Harry Potter: Don't Touch the Badger's Plants

Chapter 297: Swamp, Mutation, and How Hard is Making Money?

Conston Swamp

The rotten stench filled the air, as if a thousand corpses were fermenting within. Ink-green mud glimmered with filthy oil under the moonlight. Putrid gases emerged periodically, bursting in rapid succession.

Through these brief openings, one could glimpse various bones flashing beneath the mud, along with maggots and flies crawling across them.

Ciel surveyed this disgusting scene, his brow furrowing slightly. No wonder some wizards, even knowing the Black-backed Ring Flies in Conston Swamp were valuable, still dared not approach. The environment alone was enough to deter people, let alone the writhing maggots and adult Black-backed Ring Flies in the swamp.

Without proper methods, rashly entering Conston Swamp would likely result in becoming part of those skeletal remains. Moments later, Ciel's expression returned to normal. For someone possessing ancient shadow magic, he naturally didn't need to wade through that rotten mud, indistinguishable from feces and corpse water, like ordinary wizards.

With a wand wave, Ciel chanted the runes, activating ancient shadow magic. A mass of shadows surged across the ground. He stepped forward, his figure merging into the shadows, then gliding across the swamp as if on solid ground.

Along the way, those Black-backed Ring Flies that would bite any living creature showed no reaction to Ciel. After all, from their perspective, he was merely a shadow, and shadows held no interest for them. But this didn't mean Ciel wouldn't act against them. He came here precisely for these special flies.

Shadows on the ground spread like tentacles in all directions. Wherever they passed, mature Black-backed Ring Flies were silently swallowed. Moments later, a shadow as solid as substance formed a flat surface in the swamp.

When Ciel emerged, his hands already held several bottles full of buzzing Black-backed Ring Flies. Just these few bottles were enough to make ordinary wizards ecstatic, representing several Galleons of income.

But Ciel paid no attention to such pittances. Setting aside his current purified Alihotsy trade, even with no business ventures, just as the Sprout family heir, his aunt's allowance was substantial. Compared to exchanging these Black-backed Ring Flies for money, Ciel was more interested in their applications.

After pondering briefly, Ciel squeezed out a drop of blood, letting it fall into one bottle. Smelling that rich life force, the Black-backed Ring Flies inside went absolutely mad, swarming toward the blood drop.

At that moment, Ciel waved his wand again. Flesh-twisting magic shot from the wand tip. The next instant, those Black-backed Ring Flies that had devoured Ciel's blood immediately began swelling.

Originally only slightly larger than ordinary flies, they grew to the size of tennis balls in moments, continuing to grow. Their surfaces gleamed with metallic luster. Even when vibrating their wings, they resembled airplane propellers. Even their mouthparts sprouted countless sharp barbs, flashing with cold light.

Seeing this, Ciel's expression turned astonished. There really are such peculiar magical creatures? Just now when I cast Dark Magic Transfiguration, merely hoping to make them larger, stronger, more aggressive, they became like blank canvases, allowing the magic to transform them completely. No wonder they're popular Dark Magic Transfiguration materials.

Currently, these continuously swelling Black-backed Ring Flies had already burst through the specially-made glass bottles. Piercing noise immediately erupted. Obviously, being bottled had made them quite angry, and now was the perfect opportunity for revenge.

Without hesitation, the swarm of Black-backed Ring Flies launched an attack toward Ciel. But moments later, as Ciel's Magic-Resistant Scales emerged on his body, the Black-backed Ring Flies' attack couldn't even scratch the dense black scales.

Instead, Ciel casually picked up one mutated Black-backed Ring Fly, examining it carefully. After one Dark Magic Transfiguration modification, it's like white paper with ink on it. If I want to continue other directional modifications on these mutated flies, that's no different from ordinary materials—it loses its special properties.

Understanding this, Ciel lost interest in these experimental Black-backed Ring Flies. With a wand wave, he merged into the shadows created by ancient shadow magic, heading toward the swamp's deeper regions.

Just now at the swamp's outer edges, those captured flies experiencing the same Dark Magic Transfiguration showed varying strength. Obviously, this relates to their individual conditions. According to the knowledge I obtained from Shume, the further toward the swamp center, the better the flies' overall quality.

There'll even be some special individuals born from Black-backed Ring Fly Queens. Their strength upper limits after Dark Magic Transfiguration will be several times stronger than ordinary ones. Each such fly is quite valuable. Of course, most precious is still the Queen. If I control the Queen, that's equivalent to continuously obtaining these special individuals. The Queen itself reportedly has modification potential in Dark Magic Transfiguration that exceeds these special individuals by dozens of times!

Thinking of the Queen, Ciel squinted. Shume had desperately desired this creature, repeatedly coming to Conston Swamp trying to obtain a Queen, but always had to abandon the attempt due to the swamp center being too dangerous. But this time, Ciel could try.

After Ciel disappeared into the shadows, traveling further away, those mutant Black-backed Ring Flies that lost their target flapped their wings bewilderedly, then angrily dispersed outward, seeking that little wizard who disturbed them.

Just then, at the swamp's edge in the cold, foul mud-water, Ron Weasley, wrapped tightly, was stepping through this rotten mud.

"Damn it, damn it, so disgusting!" Just as Ron complained, in his mind, "Nagini" spoke firmly. "Ron, these are all tests for you. Though the environment isn't pleasant, think about the Black-backed Ring Flies' value."

Hearing this, Ron seemed to hear Galleons clinking, plus everything that followed: Sweets from Honeydukes, various novelties from Diagon Alley shops, proper new robes, and his own wand. Things previously unattainable were now within reach!

So Ron gritted his teeth, continuing forward into the swamp. At this time, the Black-backed Ring Flies in the swamp were naturally disturbed, swarming toward Ron.

Ron's heart felt uncertain. "Nagini, the insect-repelling potion you taught me to brew—can it really work against so many flies?"

Nagini confidently replied, "The potions I brew, even Dumbledore would praise them. These flies simply cannot approach you. Rest assured."

Then, indeed, as he said, though these Black-backed Ring Flies came menacingly, once they approached him, the insect-repelling potion smeared on his body immediately made them dizzy and disoriented, rendering them unable to bite. The Black-backed Ring Flies swayed drunkenly in the air.

Instead, Ron seized this opportunity, easily filling wide-mouth bottles with Black-backed Ring Flies. His mind filled with disbelief. One bottle can sell for several Galleons? Is making money really this simple?

Ron's rejection of Conston Swamp had already vanished. He continuously collected Black-backed Ring Flies in bottles. Within moments, he'd already filled five or six bottles, his mind full of scenes after exchanging them for Galleons.

When the new term starts, I'll arrive with completely new gear. Who'd dare call me the Weasley family's poor kid? And Ciel, so what if he's the heir to the Sprout family? The Sprout family isn't that wealthy anyway. Continuing like this, given some time, surpassing Ciel's wealth will be easy!

Just as Ron immersed himself in fantasies, urgent wing-beating sounds like metallic humming shattered his thoughts.

"More Black-backed Ring Flies? This seems like a big one. Definitely sells for more Galleons. Let me see what this is."

Ron looked expectantly toward the sound. The next moment, the smile on his face gradually froze.