HP: The Stellar Witch [OFC]

The incident with the Fiendfyre did not become public knowledge; the official announcement only mentioned that a few Gryffindor students had experimented with dangerous magic, causing significant consequences and then fleeing without reporting it. This recklessly endangered the Forbidden Forest, an integral part of Hogwarts. Each student involved was penalized 50 house points and placed under probation.

If not for Lys, they would have been expelled. After all, Hogwarts had expelled quite a few students over the years.

Lys, however, refused to accept any additional house points. Even without them, Slytherin was set to win the House Cup this year. Lys saw no need to draw further attention to herself.

Back in her dormitory, Lys wrote a note to her mother. As she walked along the open-air corridor, intending to head to the Owlery, a snowy owl with an unusually round face delivered a letter to her. Picking it up from the ground, she realized it was from her neighbor in the reading room—the girl from the Aibo family who helped sell her alchemical items.

Miss Black:

Apologies for disturbing you during school. With your excellent grades, I imagine you must be very busy. Once again, I apologize for the interruption, but the items you entrusted to me have sold out. Will our collaboration continue? Looking forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Loralyns Aibo

After some thought, Lys decided to continue the partnership. Her experiments consumed expensive materials, and a stable source of income was crucial.

She rummaged in her pocket, found a Quick-Notes Quill, and breathed on it. Due to limited ink, she simply wrote on the back of the letter, proposing a meeting at Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop on the next Hogsmeade weekend.

Before that, she needed to craft some alchemical protective gear. Sending the reply back with the snowy owl and her note to her mother with a barn owl, Lys returned to her dormitory to search for materials. Unfortunately, she had none left.

Reluctantly, she resorted to using scraps from her earlier practice sessions, creating a batch of somewhat crude silver-and-amber accessories.

They had no particular aesthetic appeal—just large.

Their primary function was protection. Feeling inspired, she even crafted a ring embedded with a Glory Charm by holding the material in front of her eyes during the engraving process.

The rare blue amber was clean and translucent, with runes and intricate arrays etched into its inner surface. While maintaining an imposing appearance, it exuded a refined elegance.

A remarkably crafted alchemical item.

This reminded Lys of her earlier plan to forge an Ouroboros ring. It was time to revisit that project. However, this time, Lys had no intention of brewing the Buffer Elixir herself.

If one lacked the talent, one should make good use of the resources around them, right?

"Severus, lend me a hand. I need a Buffer Elixir!" Lys found him in the library. Ignoring his annoyed expression and Madam Pince's questioning gaze, she dragged Snape into the corridor. This term, Lys hadn't grown much taller, but the boys had started shooting up. Snape was now only half a head shorter than her.

Rubbing her eyes, Lys noticed the silver glow in her vision fading faster than usual, sometimes leaving her disoriented.

"I need this potion. Since it's not for drinking, the concentration must be extremely high. Can you do that? I'll provide the materials."

"And what makes you think I'm so free that I can drop everything to serve our esteemed Miss Black at any time?"

After all, Lys's previous exchange of a Dark Arts book for Felix Felicis had left Snape disappointed.

"Hmm..."

Lys thought for a moment. Indeed, she should offer some form of compensation.

"An alchemical item with no magical fluctuations, designed to aid in calm thinking. I'll make one for you too while crafting mine! Mine will be a ring. What form would you prefer?"

Snape's face twitched. He had no intention of agreeing! He was extremely busy lately.

Lys rubbed her eyes again. "Alright, I'll make a black wand clip for you since you don't wear accessories." With that, she left, indifferent to Snape's reaction.

As she turned to leave, Snape called out, "I'll give you the potion along with my requirements. I hope your craftsmanship won't disgrace my potion."

Lys, rubbing one eye with one hand and waving her wand dismissively with the other, indicated she understood.

Turning around, she bumped into a boy. The large box he was carrying fell to the ground, revealing an opulent golden robe.

Quickly using magic to pick it up, Lys added a Smoothing Charm to erase the wrinkles caused by the fall and folds.

