My Hogwarts has a serious problem.

Chapter 312, page 309: The Lemaître Family

This is a small courtyard located on the riverbank.

There is an endless expanse of green grassland around it, which is rare in an era where land has been almost completely developed and the original ecology has been destroyed on a large scale.

Fox appeared outside the gate of the courtyard with Dumbledore and Lynn.

The sunshine and gentle breeze, accompanied by the sound of the flowing river, create a refreshing and pleasant atmosphere. There is a faint, light fragrance of grass all around, and in the distance, you can see the well-maintained garden in the yard, which is very pleasing to the eye.

"Nico Lemaître's home."

Lynn read the sign on the door in a low voice, which confirmed his previous guess: Dumbledore had brought him to find his best friend, Nicolas Flamel, the creator of the Philosopher's Stone and known as the father of alchemy!

"Oh, a guest has arrived."

A light, cheerful voice rang out, but there was no one around.

Lynn looked around for a moment before finally fixing his gaze on the white courtyard gate.

"Is that you speaking?"

Dumbledore explained to him with a smile.

"This is Nick's doorman, and one of the alchemical creatures he created in his early years."

The door seemed less than pleased with Dumbledore's introduction of him, it added.

"I have my own name, you can call me Doyle."

Lynn stared speechlessly at the rather meticulous door.

"Isn't that still knocking on the door?"

"But at least it's a title that belongs uniquely to me in this family, isn't it?"

As he spoke, Doyle opened his body to them.

"You are old friends of the master, so there is no need to announce yourselves. Please come in, both of you."

Lynn and Dumbledore entered the home of the greatest alchemist, where a small figure tended to the flowers in the garden.

Lynn was surprised to find that the creature working in the garden was not a house-elf, but a rag doll wearing a pretty dress, red shoes, and with bright golden hair.

She was about the same size as a normal 6 or 7-year-old child, but there were obvious loose threads on her body, as well as two beautiful green glass beads that made her eyes.

The doll also saw them. She was holding a small water bottle and looked at Dumbledore in surprise before bowing to him politely.

"This is Mr. Dumbledore, welcome to the Flamel family. And this gentleman, welcome as well."

"How have you been lately, Flandre?" Dumbledore greeted the doll with a smile, as if he were very familiar with everything here, clearly a regular at the Flamel family.

The doll Flandre said respectfully, "Everything is fine, Mr. Dumbledore. Please come in. The master is currently in the living room reading the opera libretto."

"He still likes these things." Dumbledore said as he led Lynn into the two-story cottage.

He introduced it to Lynn in a low voice before they went inside.

"The one you just saw used to be Mrs. Nick's favorite doll when she was a child. Later, Nick repaired and modified it into an alchemical artifact with its own consciousness. Or rather, most of the alchemical artifacts in this room are like that."

Although the doors to the house are not as movable as the door in the yard, they can still open on their own.

Upon entering the house, Lynn finally met the owner of the house—Nick Lemaître.

He had a thick head of silver hair, and even though he was over 600 years old, he still looked young. Dumbledore, on the other hand, looked much older.

"Albus? It's rare to see you these days. What brings you here?"

Upon seeing Dumbledore, he showed a look of surprise and delight, put down the script in his hand, and the two chubby-looking sofa chairs beside him trotted over to Dumbledore and Lynn on their short legs.

Even after seeing so many amazing alchemical creatures, Lynn still found this scene very interesting.

He sat down on the sofa with Dumbledore, and Nicholas Flamel's gaze turned to him.

"This person looks somewhat familiar."

Dumbledore introduced him, saying, "Lynn Bellocch, you should have heard of this name recently, or seen his picture on the front page of the Daily Prophet."

With Dumbledore's reminder, Nick Lema immediately remembered who Lynn was.

"I have indeed heard your name many times recently, and I have also seen your achievements in the newspapers. You became a professor at Hogwarts at such a young age, and I recently heard that you will receive the Order of Merlin. You are truly young and promising."

Lynn dared not be presumptuous in front of such an old relic who was much older than Dumbledore, and he waved his hand and said.

You flatter me.

As they were talking, the doll named Flandre, whom Lynn and the others had seen in the courtyard before, carried a teapot and poured black tea for each of them, along with some snacks.

Before getting down to business, Dumbledore glanced around the living room.

"Where is Perenaar?"

"She went to Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to say goodbye to some old friends. This meeting will probably be the last."

Dumbledore looked at him with a slight frown.

"How much immortality potion do you have left in reserve?"

Nicholas Lemaître's voice was still quite cheerful.

"It will probably run out this winter, right? I'll be hosting a small private banquet in the fall to say goodbye to some old friends. Don't forget to come."

Dumbledore nodded slightly.

He wouldn't feel saddened by his old friend's impending death; it was his own choice. He would only wish him a smoother journey on this path that is both an end and a beginning.

"Alright, enough about me. You didn't bring this Mr. Belloc here today just to listen to this old geezer nagging me."

Dumbledore explained his purpose.

"I do have something to ask you for; I want to get a fragment of a magic stone from you."

Nicholas Lemaître looked at him strangely, then beckoned to a cabinet in the corner of the living room. Immediately, an exquisite wooden box flew towards him from the cabinet.

"What do you need this for?" Nicholas Flamel asked as he opened the wooden box and pushed it toward Dumbledore. "These fragments of the Philosopher's Stone have basically lost most of their power. They can no longer turn lead into gold or make the elixir of immortality."

Several irregular red crystal fragments lay quietly in the wooden box, and Dumbledore gently took one out.

"It has lost most of its effects, but some residual magic remains, which can reshape suitable bodies for some souls that are not yet dead."

(End of this chapter)