Chapter 131: Vastness
If the vastness of Transfiguration came from generations of wizards plumbing its depths, then the vastness of Alchemy surely came from the endless, brilliant spark of new ideas.
A Levitation Charm paired with a weak Legilimency Charm created the Quick-Quotes Quill, a bestseller for centuries.
A Doubling Charm combined with a Permanence Charm created Everlasting Ink.
Even the Weasley twins' Canary Creams were just an application of Transfiguration – a complex, animate-to-animate charm triggered upon consumption. (Though, as the twins admitted, they couldn't perform such advanced magic themselves; the charm-work had been "generously" provided by their mysterious professor, Terra.)
Sean could see the endless potential. If a biscuit could turn you into a canary, why not a Shark Biscuit that let you breathe underwater, or an Eagle Éclair for temporary flight?
Alchemy's requirements were unique. It demanded a "heretical" way of thinking. The difficulty wasn't in doing, but in imagining. Take the Shield Hats the Weasley twins later invented. Was it really that no other wizard could have made one? Wizards had built the Knight Bus—a triple-decker behemoth that could be summoned, shrink on demand, turn invisible, and travel at impossible speeds, all while the driver seemingly paid no attention to the steering wheel, letting lamp posts and postboxes leap out of its way.
Yet, with all that advanced, practical magic, no one had bothered to invent a simple Shield Hat? It couldn't be because it was useless; the Ministry had ended up ordering five hundred of them.
Perhaps too few wizards specialized in Alchemy. Perhaps the broader wizarding world simply didn't value such mundane inventions. Or perhaps their thinking was just too rigid. Whatever the reason, the field of Alchemy seemed woefully undeveloped, despite its omnipresence in wizarding life.
Sean's mind buzzed with ideas. For days, he was completely engrossed in the twins' notes, which detailed the basic principles of Alchemy and included schematics for several small, ingenious gadgets. His first task was to build a functional Levitating Quill. He was also deeply curious about the mysterious Professor Terra, who only taught sixth and seventh-years.
But before all that, he had to meet the Panel's requirements: Adept Potions, Adept Charms, Adept Transfiguration. He understood the need for Charms and Transfiguration. But... Potions?
November deepened the chill. Snow began to fall, dusting the castle grounds in white each morning. The wind was a physical force, cutting at hands and faces. The enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall mirrored the snowy sky. Sean now wore two jumpers, along with the magical hand-warmer jar Hermione had given him.
His routine became even more rigid. The Weasley twins, knowing his schedule, now found him easily.
"The Great Green!"
They would pop out from behind suits of armor, portraits, or even snowdrifts, shout their greeting, and vanish. Sean, his nose buried in a Rune dictionary, would only look up after they were gone.
"He seems... even more focused lately," Justin observed, peering through the window of the Room of Hope. "I know he's always focused, but this is different."
Hermione nodded, then glanced at Harry and Ron, who were lurking awkwardly near the corridor entrance, along with an older Ravenclaw student.
"Do we just... go in, Harry?" Ron whispered, stamping his feet to keep warm, his excitement palpable. "Did you see? When you caught the Snitch, even Hermione cheered!"
Harry blushed, but nodded. "I think... I think Sean will let us join."
The two whispered, but the tall Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater, had already approached Sean.
"I'm Penelope Clearwater, Mr. Green," she said, her voice crisp and clear. "I'm here to apologize for an oversight by one of my dunderheaded teammates."
Hidden behind a nearby pillar, several burly Ravenclaw Quidditch players were trying to look inconspicuous.
"Roger," one of them stage-whispered, "since when did your eyesight go from 'eagle' to 'owl'?"
Roger Davies, the player in question, flushed bright red but said nothing. He had messed up. How had he, the acting captain, missed a first-year who had passed the official Flight Test? The kid was probably desperate for an invitation! Everyone loved Quidditch!
"An owl is still an eagle, you witless buffoon!" a portrait on the wall suddenly shrieked. The Ravenclaws jumped.
"Mr. Owl, sir! We weren't talking about you!" one of them yelped, clearly familiar with the portrait's temper.
"You weren't?! You mean I'm not an eagle?!" the owl screeched, his spectacles slipping in his rage.
"No! I mean, yes! You are! No, I meant..." The Ravenclaw stammered, digging himself deeper as Roger Davies began to snicker.
"Just explain, Tozer!" Roger hissed. "Or you won't get back into the common room for a month! Remember who designed this castle!"
"Shut up, Davies! Help me!" Tozer whisper-shouted, his face a mask of panic. "If I can't get in, neither will you! I'll knock on your door all night!"
The other Ravenclaws burst into laughter, the tense atmosphere dissolving.
The conversation at the front, however, was not going as smoothly. Penelope's brow was furrowed as she tried to phrase her next words gently.
(End of Chapter)
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