Chapter 381: A Fair Deal
Chapter 381: A Fair Deal
The rumor of Albert's prophetic abilities was soon forgotten by the students after it was debunked as "gossip".
Yes, it's intriguing how short everyone's memory can be, as they quickly become engrossed in new topics within just a few days.
Their current fascination stems from a recent event where Albert submitted a thesis on 'Advanced Applications of the Transfiguration Spell' at the Transfiguration Club gathering.
This thesis, after being reviewed and edited by Professor McGonagall, was submitted to the magazine Today's Transfiguration and sparked quite a stir.
The main idea of the thesis was to use advanced transfiguration spells to create a "video and text" communication platform similar to Muggle telephones.
Well! This concept is actually beyond the scope of students. Many witches and wizards struggle to master advanced spell applications, and even fewer delve deeply into the effects of their spells.
For a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to propose such an innovative concept was truly jaw-dropping for many. The thesis's insight into transfiguration spells and their applications showcased the author's profound understanding of the field.
As soon as the latest issue of Today's Transfiguration was released, the thesis immediately grabbed everyone's attention, especially the students who knew that Albert was their peer. They couldn't help but look at him with a mix of admiration and complexity whenever they saw him.
With this thesis, Albert won the "Most Promising Newcomer Award" from Today's Transfiguration this year, an incredible honor.
Many students believed that Albert's understanding of transfiguration had surpassed the N.E.W.Ts examination standards.
However, what they didn't know was that this thesis was merely a byproduct of Albert's research on the two-way mirror, a fleeting idea that came to him during his studies.
The simplest approach would be to create a communication book. When needed, one would open the book, locate the intended page through an index, and then utilize an object similar to a two-way mirror to connect with the other party, whether through text or video. The downside, of course, is the inconvenience of carrying such a bulky item.
Albert planned to put his idea into action soon, believing that even if most witches and wizards in the magical world weren't interested, it would still be a hit among couples who wanted a more intimate way to communicate than writing letters.
Before that, Albert needed to master advanced transfiguration spells. Mastering the advanced applications of spells was no easy feat, and he knew he had to continue practicing.
Of course, advanced transfiguration spells were more manageable than advanced Patronus charms. Although they didn't appear on the skill panel, Albert had indeed grasped some advanced transfiguration techniques.
If he chose to invest enough experience or skill points into transfiguration, he could quickly master its advanced applications. However, Albert also had to consider the allocation of his experience points.
While he had accumulated a substantial amount of experience, it always seemed like it wasn't enough. Most of the time, he only upgraded skills that he deemed particularly important to level one or two.
For the most part, Albert still practiced the spells taught in class, and his wizarding heritage gave him a significant advantage.
As the busy school life continued, time slowly crept towards the end of September, marking the start of the rainy season in Scotland.
The constant rain could be frustrating, especially during outdoor Herbology classes, where one would inevitably end up covered in mud, cold, wet, and exhausted.
Care of Magical Creatures classes were also held outdoors, and rainy days presented their own set of challenges.
Albert recalled one occasion where they had to take shelter in the nearby forest during a particularly heavy downpour, and Professor Kettleburn decided to turn the class into a lesson on bowtruckle care under the protection of the trees.
However, even in the dreary rainy season, there were still moments of joy to be found.
What delighted Albert the most was the new quest he had unlocked with Mr. Adolf Fournier—a quest called "Equivalent Exchange."
The quest was simple: engage in an equivalent exchange of items that both parties needed.
Mr. Adolf Fournier required the method for crafting the two-way mirror, while Albert sought the man's knowledge in alchemy.
The quest required that the exchange be relatively equivalent and voluntary throughout the process.
In other words, don't get ripped off.
Just a few days ago, Mr. Adolf Fournier had obtained the remaining information about the two-way mirror, fulfilling his wish. Of course, the information Albert provided came from the Golden Book's records and drawings.
In exchange for knowledge, Albert gained valuable alchemical insights from Mr. Adolf Fournier, including the method for crafting Scrying Mirrors.
Scrying Mirrors were not Mr. Adolf Fournier's invention.
In the magical world, there was little to no concept of intellectual property protection. Anyone who could learn and replicate a spell or create a magical item was free to do so. This was why someone like Wilfred Smith, who valued knowledge, tightly controlled the formula for Floo Powder, ensuring that the manufacturing process remained a secret and thus protecting his interests.
There were downsides to this lack of intellectual property protection, however. Sometimes, the methods for creating certain spells or magical items could be lost forever if the inventor or creator perished without passing on their knowledge.
It's worth mentioning that, at Albert's request, Mr. Adolf Fournier had completed his research on Magic Lamps. Similar to the thought process behind Pensieves, the idea was to create a container that could be ignited by a wizard's wand, causing it to glow when the Lumos spell was cast upon it.
In essence, it was a magical oil lamp.
The downside was that it couldn't sustain its light for long and wasn't as practical as one might imagine.
Following the instructions provided by Mr. Adolf Fournier, Albert crafted a Magic Lamp that could only stay lit for ten seconds.
Fortunately, the skill panel did indeed include the "Magic Lamp" alchemy skill.
Tom, who witnessed this process, was startled and immediately slapped the lamp to the ground.
The first prototype of the Magic Lamp was promptly swept into the trash bin by a curious cat.
Albert yearned for Dumbledore's expertise in this field, but unfortunately, Mr. Adolf Fournier couldn't provide him with the knowledge or technical support he needed, as it was beyond his understanding as well.
Alchemy, it seemed, often required a vast amount of knowledge.
Not long after Mr. Adolf Fournier received the remaining information, he sent Albert a pair of two-way mirrors as a gift.
Of course, the gift was partly a boastful display, but Albert didn't mind. In fact, he was considering sending one of the mirrors back home.
As for this deal, Albert had definitely not lost out. He had gained several alchemy skills on his skill panel, completed the "Equivalent Exchange" quest, earned thousands of experience points, acquired the two-way mirrors, and found a solution for the Magic Lamp quest. It was a very profitable endeavor.
(End of Chapter)
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