Nicolas Flamel. Hearing the person outside the door say this name, even though Char had been at Hogwarts for a year and had already seen many things that were different from the original work, his eyes were still wide open, and his mind was blank for a moment. This name was really too well-known. A master alchemist who had lived for over six hundred years and the only one in the magical world who could create the Philosopher's Stone, he was the representative of the pinnacle of alchemy over the past few hundred years. Even the entire plot of Harry Potter's first year of school revolved around the Philosopher's Stone. Such an existence, even Dumbledore, seemed a little overshadowed by him.
Char really didn't expect that Nicolas Flamel would come to Hogwarts so late at night. This part was not in the original book. But a moment later, he suddenly remembered a description in the original. His eyes also became filled with surprise and doubt. He remembered that in the original book, after Harry woke up, he had quickly asked Dumbledore about the current status of the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore had told Harry that he had discussed it with Nicolas Flamel and that the stone had been destroyed, so Harry didn't need to worry. But thinking about it carefully, such a careless destruction of the stone was really strange. After all, it was arguably one of the most precious items in the wizarding world. Even if Nicolas Flamel no longer thought so highly of it, Dumbledore, whether for risk avoidance or other reasons, should have been more cautious. He couldn't have just destroyed it on his own without even meeting Nicolas Flamel, right? Even a normal person wouldn't be so careless when handling things for a friend.
He had originally thought that the original work had some flaws. But now, thinking about it carefully, perhaps what Dumbledore had said to Harry was just to comfort him and let him not worry too much. In fact, at that time, the stone was still in Dumbledore's hands. Of course, it had to be destroyed, but they had to wait for Nicolas Flamel to come. The destruction would be completed in a secret place and at a secret time. It was impossible to advertise it widely. And now, Nicolas Flamel's visit was perhaps to come and destroy the Philosopher's Stone with his own hands.
But this also made him feel a little confused. If Nicolas Flamel had come, it was most likely to destroy the Philosopher's Stone. Why did he come here specifically? He didn't think that they were just wandering around bored in the middle of the night and got lost here for some unknown reason. Lost in Hogwarts? Dumbledore wasn't that senile yet.
However, despite the countless confusions in his mind, it would not be a good idea to leave them waiting outside now. After taking a deep breath, he opened the door of the small greenhouse. Immediately, the first thing that caught his eye was the tall figure of Dumbledore, with his gray hair and beard. But at this time, Dumbledore was two steps behind, as if in a sign of respect, letting another figure stand in front of him. Char's gaze fell towards the strange figure. Without a doubt, this was naturally Nicolas Flamel.
However, Nicolas Flamel did not look like what he had imagined. He was not an old man with white hair. In fact, it was the opposite. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, in the prime of his life. Most of his hair was still black, with only a few spots showing gray. If he hadn't said who he was, no one would have thought that this was an "immortal" who had lived for more than six hundred years. He even looked two generations younger than Dumbledore.
After Char showed a surprised expression, Dumbledore said with a smile, "Char, aren't you going to invite us in?"
He reacted and apologized repeatedly, making way for the two top wizards of the wizarding world to come in. There was no trace of anger or pride on Nicolas Flamel's face. His face was filled with a relaxed and happy smile. He even sincerely apologized to Char for disturbing him late at night. Immediately, he then looked at the small greenhouse in front of him, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "Hogwarts. I haven't been here in hundreds of years. The little greenhouse is still thriving like it was back then. Very nice."
Then, seeing Char's puzzled expression, he took the initiative to explain. "Although I am French and attended Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, traveling around the European wizarding world after graduation was a trend at the time. Generally speaking, the three major magic schools are popular places to visit. I don't like the atmosphere of Durmstrang, so I chose Hogwarts to visit first."
When mentioning this, his face was filled with nostalgia. He described the scene of the day he arrived in detail. "That day was also the day the House Cup ended. What a coincidence! Hufflepuff also won. When I came over, the winning house banners were flying over Hogwarts, and there was a huge party going on. Before I could even explain my purpose, the enthusiastic Hufflepuffs poured me a drink. That night, I spent the night directly in their common room. Starting from the next day, I started discussing magic with many outstanding students in the house. Haha, that was an unforgettable experience."
