A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

Hermione smugly hummed twice: "At first I thought it was the hourglass from the Time-Turner, you know I had it for a year... But I quickly realized the difference. Although they are about the same size, the Time-Turner is a golden timer with rounded ends on the hourglass, while Harry's is flat and can stand on a table."

“How would we know…we’ve never seen it,” Ron muttered under his breath.

He picked up the hourglass with great interest, stood it on the table, and examined it closely. Through the hazy, glass-like translucent container, he could vaguely see some dark golden clumps inside, piled up together and completely devoid of fluidity.

"Are you really sure there are no traces of magic on it?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment: "It's certain that it's not a Horcrux or a curse. Professor Hyp's magical vision can see traces of magic."

“That’s convenient,” Ron said, though he was clearly more interested in the conclusion of an authority figure and had no interest in delving deeper once his goal was achieved. He picked up the hourglass and shook it vigorously; the dark golden substance inside seemed stuck to the inner container, remaining motionless.

“Oh, it seems that whatever it was before, it’s just an ordinary thing now. I know some shops in Diagon Alley that take these kinds of things, you know, antiques… Are you planning to sell it, Harry?”

Harry shook his head. “It looks rather sentimental, doesn’t it? At least it reminds me that Horcruxes decay.” He grinned and said mockingly, “If I ever get the chance to meet Voldemort, I’ll tell him that his desire for immortality is just a pipe dream.”

……

The next day, November 25th, a full month before Christmas, the young wizards discovered that the temperature had plummeted, a thick layer of light blue frost had formed on the castle windows, and the sky was overcast, as if a storm was brewing.

"Taking a class on protecting magical creatures at this time is torture!"

On their way to the Ancient Runes classroom, Harry and his friends overheard a fifth-year girl complaining to her friends. Ron chuckled and said, "Hagrid's Blasttail will keep them warm."

Harry couldn't help but grin.

In the ancient runes classroom, Professor Hyp was flipping through a copy of the Daily Prophet, as students kept coming over to greet him, and he nodded in response to each one. Once everyone had arrived, he stood up from the chair beside the podium, the hem of his wool coat brushing against the armrest.

“It’s great to see that not a single student or teacher is missing from our class, especially after the first event of the Wizarding Championship.” Felix dusted off the newspaper in his hand. “It mentions that Hogwarts took first and second place, and the Minister for Magic praised the educational achievements of Hogwarts under Headmaster Dumbledore in an interview. Of course… in my opinion, Professor Gershilda Marchban from the Wizarding Examinations Board has a more incisive and insightful perspective; you can take a look if you’re interested.”

"Alright, let's begin today's lesson."

Felix asked in class, "Has anyone heard of 'Invincible Andros'?"

Hermione was the first to raise her hand, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising was that Ron also raised his hand. Harry stared at him wide-eyed in disbelief. Ron himself seemed a little dazed, shrinking back as if to lower his hand.

“Mr. Weasley?” Felix asked.

“Uh, the invincible Andros…” Ron stood up, not very confidently, and said, “I saw it in the description of the Chocolate Frog cards—I’m collecting them, and I only need two more to complete the set—he’s an ancient Greek wizard, famous for his powerful spells, capable of unleashing guardian spirits comparable in size to giants… His dueling ability is also very strong; many people can’t withstand a single spell from him…”

He saw the professor smiling at him, so he couldn't help but rack his brains and add, "Andros should have lived in the same era as that despicable Herpo. Maybe they met? Maybe they even fought..."

Many students were impressed with Ron.

"Please sit down, Mr. Weasley. Most of it is correct, except for the last sentence. Because it was so long ago, and there were no dedicated historians at the time, we can only glean historical truth from fragments. And there is currently no evidence that they ever met..."

Chapter 402 Chemistry

"Gryffindor gets five points."

“So, the magic journal we’re studying today comes from Andros’s descendants, or perhaps his nephews and nieces. It records some of Andros’s views on magic, and they’re all just casual notes,” Felix said gently. “Although I don’t entirely agree with some of the views in it… it’s still good for broadening your horizons.”

Ron, feeling dizzy from the extra points, sat down. Although the House Cup was canceled this year due to the Battle for Supremacy, it was still an honor. He felt even happier when he saw the Slytherins' unconvinced expressions.

Felix also received an unexpected bonus. During the class, everyone actively participated in answering questions, and he generously awarded points to the students as if they were free.

“Miss Greengrass, that’s an accurate answer. Slytherin, five points.”

“Mr. Finigan, although you raised your hand quickly, your answer was incomplete and only worth two points. Let me explain in detail: powerful force is not the same as explosive force. We can discuss this issue again at another time. I happen to know some useful techniques.”

“Crawb…your answer is full of imagination, please sit down.”

……

Hermione stayed behind after class.

"You want me to recommend some books that analyze alchemical items?" Felix asked.

