Ravenclaw's Treasure

No sooner had he decided than Allen acted. He neatly prepared the required materials in the order they were to be added, then placed the required magic orbs in the grooves atop the corresponding marble pillars according to the Hexagram.

Following Rowena's manual, Allen poured magic power into the orbs one by one. Dazzling white pillars of light activated in succession, converging beneath the grand, ornate furnace and igniting enormous flames. A red dragon and a small green frog were painted on the front of the furnace. On either side stood two lions, red on the left and green on the right. A white lion was painted on the back, flanked by a sun and moon with human faces.

Allen added the ingredients one by one and adjusted the temperature according to Geber's notes. As the temperature gradually rose, the mouths of the three lions slowly opened wider. Following Rowena's manual, Allen placed red, white, and green magic orbs into their mouths. The three orbs represented the "White Stone" (used to turn metals into silver), the "Red Stone" (used to create artificial gold), and the "Elixir of Life" (a universal medicine that could grant immortality).

At the final stage of the alchemical process, Allen was about to add the most precious ingredient: a Hermes Bird's wing. The moment it entered the furnace, it blended with the other materials, forming an irregular dark-green sphere. Rowena's manual ended abruptly there. Yet the Sorcerer's Stone had not taken on the jade-like, crystalline brown hue it was supposed to possess. Where had he gone wrong? Recalling Geber's notes, Allen gritted his teeth and poured in more magic power, frantically raising the furnace's temperature. The blazing flames writhed and danced wildly within the firebox. Unable to withstand such extreme heat, the three-colored magic orbs could no longer retain their original forms. They slowly melted into liquid, gathering in the belly of the red dragon painted on the furnace wall before flowing toward the dark-green, half-finished Sorcerer's Stone inside.

Allen watched delightedly as the dark green was gradually dyed brown, slowly blending into one. "It worked!" Allen was ecstatic. During the process, he had completely forgotten that he was trapped inside a statue, forgotten that he had a task to complete, and immersed himself entirely in alchemy.

The completed Sorcerer's Stone lay quietly in the middle of the furnace. Allen extinguished the fire and gazed happily at the stone, whose surface was occasionally streaked by flowing glimmers of light.

"Professor, you said before that this was the final trial?" Allen reminded her, but he failed to notice any change in Ravenclaw's emotions over his successful creation of the Sorcerer's Stone.

"Oh, yes, you succeeded! May I know your name?"

"Allen Harris."

"You successfully completed all my trials. You displayed exceptional intelligence, courage, and the restraint to resist greed... You are qualified to receive Ravenclaw's treasure." With that, Rowena placed a radiant Diadem on the table. It looked no different from the Diadem Allen had obtained earlier, yet he keenly sensed that they were different. But how?

"The Diadem you used to open the statue was merely one of my early works. It held great significance, but it could not truly increase a person's wisdom. Otherwise, Helena would not have been blinded by greed and chosen to betray me. But this one..." Rowena pointed to the Diadem and said with satisfaction, "This was not successfully developed until just before my death. Not only can it keep your mind clear at all times, it can also allow you to see the true desires in your heart, ensuring that you do not stray from the right path. That is true wisdom! Now, it is yours."

Next, Rowena took out the Tower model Allen had seen before. "This Mobile Tower is very interesting. You can carry it with you, and if you lose your way in the wilderness, it can ensure that you have a place to shelter. 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 you a stairway to the pinnacle of wizardry."

Having said this, Rowena seemed greatly relieved. Her figure gradually faded, as though she might vanish at any moment.

"Allen, you may take the Sorcerer's Stone as well. It is of no use to me, after all, but it is immensely precious to you. I will take its method of creation with me as I seek my soul. After I leave, this statue will no longer serve as a trial. Without the support of magic, its inner space will turn to dust and vanish along with me. Finally, before we meet again, please take care of Helena for me. Thank you!"

Allen accepted the treasures and bowed deeply in tribute to this powerful woman. Suddenly, light flickered beneath his feet. The intense glare made Allen hastily shield his eyes. When he opened them again, he was already in Ravenclaw's common room. The room was silent.