But a moment later, he shook his head slightly. "In the blink of an eye, everything has changed. All those friends I once had are now basically in portraits. That's the downside of living too long. For an old man like me, all I can do now is revisit old places and reminisce about the feelings of my true youth."
But soon, he came back to his senses from this sadness. He winked at Char with a rather mysterious path. "But, young Mr. Sprout, I came to visit you specially this time. In a sense, we have a very close relationship."
This time, Char was even more certain. What relationship did he have with Nicolas Flamel? The Sprout family had never heard of a distant relative like him. Just when he was confused, Nicolas Flamel burst into laughter. "When I was in Hufflepuff House, I drank nectar brewed by Ms. Hufflepuff herself. Merlin, that feeling was truly unforgettable for me in these hundreds of years. I suppose young Mr. Sprout has also tasted that cup of nectar?"
Hearing this, he understood immediately. Did Nicolas Flamel also receive a gift from Ms. Hufflepuff? Seeing his expression, Nicolas Flamel nodded, his face full of solemnity and reverence. "Ms. Hufflepuff's ideals are truly magnificent. At that time, even though the three major magic schools had already been established, the culture of self-preservation was still very prevalent in the wizarding world. I thought my visit to Hogwarts wouldn't go smoothly, but the result was beyond my expectations. It was not only the young Hufflepuffs who gave me a warm welcome. Even Ms. Hufflepuff opened a mysterious portal for me. Even though I'm not a student at Hogwarts, I still received her warm hospitality. She even passed on her magical knowledge to me without reservation. Her guidance was of great help to me and even directly influenced my later alchemy. Without her, my alchemy would never have reached its current level. So in a sense, I'm actually half a Hufflepuff student."
So far, Nicolas Flamel had revealed the reason why he had visited the small greenhouse so late at night. "Before I came here, I heard Dumbledore mention the trouble caused by the Philosopher's Stone in a letter. I've also heard about your performance, Mr. Sprout. That's when I felt a strong premonition. I realized that a wonderful young wizard like you would definitely receive gifts from Ms. Hufflepuff. This premonition told me that I must come here in person. This matter is very important."
Hearing this, Dumbledore on the side was a little surprised. This was also the first time he knew about it. Nicolas Flamel had come to visit Char on purpose because of a strange premonition? But he didn't find it ridiculous. Instead, his expression became as serious as Nicolas Flamel's. At their level of magic, the level of trust in one's own hunches was extremely high. The sixth sense and prophecy were not false, but really had their mysterious power. It could give Nicolas Flamel such a strong premonition. What could this be?
At this time, Nicolas Flamel looked at Char. After taking a closer look, his eyes were filled with amazement and complexity. "It seems so now. I came here to visit, and it was really the right time. I thought, Mr. Sprout, that you were simply gifted by Ms. Hufflepuff like I was. Although such things are rare, there are still some wizards who have this honor over the long span of time. But I didn't expect that Ms. Hufflepuff would pass on her will to you. You can definitely be called the true heir of Ms. Hufflepuff."
Hearing this, Char's pupils contracted slightly. Who would have thought that Nicolas Flamel could tell at a glance that Ms. Hufflepuff's will had been passed down to him? Mystery. This master of alchemy was simply unfathomable. In a sense, the feeling he gave to Char was even more profound than that of Dumbledore. Come to think of it, Two-Face had known before school started that the Philosopher's Stone was hidden in Dumbledore's underground vault. Could it be that with his intelligence capabilities, he would be unable to find Nicolas Flamel's retreat? Instead of breaking into Hogwarts, knowing that Dumbledore had made arrangements, why not go directly to Nicolas Flamel? Capture him, use the Imperius Curse or the Cruciatus Curse, and have him write a letter demanding the return of the Philosopher's Stone. Or why not just let him make a new one? At worst, his elixir of life also had some of the effects of the stone. It should have been enough to keep Two-Face alive for a long time. Why hadn't he tried this? This was enough to prove it. In the eyes of Two-Face, to take the Philosopher's Stone from Nicolas Flamel might be even scarier than facing Dumbledore at Hogwarts.
