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"It's okay, it's okay. These two tasks may seem outrageous at first glance, but in fact, if you really want to execute them..."
Root paused.
Although they were indeed outrageous, they weren't completely impossible to accomplish.
For example, the first refinement task was nothing more than using the Killing Curse on the same target forty-four times. Simple.
The second one was a refinement task related to the Transfiguration Spell—it required him to use the spell on Professor McGonagall just once.
"Next time when I discuss the Transfiguration Spell with Professor McGonagall, I can just say that I want to practice it in a real scenario and use the spell on her. That way, even if I use the Transfiguration Spell on Professor McGonagall, it won't be too abrupt."
Root sighed slightly.
These two tasks were neither too difficult nor too easy—it all depended on how he handled them.
"The refined characteristic of the Life-Taking Curse—Slaughtering Will and Burning Heaven. Just from the name, it's hard to tell what kind of ability it is."
"But the refined feature of the Transfiguration Spell—instantaneous transformation without lag—seems much easier to understand. It should allow me to cast the spell instantly and make the transformation process smoother, right?"
That feature alone made the cost worthwhile.
After all, wizards usually had to study tirelessly to enhance the power or effects of a spell. But now, with just a little money and a few well-planned tasks, he could refine spells with entirely new characteristics.
It was an ability that countless wizards would give anything for—an ability they might even risk their lives to obtain.
Root thought about it, convinced himself, and felt a bit relieved.
Of course, with these two refinement tasks as a foundation, Root didn't plan to attempt refining any other spells.
Not because he found the costs too high or the tasks too weird.
He wasn't stingy.
But his Galleons had other uses.
For example, he needed to purchase an enormous amount of expensive potion ingredients and various other materials.
There was no way he could spend all 90,000 Galleons on refining spells just to give them additional features.
It had taken him years to save up this fortune—barely reaching 100,000 Galleons!
To get to this point, he had even forced his parents to quit their jobs. And to ensure they didn't slack off in making money, he wrote them letters day and night, supervising them.
At the same time, he had to give them advice, strategize ways to increase their wealth, and solve the financial difficulties they encountered. After all, a large portion of the money his parents earned ended up in his pocket.
So he had no choice but to help them out.
"Oh, it's so hard for me." Root sighed.
Just then, the dormitory door opened, and Ron walked in.
After greeting him, Root put aside his concerns about the refinement tasks.
He took out a sheet of letter paper and began thinking about how to help his parents double their existing funds.
By the time he finished writing, it was already quite late. Harry had returned to the dormitory and was chatting with Ron.
Root planned to ask Luna to mail the letter the next day. Then, he simply brushed his teeth and cleaned himself up before going to bed.
This time, he didn't transform his wizard robes into pajamas.
Each transformation cost one hundred Galleons. That might not seem like much, but if he did it ten times, it would cost a thousand.
By avoiding unnecessary expenses, he could take on an additional refinement task.
No matter how bizarre the task was, it meant that his advanced spells would gain new magical properties!
The Next Day
After sending the letter, Root resumed learning counter-spells for the Dark Arts from Professor Flitwick.
Time passed quickly.
The Christmas holiday was almost over.
Seamus, Neville, and the others had returned to school.
Hermione didn't return until the last day of the holiday.
Root sat at the long table in the Great Hall, chewing on a Forbidden Forest Dark Flame Durian—an enormous fruit nearly as big as his head.
This wasn't part of the school's regular meals. Hagrid had given it to him two days ago, and it had only fully ripened today.
The durian didn't have the strong odor he had expected, but it was incredibly sweet.
Its flesh was a deep purple-black color, with dark flame patterns on the surface resembling creeping magma. A thin, translucent film covered it, emitting a faint glow.
Since the fruit was notoriously difficult to ripen, Hagrid had only managed to give him one piece.
Root had been eager to try it.
When Hermione arrived, she greeted him excitedly.
"Oh, what are you eating? It looks a little scary."
"A durian. Hagrid gave it to me."
Hermione blinked but didn't seem too concerned. Instead, she sat beside Root.
"Your Christmas gift was very creative—a magic-changing scarf! When I arrived at school, I realized it could change color based on the seasons and the room temperature in Hogwarts Castle. Oh my god, did you knit this yourself? I love it so much!"
Root smiled. "I knitted it with magic. I'm glad you like it. I was worried you'd find a scarf boring."
"No way!"
Hearing Hermione's enthusiasm, Harry and Ron exchanged glances before looking at Root with a hint of resentment.
"Hey, Root, how could you only give Hermione a scarf?" Ron grumbled. "I wanted one too, but you only gave me a quill!"
"And some candy!"
Root tilted his head. "It seems like you haven't actually used that quill yet."
Ron frowned. "What do you mean? Does the quill have some hidden function?"
Root pursed his lips. "That's a smart quill. Or rather, it was originally a blank magic quill."
"I wrote a custom magic program into it. It can intelligently and automatically correct your grammatical errors. I thought it might help you write potion formulas more smoothly without struggling."
Ron's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! I completely misunderstood you!"
Root glanced at him expressionlessly. "It's okay, I'm used to it."
Ron scratched his head sheepishly.
Then Root turned to Harry, who seemed hesitant to speak.
"I embedded an invisible shield into your necklace," Root explained. "If you encounter any danger, it will activate once to protect you."
Harry scratched his head as well.
Meanwhile, Hermione placed her backpack on her lap and leaned in mysteriously.
"Do you know...?"
(End of this chapter)
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