Chapter 175: New Book
Chapter 175: New Book
Professor Flitwick nervously waved his hands. "I'm very sorry, Minerva. I got a bit carried away... You know, I've been researching that spell for years."
Professor Mcgonagall's anger subsided a bit, and she asked with a hint of curiosity, "How did it turn out?"
"It was fantastic, thanks to Felix. We all agree that this Ancient Magic has tremendous potential, possibly even affecting creatures like fire dragons. We call it the 'Powerful Size-Altering Charm,' which combines the Reducing Charm and Enlarging Charm but with even stronger effects."
"Is it really that impressive?"
"Yes, Minerva, it is. Of course, there's still room for improvement."
Professor Sprout hurried back and carefully tended to the two Wand Trees. She wasn't very pleased with the person who caused the commotion, but her mood improved when Felix gave her three large bags of magical plant seeds from the black market.
"These seeds are very precious. Where did you get them?" Sprout looked at him in amazement.
Felix vaguely replied, "I had a friend in France find them. It was a lucky find, and I doubt I'll have such good luck again..."
Sprout assumed he had used connections with the French Ministry of Magic, so she didn't press further. Instead, she began discussing the seeds' uses with him.
"These are Knobby Vine seeds. They look a bit like brown, spiky pods. We use them in sixth-year classes", she explained.
"These are Hyena Tree seeds."
"And these are Warder Tree seeds. Their scent repels low-level dark creatures. I'd love to plant a circle of them around Hogwarts..."
"Good heavens, there are even Bladderwort seeds! Felix, did you see? Bladderwort! It's a magical aquatic plant from the Mediterranean. Swallowing it allows you to breathe underwater, though that would be a waste. Its uses in potion-making are irreplaceable."
Sprout chattered on, her plump body bustling about the third greenhouse. She found bottles and jars from the corners, carefully storing the seeds in their respective categories.
Humming a cheerful tune, she buzzed about like a busy bee—though plump, she was incredibly industrious.
Felix surveyed the place. The air was a mix of earthy and fertilized scents, mingled with strong floral aromas, creating a contradictory feeling in his nose—wanting to breathe deeply yet feeling a bit cautious.
Huge flower crowns hung from the ceiling like colorful umbrellas, adding a layered and well-organized look to the upper part of the greenhouse.
Felix asked, "Are these Umbrella Flowers?"
"Yes, they have a strong fragrance, but be careful not to get too engrossed."
Felix smiled in agreement. He watched the rows of Umbrella Mushrooms gently swaying, and beside them were some empty pots, with a leaf partially buried in the soil.
"Did these pots belong to Mandrakes?" Felix picked up a leaf and examined it closely.
Professor Sprout looked up. "Oh, yes, they did. Adult Mandrakes are too dangerous, so I only keep two. But they are very effective. The young wizard who was petrified recovered in less than fifteen minutes."
"I remember, his name was Colin Creevey. Severus mentioned him to me", Felix tried to recall, and he shuddered.
"A first-year, petrified within three months of starting school, and he was in bed for over half a year. He opened his eyes just three days before the Final Exam. Uh... it was quite a tough situation."
Felix returned to his office with a bag of gifts, feeling cheerful.
That night, he and Nicolas Flamel resolved some questions through photographs. To be honest, the photo of Nicolas Flamel looked younger and healthier, though with the same white hair. The photo seemed more vibrant than the man he had met at the Boussard Hotel, who appeared somewhat weary.
Communicating through photos isn't as convenient as one might hope, but it's not as troublesome as expected. Felix isn't a beginner; he's a master of Runic Script, so their interactions focus more on exchange rather than instruction.
Their typical interaction goes like this: Felix raises a question, and Nicolas Flamel, after some thought, provides his approach.
Or, Nicolas Flamel introduces Felix to some obscure but highly useful books. For example, The Palace of Akalisto—a title that Felix would have never paid attention to unless he was extremely bored and looking for a random book to read.
Even when reading for leisure, he would choose something with an interesting title, like The Adventures of Martin Miggs published by Lca Comics, which tells the story of a Muggle named Martin Miggs from France who accidentally stumbles into the magical world.
After reading it, Felix's impression was that the reason Wizards haven't introduced Muggle film equipment is that magic is simply too convenient. Young Wizards view comic strips almost like animated films.
Moreover, introducing such equipment wouldn't help much, as Wizards find it hard to relate to normal human life. They would curiously ask why Muggles don't use magic.
Besides these topics, the two also discuss Muggle issues, including parts of their own manuscripts.
Today, Nicolas Flamel recommended three obscure books to Felix. Felix hadn't expected to receive a reading list from someone else, a reminder that life is full of surprises.
"Let's call it a day, Felix. I'm a bit tired", Nicolas Flamel's eyes in the portrait were sleepy.
"Good night, Nearly Headless Nick."
After their conversation, Felix tidied up his workbench. He put away the postcard his assistant sent from France and took out a thick stack of manuscripts.
He had completed his planned work, preparing two books for different audiences:
Mick's Magical Misadventures* is written for young aspiring Wizards. Drawing inspiration from the dynamic comic strips of the magical world, it tells the story of a 10-year-old aspiring Wizard sent to a Muggle school. Initially, Mick planned to just get by, waiting for his Hogwarts acceptance letter, but he found himself captivated by school life. From engaging and interesting classes to diverse games, museum visits, amusement parks, and community service activities, the book introduces a once-strange world from a child's perspective.
The other book, The 'Magic' of the Muggle World, is a science book for adult Wizards. It aims to explain the most basic and fundamental technologies of the Muggle world using the most rigorous logic and language.
After reviewing the manuscripts and finding no errors, Felix double-checked the appointment times on his calendar.
"9:00 AM tomorrow, Diagon Alley, 126a, Little Red Book Publishing."
"10:00 AM tomorrow, Diagon Alley South, 15b, Lca Comics."
The former, Little Red Book Publishing, is a company he has worked with before, successfully publishing History of Magic and Social and Family Life of British Muggle Households, both of which are currently used as textbooks at Hogwarts. Given their good working relationship, this meeting should go smoothly.
As for Lca Comics, which specializes in the children's market, he has no prior experience with them. He'll have to play it by ear, but he has done some preparation.
(End of Chapter)
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