Chapter 404: Chemistry
Chapter 404: Chemistry
"Five points to Gryffindor."
"Today, we will be studying a magical notebook from the descendants of Andros, or possibly his nieces and nephews. It contains Andros's thoughts on magic, written in a casual style", Felix said gently. "While I don't fully agree with some of the viewpoints... they are still good for broadening our horizons."
Ron, who had just received the points, sat down in a daze. Although the House Cup had been canceled this year due to the Triwizard Tournament, it was still an honor. Especially when he saw the displeased expressions on the Slytherin students' faces, he felt even happier.
Felix also had an unexpected gain. In this class, everyone was actively participating and answering questions, and he was giving out points like they were free—
"Miss Greengrass, your answer is very accurate. Five points to Slytherin."
"Mr. Finnigan, while you were quick to raise your hand, your answer was not comprehensive. Only two points. Let me explain: great power does not necessarily mean great explosive power. We can discuss this in more detail later, as I happen to know some useful techniques."
"Crabbe... your answer is full of imagination. Please sit down."
...
At the end of the class, Hermione stayed behind.
"Do you want me to recommend some books on analyzing alchemical items?" Felix asked.
"Yes, Professor", Hermione said. Harry and Ron looked at her expectantly from behind. She calmly continued, "We need to solve the mystery of the Golden Egg. Besides relying on luck, we have two approaches. One is to use various revealing spells, such as the Revealing Charm, Unveiling Charm, or Erasing Charm... we plan to try them one by one! The second approach is from an alchemical perspective", she shrugged, "after all, it is a magical item. If we can analyze its method of creation, we can uncover any secrets it holds."
She glanced at Felix for approval, "Professor, we believe this is a test for the champions, isn't it?"
Felix remained noncommittal. "I haven't encountered a Golden Egg before, so I can't give a definitive answer. However, the approach is sound. If I were in your shoes, I would think the same way."
Hermione looked very encouraged and gave Harry and Ron a triumphant look.
Harry, on the other hand, thought that relying on luck wasn't a bad idea. While his luck could sometimes be terrible and land him in dangerous situations, he was still alive and well... which spoke volumes.
Felix wrote out a list of books and signed it. "Some of these books are from Nicolas Flamel's collection and research. I've selected a few appropriate ones and placed them in the Library. Some introductory books are in the Alchemy section, while others, which involve the creation of alchemical items, are in the Restricted Section."
He handed the signed list to Hermione and walked out of the classroom with them.
"By the way, I'm heading to the Library anyway. I can help you find some books that are hidden away, which Madam Pince might not be able to locate..."
Hermione asked with interest, "Professor, are you researching a new field?"
"Oh, sort of", Felix mumbled, "if you consider Shield Charms a new field."
Outside the Library, there was some commotion. A group of people were blocking the entrance, and two older witches were excitedly tiptoeing to look inside. Hermione said impatiently, "Can't he just take the book back to his ship to read it?"
Felix saw Krum's figure and understood that the people outside were likely his admirers.
Ron's expression was a bit odd. He had once been a huge fan of Krum, but since becoming a champion himself, he couldn't help but see Krum as a rival. At that moment, his hand rested on his backpack, unsure whether to take out a parchment to ask for an autograph.
However, when he saw a few girls at the door turn around to examine them closely and whisper to each other, he put his hand down and stood up straight, as if preparing for an inspection. After all, he was one of the champions, and asking another champion for an autograph would be too embarrassing.
"What are you thinking about?" Harry nudged his shoulder.
Only then did Ron realize that Professor Hup and Hermione had already gone inside. Harry looked Ron up and down, trying not to laugh. "You're not expecting someone to ask you for an autograph, are you?"
"Oh, no way!" Ron said loudly, his face suddenly turning red.
At that moment, Moody emerged from inside, holding a book. As he passed them, Moody stopped and both of his eyes fixed on them.
"You did well, especially with the tunnel. That was a stroke of genius! Yes, very fitting."
The two watched as Professor Moody limped away. Ron said in disbelief, "Fitting? Does he think we're moles? We didn't have much of a choice, though."
Harry shook his head. "Maybe he thinks that, given our age, avoiding a direct confrontation with the fire dragon was the right choice."
They entered the library and found Hermione already sitting at a table with a large stack of books, waving at them. Next to her was Professor Hup, who had an equally large stack of books in front of him.
Harry and Ron sat down in the empty seats and stared at the books in front of Hermione.
"Common Alchemical Item Analysis, Comprehensive Alchemical Techniques, Nicolas Flamel's Manuscript I, Nine Major Alchemical Schools, The Controversy of the Fifth Element, Concealing Your Secrets, Unreliable Alchemy..."
Ron's fingers traced the spines of the books, reading the titles aloud.
"You can start with the basics. I recommend Unreliable Alchemy, written by a 17th-century alchemist", Felix said, flipping a page without looking up.
As he spoke, a thick book flew out from the large tome in front of Harry and Ron, landing with a thud on their table. "The book introduces the fundamental concepts of alchemy and refutes some incorrect views from the Muggle world..."
He hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist elaborating further.
"If the author had delved deeper or if his ideas were carried on by later generations, he might have discovered a field as fascinating as alchemy. However, the limitations of magical thinking, combined with the fact that, in his time, ordinary people confused chemistry and alchemy, led to many obvious errors..."
He paused, somewhat wistfully. "So you'll find that the author of this book holds a disdainful attitude towards the common understanding of 'alchemy.'"
"After the Secrecy Act, no alchemist paid attention to the ridiculous conclusions of the non-magical world. And it turned out that they, I mean Muggles, had their own form of alchemy, just under a different name—chemistry."
(End of Chapter)
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