The smell of warm brass and old parchment hung heavy in the air as Eira entered the Alchemy classroom. Unlike the airy, light-filled chambers of other Beauxbâtons subjects, this room sat deep underground, carved from the earth itself. Lanterns of wrought iron burned steadily along the walls, their flames reflecting off the polished copper pipes that ran like veins through the stone.
Each student's desk bore a fitted set of scales, a small glass retort, and a squat brass crucible darkened by countless experiments. The air carried hints of brimstone, salt, and herbs—remnants of the morning's lessons.
Eira slipped into her seat quietly near the middle row. She preferred it there: not too far to miss detail, not too close to draw attention. Around her, other Ombrelune students filed in, their voices hushed. Unlike Charms or Transfiguration, there was little chatter before Alchemy. The subject demanded silence, patience, and respect.
At the front stood Professor Alaric Vilmont. His tall frame was straight as a blade, silver hair pulled back to reveal a face lined with age but not weakness. His eyes—icy blue and sharp as polished steel—swept the room. His robes were dark, nearly black, but trimmed with a subtle indigo sheen that glimmered when the lantern light struck it.
When the last student had taken their place, the Professor clasped his hands behind his back.
"Alchemy," he began, his voice smooth but commanding, "is not merely the pursuit of gold, nor the foolish tales of endless life. It is the oldest magical discipline known to wizardkind—older than Herbology, older even than Arithmancy. At its heart lies a simple yet eternal question: Can matter itself be perfected?"
His words sank into the stillness. Every quill hovered, waiting.
"Perhaps you have heard of its greatest symbol," Vilmont continued, beginning to pace slowly, "the Philosopher's Stone. But the Stone is only one fruit upon a vast and ancient tree."
He lifted his wand and with a subtle motion conjured pale chalk-lines across the blackboard—an intricate circle inscribed with triangles, circles, and archaic runes.
"Consider first Paracelsus, a sixteenth-century alchemist of Switzerland. He spoke often of the Alkahest—the so-called universal solvent. A liquid so perfect it could dissolve any substance, no matter how hard, enchanted, or precious. Metal, stone, even gold itself. Yet here lies the paradox: how can a liquid that dissolves all be stored at all? In what vessel might it rest?"
The chalk circle filled itself with symbols of water and fire, merging and unraveling.
"Paracelsus answered in riddle: That which dissolves all things may itself dwell only in that which is nothing. To this day, no one has claimed to produce such a solvent. If they did, it has not survived."
The silence that followed was tense, thoughtful. One Bellefeuille boy shifted uncomfortably, clearly unnerved by the idea of such power.
Vilmont allowed the pause before flicking his wand again. The board erased itself, then drew the outline of a goblet filled with glowing liquid.
"The Elixir of Life," he said, and the room seemed to lean forward unconsciously. "A distillation said to flow from the Philosopher's Stone itself. Sir Nicolas Flamel—whose name you all know—extended his life by six centuries with this Elixir. Yet it was more than longevity. Texts describe clarity of mind, strength of body, and renewal of youth. Some even speak of it undoing curses."
He turned back to face the students, his eyes flashing. "And yet—where is it now? Gone. The Stone destroyed. No recipe remains, if indeed one ever did. Such is the fate of every so-called 'eternal gift' in alchemy: it slips through history like water through the hands."
Eira kept her gaze fixed, her quill scratching steadily. She remembered hearing rumors from Hermione about the Stone—destroyed only two years ago , Dumbledore's involvement—but here in France, it was spoken of with a reverence that felt older and heavier.
Eira hesitated, then raised her hand.
"Professor Vilmont… may I ask something? Could alchemy be used to… to make a woman pregnant, without the involvement of a man?"
The room fell into a hush at the unexpected question. Professor Vilmont blinked, then gave a small sigh, folding his hands behind his back.
"An ambitious and rather sensitive question, Mademoiselle White," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "In truth, many centuries ago, a handful of alchemists—most of them women—did attempt precisely that. They sought to bypass natural conception and use alchemy to create life. But every attempt ended in failure. The children were either stillborn, grievously malformed, or did not survive long." He shook his head slowly. "Alchemy, for all its wonders, cannot mimic the natural balance of creation."
He paused, then lowered his voice slightly, as if speaking only to her though the whole class still listened. "There are… rumors, however, that with certain advanced potions and rituals, such things might be possible—pregnancy without a man's seed. But it is dangerous, unproven, and, in my opinion, best left alone. These matters are far too delicate, and certainly not suitable for students of your age."
He gave her a meaningful look, and with that, he moved the lecture forward, as though closing the subject.
Vilmont's wand drew again, this time the faint outline of a small, human-like shape curled within a vessel. The image made several students stir uneasily.
"Homunculi," the Professor said quietly. "The most dangerous branch of alchemy. The forging of life itself. Across centuries, alchemists have tried: to create servants, soldiers, or companions in their image. Johann Konrad Dippel, Prague, 1586—claimed to have built a man from clay and mercury, given breath through alchemical fire. Within weeks, his workshop burned to ash, and he was never seen again. Did he succeed? Did his creation undo him? Or was it all fraud?"
The lanterns flickered, shadows stretching like long fingers across the walls.
"Remember this: alchemy tempts not only with wealth, but with power over life and death. It whispers: if gold may be born of lead, why not man of mud? But there are lines one does not cross without ruin."
The weight of his words pressed on the students. Some scribbled notes feverishly; others simply stared, caught between fear and fascination.
Vilmont allowed a long silence, then straightened once more. "But not all is shadow." With a flick, he conjured a tray of vials onto his desk. They shimmered in shades of crimson, silver, and emerald.
"Here, basilisk venom," he said, lifting the red vial. The students inhaled sharply. "One of the deadliest substances known to wizardkind. But through alchemy—stabilized with powdered moonstone, tempered with unicorn horn—it becomes the foundation for antidotes against lesser poisons. From death, life. From destruction, preservation."
He replaced it and lifted another, silver bright. "Goblin-forged silver. Resistant to rust, impervious to nearly all hexes. Goblins keep their secrets close, but wizard-alchemists centuries ago experimented until they created alloys capable of strengthening enchantments. Without them, your very wands would not function as they do today."
A ripple of whispers spread through the class. Some gasped softly, surprised. Eira felt her heart quicken—the idea that her wand, her constant companion, was born not only of magic but of ancient alchemy made her see it anew.
Professor Vilmont set the vials down gently, his sharp gaze sweeping the room once more.
"Alchemy is patience," he said. "Alchemy is humility. And above all—alchemy is balance. Every transformation demands a price. Lead into gold, poison into cure, ignorance into knowledge. Nothing is gained without loss."
His words carried like a hammer against stone.
"For your assignment," he added, his tone brisk, "you will each research one historical alchemist. Not only what they achieved, but what they sacrificed. Alchemy is not built on success alone—it is written in failure and in cost. Remember that."
The faint chime of the dismissal bell echoed through the chamber. Students rose, chairs scraping, their conversations hushed but urgent—already gossiping about Elixirs, poisons, and the promise of forbidden knowledge.
Eira packed her parchment carefully, but her thoughts remained tangled in his lecture. Every transformation demands a price.