Chapter 205: Fairy Tale Cookie

The Quick-Quotes Quill wrote down conjectures about the “Tree-Boa” ritual on the notebook, while En walked through the castle’s outer perimeter in the night.

Taking advantage of having just completed the practice, he needed to record those unique intuitions.

Thus, a pair of deep, calm green eyes flashed above the dungeon.

En’s notebook was filled with plans for practicing Transfiguration, spells, and Dark Magic. The Hogwarts reflected in the Magic Mirror was the scene he recalled most often.

In that image, Headmaster Dumbledore remained kind, and Professor Snape remained gloomy.

…

Saturday.

Hogwarts Castle sank once more into weekend joy.

In the Hut of Hope.

En stroked the tendril-like hand of Tira, then immersed himself in developing a new alchemy ritual.

Tira did not hide in En’s pocket, because En had spent less than an hour building it a home.

The wooden house, engraved with Enlargement and Shrinking Charms, was simple and portable; when not needed, it rested in En’s pocket, and when needed, it transformed into a tiny house.

Tira was curiously exploring the wooden house. Since he didn’t know what kind of trees Tree-Boas preferred, En took portions of wood from many trees in the Forbidden Forest.

During this, he was chased and beaten by a Tree-Boa—he had accidentally dismantled its door.

The arcane aspects of potion rituals played a crucial role in alchemy.

By drawing inspiration from potion rituals, En finally found the path to success.

【You practiced making a Tree-Boa cookie to the standard of an apprentice. Proficiency +1】

Success!

After nearly a month of effort, he finally completed the next Transfiguration cookie.

After summoning Jia Jia Siting to watch, En took a small bite of the cookie.

In less than a second, Tira leapt out of the wooden house, clinging to the elm wall, and cautiously touched the “companion” beside him with its arms.

It was still too early; only En and Jia Jia Siting were in the Hut of Hope.

After about a minute, Jia Jia Siting handed En a note recording the exact time.

The Magical Creature Transfiguration Cookie series gained another variant, bringing En one step closer to the title of Master Alchemist.

Correct. Master level requires six expert-level mid-rank alchemy creations and twelve skilled-level alchemy creations to unlock the Master Alchemist title.

And the Master title very likely demands a high-rank alchemy creation.

To this day, En still did not know what the Master title would bring.

He had not yet reached Master proficiency in any branch of magic; even his closest, Transfiguration, was far behind.

A Master was entirely different from an Expert—a wizard who had reached the pinnacle in a field, nearly equivalent to a professor’s rank.

In the following days.

En studied Jia Jia Siting transformed into a Tree-Boa; no matter how many times, he remained exhilarated by the wonder of magic.

Look at this slender body formed of bark and twigs—no one would guess it was Jia Jia Siting; he looked exactly like a branch. In dangerous situations, this could save a wizard’s life.

Another point: though Jia Jia Siting had not retained his will, his habits still persisted to some degree.

For instance, he did not resist being hung on En’s hand, and he was easily drawn by the scent of food.

En wondered if he could exploit this to achieve other effects.

Transfiguration cookies were not limited to transforming wizards into magical creatures—they could also transform other animals.

This meant if En could develop a Dragon cookie, he could possess a short-lived army of dragons.

Though they might not obey commands.

“Are you alright?”

En asked, watching Jia Jia Siting transformed.

“It’s incredible! En, I’ve transformed into a Tree-Boa—”

Jia Jia Siting was thrilled; he fully grasped the implications.

Without prior knowledge, even Headmaster Dumbledore might not pay attention to a Tree-Boa.

“En, I think this shouldn’t be publicized.”

At dawn, snow melted slowly; Jia Jia Siting’s voice blended with the sound of dripping snow.

En nodded. As they discussed “One Hundred Uses of a Tree-Boa,” a paper airplane flew straight through the wall.

“See you tonight.”

After receiving the letter, En hurried to the Alchemy Office.

…

Professor Taila, seeing En arrive, raised her arm; a wavelike ground carried En to her side.

“The International Alchemy Assembly will be held in two and a half months. Regarding Magical Creature Transfiguration, my knowledge is no different from that of mediocre alchemists.”

“My student, this is a path you have forged, you have walked, and you will be honored for.”

“The only thing I can tell you is: you need at least three Magical Creature Transfiguration cookies to declare to those wizards that the age of alchemy’s decline is over.”

In Professor Taila’s eyes glimmered a light called pride.

From today on, no one could spread lies that Hogwarts students had fallen far behind.

“I know this is difficult—brilliant inspiration vanishes in an instant.”

“Even those alchemists nearing death dare not guarantee it—creating a magical ritual… how intoxicating.”

Professor Taila sighed deeply.

“How far have you progressed?”

“Completed, Professor.”

En replied.

“Be patient… you mean—”

Professor Taila curled her fingers, and a cookie sprouting branches appeared in her hand.

Beneath her profound expression, turbulent emotions were suppressed.

In the end, they dissolved into profound regret.

“You will surpass Master Nicolas Flamel. When he sees you, you both will understand… the greatness of magic lies in its equal welcome to every wizard.”

Professor Taila spoke slowly, in a tone En had never seen before.

Before leaving the classroom, Professor Taila asked:

“Have you named it?”

En fell silent.

He seemed… to have forgotten this.

Learn to claim your honor, my student. Those others would desperately name their creations the most powerful objects in the Wizarding World. But you—

Professor Taila found it amusing.

Some wizards strained every nerve and stirred no ripple; others, by a single thought, turned the entire alchemy world upside down.

As En headed toward the Forbidden Forest, he deeply pondered this question.

He glanced at the floating books “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and “The Monster Book of Monsters,” and several ideas surfaced in his mind.

One must admit alchemists’ naming was always apt—like the Vanishing Cabinet that truly vanished, the Portkey that truly functioned as a portal, and even the Twins’ Headless Hat that truly concealed the head.

So, possessing magical power, capable of transforming into animals… let’s call it Fairy Tale Cookie.