And thinking deeper, everyone knew that Nicolas Flamel was in possession of the Philosopher's Stone. Why had no wizard dared to approach him to steal it in the past few hundred years? Obviously, a wizard who could create the Philosopher's Stone... how could he be weak? Maybe his attainments in magic were even better than those of Dumbledore and Voldemort.
At this time, Dumbledore's expression was also very surprised. All four founders had left their legacy at Hogwarts. But the founders' inheritance maintained a high degree of independence. The heads of the various houses, and even the headmaster, had no authority to intervene. No one even knew who had inherited the legacy. If Nicolas Flamel hadn't brought it up now, even Dumbledore wouldn't have known that Char had more than just Ms. Hufflepuff's approval, but had become her true heir. But how did Nicolas Flamel know this?
Facing their confused looks, he explained frankly, "Ms. Hufflepuff entertained me for a long time then. Her remaining will even prepared a table full of delicious dishes for me. That's why I'm so familiar with her aura of will. I just sensed that Ms. Hufflepuff's will remains in you, Char."
Then, he pondered for a moment. He once again made a suggestion that made both Dumbledore and Char's eyes widen. "Char, I came here to destroy the Philosopher's Stone. After it's destroyed, I plan to settle my affairs with my wife and then face our own death. As for my alchemy, I felt that the stone had caused a lot of trouble. I originally planned to let it disappear from the world forever along with us. But now, I've changed my mind." He looked at Char. "The heir of Ms. Hufflepuff, are you interested in inheriting my alchemy skills? Just think of it as a way for me to repay the lady for her training back then. And your performance in the Forbidden Forest trial this time... I think it would be a good idea to give you my alchemy skills. If you are willing, I will devote all my remaining years to training you and teaching you all the essence of my alchemy."
Hearing his proposal, not to mention Char, even Dumbledore was so surprised that he couldn't close his mouth. Others might not be clear about how powerful Nicolas Flamel's alchemy was, but Dumbledore had worked with him before. He himself was also quite knowledgeable about alchemy. He knew only too well how profound Nicolas Flamel's alchemical attainments were. It was no exaggeration to say that with his extraordinary talent, there were only a few people in the magical field who could make him look at them in the eye. But in the field of alchemy, he thought that he was just a toddler compared to Nicolas Flamel. He even doubted it. Nicolas Flamel's alchemy might have reached the pinnacle of modern alchemy. It was almost as good as the incredible ancient alchemy recorded in mythology.
Throughout the ages, Nicolas Flamel was the first person to discover alchemy. Naturally, there were also many people who tried hard to pursue him and become his students. Even Dumbledore himself, when he was young, had written to him, hoping to become his disciple. But even Dumbledore had not been an exception. This incident had made Dumbledore, who at the time thought he had invincible magical talent, feel a little frustrated. Until Nicolas Flamel had written to him, explaining that the reason he didn't accept students wasn't because Dumbledore wasn't talented enough. The reason was that he had accepted a student a long time ago, but the student had made a big mistake. He had learned from the mistake and decided not to accept any more students. Dumbledore had had no choice but to give up. Although he had later collaborated with him, and together they had discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood, he had failed to become a student of Nicolas Flamel, which was still a regret of his youth.
At this time, hearing that Nicolas Flamel intended to take Char as his disciple, Dumbledore couldn't help but take a deep breath. There would be countless benefits for Char if he could become his student. Therefore, he immediately cast his eyes towards Char, as if to urge him to stop hesitating and agree quickly. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Char felt Dumbledore's gaze on him. Of course, he understood what a great opportunity this was. Otherwise, how could Dumbledore lose his composure like this? His heartbeat was also accelerating. The scene of himself researching alchemy, making the Philosopher's Stone, and watching each alchemical product shaking the magic world emerged in his mind. But as he thought about these things, his original excitement cooled down little by little. He started by asking himself a question in his mind. Of course, it's good to have the opportunity. But is alchemy really suitable for me? Do I really like this field?
He fell into decision and deep thought. Dumbledore had a wry smile in his eyes. This child really didn't know how precious this opportunity was. Was he still hesitating now? Nicolas Flamel didn't think there was anything wrong, always wearing a smiling expression, waiting for Char to make his final decision.
After a moment, Char, who had figured it out, looked determined. Under Dumbledore's encouraging gaze, he looked at Nicolas Flamel. But what he said shocked both of them. "Hold on, Master Nico. I don't think I'm the right person to inherit your alchemy."