"I'm so sorry, really sorry. I can't see very well..." Lys apologized while rubbing her eyes. The boy, a Hufflepuff, nervously held the robe aloft and hurried away.

However, the young girl trailing behind him softly said, "It's alright," before quietly walking away.

Lys paid it no mind and returned to her dormitory to rummage through her trunk. Ever since witnessing the power of Fiendfyre, Lys had rekindled her interest in the Dark Arts. She was eager to learn more about Grindelwald, the mastermind behind the infamous fire in Paris.

Yet, neither the library's old newspapers nor modern history books offered much information. The scant, regretful remarks suggested that Grindelwald was an extremist with immense power and a master of the Dark Arts.

"He was like a conductor standing at the pinnacle—elegant, powerful, confident. The blue flames that danced at his wand's command helped him select his future allies."

He had garnered the support of nearly half the wizarding world at the time, only to be defeated by Dumbledore and imprisoned in Nurmengard.

"Every spell he cast was as graceful as attending a grand feast, captivating and terrifying the hearts of those below."

"He never spoke a word, yet the Black Tower of Nurmengard will forever stand as a monument in the hearts of wizards."

Was this Dark Arts master truly so charismatic?

Previously, Lys's interest in the Dark Arts had been minimal. In her second and third years, she studied some books to meet her father's expectations. During her fourth and fifth years, she learned as needed, focusing more on healing spells, Muggle anatomical diagrams, and alchemy. At one point, she even tried to dismantle the oak casing of her wand.

But the flames had reignited her curiosity.

Only to extinguish it once more.

Why? She simply couldn't do it.

Lacking the talent, she could only force her magic upward. The precise control and effects recorded in that legendary battle were beyond her comprehension—she couldn't even understand them.

When Snape delivered the Buffer Elixir, Lys seized the opportunity to ask him a few questions about the Dark Arts.

His matter-of-fact, nonchalant responses stung Lys a little.

"Severus, those two books I gave you last time must have been easy for you, right? I actually thought they were difficult." Lys stared absentmindedly at a portrait of a shepherdess at the edge of the corridor.

"I always believed that as long as I worked hard enough, I could succeed. But that saying is true: what's the use of diligence? In the realm of magic, talent is Merlin's final verdict. Talent is king."

Snape ignored her entirely, handing her a piece of parchment instead.

Holding the parchment, Lys saw a drawing of a flower, detailed and intricate, designed to be crafted into a brooch.

It was the flower Snape had once handed to Evans under the beech tree.

"Is this for Evans? If my eye condition doesn't worsen, I can deliver it after the next Hogsmeade weekend."

Taking the rare metal he hesitated to hand over, Lys glanced again at the boy in front of her. Backlit, her already poor eyesight rendered his features indistinct.

Shoulder-length hair with slight waves, a tall frame no longer so frail, cloaked in a robe, his eyebrows and eyes unclear. The half-lowered sunset outside the castle window cast a shadow over him, giving him an air of quiet mystery.

She sighed. "Don't worry, I won't skimp on the materials like you do with your clients."

Snape internally fumed. That wasn't cutting corners—it was standard practice! His potions were of premium quality, and the extra materials were the result of his stable and efficient techniques. They rightfully belonged to him!

Back in her dormitory, while sketching the ring design, Lys inexplicably included the original runes from an ancient Ouroboros ring.

A sacrificial ritual, converting the soul's dissipating energy into power.

But such methods had been abandoned three centuries ago. Evidence showed that this conversion harmed a wizard's essence. Those who practiced it extensively had shortened lifespans, and even their enchanted portraits would fall into long periods of dormancy.

Crumpling the parchment into a ball, Lys tossed it into the trash bin, listening to the sound of it being devoured, and buried her head in her hands.

It wasn't until the next full moon that Lupin awoke, but he seemed disoriented, his expression bleak. Potter discovered signs of self-harm, and after Dumbledore examined him, he regretfully administered a Memory Charm. This left Lupin dazed for nearly a month, often unaware of his actions.

As a result, that foolish dog would turn into a mad dog whenever he saw Lys, though he dared not act rashly due to the leverage she held over him.

