Nicolas Flamel once wrote in his Book of Hieroglyphic Figures that he had traded two Florins for an ancient, enormous book. Unlike other books, it was not made of paper or parchment, but of fine, smooth young tree bark, with a cover tightly bound in brass.
Father Grégoire had once told her that the Germanic peoples of old used birch bark as paper for writing. The book Nicolas Flamel bought on making the Philosopher's Stone—if its owner could already turn stone into gold, was there any need for him to write on bark?
Before, she had not cared about such things. Now, she had "time."
Bonaparte was truly a busy man. He was organizing the so-called monetary union, and Tettens had come to the meeting this time simply to see how things stood.
He had not said that Denmark would join either, only that he had come to take a look. At large meetings like this, foreigners always found ways to slip in, including members of France's National Assembly. As an observer, he was in no hurry. After having a cup of coffee, he strolled toward the Grand Council Palace. Passing through the square, he witnessed that "terrifying" scene.
Hermione Granger had discovered Nicolas Flamel through a book meant for "entertainment," while Georgiana found something interesting in How to Care for Your Wool Sweater. People in the Middle Ages used alum to dye woolen fabrics, a "public secret" of the textile industry. Wool was a fiber with poor affinity, but after being treated with alum, a mordant, it could absorb color and produce fabrics in all manner of shades. Ancient dyes came from minerals and plants; some were acidic, while others were alkaline. After conducting numerous experiments, the book's author told housewives what detergents to use when washing wool sweaters,