Hogwarts: Bourne Returns from Warhammer

Chapter 95 Nico Flamel’s Apprentice

"Many old friends will come," Mrs. Perenal said in a calm tone. "We must not neglect these guests."

Horace nodded thoughtfully.

Combined with some recent rumors, and the fact that they were two Frenchmen who were going to live in seclusion in Devonshire, Britain, he had vaguely guessed the purpose of the Flamel couple's purpose of hosting this party.

As the sun sets, a clock stands in the foyer of Lemay's country house. With the pendulum swinging, the hour hand gradually points to 17 o'clock.

When the hands pointed accurately at 17 o'clock, the dial of the clock suddenly changed into another appearance: a turntable with many photos printed on it appeared in the center of the dial and began to rotate continuously.

From time to time, it would suddenly stop, a photo with a person's name would appear on the dial, and the door of the big house would unlock the double blockade of the alchemical machine with a "click".

Eulalie Hicks - Professor of Charms at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Head of the Horned Water Snake School since 1920.

Bathilda Bagshot - the author of "A History of Magic", this witch is over 160 years old. She was a neighbor and friend of the Dumbledore family, and was also Grindelwald's great-aunt.

Gsilda Marchbain - The British Ministry of Magic is a lifelong consultant to the Wizarding Examination Authority. This serious old witch was once the examiner of the NEWTs exam when Principal Dumbledore was in school.

……

One after another, real old wizards (witches) walked into the country house of the Flamel couple. Against their background, even Bourne's grandfather Horace can only be regarded as a "young man".

Especially, when an old wizard wearing a red velvet cloak walked into the door, Horace stood up from his seat and walked to the door to greet the old man who looked somewhat similar to Dumbledore.

"Principal Dippet, long time no see." Horace first shook the old man's hand cordially, and then helped him hang his cloak on the hanger in the hall.

This old man's name is Armando Dippet.

Not only does he look somewhat similar to Dumbledore, he also has the exact same identity as the latter. He is also the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Moreover, Armando Dippet was not only Horace Slughorn's old leader, but also his teacher when he was in school.

He is over 390 years old this year. When he took office as the principal of Hogwarts, he was already over 300 years old, and his qualifications were so senior that no one could comment on him.

Principal Dippet was obviously very happy to see Horace, a familiar junior, and he also showed enough kindness to Bourne, the grandson of an old acquaintance.

He told Bourne that if he encountered any difficulties at Hogwarts, he could go to the left corridor on the first floor of the main building to find a magical portrait with a gold border.

That portrait was one of the two paintings he kept in the castle, and the other was in the headmaster's office. The two paintings could easily communicate and convey his opinions to Dumbledore.

Bourne was very surprised. He originally thought that magical portraits were left behind by wizards after they died. He never thought that living wizards could also have their own magical portraits.

In addition, one of the paintings of the former principal Dippet was specially left in the principal's office. Bourne felt that this looked a bit like...

Listening to politics behind curtains (dense fog)?

The last two people to enter the big room were two wizards, a man and a woman. Bourne knew the wizard among them, because this person was Professor Newt Scamander, who was teaching at Hogwarts. The witch is Professor Scamander's wife, named Tina Goldstein.

Even when Ms. Goldstein got married, she did not take her husband's surname because she was a fairly independent female surname.

Although with Professor Scamander's subsequent income, the family will definitely not be short of gold galleons (gold pot), but the only thing that shines on Ms. Goldstein is the locket on her chest. Her accessory is a silver device called the "Admonisher" on her waist - a magic tracker similar to a speculum that flashes red when there is danger - her dressing style illustrates her pragmatism Character traits.

Because of the exchange at school, Bourne took the initiative to say hello to Professor Scamander and his wife. Ms. Goldstein obviously liked such a polite little wizard and gave him a few ice cubes with the freezing spell. Sealed fire ash snake eggs.

"When your Professor Scamander saw me when he was young, he used the phrase 'your eyes are like fire-ash snake eggs' to describe me. At that time, I thought that 'fire-ash snake eggs' might be the British wizard's praise for following the rules. , the words of a disciplined person," Ms. Goldstein explained to Byrne with a smile.

While speaking, she glanced at her husband specifically, and the old wizard, who was already in his seventies, couldn't help but blush.

Mr. and Mrs. LeMay, who were sitting at the main table at the long table, kept smiling as they looked at the "young" friends who greeted each other after entering the room and taking their seats. They waited until they were almost done reminiscing about old times before announcing the official start of the dinner.

As Nick Flamel struck the silver wine glass with a salad fork, everyone's favorite drink automatically appeared in the tall silver glass in front of everyone, and what appeared in Bourne's glass was Orange flavored sparkling water.

"To friendship!" LeMay and his wife stood up and raised their glasses to greet everyone, and everyone also stood up and raised their glasses to express their gratitude to the host.

"Friends, thank you all for coming to my and Perenal's country house in Devon tonight," Nico Flamel said very modestly. He said that the three floors of the house totaled more than a thousand square feet. For the 'cottage', though, he clearly didn't mean to show off his wealth.

The great alchemist showed a completely different demeanor and demeanor from when he was fishing in the afternoon. He was not as casual as a fisherman at all, even though his words and sentences were deliberately made more humorous.

“I have gathered you all here today, and besides wanting to show off Perenal’s secret recipe as usual, I have two things I want to announce to you.

The first one is that Perenal and I are no longer prepared to keep the Philosopher's Stone. We will give it to Dumbledore for study.

