous on more than one occasion—it seemed perfectly well placed confidence.
Snape cleared his throat, "Very well, Harry. You should leave now. I must head to the Great Hall to make final arrangements with the other Potion Masters."
Harry nodded. "Of course, sir. I'll see you there."
With that, Harry turned and left Snape's office, making his way back to the Gryffindor Tower. On his way, he overheard students whispering among their friends, trying to figure out why the Great Hall was closed. None of them had any idea on what was going on, and Harry preferred it that way. For now, at least. Because the moment, the news gets published everything will be in chaos, so Harry hoped that they will not publish the news until he had reached home.
As he stepped through the portrait hole into the common room, Harry headed straight to the dormitory. If there are going to be reporters as Snape had told him, then he needed to look his best. After all appearances mattered when you were planning to build influence.
Harry took a long shower, where he fine-tuned his plans after getting the Potion Master title. After the shower, Harry changed into his finest robes. They were custom-made for him, a gift from Petunia on Christmas. The robes were a deep, rich emerald green with subtle silver embroidery running along the edges. The fabric had a layer of emerald crystals embedded into it. The cuffs were embroidered with intricate patters with grinded Moonstone, and a small , silvery brooch shaped like a phoenix pinned the robe together at his chest.
Harry looked at himself in the mirror. Satisfied with his appearance, Harry headed downstairs, where everyone eyed him. As Harry descended into the common room, all conversations stopped. Every eye in the room seemed to lock on him. The subtle shimmer of the emerald crystals embedded in his robes caught their attention.
The girls, especially, couldn't take their eyes off him. Some whispered among themselves, giggling or staring in awe, while others simply gawked. There was a lot of muttering and whispering as Harry made his way out of the common room. Without stopping, he briskly walked through the halls, every student he passed glanced his way. Some even stopped in their tracks, doing a double-take as they registered him.
Upon reaching the Great Hall, he paused for a moment before pushing the doors open and heading inside. The doors closed themselves behind him.
The Hall looked completely different. The long tables had been removed to the sides, leaving the center clear. In the middle of the room, there was a long table set up, with various potion-making tools and an array of raw materials spread across it.
Along with Professor Snape, there stood three other Potion Masters. Dumbledore and three reporters. The reporters stood behind quietly and only took a single photo of Harry. Harry raised an eyebrow at this; it seemed almost too orderly for reporters, but he suspected that Dumbledore or the Potion Masters had told them beforehand.
As Harry approached, he saw Dumbledore's twinkling eyes smiling at him, with almost a grandfatherly pride. Snape stepped forward first, nodding slightly, "Potter, allow me to introduce the Potion Masters who will be over seeing your exam."
The first, a tall witch with silver-streaked hair and piercing blue eyes, stepped forward. "My name is Bartha Gromer. I attained my Potion Mastery at the age of 29. I'm looking forward to seeing your capabilities, Mr. Potter."
Harry gave her a respectful nod.
Next, a burly man with wild, salt-and-pepper hair stepped up. His voice was deep. "Garrick Gromer. I attained my Potion Mastery at the age of 31 and have been a Master for nearly three decades now. I'll be overseeing your exam."
Harry smiled, so they were married. Thats nice.
The next person who stepped forward was a younger man, probably in his late twenties. "Vaelron Vivyan. I attained my Potion Mastery at the age of 26, last year. I too will be testing your knowledge, Mr. Potter," he said with a smile.
Harry smiled back and gave a respectful nod. Then Snape stepped forward. "Severus Snape. I attained my Potion Mastery at the age of 17 and I too will be overseeing your exam, Potter."
Harry smirked. "Of course, sir." He then glanced at the assembled Potion Masters and cleared his throat. "My name is Harry Potter," he began. "son of the Potter household and I am 11 years old."
The room fell silent for a beat, as the Potion Masters exchanged stunned looks. Bartha Breindel's brow furrowed, her eyes flicking to Snape for confirmation. Garrick Gromer's arms crossed tightly, his expression now one of disbelief. Vaelron Vivyan looked openly bewildered.
"Eleven?" Vaelron repeated, glancing at Snape.
Gromer grunted, "This is a joke, right? An 11-year-old attempting the Potion Mastery?"
Snape standing next to them, gave a slow nod. "I assure you, there is no mistake. The exam was set for Mr. Potter."
The masters still appeared taken aback but said nothing more. Before anyone could speak again, Dumbledore, who had been standing quietly at the side, stepped forward.
"I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and as the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, I am here as a witness to this exam." He smiled at Harry. "Good luck, Harry. I have no doubt you will do splendidly."
Harry returned the smile. "Thank you, Professor."
The Potion Masters huddled together, quietly murmuring amongst themselves. After a few minutes, Barth Breindel spoke on their behalf. "Mr. Potter, in all the years this exam has been administerd, no candidate so young has ever attempted it. As such we are at a loss on how to proceed."
