HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 454

Chapter 454: February

At the centre of the newly drawn life‑alchemy array sat a pot containing a completely withered plant. All around it, faint green flames rose continually from the runes, licking at the materials set within the circle. The fire burned them down and drew out their essences, which, under the effect of Life Alchemy, fused together and condensed into drops of pale green life essence tinged with a thread of gold. Each drop fell onto the dead plant at the heart of the circle.

Antonis and Nico watched the light‑green liquid with its faint golden sheen, both of them unable to hide the anticipation in their eyes. Time had turned to February, and Sean had finally made a new breakthrough in Life Alchemy.

The last drop of essence sank into the shrivelled plant. As the life‑alchemy array faded away, the once‑dead thing suddenly stirred with a breath of life. Tender buds began to push out from the withered stems. Roots and stalks thickened with fresh vitality and continued to grow. The buds opened into branches, the branches into leaves and flowers.

This was the most critical moment.

Sean, Antonis and Nico watched the pot with utmost seriousness, waiting until the plant had stabilised completely and showed not the slightest flaw. Only then did they all let out a long breath. On the faces of the two men—and the one alchemical ghost—appeared matching expressions of elation.

It had worked.

“Finally, a new breakthrough,” Sean said softly. “Life Alchemy really has entered a new stage.”

Antonis nodded with a smile. “That is right. Once you conquer the last two remaining problems, you will have truly mastered Life Alchemy. When that happens, I will have no regrets left.”

At those words, something complicated flickered in Sean’s eyes, but he did not let Antonis see it. Instead, he smiled at his teacher.

“All that is left is to write up the paper,” he said. “The editorial office of The Philosopher’s Stone is in France, backed by the French Alchemical Association. I will not have to worry about the paper being blocked for some ridiculous political reason. Once it is done, I will submit it to them.”

“Good,” Antonis said. “Remember to bring me a copy when it is finished.”

“Of course, Teacher.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Antonis suddenly rose, walked out of the classroom and vanished from Sean and Nico’s sight.

Sean took out his pure‑white pocket watch and checked the time. It was still three minutes to nine. The time Antonis could linger at Hogwarts—or rather, in the living world—was shrinking.

“You noticed?” Nico asked.

Sean looked over and nodded. “Teacher Nico… Teacher Antonis…”

“As his attachments are gradually satisfied, the time Antonis can remain in the mortal world will grow shorter,” Nico explained. “You can rest easy, though. The change is still very slight, the time lost very small. Until you truly complete Life Alchemy, the hours he can stay will not be reduced by much.”

Sean drew in a deep breath, nodded once more, and said nothing.

Nico, on the other hand, smiled with faint relief.

“I thought,” he said, “that you might say you would slow your work on Life Alchemy, just to keep Antonis here a little longer.”

Sean shook his head.

“I know very well that remaining in the living world is a torment for Teacher Antonis,” he said. “I will not deliberately accelerate my research, but I will not hold it back on purpose either.”

“Reason is a wizard’s greatest wealth,” Nico said. “You clearly possess it.”

“But being too rational is not always a good thing for a person,” Sean replied quietly.

“So long as you walk the right path, and do the right things,” Nico said, “that is enough.”

The old man and the young, together with the alchemical construct that currently represented the pinnacle of their craft, left the classroom side by side.

Dumbledore might have left Hogwarts, but before he did, he had granted Nico enough authority to move freely through the castle.

For the greatest living alchemist in the world, slipping through Hogwarts unnoticed was trivially easy. All the more so given that Borel and his ilk did not even have the authority to enter the Headmaster’s office yet. If they wanted to make a move against Nico, they would first have to manage the minor feat of locating him.

Lisa pushed Nico’s wheelchair back to his quarters. Sean, however, did not return to the Slytherin common room. Instead, he headed straight for the fourth‑floor bathroom.

A brief search was enough. Just as he had expected, he found the Vanishing Cabinet stored there.

Standing before it, Sean flicked his wand to seal off the abandoned bathroom. Then he took out a selection of tools and materials and began inscribing alchemical arrays on the surface of the cabinet, arrays designed to monitor anyone who approached it.

Once he was satisfied with his work, he slipped silently out of the ruined bathroom. With the help of his level‑5, max‑rank Disillusionment Charm, no one in Hogwarts had any chance of finding him.

As he passed a staircase, Sean suddenly felt someone under a Disillusionment Charm brush by him.

With his mastery at level five, Sean’s sensitivity to that spell was extraordinary. The instant he felt its presence, he thought for a heartbeat, then followed. The trail led him straight to the Room of Requirement.

He stopped there and waited quietly.

It was not long before Hermione and Neville appeared outside the Room of Requirement. Moments later, more people came hurrying down the corridor: some Gryffindors, some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, even Luna, and—

Blaise and Jensen?

What in Merlin’s name?

Since when were those two running around with Hermione’s lot?

Those idiots…

Sean was surprised to see Blaise and Jensen mixed in with them, but he felt no particular concern. In fact, he thought it might be a good thing.

After the training he had put them through over the holidays, it was only natural for Blaise and Jensen to fall in with Hermione and the others.

He did not reveal himself or go over to say hello. Instead, he turned and left.

The next morning, when he saw Blaise and Jensen sitting at breakfast as if nothing had happened, Sean could not be bothered to call them out.

Just then, Filch limped into the entrance hall, dragging his little bucket and a fresh notice. He pinned it up, another new rule from the Ministry—or rather, from Umbridge.

In brief, it informed the students of Hogwarts that if they knew of anyone breaking school rules by organising or joining certain illegal groups in private, they could report directly to Borel Bulstrode, Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, or to any member of the Slytherin Brotherhood’s reserve organisation. If the report proved to be accurate, the informant would receive an appropriate reward.

As for who this notice was aimed at, that needed no explanation at all.