Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 111 Consumption, Consumption, and Re-consumption

360 Galleons is actually not a very high price. If you go to Knockturn Alley, it might cost 500 Galleons.

However, Ike had no intention of going to that smoky and chaotic place.

Galonnaise is good, but it's not a necessity.

After leaving the Pighead Bar, Ike turned into another alley, hid himself with the Disillusionment Charm, cast the Levitation Charm on himself, and jumped over the wall.

Ike jumped for three blocks before finally stopping.

First, he removed the concealment magic from his face, then looked around before removing the illusion spell from his body and silently blending into the crowd on the main road outside.

Checking the time, Stuart and the others should still be inside Honey Duke, and Ike had no intention of going to find them. He quickly familiarized himself with the area and headed straight for Devis and Bans' shop.

As a shop selling magical items, Devis and Bance's shop had fewer customers than Honeydukes and Zocco's Joke Shop, but not by much; there were still three or five little wizards lingering by each shelf.

He pushed open the door, and the doorbell rang melodiously. The clerk at the cashier merely glanced up. Ike walked from shelf to shelf, slowly examining the magical items for sale.

In fact, this was the first time Ike had ever seen so many magical items; even in Diagon Alley, the variety was not as great.

He casually picked up a memory ball, which was his target. He would keep it for now and pay later after spinning all the other ones.

Studying alchemy in isolation, even with reference to alchemical texts like the Hermetic Scrolls, is insufficient. This discipline requires not only strong practical skills but also a rich imagination.

To be honest, Ike felt he had both, but when it came to making alchemical items, he still felt powerless. It was like having countless inspirations in his mind, but when he actually got his hands dirty, he realized they were all unrealistic fantasies.

On the one hand, there was a break in the transmission of alchemy; the powerful and mysterious ancient alchemy had been lost due to the turmoil of the Middle Ages, and not much of it had survived. On the other hand, there was no teacher to guide Ike.

To be honest, Ike also wanted to go to Devonshire to find Nicolas Flamel; he didn't believe the old man would really accept his death so easily. But without an introduction, even knowing that Nicolas Flamel was living in seclusion in Devonshire, Ike wasn't confident he could find him.

For centuries, countless people have tried to find the reclusive Nicolas Flamel, but none have succeeded. Ike doesn't think he will succeed easily.

As for asking Dumbledore for help, forget it. Ike doesn't want to give Dumbledore another potentially fatal favor.

With both of these paths blocked, Ike could only try to find a solution. Subscribing to alchemy magazines and collecting alchemy literature could be done on campus, but researching mature alchemical items would require going off-campus.

Although the magical items in Devis and Bans' shops were just simple, mass-produced gadgets, they still provided Ike with enough ideas.

Ike is quite adept at using the method of starting with small details to understand larger issues, and then analyzing and solving problems.

After picking out a crystal ball that changes color according to a person's mood, and a pair of headphones that supposedly allow one to hear sounds that are normally inaudible, Ike left the Devis and Bans store.

Next, Ike chose the Wenrenju quill pen shop. His quill pens always wear out very quickly, so he simply bought a whole box of ten quill pens, which should be enough.

There are magical quills like Rita Skeeter's, but they're very expensive, and Ike didn't even glance at them.

This thing isn't actually complicated; Ike could easily make it with his current skill level.

The cost... is roughly equivalent to two piles of cockroaches?

Before they knew it, it was noon. Ike, carrying a paper bag, headed towards the Three Broomsticks pub. He had arranged to meet Stuart and the others there; they would be enjoying a meal different from what they had at Hogwarts.

After waiting a short while at the door, I saw Stewart and his group walking over, carrying large and small bags and chatting and laughing.

"Here, this is what you wanted." Terry handed over a bag with a hint of disdain. Ike smiled and took it, casually pinching out a bunch of cockroaches and throwing them into his mouth. The burst of pleasure exploded in his mouth, and his face once again showed that smile that, even after more than two years, still made Stuart and the others uncomfortable.

"Alright, alright, stop making that face here!" Stuart shoved Ike towards the bar door with his shoulder. "Let's hurry up and eat; we're going to Zonko's Joke Shop later!"

"So you've been at Honey Duke all morning?"

"Of course! You wouldn't believe it, there are so many kinds of candy inside, we all..."

The group entered the bar, and the business was better than they had expected. They had to wait a while before they could find seats.

Almost all of them were students who had come to Hogsmeade today, as well as professors who were taking a rare break. Ike saw Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape sitting together, each with a cup in front of them filled with butterbeer.

This combination clearly surprised everyone, and they kept turning their heads to take a look, even while eating.

The Three Brooms Bar didn't offer a wide variety of food. Ike ordered a beef stew with rice and a small piece of fried pork chop, plus an iced lemon tea. The others did similar things, either stew or burgers.

I'd like a butterbeer, though the bar owner, Ms. Rosmerta, wouldn't sell that drink to a third-year wizard.

Of course, things might be different if the professors weren't present...

After finishing their meal, they lingered in the bar for a while before finally getting up to leave. This time, Ike, Stuart, and the other three went to Zonko's Joke House together and had a truly enjoyable time.

As the most popular shop in Hogsmeade, Zonko's Joke Shop has its reasons for success. It has more prank props than the Hobbling & Playful Magical Joke Shop in Diagon Alley, and a large part of them were invented by themselves. The bizarre effects of these pranks broadened Ike's horizons.

In a sense, these prank gadgets can be seen as alchemical artifacts, some of which are quite technologically advanced. Ike also splurged, buying seven or eight gadgets; perhaps he could explore a new avenue for his future research.

At 3 PM, the group left Joko's joke shop to head back to school. Although it was only a few short hours, it was truly a lot of fun.

Instead of choosing a carriage, the five of them walked back together, chatting and laughing. Since they had come out for a while, none of them wanted to stay outside a little longer. Along the way, they saw many other people walking as well, clearly having the same idea.

After walking for about half an hour, the gates of Hogwarts came into view, but what was more noticeable were the Dementors lurking around the gates.

"Damn it! How did these guys get here?!" Terry said irritably. "They weren't here this morning!"

"It's obvious, it's because of Sirius." Stuart's tone wasn't good either. "They're afraid Sirius will sneak in when we go back!"

"This is a complete waste of time. Sirius Black managed to escape from Azkaban, where there were far more Dementors than here!"

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore," Ike said. "Don't let this affect your mood."

"That's right, that's right, I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore..."

The group spat several times, as if trying to expel their bad luck. This is where Stuart's role came in; with just a few words, the atmosphere improved.

Chatting and laughing as they passed through the gate, the Dementors were clearly agitated; this cheerful mood was extremely attractive to them. However, it was just agitation; there was no sudden attack, which disappointed Ike, who had been secretly preparing.

He wanted to take this opportunity to study it further, but it seems he'll have to find another chance.

Happy Labor Day everyone!

(End of this chapter)