bacchusnovels Chapter 261 Experiment with the Situation
Chapter 261 Experiment with the Situation
Chapter 261 The Experiment Full of Mishaps
To be honest, even Sean himself hadn't figured out what to do.
Is it to help Pandora avoid this crisis?
But this would undoubtedly create an unpredictable butterfly effect.
One of the key features of a time-space converter is that it cannot alter the established reality.
If changes occur, they will have unpredictable consequences.
Although Sean didn't know exactly what the consequences would be.
But he didn't want to break the law.
So... should we just let Pandora die right before our eyes?
Sean couldn't do it either.
Putting aside Luna's feelings, Pandora's care for him during this time alone made it impossible for him to bear watching this scene unfold.
So, what should he do?
For the past two days, Sean has been troubled by this perplexing problem, appearing sullen and finding it difficult to concentrate on anything.
Luna keenly sensed his unusual behavior.
She tried everything to get Sean back on his feet, including trying to use her body... but without exception, all her efforts failed.
Instead, seeing Luna like this made Sean feel even more guilty and pained.
And so, in this strange atmosphere, the day arrived for Pandora to conduct her potion experiments.
Day three.
Everyone woke up very early today.
Breakfast was served in a somber atmosphere.
Sean chewed his food mechanically, but his mind was completely elsewhere.
Luna occasionally glanced at him, her brow furrowed, as if deep in thought, but she didn't say much.
Pandora maintained her gentle smile as always, seemingly confident about the experiment that was about to take place.
Of these, only Xenophilius appears to be relatively normal.
He sipped his milk while glancing at the Daily Prophet that had just been delivered to him, occasionally letting out a soft laugh, seemingly finding amusement in a particular news headline.
In stark contrast to the somber atmosphere of the others, he appeared remarkably relaxed and at ease.
"Today's headlines are quite interesting," Xenophilius put down his newspaper, looked up at everyone, and said, "Did you know that the Ministry of Magic is actually considering introducing a brand new anti-confusion spell, specifically to deal with those increasingly clever dark wizards?"
His words echoed in the room, but they didn't elicit much of a response.
Sean was still lost in his thoughts. Pandora had finished eating and was sitting on the sofa in the living room, going over the steps for the upcoming experiment. Luna, on the other hand, was still staring thoughtfully at her plate.
"Hmm? It seems like everyone's not really in the zone today." Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Xenophilius raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Sean.
"Hark, why are you so quiet today? I thought you'd be interested in this news," Xenophilius tried to break the silence with a lighthearted tone.
Sean forced a smile, but his tone was somewhat stiff. "It's nothing, it's just... there are some things on my mind that I haven't sorted out yet."
Xenophilius nodded slightly, seemingly understanding something, but did not ask any further questions.
He looked at Pandora and changed the subject: "Pandora, I heard you're doing a very important experiment today? If you need any help, just let me know. I'm just sitting here doing nothing anyway."
Pandora chuckled and shook her head. "Xenophilius, I've prepared thoroughly for this experiment. There won't be any problems."
"Well, that's good. You've always been very sensible." Xenophilius smiled, folded the newspaper and set it aside, then began to focus on the breakfast in front of him.
Despite Xenophilius's attempts to lighten the mood, an unspoken tension lingered in the room.
Time slipped away quietly in this subtle atmosphere, and breakfast was soon over.
Pandora got up to head to the laboratory, Luna silently following behind her, while Xenophirus stretched.
He seemed to be planning to go out and soak up some sun before coming back in, once Pandora had started her experiment.
Just as Pandora was about to leave the restaurant, Sean suddenly stood up, his face turning deathly pale, and he clutched his stomach.
He let out a painful groan.
"Wait a minute—I feel a little unwell," his voice was weak and hurried, as if he was trying his best to endure intense pain.
Pandora and Luna immediately stopped and turned around in surprise.
Xenophilius also withdrew his foot from the step he was about to take, turned to look at Sean, and his eyes showed a hint of worry.
"Hack, what's wrong?" Luna quickly went to his side, took his arm, and asked with concern.
Sean was pale, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, as if he were experiencing some great pain. He whispered, "I—I think my stomach suddenly cramped up, it hurts terribly—"
Pandora approached, her eyes filled with worry. "Hark, are you alright? Should we see a doctor?"
Sean shook his head, forcing a smile. "Maybe I just ate something bad last night—I'll probably be fine after a rest."
