The Weasleys

Besides Charms Class and Transfiguration Class, Alchemy was what Wade spent the most time on. As he studied Alchemy, he also continuously deepened his understanding of several other subjects.

The From Zero to Hero: Learning Magical Item Creation Professor Murray had lent him was completely different from other Alchemy books. It contained almost none of the dull history and theory, nor did it devote page after page to the relationships of mutual generation and opposition among the four elements. Instead, from its very first line, it explained how to make all kinds of Magical Items.

From common self-inking quills, moving Photos, Flying Broomsticks, and Howlers to Pensieves, Magic Mirrors, Invisibility Cloaks, Guardian Armor, and other items few people could own, nearly every Magical Item Wade had seen or heard of could be found in the book. It even mentioned the Sorting Hat and the Time-Turner, though the latter was discussed only in speculation, without any specific manufacturing process.

Nor could the Magical Items described earlier be made simply by reading the book—just as someone who understood neither electricity nor programming could not build a computer even with the complete instructions in hand. Magical Items were far more complex and dangerous than computers. Without the corresponding foundational knowledge, one could not understand even the simplest steps.

Wade had studied under Professor Murray for several weeks. Each time, he listened as the professor critiqued the assignments and creations of sixth- and seventh-year students, and he had even helped Professor Murray create a teaching aid for one of his classes. After a period of training, Professor Murray suggested that he try making the simplest Magical Items himself—three to five Spells, properly combined, could produce some wonderful effects. Self-inking quills and Howlers were both of this type.

A few ideas came to Wade's mind. For instance, he could make a quill automatically change the color of its ink as it wrote, add a function to glasses that measured distance, or create a Little Person puppet that could dance—almost as soon as he made the connections, the Spells and specific steps required to create them formed in his mind.

The Spells and Magic script needed were all basic, and he had already mastered them completely. With a few practice attempts at most, he should be able to succeed. Wade had that confidence—but did he really want to do it this way?

If he did, how would his work differ from the student creations Professor Murray called "garbage"? It would still be copying others' ideas, carelessly completing an assignment, while the finished product held little real value.

This was Wade's first Alchemy creation. He did not want to be so casual about it, nor did he want its final destination, after he handed in the assignment, to be the rubbish heap.

That night, Wade's thoughts drifted endlessly, and he never truly fell asleep. Half-awake and half-dreaming, he suddenly heard a faint rustling sound.

Wade sat up in bed, drew his Wand, and gave it a flick. The oil lamp in the Dormitory lit up, quietly casting an orange-yellow glow.

It was utterly silent both inside and outside the Dormitory, but a faint sound came from beyond the window.

Wade threw on some clothes and got out of bed. When he walked to the window, he realized that it had begun to snow outside.

Great flakes of snow drifted down, blanketing the entire castle in pure white. Thick snow covered every bit of clutter, creating a feeling of exceptional quiet and emptiness.

An idea suddenly flashed through Wade's mind. He knew what he wanted to make. The moment that thought appeared, all his other ideas seemed gaudy and superficial.

In high spirits, he returned to bed and slept soundly until dawn.

Wade had thought that throwing Quirrell down and leaving his face covered in blood had already been wildly out of line. He had not expected that to be nothing at all, because the Weasley Twins soon pulled off something even more heart-stopping—they enchanted several snowballs to chase Quirrell around before finally smashing into the back of his head.

Professor McGonagall was furious. She stormed straight out of the Great Hall and deducted a full thirty points from the twins—her own House! She also gave them a month of detention—half a month before the Christmas break, and another half-month to make up after they returned.

The Weasley Twins put on repentant expressions and apologized sincerely, but the moment they were out of the professor's sight, they became smugly delighted with themselves.

"Why were you targeting Quirrell?" Wade asked curiously as he stood in the corridor. To someone like him, who knew the truth, what they had just done was practically pulling a tiger's whiskers.

Besides, although the Weasley brothers liked pranks, they had no reason to provoke a professor. Gryffindors cared greatly about House Cup points, after all, because falling behind would certainly invite ridicule from Slytherin. Even if Professor Quirrell had deducted two hundred points from them at once, no one would have had anything to say about it.

Wade found it strange—since when had they become so reckless?

The Weasleys stared at him for a moment, then looked as though they had remembered something. "Ah, you're—"

"The one from the library—"

"What was your name again?" the two brothers asked together.

"Wade Grey, from Ravenclaw," Wade said.

The twins immediately understood—Ron, their youngest brother, had mentioned that name to them countless times. Every time he finished a class shared with Ravenclaw, Ron would talk enviously and resentfully about a Young Wizard in his year named Wade, who was so admired by the professors that he would surely become the next Percy or something like that.

But from what they could see, Wade Grey was completely different from their brother Percy. And, like them, he was an Alchemy enthusiast, which made them like him even more.

The Weasleys exchanged a glance and leaned closer. "Aren't you curious?"

"Quirrell always wears that huge scarf—"

"No matter how the weather changes, he never takes it off—"

"We went to the kitchen and asked the House-elves. He has never even let them help wash that scarf—"

"So there must be some Secret hidden beneath it! Something people can't be allowed to know!" Fred Weasley declared with certainty. "Maybe it's some Dark Magic weapon that messed up his brain."

"Or maybe it's a bald, scabby head so ugly it would make you explode—" George Weasley could not help laughing. "Just imagine it. It has to be hilarious."

"Don't bully Professor Quirrell just because he's easygoing!" Wade advised tactfully in a distinctly Hermione-like tone. "Would you dare to go mess up Professor McGonagall's bun?"

"Don't say something so terrifying, all right?" Fred casually slung an arm around Wade's shoulders as though they were old friends. "Besides, I noticed something strange. Do you know what it is?"

"What?" George asked, playing along.

"I noticed—" Fred looked at Wade and drew out the words. "We told you all about the suspicious things regarding Quirrell's scarf, but you don't seem curious at all!"

Wade's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly realized that beneath the brothers' laughing, carefree manner lay extraordinarily sharp instincts.

His expression changed slightly, and George noticed it at once.

He raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "So you know?"

Wade folded his arms, took a step back, and leaned against the wall, narrowing his eyes at the Weasleys. "So... is this an interrogation?"

George and Fred exchanged a glance, then smiled at the same time. "Of course not!"

"You found the answer before we did. That means we lost," Fred said seriously.

"But interrogation? Impossible. We'll find the answer ourselves!" George said with a brilliant smile.