Sean had a sneaking suspicion he'd stumbled onto the missing piece of the magical creature biscuit puzzle. Professor McGonagall's words echoed in his mind:
"You've put in a lot of effort in some deep areas, just like those old alchemists. But you know they hit dead ends, so I'm asking you to look at it from a different angle."
A different angle…
Sean had a hunch.
After December's heavy snow, the weather turned to relentless, dreary rain.
The young witches and wizards returned to Hogwarts Castle, buzzing with excitement.
Justin was the first to arrive, greeting everyone in the classroom with a big hug.
"You'll never guess what I saw in Diagon Alley!" he exclaimed.
"What?" Harry and Ron asked, curiosity piqued.
Sean already had a pretty good idea.
"It's obviously—"
Justin pulled out a photo of a bustling shop. At the entrance stood a friendly witch, enthusiastically selling biscuits shaped like various animals.
The photo seemed to be taken from a distance, showing wizards in waiter uniforms handing out posters every few steps. The bold text on the posters read: Animal Party Series Transformation Biscuits—Limited Time, Limited Stock, Get Them Before They're Gone!
"Cool! Fred and George have always dreamed of opening a shop like that!" Ron said, staring at the poster. The "GG" branding almost made him want to buy one, even though he only had a few measly Sickles to his name.
Justin gave him an odd look. How could he miss all the important details?
"You guys won't believe what I saw in Diagon Alley!" Hermione announced, bursting into the Room of Requirement with a bag of gift boxes.
Everyone turned to stare at her.
"You really won't believe it!" she said, grabbing Sean as he tried to slip off to the alchemy office. She gave him a sly, scrutinizing look.
"So, who's spilling first?" Ron asked cautiously.
"Fine, I'll go," Hermione said, raising an eyebrow at Sean and launching into her story with a dramatic flair:
"I went to Diagon Alley because my parents don't get to go often, so we decided to check it out. We were buying some of those tooth-cleaning candies when we saw this shop…"
Her voice shot up an octave.
"Sean! You kept this from us again!"
"Kept what?" Harry asked, confused.
"Oh, Harry, you and Ron were off somewhere during the important stuff. I'll explain later. Justin, you saw it too?" Hermione asked, glancing at the photo.
"Yeah, I wanted to… well, buy some, but they were sold out. When I asked the witch running the shop her name, she pulled me inside, sold me a whole set, and told me to pass a message to Sean to hurry up!"
"A whole set?" Hermione huffed, puffing out her cheeks.
…
A new shop opening in Diagon Alley wasn't big news, but when that shop was called Weasley & Green's Wizarding Wheezes, it was a different story.
"So, Sean, you, Fred, and George opened a shop together? And it's already taken Diagon Alley by storm?" Ron said, incredulous.
"Not just Diagon Alley—all of Britain. Weasley & Green's Wizarding Wheezes offers owl-order 'online' shopping," Justin added with a grin.
"Merlin's beard! I've got to get Fred and George to hook me up! I've had my eye on that 'Gondor Knight' biscuit forever!" Ron said, bolting out the door.
Sean's lips curved into a slight smile, as if remembering something.
Outside the Room of Requirement, Ron had barely made it to the Great Hall when a Gryffindor blocked his path.
"Ron! You totally screwed me over!" Dean shouted, tackling him.
"Hold on, Dean, I need to talk to Fred about something!" Ron said, brushing him off.
He was too focused on that ultra-rare knight biscuit to care about anything else.
"Oh? Really? Can I come with?" Dean asked, skeptical but intrigued by Ron's confidence.
Afternoon in the Great Hall was filled with the joy of reunions.
Golden plates and goblets overflowed with food and drink. The returning students dug in, grabbing everything within reach as laughter and the clinking of cutlery echoed across the four long tables.
"Fred!" Ron shouted.
"George!" His voice turned pleading.
Moments later, the twins sauntered off, looking smug, leaving Ron pale as a ghost and Dean trailing behind.
"I'm such an idiot, Ron! How are you going to fix this double-price mess I'm in now?" Dean wailed, tackling Ron again.
The two rolled on the floor, drawing a crowd. The twins even started taking bets on whether Ron would push Dean's legs off first or if Dean would choke Ron out.
Professor McGonagall eventually appeared at the high table, putting an end to the chaotic brawl.
Sean ate quietly in the Great Hall. While Ron was making a scene, he'd left a batch of his latest biscuit series in the entrance cabinet.
He'd gotten to the hall even before Ron, so while Ron begged Fred, Sean was eating.
While Fred toyed with Ron, Sean was eating.
And while Ron and Dean wrestled, with the twins egging on bets, Sean was eating with great interest.
A few third-year Hufflepuffs, impressed by his focus, shyly shared some food they'd made in the kitchens.
Sean's verdict?
Hufflepuffs were naturals at food magic—it was practically in their blood.
The lunch feast ended quickly.
When Sean reached the library to research his hunch, it was nearly empty. Madam Pince was dozing at her desk, a rare sight. Sean cast a quieting charm around her and conjured a thick, plush blanket to drape over her.
He sat nearby, flipping through one heavy, ancient book after another.
The sky outside was a mix of drizzle and light snow, chilly enough to make anyone shiver. The crackling fire in the library shattered the cold, and soft magical candles illuminated rows of uneven, handwritten text.
Sean had been coming to this spot near the fireplace for nearly half a year. His used quills littered the table, alongside Madam Pince's thick stack of book records.
As the flames flickered, Sean scribbled down a hypothesis that could shake the entire field of alchemy.