Chapter 27: Alchemy and the Weasley Twins

Professor Flitwick glanced at the parchment, saying, “Oh, a very clever way of using Guidance—though it’s a shortcut, it does help you grasp the spell more quickly. Wade, this must have been your idea.”

Wade lowered his eyes, flashing a bright smile. The usually stern Professor Flitwick couldn’t help but smile in return. With a flick of his wand, he duplicated the parchment into a dozen copies, ensuring each group had one. He warned, “This is just a reference—make sure you truly understand it. I’ll collect them in ten minutes. By then, I expect every single one of you to have mastered the Hovering Charm! Those who’ve already managed to levitate their feather—why not try making it spin in the air?”

The classroom buzzed back to life as students resumed their practice. Professor Flitwick wandered among them, offering quiet guidance. Wade directed his feather through graceful arcs—first a circle, then a square—before beginning to silently recite poetry. Anthony watched enviously, but didn’t let ambition cloud his focus. He kept practicing the Hovering Charm, over and over.

After class, the Gryffindors hurried off to their History of Magic lesson. Ravenclaws had no more classes that morning, and Wade, as usual, headed straight for the Library. Michael had been about to follow, but before he could stand, he was stopped.

“Hey, Michael,” Terry said, slinging an arm around his neck. “You’ve been disappearing after every class—been studying with Wade, right? I heard Granger and Longbottom are joining you too?”

A circle of eager Little Eagles stared at him.

Michael raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, I didn’t hide it! What’s with the interrogation?”

“So Longbottom actually mastered the Hovering Charm? That’s all thanks to your study sessions?” Lisha asked eagerly. “I thought you were just working on assignments together.”

“Michael, could you spare some time to teach me too?” Padma asked. “I’m still not very good at the Fire-Making Charm.”

Padma was a striking Indian girl, and Michael had always had a soft spot for her. But when it came to magic, he wouldn’t take credit where it wasn’t due.

“Of course I’d love to help you with the spells I’ve learned,” he said honestly. “But Padma, the one who really knows how to teach is Wade—not me. We’re all learning from him.”

“Wade…”

A brief silence fell over the group.

To them, Wade Gray was an enigma—cool, sharp-featured, and effortlessly brilliant. He didn’t smile often, didn’t joke, didn’t play games, didn’t talk about Quidditch, and never joined social gatherings. He vanished the moment class ended, only returning to the tower just before curfew. While others lingered in the Common Room chatting or doing homework, Wade was rarely seen there. To the Little Eagles, it felt like they’d been quietly, deliberately isolated by him.

In short, he was distant.

That was why few ever approached him—most students were a little afraid of him.

…

The Library was quiet, almost hushed. Madam Pince wasn’t hovering over the students this time; instead, she sat quietly with a book, turning pages slowly. When she saw Wade enter, she glanced up briefly—then returned to her reading.

Two months into the term, she knew all the First Years who came regularly. She could tell at a glance which ones could be trusted to stay quiet and respectful, and which ones needed constant supervision to avoid noise, book damage, or even fights. Wade was one of the ones she trusted completely.

He walked straight to the Alchemy section with practiced ease. He’d recently started dedicating time to studying Alchemy.

Alchemy explored the composition, structure, and magical properties of the four classical elements, as well as the transformation of matter. It had deep ties to Potion-making, Charms, Ancient Runes, and Defensive Magic Against the Dark Arts. At Hogwarts, students could only take Alchemy at Ordinary Wizarding Level if they achieved at least “Acceptable” in all those subjects—making it one of the most demanding courses.

For younger students without solid foundational knowledge, mastering Alchemy through self-study was nearly impossible.

Yet, in their daily lives, Alchemy was everywhere: the ever-burning candles in the Great Hall, the 142 moving staircases in the Castle, the portraits that seemed alive, the door knockers that asked questions, and even the Flying Broomsticks, Golden Snitches, Sorting Hat, Wizard’s Chess, and Memory Orbs.

The basics of Alchemy weren’t inherently difficult—only that the ancient texts were filled with obscure terminology, convoluted phrasing, and exaggerated mystical claims that made learning feel unnecessarily daunting.

Wade, however, had spent over twenty years in his past life honing his reading comprehension and building a vast vocabulary. With solid background knowledge and sharp analytical skills, he’d managed to work his way through Alchemy books one by one.

For a while, he’d been reading Nicolas Flamel’s works—Introduction to Alchemy and Analysis of Alchemy. Recently, he’d begun studying The Book of Natural Mysteries: The Fifth Element, written in the 12th century by the alchemist Raymondus Lullus. The so-called Fifth Element was, of course, the Philosopher’s Stone.

“This book is a bit outdated,” a voice suddenly said from beside him. Wade looked up in surprise. The Weasley Twins stood there—George speaking.

“You’re a First Year, right?” Fred pulled out a chair and sat across from him. “You’re way too early for this.”

“But honestly,” George continued, “you’ve got great taste. Alchemy is the most fascinating branch of magic. Silence Charm.” He waved his wand, silencing the area to keep Madam Pince from interrupting.

“Hogwarts doesn’t even offer Alchemy until sixth year,” Fred said.

“Honestly, that’s such a stupid rule. Why can’t First Years take it?”

“Because most students wouldn’t dare go home during summer,” Fred replied with mock seriousness. “Their report cards would have a ‘T’—for Terrible—on every subject.”

“Except us,” George said with a grin. “We’re born with it.”

“We’ve been studying it since last year,” Fred added.

“Here’s some advice from a senior, little Ravenclaw,” George said. “Start with Introduction to Alchemy. Nicolas Flamel is the greatest living alchemist. His books are the best to learn from.”

Wade shrugged. “I’ve already read that one.”

“Whoa,” Fred raised an eyebrow. “What about Analysis of Alchemy?”

“Done.”

“Then—On the Diversity of Species?” George asked. “Thomas Aquinas’s 12th-century work?”

Wade hesitated. “I’ve seen it. Didn’t read it closely. His books don’t really cover practical magic applications.”

George nodded. “True, but it was due to the limitations of the time. He had to publish through Muggle channels, so he had to hide magical content behind veiled language. Still, we recommend the 18th-century revised edition by Esnel Valgas. He added over 200 new Fantastic Beasts and over a thousand magical materials—much more comprehensive and accurate.”

The Weasley Twins had clearly read dozens of Alchemy texts—deeply, critically, and with passion. They spoke of them like old friends.

Wade was thrilled. He pulled out a fresh parchment and began jotting down every detail.

If it weren’t for his afternoon classes, he might not have let them leave at all.

They talked so long and so freely that neither side even remembered to ask the other’s name before parting ways.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end