Luna frowned, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. She knew Sean's personality and knew he rarely showed such vulnerability at times like this, but she couldn't bear to question his pain.
"Let's have you lie down and rest," Xenophilius suggested. "If your condition doesn't improve, we'll go see a doctor."
Sean nodded in agreement. "Okay, I might really need to lie down for a while."
Pandora glanced in the direction of the laboratory, then at Sean, clearly hesitant.
She knew in her heart that today's experiment was very important to her, but seeing Sean's pained expression, she found it difficult to force herself to continue the experiment.
"Pandora," Sean seemed to sense her hesitation and forced a smile, "Don't worry about me. Go and do your experiments. I just need to rest a bit, it's nothing serious."
However, after Sean uttered those words, Pandora completely abandoned the idea of conducting the experiment.
She sighed deeply, her expression softening. After gently patting Sean's shoulder, Pandora continued, "Rest assured and rest. We'll talk about the experiment later."
"Okay, I'll listen to you." Faced with Pandora's care, Sean chose to "compromise." With Xenophilius's help, he returned to his bedroom and lay down.
In fact, he wasn't faking illness.
Instead, he just... gave himself a simplified version of the Cruciatus Curse.
The taste was indescribably sour and refreshing.
Luna and Pandora helped tuck Sean in, then stood quietly by the bed to make sure he was comfortable.
Pandora's eyes showed concern, while Luna remained lost in thought.
"We'll be waiting outside. Call us if you need anything," Pandora said softly, then walked out of the room with Luna.
After the door closed gently, Sean finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He closed his eyes, trying to relax, but the lingering pain made it difficult for him to fall asleep.
Even so, he still felt it was all worth it.
"It's really quite a pungent experience," Sean thought to himself, trying to calm his breathing.
He knew the pain wouldn't last long; the simplified spell, while powerful, had relatively limited duration.
He knew that he had only temporarily prevented the experiment from taking place, but this was not a long-term solution... and all he could do was stall for time.
muddle along.
As for what to do next, he hasn't figured it out yet.
Outside the bedroom, Pandora and Xenophilius quietly closed the door.
Pandora glanced back at the closed door, still feeling uneasy. Although she believed Sean was truly ill,
But that feeling of unease lingered in her heart.
"Harker looks really bad," she whispered to Xenophilius. "Maybe we should call a doctor."
Xenophilius frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought. "Perhaps he's just too tired. He seems to have a lot on his mind lately. Maybe a rest will do him good."
Pandora nodded slightly, but the worry in her heart had not completely dissipated.
Three days later, Sean had very little time left to stall for time.
He only managed to secure a three-day buffer period, during which he carefully maintained his "weak" state.
Whenever Pandora inquired about his health, he would use fatigue and stomach aches as excuses to make himself appear weak and frail.
However, Pandora is not so easily deceived.
Over the course of three days, she witnessed Sean's daily frown and unbearable pain, and her unease and worry gradually accumulated.
She could no longer ignore Sean's condition and was determined to find a professional doctor to treat him.
"Hark," Pandora said resolutely as she entered Sean's room that morning, her voice firm yet gentle, "I've contacted a very famous doctor, and he'll be here today. We can't delay any longer; your health is the most important thing."
When Sean heard this, he felt a pang of panic.
He knew that if he were examined by a doctor, his "illness" would soon be exposed, and Pandora would not only discover that he was faking his illness, but also perceive his underlying motives.
All of this might make her more determined to continue the experiment, rather than discourage her.
To avoid arousing Pandora's suspicion, Sean had to make a quick decision. He suppressed his nervousness and forced a weak smile. "Pandora, you don't need to worry so much. I feel much better today. Maybe I can recover without a doctor."
But Pandora was clearly unwilling to believe his words so easily, her face still etched with worry. "Hark, you say you're feeling better every day, but I can tell you're not really getting better. We can't take any more risks."
"Pandora, really, it's not necessary," Sean tried to appear more relaxed. "I know you mean well."
But I really feel fine now. I slept well last night, and I'm just a little weak now, but I'll be fine after a few days of rest.
Pandora stared at him, trying to find a clue in his expression and tone.
Sean realized that words alone were no longer enough to reassure her; he had to show some real signs of “improvement.”
So he struggled to sit up in bed, trying to appear calm and composed. "Look, I can still get up and move around on my own now, which is a good sign."
