Chapter 881: An Ordinary Alchemist
Chapter 881: An Ordinary Alchemist
France, Nicolas' Old Mansion
Kyle slept for nearly a full day and night, finally waking up in the early hours of the third day.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a house-elf holding a bottle of potion, about to pour it into his mouth.
"Oh, you're awake," said a familiar voice from the side.
Nicolas Flamel walked over, carrying a book and taking small, quick steps. "I guessed it might be you when I heard someone had broken into my library yesterday. How are you feeling? Tata is holding a vitality tonic; go on, drink it, it will do you good."
"Oh, thank you," Kyle said without hesitation as he took the potion and drank it.
A warm current flowed down his throat and into his limbs, restoring some of his strength, and his previously hazy brain instantly became much clearer.
"You're welcome, it's just a simple vitality tonic," Nicolas said with a smile.
"It's not just the potion," Kyle shook his head and picked up the broken key that he had placed aside earlier. "Thanks to this, I managed to escape... Nicolas, did you know beforehand that I would be chased by Voldemort on the Isle of Herchy?"
"What..." Nicolas was stunned for a moment, then shook his head repeatedly. "Of course not, you give me too much credit. I'm just an alchemist, how could I possibly predict what will happen six or seven years into the future?"
"But I remember, you have a crystal ball," Kyle blinked.
Anyone who knew Nicolas was aware of his unique crystal ball, which had an almost 100% accurate prophecy success rate.
"You mean that one," Nicolas said with a smile. "That crystal ball was created three hundred years ago by seven of the most renowned seers and myself. However, it can only prophesy about matters directly concerning me, and even then, it has limitations on how far into the future it can see.
"Our first meeting was six years ago, which is already beyond the scope of the crystal ball's prophecies."
"Ah?" Kyle was puzzled.
"But then, why did you say that I would need it one day when you gave me the key?"
"This time, I almost got killed by Voldemort, and it turns out that key you gave me saved my life. So, it seems your prediction was correct."
"Well..."
Nicolas paused for a moment before speaking. "To be honest, I didn't think that deeply about it. I just felt that your personality was a bit unconventional, quite unlike Albus, and your behavior was sometimes unpredictable.
"Based on my experience, someone like you is usually a bit of a troublemaker. Giving you the key was an impulsive decision, a way to give you a lifeline, nothing more."
"Unpredictable personality?" Kyle pointed to himself, a bit surprised. "Me?"
"Mhm," Nicolas raised his eyebrows teasingly. "Most people wouldn't consider adding her to their menagerie the first time they met that Drakul girl, Fleur.
"Although she does have one-quarter Veela blood, she is first and foremost a witch, not a magical creature."
"Err..." Kyle was momentarily lost for words.
Alright, he had indeed considered doing exactly that the first time he met Fleur, but he had always assumed that he had hidden his intentions well, and certainly never expected that Nicolas would see through him.
"Um... Nicolas... you..."
"Don't worry, Ollivander doesn't know about this, nor does Fleur," Nicolas said, guessing what Kyle was about to ask. "This is just my personal speculation, a kind of intuition that old wizards sometimes get."
"That's a relief," Kyle breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn't care about what Madam Maxime thought, but Fleur was now close to Connor and even lived with her. If she found out that he had once considered her a magical creature, he didn't know how she would react or what she might say to Connor.
It was too terrifying to contemplate.
It was better that she remained in the dark.
Seeing Kyle's apprehensive expression, Nicolas' smile became even more mischievous... and a little proud.
"It seems my intuition was spot on after all, even if you used the key later than I anticipated."
"This is still too late!"
"I heard about your recent exploits from Albus," Nicolas glanced at Kyle meaningfully. "I expected Voldemort to come after you as soon as he resurrected."
Aside from everything else, Voldemort would not forgive Kyle for obtaining the three Horcruxes. Not to mention that Kyle had also taken away the identity and token that Voldemort had intended for himself... that Nagini.
This alone would make them mortal enemies.
"Perhaps you should thank that boy, Harry Potter. He has diverted a significant amount of Voldemort's hatred and attention away from you."
"Harry..." Kyle stroked his chin.
That was not wrong. After all, before this, Voldemort's attention had primarily been focused on Harry, the chosen one, with only occasional glances in his direction.
And then there were all the times he had directly opposed Voldemort.
In his second year, he had repeatedly threatened Voldemort to hand over the method of creating Horcruxes.
In his third year... well, the third year was about the diary, which primarily involved Tom Riddle, not the present-day Voldemort.
In his fourth year, he had sent Voldemort's servant, Wormtail, to Azkaban, and in his fifth year, he had disrupted the Dark Lord's resurrection ceremony. In his sixth year, he had dragged Voldemort out of the shadows and forced him to reveal himself...
Each of these acts was a provocation, and yet, Voldemort's gaze remained fixed on the chosen one.
"It... it disappeared?"
"Yes." Nico confirmed, "I had placed it right next to me, but when I turned around, it was gone as if it had never been there."
Kyle was, in fact, quite curious about the Jade Compendium. He wanted to examine the ancient text up close.
Who wouldn't be intrigued by such a treasure, revered as the pinnacle of alchemy, its fame rivaling even that of the Deathly Hallows? Tales of this book had persisted from the earliest records of wizardkind to the present day.