“Yes, Professor,” Hermione said, Harry and Ron watching her expectantly from behind. She said calmly, “We need to crack the secret of the golden egg. Aside from taking a chance, we currently have two approaches. One is to use various breaking spells, such as the revealing spell, the revelation spell, or the revealing eraser… We plan to try them one by one! The second approach is to look at it from an alchemical perspective,” she shrugged, “After all, it is a magical object. If we can figure out how it was made, we can discover whatever secrets are hidden inside.”

She glanced at Felix as if seeking his opinion. "Professor, we believe this is a test for the warriors, don't we?"

Felix remained noncommittal. "I haven't had any contact with the Golden Egg either, so I can't give a precise answer. However, the idea is sound; if I were in that situation, I would think the same way."

Hermione looked as if she had been greatly encouraged, and gave Harry and Ron a smug look.

Harry thought that taking a chance was a good method. Although his luck was sometimes terrible and he would sometimes get into dangerous trouble, he was still alive and well so far... which spoke volumes.

Felix wrote a list of books and signed his name. "Some of these books are from Mr. Nicolas Flamel's collection and research. I selected some that I thought were suitable and put them in the library. Some introductory books are in the alchemy section, and some that involve the creation of alchemical items are in the restricted section."

He handed Hermione the signed book list and walked out of the classroom with them.

"I was just heading to the library anyway, so I thought I'd do you a favor. Some of the books are hidden very well; Mrs. Pince might not be able to find them..."

Hermione asked with great interest, "Professor, what new field are you going to study?"

“Oh, I guess so,” Felix muttered, “if Ironclad Charms count as a new territory.”

There was some noise outside the library; a group of people were blocking the entrance, and two older witches were excitedly peeking inside on tiptoe. Hermione said impatiently, "Couldn't he just take the book back to the ship to read it?"

Felix spotted Krum and realized that the people outside must be his admirers.

Ron's expression was a little strange. He used to admire Krum a lot, but after becoming a warrior, he unconsciously regarded him as a rival. At this moment, he had one hand on his backpack, wondering whether he should take out the parchment and ask for an autograph.

However, when he saw several girls at the door turn around to scrutinize them and whisper among themselves, he lowered his hand and straightened his chest as if receiving an inspection. After all, he was one of the warriors, and asking another warrior for an autograph would be too embarrassing.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry nudged his shoulder.

Ron then noticed that Professor Hyp and Hermione had already gone inside. Harry looked Ron up and down, suppressing a laugh, and said, "You're not expecting someone to ask you for an autograph, are you?"

“Oh, how could that be?” Ron exclaimed, his face suddenly turning red.

Just then, he saw Moody come out from inside, carrying a stack of books. As he passed by them, Moody stopped and stared at them with both eyes.

"You guys did a great job, especially the tunnel digging trick, it was a stroke of genius! Yes, it suits you very well."

The two watched Professor Moody limp away, and Ron said incredulously, "Suitable? Does he think we're groundhogs? He had no choice..."

Harry shook his head. "Maybe he thinks that at our age, avoiding a direct confrontation with a dragon is the right choice."

They entered the library and found Hermione already sitting at a table with a large stack of books, waving at them. Next to her was Professor Hyp, who also had a stack of books in front of him, which was just as tall as the one next to Hermione.

Harry and Ron sat in the empty seats, staring blankly at the book in front of Hermione.

"Analysis of Common Alchemical Items," "Complete Guide to General Alchemical Techniques," "Nicolas Flamel Manuscript I," "Nine Schools of Alchemy," "The Controversy of the Fifth Element," "Hide Your Secret," "Unreliable Alchemy"...

Ron traced the name on the spine of the book with his finger.

“You can start with the most basic ones. I recommend ‘Unreliable Alchemy,’ by a seventeenth-century alchemist,” Felix said, turning a page without looking up.

As they spoke, a huge tome flew out from the large book in front of Harry and the others, landing with a "bang" in front of them. "The book introduces the basic concepts of alchemy and refutes some erroneous views from the Muggle world..."

He hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but add a few more words.

"If the author of this book had delved deeper, or if someone had inherited his ideas, he might have discovered a field just as wondrous as alchemy. But the idea of ​​magic limited him, and in his time, ordinary people confused chemistry and alchemy, alchemy was rampant, and many errors were so obvious..."

He paused, "So you will find that the author of this book holds a dismissive attitude towards 'alchemy' in the secular sense."

"After that, because of the Secrets Act, no alchemists paid any more attention to those ridiculous conclusions from the non-magical world. And it turns out that they, I mean the Muggles, already had their own alchemy, only they changed the name to chemistry."

Chapter 403 Machiban's Sharp Viewpoints

Chemistry… a word that’s both strange and familiar, like a memory from a past life, Harry thought.

Where did he learn this concept from? He recalled his elementary school years, which were not pleasant memories. Apart from Dudley's pranks and humiliations, there was not much he wanted to recall.

Fortunately, he still remembered some of the content from the lab classes. Chemistry is supposed to be a subject that involves changing matter, right?