After our current stockpile of elixirs had been consumed, we both prepared to meet death—to see this new adventure. "

When Nick Flamel said these words, the reactions of all the old wizards (witches) present immediately became different.

Like Principal Dippet, none of the wizards who were over two or three hundred years old showed expressions of surprise or sadness.

They just applauded slightly, expressing their respect for the great alchemist's decision.

Young people like Horace, who was only eighty or ninety years old, mostly acted a little shocked. They seem to be unable to understand why Nick Flamel gave up the chance of immortality that most people can only dream of?

Bourne, the youngest person present, was not too surprised by Nick LeMay's decision.

First of all, he originally remembered that this is what the great alchemist did in the Harry Potter story.

Secondly, it is because he has communicated with several Dreadnought mechas in the Warhammer universe before and can understand some of the mentality of these "elderly people".

Nick Flamel had nothing to protect, nor a Dreadnought mecha that could maintain the vitality of his organic body. Immortality does not mean that he will never grow old. Feeling that his body was growing old was not so much a feeling of aging. Opportunity is rather a long torture.

"Everyone, there is no need to be sad." Ms. Perenal looked at the young people like Horace and said softly: "This choice is a decision made by Nick and I. Compared to the vast majority of human beings, we are already very lucky. Now that I have seen many sights in this world, it’s time to start the next unknown journey.”

After saying that, she stretched out her hand and held Nick's pale palm. The two old men looked at each other and smiled. After more than six hundred years of companionship, they had a tacit understanding that was unmatched by any couple in the world.

After a pause for a few seconds, Nick Flamel spoke again: "My second decision is to recruit an apprentice. Before the elixir is finished, I should still have some time to spend quietly here. Therefore, I hope to pass on my knowledge.

But everyone also knows that ordinary alchemy may be learned through the wizard's own talent and hard work, but some of the knowledge summed up by people like us is actually difficult to pass on in that way.

Take the subject of alchemy, which I am slightly good at, as an example. There are too many empirical formulas in it, most of which cannot be learned through rote memorization.

To master them, one must be the right person and have the right intuition.

Originally, the most suitable 'apprentice' candidate in my mind was actually that little guy Dumbledore.

After all, when he was still a young wizard studying at Hogwarts, he and I had already maintained correspondence and discussed some alchemical issues together.

Our connection has been maintained for nearly a century so far. If he is willing to pass on all my knowledge, Perenal and I will soon be able to prepare for the next stage of our journey without any worries.

But the little guy actually refused.

He is really too busy now. Even today is a big holiday and he has to deal with some very difficult problems. In today's magical world, everything seems to be inseparable from him..."

As he spoke, Nick Flamel seemed to be complaining again. This may be related to the fact that he is too old and his thinking ability has somewhat deteriorated. But Byrne felt that Principal Dumbledore did not agree to become Nicolás Flamel's intellectual inheritor, and perhaps he had his own considerations.

"It seems that our white-bearded principal has a gentle heart."

However, even if Bourne was just quietly eating the French meal on the table and wanted to be a little transparent among the old men and women, his outstanding age still made him a conspicuous bag.

"What about this kid? Anyway, Horace brought him to the party. Otherwise, Nico, you can test him to see if he can be your apprentice?" Professor Hicks of Ilvermorny Being a straight-tempered person, she pointed at Bourne, who was dipping French bread into Burgundy red wine beef stew soup, and smiled and asked Nico Flamel, who proposed the idea of ​​​​taking on a disciple.

"Bourne is the most talented little wizard I have ever seen. He can get along with many magical animals in the Forbidden Forest. His magic intuition is really good and he can feel the mood of those little guys."

At this gathering, Professor Scamander rarely expressed his opinion. Because Bourne really left a good impression on him, he sincerely hoped that Bourne would get the precious opportunity to pass on Nico Flamel's knowledge.

"Him? Impossible, I won't..."

Nico Flamel smiled and shook his head.

It's not that he still cares about fishing in the afternoon, it's just that the great alchemist has a clear understanding of the knowledge he wants to pass on.

That knowledge is really not suitable for a young wizard to learn and pass on. The reason why he wanted to hold a party was that he hoped that these old friends present could work together and use their personal connections to find him a young man who was brave and determined enough, and preferably an adult wizard.

"No, I think you can consider it."

Armando Dippet interrupted Nico Flamel. Because he was old enough, he knew many secrets of the magic world, and he also had some understanding of the concerns in his old friend's heart.

More importantly, he has two magical portraits placed in Hogwarts Castle, and the one placed in the principal's office is also an important advisor to Dumbledore. Therefore, he knows what has happened in Hogwarts recently and also knows some of Bourne's performance.

Principal Dippet said seriously: "I suggest you consult Albus. His words may be able to dispel some of your concerns."

As a very senior wizard, Dippet's affirmation naturally attracted the attention of many other old wizards. Everyone was looking at him with curious eyes and wondering why this child attracted such attention. Such high praise from Dippet.

But at this moment, the clock in the hall of the big house suddenly rang, making a tinkling sound. Moreover, its dial was opened outwards, and a mechanical canary immediately emerged from the dial, making a continuous "clucking" sound that was difficult to ignore.

"somebody is coming."

Nico Flamel frowned and said, it could be heard from his tone that he was a little dissatisfied.

"That guy broke through the obstruction of Gugu and Gugu and broke into the maze."

"Do I need to inform Albus?"

Armando Dippet asked.

"Because of the Philosopher's Stone, many people have been trying to make a move recently. Not only the remnants of the Death Eaters, but even the old saints seem to be very interested in the Philosopher's Stone."

(End of this chapter)