Chapter 202: New Magical Creature Title
[You have gained the affection of the Magical Beast Thestral (Wuwu) to the Novice standard. Proficiency +3]
...
[A new Magical Creature domain title has been unlocked. Please check.]
It was late afternoon, and the sun was setting when Sean finally unlocked a new title.
[Title: Intermediate Magical Beast Affinity]
[Slightly increases affinity with Magical Beasts. Significantly increases understanding of Magical Beasts.]
Increased understanding? That sounded excellent.
Sean thought of a Hufflepuff senior who possessed extraordinary understanding of magical creatures, almost to the point of being able to communicate with his Bowtruckle in English.
Outside the Hut.
As Tila hung from his wrist, Sean no longer needed to rely on Hagrid's verbal tips to interpret its behaviour. He focused on Tila and subtly perceived that it seemed to be... a little cold?
No!
Sean quickly placed it inside his pocket and lined the pocket with thick padding.
So Tila didn't like his pocket, but was simply cold? No wonder it climbed onto his arm the moment they reached the warm Hagrid's hut.
[You have gained the affection of the Magical Beast Bowtruckle (Tila) to the Adept standard. Proficiency +10]
Sean: "..."
My apologies.
Walking on the unmelted snow, Sean passed the Quidditch training pitch. He had an Alchemy lesson in the afternoon and a Potions brewing session in the evening.
He wondered if Professor McGonagall would permit him to continue his Alchemy research...
Compared to Transfiguration, which was a prerequisite for elective courses like Alchemy, Transfiguration was truly a foundational subject. The difference between the two fields was that one recognized magic, and the other modified magic.
So the Professor's concerns were not entirely unfounded; for a first-year student, building a strong foundation was the priority.
Quidditch Pitch.
As the Ravenclaw Quidditch match approached, the weather worsened. The hopeful Ravenclaw team, driven by Roger's remedial efforts, trained even harder.
"Beat Hufflepuff, then beat Gryffindor. Merlin—maybe we actually have a chance at the House Cup!" Michael, a spectator, excitedly shook Terry.
"S-stop—shaking—" Terry was also excited, but Michael had shaken the enthusiasm right out of him.
"To be precise, we still need to earn enough house points," Anthony stated calmly.
"T-to—be—p-precise—" Michael mimicked Anthony's voice oddly, then got hit on the head by a book controlled by Anthony's Levitation Charm.
"Ouch—!" He grabbed his head and lunged at Anthony.
Just beneath the stands, on the edge of the Quidditch pitch, Minerva McGonagall stood calmly in the snow.
She realized she had been overly concerned, forgetting that every student had their own trajectory. In her worry for his future, had she bothered to ask the child's wishes?
"Mr. Green, over here." She called softly.
"Professor McGonagall." Sean's figure rapidly approached through the blur of wind and snow, his young face soon visible.
"You like Alchemy very much, and you are very good at it, aren't you, Mr. Green?" Professor McGonagall asked, softening her voice.
"Yes, Professor." Sean answered honestly, sensing her intentions.
"Then go ahead and pursue it. If you have any questions about Transfiguration, ask me."
Professor McGonagall seemed satisfied with the answer. She patted Sean's head and left the Quidditch pitch. Before leaving, she glanced back instinctively because of the shouting inside.
Sean was left standing in the snow, slightly bewildered.
Afternoon Alchemy Class.
Sean attended Alchemy with the senior students.
Although Sean was progressing rapidly in Alchemy, he hadn't fully grasped some fundamental concepts. Alchemy was an immense field, far beyond the imagination of an ordinary wizard. Therefore, Professor Terra advised him to audit the lessons whenever he had time.
When the Professor saw him enter the classroom, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes, but she simply seated him at the nearest desk. Next to him was Pamela Payton, the best Alchemy student in Ravenclaw.
The desks, designed for older students, were high. Sean waved his wand to heighten his chair, allowing his head to appear above the surface.
A rare smile touched Professor Terra's face, followed by a lesson that contained three times the usual amount of knowledge:
"Roman wizards secretly worshipped the god Mithras in the Zoroastrian religion, and the Mithraic Mysteries spread widely across the Roman Empire, viewing the aforementioned Greek 'Black Magic Papyri' as blessings from Mithras. Some wizards believe that the cultural exchange between Germanic and Roman wizards facilitated the birth of the Runes. The Mithraic rituals in the Roman and Persian magical communities directly gave rise to the initial forms of many alchemical rituals..."
The sheer volume of magical ritual knowledge caused the senior students' quills to almost smoke.
So, when Professor Terra received a paper airplane and hastily left the classroom, the peering senior students quickly abandoned Alchemy and burst into loud chatter.
"Have you been to the new joke shop in Diagon Alley?" A Gryffindor student asked, taking a Transfiguration Biscuit from his bag.
"Of course! The Animal Party Series! My father said the shop's name spread across Britain before it even officially opened. Merlin—you actually managed to get one!" his fellow Gryffindor exclaimed.
"I'd bet the alchemist behind this is a master who's studied for years. Combining animal transfiguration with Alchemy and Food Magic—what a brilliant idea!" the blond wizard continued.
Actually, no. Sean thought silently.
Professor Terra returned quickly, throwing the noisy Gryffindor student out of the classroom. The remaining students, having no time to mourn, plunged into a new round of magical studies.
Leaving the office, Sean had gained more knowledge about ritual magic, giving him greater confidence in the upcoming new ritual.
However, Professor Snape had been acting strangely lately, making him hard to read.
Exiting the Alchemy classroom, Sean walked into the spacious, echoing Entrance Hall lit by torches. The scent of food drifted from the Great Hall; Sean could practically walk there with his eyes closed.
Sean often sat at the far end of the table, where the students from the Room of Hope gathered. Even Harry and Ron had moved there. Everyone now acted as a unified group, perhaps due to the shared secret or the potential crisis. They unanimously agreed that they should operate collectively.
Meanwhile, at a livelier spot on the Ravenclaw table, the recently returned Quidditch team members were assembled. Roger and Prefect Penelope's gazes were focused in the same direction.
(End of Chapter)
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Inkshaper
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you.