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Chapter 111: Exchange of Secrets
Chapter 111: Exchange of Secrets
In the wee hours of the morning, Albert stirred from his light sleep. The room was pitch-black, and though he couldn't tell the time, he could clearly make out the soft breathing of his dorm mates.
Albert quietly got out of bed and began to change into his clothes when a familiar voice rang out.
"We thought you'd sleep through till morning."
"So, George, you lose." Fred sat on the edge of the bed, grinning at his twin brother. "I told you, Albert would wake up."
"Fine, you win," George conceded with a slight frown.
"Good evening," Albert said as he pulled on his sweater and looked at his two dorm mates. "Are you coming?"
"Of course," they replied.
"Too bad, Lee Jordan's still fast asleep!"
"Should we wake him up?"
The two boys lit their wands and pointed them at the other bed, where their dorm mate was sleeping soundly. They shook their heads in unison. "No use, he won't wake up!"
"Let's not disturb him, then," Albert said as he pulled on a thick layer of clothing and wrapped the towel Nia had given him around his neck. "It's cold out there, so dress warmly to avoid catching a cold!"
"We're prepared," the twins replied, no strangers to nocturnal adventures.
The trio tiptoed downstairs, finding the Gryffindor common room deserted and the fireplace cold and dark.
Albert adjusted his winter cloak and raised his wand, ready to cast a Disguise Spell on the twins. "Wait here, and stay close when we go out."
"Where are you off to?" Fred asked curiously. "The restricted section?"
"Yes, I plan to borrow some books from there," Albert admitted, lowering his voice. "'Book of Spells', 'Powerful Potions', or other potion books... I'm quite interested in Felix Felicis. I'm sure there are records of it in the restricted section."
"You plan to brew some good luck potion?" The twins exchanged a glance and spoke in unison.
"It's a bit challenging right now, but I'm confident I can do it in the future. With my Skill Panel, I have every reason to be confident," Albert asserted.
Felix Felicis was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"So, you're planning to brew and sell it to make a fortune?" The twins looked at each other again. "I bet it would sell like hotcakes. Remember to cut us in on the deal when you do."
"That's not a bad idea. A small sip should fetch at least 20 Galleons, maybe more." Albert mused, "With your abysmal potion-making skills, you'd probably brew poison instead."
"A small sip!"
"Twenty Galleons!"
The twins' voices rose in pitch as if they had heard something unbelievable, completely ignoring the latter half of Albert's sentence.
"Indeed, Felix Felicis is extremely valuable, but it's also incredibly difficult to brew. The process is complex, and it's said that only a highly skilled Potion Master can manage it. It's a rare commodity because most people desire 'luck'," Albert explained. "However, one wrong move during the brewing process could have disastrous consequences. Even a master isn't guaranteed success, and failure means half a year's worth of effort down the drain."
In truth, Albert knew that Felix Felicis didn't bring true 'luck', but he needed the effects it provided. Drinking it would be like giving himself a powerful buff.
Having things go smoothly could also be considered a form of 'luck'.
Most importantly, with his Skill Panel and Experience Pool, he could master the skill and, if necessary, instantly become an expert in brewing Felix Felicis.
The twins were intrigued by the mention of Felix Felicis—a potion that brought luck and promised a fortune. Though they didn't actively pursue wealth, they knew what it was like to be poor.
Given the choice, no one would choose poverty.
"Alright, I'm about to cast the Disguise Spell. Who wants to go first?" Albert asked, turning to them.
"No need for that, we have a better way."
"A better way?" Albert feigned ignorance, even though he knew exactly what they were referring to.
The twins produced a piece of old parchment from their pockets as if performing a magic trick, waving it in front of Albert like a prized possession.
"What's this?" Albert lowered his voice, infusing his tone with feigned confusion to hide any signs of a slip-up. He was, after all, unaware of the existence of the Marauder's Map.
In the dim light, Fred and George wouldn't notice the subtle changes in Albert's expression anyway.
"It's a map," Fred said, "Remember that awesome stuff we got from Filch's 'highly dangerous' drawer of confiscated items?"
"Oh, so this is what you got from Filch? An old piece of parchment?" Albert raised his wand and gestured towards the blank parchment.
"Is it invisible magic or invisible ink?"
"It's a map, the Hogwarts map. It requires a special password to use, but you're right, it can hide information." George tapped the map with his wand and muttered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
"Up to no good?" Albert felt like laughing but nodded seriously. "Indeed, up to no good."
The map soon came to life, with countless ink lines and strokes forming a detailed map of the castle.
"This is indeed a remarkable map, and one can easily see the maker's thoughtful design." Albert spoke softly, "It also has some advanced Tracking Magic on it."
"What kind of magic?" George asked, puzzled.
"Tracking Magic." Albert explained, "The maker has used Tracking Magic on the map, and they're quite skilled."
"Yeah, it marks the location of everyone in the castle." Fred winked at Albert, "Right after midnight, Filch actually got up to patrol, wanting to catch you, but... you weren't awake yet, so he ran for nothing."
"So... you also found out about the secret passageways from this map?" Albert narrowed his eyes and asked.
"Yes, we learned about them from the live map." The twin brothers whispered, "Don't tell Lee Jordan about this for now."
"I understand." Albert nodded, "But I think there are some secrets in this school that you definitely don't know about."
"What secrets?" The twins asked in unison.
"The broom closet you were looking for before." Albert said mysteriously.
"You found that broom closet?"
"That's not a broom closet, follow me." Albert smiled mysteriously, "You'll be amazed in a moment."
(End of Chapter)
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