Chapter 291: Wizengamot Administration
After Friday afternoon's Potions class ended, Sean had a simple dinner with Blaise and the others, then took his books to the third-floor classroom. Nicolas Flamel was already waiting there, just like last semester.
"Sean, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Nicolas."
Nicolas looked at Sean and smiled, gesturing for him to sit down.
Sean then took out the alchemical puppet dog he had obtained from Castelobruxo from his Undetectable Extension Bag.
"Nicolas, this is an alchemical puppet I got from Castelobruxo during the holidays. I wonder if you're interested in Brazilian alchemy."
Hearing Sean's words, Nicolas immediately waved his hand dismissively. The alchemical puppet Lisa behind him stepped forward and, to Sean's surprise, quite skilfully and violently dismantled the puppet dog, turning it into numerous components spread across the table.
Nicolas picked up a component that Sean couldn't identify, examined it, and nodded slightly: "Good craftsmanship, but still somewhat crude. Brazilian alchemy focuses on practicality, so their alchemical puppet manufacturing techniques are quite good. This puppet's quality is decent. Barely considered high-grade."
Back at Castelobruxo, to compensate Sean, what they had offered was genuinely valuable.
This alchemical puppet dog was already the highest achievement of Castelobruxo's alchemical technology. In the Brazilian magical world, this thing could immediately fetch a high price.
You had to know that Brazil's magical world was full of jungles with an enormous number of magical creatures, as evidenced by those that had come to compete for the item in the Mayan pyramid. Such an alchemical puppet dog could even face XXXX-rated magical creatures without falling behind, and combined with its master's magic, it could even fight XXXXX-rated magical creatures alone. Its precious nature was evident.
But even such an alchemical puppet, in Nicolas's eyes, was merely "decent quality, barely high-grade." Thinking of this, Sean glanced at Lisa. If the puppet dog was only "decent", then what would Lisa, one of Nicolas's highest achievements, be like?
Nicolas saw Sean's gaze and chuckled softly without saying more. Instead, he had Sean sit down and began today's lesson.
To make the most of the brief time when Antonius was awake for communication, Nicolas spared no effort in teaching Sean alchemy. Of course, Sean's talent in this area was indeed good, making Nicolas's teaching quite comfortable. He didn't find it tedious but rather interesting.
Training a young wizard to become an alchemy master was a game Nicolas never tired of playing.
Moreover, Sean was currently the only person who could inherit Antonius's legacy. Life Alchemy could only be recreated through Sean's hands. If he wanted Lisa to become a true living being, Sean was Nicolas's only hope.
Sean's alchemy could now be considered properly introductory level.
Of course, in others' eyes, Sean's level might already be quite good, but in the view of these two super alchemy masters, Nicolas and Antonius, he was barely at entry level with a long road still ahead.
The intensive study schedule made time increasingly insufficient.
When Sean came to his senses, it was already the end of September.
On Saturday, Sean got up early and cleaned himself up thoroughly.
Glancing at Kulkan, who had been sleeping in her nest since returning from Brazil, Sean reached out to stroke her head, then changed into the formal robes that Aldrich had delivered to Hogsmeade last week. He left the Slytherin common room and walked quickly toward Snape, who was already waiting in the common room hall.
"Professor, how do we get to the Ministry?"
"To my office. The fireplace there has been temporarily connected to the Floo Network. We can go directly to the Ministry through the Floo Network and return after this awards ceremony ends."
Speaking of travel, Sean had never actually used the Floo Network.
Since Sean mainly stayed at Hogwarts, and Hogwarts fireplaces were rarely connected to the Floo Network, he had basically never used this mode of transportation.
Four years in the magical world, and today was actually his first time using the Floo Network.
Following Snape to his office.
Snape moved aside the chair in front of the long-extinguished fireplace, waved his wand, used a Fire Curse to light the fireplace, then grabbed a newly opened package of Floo powder from nearby and sprinkled it into the fireplace, immediately turning the flames emerald green.
"Sean, sprinkle Floo powder, then say the name of where you want to go."
As soon as he finished speaking, Snape walked directly into the emerald green flames.
"Ministry of Magic!"
With the destination spoken, Snape's body quickly disappeared in the rising emerald flames.
After Snape completely disappeared, the flames returned to their normal colour.
Sean mimicked him and grabbed a handful of Floo powder.
This stuff was a monopoly industry. The family that possessed its formula was an old, established family in British magical society, with ancient history predating any of the current Sacred Twenty-Eight families. It was said this old family was surnamed Whitesmith, but few in the magical world knew more about them.
He sprinkled the Floo powder into the fireplace.
Looking at the emerald flames, Sean stepped into them.
"Ministry of Magic!"
He felt flames rising but without any burning sensation whatsoever.
When the emerald flames before him disappeared, Sean saw Snape standing outside the fireplace.
"Alright, follow me."
Sean followed Snape directly to the Wizengamot Administration on the second underground level.
This was where the triennial Golden Cauldron Awards ceremony for the Potions journal The Golden Cauldron, under its jurisdiction, was held.
The entrance to the Wizengamot Administration was located at the innermost part of the Ministry's second underground level.
It was a very heavy and magnificent door, entirely made of gold with gems and other metals perfectly inlaid upon it. When Snape and Sean stood before the door, it immediately opened by itself, revealing a vast space inside completely different from the outside.
Obviously, this place had been enhanced with quite sophisticated Undetectable Extension Charms, completely expanding the originally ordinary space.
Entering through the door, Sean saw many people wearing purple-red robes with exquisite silver W badges on their chests. These were clearly Wizengamot members. Besides the Wizengamot members, there were many other wizards mingling here, standing in groups and conversing.