Notices were posted in the Great Hall and at the castle entrance, announcing that sixth-year students could begin Apparition lessons after Christmas. Registration was now open, with a fee of 10 Galleons to be placed in the magical collection box at the entrance.

Despite her blurry vision, Lys eagerly signed up. Sana's words, "Little lunatic, Noah said you'll have Apparition lessons this year, remember to attend," had helped her endure countless sleepless nights filled with silver light.

Rummaging through her wardrobe, she found only a few shirts and trousers, with no suitable cloak. After all, Sana hadn't even packed her textbooks when she stuffed Lys into the fireplace.

Noticing the gloomy weather outside, Lys touched her left leg and donned the fur cloak Hagrid had given her.

As expected, when she reached Hogsmeade, large snowflakes began to fall, quickly covering everything in a white layer.

Though she didn't visit often, Lys's memory was excellent. She adjusted her cloak, checked the time, and headed to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. However, it was too crowded to have a quiet conversation with Loralyns Aibo.

Following closely behind, Loralyns also noticed the crowded scene and hesitated before leading Lys to the Three Broomsticks.

The round-faced girl entered the pub as if returning home.

"Oh, I enjoy a small drink to relax. I hope you don't mind." Loralyns set a large mug of Firewhisky on the table and placed a glass of milk in front of Lys.

Of course, Lys didn't mind. She placed the box she brought on the table. "The materials were incomplete, so the designs aren't very refined."

Taking a sip of her drink, Loralyns quickly shook her head. "Don't worry, even if you just enchanted a piece of parchment with protective spells, people would scramble to wear it around their necks."

She took another sip and winked at Lys. "That incident in Diagon Alley back in August scared everyone senseless."

Peeking through a small gap in the box, Loralyns smiled. "These are great. Shall we stick to the previous profit-sharing arrangement? I should mention, I no longer run a shop. My mother handles these items now, and they're in high demand, bringing many benefits to our family. I think you deserve a larger share."

Lys didn't care either way. She agreed, noting that next time, Loralyns might need to provide the materials, as she had none left.

Weighing the large bag of coins, Lys stuffed them into her satchel.

Bidding farewell to Loralyns, who was preparing for another drink, Lys set off early for the return journey to school. After all, the brooch Snape had ordered and the potion needed moonlight exposure.

Lys had delayed the project, having revised the design countless times.

But Snape eventually received the brooch.

Only after Lys assured him multiple times that she hadn't skimped on materials did Snape finally look up. He was astonished at the brooch's quality. Among the items in Lucius's collection that were accessible to him, only a few could compare.

"The weight issue... according to the fourth theory... I also engraved extra runes... so the Felix Felicis inside... Hey! Are you even listening?"

Lys eagerly explained her work, her creativity sparked by the rare metal. She had incorporated some unusual ideas into the brooch.

But Snape merely squinted at her, offering no response. Lys realized Snape had no interest in alchemy and sulkily headed back to her dormitory, planning to repair her left leg that evening.

"Your brooch far exceeds the value of a Buffer Elixir. If you need help in the future, you can come to me." With that, Snape clutched the brooch and left.

Lys stood there, pondering for a moment before recalling her earlier request.

Was this Snape's way of fulfilling the promise he made at Hagrid's hut so long ago?

Glancing at the castle's tall windows and the setting sun outside, Lys turned and returned to her dormitory.

Lys had previously checked her left leg; the issue was minor—a simple fracture. However, prolonged neglect had caused the fracture to heal improperly, leaving hidden dangers. The repair was straightforward: drink a pain-relief potion, realign the bone, apply Skele-Gro, and cast a healing spell.

As expected, within fifteen minutes, Lys had a fully healed left leg, needing only a period of rest.

She didn't even use the Felix Felicis.

After clearing the dormitory of the strong scent of blood, Lys reflected on why she hadn't sought Madam Pomfrey's help to heal her leg all those years ago. It seemed that once she let go, it no longer mattered.

Before fifth year, she would have fought fiercely if someone exposed her left arm.

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