NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: Seeking Advice
The young lions and snakes kept waving their wands and chanting incantations, trying to petrify the Acromantula in front of them.
However, most of these young wizards were being exposed to this kind of magic for the first time, and very few could successfully cast a spell. Moreover, the Acromantula had some degree of magical resistance and was too powerful for a weak Full Body-Bind Curse to immobilize it.
The sound of incantations echoed throughout the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, but only a handful of grayish-white flashes—signifying attempts at petrification—could be seen. These flashes dissipated without effect when they struck the Acromantula.
Lynn, too, was trying to cast the spell. Having practiced the Full Body-Bind Curse during his time at Castle Rohr, he was somewhat familiar with it. Though his skills had grown rusty over the past two months, a few more attempts helped him recapture the feel of spellcasting.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Lynn waved his wand once more, and this time, a thicker beam of grayish-white light erupted, freezing the Acromantula in place.
Though Lynn wasn't much better than his peers in casting other spells—except for the Fire Curse—his long-term practice of that curse had made his magic more dynamic. This had caused his magical growth rate to outpace his classmates', and the Full Body-Bind Curse he cast, powered by stronger magic, naturally produced better results.
"Well done, a perfect Full Body-Bind Curse! Mr. Rohr, since you were the first to cast the spell successfully, Slytherin earns 10 points!"
Professor Green observed the immobilized Acromantula larva in front of Lynn and nodded in satisfaction.
In his estimation, it would have been an achievement if the young wizards could cast a Full Body-Bind Curse within three lessons. Lynn's success before even halfway through the first class exceeded his expectations.
As the Defense Against the Dark Arts class neared its end, Irwin Foley also managed to cast the Full Body-Bind Curse successfully. While not as powerful as Lynn's, it was enough to control the Acromantula larva.
This earned Slytherin an additional two points.
---
After class, Lynn stayed behind.
"Mr. Rohr, do you have more questions?"
Professor Green noticed Lynn still seated and inquired.
Lynn hesitated briefly before making a request: "Professor, I saw your Chocolate Frog card and know you're an alchemist. Though this might be presumptuous... would it be possible for me to study alchemy with you?"
Professor Green's achievements in alchemy were undeniable. If Lynn wanted to learn the subject, he couldn't have asked for a better mentor.
Hearing this, Professor Green was momentarily stunned before replying, "You want to learn alchemy? But doesn't Hogwarts offer an alchemy course?"
Being French, Professor Green had only recently joined Hogwarts at Dumbledore's invitation and wasn't familiar with the school's curriculum.
Lynn explained, "Professor, alchemy at Hogwarts is an elective course only available in the sixth year. Even Ancient Runes is an elective that starts in the third year. Unlike Beauxbatons or Durmstrang, Hogwarts doesn't prioritize alchemy."
"Ah, I see," Professor Green said, nodding in understanding. "Have you studied alchemy or Ancient Runes before?"
Lynn replied, "To be honest, I only encountered Ancient Runes yesterday. I spent some time self-studying on the Hogwarts Express and managed to memorize about a dozen simple rune words so far."
Professor Green's eyes lit up with surprise. Learning runes was no small feat, and memorizing a dozen words in under a day was impressive.
After a moment of contemplation, Professor Green said, "If you're interested, come to my office at noon on Saturday. I'll provide a list of books that will be useful for learning alchemy and offer you some guidance."
Lynn's face lit up, and he quickly expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Professor Green!"
Waving a hand dismissively, Professor Green added, "By the way, if you want to pursue advanced alchemy in the future, I recommend you focus more on fire-control spells, like flame-based incantations. Some alchemical processes require precise control over temperature."
Hearing this, Lynn's expression shifted slightly.
With a slight wave of his wand, Lynn cast a silent spell. A ball of fire appeared out of thin air, bouncing happily in the air and morphing into various shapes under his control.
Even Professor Green, seasoned as he was, couldn't hide his astonishment at the sight.
"Silent casting?! Are you sure you're only a first-year student?!"
Professor Green's voice was filled with disbelief.
It was worth noting that even he had only mastered silent casting in his thirties. Yet Lynn's control over flames was so advanced it rivaled his own when he had invented the Forbidden Demonstone!
Lynn smiled and said, "Professor, fire control is a special talent of mine. If this ability can help me learn alchemy, that would be fantastic!"
Professor Green nodded slowly, his gaze intense as he looked at Lynn. "By the time you meet me on Saturday, can you have memorized all the runes in A Simple Introduction to Ancient Magical Texts?"
Lynn considered this for a moment before agreeing.
Though the book was comprehensive, containing around a hundred rune words, Lynn believed he could manage it with enough effort in the coming days.
"Very well, that will be all for now. Off you go!"
Professor Green waved him away.
Lynn thanked him again and left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
---
After Lynn left, Professor Green stood motionless, his expression dark and contemplative.
Staring at the door, he muttered under his breath, "A student this talented... perhaps fate has sent him as compensation. If he grows to his full potential, maybe he can complete what I could not..."
---
Meanwhile, Lynn returned to his dormitory. Having the room to himself allowed him to focus without distraction. He retrieved A Simple Introduction to Ancient Runes, borrowed from the Weasley twins, and quickly immersed himself in study.
Lynn's interest in alchemy wasn't just a passing fancy. As a long-term investment, alchemy promised high rewards. Even if he didn't pursue it as a career, mastering alchemy as a skill was more than enough motivation for him to commit to learning it.