Chapter 79: Smokescreen Spell

Outside the corridor, raindrops the size of bullets had been pounding for days.

Minerva McGonagall sensed a hostile presence, but she could not discern its source.

Her serious expression flickered with slight confusion, then sharply caught sight of half a vial protruding from the wide sleeve—the very potion for colds, the Stimulating Draught.

As if remembering something, she tilted her head slightly.

Snape, following her gaze, knew instantly what she had seen; he passed Professor McGonagall without expression:

“I said—I am in charge.”

His wide black robe surged as he moved with elegant urgency toward the Great Hall.

Along the way, students playing or watching the rain all shrank back, parting a path for him.

…

In the Great Hall.

Jia Jia Siting steadied Wizard Sean as he supported him.

Hermione entered the hall and, before even sitting down, rushed ahead to clear a way, scolding both of them without pause:

“Merlin’s beard! So hot—Wizard Sean! You’re ridiculous about pushing yourself…” “And another idiot thinks a sick person should tell him what to do!” “Professor Snape is right—you two should be hung on the wall!”—while whispering self-reproach, “...It’s my fault too; I should’ve noticed his face was terrible yesterday…”

Jia Jia Siting’s usually gentle face gave no clue to his expression; he murmured a quiet “Mm.”

Soon, they reached the entrance to the Great Hall.

Loud footsteps approached, and a figure in black robes drew near. Jia Jia Siting looked up and recognized Professor Snape.

Jia Jia Siting felt no fear or tension; he stepped right beside Hermione and lowered his head to pass by.

But the shadow fell over them again.

“Give him to me.”

A cold voice cut through the air.

Jia Jia Siting lifted his head, reacting instinctively with another step to the right—his mind only echoed “school infirmary,” and even the professor’s words no longer registered.

“He should go to the school infirmary, Professor Snape.”

Hermione spoke bluntly.

“Ah—clever Miss Granger,”

Snape’s sneer made a cluster of students shiver.

“Then you ought to know what potion wizards take when they catch a cold in the infirmary…”

As Snape spoke, his face darkened completely; he noticed the boy being supported seemed to hear nothing.

His emerald eyes lay half-open, dull and vacant; each tremor of his lips released a puff of hot breath.

“Give him the potion. Now! Immediately!”

He suddenly roared.

A vial landed in Hermione’s hand.

Hermione froze, eyes wide, then without a second’s delay, made Wizard Sean swallow it.

The Stimulating Draught worked instantly—smoke burst from Wizard Sean’s ears in a rushing rush, like the steam rising from the Hogwarts Express.

At the same time, he began to regain consciousness; he saw the small McGonagall before him swell into the large Hermione, then watched a black bat-like thing fly away,

Oh right—the big black bat had dropped a vial of Stimulating Draught.

…

In the practice room.

Wizard Sean, somewhat revived, nervously opened the door from inside.

Amidst the peculiar tone of Mr. Owl: “Filius, it’s you again, for Ravenclaw’s sake, get in—” a short professor with a beaming smile stepped through.

“Delighted—Mr. Green—to see you looking better—”

Professor Flitwick naturally stood atop the wooden table; the squirrels in the room panicked and fled out the window at his arrival,

“But my dear Mr. Green, sometimes rest leads to greater progress—are you certain you wish to study now?”

Wizard Sean thought for a few seconds, recalling the description in *Dark Forces: A Making Guide to Self-Protection*:

【I advocate that young wizards should at least master the following spells to confront the darkest aspects of magical power.

Green Sparks, Green Sparks;

Red Sparks, Red Sparks;

Knockback Jinx, Knockback Jinx;

Smokescreen Spell, Smokescreen Spell;

Lumos, Lumos】

Of these practical spells, he had yet to master Smokescreen Spell and Knockback Jinx.

His notes on Defense Against the Dark Arts covered the theory, but he still lacked the required spells for practice.

These two spells were the final pieces of the puzzle.

With only two days left until Friday, he had to push them to basic proficiency; he nodded firmly.

Professor Flitwick sighed as if he had expected this, then regained his enthusiasm:

“Very well, Mr. Green—I won’t lower my standards, especially for children with exceptional talent—”

…

Smokescreen Spell, a classic defensive spell for wizards, produces a cloud of smoke to obscure vision—useful in duels, as it hinders an opponent’s aim.

Garrick Ollivander was an expert user.

But Wizard Sean realized this smoke seemed… to be will-based.

“Fumos!”

【You practiced Smokescreen Spell at beginner level. Proficiency +3】

Wizard Sean swung his wand; thick, black smoke erupted around him, obscuring everything.

Yes—everything.

When Wizard Sean needed it, the smoke blocked not only sight but also sound and light.

Its utility far exceeded his expectations, much like Lumos.

Lumos appeared in the Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, seeming illogical at first glance—but the book explained why.

Beyond illumination, Lumos could repel ghosts and other spectral foes, such as Gytrash—a dark creature resembling a dog with a forked tail and pale skin and fur, swift and dangerous.

This creature dwelled in the forests of Great Britain; in fact, Gytrash were known to inhabit the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts.

Wizard Sean suddenly recalled a line from Miranda Goshawk’s *Standard Spells: Level One*:

【When a wizard has need, the spell appears. Spells that seem useless have, in magical history, saved wizards’ lives.

Therefore, I sincerely remind every wizard studying spells—there are no useless spells, only useless wizards.】

When Professor Flitwick left satisfied, Wizard Sean still had an ice pack on his head; lack of energy indeed impaired spellcasting. After an entire afternoon, he barely unlocked Smokescreen Spell—and

【Proficiency】

【Smokescreen Spell: Apprentice (150/300)】

With a bit more effort, he could reach basic proficiency by night.

Friday, Friday…

Wizard Sean had long awaited this moment of reward.

In Wizard Sean’s relentless effort, time slipped swiftly to Thursday morning.

After his illness, Jia Jia Siting and Hermione paid closer attention to Wizard Sean’s condition.

And soon, they discovered a fact that was not hard to guess.