#222 - Keep a backup plan

The adult wizard footprints outside the bridge cave today made Moon realize that the outside of the school was not very safe.

So now he must find a way to increase his self-protection ability.

Professor Dumbledore's Invisibility Cloak must be worn at all times, which can play a very big role at critical moments.

Professor Flitwick's Christmas gift to Moon was a Screaming Yo-Yo.

When it is disturbed, it will emit a piercing scream, which can attract the opponent's attention and buy Moon time to escape or take other actions.

Professor McGonagall gave Moon a metal shield badge.

When a wizard launches an attack, the badge will automatically activate the [Iron Skin Charm] for defense.

However, the protective ability of this [Iron Skin Charm] is very limited, and it may not be able to completely block powerful magical attacks.

Of course, what Moon needs is not complete protection, it is enough for the badge to block a curse for him.

Professor Sprout gave him a herbal aromatherapy box,

The herbs in this box can emit three kinds of effects: refreshing, calming, and psychedelic.

Just turn the switch on the box to get different effects.

"Do the professors know something?"

After Moon figured out how to use the three magical gadgets, he couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

The implication of the gifts from the professors was too great, and the gifts were almost all related to combat.

Moon didn't know if other people had received Christmas gifts from the professors, but he knew that Cedric and Hermione had received gifts from Sprout and McGonagall respectively.

A Moonpetal flower and a small packet of seeds.

This was the best gift that Professor Sprout gave after learning that Cedric's experiment to improve the potion had failed.

As for Hermione, she received Professor McGonagall's student Transfiguration notes.

Whether it's herbs, seeds, or notes, these are all helping the little wizards increase their magical experience in a certain field.

Based on this inference, the experience the professors want Moon to increase is combat.

"Could it be that I left the professors with a combative impression?"

Moon wore the defense badge on his chest, held the Screaming Yo-Yo in his left hand, and the psychedelic aromatherapy box in his right hand, recalling his daily life at Hogwarts during this time.

"I just have a Charms practice classroom, and I often practice with the giant squid in the Black Lake, but I'm still very good in school."

After thinking for a long time and still unable to figure out the professors' thoughts, Moon simply stopped caring.

Anyway, these three gifts are very useful to him now.

Whether it is to deal with the wizard who followed him today, or to return to another world to deal with the wizarding war, these three things can improve Moon's self-protection ability.

"Why didn't I receive a gift from Professor Snape?"

Moon gave gifts to all four heads of the houses.

Among them, the gift to Professor Snape was a new potion ingredient that Moon found in another world: Earth Armor Beast scales.

This material is not very precious, but it is very suitable as a Christmas gift.

Moon flipped through his suitcase again and found that there was still no gift from Professor Snape.

Harry sent a Chocolate Frog, Neville sent a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Seamus sent a Filibuster Firework, and Cedric sent a wand stirring rod made of ash wood.

Then there was Hermione's carving tool box and the professors' gifts.

"Could it be that this book was given to me by Professor Snape?"

Looking at the last remaining Practical Handbook of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Moon remembered what happened on Christmas Eve.

He had just stood under the Christmas tree when the gift package hit him on the head.

"I have to say, it's very much like Professor Snape's style."

Moon had a similar experience before.

That was when he was learning [Potion Analysis Technique], Professor Snape wrote a booklet and put it in the library, and Moon just happened to find it.

Of course, Moon only realized later that this was actually Professor Snape's trap.

After browsing through the manual, Moon found that in addition to introducing the detailed classification of Dark Arts.

The largest part of it describes the counter-curses and dispelling methods for common Dark Arts.

"No wonder Professor Snape wants to be the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, it turns out he is so accomplished in this area."

After reading the booklet, Moon found that Snape not only mastered most of the dispelling curses of Dark Arts.

Moreover, he also analyzed the applicable scenarios of different counter-curses and dispelling curses, as well as the difficulties and coping strategies that may be encountered in the dispelling process.

This content is much more detailed than the Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook Moon learned.

After reading it once, Moon still felt unsatisfied, so he studied it carefully again.

Early the next morning, after packing everything up, Moon carried his suitcase and took his two pets to Diagon Alley again.

Yesterday, because of the holiday, many shops were not open.

But after only one night, Diagon Alley had returned to its usual bustling scene.

There were many wizards coming and going on the street, including many little wizards who, like Moon, were returning home from Hogwarts for the holidays.

Moon didn't wander around the street casually, he didn't have much money on him now.

Holding the letter of introduction from Professor Snape, Moon went straight to Slug \u0026 Jiggers Apothecary.

Before entering the apothecary, Moon noticed the two figure reliefs that appeared on the door.

According to what he had heard, these two people were the founders of the apothecary, and also a couple, who jointly founded the apothecary 300 years ago.

Pushing open the old wooden door, a strange and strong smell came over him.

Moon couldn't describe the smell at all, the most direct olfactory reaction was that he wanted to vomit now.

Just as Moon was about to go out to take a break, suddenly the smell disappeared, and instead turned into a very fresh natural fragrance.

"This is really amazing."

Relieved, Moon found that the shop owner should also be afraid that this smell would scare away customers, so he hung many herbal sachets on the beams of the house.

Moon smelled several herbal fragrances that he had learned at school while standing in place.

The space inside the shop was not large, but it was packed full and lively.

The shelves extended from the ground all the way to the ceiling, filled with all kinds of bottles and jars, filled with magical ingredients of various colors, textures, and shapes.

Moon saw bat wings soaking in green liquid.

There was also a bundle of withered mandrakes, their roots intertwined, making faint moans.

There was also a red liquid in a delicate crystal bottle, as red as a ruby, exuding a mysterious luster.

Moon stared at the label and saw the words "Dragon Blood, 2500 Galleons/ounce"

Just as Moon was curiously looking at everything in the apothecary, a little wizard who was originally helping in the apothecary noticed him.

"Moon Scarlet, what are you doing here?"

Hearing someone call him, Moon looked back.

"Are you John Slugg, a seventh-year Hufflepuff student?"

"That's right, Cedric and Bernard both said that you have a very good memory, it's actually true!"

John Slugg said as he took off his work apron and walked out of the counter.

"Dad, this is the little wizard I told you about who defeated the troll, isn't he very young!"

John Slugg originally just wanted to introduce Moon to his father.

However, his shout attracted all the customers and clerks in the shop to look over.