Chapter 221: Mandrake Leaf

Gryffindor lost the Quidditch match.

Professor Dumbledore cast a spell at the last moment to catch Harry as he fell from the air, but by then Cedric from Hufflepuff had already seized the Golden Snitch—the match was over.

Professor Dumbledore was truly angry this time; Allen had never seen him so furious.

Harry was quickly taken to the school infirmary, and Madam Hooch soon found his Firebolt—now shattered into pieces by the Whomping Willow...

When Harry woke up, he grew withdrawn. He didn’t complain, but he refused to let the fragments of his Firebolt be thrown away. He knew it was foolish—he knew the broom could never be repaired—but he couldn’t help himself. It felt as if he had lost his best friend.

Many came to visit him, all determined to cheer him up, but he remained gloomy as ever.

Finally, after a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Professor Lupin kept Harry behind alone; from then on, Harry’s mood improved greatly. Allen heard that Professor Lupin was teaching Harry a spell to combat Dementors.

Although Allen was curious about this, he was already stretched too thin himself, for the night of the full moon was drawing near.

To date, the McGonagall Transfiguration Club had lost more than half its members; only seven wizards remained, and no one knew how long they would last.

But none of this concerned Allen much—he had far outpaced them all.

Saturday arrived quickly, and the moon hung in the sky like a brilliant silver plate.

The temperature had dropped noticeably; Allen could see his breath as white mist as he gazed up at the clear, bright moon.

“Full moon,” he muttered, stepping through the moonlight toward Professor McGonagall’s office. He had spent the past week preparing his mind and body.

“...From one full moon to the next, if you fail at any point, you must start over—and wait for the next full moon. I do not wish you to risk your health.” Professor McGonagall spoke sternly.

“Professor, I am ready,” Allen said confidently.

Professor McGonagall nodded, picked up a small box from her desk, and opened it to reveal a single green leaf, glowing faintly under the moonlight.

“This is a mandrake leaf grown by Professor Sprout in the greenhouse. She’s been pruning several plants recently, and I selected the freshest one,” Professor McGonagall handed the box to Allen.

Allen took the box in silence, studying the mandrake leaf closely. This thing would reside in his mouth for an entire month.

“The edges of a mandrake leaf emit a pale glow during the full moon, similar to fluxweed... Very well, if there are no issues, place it in your mouth!” Professor McGonagall commanded.

After triple-checking, Allen carefully slipped the mandrake leaf into his mouth and immediately cast a sticky-palate spell on it; the leaf adhered snugly to his palate.

He slowly closed his lips. His tongue pressed against the leaf, and he sensed a faint bitterness spreading through his mouth.

Then Professor McGonagall snapped her fingers. A sharp *pop* echoed through the room, and a plain-dressed house-elf appeared inside the office, his clothing bearing the Hogwarts crest.

“This is my personal house-elf, Kreacher. For the next month, your daily life will be inconvenient—Kreacher will care for you. Should you need anything, simply summon him.” Professor McGonagall had thought of everything.

The house-elf Kreacher bowed respectfully to Allen, who quickly returned the gesture.

“It is my honor to serve you, sir!” Kreacher said humbly.

Allen nodded to him—he was in no condition to speak.

He bowed to Professor McGonagall as well, grateful for her thoughtful preparation.

In Gryffindor Tower, in the dormitory, Harry and Ron stared blankly at Allen. Allen had informed them of his condition via note.

Harry and Ron looked at Allen with admiration—his progress far exceeded their expectations.

“Hermione will be thrilled to hear about this,” Harry said cheerfully. “I mean, she adores Xiong Mao. Once you become an Animagus, she’ll be able to see a panda every day.”

Allen couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He had chosen a panda as his Animagus form—but not so people could treat him like a zoo exhibit.

“I need your help,” Allen wrote on parchment. “Just like before, cast a Petrificus Totalus on me.”

Harry and Ron gladly accepted the task.

Allen then prepared himself. Sleeping in a petrified state was extremely inconvenient—he could not drink much water or eat too much, and he had to empty his bladder and bowels, for a midnight bathroom trip would be disastrous. He would have to hold it until dawn.

Two Petrificus Totalus spells struck Allen as he lay flat on his bed. His body instantly stiffened. To help him fall asleep faster, Ron kindly added a Sleeping Spell as well.

They pulled the covers over him, tucked the edges neatly, then returned to their own beds to sleep.

Outside, the wind howled bitterly—but it disturbed not a single breath of the sleeping Allen.

Allen’s first night with the mandrake leaf passed.

When he awoke, his tongue confirmed the leaf was still there. The bitterness in his mouth had deepened, as if seeped into his teeth—but his spirits remained high.

He first went to the bathroom to attend to his needs, then eagerly woke Harry and Ron to share his experience.

Harry and Ron loved hearing Allen’s account—it gave them plenty of new gossip.

Allen ate breakfast in his dormitory. The house-elf Kreacher had prepared soft, liquid foods, which Allen consumed using his special utensils.

To counter the growing bitterness of the mandrake leaf, he asked Kreacher to recommend several drinks to neutralize it. He ultimately chose one with a mild, non-irritating flavor, to avoid damaging the leaf in his mouth.

Though he carried the mandrake leaf, he still attended all his classes normally. His communication with others became limited to parchment; when he had to speak, his words were brief and precise.

All of this was for the sake of ultimate success.

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