Chapter 35: Professor Murray and Alchemy
Alchemy is closely tied to Ancient Runes, which is an extremely challenging subject. Unlike most subjects at wizarding schools, which emphasize practical learning (aside from History of Magic), Ancient Runes requires extensive memorization.
The characters, glyphs, phonetics, and meanings of Ancient Runes are vastly different from modern languages. To grasp the basics of the subject, there's no alternative to rote memorization.
Many students who elect to take Ancient Runes continue struggling with it through graduation, and very few manage to memorize everything.
Fortunately, Ravenclaw students are rarely weak in memory. While Wade wasn't quite at Hermione's level, he had undergone specific memory-enhancement training, allowing him to memorize at nearly the same speed as her.
In just three months of practicing magic, through sheer memorization power and a passion for magical alchemy, Wade had committed several books to memory.
He reinforced this by writing out the runes repeatedly, ensuring he wouldn't make mistakes in this area anymore.
After a moment of silence, Professor Murray began quizzing Wade on the contents of those books. Then he pulled out parchment and a quill and asked Wade to write down random Ancient Rune symbols and phrases.
Over an hour later, Professor Murray had to admit that the student in front of him, still just a child in his eyes, wasn't lying. Wade had indeed mastered everything he claimed.
Alchemy is one of the most difficult subjects at Hogwarts, and Professor Murray's standards are incredibly high. Each year, fewer than ten students qualify to take his alchemy course, and they are always among the top in their year.
But Professor Murray was confident that even the best of his current seventh-year students would make one or two mistakes when faced with the questions he had just posed to Wade.
Alchemy demands both genius-level creativity and imagination, as well as an attitude that is more meticulous and precise than a clock's gears. These two qualities rarely coexist in a single person.
Moreover, the student before him was still just a… a…
Suddenly, Professor Murray realized that he knew almost nothing about this student.
"What year are you in, child?" the elderly professor asked kindly.
"First year, sir," Wade replied.
Professor Murray fell silent again. "If I recall correctly—Ancient Runes is a third-year elective, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir," Wade answered, doing his best to remain composed and not act like a peacock showing off its feathers.
Professor Murray didn't pay much attention to whether the student in front of him was trying to appear mature. He simply began to reflect on his own abilities at age eleven… and his level when he first encountered alchemy at sixteen…
And the skills of some of the greatest wizards he knew of—like Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Voldemort—and what they had been capable of in their first year…
As Professor Murray continued his thoughts, the way he looked at Wade gradually shifted, as if he had stumbled upon an undiscovered treasure. His smile grew even more gentle, and he softly asked, "What's your name? Which house are you in?"
"Wade Grey, Ravenclaw," Wade replied and tilted his head slightly. He had already sensed the professor's change in attitude.
Professor Murray repeated his earlier question, but now with a newfound seriousness, "You really like alchemy, don't you, Wade?"
"Yes, Professor," Wade responded as usual. "It's an extraordinary field, one with the power to change the world. I might spend my whole life studying it."
"And as a wizard, what's your view on Muggle technological inventions?" Professor Murray asked.
This question seemed simple enough. The items around the office already hinted at the kind of answer the professor wanted. But this time, Wade hesitated.
He thought carefully for a while before answering:
"Muggle technology is advancing rapidly. Their production tools are constantly evolving, and their methods of communication and information sharing are becoming more efficient, resulting in increasingly significant changes to the world.
Wizards need to actively learn, absorb, and integrate with this, or one day, we'll be left behind by the times."
This was his heartfelt belief.
Although Wade was fascinated by the wonders of magic, a comparison between the two worlds made the gap clear:
- Wizard communication—via owls. Muggle communication—instantaneous via mobile phones and the internet.
- Wizard population—roughly 3,000 in Britain, with only hundreds of thousands to a million worldwide. Muggle population—over 57 million in Britain alone, and 5.4 billion globally, with that number expected to rise to 7 billion in 20 years and 8 billion in 30 years.
- Wizard means of killing—Avada Kedavra, used only by a few dark wizards. Muggle means of killing—Maxim machine guns, incendiary bombs, nuclear weapons, self-propelled artillery, grenades, intercontinental missiles. Even a two-year-old child can pull a trigger and kill.
The disparity was enormous.
In the past, when Muggles were ignorant and unaware, wizards had to do their utmost to remain hidden to survive.
As Muggle technology grows stronger in the future, wizards must learn from, adapt to, and integrate with the Muggle world, or they risk being swallowed by the tides of change.
Wade had even more dangerous thoughts, but he knew better than to voice them. He feared that if he spoke too freely, the good impression Professor Murray now had of him would vanish, and he'd be labeled something like "The Third Dark Lord"—which would be terribly unjust.
Even with Wade's cautious response, Professor Murray was already quite satisfied. He smiled and said:
"I teach the sixth- and seventh-year students every Monday and Thursday. If you have any questions, feel free to come to my office during those times.
As long as you maintain your passion for alchemy, I'll be happy to set aside two hours each week to guide your studies."
Professor Murray spoke modestly, and the next moment, he retrieved a book from his collection titled Learning Magical Artifacts Creation from Scratch and lent it to Wade. He also scheduled a tutoring session for Thursday before finally allowing Wade to leave.
As Wade walked out holding the book, he glanced out the window and saw the Black Lake near the Forbidden Forest. He suddenly remembered the figure he had seen earlier.
Was that person Professor Murray? The silver hair match...
Suddenly, Wade stopped in his tracks and a chilling sensation creeped over him, raising goosebumps all over.
When exactly did I see that person? And how long had it been between then and when I met Professor Murray... Was it even ten minutes? Damn! My fever was so bad, I can't remember the timing clearly.
Regardless, it couldn't have been that long.
If that person was indeed Professor Murray, how did arrive at my location in such a short time?
Apparition is banned in Hogwarts, and with his old age, Professor Murray won't be able to climb stairs quickly, nor do he seem like the type to rush around on a broomstick like a young student.
If it wasn't Professor Murray... and it wasn't Dumbledore... then who was it? Another professor I haven't met yet, or... someone else?
He thought maybe he was overthinking things. After all, Harry Potter's first year at school was supposed to be peaceful... at least for regular students. But the chill continued to creep up his spine.
"What's the matter, Wade?" Professor Murray asked from behind him.
The once kind and gentle voice now sounded strange, unsettling to him.
"Nothing," Wade was surprised at how calm his voice sounded, with even a hint of gratitude. "I was just thinking how fortunate it was that you found me this morning, Professor... Were you just returning from outside at that time?"
"Of course not," Professor Murray answered casually, not seeming suspicious. He smiled and explained:
"I don't live at the school. I only come through the Floo Network when I have classes to teach—oh, my office's fireplace can temporarily connect to the network, with special permission from the Ministry of Magic.
This morning, I had just arrived at my office when I heard Griffiths shouting in the hallway. I went out and found you then."
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