Chapter 94: Alchemy

“Fantastic, Xi En!”

Two figures quickly darted past the crowd of Gryffindors and reached Xi En before Ms. Hooch could even react. Xi En was still gripping a Quaffle in his hand, and Madam Hooch had not even had time to hand over the flying permit to him.

“Oh—Xi En, what would you like to drink? Honey Lemon Tea? Pumpkin Juice or Hot Chocolate?”

Justin was holding two hands, yet somehow managed to take three different Drinks, and they were even still steaming.

Xi En still had not seen how these things appeared, but he was very sure there had to be a House-elf that had suddenly shown up nearby.

“Hurry and wipe.”

Hermione handed over a Towel, looking a little anxious, probably because Xi En’s forehead was already damp with sweat.

“Mm.”

Xi En took the Towel and saw Madam Hooch walking over with a smile.

“Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw?”

Madam Hooch placed the permit certificate stamped with a red seal into Xi En’s hand,

“Enjoy your Flying time, but… be careful.”

Xi En nodded.

Justin and Hermione had already leaned their heads in close:

“Merlin! Is that the flying permit that no one has obtained for seven years?”

Justin seemed about to bury his head into the certificate, completely forgetting the “stern questioning” segment he had just agreed on with Hermione.

Xi En saw him cherishingly hold up the permit and did not mind. He simply took a light sip of Hot Chocolate.

The warmth drove away the cold, and the sweetness on the tip of his tongue made him narrow his eyes.

Delicious…

“Cool—”

Justin finished reading the permit word by word. Beside him, Hermione rolled her eyes at him in exasperation:

“Xi En has not read it yet.”

“Huh?!”

…

Compared to Madam Hooch, who was watching the three with great interest,

the Gryffindor Quidditch Team members beside her were not so pleased.

“The flying permit, Fred, remember? Even the Captain did not get it in First Year.”

George blinked.

“Of course I remember. I heard he was upset for a whole month!”

Fred replied in a tone full of Regret.

“Shut up! You two!”

Wood’s anger was almost enough to set the lawn on fire.

Harry just kept looking at Xi En like that for quite a while.

In fact, before entering Hogwarts, everyone had told him he was a hero. Although he tried not to let himself grow proud, he still could not help feeling a bit dazed.

But very soon, the topic of discussion gradually shifted toward Xi En. He was a Wizard who would truly achieve great things in Magic; almost all the Professors agreed on this.

He always studied mysteriously at Hogwarts, not attending parties, disliking Games, and hardly anyone ever saw him. People could only occasionally hear Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall talking in the Great Hall:

“Mr. Green? Yes, Professor McGonagall, he has learned Silent Spells.”

Silent Spells—Harry vaguely remembered those were normally learned only by Sixth Year Wizards.

Yet somehow, he was simply impossible to be jealous of. After all, everyone could see him often practicing Spells during class with a pale Complexion, applying an Ice Pack, Bubbles coming out of his ears, and still reading in the Great Hall without stopping.

If anyone truly felt jealous and wanted to cause him trouble, the Young Wizards who had read the “cheap” History of Magic Notes would not allow it:

“If you give Mr. Green trouble and keep him from finishing the Green Notes, Merlin… just you wait!”

All in all, he was a diligent Genius who sometimes made others lose even the desire to catch up.

It was said that even those Slytherins did not dare casually speak ill of him. The last person who tried to cause trouble was still in Detention.

“Harry, oh—you have an important Task to complete.”

Wood’s words snapped Harry out of his thoughts… an important Task. Wood had already mentioned several of those, and Harry thought this time would be the same.

Yet unexpectedly—

“Go and see whether this… Green has joined the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team. If he has, then we will have to change our Plan…”

Wood frowned, his tone heavy,

“Of course, you are still the core of our Gryffindor Team Plan. Working together, we will still win the Quidditch Cup!”

This Task had come so suddenly that Harry had not reacted yet, but his head nodded first.

By the time he came to his senses, his eyes were already wide open.

On the other side.

Xi En carefully spread out the flying permit. In fact, this permit seemed to possess a certain magical effect.

Following Madam Hooch’s instructions, he placed the permit on the Broomstick, and the Broomstick seemed to be engraved with some special connection.

Xi En could sense that it was very likely a linking Spell, but far more than that.

This made him sigh with emotion—Hogwarts, in a certain sense, truly was “the safest.”

Inside the Changing Room.

Xi En quickly changed Clothes, but was blocked just as he was about to leave.

“You can feel the Spells on it?”

A red-haired figure sprang out.

Xi En nodded, and suddenly another voice sounded:

“Then you will definitely be amazed by the mysteries of Alchemy Craft!”

Another red-haired figure came from behind and boxed Xi En in.

“It is the best subject at Hogwarts.”

“—Unfortunately, you only get to learn it in Sixth Year.”

“Unless you are at Beauxbatons—”

“There, lower years can already learn wonderful Alchemy!”

“Master Nicolas Flamel came out of Beauxbatons—”

“I think you must have heard of this Master.”

“But you definitely do not fully understand.”

The two of them suddenly spoke in unison:

“After all, he has lived for more than six hundred years!”

Xi En had already recognized Fred and George, and their back-and-forth performance had sparked a strong Interest in Alchemy in him.

“So… Senior Student Weasley, how can I get started as a Beginner?”

“You have to tell us how much you sensed on the Broomstick.”

Fred set down his own Broomstick, and it actually hovered automatically in the air.

“This is the first time we have seen someone like us.”

George raised his eyebrows,

“Alchemy does not tolerate mediocrity.”

Xi En thought for a moment and then took out a set of Notes from his bag.

Ever since his first contact with a Broomstick, he had consciously recorded his Perception.

On the night before the Flight Test, he had nearly taken apart the Nimbus 2000.

Although he did not understand the Principle behind it, he knew how the Broomstick functioned, so he was able to roughly draw a cross-section diagram and add descriptions of the actual effects and guesses at possible Spell Combinations.

Xi En handed over his Notes, watching Fred go from interested to bright-eyed. He looked at Xi En, then at the Notes:

“George, you have to come see this—”

“You must be a Genius of Alchemy!”

George said loudly.

“Just like us!”

Fred added proudly.