Dumbledore raised his voice for the first time. "Char?!"
Nicolas Flamel showed an interested expression. He looked at him and asked, "Can you tell me the reason?"
Char said seriously, "I don't know much about alchemy. But I know how powerful the Philosopher's Stone is. To change the structure of matter and achieve immortality... possessing it means possessing countless wealth and all the entanglements of the world. Worries almost lose their meaning in the face of its power."
Nicolas Flamel raised his eyebrows. "Knowing this, you still choose to refuse? Mr. Sprout, I sincerely want to teach you alchemy."
Char smiled gratefully. "I really appreciate your appreciation and kindness. But I don't think I'm talented enough. Transfiguration magic is already too profound for me, requiring the efforts of three extraordinary people. Not to mention alchemy, which has caused so many geniuses to fail? Don't worry if you laugh at me, but I also flipped through a copy of 'Introduction to Alchemy' in the library, and I really couldn't understand a single word of it. If I were a generalist, I would definitely consider it. But now, I think Herbology is more suitable for me. Rather than devoting my energy to alchemy, I would rather delve deeper into herbology. I like farming more than anything else."
This was the answer to the question. Dumbledore was surprised, and there was a strange look in his eyes. There was a bit more appreciation in them when he looked at Char. Nicolas Flamel was shocked, and then suddenly burst into laughter. The laughter was full of praise. "The heir of Hufflepuff truly possesses qualities that ordinary people don't. Amazing. That's amazing."
Char shook his head, laughing at himself. "It's just that I don't have enough ability or talent. If I had enough talent, I would love to learn all the magic in the world."
Nicolas Flamel replied seriously, "No, no, no. Having self-knowledge and knowing how to make choices is a great ability. Sometimes, many geniuses possess extremely high magical talents. I've seen greater alchemical talent than mine. But the geniuses who gather here are often arrogant and conceited, thinking they can do anything, but they lack the ability to understand themselves and make choices."
When saying this, a deep look appeared in his eyes. Sadness and pain flashed through his pupils again, as if he was recalling some unpleasant past events. "If my former disciple had your self-awareness and ability to make choices... perhaps—" Immediately, he sighed deeply and changed the subject. "All right. Since you have made this choice, then I can't force you." He gave a wry smile. "It seems that my alchemy skills really have to be taken to the grave. I hope no one comes to dig up my grave for this knowledge."
At this time, Char suddenly remembered something. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Master Nico, although I cannot inherit your alchemy, I know someone who might be suitable. He is responsible and has an extraordinary talent for alchemy. Maybe he's a little older. Can you give him a chance?"
Nicolas Flamel was stunned for a moment. But a moment later, he nodded happily. "Age is not a problem. Since it was recommended by you, Mr. Sprout, I believe that this candidate has some extraordinary qualities."
With that, he took out an alchemical notebook and handed it to Char. "This contains some of my insights into the beginner's art of alchemy. You can give it to your friend. I have about five years left. If he has any questions during this period, he can write to me. I will give you everything I know."
Char took a deep breath, a tribute to Nicolas Flamel. Although not taught in person, a notebook of Nicolas Flamel... in the magical world, he really didn't know how valuable it was. Countless magical families and even secluded master wizards would probably be willing to give up everything in exchange for it. In this way, the alchemical talent of the troll priest Sirius should be able to be cultivated and developed to the maximum extent possible. He wondered if there was any possibility that he could truly inherit Nicolas Flamel's legacy.
Thoughts raced through his mind. At this time, Nicolas Flamel took out a crystal stone. His eyes were involuntarily drawn to it. With his current magical perception, he could feel that the magic contained in this stone was simply incredible. No need to think. He then knew what the stone was simply incredible. No need to think. He then knew what the stone was. "This is the Philosopher's Stone?!"
Nicolas Flamel nodded. There was no trace of nostalgia in the look he gave it. He then looked at Char and extended an invitation to him. "Since Mr. Sprout has refused to be my pupil, then at least don't refuse my next invitation, right? How about watching the ritual of destroying the Philosopher's Stone?" He blinked, with a mysterious tone. "Perhaps, this will have some unexpected benefits for you."