Seeing that Sean was actually able to sit up on his own, Pandora's expression softened slightly, but she was still not completely relieved. "Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor? I'm really worried about you."
"I'm sure," Sean nodded, his tone firm but gentle. "Give me a couple more days of rest. If my condition doesn't completely improve, then we'll see a doctor, okay?"
Pandora didn't speak, but nodded.
Day .
Having "recovered completely," Sean sat down in the restaurant with the Lovegood family to enjoy breakfast.
"How are you feeling, Huck? Are you feeling better?" Xenophilius pushed up his glasses, glancing at Sean through the lenses as he chewed on his bacon and asked indistinctly.
Sean smiled slightly and nodded, trying to appear relaxed and natural. "Much better, Xenophilius. I was probably just exhausted before, but now that I've rested, I feel much more relaxed."
Xenophilius nodded, looking quite satisfied. "That's good. You've been terrifying to us these past few days."
Young people shouldn't overwork themselves; health is the most important thing.
"I'll be careful," Sean replied with a smile.
Luna sat quietly to the side, glancing at Sean every now and then, as if observing his state.
Her expression remained calm, but there seemed to be some unspoken worry in her eyes. She didn't say anything more, just focused on eating her breakfast.
Pandora sat opposite Sean, her gaze gentle yet slightly scrutinizing. She studied Sean for a moment, then smiled and said, "You look really good, Huck. I'm so happy for you."
"Thank you, Pandora," Sean said sincerely.
Breakfast continued in a relaxed atmosphere, with everyone seemingly trying to make the meal enjoyable.
Although Sean appeared relaxed on the surface, he was actually nervously thinking about his next plan.
He knew that Pandora's experiments could be brought back to the agenda at any time, and he needed to be prepared to deal with it at any moment.
"Oh, right, Pandora," Xenophilius suddenly remembered something, looked up at his wife, "your experiment has been postponed for a few days, when do you plan to resume it?"
"Today," Pandora replied casually.
Sean's heart seemed to stop for a moment, and he almost couldn't hide the shock on his face.
Although he had anticipated that Pandora would not postpone the experiment indefinitely, he did not expect this moment to come so suddenly.
Xenophilius smiled slightly, seemingly satisfied with the answer.
He nodded and continued to focus on his breakfast, as if the conversation had been nothing more than ordinary, everyday talk.
Luna remained silent, simply setting down her cutlery. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Sean and Pandora, as if anticipating what would happen next.
Sean forced a smile, trying to appear calm. "Starting today? Are you ready?"
Pandora nodded slightly, a confident smile appearing on her face. "Yes, I have completed all the adjustments."
Today is the perfect time. In fact, the delay of these past few days has given me the opportunity to re-examine the entire experimental procedure, and now I have even more confidence in it.
"Do you need my help?" Sean tried to make his voice sound natural, even though his nervousness was almost bursting through his disguise. "Maybe I can double-check the process for you before you start, to make sure everything is in order."
Pandora smiled and shook her head, her tone gentle but firm. "Thank you for your kindness, Huck, but I've already thoroughly examined you. Besides, you've only just recovered, and I don't want you to worry about this anymore. You should rest well today; I can handle it myself."
Pandora has already made her point to this extent.
Sean didn't know what else to say.
After finishing breakfast, Pandora stood up and prepared to go to the laboratory.
Three people followed behind her, and Sean's tension and unease grew stronger.
Pandora entered the laboratory and skillfully began her preparations.
She waved her wand gently, and several bottles of colorful potions and materials floated down from the shelf and were neatly arranged on the lab table.
Her expression was focused and calm, as if she had fully entered the experimental state.
Pandora's focus made Sean even more nervous; he knew he couldn't wait any longer.
He stood in a corner of the laboratory, pretending to be just observing, but in his mind he was quickly planning his next move.
The air in the laboratory was filled with the faint scent of medicine. Pandora had begun to put various materials into the crucible in order, preparing to cast her complex spell.
Just as Pandora turned her back to him, Sean seized this rare opportunity.
He walked quickly and silently to the lab table, pretending to tidy up the equipment next to him. When Pandora wasn't looking, he quickly cast a weak but precise spell on the bottom of the crucible with his wand.
A tiny hole was immediately made in the bottom of the crucible. This hole wouldn't show any immediate problems, but as Pandora began heating the potion, it would gradually enlarge, eventually causing the potion to leak and forcing the experiment to be stopped.