Somewhat annoyed, he picked up "Unreliable Alchemy" and looked at Hermione—"I've already read it, Harry," Hermione said, pointing at a stack of books and picking out "The Fifth Element: A Controversy" based on her interest.

“Miss Granger, I suggest you start reading from Chapter 7. The explanation of the effects of magic on matter is fascinating and the most convincing one I’ve read in recent years,” Felix said.

“Oh, thank you, Professor,” Hermione said happily.

“What about us?” Harry asked, also desperately needing some advice, since his book wasn’t any thinner than Hermione’s.

He randomly flipped to the middle, then a few more pages, and saw only one picture. The wizard in the picture looked a lot like a portrait hanging on the wall of Black's old house. They both had curly hair and clothes that looked like those worn by court nobles.

Felix looked up at Harry and Ron, giving them a friendly smile. “Let’s start with the preface. One of my lessons from reading is that you can’t be careless with the basics.”

"After reading this book, and then 'The Nine Schools of Alchemy,' you will have a basic understanding of alchemy. At this point, it would be best to write a review paper. Of course, using a knowledge graph would also be acceptable... Later, when you read 'The Complete Guide to General Alchemy,' 'Nicolas Flamel Manuscript I,' or 'The Controversy of the Fifth Element,' you won't be unable to understand them."

Two sounds of swallowing rang out, and Harry and Ron exchanged a glance.

'Homework for the divination class?'

'Keep making things up.'

They quickly understood the meaning behind each other's glances, each pulling a piece of parchment from their bags and starting to read the introduction. After only two lines, Harry couldn't help but frown—

'I am a wizard madly obsessed with alchemy. Remember this name: Crofts Alberd Adrian. It will forever shine in the realm of alchemy, brighter than Nicolas Flamel, for I will be the first to conquer the Philosopher's Stone.'

"Some might say that Nicolas Flamel was the first alchemist to unlock the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone, but I believe that's a misconception. The Philosopher's Stone could be used to create an elixir of immortality without side effects. If he had truly created it, we would know… and I would have immediately sought him out and become his student. But the truth is, he vanished long ago."

Harry heard Ron mutter, "It's because of people like you that he's hiding." He grinned, thinking it made a lot of sense, and they continued reading.

'History has never lacked alchemists claiming to have forged the Philosopher's Stone, much like wizards who once obtained legendary wands, proclaiming their invincibility only to vanish forever. Adrian's assessment of this is: "Honor is the reward for hard work; who would bear to give it up? Similarly, we can speculate: if those who supposedly extended lifespans and defeated death truly succeeded, what reason would they have to hide away? Was it because they had incurable dragonpox on their faces?"'

"Next, I will introduce my own experiences to you. I, Crofts Alberd Adrian, am an alchemical genius, a graduate of Hogwarts Ravenclaw. After graduation, I spent a great deal of time traveling, visiting renowned alchemists one by one, gathering their ideas, correcting their errors, and finally compiling them into my first book. I dedicate it to my alma mater, the greatest magic school—Hogwarts. If future students read this, they should learn about my outstanding achievements from my other books..."

Harry thought this 'Adrian' sounded too much like Lockhart, and he wanted to ask Ron for his opinion. Ron whispered, "I suddenly want to see if this guy has written a second book. I mean... there's always a chance something might happen. Maybe our genius friend ran out of inspiration, or maybe he ran into a Hungarian wood bee while he was on his way."

……

Felix was examining his own magic—the Ironclad Charm—pondering how to combine it into one. More than two months had passed since his return from Beauxbatons, and the Beauxbatons version of the Ironclad Charm had successfully reached level six.

It seemed to have undergone a transformation, shedding the rusty battlefield scars on its surface and becoming smooth and shiny. Its color also turned into a beautiful blood red, as if it had been cut from a huge ruby.

At this moment, Felix held a highly metallic mask in one hand—it was part of a complete suit of armor, the left hand gold and the right hand blood red. He examined it carefully for a long time, but still had no clue. Felix's initial idea was to block out his memories of the Armor Charm and learn it from scratch, so that the two Armor Charms would naturally merge in the end.

However, this speculation was proven to be incorrect.

He clasped his hands together, the gold and blood-red armor mask colliding with a crisp metallic sound, yet showing no sign of merging. He couldn't help but wonder if his magical theories were insufficient to comprehend and accommodate magic of this intensity.

Felix casually placed the blood-red mask over his face, his vision turning a blurry, blood-red hue, as if covered by a red scarf. He looked up and surveyed the library, observing the students in the distance from this novel perspective.

A faint sound came from the side.

Felix glanced over and saw Hermione covering her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. When he looked over, she immediately straightened her face.

"Professor, what is this?" she whispered, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Mrs. Pince was peering through the gaps in the bookshelf.

“The embodiment of the Ironclad Charm,” Felix explained. “Both.” He handed her the golden mask. “How do you think we can combine them?”

"A level six spell?" Hermione took it with great interest, examining it closely. She thought for a moment and asked, "Is it the one that helps the Beauxbatons withstand the flames?"