On a sheet of pristine white parchment, a quill wobbled unsteadily for a moment, then stood upright.
Wade stared at it intently and his fingers twitched unconsciously, until Professor Murray gently tapped him with a wand.
"Don't use magic, Wade," Professor Murray said with a smile. "Use your mind to control it."
Wade took a deep breath, eyes locked on the quill, and his brow slightly furrowed.
After a few seconds, the quill finally began to move, scrawling a few shaky characters on the parchment—
[Mentis Imperio]
"Mind Control?" Professor Murray stroked his chin. "Not a bad name—much better than the ones you used to come up with."
Wade gave him a helpless glance.
Just then, the quill seemed to lose all its strength and fell onto the parchment with a soft thud.
"Kind of hard, isn't it?" Professor Murray pushed a cup of hot chocolate toward Wade. "Have some—it'll make you feel much better."
Wade took a sip and asked in confusion, "But Professor, I've seen others use shorthand quills before. She seemed to do it effortlessly. Why is it so difficult for me?"
"Well… there are many reasons,"
Professor Murray explained:
"First, your magic is still incomplete, and your connection with the quill is quite fragile. You need more time to study it carefully. High-quality shorthand quills can more quickly recognize their owner's thoughts and are less affected by external interference."
Wade nodded. He could feel that his first attempt at crafting a shorthand quill was far from perfect—the Magic Rune circuits felt sluggish and unrefined.
"Second, the witch you saw probably used blood or saliva to strengthen her bond with the quill. That's a shortcut. It's fast, but I don't recommend it—shortcuts make people lazy."
"Also, with any magic item, the longer you use it, the stronger the connection becomes. It's not necessarily about how powerful the enchantment is."
"So Wade, even if you haven't infused a magic item with special intent, you should still treat it as family, a companion, a brother-in-arms—not just some tool you can throw away at will. When you do that, you'll surely be rewarded."
Wade held the quill in his hand and nodded. "I'll remember that, Professor."
He thought of the old Black family house.
When Sirius first returned, it was only because he had to—for Regulus's funeral—and he still loathed that house.
And that house, in turn, resisted its master just as fiercely: it was filthy in every corner, and even the clothes hanging in the wardrobe tried to strangle people.
But back when its master was still alive, it had been nothing more than a well-fitting magical robe.
Later, perhaps because Kreacher had finally chosen to cooperate, or perhaps because Sirius gradually came to terms with his heritage—feeling a mix of longing and guilt for his younger brother, which led to a slight sense of identity with his family—eventually, the furious resistance of that old house subsided and quieted down.
"Alright, we can leave magical research for later. Why don't you take a look at the remaining quills?"
Professor Murray, worried that the earlier failure might have discouraged Wade, summoned two more boxes and began introducing the various magical quills inside.
"Contract Quill, made from elven hair. Contracts written with it have stronger magical binding force. It was very popular among wizards in ancient times."
Professor Murray took out a pale golden quill and said, "But nowadays, with more effective and convenient contract magic, hardly anyone knows about this type of quill anymore."
"Memory Quill—it can remember every word it has written and reproduce them. It's used by judges and recorders in the Wizengamot."
"Oh, and this one… it's made from a small tuft of hair from the center of a unicorn's forehead. The words written with it can calm emotions. But if someone tries to write a lie, the quill won't be able to record it. It's extremely rare."
Professor Murray continued introducing several other types of quills.
Rare materials often produce unique effects—like one quill made from sphinx feathers, capable of automatically answering most questions. It's practically every student's dream quill.
To an alchemy master like Murray, these were merely toys to pass the time. But outside this room, each one could sell for a jaw-droppingly high price.
"I'll teach you all of this, Wade—but don't be confined to only what I teach you."
Professor Murray rested his hands leisurely on his belly and said with a smile: "In the Wizarding world, there is always knowledge beyond what you or I can comprehend."
"For example, right here in Hogwarts, there's a quill even I find mysterious—the Quill of Acceptance."
"The Quill of Acceptance?" Wade asked.
"Yes," said Professor Murray. "It can sense children with magical potential and automatically writes their names into the Book of Admittance—including yours, Wade."
Professor Murray pointed at Wade and smiled, "That quill's sensing range covers the entire British Isles, and it can detect the faintest magical fluctuations. Even if the child's parents haven't noticed a thing, the quill can still accurately pick it up."
"Some children are added to the Hogwarts admissions list at birth; others only begin to show magical signs near the age of eleven. But regardless, the Quill of Acceptance ensures that no child with magical talent is ever overlooked."
"Even I don't fully understand how that quill works. But Dumbledore is quite fond of you, Wade. If you ever get the chance, perhaps you could research it someday."
"I hope I get the chance… though it probably won't be easy," Wade shrugged.
The Quill of Acceptance was undoubtedly one of Hogwarts' most treasured artifacts. Wade suspected Dumbledore would sooner part with Godric Gryffindor's sword than let anyone lay a hand on that quill.
"It's actually not that difficult," said Professor Murray. "If one day you become the Headmaster of Hogwarts, then all the school's secrets will open themselves to you, my boy."
Wade was momentarily stunned, then chuckled wryly.
"I've never thought that far ahead, Professor. But I definitely don't want to spend my days dealing with a bunch of unruly kids... Maybe being a pure alchemist would suit me better? Like you."
Professor Murray laughed. "Actually, I'm not as 'pure' as you think, Wade. In fact, I hold shares in quite a few companies, and in my younger days, I got involved in some rather hot-blooded pursuits."
He added with a touch of melancholy, "You know, when war breaks out, no one can really stay out of it… Compared to me, it's actually Wovilette of the Alliance who's more 'pure.'"