"Sean, could you bring me that bottle of moonflower?" Pandora's voice suddenly rang out. She was still focused on her work and didn't notice Sean's little movement.
Sean quickly turned around, regaining his composure, and handed the bottle of moonflower to Pandora. "Of course, Pandora."
Pandora smiled slightly, took the moongrass, and carefully poured it into the cauldron. The whole process was smooth and natural, without the slightest hesitation. Sean stood behind her, his eyes fixed on the cauldron, feeling both nervous and expectant for the moment when the cauldron would leak.
Time ticked by, and Pandora continued with each step of the experiment. The potion in the crucible gradually began to boil, emitting a soft gurgling sound. Just then, Sean noticed that the small hole was starting to work; the potion began to slowly seep out from the bottom of the crucible.
"Pandora, watch out!" Sean shouted almost instinctively, pointing to the bottom of the crucible.
Pandora was startled, looked down, and her expression instantly turned serious. She saw that the potion had already seeped onto the lab table.
It is spreading rapidly.
She quickly waved her wand, trying to control the leak of the potion, but it was too late. The crack at the bottom of the cauldron widened rapidly under the heat, causing more potion to spill out.
"Damn it!" Pandora gritted her teeth and quickly cast a cleansing spell, but the leak of the potion was irreversible, so she had to abandon the experiment and clean up the scene urgently to avoid greater chaos.
Xenophilius and Luna, who were standing nearby, were also drawn to the sudden situation. They both looked worried when they saw the failure of the experiment.
"How could this cauldron suddenly develop cracks?" Pandora muttered to herself.
"It's possible the crucible has been used for too long and has developed fatigue cracks," Sean quickly replied, his tone carrying a hint of worry, but he was relieved.
Pandora frowned, clearly not believing the explanation, but she had no other reasonable explanation and could only accept it for the time being. "It seems today's experiment has to be terminated; I need to find a new crucible."
"I'm sorry, Pandora," Sean said softly, feigning regret over the experiment's failure.
Pandora sighed and waved her hand. "It's not your fault, Hack. It was just an accident. We'll continue next time."
1991 4 Month 1 Day.
It has been a full month since the last time the crucible broke.
Pandora tried to continue her experiments on several occasions, but encountered various problems.
These include, but are not limited to, the following situations: potion ingredients being stolen by rats, wands suddenly malfunctioning, experimental equipment being damaged for no reason, and even once, the handwriting containing crucial potion recipes and related experimental data suddenly disappeared, only to be unexpectedly found among a pile of unrelated books.
This series of unexpected events occurred one after another, as if an invisible force was secretly interfering with Pandora's experiments.
Pandora initially didn't take these accidents to heart, regarding them as mere coincidences or misfortunes.
However, as time went on, these "accidents" became more frequent and bizarre.
Whenever she was about to continue her experiments, new problems would arise, as if the entire universe was hindering her research.
"This is absolutely ridiculous," Pandora muttered to herself one afternoon as her wand malfunctioned once again.
Her tone revealed a hint of frustration, but more so confusion and doubt.
Should she... change her approach?
Through a rigorous process of elimination, Pandora gradually turned her suspicions toward Sean.
That noon, Pandora entered Sean's room.
At this moment, Sean is tutoring Luna.
"Hack," Pandora's voice broke the silence of the room, gentle yet inquiring, "Can you talk to me? There are some things I'd like to discuss with you."
Sean looked up and saw Pandora standing in the doorway; his expression instantly stiffened.
He quickly concealed his inner turmoil and offered a gentle smile. "Of course, Pandora. Luna, shall we take a break?"
Luna nodded, keenly sensing the subtle tension between her mother and Sean.
She closed the book, stood up gently, and left the room, making sure to close the door behind her.
Only Sean and Pandora remained in the room, and an indescribable tension filled the air.
Pandora moved closer, pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Sean, looking directly at him as if trying to find answers in his eyes.
"Harker," her voice remained gentle, but with a hint of firmness in it, "I've encountered quite a few problems with my experiments lately. These problems seem to have come about rather strangely."
Sean's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface. "Is that so? That's how experiments are; unexpected things always happen."
“Yes, accidents do happen,” Pandora nodded slightly, her eyes still fixed on Sean, “but there are far too many of these accidents, especially every time I’m preparing for an experiment, there’s always some unexpected situation that stops me from continuing. Hack, do you think this is just a coincidence?”