Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard

Chapter 919: Chapter 742: Hagrid’s Request (Part 2)

Seeing that everyone had arrived, he only said a couple of simple sentences, then handed each person a cabbage and told the students to try feeding the Moonstruck Beasts themselves.

But no one felt dissatisfied; on the contrary, everyone was quite happy, especially the girls. From the moment they first saw the Moonstruck Beasts, this was exactly what they’d wanted to do.

This uncharacteristic move from Hagrid actually made the students like him a lot more.

”Kael, do you have a moment now?” Just as Kael was about to go and take a cabbage from the basket, Hagrid suddenly came over and lowered his voice.

”You’re the professor for this class, Hagrid.” Kael shrugged. ”If you think I have time, then I have time.”

”Here’s the thing...” Hagrid led Kael a bit farther away and said in a low voice, ”That spider tonic you gave me before—do you still have any?”

”What?” For a moment Kael didn’t realize what Hagrid meant. It wasn’t until he repeated it that Kael finally remembered.

He had indeed brewed some spider tonic before, and had once fleec—uh, traded a big bottle of Eight-eyed Giant Spider venom out of Hagrid.

”I gave you all of it back then,” Kael said. ”But that stuff isn’t very complicated. If you need it, I can always whip up a few more bottles for you.”

”That’s great.” Hagrid let out a relieved breath. ”It’s just... could you hurry a bit? Aragog’s far too old now, I should’ve come to you earlier.

”Oh, right, I can pay you, and any venom you need, I can get it to you this afternoon.”

He was so nervous he didn’t even notice he’d let something slip. Last time he asked Kael for spider tonic, he’d said it was for a friend; now he’d blurted out Aragog’s name directly.

That was an Eight-eyed Giant Spider he kept in the Forbidden Forest. Counting the years, it had been nearly sixty by now.

Kael had even dealt with it before; it was a very easygoing spider, and the two sides got along quite well... at least Kael thought they did.

”Forget the payment,” Kael said with a wave of his hand. ”I didn’t use up all the spider venom last time either, so there’s no need to bring more.”

Things were different now. Thanks to Aragog’s generosity, he’d long since achieved ”spider venom freedom”; there were still several bottles in his trunk, and they were the big pint-sized kind too.

He’d originally wanted to sell some for a few Galleons, but had never found the chance. Now it could finally come in handy.

Besides, Kael genuinely wanted to help Aragog. After all, he still planned to go and harvest another batch of venom before graduating; helping with some tonic was only right.

”Never mind.” Kael glanced at the students gathered in the pumpkin patch. ”There’s still some time left in class. If I start now, I should be able to have it ready by the end of the lesson. I’ll just go find a place...”

”No need.” Hagrid stopped him. ”Use my hut. It’s warm in there, and no one will disturb you.”

”That works too.” Kael nodded and turned to walk into the hut beside them.

The fire in the hearth was roaring. The moment he opened the door, a wave of heat rolled out to meet him.

But a fire that hot definitely couldn’t be used, so Kael had to conjure a smaller heater off to the side and set a Cauldron on top of it.

Hagrid stood at the doorway, keeping watch while occasionally peeking through the window inside.

Like this, about thirty minutes passed; class ended, and Kael happened to step out of the hut right then, handing him a large bottle of blue tonic.

”This should be enough for three months.”

”Thank you, Kael.” Hagrid said happily, and took the bottle, running straight toward the Forbidden Forest.

”What’s up with him?” Conna came over and asked curiously. ”And what did you give him, a Magic Potion?”

”Spider tonic,” Kael said. ”Hagrid keeps a colony of Eight-eyed Giant Spiders in the Forbidden Forest.”

At the mention of Eight-eyed Giant Spiders, Conna’s face changed at once... Even Kael had trouble accepting spiders the size of cars, let alone Conna, a Witch.

”You even know how to brew tonic for spiders?” She looked at Kael, a bit incredulous.

”Couldn’t be helped. Their venom is worth a lot,” Kael said with a shrug. ”Just don’t tell Professor Snape, or there won’t be any venom left for me.”

”Aren’t those Hagrid’s spiders?” Conna asked.

”That doesn’t conflict,” Kael said, putting away the empty Cauldron as he walked out of the hut. ”If the spiders are willing to give it to me, I can’t exactly say no, can I?”

Conna curled her lip, not believing a single word.

She might not like Eight-eyed Giant Spiders, but she’d read up a bit because of Magic Potions. That species was notoriously vicious, and especially aggressive toward Wizards.

Professor Snape had also specifically warned her that some special Potion Materials should just be bought directly; she must never try to save money.

Eight-eyed Giant Spider venom was one of them.

Kael only smiled mysteriously and didn’t explain.

Of course he had his own little tricks, but that method wasn’t suitable for Conna; he could handle it himself.

Leaving the hut, the two followed a line of long footprints across the ground back to Hogwarts Castle.

When they reached the Entrance Hall, they happened to run into Hermione, Harry, and Ron walking side by side from the direction of the staircase. The three of them seemed to be in the middle of an argument.

”No one’s asking you to stay and help,” Hermione said to Ron, her tone edged with impatience. ”But could you please stop coming up with rotten ideas?”

”Rotten ideas?”

Ron squeaked, ”Am I wrong? Harry’s Slughorn’s Magic Potion Prince—if Harry asks, he definitely won’t say no.”