Chapter 342: Young Man...
Chapter 342: Young Man...
"I agree," Mr. Drakul said mysteriously, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment, which he handed directly to Albert.
"Hector asked me to give this to you," he said.
Albert took the parchment with a puzzled expression. The handwriting did resemble Mr. Dagworth's, inquiring if he would be willing to come and help.
However, the note didn't specify what kind of help was needed, as it only contained that one sentence, with no context.
Albert glanced at Mr. Drakul, awaiting an explanation.
"Hector will be in touch with you soon," Mr. Drakul said with a smile. "He knows you wouldn't easily trust a stranger. By the way, I'm Adrian Drakul, the brother of the helpful Mr. Drakul you mentioned before. Also, I'm a potioneer myself."
Albert was stunned by this statement and began to scrutinize the man before him, who had introduced himself as Adrian Drakul. He recalled that the age of the Veela contestant should be similar to his, yet Adrian Drakul's daughter, Louise, was at least four or five years older than him.
Are you sure he's the older brother, not the younger one?
"Is something the matter?" Adrian Drakul noticed Albert's bewildered expression and asked curiously.
"You don't strike me as the typical stuffy potioneer," Albert remarked with a peculiar look on his face. He couldn't help but feel that this guy in front of him was even more mischievous than the Weasley twins when it came to causing trouble.
In Albert's impression, most potioneers tended to be a bit rigid, and Severus Snape was the perfect example. Even Mr. Dagworth exhibited some of those tendencies.
"And you're not stiff at all, are you?" Mr. Drakul winked. "He'll be in touch soon. If you're interested, you can go and help him out. It'll be a great experience."
"I can't just leave my family here; they don't speak French," Albert refused with a shake of his head.
"No, no, I don't mean right now," Mr. Drakul explained. "We'll meet again. By the way, they have excellent pickled meat here. You must try it."
Mr. Drakul departed with his daughter, leaving the Anderson family perplexed. Albert briefly discussed with his family the curious topics that had piqued their interest.
"Are there really werewolves in this world?" Nia asked, blinking with curiosity. Although she had read some of the magic-related books Albert had bought, she was still intrigued by mythical creatures.
"Yes, there are..."
Albert casually mentioned some facts about werewolves, easily brushing off the topic.
Daisy was even more curious about the beauty potions from the magical world, as women were always interested in ways to enhance their attractiveness.
"Beauty Potion," Albert began, "is a potion that, when consumed, enhances one's appearance and charm. Of course, it's similar to makeup in that you need to use it regularly. As for whether there are side effects from prolonged use, I'm not entirely sure." Albert believed that magical potions, like any medicine, should be consumed in moderation, as they could potentially have adverse effects.
Daisy fell silent, contemplating whether to ask Albert to buy a bottle for her to try its effects.
There was no woman who didn't want to become more beautiful.
"Ahem!" Herbert, seemingly aware of his wife's thoughts, cleared his throat and interjected. "Are you sure it's safe to consume those concoctions of strange ingredients?"
Herbert had been to the potion shop, and the array of materials on display there had left him feeling rather uneasy.
"If you want to become more beautiful, you should exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet, stay in a good mood, and avoid using too many strange products," Albert advised Nia sincerely.
"If what you say works, many people would have already done so," Nia retorted with a pout, clearly unconvinced by Albert's assurance.
"That's because most people can't stick to it," Albert replied.
"Then don't tell us if most people can't do it," Daisy said irritably.
She was wavering.
That evening, Albert received a letter from Mr. Dagworth, who had sent him a mirror.
"A two-way mirror?" Albert examined the mirror before him with interest.
"What is that?" Nia asked curiously.
"It's a two-way mirror, similar to a telephone. You can communicate face-to-face through these magical mirrors. Tom, stop turning your backside towards it; you'll end up breaking the mirror." Albert helplessly picked up Tom, much like how a cat loves to occupy the keyboard when others are using the computer or squats on a book when someone is trying to read. Tom would sometimes use this method to attract his master's attention when ignored.
"That's wonderful! If we have this, we can see each other often and won't need to write letters anymore." Nia's eyes lit up with excitement.
"The art of crafting these two-way mirrors has long been lost, and the number of them available is scarce. I've considered buying a pair before, but unfortunately, I couldn't find any." Albert explained as he moved Tom aside, not wanting the fat cat to damage the mirror.
The next moment, a voice calling out to Albert came from the mirror, and Mr. Dagworth's face appeared. It was a face that looked slightly weary.
Tom was startled and jumped back, but soon cautiously moved closer, reaching out with his claws to scratch at the person in the mirror.
"Long time no see, Mr. Dagworth." Albert pulled Tom's claws away from the mirror to prevent him from causing any damage.
"It has been a while, Albert. I heard from Adrian that you're in France."
"Yes, I'm vacationing here with my family."
"I'm also in France, working with Damocles on his potions. Are you interested in joining us? I recall your talent in improving potions." As Mr. Dagworth mentioned this, Nia glared at the person in the mirror.
"I'm sorry, but I'm a bit tied up at the moment. Besides, Mr. Drakul mentioned that you have a wager going on."
"It's just a gimmick." Mr. Dagworth explained helplessly: "Damocles has been researching wolf poison potions for many years, but the results have deviated from his expectations. This potion doesn't restore werewolves, but it does allow them to retain their sanity during a full moon, reducing the pain they experience when transforming."
"Do you want Mr. Damocles to become famous?" Albert asked tentatively.
"He deserves it." Mr. Dagworth said softly: "Damocles has put in a lot of effort to invent this wolf poison potion."
"Why hasn't Mr. Damocles received the Merlin badge and the recognition he deserves?" Albert couldn't help but ask.
"Damocles' fame is not well-known. A few years ago, he tried to promote this potion, but he failed because the ingredients for the wolf poison potion are too expensive, and the formula is not very user-friendly for most potion makers." Mr. Dagworth sighed softly. "Also, the Ministry of Magic doesn't pay much attention to werewolves, so that's why it turned out this way."
"I think I understand now!"
"If you're interested, you can come and help with the improvement of the potion. If you can't make it, we can communicate through the two-way mirror. I believe you'll definitely be intrigued by it." Mr. Dagworth added, "I hope Adrian hasn't caused you any trouble. He loves to prank others, but he means no harm. That fellow actually has pretty good relationships."
"Is Mr. Drakul also a potion maker?"
"He is. I know you might think he doesn't seem like one, but in fact, when I first met him, I also felt that he didn't fit the mold. Most people who know him think the same." Mr. Dagworth's expression was one of helplessness, but it was undeniable that Adrian was quite skilled.
The face on the mirror disappeared completely.
"That's the Mr. Anderson you spoke highly of." Damocles had corresponded with Albert and, although he also thought that Albert's talent was remarkable, his terrifying age made it hard for him to trust the youth fully.
"Don't underestimate our friend Albert here. He does have a talent for improvements. Perhaps one of his brilliant ideas will help you solve the problem that has been bothering you for years." Mr. Dagworth knew that his friend didn't fully trust Albert due to his age.
There was no choice; Albert was just too young.
(End of Chapter)
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