Time slipped by; September faded swiftly into October, and the air at Hogwarts grew colder with every passing day.
The students were all busy in their own ways. Some threw themselves into their magical studies, dutifully fulfilling their roles as students. Others dabbled in mischief and pranks, finding ever more creative ways to shirk responsibility. Still others seized every opportunity to sneak a nap, content to do absolutely nothing at all. In short, everyone had their own rhythm—some lives full, some thrilling, some quietly mundane.
For Harry Potter, these days at Hogwarts were exactly what he'd always longed for.
Just recently, on a bright morning, he'd received a long, mysterious parcel in the Great Hall. When he and Ron opened it in private, they discovered a gorgeously crafted broomstick—a Nimbus 2000, the very model Qin Yu owned and Harry had so often admired. The gift filled him with joy, making Quidditch practice even more exhilarating and his progress all the more rapid.
Of course, not everything was perfect. Lately, Malfoy seemed determined to show off at every opportunity—eagerly answering questions in class and wearing a smug grin the whole time.
As Qin Yu would say, Malfoy was a real "xianyanbao"—an Eastern term for someone who loves to flaunt and hog the spotlight. Harry thought it fit Malfoy perfectly.
"Sometimes, when I look at Malfoy, I see a bit of myself. Am I that annoying too?" Hermione pursed her lips and shrugged, a little helpless.
It was dinnertime. The sun hadn't set yet, and golden-orange light poured through the windows of the Great Hall, bathing everything in a lazy, honeyed glow. The students enjoyed their feast in this gentle, relaxed atmosphere.
Anyone with a shred of sense could tell that Miss Granger wasn't looking for an honest answer. So Harry and Ron wisely kept their mouths shut, while Neville was too busy eating to care.
"Well, there is a bit of a resemblance," said Adam, sipping his corn chowder and offering his opinion.
Everyone stared at him in shock. This boy from Egypt must be fearless to speak so bluntly to the "big sister," not even worrying about Qin Yu—though, luckily, Qin hadn't arrived yet.
Just as Hermione's expression began to cloud over, Adam added, in his unhurried way, "But he shows off to flaunt his knowledge. You're happy because you love learning. That's a big difference."
Harry and Ron exchanged a look—maybe Adam was a lot sharper than he seemed. They shot him admiring glances; who would've thought "sleepy little Adam" was so wise?
Adam himself looked a bit bewildered, as if he'd only spoken his honest thoughts.
Sure enough, after hearing Adam's second remark, Hermione's mood brightened. She clearly appreciated the answer and agreed with it.
A few minutes later, Qin Yu arrived, a little late. After hearing what they'd been discussing, he thought for a moment and said, "Just do what you believe is right. There's no need to worry too much about what other people think."
That settled it for Hermione—the last trace of doubt vanished, and she broke into a radiant smile.
The rest of the group pondered Qin's words, nodding one by one. What each of them thought about, no one else could say.
After all, the same words mean something different to each listener.
For Adam, there was a glint of recognition in his eyes—a silent salute to a kindred spirit, and a flash of determination.
Qin Yu took a longer look at the black-haired boy with the wild curls, thinking he looked surprisingly sharp when he wasn't half-asleep.
The conversation drifted to recent events, and with Qin's arrival, the table grew lighthearted and cheerful. Soon enough, dinner was finished.
The group left the Great Hall, each heading their separate ways.
Harry and Ron made for the Gryffindor Tower, while Qin Yu and Hermione set off for the library.
...
Since it had been a while since he'd heard from Professor Swinton, Qin Yu decided to try the method the professor had left behind—using resonance between his own alchemical longsword and Swinton's to establish magical contact.
He'd been working on this for half a month, but so far, nothing had come of it.
His late arrival tonight was because he'd stopped by Dumbledore's office to pick up some study materials—mostly the headmaster's alchemical notes, along with several ancient tomes.
"If I'm right, the method Stephen described—combining alchemy with meditation—belongs to the field of 'mental alchemy.' That's different from the physical alchemy we usually see. It's a magical practice that Mr. Flamel has developed in recent years by drawing from ancient traditions. Try studying it yourself first. If you get stuck, we can tackle it together." That was what Dumbledore had told Qin Yu just now.
According to Dumbledore, ancient alchemists didn't just work with physical substances—they also sought to communicate with their creations on a spiritual level: so-called "mental alchemy." Of course, the true practice has long since been lost. Even Nicolas Flamel could only borrow the concept, not fully recreate the ancient magic.
At least Qin Yu had a direction. The rest was up to exploration and experimentation.
Though Dumbledore seemed energetic, he was, after all, getting on in years. Qin Yu didn't want to trouble him over such a small matter—he'd figure things out himself, only asking for help when he truly got stuck.
Besides, Qin's own alchemical longsword had a "master-recognition contract" much like a wand. Even if Dumbledore wanted to use it, it would be a hassle—he'd have to "take" it from Qin by force.
So, Qin Yu had no choice but to keep slogging through the dense world of alchemical study.
"I strongly suspect Professor Swinton left me that method on purpose, without actually teaching me how to use it, just to give me extra alchemy homework!" Qin Yu suddenly grumbled, looking up from his pile of notes.
Seeing his mixture of frustration, indignation, and helplessness, Hermione couldn't help but giggle softly. She quickly stifled herself before Madam Pince could notice, then leaned in and whispered, "Seems Professor Swinton's quite responsible. Even after leaving, he hasn't forgotten his duty as a teacher—leaving you with such a tough problem to solve."
Qin Yu turned to glare "fiercely" at the little witch who was teasing him—though his "fierceness" was all in his expression, not his touch, as he gently pinched her cheek.
Hermione huffed in mock annoyance, pouting at him.
The two, well-practiced by now, quickly returned to behaving themselves. When Madam Pince, the vigilant librarian, glanced their way, she saw nothing amiss.
Of course, there was no way she could see that, under one particular table, a small foot clad in a white knee sock and black slip-on shoe was pressing down on someone else's foot. Its owner, chin tilted up in smug challenge, glanced at her "victim," who could do nothing in response.
...
Maybe Professor Swinton had left this little challenge on purpose, and maybe it was a pain, but Qin Yu was determined to finish the "assignment."
After a little grumbling—and, perhaps, drawing a bit of strength from the brown-haired girl by his side—Qin Yu settled in, refocusing on the alchemical notes.
During brief moments of distraction, he mused that, in time, he could try using Professor Snape's longsword to see if it would produce any magical resonance.
He'd mentioned this idea to Snape before, but Snape's skills in alchemy and meditation were nowhere near Swinton's—especially meditation, where, after a year of Swinton's guidance, Qin Yu was actually more talented.
Of course, Qin Yu didn't really believe he was gifted. He suspected it was the constant need to stabilize the Obscurus power within him that had forced him to work so hard at meditation.
Lost in these thoughts, Qin Yu organized his mind, gradually uncovering useful knowledge from the dense notes and ancient texts. He opened his own notebook and began jotting down insights with his quill.
He had to admit, the materials Dumbledore provided were top-notch—nothing but the good stuff.
Beside him, Hermione watched as Qin Yu's brow slowly unknotted, his focus returning. She let out a silent sigh of relief, her own mood lightening just a bit.
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