HP: The Boy who Planted

Professor Sprout's eyes widened in surprise as she examined the potion bottle in Char's hand. Even with her decades of experience as a master herbologist, she could immediately sense the difference. The magical resonance, the faint shimmer of emerald in the potion, the subtle pulse of life from the guardian tree seed—all of it spoke to a leap in Char's cultivation skill.

She looked at him with undisguised joy and pride. "Char, you've made remarkable progress with the guardian tree seeds this time. Even if you're not quite at the level of a natural-born genius, the speed of your improvement is astonishing. I wasn't this far along after just two weeks, even with my own gifts."

Her words warmed Char's heart. He could see the hope and excitement in her eyes. For a moment, Professor Sprout's thoughts drifted—what if she could help Char overcome his natural limitations? What if she could find a way to boost his magical talent? She murmured to herself, "I've almost tracked down the ingredients for a talent-enhancing potion… Moon Spirit Flower, Carrion Eagle, Geranium… Just a little longer, Char. Auntie will find them for you."

After a moment, she turned her attention to the petri dish she carried. "Now, about the Blood Jade," she said, her voice taking on a tone of scholarly excitement. Char watched her eagerly—he knew almost nothing about the properties of Blood Jade, and the reward information on his system panel was still a mystery.

Professor Sprout began to explain. "Blood Jade is a magical herb, a mutation of the glow mushroom. Its effects are unique. It's especially powerful for stopping bleeding and improving blood production. You've learned about dittany in herbology, right? Dittany is a rare and effective hemostatic herb, especially in its essence form—it can heal external wounds in moments. But dittany isn't as effective for internal bleeding."

She paused, her eyes sparkling. "My experiments show that with Blood Jade and the right ingredients, I can brew a potion as effective as dittany essence for internal injuries. And there's more: this herb can dramatically boost blood production and replenish blood quickly. It could save the lives of patients who are weak or badly injured."

As she spoke, Char's system panel updated. The reward information for Blood Jade became clear:

[You have successfully planted the Blood Jade, and you will receive a reward: Slightly improved blood-forming ability (Bronze level, in the process of development)]

[After the Blood Jade matures, the reward will be upgraded to—a slight increase in blood-forming ability (Silver level), unknown reward (Black Iron level)]

Char's mind raced. The silver-level reward was an enhancement to his blood-forming ability—something that, according to Professor Sprout, could make him stronger and heal faster. But he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. "It overlaps with my legendary vitality enhancement," he thought. "Unless I can stack this reward to a very high level, it might not make a huge difference."

But then he had a sudden realization. He glanced at his legendary vitality ability, which he'd hoped to push to mythical level. For a whole year, he'd tried everything—planting, harvesting, stacking rewards—but the ability had plateaued. No matter what he did, it wouldn't budge.

"Maybe," he thought, "the key isn't just stacking one ability. Maybe I need to bring multiple, complementary abilities—like blood-forming and vitality—to legendary level before a mythical breakthrough is possible."

His eyes lit up with hope. "It's just a theory, but it's the best lead I've had in ages. If I can get both blood-forming and vitality to legendary, maybe that's the secret to the mythical level. And if I can do that, maybe… just maybe… I could even extend my lifespan, or achieve something close to true magical immortality."

He turned back to Professor Sprout, his curiosity burning. "Auntie, are those the only properties of Blood Jade? Is there anything else, maybe something less obvious?"

She smiled, clearly pleased by his intuition. "Char, you really do have a knack for herbology. I wasn't going to mention it, since I'm not sure yet, but I suspect Blood Jade might have some positive effects on magical creatures—or even on wizard bloodlines. The effect is very weak, almost unnoticeable, and it'll take a lot of research to confirm. But it's possible."

As soon as she said this, Char's system panel updated again:

[When the Blood Jade matures, you will get a reward—Extremely Weak Bloodline Purification (Black Iron Level)]

Char's heart skipped a beat. Bloodline purification! Every wizard's magical potential was tied to their bloodline. If he could purify his own, even a little, it might improve his magical talent. And if he could stack this effect, who knew what he might achieve?

He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. "I have to cultivate Blood Jade. It might be even more important than the guardian tree!"

He asked the most pressing question. "Auntie, what causes the mutation from glow mushroom to Blood Jade? And how can we make Blood Jade mature?"

Professor Sprout's smile faded a little. "That's the hard part. To induce the Blood Jade mutation, you need magical blood as a catalyst. The stronger the magic in the blood, the higher the chance of success. I tried with my own blood, but the odds were only about one in a thousand."

She continued, "Once the mutation is complete, the plant's demand for blood drops. It doesn't matter if the magic is weaker, as long as the blood is fresh and full of life. But at the critical stage—when the Blood Jade is about to mature—it needs another infusion of powerful magical blood. My blood isn't enough. I think only a handful of wizards could provide what's needed."

She shook her head. "It's best to use the blood of powerful magical creatures. Dragon blood is ideal, but it has to be fresh—within two hours of being drawn. The bottled stuff from Diagon Alley is too old. Other magical beasts might work too, as long as their blood is strong and fresh."

Char felt a pang of disappointment. How could he possibly get fresh dragon blood? Or the blood of any 5X-level magical beast? Those were the most dangerous creatures in the magical world—dragons, basilisks, acromantulas, and more. Even their babies were rare and closely guarded.

He sighed, realizing that for now, cultivating Blood Jade to maturity would have to wait. But then, a spark of inspiration flashed through his mind.

"Wait… 5X-level magical beast cubs… Maybe there is a way!"

He remembered something he'd read in a book about Fantastic Beasts. Sometimes, Hogwarts received shipments of magical creatures for Care of Magical Creatures classes. And Hagrid, the gamekeeper, was known for his love of rare and dangerous animals. If anyone could help him get fresh magical beast blood, it would be Hagrid.

Char's mind raced with possibilities. Maybe he could help Hagrid with a creature, or find a way to obtain a small vial of blood without harming the animal. He would need to be careful—not just because of the danger, but because the Ministry of Magic kept a close eye on the trade and handling of magical creatures.

He turned back to Professor Sprout, his eyes shining with determination. "Auntie, I'll find a way. If there's even a chance, I'll do everything I can to cultivate Blood Jade. Thank you for believing in me and teaching me so much."

Professor Sprout smiled, pride and affection shining in her eyes. "I know you will, Char. Just promise me you'll be careful. Magical creatures can be unpredictable, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

Char nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude. He was still just a first-year, but with every challenge, every experiment, and every lesson in the greenhouse, he was growing stronger. The world of magical plants and creatures was full of mysteries, and he was determined to unlock them all—one spell, one seed, one drop of blood at a time.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, the dream of reaching mythical power—of becoming a wizard whose abilities could rival the legends—burned brighter than ever.

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