Chapter 26: 26: Hufflepuff Common Room

“Sean, oh, this might be a bit forward, but... are you preparing to practice potion-making on your own?”

Justin placed the parchment and the light blue notes into Sean's hands, his tone gentle, carrying a subtle hint of concern.

“Mhm.”

Sean nodded. If he couldn't increase his proficiency through practice, then with his talent for potions, he would struggle just to pass. As for achieving an 'Exceeds Expectations,' the possibility was too low—so low that Sean wasn't willing to gamble on it.

“Are you looking for ingredients? I mean, the four ingredients for Scabbed Potion?”

Seeing Sean nod again, Justin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, a warm and perfectly measured smile spreading across his face.

“Perhaps I can help a little... Come, I have to take you somewhere.”

With that, he led the bewildered Sean through the Great Hall. They walked beneath the floor of the Hogwarts Great Hall, proceeding along the stairs leading down to the Hufflepuff basement. The stone-walled underground corridors were brightly lit.

Sean looked around curiously; he sensed something was brewing.

“Oh, we’re passing the Hogwarts kitchens. I have to let you in on this secret...”

Justin smiled as he approached the wall. He stopped in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit and gently scratched a pear within the picture. To Sean's astonishment, the pear giggled and transformed into a green doorknob. Inside was the entrance to the Hogwarts kitchens.

*Triggered a gourmet side quest,* Sean thought.

“As long as you ask politely, the house-elves will be more than happy to give you food, but there is one rule: you must not bring Peeves in...” Justin warned solemnly. “But that’s not our destination today. Look, we’re almost there—the Hufflepuff Common Room.”

They arrived at a cluster of large barrels in a corner to the right of the kitchen corridor. Justin tapped the bottom lids of the two middle barrels in the second row with a distinctive rhythm. The lids rotated open automatically, revealing an upward-sloping corridor lined with magical lanterns. It led to a cozy, warm circular room that brought to mind a badger's sett.

The entire room was decorated in a lively, bee-like black and yellow color scheme, accented by polished honey-colored wooden tables and round wooden doors. Various cacti were placed on circular wooden shelves, many of which would wave and sway toward students. Copper planters hanging from the ceiling held curly ferns and vines that would lightly brush through Sean's hair as he passed beneath them.

At the far end, a wooden fireplace was carved with dancing badgers, and above it hung a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff. One of the four founders of Hogwarts, she was shown raising a golden cup with double handles in a toast to her students. Around Lady Hufflepuff, small, round windows sat flush with the ground at the bottom of the castle, offering views of swaying grass and dandelions, and occasionally, passing feet. Despite how low these windows were, the room remained bathed in sunlight year-round.

“Welcome to the Hufflepuff Common Room!” Sean heard Justin welcome him.

Then, he watched as Justin smoothly retrieved a trunk that looked quite expensive from beside a thick, soft sofa. When it was opened, Sean was momentarily blinded. First came a pile of glittering Galleons, followed by scattered letters and postcards. Beside them were various jars and crystal vials. Sean recognized ingredients like venomous snake fangs and dried nettles at a glance.

His suspicion was confirmed, yet he was still somewhat surprised—did young wizards really buy these terrifyingly expensive potion ingredients themselves?

“I have no use for these ingredients, but I thought perhaps you might,” Justin said, his smile radiating warmth.

“I... can I buy some of them?”

Justin had indeed given him an unexpected surprise, but Sean needed the financial means to sustain it. A bundle of nettles was one Galleon, enough for about thirty practices; a jar of horned slugs was also one Galleon, enough for about forty; a bottle of venomous snake fangs and a bundle of porcupine quills were similar in usage, but their price was two Galleons each.

*Six Galleons in total, a necessary expense...* Sean thought. If he could brew passable potions to sell, perhaps he could earn the money back?

“Sean, what are you talking about?” Justin looked surprised. “If you want to brew potions, then this is my support. It’s hard to believe I can offer you anything more; I’ve always wanted to say that I feel a bit embarrassed constantly seeking your help...”

Sean was momentarily dazed, only to see Justin placing the crystal vials and jars into his bag.

“But...”

Before Sean could speak, Justin said softly, “I believe you will succeed. And if you fail, I have another set right here.”

...

As he left the Hufflepuff Common Room, Justin’s step was much lighter. His mother's words seemed to ring in his ears again: *“My dear Fenley, remember? Everyone has different strengths, and the children of the Fenley family are always skilled at bringing everyone's virtues together.”*

In the end, Sean did not refuse the help. The gentle Justin was sometimes more stubborn than a donkey.

*“If you are only allowed to help me with Herbology or finish my History of Magic homework, but I am not allowed to provide you with some trivial support, then what kind of friends are we?”*

*Well,* Sean told himself, *it’s good to have a Hufflepuff friend.*

At noon, in the Great Hall.

Sean was still eating like a whirlwind. Now that his most troubling problem was solved, all that remained was to secretly brew potions and master the control of heat and stirring. Beside him, Justin now held several notebooks—Sean's notes from Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and other classes. Justin's progress far exceeded the classroom pace, so these notes were essentially "cheat codes" for him.

Sitting nearby, Hermione keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere. It was strange; Justin was eating faster and more than usual. Hermione suspected Sean was the one setting the trend.

As they parted in the Great Hall, Sean heard Justin say softly, “Anyway, Sean, I just want you to know that if you run into trouble, you can come to me. Remember, we are friends.”

Justin's sincere, light gray eyes reflected the light from the fireplace. Sean nodded. The fireplaces at Hogwarts were warmer than he had imagined, and so was Hufflepuff.

*I want to be a Hufflepuff too! Damn that Sorting Hat!*

In the afternoon, during Herbology class in the greenhouses.

Sean was skillfully processing dried nettles. They were ordinary plants, but once soaked in a special blue potion, they became magical ingredients for brewing Swelling Solution or Scabbed Potion.

Oh, and Professor Sprout had added: Nettle essence could be used to make sleeping draughts or soporifics, but the method a wizard used to handle them would change.

Compared to the frantic scrambling of other young wizards—getting potion dosages wrong, cutting the dried nettles incorrectly, or miscalculating the soaking time—Sean's handling appeared much more professional. Under Professor Sprout's guidance, some troubled Ravenclaws and Slytherins even gathered around Sean to learn.

Meanwhile, the prompts from his status panel continued to chime.

(End of Chapter)