Chapter 237: Accidental Encounter

At Hogwarts, alchemy is a very advanced elective course, only open to some students at the N. E. W. T. level (sixth year and above), and requires simultaneously taking multiple subjects such as Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Spells.

Because there weren't enough students, Harry's year didn't even offer it.

Unfortunately, Sean was in the same year as Harry.

Learning alchemy conventionally, he might not even be able to see the professor, and Sean didn't even know where the Hogwarts alchemy office was.

And alchemy is always fascinating.

Although Muggles think alchemy is just crude, primitive chemistry. But just as wizards know very little about Muggles, Muggles cannot well understand wizarding alchemy—even most wizards cannot understand it.

But look at the achievements it can make: the Philosopher's Stone for immortality, the Knight Bus, the Vanishing Cabinet...

In short, this is a field containing infinite possibilities.

Since preparing to learn alchemy, Sean would pay more attention to senior wizards' discussions about alchemy.

The castle had been covered with a layer of vast white snow, the Great Hall was floating with the aroma of lunch, and the long tables were piled with food.

But beside a few wooden tables of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, many students still looked burdened with worries.

"I can't believe it,"

A Gryffindor boy poked the potatoes on his plate listlessly,

"'Blackening' treatment sounds simple, but when I do it myself, my brain feels like it's been emptied."

"You've just started learning alchemy, it's very normal to be confused."

A Ravenclaw girl beside him put some metal materials into her bag; she was seventh-year Pamela Peyton, one of the few wizards who chose alchemy.

"Senior Peyton, do you mean, after learning for a while, I'll be able to master alchemy?"

The Gryffindor boy's eyes immediately lit up; who didn't know that alchemy masters, like potion masters, were walking Jin Jialong harvesters.

Thinking that he could become a big shot like Professor Taila in the future, this Gryffindor subconsciously rubbed his hands.

"... Heh, after learning for a while, you'll get used to it."

Pamela Peyton rolled her eyes at this guy, saying with a sneer,

Another whimsical guy.

After she finished speaking, the surrounding circle of Gryffindors all let out miserable howls.

They began to regret choosing alchemy.

Just then, a group of owls flew into the Great Hall, dropping packages. A small group of wizards exchanged glances, tremblingly picking up the extra reading materials in these packages—the parchment rolls were densely filled with ancient symbols and charts, causing a new round of wailing.

"Another fifteen-inch essay!"

A student said desperately,

"And it requires citing at least three sixteenth-century alchemy works!"

Jia Siting looked over curiously from the corner of the Ravenclaw long table, and he looked at Sean again.

If he remembered correctly, Sean had been researching alchemy lately, and his desk was piled with books like "Simple Introduction to Ancient Runes," "Rune Dictionary," and "Magic Phonetic Table"; according to Sean's notes, they hadn't even lasted a month in Sean's hands.

The snow started getting heavier from three o'clock in the afternoon; in the afternoon, Sean and the others received an urgent notice from Professor Sprout.

The snow that had been falling since last night turned into a violent blizzard. Thus, the afternoon Herbology class was canceled. Professor Sprout and Sean and the others were putting socks and scarves on Mandrakes.

"Nawei, your earmuffs are crooked!"

Jia Siting reminded loudly, then straightened Nawei's pink earmuffs.

After preparing these strange-looking plants for the cold, Professor Sprout took a large flower pot from under the table, stuffed the Mandrake doll into it, buried it with damp dark compost, and finally only the clustered leaves were exposed.

"My dear seedlings, do as I do. Our Mandrakes are still just seedlings, hearing their cries won't be fatal."

She patted the mud off her hands, looking at the three of them quickly completing this work, a gratified smile appearing on the corners of her mouth.

Few people could stay in the greenhouse for so long, especially facing repetitive and complex work.

But think about the three little wizards in front of her; they had supported each other through rain, mud, wind, and heavy snow...

"Oh... how good, really good, there's nothing better than this..."

When leaving the greenhouse, the three were wrapped in scarves, wearing gloves, and stepping out three neat tracks in the snow, but unexpectedly a face popped out of a snowman:

"We said we'd come to find you!"

It was Fred, all his body was in the piled snowman, only revealing a face that looked very interesting.

"And have to tell you time is urgent!"

Another snowman also spoke, scaring Nawei into screaming several times.

"Where did you find the groundhog... although this is also very interesting, but—follow us!"

As soon as Fred and George left, the snowman collapsed, and they walked in a hurry, bringing some tension to Sean who was following them.

"I bet you don't know Professor Taila."

Fred said while walking, exhaling white gas from time to time.

"It took us a whole year to find her..."

George pulled his red and black scarf, and the cold wind could only wrap around his neck.

They passed through the castle gate, entered the Great Hall, and walked into a secret passage.

This secret passage was hidden behind a fruit portrait, and would only open when the fruit shriveled.

"Professor Taila is always traveling between Beauxbatons and Uagadou, I dare say there isn't a magic school she hasn't been to... do you know Uagadou?"

Fred raised his eyebrows,

"Of course it's hard for you to know..."

"Uagadou is a magic school located in the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda, Africa. It is the largest of all magic schools because it recruits students from all over Africa."

Sean answered silently.

George watched Fred's tail tone get stuck in his throat, and asked again curiously:

"Then you also know Babajide Akingbade?"

"The wizard with the best chance to succeed Headmaster Dumbledore as the new President of the International Confederation of Wizards? I've read about him in 'Modern Magical History'."

Sean said in a low voice.

"Merlin—you even know Babajide Akingbade, but don't know Professor Taila?"

George widened his eyes,

"She is a guest of honor throughout Uagadou and enjoys a huge reputation in the entire alchemy world. Not only does she serve as an alchemy guide for the Ministry of Magic, it is said that she has even met Master Nicolas Flamel... small news, she worked at Floo-Powder-Boom in her early years, you should have heard of it, that's the only company that produces Floo powder, no one knows where the entrance is..." ===== CHAPTER 238 =====