Improved Stink Pellets

Linley hadn't attended a Muggle university in this life, but his nine years of compulsory education in his previous life had taught him this stuff, hadn't it?!

"Since you understand Circuit Diagrams, this will be easy. You only need to think of the energy source in an Alchemy Formation as the power supply, the rune hub as the switch, and the various Alchemy Runes as electronic components. Then Alchemy Formations won't be difficult for you at all," Professor Green said with particular delight.

Formation Alchemists often found teaching apprentices extremely difficult. Unlike Spell Alchemy, which involved more practice than theory, Formation Alchemy's theoretical knowledge was practically hell-level difficulty. Many exceptionally talented alchemy apprentices had complained bitterly after coming into contact with Formation Alchemy.

This was especially true of knowledge related to Alchemy Formations. There were over a thousand forms of Alchemy Formations alone, and ordinary Formation Alchemists could only memorize them by rote.

But Professor Green and Linley were different. Once they could smoothly understand Alchemy Formations as Circuit Diagrams from Muggle theory, the formations in their eyes no longer had over a thousand forms. There were only the two basic forms of series and parallel connections, because every other type of Alchemy Formation could be arranged and combined from different series and parallel connections.

After explaining the basic principles of Alchemy Formations to Linley, Professor Green began teaching him how to engrave them.

Engraving an Alchemy Formation was not as simple as carving patterns onto an object. It required a special Alchemy Carving Knife to thoroughly and permanently engrave the alchemist's magic into the object, forming a closed alchemical circuit that allowed magic to flow through the Alchemy Formation. Only then could the engraving of an Alchemy Formation be considered complete.

As he explained the method, Professor Green took a golden carving knife from his pocket.

"Every alchemist has a carving knife of their own, but for now, use mine to practice engraving," Professor Green said as he handed the knife to Linley.

Linley carefully accepted it. It was an entirely golden carving knife, seemingly engraved with hundreds of densely packed alchemical circuits. Those circuits formed dozens of different Alchemy Formations.

Every Alchemy Formation on the golden carving knife was no larger than a fingernail, showing just how difficult it had been to make.

Professor Green used his Wand to draw two strange runes in the air. "These two runes represent the energy source and the rune hub respectively, which are the power supply and switch in a Circuit Diagram. Following the method I explained earlier and combining the Alchemy Runes you've learned, I want you to complete an alchemical creation in front of me. You may enchant any object you like, oh, except your Wand."

Linley nodded.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally pulled a Stink Pellet from his trouser pocket.

The Weasley twins had given it to him after stocking up at Zonko's Joke Shop.

"A Stink Pellet?! I only hope you don't turn my office into a foul-smelling mess!" Professor Green said, initially surprised before speaking helplessly.

Linley hurriedly promised that he would not let the Stink Pellet explode.

Linley sat down in front of Professor Green's desk and carefully examined the Stink Pellet in his hand.

The shell of the Stink Pellet was not particularly thick, so Linley had to be extremely careful while engraving the Alchemy Formation. Otherwise, if he punctured its shell—he could already imagine Professor Green hanging him up and beating him.

The Stink Pellet itself was an alchemical product, but aside from its trigger switch, its other Alchemy Formations were hidden beneath the shell. This meant Linley did not need to worry about damaging the Stink Pellet's original Alchemy Formations while engraving a new one.

Linley carefully used the golden carving knife to engrave an energy source symbol onto the Stink Pellet's shell. As he carved the rune, he could feel the golden carving knife drawing upon his magic.

When the golden carving knife passed over the Stink Pellet's shell, that magic was released from its tip and deeply imprinted into the shell, forming a rune imbued with magic.

After engraving the energy source symbol, Linley carved a rune hub onto the Stink Pellet's original trigger switch, making the rune hub overlap with the trigger switch. This way, he could activate the Alchemy Formations at the same time he triggered the Stink Pellet.

After completing those two strokes, Linley paused, resting his chin on his palm as he thought.

After a while, he engraved the Alchemy Runes for "strengthening" and "diffusion" onto the Stink Pellet's shell. These two Alchemy Runes could enhance the Stink Pellet's power and double the area covered by its stench after it exploded!

Once he had finished engraving the two Alchemy Runes, Linley swiftly moved the golden carving knife, linking them in series with the energy source and rune hub to form a closed circuit and create an effective Alchemy Formation.

And just like that, Linley's first alchemical creation—Improved Stink Pellets—was complete!

"Professor, I've finished!"

Linley set down the carving knife and held up the Stink Pellet.

Professor Green walked over, bent down, and carefully examined the Alchemy Formation Linley had engraved. Then he spread his hands and said, "In my view, the Alchemy Formation you engraved has already reached an excellent standard. Normally, I would have you activate it and test the effects of the alchemical product, because true knowledge comes from practice. But this time... let's forget it!"

He did not want the stench of a Stink Pellet filling his office!

"That's enough for today. Go back for now! From now on, you'll come every Saturday to practice engraving Alchemy Formations. Of course, don't bring Stink Pellets again!"

Professor Green told Linley.

Linley gave an awkward laugh. He didn't want to either, but Stink Pellets were probably the only things on him suitable for engraving Alchemy Formations!

Though clothes could also be used to engrave defensive Alchemy Formations, he had not yet begun learning defensive Alchemy Runes. He couldn't exactly engrave an "explosion" rune onto his own clothes, could he?!

That would really be like going to the toilet with a lantern—looking for death!

After leaving the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office, Linley went to find Fred and George and gave them the Improved Stink Pellets he had made.

Seeing the two of them practically ecstatic, Linley suddenly began to wonder whether he had done the right thing.

He could not help but silently mourn the future victim of that Improved Stink Pellet.

As it turned out, Linley's worries were not unfounded.

Early the next morning, Linley heard from Irvin Fleury that Mr. Filch had been hit in the face by a Stink Pellet and was still covered in the smell...

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