The moment Porgie Chalman descended onto the island, Tonks's face tightened with anxiety. If Porgie captured Robert, there was no telling what madness he might unleash — his hatred for the boy ran deep.
Although many in the herbology community dismissed Porgie as a clown, his magical abilities were undeniable. Rumors had even suggested he once aligned himself with the Death Eaters. Unfortunately for him, he joined just before Lord Voldemort's downfall at the hands of the savior, Harry Potter.
Because of that timing, Porgie never received the Dark Mark, and without evidence of crimes, he escaped imprisonment. Still, anyone who had ever joined the Death Eaters must have had at least some mastery of Dark Arts. How could a first-year wizard like Robert possibly stand against that?
"Damn it! Out of my way!" Tonks shouted as she fought to steady her broom, which bucked and dipped violently beneath her. She fired spell after spell at the house-elf clinging to her, but each time she aimed, it Apparated out of reach, her charms exploding harmlessly into the air.
There was no easy way out. Gritting her teeth, Tonks raised her wand and cast a sound-transmitting charm toward the island below.
"Robert," her voice rang out, "hide. Stay put until I deal with this!"
It was exactly what Robert had planned. With Aurors from the Ministry of Magic present, why would a first-year need to intervene? Tonks, though disheveled, was in no real danger. She was strong — she would one day join the Order of the Phoenix, after all.
Robert could also sense something else. The house-elf restraining Tonks was badly injured and panting, clearly weakening. Its attacks lacked conviction — just enough to obey Porgie's orders, but nothing more. It wouldn't be long before Tonks broke free. When that happened, she could summon Auror reinforcements, and if Porgie managed to escape, it would be a miracle.
It was a guaranteed victory. All Robert needed to do was wait — there was no reason to reveal his own magic.
So, by the time Porgie reached the crevice at the island's heart, Robert was already gone, concealed beneath his invisibility cloak and retreating deeper into the underground cavern.
"Robert Sprout, I know you're here!" Porgie's voice echoed through the fissure. "What's wrong? Too scared to come out?"
Only silence answered him.
Porgie sneered, then shouted louder, his voice dripping with mockery. "Your companion is fighting for you right now. Aren't Hufflepuffs supposed to be loyal? United? Are you really going to let her die?"
Still, Robert gave no response. Porgie's expression darkened. This cursed Hufflepuff — how was he so patient? Still hiding?
He glanced skyward. Tonks was gaining the upper hand, her broom stabilizing as the exhausted house-elf slowed. Porgie cursed furiously.
"Useless! You worthless creature!" he roared. "Knock her off that broom, or I'll flay you alive, you damned green-skinned vermin!"
But he knew the truth: the elf was finished. Once Tonks broke free, Auror reinforcements would follow. He had to find Robert before that happened.
Fortunately, he was sure Robert was inside the crevice.
"You think hiding will save you?" Porgie growled. "Hide-and-seek is over."
He clutched his wand and stepped carefully inside. The glow of Lumos revealed a cavern filled with hot, sulfurous air — and nothing else.
Where was he?
Then Porgie's gaze fell on a withered, jewel-like plant — a Cinder Fern. His eyes lit up with greedy amazement.
"Cinder Fern… Here?!"
This rare magical plant was the dream of every herbologist. If he could claim it, he would reclaim his reputation and make headlines. But it was dying — and someone had already plucked its spores.
Robert. He must have taken them.
Porgie's greed burned brighter. "Heaven truly smiles on me," he murmured. "I'll have my revenge and a Cinder Fern spore."
He scanned the cavern. "The spore marks are fresh. You're here, hiding — Disillusionment charm? Invisibility cloak? No matter. You can't escape."
He withdrew a seed from his pocket and sliced open his palm, letting his blood soak into it. Raising his wand, he cast a dark incantation. From the blood-soaked seed, fleshy vines burst forth, writhing like tentacles. They sealed the cavern entrance and spread rapidly, creeping along the walls and floor.
Beneath his invisibility cloak, Robert's eyes widened slightly.
"This is…"
Porgie's triumphant voice echoed. "Surprised? Frightened? This is Black Magic Transformation, far beyond the Transfiguration they teach at Hogwarts. I bought it from a wicked wizard in Knockturn Alley — even your professors would fear it. These vines will spread and drag you out. Then they'll drain you dry!"