Harry smiled at her. "I understand. However, I believe age is just a number and what is necessary is the skill. As such you're free to test my skills in any way you see fit, ma'am."
The three Masters exchanged approving glances.
"Very well," Vaelron said with a smile. "Let us see how far you can truly go."
They turned back to one another discussing which potion to assign to Harry. After several minutes of discussion, the Potion Masters turned back to Harry.
Gromer spoke first. "We've come to a bit of disagreement, Mr. Potter," he said with a trace of amusement in his voice. "It seems that each of us has a different potion in mind when it comes to testing your skills and we can't seem to agree on a single one. So we've decided that you should choose which one to brew."
Harry nodded and asked politely. "What are my options?"
Gromer let out a gruff chuckle. "For me, the Titan's Vigor would be the true test of your abilities. It enhances a persons physical attributes far beyond the normal limits for a set period. But it's an unstable potion, and only someone with exceptional control can safely brew it without it exploding."
Bartha stepped forward, "Oh please, Gromer. The Potion of Absolute Healing is better for the testing. The potion can heal any injury—whether internal or external—and can even reattach severed body parts. Only a potion like that should be used for this situation."
"Shut up, old hag," Gromer shot back, rolling his eyes. "Potions is more than just healing potions. It's about power, and Titan's Vigor gives you that!"
"Who are you calling an old hag, you stupid ogre?" Barth retorted, hands on her hips. "Maybe if you spent less time flexing in front of the mirror and more in the lab, you'd appreciate the art of a good healing potion."
"Flexing?" Gromer shot back, rolling his eyes. "Maybe you've forgotten, but I'm the one who fixes things around here—while you're off stirring up ointments for scraped knees."
Bartha didn't miss a beat. "Oh, please. The last time you 'fixed' something, you almost blew up the kitchen. You're lucky I saved your sorry hide with that antidote!"
Vaelron interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "Um, perhaps we should focus—"
Gromer dismissed him with a wave. "And what do you propose? The Venom of Vritra? That's just a flashy poison for the theatrics! It's deadly, sure, but what's the point if you can't even heal your friends afterward?"
Vaelron frowned. "It's a matter of precision, Gromer. A single miscalculation, and we all could be in trouble. Not that you'd know anything about precision with your brute force approach.
Snape who had been observing quietly stepped forward. "The Lethalis Vitriol is the ultimate challenge. A potion that, when consumed, causes the body to turn into a living poison. It spreads through the drinker's body making it toxic to anyone near them. The effects are irreversible and can poison this entire area if mishandled. It's said that only one Potion Master successfully brewed it in the last century."
Gromer raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious? Lethalis Vitriol? That's a gamble even for seasoned masters. Are we throwing the young lad into that kind of risk?"
Bartha nodded in agreement. "The ogre is right for once. We are not looking to make him a martyr."
Gromer snapped back. "Once? Are you calling me stupid, you old hag?"
Bartha smirked, her hands still on her hips. "I'm not calling you stupid, Gromer; just chronically misguided. A little wisdom might help your potion-making skills."
"Wisdom?" Gromer laughed, shaking his head. "Is that what you call your endless chatter? Why don't you put that mouth of yours to work on a potion that doesn't involve slathering ointment on boo-boos?
"Perhaps if you actually listened instead of flexing your muscles, you'd learn a thing or two about real potion mastery!" Bartha shot back.
Vaelron finally snapped. "Why don't you old married fools, just keep your banter to you home?"
Gromer crossed his arms. "Married fools, huh? Well, at least she hasn't poisoned me... yet."
Bartha shot him a sidelong glare. "Oh, believe me, the temptation's there every time you snore through a potion lecture."
Gromer raised his hands defensively. "See? She's already plotting."
Vaelron sighed deeply, clearly regretting his earlier outburst. "For the love of Merlin, this is a potions exam, not your dining room."
Before anyone else could start again, Snape's cold voice interrupted. "Enough of this domestic dispute. If you two wish to continue bickering, perhaps you should consider opening a marriage counseling service. Otherwise, focus on the task at hand."
Bartha waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry, Severus. Gromer knows he'd lose that battle too."
Gromer grumbled, "One of these days, Bartha, one of these days..."
Snape sighed. "Children," he muttered under his breath, clearly done with the couple's antics.
Harry, now thoroughly amused, tried to keep a straight face. "So... about the potions?"
Bartha smiled warmly at Harry, giving Gromer a playful elbow. "Yes, dear. The potions. But remember, healing potions should never be underestimated."
Harry's chuckled, causing the group to be startled. "Looks like I'm in a bit of a pinch now. I really wanted each of you to gauge my abilities properly, but I never expected this..."
