[TL: Millicent will be Marcellus from now on.]
"Andy, please send me the materials I asked for as soon as possible."
"I'll try my best, but you're asking for a really large quantity of materials, so I'll need some time."
"No problem, just get them to me within three days."
After seeing Andy off, Sean sat at his desk, continuing to ponder his plan.
Sean hadn't told Andy about the full extent of his plans; this was to avoid Andy making any unwelcome connections. He planned to tell Andy about someone digging into his business background only after Tarquin was dead. How to handle that matter would be decided then.
As for why Sean suddenly asked Andy to buy him a large amount of materials, on the surface, it was for practicing potion brewing. Potions itself is an application-based science, and after Sean joined the Potions Club, he also had a legitimate need to try brewing various concoctions. Therefore, buying these materials was a very normal thing. It was just that Sean mixed the items he really wanted in batches with the other materials Andy brought, including not only the components needed for the curse but also the ingredients Sean was preparing to brew Polyjuice Potion.
In Sean's plan, he needed a significant supply of Polyjuice Potion. Fortunately, all the ingredients for Polyjuice Potion could also be used in other potions. By purchasing them separately and from different sources, he could minimize the chances of arousing suspicion.
Moreover, Sean didn't just buy materials from Andy alone. He also entrusted Samuel and Irina to help him purchase some potion components. He even found a not-so-familiar fourth-year Ravenclaw girl who was also running a similar small business at Hogwarts. Sean had observed that she wasn't familiar with Andy, which could maximize the assurance that the information about the materials he was purchasing wouldn't be leaked.
Fortunately, Harry currently seemed to be still investigating Nicolas Flamel. Sean also kept a casual eye on Hagrid's activities and didn't notice anything too unusual. It seemed Hagrid hadn't gotten the dragon egg yet, and Harry and the others wouldn't be punished by being sent into the Forbidden Forest for the time being. Sean had plenty of time to prepare.
After all, that particular curse required fresh magical creature blood. Blood that had been stored for a few days could also be used, but if it was stored for too long and the blood deteriorated, he would need to find a new source of magical creature blood.
Sean already had a clear plan for what needed to be prepared. All that remained was figuring out how to get to Hogsmeade without a sound.
According to what Sean knew, there were three secret passages from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade. Two of them led to the Hog's Head and Honeydukes, respectively. The owner of the Hog's Head was likely Dumbledore's brother. Sean immediately ruled this route out; he didn't think he possessed the ability to hide his movements between Hogwarts and the Hog's Head from such a powerful wizard.
The entrance to the Honeydukes passage, according to Sean's knowledge, was on the third floor of Hogwarts, but he wasn't very clear about its exact location at the moment. Finding it would definitely take time and also carry the risk of being discovered. If he simply wanted to sneak out of Hogwarts to Hogsmeade to have fun, then whether or not the secret passage was discovered wouldn't matter much. But Sean wanted to kill someone, so naturally, the more discreet his movements, the better.
After considering his options, only the passage leading from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack was basically unknown to anyone. By sneaking there, the possibility of being discovered was minimal.
Now there was only one problem left to overcome.
That was the Disillusionment Charm.
Only with the aid of the Disillusionment Charm could Sean execute his plan with the necessary level of secrecy.
In the Great Hall, Sean took a sip of hot pumpkin juice and glanced at Blaise across from him, noticing that the guy had not only been rarely seen in the past couple of days, but the dark circles under his eyes were also getting heavier.
"Blaise, can't you get some rest? You're only twelve, your body hasn't fully developed yet. Isn't it a bit bad to be hanging out with girlfriends every day?"
Blaise, who was eating like a starving ghost, raised his head and said to Sean with a mocking expression, "My dark circles are from being with my girlfriend. What about yours? Did you get them from staying up late with cauldrons and books?"
Hearing this, Sean reached out and touched his own eyes. Recently, especially after the materials he purchased from his three sources had arrived, he had been continuously researching Polyjuice Potion and the Disillusionment Charm. Apart from attending classes, he spent most of his time in the Room of Requirement.
"I'm enriching myself, unlike you, who spends all his time on boring personal relationships."
"Someone like you could never understand the softness and fragrance of girls."
"Heh, girls only affect the speed at which I wave my wand. Someone like you wouldn't understand the fragrance of brewing potions and the joy of learning knowledge by reading books."
After exchanging jabs for a while, the two of them smiled at each other and continued chatting about random things.
Blaise looked at Sean. He could vaguely feel that Sean seemed to have been busy with something lately, but he could also sense that Sean didn't want him to be involved in it.
For a Slytherin, knowing boundaries is very important. Even among friends, one must respect those boundaries. Since Sean hadn't told him and hadn't asked for his help, Blaise treated the matter as if it didn't exist and wouldn't ask further.
After eating, Sean and Blaise separated again. Sean continued to the Room of Requirement to practice the Disillusionment Charm and brew Polyjuice Potion, while Blaise continued to fool around with his third-year girlfriend.
"Hey, what are you planning to do for Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow?"
"Of course, I'm going to buy some candy from Honeydukes and then go to the Three Broomsticks Pub for some butterbeer. What about you?"
"Lani, I'm going to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. I won't be going to the Three Broomsticks Pub with you tomorrow."
"You actually betrayed us! As expected, once you get a boyfriend, you forget your sisters!"
Two older Ravenclaw girls walked past the tapestry at the entrance to the Room of Requirement.
At this moment, Sean happened to come out of the Room of Requirement. He took his belongings and left this floor directly, returning to the Slytherin common room located in the dungeons, and went back to his own room.
Lying directly on the bed, Sean was truly a bit tired.
After working hard for nearly half a month, he had finally, initially, mastered the Disillusionment Charm and brewed enough Polyjuice Potion. For this, the money he had previously saved was now almost completely spent.
Of course, Sean wasn't without gains.
Both the ability to brew Polyjuice Potion and the Disillusionment Charm he had learned were huge gains. Together, these two things could greatly increase Sean's ability to survive outside.
Tomorrow is Hogsmeade weekend, and it's time to get ready.
Just right. That Tarquin goes to the Hog's Head every Hogsmeade weekend. So I'll target the Hog's Head and obtain Tarquin's hair, blood, and teeth there in one go.
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