Ravenclaw's Treasure

No sooner said than done, Allen neatly prepared the necessary materials in the required order and placed the magic orbs into the grooves atop the corresponding marble pillars in the shape of a hexagram.

Following Rowena's manual, Allen channeled his magic into the orbs one by one. Dazzling pillars of white light were activated in turn, converging beneath the tall, ornate furnace to ignite a massive flame. Directly in front of the furnace, a red dragon and a small green frog were depicted, while on the left and right sides stood two lions—red on the left, green on the right. A white lion sat on the back of the furnace, flanked by the sun and moon, both bearing human faces.

Allen added the medicinal ingredients one by one, adjusting the temperature according to the methods in Geber's notes. As the temperature gradually rose, the mouths of the three lions slowly widened. Following Rowena's manual, Allen placed red, white, and green magic orbs into the mouths of the lions. These three orbs represented the "White Stone" (used to transmute metal into silver), the "Red Stone" (used for artificial gold), and the "Elixir of Life" (the panacea that grants immortality).

At the final stage of the Alchemy, Allen was about to add the most precious ingredient: the wings of the Hermes Bird. As the wings were added to the furnace, they instantly blended with the other materials to form an irregular dark green sphere. Rowena's manual ended abruptly there. However, the Sorcerer's Stone did not exhibit the brownish, crystal-clear luster of jade. Where had he gone wrong? Recalling Geber's notes, Allen gritted his teeth and channeled more magic, frantically cranking up the temperature of the furnace. The scorching flames twisted and danced desperately within the hearth. Unable to withstand such high heat, the three-colored magic orbs could no longer maintain their form; they slowly melted into liquid, pooled in the belly of the red dragon on the furnace wall, and flowed toward the dark green semi-finished Sorcerer's Stone.

Allen watched with delight as the dark green mass was gradually permeated by a brownish hue, slowly fusing into one. "It's done!" Allen was ecstatic. In the process of refining, he had completely forgotten that he was trapped inside a statue, forgotten that he had a mission to complete, and had become entirely immersed in Alchemy.

The completed Sorcerer's Stone lay quietly in the center of the furnace. Allen extinguished the fire and watched with joy as streams of light occasionally flickered across the surface of the stone.

"Professor, you said earlier that this was the final test?" Allen reminded her, but he noticed no shift in Rowena's demeanor regarding his successful creation of the Sorcerer's Stone.

"Oh, yes, you succeeded! Can you tell me your name?"

"Allen Harris."

"You have successfully completed all my trials, demonstrating extraordinary intelligence, heroic spirit, and a heart that resists greed... You are worthy of receiving Ravenclaw's treasure." With that, Rowena placed a radiant, shimmering Diadem on the table. Its appearance was no different from the one Allen had obtained earlier, but Allen sensitively sensed that they were different. But where exactly did the difference lie?

"The Diadem you used to open the statue was merely an early work of mine. It is meaningful, but it cannot truly increase one's wisdom; otherwise, Helena would not have been blinded by greed and committed an act of defection. But this one—" Rowena pointed to the Diadem and said with satisfaction, "This one was perfected only shortly before my death. It not only keeps one's mind clear at all times but also allows you to see your heart's true desires, preventing you from going astray. This is true wisdom! Now, it is yours."

Next, Rowena brought out the model of the tower Allen had seen earlier. "This Mobile Tower is quite interesting. It can be carried with you, and if you ever get lost in the wild, it ensures you have a place to stay. Most importantly, it contains a vast collection of books I gathered. These books are filled with the wisdom of those who came before. If you read and study them diligently, they will build a ladder for you to reach the pinnacle of wizardry."

After Rowena finished speaking, she looked relieved; her figure gradually faded, as if she might vanish at any moment.

"Allen, you may also take the Sorcerer's Stone; after all, it is useless to me, but precious to you. I will take the method of its creation with me as I pursue my soul. After I am gone, this statue will no longer serve as a trial. Without the support of my magic, its internal space will vanish into thin air along with my departure. Finally, before we meet again, please take care of Helena for me. Thank you!"

Allen accepted the treasures and bowed deeply, paying his respects to this powerful figure. Light suddenly flickered beneath his feet, and the intense glare forced Allen to cover his eyes. When he opened them again, he was already back in the Ravenclaw common room, which was deathly quiet.