The first sentence in the alchemy book Silan had borrowed stated its purpose plainly.
"Alchemy is a creative craft."
Its core was to create entirely new things that had never existed before and imbue them with magical effects.
The self-stirring cauldrons repeatedly mentioned in History of Magic, the flying brooms used in Quidditch matches, the Pensieves that could store memories, even the Mirror of Erised that could peer into human desires...
All of them were alchemical items.
Strictly speaking, even wands fell within the realm of alchemy.
To this day, the brightest jewel in alchemy's crown was the Philosopher's Stone, which could turn any metal into gold and even create the Elixir of Life.
This Philosopher's Stone had been made by the renowned alchemy master Nicolas Flamel six centuries ago.
Though that sounded distant, it was actually hidden in Hogwarts right now.
Alchemy was not like Potions, where every potion written in the textbooks had a fixed recipe.
It demanded the utmost imagination and creativity.
Silan read for quite a while, only to feel as though his mind had been crammed full of scattered knowledge.
It made his head ache.
He closed the book and stood up to stretch.
"It's already evening."
Silan glanced at the glass dome. "Time to go farm experience from Fluffy."
As usual, he cast a Disillusionment Charm and headed to the room on the fourth floor where Fluffy was kept.
"Hey! Friend, you're back!" The chatty Fluffy was the first to raise his enormous head. "It's been really lively around here lately. Even Professor Snape came by. Honestly, I didn't want to bite him, but who told him to try getting through the trapdoor?"
"Snape came by?"
Silan was somewhat surprised, then remembered that Snape did seem to have been bitten once because he did