One by one, wizards started popping up in the place.
They couldn't wait to hustle right over to the tree trunk. Down in the hollow beneath it sat row after row of alchemical creations.
Sean stepped closer and finally spotted the ouroboros—a snake eating its own tail—wrapped around the trunk. The edges were carved with all kinds of animals.
"The Kabbalah Tree of Life," Professor Terra explained in her usual calm drawl. "In the Book of Creation, it's the divine tree that reveals the mysterious cause-and-effect of the universe.
"The ouroboros? That's straight out of Gnosticism and Hermeticism. In magic, it stands for the eternal cycle—birth, death, rebirth.
"And in the making of the Philosopher's Stone, you've got your stages: the black earth and the blackened raven; the white chalk and the whitened swan, then the white eagle; the peacock's tail for the color cycle; the reddened rooster; and finally the phoenix rising from the flames—
"Anyway, you've got it memorized. Go pick whatever catches your eye."
With that, she gently nudged Sean toward the alchemical goodies below.
Sean scanned the endless lineup. The creations looked like smooth stones in a never-ending river.
Two-way mirrors, Vanishing Cabinets, Portkeys, Pensieves, even an Invisibility Cloak… He even spotted a tiny jar of Floo powder and a miniature Knight Bus.
The Knight Bus?!
Sean blinked. Why not just shrink Hogwarts Castle and toss that in too?
Come to think of it, the castle was one heck of an alchemical masterpiece.
Right in front of him, every single creation had a soft white glow around a thick book.
A little ways off, an older wizard and a younger one were chatting. Sean was close enough to catch the conversation.
"This is the one."
"You sure? No second thoughts?"
"Definitely. We've only got half an hour. You taught me—hesitation means defeat."
The young wizard's invitation letter shimmered and turned into a golden key. A second later, a complicated alchemical gadget Sean had never seen floated out of the hollow.
So this was the inheritance ritual. Every young alchemist got to pick one creation, and those books were probably the full breakdown of how they were made.
What should he choose?
They even had Floo powder here—and everyone knew the inventor and the recipe were top-secret.
As he wandered, Sean spotted a plaque with Dumbledore's name on it. He leaned in and felt a spark of excitement.
Ancient runes on cross-species transformation… even some wild guesses about the underlying principles.
If he wanted to fold the Magical Creature Cookie effect straight into Transfiguration spells, this would be perfect.
No hesitation. His invitation letter morphed into a golden key too.
On his way back, he couldn't help glancing at the line of text glowing faintly on the plaque:
[Four Worlds Overlap, the Fifth Element Reveals Itself.]
The words had flashed for just a moment, but Sean felt a weird tug—like he'd just signed some invisible contract.
Professor Terra's voice cut in right on cue.
"Ancient alchemists believed the world-soul—or prima materia—interacts with the four elements to produce a fifth.
"That's the Quintessence.
"With the completion of the Philosopher's Stone, the fifth element appears. You can call it 'aether'—stuff that never decays, never rots. Old wizarding astronomy said the planets themselves were made of it.
"Now look around. The surroundings are pitch-black. The chamber holding the creations is pure white. Your key—your invitation—is gold.
"So… the reddening, my apprentice?"
Sean thought for a couple seconds.
"The reddening stage is the rooster raised on the alchemist's own blood. The blood flowing in a wizard's veins—that's the final step of the contract."
"I'm proud of you."
====
The contract was sealed. Professor Terra didn't miss a beat.
"Alchemists are wise. Equivalent exchange is our creed. You've received a legacy—now you show the future you represent. Just… show it.
"All right, the symposium's starting, my apprentice."
Another Apparition later, they were back where they began.
Professor Terra crouched, plucked the Magical Creature Party Pack from Sean's hands, and stood tall with a triumphant grin.
"Let's show those old fogeys a new era's here."
Then—pop—she vanished.
The deep, dark stone walls suddenly blazed with light. Sean realized they were inside some massive castle.
This was the banquet hall.
Most of the wizards were already here, grouped loosely by country.
The British crowd wore plain, old-fashioned robes and pointed hats—think Dumbledore's flashy purple or McGonagall's sharp green.
Up north, the Nordic wizards rocked thick fur cloaks against the cold. Tall, fair-haired, built like Vikings.
The Wagadou folks from Africa went bright and bold—light, colorful robes decked with feathers and bone jewelry.
Then there were the silk-robed elders and middle-aged powerhouses, hands clasped behind their backs, radiating quiet dignity.
Sean clocked the VIP table: seven big shots, including Dumbledore, Master Meller, and Professor Terra.
As soon as Terra stepped up, the whole group vanished from the head table.
House-elves zipped around with trays. A huge banquet table had risen in the center, loaded with food from everywhere—including actual Chinese dishes.
Sean's eyes lit up.
Sadly, the feast didn't last long. Dumbledore glided down toward the massive mirror at the front.
Every wizard was back in their seat, eyes locked on the glass as Albus Dumbledore's image reappeared.
"Youngsters—and our teenage alchemists—the symposium begins."
He finished with a wink straight at Sean.
The crowd clapped—polite, refined, very wizardly.
"After a short review, the International Alchemical Conference Joint Committee has evaluated the creations of our young geniuses—"
Sean suddenly put it together: those VIPs must've been judging their work while he was gone.
He thought of the cookie series Terra had swiped.
"Let's congratulate—our first honoree."
Like it was guided by magic, the biggest mirror filled with a pair of calm, emotionless green eyes.
"Recognized by the International Alchemical Conference Joint Committee as the most gifted alchemist in six centuries, the youngest member ever admitted to the Committee, recipient of the Udala International Alchemical Conference Pioneer Gold Award—
"From Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—Mr. Sean Green!"