He paused and looked at each of the Potion Master before continuing. The next words that came out of Harry's mouth threw the group into chaos.
"I'll brew all four." He said with a smirk.
Dumbledore's normally twinkling eyes widened in genuine surprise. Gromer's arms dropped. Bartha stared at Harry as if he had just lost his mind, even Vaelron took a step back with his mouth hanging wide open. The reporters who had been scribbling on their parchments, stopped and gawked at Harry.
"You can't be serious," Gromer mutter, glancing at Dumbledore as if hoping for the headmaster to intervene.
Dumbledore looked concerned. "Harry, attempting all four of these potions simultaneously is incredibly dangerous."
Harry's grin widened. "I know Professor. But wouldn't succeeding show that my skills are that great."
Snape, unlike the others had no expressions on his face, only a glint of approval in his eyes. Harry was nothing ordinary and now the others would see it too.
The Potion Masters exchanged unsure glances, but seeing Harry's confidence, they went ahead and allowed Harry to do it.
Harry approached the brewing station, his eyes sharp with determination. He quickly set up four cauldrons on the brewing station in almost a semi-circle in front of him. His hands moved with purpose, arranging ingredients for each potion with precision. His calmness on his face with that small smile was almost unsettling for the Potion Masters.
First he started with the Potion of Absolute Healing. His hands almost glided over the ingredients as he measured and sliced, ensuring precise cuts of bloodroot and powdered griffin claws. His movements were fluid, as if he had done it thousand times before.
Bartha couldn't believe her eyes as Harry cut the bloodroot into thin slices. She leaned closer to Gromer and whispered, "That's impossible… His knife skills alone are advanced beyond his years."
Harry then added ground mandrake roots and salamander blood in perfect proportions to the second cauldron. The one that would be the Titan's Vigor. And at the exact same time, he used wandless magic to drop a vial of Naga venom in the last cauldron, the one that will be the Lethalis Vitrol.
The wandless magic shocked the Potion Masters even more. Their mouths were hanging open as they witnessed Harry's movements. Then he adjusted the flames of the third cauldron to high and added ashwinder eggs to the second cauldron. He used wandless magic to stir the first cauldron while he added shredded shadowshroom and Naga venom to the third cauldron, which will be the Venom of Vritra.
This continued for hours, Harry using wandless magic to either stir or add ingredients to the cauldrons while he prepared other ingredients. It was almost as if there were four Harry, who were each working on one potion with their full attention. At last, each of the potions only had a single ingredient to be added and all of them needed to be stirred.
Harry added three drops of gillyweed essense to the Potion of Absolute Healing while adding snake venom to the Venom of Vitriol, seven drops of Phoenix tears to the Titans Vigor, and two drops of Basilisk Venom to the Lethalis Vitriol using magic. He then proceeds to stir Lethalis Vitriol by hand and all the other cauldrons using magic.
The Potion of Absolute Healing was done after the sixth stir, as the potion turned a clear golden liquidignaling its completion, Bartha let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "That… That's perfect," she whispered in disbelief.
The Titan's Vigor was done after the ninth stir, as the potion turned a vibrant crimson—the exact hue it was supposed to. Gromer had no words and could only stare at Harry with his mouth open.
The Venom of Vritra was completed after the fifth stir, turning an inky black color, signaling its completion. Vaelron had a stupid grin pasted on his face, one that almost showed his disbelief and awe. "Bloody hell..."
As for the Letharis Vitriol, Harry continued stirring till the twelfth stir and added Phoenix feather ash and stirred once more and then added a counter-clockwise stir. He then smiled as the cauldron hissed and the potion turned transparent and purple.
Harry wiped his hands and looked up from the four simmering cauldrons, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "All done," he said.
The Potion Masters stood frozen in place, their eyes locked on the cauldrons. Dumbledore, who had been watching from the side, adjusted his glasses, and for the first time in perhaps forever, there was surprise evident on his face.
It was Vaelron who finally broke the silence. "He's not a Potion Master..." He let out a disbelieving chuckle. "He's a bloody potion-brewing monster."
Harry chuckled at the comment. It was truly a fun exam. He had never been challenged this way and it was refreshing.
"It was fun actually," he said with a smile. "I've never brewed four potions as once before. It was quite the challenge."
The color drained from all the Potion Master's faces. They couldn't believe what they had just witnessed and moreover it was Harrys first time brewing four potions at once. But from what they had seen it looked like he had done this thousands of times before. Everyone in the room had just one word in their mind. A Monster. Harry Potter was not a prodigy, he was a monster.
Harry looked at them, and he couldn't help but smile at their pale faces. "Well then, shall we move on to the theory and the quiz?"