At the mention of that familiar name, Wade couldn't help but look up at Professor Murray.
The silver-haired professor nodded and said: "That's right. He and I were friends in our youth—and even now, I wouldn't call us enemies."
"I've also heard about what happened during your holiday, Wade... Because of that guy Wovilette, who had the gall to write me a letter trying to steal my student."
His smile hinted at danger.
Wade was speechless. He too had received a letter from Wovilette after returning to school—full of thinly veiled yearning for the Time-Turner. Wade had replied as tactfully as he could:
[It'sImpossible. The Time-Turner is under Ministry surveillance enchantments. Lending it out is absolutely out of the question.]
He hadn't expected Wovilette to go so far as to write to Professor Murray directly.
"I heard he gave you his alchemy notes?" Murray asked.
"Yes," Wade nodded honestly. "And when I was caught by the Alliance, he actually stood up for me."
"So?" Murray asked. "What's your impression of them?"
"You mean Mr. Wovilette?" Wade responded naturally. "He's a good person. He has a unique understanding of alchemy. I learned a lot from him…"
"No." Professor Murray cut him off. "Wade, I meant the Alliance—what's your opinion of them?"
Wade was silent for a long while, then answered hesitantly: "Dangerous and driven idealists, I suppose? Quite different from most British wizards. They don't have much reverence for life—what matters most to them is belief and goals."
"…A fair assessment."
Professor Murray smiled. "To many, they're fanatics and brutal executioners—Grindelwald's Death Knights."
Wade looked at him and said softly, "I didn't live through that era. My perspective is limited."
"We are neither God nor Merlin, Wade. No one can see the full picture," Professor Murray replied.
Then he casually moved the conversation on: "That fool Wovilette—if you just humor him a little, he'll hand over all his alchemical knowledge. As for the rest... just follow your own judgment. Don't let others sway you."
Wade slowly nodded. "Yes, Professor."
"Oh, I heard you received an invitation from Nicolas Flamel?" Murray asked again.
"Yes," Wade hesitated. "Honestly, I'm a little nervous. After all, it's Nicolas Flamel. I don't know how I'm supposed to interact with him."
"It's simple—just remember one thing: don't ask about the Philosopher's Stone or the Elixir of Life. Anything else is fair game."
Professor Murray said gently, "With your manners and your love for knowledge, as long as you stay true to yourself, Nicolas Flamel will definitely like you. He's actually a very easygoing person—you don't need to be nervous about meeting him."
…
Wade had Herbology class in the afternoon, so he didn't stay long in Professor Murray's office.
On the way to the greenhouse with the others, Wade couldn't help turning back to glance in the direction of Murray's office.
The castle's many windows reflected the golden evening sunlight, making it impossible to tell whether a pair of eyes might be silently watching him from behind one of them—or even to identify exactly which window it could be.
Wade had once misunderstood Professor Murray, fearing he might be the type of professor who steals credit for his students' academic work.
But over time, under Murray's long-term care and selfless guidance, that unfounded suspicion had long since faded. Wade even found it laughable now, how frightened he'd been back then.
But just now…
When Professor Murray had pressed him for his opinion on the Alliance, Wade once again felt a chill that made his skin crawl.
He didn't want to doubt the professor who had cared for him like a father, but he couldn't help wondering...
When Professor Murray had said, "Don't let others influence you,"did "others" mean Grindelwald—or Dumbledore?
"What's wrong, Wade?" Michael suddenly stepped in front of him and asked curiously, "You look kind of pale."
Wade withdrew his gaze and walked with him toward the greenhouse. "Probably just tired… You know I sometimes attend classes with the upper years."
"Don't push yourself too hard, Wade," Michael advised. "I know what happened last time put a lot of pressure on you, but if you keep this up, I'm worried you'll burn yourself out."
"I know… I'll pace myself." Wade replied agreeably.
"By the way, want to go to Hogsmeade with us this weekend, to visit Remus?"
Michael said excitedly, "Professor Hagrid somehow caught a Boggart. Harry said Remus is going to use it to help us learn the Patronus Charm—hopefully we'll be able to cast real corporeal Patronuses, like you."
"I'll have to pass this time," Wade declined politely. "I've already accepted an invitation from Caryll. I'll be visiting his parents during the Hogsmeade weekend."
"Visiting his parents?" Michael repeated, puzzled.
"Our families used to be friends," Wade explained calmly. "Caryll's parents are in Hogsmeade too. They said they'd like to meet me."
"Oh, that's a shame." Michael didn't press the matter and smiled. "When we get back, I'll tell you what everyone's Boggart turned into! I heard that in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Troka didn't let Harry face the Boggart."
"Why not?" Wade asked casually.
"Probably afraid it would turn into something terrifying. Like a man with a face on the back of his head?" Michael guessed.
"But honestly, I think he's overthinking it. I'd bet Harry's more afraid of his Muggle relatives—after all, the Dark Lord always seems to be the one on the losing end when it comes to Harry, right?"
Wade said helplessly, "Keep your voice down. Don't let the Slytherins hear you, Michael."
"Hey, they may not say it, but I bet some of them think the same," Michael said dismissively.
He'd interacted enough with Slytherin students to sense that beneath their aloofness and hostility was a subtle wariness—even fear—toward Harry Potter.
Otherwise, it wouldn't just be Malfoy and his few cronies constantly trying to provoke him.
Wade looked at Michael, feeling an odd sense of dissonance.
——It feels like Michael isn't as afraid of Voldemort as he used to be.
Is it that with more knowledge and experience, his courage has grown too?
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⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +235 Chapters
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