บท 46: Chapter 46: Lockhart Gets Mocked
Saturday, Snape's office.
Lockhart looked around the dimly lit office, frowning slightly. He then examined the numerous solid wood shelves lining the walls, filled with large glass jars containing various specimens.
"Salamander guts."
"Fire dragon eyes."
"Hippogriff tongue."
Although Lockhart had read many books about potion ingredients recently, identifying the items in Snape's office proved difficult.
"Don't bother identifying them. With your current knowledge, it's difficult to recognize them all," Snape's mocking tone reached his ears, but Lockhart ignored it. He turned around, walked to the middle of the room, squatted down, and observed the orange flames and the hot steam emanating from a pot where a potion was boiling.
Lockhart noticed a slightly yellowish, creamy mass in the cauldron. Curiously, he asked Snape, "How many bottles of truth potion can this pot make?"
Snape, who was sorting materials, glanced at it indifferently and replied, "This pot can make about five bottles. Generally, three drops are enough for a wizard, so five bottles are enough for around sixty uses."
Lockhart nodded slowly, stood up, and continued to examine Snape's office with interest. He was particularly intrigued by the bookshelf on the right side, filled with potion-related books.
"Can I read 'A Brief Analysis of Advanced Potion Technology'?" Lockhart pointed to a book on the shelf and asked Snape.
"No," Snape replied flatly. "With your current level of potion knowledge, you won't understand it. It's a waste of time."
Faced with the ridicule, Lockhart waved his hand helplessly and said nothing.
"Just sit still and wait ten minutes for the truth potion to be ready. Then take your potion and leave," Snape said coldly, noticing Lockhart's wandering gaze.
Despite Lockhart's desire for a special potion, Snape didn't care. He realized from Lockhart's potion list that Lockhart wanted a potion banned by the Ministry of Magic. Snape still had some potions on hand, such as Polyjuice Potion, and others, like the truth potion, needed refining.
Soon, the truth potion was finished. Snape carefully packed it and put the rest into a space bag. He handed it to Lockhart and asked him to leave.
Grateful for Snape's assistance, Lockhart thanked him and left the office. As he held the small space bag, he couldn't help but feel anxious about the thousands of gold galleons he owed. He had spent more than half of his funds on potions last time and was now relying on his royalties.
Lockhart felt a little anxious but more at ease with the space bag in hand. He hoped to gain enough in the Marvel world to establish a stable income channel and make a lot of money. Some ideas had already emerged in his mind. He needed galleons to promote a new magic system and distribute various magic amulets. Although there was a lot of initial investment, the benefits would be huge.
Today was Sunday, and the young wizards had the day off. Third years and above could go to Hogsmeade, while first and second years stayed at Hogwarts. Many enjoyed the Black Lake, especially at sunset when the lake seemed covered with a golden coat.
Hermione had to visit Professor Lockhart's office to revise her paper. She had revised it countless times, always feeling some parts were not profound enough. Unlike previous teachers' assignments, Lockhart's task involved elaborating on a thinking concept, leading her to new ideas.
Lockhart had summarized his philosophy as "Control Input," a concept he had accumulated over more than twenty years in his previous life. It was a way of thinking that made him successful in his research projects. He followed this concept even in the Harry Potter and Marvel worlds.
PS: To help you understand the concept of "Control Input," it originates from Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt, who created the Theory of Constraints (TOC). This powerful management theory is believed in by the world's richest men, like Jeff Bezos and Amancio Ortega. Bezos requires executives to read books on TOC before joining Amazon. The concept of control input comes from a question posed to Goldratt: "If you condense the essence of your thoughts into one sentence, what would it be?" Goldratt's reply was: "Control the feeding!" Controlling feeding means controlling input. This concept will be slowly integrated into the protagonist's behavior.
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