However, the fact that the alchemical tome had a consciousness and could move on its own was certainly unusual.
"Looking at this is no different." Nico nudged the parchment again.
"Are you really giving this to me?" Kyle blurted out, his eyes widening.
"Why? Don't you want it?" Nico raised an eyebrow.
"Of course, I do!" Kyle exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and curiosity.
This parchment contained the process of creating the Philosopher's Stone, and even if the instructions seemed like an incomprehensible enigma, it was incredibly valuable and dangerous in the wrong hands.
After receiving Nico's nod of confirmation, Kyle carefully rolled up the parchment and tucked it into a protective tube, intending to store it safely away.
He didn't plan on attempting any alchemical experiments soon, as he lacked the requisite knowledge to make sense of the complex instructions.
So, for now, he merely wanted to keep it secure.
While a Niffler's pouch might be a good option, those mischievous creatures couldn't be entirely trusted. Newt's experiences were a testament to that.
As for the Hungarian Horntail, their tendency to spitfire, even in their sleep, posed a significant risk to the parchment's integrity.
Kyle considered his options, and his gaze finally landed on the snake beast.
He carefully plucked a large scale from the beast's body, drilled a tiny hole in it, and cast the Undetectable Extension Charm to create a hidden compartment within. The parchment would fit snugly inside, protected from prying eyes and magical detection. Finally, he affixed the scale back onto the beast with a Permanent Sticking Charm, ensuring it wouldn't fall off accidentally.
The hiding place was ideal. Even if the beast shed its skin, the parchment would remain secure, nestled within the scale—a perfect secret compartment.
Only after completing these tasks did Kyle step back and clap his hands, a satisfied smile on his face.
By then, the sun had risen, and warm morning light streamed peacefully through the window, bathing the room in a golden glow.
Nico sat in a chair, fiddling with a golden model of a flying ship.
"Where are you off to?" Kyle inquired, his eyes narrowing in recognition.
He knew that ship—it was Nico's preferred mode of transportation. Perhaps, due to the strain of Apparition or Portkeys on his aged body, Nico found this method more comfortable for long-distance journeys.
"Hogwarts." Nico replied, producing a golden pocket watch, "Do you remember? I need to give this to you for safekeeping."
"A Time-Turner?" Kyle recognized the watch instantly; after all, he had sent it back with Professor Viktor.
"Is it that day already?" Kyle asked, a note of surprise in his voice.
If his memory served him right, the day Nico had sent the Time-Turner coincided with the day he had traveled a century back in time.
In other words, time had come full circle, and the present was catching up to the future he had already witnessed.
His initial surprise quickly turned into delight.
"Would you like to come along for the ride?" Nico invited.
"Sure." Kyle agreed. It was convenient, as he needed to speak with someone at Hogwarts about the Durmstrang incident anyway, and now he had a ready means of transportation.
Kyle took a step forward, and without any noticeable movement from Nico, the scenery before them shifted.
The view from the window began to move. Where they had once seen the rooftop of a building, there now floated a cloud. It was as if the entire house was soaring through the skies.
Kyle approached the window and peered downward.
They were definitely flying, and from this vantage point, he could make out the streets of Paris below, along with another old mansion in the distance.
This mode of transportation reminded Kyle of Nico's earlier claim to be an ordinary alchemist.
Using an entire mansion as a means of transport—now that was an ordinary wizard's idea of convenience.
...
The airship's speed exceeded Kyle's expectations. In the brief moment that he had glanced away, the streets of Paris vanished, replaced by the familiar silhouette of Hogwarts Castle.
Hogwarts already? Kyle was impressed. There had been no sense of movement, no feeling of weightlessness, nor the sensation of being dragged through the air. Everything felt so natural, as if he had merely stepped outside for a moment, the transition absurdly smooth.
Kyle blinked, a thoughtful look on his face. He had to admit, he wanted one of these airships for himself.
When that vagabond wizard, Linus, had attacked Nico's manor, this airship had proven its worth, second only to the defenses of the Opera House.
Of course, that was assuming Albus Dumbledore showed mercy on Linus's life.
"I have the feeling you're contemplating something unpleasant." Nico's voice carried from behind, interrupting Kyle's train of thought.
"Not at all. It must be your imagination." Kyle turned, flashing a practiced smile, his eyes holding a mysterious glint.
"You underestimate the instincts of an old wizard." Nico asserted, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was now certain that Kyle was, indeed, mulling over something that brought him no joy.
However, he didn't seem bothered by it, or perhaps he had grown accustomed to Kyle's occasional dark musings.
It would be stranger if Kyle didn't have those wayward thoughts, given everything they had been through.
"Will you be accompanying me to Hogwarts?" Nico asked, his tone understanding.
"No." Kyle shook his head, "For now, it's best that I remain separate from my other self until time fully returns to its proper course. I don't want to risk any unintended consequences."
"There's still some time. Would you like me to send you off first?" Nico offered.
"No need this time. I'll see you later, Nico." With that, Kyle vanished from the room, having Apparated away without another word.
He intended to pay a visit to the Ministry of Magic first, to gather information about the Durmstrang incident and check on Tonks' situation in Cornwall.
...
(End of Chapter)
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