Bartha snorted, shaking her head. "Quiz? Theory? After what you've just done?" She exchanged incredulous looks with the other Potion Masters. "If we had the audacity to test your theoretical knowledge after witnessing this, we'd be fools." She glanced at the others for support.
Vaelron nodded quickly, his voice a little shaky. "Indeed. After what we've just seen, there's no need. If you don't deserve to be called a Potion Master, then we're not even worthy of the title 'Apprentice.'" Gromer simply nodded, still too stunned to form words.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You've been planning this for a while, right?" he asked.
"Positive," Vaelron replied without hesitation. "There's nothing we can quiz you on that would add to what you've already shown us."
Harry's smile grew, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well then, I guess that settles it. Looks like I'm a Potion Master now." He said with a smirk.
The Potion Masters exchanged glances, still processing what they had witnessed. They had expected difficulty, maybe even hoped for a challenge that would trip the young boy, but this... this was beyond what they had imagined. To brew not one, but four of the most complex potions known to wizardkind, simultaneously and flawlessly—it was unheard of.
Harry eyed the fourth cauldron with the transparent purple potion. Well he did know why the potion masters had been failing to brew that potion.
"You know," Harry began, "Letharis Vitriol isn't a difficult potion contrary to popular belief. The real problem is that the circulating recipe for it is flawed. That's why so many have failed."
Bartha blinked, her mouth opening in astonishment. "Flawed?" she echoed, stepping closer. Even Snape had disbelief plastered on his face.
Harry nodded. "Yes. The circulating recipe is incomplete. It misses two crucial steps, which is why no one has been able to brew it successfully—well except for that one Potion Master last century who got his hands on the full recipe."
Bartha could only stare, wide eyed. "But it's been considered one of the most complex potions known to wizarding world. The most talented Potion Masters have failed, and you're telling us the recipe was simply wrong?"
Harry shrugged. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Contrary to the circulating recipe, the potion needs thirteen clockwise stirs and one counter-clockwise stir. And also you have to add Phoenix feather ash between the twelfth and thirteenth stir."
He gestured to the purple liquid in the cauldron. "You see, without the phoenix feather ash between the twelfth and thirteenth stir, the potion doesn't stabilize and becomes volatile."
Vaelron took a tentative step forward, his gaze flicking between the cauldron and Harry. "But... no one has ever mentioned that," he muttered. "Every copy of the recipe lists twelve stirs."
Harry chuckled lightly. "That's because the person who wrote the original recipe forgot to include it. A simple error, but one that's cost hundreds of attempts." He had a thoughtful look on his face. "Honestly, I'm surprised no one noticed sooner."
The Potion Masters were at a complete loss. Gromer ran a hand through his hair, his face pale. "You're telling us... that all these years..."
Harry gave a slight nod. "Yep. All these years, no one's brewed Letharis Vitriol successfully because of a missing line in the recipe. It's not that it's impossible, it's that people have been following a flawed set of instructions.
Bartha, her face pale, glanced at the cauldron in disbelief. "And you figured this out... on your first try?"
"Oh no. Its not my first time." Harry admitted with a grin. "I have run 5 simulations in my head and only managed to figure out in the fifth simulation."
The Potion Masters froze for a moment, stunned. Simulating potion-making in one's mind was a known method, yes. But Letharis Vitriol was a potion so complex that even running through countless theoretical variations couldn't track its secret. Yet this eleven-year-old had done it in five tries—something that had baffled the greatest minds for generations. The sheer weight of what Harry had just said slowly settled on their faces.
Dumbledore who was standing to the side couldn't help smile to himself. As far as he was concerned, Harry Potter had just redefined what it meant to be a prodigy.
Bartha sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, Mr. Potter... I think that's more than enough excitement for one day. You're free to go."
Gromer added, "Yes, you've more than proven yourself, Mr. Potter. I think we've had enough surprises."
Harry nodded with a smile. As he cleared the table, he asked politely. "Before I leave, could I take some of the leftover basilisk fang and venom?"
The Potion Masters blinked at the request. Vaelron simply nodded. "Uh... sure, go ahead."
Dumbledore raised a curious brow. "What do you intend to use it for, harry?" he asked.
Harry chuckled. "Oh I don't know yet, but I can experiment various things with it."
Dumbledore nodded with a smile, "Please ensure that no one else comes in contact with the venom, Harry."
Harry nodded, "Of course, Professor."
After a brief interview with the reporters Harry left the hall. During the interview he had made sure to tell the reporters that they should release the news after the term had ended at school for which he promised them some exclusive scoop as payment. As Harry left the hall, little did he know that he had just sent the potion society into chaos, with his emergence as the youngest Potion Master and the fact that he had solved the mystery of Letharis Vitriol.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Alsiel_A
Alsiel_A The First Year will end in the next two chapters. Thank you for reading so far. Hope you liked it.
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