Chapter 196: Snape's Assessment
"The number you have dialed is currently switched off. Please try again later."
The Communicator rejected Ryan's call request.
Nicolas Flamel was indicating that it was very late, and unlike a youngster under two hundred years old, he needed to rest early.
This was normal. The Professor was a busy man.
Ryan thought: I just wanted to ask if you have access to Beauxbatons' wards... just for research purposes.
He had no choice but to prepare his lecture for the next day. The atmosphere for alchemy at Beauxbatons was quite strong, certainly much stronger than at Hogwarts.
At Hogwarts, few people were interested in alchemy. Even those who were, were usually only interested in prank products—like certain unnamed Weasleys.
Beauxbatons was different. Alchemy was a core subject starting from the third year. Although the curriculum wasn't deep—mostly translation and interpretation of ancient runes, and methods for crafting minor magical items that wouldn't even breach the Statute of Secrecy—it was still a required course.
For tomorrow's class, he planned to discuss the basic function of runes in alchemy and guide the students in carving ancient runes onto ordinary materials to achieve weak magical effects.
"I'll teach them the ancient rune for 'protection' or 'defense.' A small amulet."
The five-story building next to Beauxbatons.
The interior was very modern, with whitewashed walls and bright windows. In the large meeting hall on the first floor, a large group of people sat below the stage, buzzing with discussion.
They were of all ages, for the thirst for the unknown knows no age limit.
"We were in class... why the sudden notification?"
"I don't know. When I came in, I saw a young wizard I didn't recognize with Madame Maxime."
"Could we be getting another professor?"
"Maybe."
"I hope this professor has more time to spend here... capable professors have so little free time."
"Actually, students from Beauxbatons can teach us too, like Professor Fleur. And some leaders from the Ministry also come to give lectures."
"I'd believe a Ministry leader, but what does a little girl like her know?"
"Professor Ryan is just a child!"
"How many Professor Ryans are there in the world?!"
Those supporting Fleur and those supporting Ryan argued back and forth.
The older students couldn't accept a teenager standing at the podium teaching them.
Even with Ryan as an example, they couldn't accept it. In their view, children were simply incapable, and the Ministry was impressive. They didn't need a reason; they just believed it.
After all, age meant authority, meant experience, didn't it? Almost all the middle-aged and elderly students told themselves this, believing Fleur's teaching was subpar, that she just read from the textbook and her explanations of magical history were poor.
Although the History of Magic professor at Beauxbatons was as authoritative in education as Professor Binns at Hogwarts, because he was an old man, he had earned the trust of these older students.
Fleur faced bias for two reasons: being female and being young.
Walking in from the door, Fleur heard the students gossiping about her.
Her low heels clicked louder on the floor, a sharp clack-clack-clack, as if reminding certain people to engage their brains before speaking.
The sound of heels striking the floor alerted the chatting students. Most stopped laughing and shut their mouths, though one or two stubbornly ossified middle-aged men let out a snort.
So annoying!
But she couldn't do anything about them.
Fleur sat in the front row, where the Beauxbatons Potions professor was already seated.
"Do these people not have children? Why such malice towards young people?" Fleur whispered to the professor.
"Precisely because they have children. They project their own children onto you, and thus assume everything you say must be wrong."
The Potions professor, a middle-aged wizard, could understand their mindset, even if he couldn't accept it.
"But Ryan..." Fleur persisted.
"Regrettably, people are different. In six hundred years, there has been only one person Mr. Nicolas Flamel actively sought out. Anyone else who managed to form a connection with Mr. Flamel had to beg for a single meeting."
The Potions professor spoke to Fleur, ostensibly emphasizing the gap between people, but actually warning the most brilliant student Beauxbatons had seen in years not to get hung up on a hopeless crush.
If wizards couldn't empathize with Squibs, and Squibs couldn't empathize with Muggles, then the gap between a wizard like Ryan and an ordinary "brilliant" wizard was even greater than the gap between wizards and Muggles.
Especially since he had heard the renowned Professor Snape speak about one of his outstanding students at a tri-school potions conference. Snape had claimed this student was excellent in everything, proficient in every subject, and diligent enough to master even his weaker subjects through repeated experimentation. The only downside was that he seemed to be missing a screw when it came to romance and emotions, caring only about the utility of magic...
Combining this with the famous Hogwarts students he knew of, and the legendary Adventurers' Club...
The Beauxbatons Potions professor was convinced that the student Snape described as "missing a screw" was Ryan Welles.
While Beauxbatons was romantic and accepting of love across different statuses, it didn't mean a professor would support a student running headfirst into a brick wall.
Maybe I was too subtle... seeing Fleur hadn't caught his drift at all.
"I have some acquaintance with Professor Snape of Hogwarts. We've discussed academic issues at conferences. He mentioned Ryan Welles."
"Professor Snape? Ryan's Potions master? I've heard Ryan mention him; he respects him quite a bit," Fleur said casually. She remembered clearly.
"Hogwarts was the center of two wars against Dark Lords. The professors there have been baptized and tempered by war; their level is far higher than mine. So any researcher in the field of potions respects Snape. This professor's assessment of Ryan was that he might be... not very good at... romance."
The professor tried to warn his student as gently as possible.
"Not good at romance? That's great news!" Fleur's eyes lit up. "That means my rivals are weak and unskilled! I can definitely win!"
"..." The Potions professor shut his mouth.
Hogwarts.
Flitwick was conducting an experiment. He was attempting to create a spell based on the principle of mass-energy conversion—a spell that could release the full kinetic energy of a stationary object.
"Mass and energy can be converted... kinetic mass plus rest mass equals total mass. Velocity... time?"
He muttered to himself, deriving his spell on a piece of parchment.
A knock sounded at the door.
Penelope's voice came from outside. "Professor, are you busy right now?"
~~~
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