Robert's expression was strangely amused. The spell was indeed powerful — but Porgie clearly had no understanding of its underlying principles. In terms of magical ranking, this so-called transformation didn't even reach Bronze Level. Compared to Robert's mastery, it was laughably crude.
He studied the spreading vines with curiosity. "A magical flytrap," he murmured. "He's merging his blood with the plant and warping it with dark transfiguration — a form of plant mutation."
The concept intrigued him. If flesh and blood could reshape a plant, could he direct mutations in specific ways? Could he coax seeds into evolving traits that earned system rewards?
The idea sparked endless possibilities. Porgie, without realizing it, had given Robert a breakthrough.
The vines, however, were unstable. The transformation was temporary, and required a continuous supply of blood to sustain it. It was far from what Robert envisioned — but a useful experiment nonetheless.
As the fleshy tendrils crept forward, Robert focused on the magical resonance between transformation and seed — reminiscent of his earlier work creating the "Giant Slayer." Inspiration flooded his mind.
But then, the vines stopped spreading. Robert frowned. Porgie was weakening from blood loss. He hadn't seen enough yet.
Time to motivate him.
With a subtle wand movement, Robert triggered one of the vines. It whipped into a frenzy, forming a cage — though it caught nothing. Porgie, convinced Robert was near, grew desperate and excited. He cut his palm again, bleeding into the seeds. More vines erupted, spreading further. Half the cavern was now carpeted in pulsing tendrils.
"Run, then!" Porgie jeered. "Let's see how long you can hide!"
Robert ignored the taunts, observing the magic with rapt attention. "I see now," he thought. "The key to fusing plant and flesh lies in a twisted, blasphemous will. Transfiguration warps the plant, while blood acts as the medium."
The deeper his understanding grew, the brighter the Bronze Level glow on his system panel became.
Meanwhile, Porgie was on the brink of collapse. His body shook, vision blurred, but he didn't care — victory was near. Soon, Robert would be caught, and he would have his revenge and the Cinder Fern spore. Fame and fortune awaited.
Finally, the vines covered nearly the entire cavern, save for one small corner. Panting heavily, Porgie clutched his last seed. "This is it," he hissed. "You've nowhere left to run."
Robert, hidden beneath his cloak, watched the vines surge toward him. By now, the process held no mysteries.
"Crude," he muttered, his voice echoing through the cave. "Pathetically crude. Your understanding — and that of the so-called dark wizard who taught you — is laughable."
Porgie froze. Was he hallucinating? Shouldn't Robert be terrified? Instead, the boy's voice dripped with contempt.
Furious, Porgie hurled the last blood-soaked seed toward the corner and cast the final spell. The vines surged forward — only for Robert's system panel to flare with a complete Bronze Level mastery of Black Magic Transformation.
A smile curled across his lips. Mastery had come faster than expected — but it made sense. His solid foundation in Transfiguration had made learning this branch of dark magic far easier. With ample blood and abundant experimental material, the breakthrough was inevitable.
Now, as the vines lunged for him, Robert raised his wand. His eyes glimmered with intent.
"Flesh and blood transfiguration," he said softly. "This is how it's done."
He pricked his fingertip, flicking droplets of blood into the mass of vines.
"Watch closely," he whispered. "This is how Transfiguration is used."
The Bronze Level Transfiguration within him blazed to life. Porgie's crude magic was nothing before it. The vines twisted and mutated again under Robert's control, swelling like monstrous pythons until they filled every gap of the cavern. It looked as though a scene from Anaconda had come to life.
Only now, the vines weren't reaching for Robert. They turned on their creator, lashing toward Porgie and wrapping tightly around his body.
He stared in horror.
What… what was this?!
This was supposed to be forbidden dark magic — the kind that would land a wizard in Azkaban if discovered. He had spent years perfecting it, bleeding himself dry in secret practice sessions. And now, a first-year student had reversed it — and improved it.
Was this truly Hogwarts magic?
Even if Robert had been sorted into Slytherin, Porgie might have understood. But Hufflepuff?
"Is the Sorting Hat broken?!" Porgie screamed in disbelief. "How can a first-year Hufflepuff master Transfiguration like this? He should have been sorted straight into Azkaban!"
Desperation turned to outrage.
"Dumbledore!" Porgie roared. "What in Merlin's name are you teaching your students? How did
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