Chapter 269: Introduction to Alchemy (Part 1)
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By the time Transfiguration class ended, it was already noon.
"George, want to go to the Great Hall for lunch together?"
A young Slytherin witch from his year invited him to join her for a meal. However, George simply smiled and declined, saying, "No thanks, I need to see Professor Snape about some magical inquiries."
With his rising popularity, George frequently received invitations from various witches at school.
It was only natural—at this age, young hearts were beginning to explore the world of romance. He remembered that in his past life, he too had experienced secret crushes at this age, though he had never been as bold as these young witches.
To avoid misleading anyone or encouraging unrealistic expectations, George made sure to firmly reject every invitation.
If someone harbored feelings for him while he had no interest in return, the best course of action wasn't to delay out of concern for their feelings but to clearly and decisively turn them down.
At this stage in life, it was unrealistic to expect unwavering devotion. Give it some time, and they would naturally fall for someone else.
Of course, some witches were more persistent.
There were times when rejecting an invitation wasn't enough. If he claimed to be busy, they would insist on knowing what he was doing and try to follow him, sticking to him like glue.
That's when Professor Snape became his best excuse.
As long as he said he was going to consult Snape, no witch dared follow him.
It wasn't just students from other houses—even Slytherins feared their own Head of House.
"Ah… well, never mind then," the young witch stammered.
As expected, the moment she heard Snape's name, her enthusiasm vanished.
Just yesterday, she had been scolded mercilessly by Snape during Potions class for using the wrong ingredients. The thought of facing him again made her shudder.
George's voice had been loud enough that other witches planning to approach him overheard as well. They immediately halted in their tracks.
With that, George closed his spellbook, turned, and left the classroom.
---
After finding a secluded spot where no one was around, he took out his Time-Turner and twisted it five times, rewinding time by five hours.
Using the Time-Turner required caution.
He always made sure to find a quiet location where he hadn't been five hours earlier.
If he suddenly appeared in a place where others could see him, it might startle someone.
And if his past self ever saw his future self, it could cause a severe time paradox, potentially harming him and endangering others.
As he turned the device, the world around him blurred like a fast-rewinding film, flashing past in a dizzying sequence.
In the blink of an eye, he was five hours in the past.
---
"Time Magic is truly amazing!"
Even after using it so many times, George couldn't help but marvel at its power.
Unfortunately, true time magic was incredibly difficult to master.
Even after seeking guidance from Dumbledore, he still found it challenging to grasp.
The biggest problem was the lack of reference materials.
The study of time magic was so rare and fragmented that even Dumbledore himself wasn't particularly skilled in it. Many of his insights had come from personal experimentation rather than formal teachings.
George had considered exploring other worlds to find knowledge on time magic. By comparing different magical systems, he might be able to reduce the learning curve.
However, that was easier said than done.
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- Marvel Universe: The Time Stone existed, and the Ancient One was a master of time magic. However, George had no intention of contacting her yet.
He had too many secrets, and until he could match her power, he preferred to stay off her radar.
After all, the Ancient One was connected to Vishanti and Eternity, entities far beyond his current capabilities.
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice Universe: Neither The Book of Merlin nor Morgana's Grimoire contained any records of time magic. It seemed that this world had never developed time-based spells.
- Fairy Tail Universe: He had found traces of time magic, but it had already been classified as Lost Magic—the Arc of Time.
And what was Lost Magic?
Magic that had completely vanished. In other words, it no longer existed.
- A Certain Magical Index Universe: He had only recently begun studying magic in this world. However, after searching through Shirley's memories, he had yet to find any references to time magic.
---
It was frustrating, but George wouldn't give up.
If this world couldn't provide what he needed, he would find another world that could.
George wasn't sure if any of the 103,000 grimoires stored in Index's mind contained knowledge of time magic.
As for Middle-earth, he had never heard Finrod mention anything about Elves using time-related spells.
For now, he had no choice but to set aside his pursuit of time magic. His current focus was on alchemy, and he had only just begun learning its fundamentals.
---
Hogwarts did not offer a dedicated alchemy course.
But that wasn't an issue.
After all, Hogwarts housed one of the greatest alchemists, second only to Nicolas Flamel—none other than Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore wasn't just a master of Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts—his expertise spanned many fields, including alchemy.
Most known forms of alchemy in the wizarding world were within his grasp.
One of his creations, the Put-Outer (Deluminator), was a testament to his skill.
---
At first glance, the Put-Outer seemed like a simple tool—capable of extinguishing Muggle streetlights.
But in reality, its enchantment was far more complex.
Muggle electric lamps weren't candles or oil lanterns; they relied on electricity.
Yet, the Put-Outer didn't damage the lights. Instead, it stole their illumination. No matter how much power flowed through them, the bulbs remained dark—until the stolen light was returned.
Upon deeper thought, this was more than just magic.
It was an expression of a fundamental rule—control over light itself.
If the Put-Outer's effects were magnified, it could suppress all light, stealing illumination from everything—even the sun.
With such a tool, the entire world could be plunged into darkness.
It was a prime example of why Dumbledore's alchemical mastery was considered one of the greatest in the wizarding world.
---
Today, George planned to approach Dumbledore to learn the art of crafting Portkeys.
Among all magical tools, he believed Portkeys were the most practical across every world he traveled.
His current Apparition abilities had limitations:
1. He could only teleport to places he had previously visited.
2. There was a range limit.
3. Bringing others along wasn't always convenient.
Although he could store people inside his spatial storage box, there were situations where he didn't want to reveal that he possessed such an artifact.
Portkeys, on the other hand, were different.
- They functioned like spatial teleporters.
- Once a destination was set, they enabled long-distance travel.
- They could transport multiple people at once.
- He didn't even need to be present—others could use them freely.
Two individuals with linked Portkeys could reunite instantly, no matter how far apart they were.
---
- Marvel Universe:
He could scatter Portkeys across every major city on Earth, allowing him to instantly travel anywhere.
- Middle-earth:
He could mass teleport battalions of Elven warriors, reinforcing battles across different regions.
Portkeys could also be used for ambushes and stealth tactics—turning the tide of war.
With such a versatile tool, mastering Portkey creation was a priority.
(End of Chapter)