HP: The Stellar Witch [OFC]

Lys's newly developed sensory abilities were still unfamiliar to her. Whenever she became slightly distracted or emotionally unsettled, the bowls or pots in front of her would tremble uncontrollably, crashing into the walls under the force of her magic.

Outside the kitchen, Lys would retreat to her little corner, either staring off into space or extending her magic to play with it idly.

Five days after the start of term at Hogwarts, Lys finally regained a faint semblance of vision. Unable to endure the chaos any longer, Senna sent her off to school.

Over the past few days, Lys had repeatedly used her magic to wreak havoc in the reading room. Her spells, already not her strongest skill, now required her to clean up the mess at least eight times a day. Senna had long grown weary of it.

She packed Lys's trunk with Gaben's nest, four sets of shirts and clothes, and her potions. She even trimmed Lys's hair with scissors to prevent her from wandering around with a head of unkempt tangles due to her impaired vision.

With minimal preparation—she didn't even pack a single textbook—Senna stuffed Lys into the fireplace at the appointed time she'd arranged with Dumbledore.

"You little lunatic, Noah said you'll have Apparition lessons this year. Make sure you attend."

Lys clutched a feather-light trunk, a pouch of coins from Noah in her arms, and Gaben perched on her neck. Just as she opened her mouth to smile after reciting the address, she tumbled into Dumbledore's fireplace.

She groped her way out, brushing off the soot that might have clung to her clothes. She dared not casually release her magic—blowing up the Headmaster's office on the first day of school was hardly a wise move.

The Headmaster was quite surprised. He hadn't expected that Stalys Black could still only see faint shadows after all this time, yet she had already learned to use her magic to explore and interact with objects.

"Perhaps you need Madam Pomfrey's and Professor Slughorn's assistance, don't you? Maybe another week's leave..."

When he learned that Lys's world appeared silver in her eyes, he was astonished. It was unlike the increasingly clear and structured world he knew to result from magical development.

"Yes, a constant glow, like a light that can never be turned off in the dormitory," Lys repeated.

"A light that can never be turned off in the dormitory? Why not just turn it off?"

"The dormitory lights can be turned off?"

Even for someone as quick-thinking as Dumbledore, it was difficult to immediately respond to such a question. A sixth-year student, not knowing how to turn off the lights?

"Well... the counter-spell for Lumos should do the trick. If I recall correctly, Professor Flitwick teaches that alongside Lumos in the same lesson."

Lys's face lit up with sudden realization. "That makes sense. I missed that class because I ended up in the hospital wing and only got discharged the next day."

Dumbledore couldn't help but sigh. After conducting a few minor magical tests, he sent her out of his office.

When Lys reached the gargoyle statue at the entrance, she realized she was on the eighth-floor corridor. Tentatively, she extended her magic.

Though she could only release it in a small area around her, it was enough to ensure she wouldn't bump into walls or trip on the stairs.

The Headmaster entrusted her to a fourth-year Ravenclaw student, who escorted her to the hospital wing.

"Madam Pomfrey, I'm back. Would you mind inviting Professor Slughorn for me?"

Familiar with the routine, Lys carried her trunk and found her way to the innermost bed. The hospital wing stored potions, so magic couldn't be casually released. Fortunately, Lys had been visiting the hospital wing multiple times a year since her first year. With her excellent memory, she easily settled herself in.

Professor Slughorn waddled in with his round belly and waddled out again just as quickly. He needed to brew potions. For an ordinary student, a few bottles of magical supplements and stabilizers would suffice. However...

This child had hinted that she was still taking soul stabilizers, which meant the dosage of certain ingredients in the magical stabilizers needed careful adjustment.

Sigh~ Why did his students always have such troublesome issues?

At times like this, he couldn't help but envy Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor. Even though those little lions were full of energy and constantly causing trouble, it was always just childish mischief, easily resolved.

Deducting points, assigning detentions—that was all it took...

But here, one after another, soul-related issues... He was truly fed up! Perhaps it was time to resign, wasn't it? Find a place to hide from the chaos of these times.

Otherwise, when the time came, it might be him who ended up in "detention"...

Lys lay on the hospital bed, relying on her memory to settle herself without bothering Madam Pomfrey. When the matron found no significant issues aside from Lys's usual magical problems, Lys asked if she could return to her dormitory and attend classes.

Madam Pomfrey nearly screamed in protest. "You're still blind, child! You need to take care of your body. Don't follow in your mother's footsteps. It's no wonder I once mistook her for your sister—she's even less mature than you!"

After a moment's hesitation, she lowered her voice with a sigh. "And I must remind you, because of that incident during the holidays, you know what I'm referring to, people have strong opinions about Slytherin students. You're blind and can't use spells. I don't think it would be convenient for you to attend classes or manage daily life."

But Lys didn't care. She left after finishing her potion, her mind focused on Senna's parting words: "Make sure to attend Apparition lessons."

When Lys returned to her dormitory, she realized a problem. Although she could navigate and live normally with her limited vision and magic, she couldn't read. She couldn't make out her timetable.

Holding the piece of parchment, she stood in the common room. It was class time, so most of the students in the common room were younger kids with lighter schedules. Lys approached someone who, based on her perception, seemed to be reading something large, like a newspaper.

She deliberately made heavier footsteps to announce her presence. "Excuse me, I can't see. Could you please read my timetable for me?"

Though puzzled, the young student kindly completed the task. "Your timetable is blank. It says sixth-year students must discuss course options with their Heads of House based on their OWLs results."

Out of habit, Lys furrowed her brows slightly, unconsciously turning toward the person speaking to her, giving her a somewhat stern appearance. She blinked. "I see. Thank you."

After getting up, Lys decided to find Professor Slughorn.

She paid no mind to the few Slytherins in the common room, who began whispering among themselves after she left. They wondered why they'd never heard of Hogwarts accepting blind students before.

However, someone recognized the snake-like Gaben she carried. "My brother graduated last year. He mentioned a few Slytherins to watch out for, and she was one of them."

"She's a senior?"

"Yes, she's a senior. Don't interrupt me! My brother said she's a legend in Slytherin. When she first started, she couldn't even read, but by the time he graduated, no one dared to mess with her. It's said she almost single-handedly overturned the Black Lake!"

The boy basked in the astonished gazes of his peers until a mocking voice interrupted. "Hmph! What's there to admire? She's just the daughter of a bastard. Her very existence is a disgrace! No matter how powerful she is, she's still inferior!"

This sparked an argument among the children, dividing them into two camps: one believing in the supremacy of power, the other valuing noble, pure lineage.

It wasn't until the prefect returned from class that the children dispersed. From then on, the already small group of Slytherin first-years became divided, secretly competing—some striving to master power, others focusing on networking and building connections.

But none of this concerned Lys. She was currently being scolded by Professor Slughorn after her magic detected his potion ingredients.

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