After class, Sean didn't return to the Slytherin common room. Instead, he stayed behind in the classroom.
Professor Sprout was packing up her teaching materials when she noticed him still there.
"Sean, is there something you need?" she asked.
"Professor, I believe Professor Dumbledore has already spoken to you about my situation," Sean said.
"Yes," Sprout replied thoughtfully. "From your performance in class, you are indeed an excellent student. But attempting a final-exam-level test so soon after enrollment may still be rather difficult."
In her opinion, Sean was rushing things.
He seemed too eager to prove his talent, which could easily backfire.
"Yes, Professor. That's why I'd like to ask you a few questions. The book isn't very clear on certain points," Sean said.
Seeing that he was an eager and inquisitive student, Sprout's impression of him improved even further.
"What would you like to know?"
"The seven medicinal properties of Red Brittlefern. Its roots, stems, and leaves all have different uses, but I'm not quite clear on the distinctions."
Sean asked seriously.
After hearing the question, Professor Sprout nodded approvingly.
"I must say, Sean, you truly are an outstanding student."
"The section on Red Brittlefern is very brief, yet you noticed it. This plant is extremely rare, and very few potions require it, so the book only mentions it in passing."
"Then could you explain its properties to me, Professor?" Sean asked.
"Even though it's not emphasized in the textbook, it's still part of the material. Who knows whether Professor Dumbledore and you might include it in the exam just to keep me from getting an Outstanding?"
Sprout chuckled.
"Sean, you hardly sound like an eleven-year-old boy."
She had to admit she was impressed.
Dumbledore had indeed asked her to make the Herbology exam slightly more difficult for Sean.
But the boy's reasoning was surprisingly thorough.
"Very well. Come with me to Greenhouse Three. I have some Red Brittlefern growing there."
After finishing packing her materials, Professor Sprout led Sean toward Greenhouse Three.
First-year Herbology classes were normally held in Greenhouse One.
In second and third year, classes moved to Greenhouse Three.
It was larger, contained more plants, and was far more dangerous.
Some cultivation areas even required protective gear to avoid injury.
"Professor, is that Mandrake?" Sean asked, pointing to a pot nearby.
"Yes. And don't provoke them," Sprout warned. "Mandrake cries can cause dizziness—and in severe cases, death."
Sean nodded.
Mandrakes had roots shaped like ugly little dolls and produced piercing screams.
But once mature, they were extremely effective in curing petrification.
"These are Red Brittlefern," Sprout said, pointing to a row of plants that resembled red celery.
"They prefer dark, damp environments, so this cultivation room has been specially prepared for them."
She began explaining the seven medicinal properties of Red Brittlefern.
When she reached the topic of the plant's roots, Sean's interest clearly increased.
"Professor, are you saying that dried Red Brittlefern root powder is one of the ingredients used in a magical power restoration potion?" Sean asked.
"Yes," Sprout confirmed. "It's an advanced potion. The brewing process is complex, and the ingredients are very difficult to gather. Professor Snape probably has some stored in his potion supplies."
"Well, that covers the seven medicinal properties of Red Brittlefern. Do you have any other questions?"
"Not for now," Sean replied. "If I have more questions later, I'll come back to ask."
Sean returned to the Slytherin common room.
Cassius and Graham were sitting on the sofa in the common room eating desserts.
When they saw him arrive, they immediately waved him over.
"Sean, try this. It's Earl Grey flavored."
"Really? Let me try."
Sean picked up a small cake and took a bite.
Sure enough, it tasted like Earl Grey tea.
British tea culture really was something else.
"I'm heading to the library later. Want to come?" Sean asked.
Cassius and Graham both shook their heads.
After finally finishing the day's classes, they had absolutely no desire to open another book.
After resting for a while, Sean headed to the library alone.
The advanced magical power restoration potion Professor Sprout mentioned was exactly what he needed.
Whenever Sean practiced the Levitation Charm back at the Leaky Cauldron, he would quickly feel exhausted after only a few attempts.
He called this magical fatigue.
It was similar to muscle fatigue after working out at the gym.
Muscle fatigue could be relieved through rest or massage.
Magic worked the same way—it needed time to recover.
Sean had already memorized a large number of magical frameworks and theoretical knowledge.
What he needed now was time to convert theory into practice.
But both his stamina and his magical power were limited.
He might successfully practice two spells in a day before exhausting his magic.
Yet there were still countless magical frameworks waiting in his mind to be tested.
"I wonder if the library has any information about magical power restoration potions."
Sean didn't have much hope.
The books accessible to ordinary students were mostly basic materials.
Anything truly advanced was kept in the Restricted Section.
After entering the library, Sean spent an entire hour searching through the Potions section.
As expected, there were no books mentioning magical power restoration potions.
So he slowly began sneaking toward the Restricted Section.
Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, were nowhere to be seen.
As long as Sean avoided drawing the attention of other students, he thought he might be able to slip inside.
At least—
that had been his plan before reality hit him.
Sean bent slightly and crept forward step by step.
Just as he was about to enter the Restricted Section, an invisible force stopped him.
Fortunately, he had been moving slowly.
If he had rushed forward, he might have crashed into the barrier and fallen flat on the ground.
"Well… that was naive."
He rubbed his forehead.
Only then did Sean remember something.
Harry's Invisibility Cloak was one of the Deathly Hallows.
Legend claimed it had been made from a fragment of Death's own cloak.
When worn, even Death itself could not find the wearer.
"The Invisibility Cloak hides magical presence too… how did I forget that?"
Sean speculated that the protective barrier around the Restricted Section probably blocked anything carrying magical energy.
Filch was a Squib.
During the opening feast, Sean had scanned him with his Magic vision and seen no white glow around him.
That meant Filch possessed no magic.
Which explained why Filch could enter the Restricted Section freely to clean and organize the bookshelves.
"It seems I need a spell or potion that can conceal magical power," Sean muttered.
He vaguely remembered seeing such a spell mentioned briefly in a book.
Surely Hogwarts must have some kind of magic or potion capable of hiding magical presence.
After all, during the Triwizard Tournament, the Weasley twins had managed to brew something as remarkable as the Aging Potion.
Of course, Sean would need to ask an older student about it.
The only upperclassmen he really knew were the third-year brute Marcus Flint and the prefect Theo Wald.
But Sean was absolutely certain about one thing.
Marcus Flint probably understood even less magic theory than he did.
Which meant—
his only option was to ask Prefect Theo.