"Wait, Ron, what is that you're holding?"
Ron blinked at his brother's question, confused. Isn't it obvious?
He tugged on the leash in his left hand. "This is Fang, Hagrid's dog."
Percy's mouth twitched. He was used to his brother's odd logic but still couldn't help feeling exasperated. "No, I mean the other one."
Percy frowned at the creature standing beside Ron—a sleek, white, dog-like mechanical construct. Its tail swished naturally, the tip glowing faintly with magical embers.
"Oh, you mean this?" Ron gestured to the white mechanical dog. "This is Whitefang. Hagrid named it. It's an alchemical construct Lucien made. That's what I want to learn to do."
Percy turned to Lucien, his expression a mix of curiosity and uncertainty, unsure how to even begin addressing this.
He'd been sent by their mother to keep an eye on Ron, but before they could even start talking, his little brother had shown up with an alchemical mechanical dog in tow.
"By the way, Lucien," Ron said, "when we were out for a walk earlier, Whitefang's right front leg seemed a bit off. Could you take a look?"
Lucien nodded and stepped outside, pulling out his wand to inspect Whitefang. The metal casing and gear bearings lifted apart, floating in midair. Fine threads of magical energy extended from his wand, deftly weaving through the mechanical structure.
Hearing the commotion, Harry emerged from the house. He gave a quick greeting to Percy, Ron's brother, then joined Ron to watch Lucien work on the dog.
"Hmm, it's fine. Just a minor issue," Lucien said. "A quick tweak to the parts, a bit of lubricant, and some adhesive should do it."
With a flick of his wand, he used Transfiguration to fine-tune a few small components.
Then, from his pocket, he pulled out two small vials, extracting drops of liquid and guiding them into the gaps between the parts.
Percy stood back, watching silently, but his mind was racing.
As a fifth-year, Percy hadn't yet started Alchemy classes, but being the disciplined, high-achieving student he was, he'd already studied the basics in preparation for future courses.
Seeing Lucien's work, Percy was certain: this first-year—his junior—actually knew Alchemy!
Alchemy was a complex field, encompassing a vast range of knowledge. This mechanical dog, while not the most intricate construct, was still a specialized branch of the craft. Percy recalled reading about the pinnacle of alchemical constructs: colossal golems, some as large as mountains, considered near-miraculous in ancient times.
Yet Lucien's skill was already absurdly impressive. And that delicate control of magical threads? That was fifth-year Charms material, and Percy was still struggling to grasp it.
It hit him: Hogwarts had welcomed an extraordinary new student. And Ron, his little brother, had somehow befriended this prodigy.
"Ron, come here a sec," Percy said, waving him over.
Ron let go of the leash and walked up to his brother. "What's up, Percy?"
Percy hesitated, then pulled two items from his pocket: a red envelope and a thin notebook. After a moment, he handed Ron the notebook first.
"This is from Mum," Percy said. "It's got some tips and techniques for casting spells."
He paused, then added, "Mum's point is that at your age, you should focus on building a strong foundation. Don't worry about learning tons of spells yet—just practice your casting techniques. It'll make learning other magic easier down the line."
Percy understood his mother's intent. The Weasley family's magical knowledge, passed down and refined over generations, wasn't something they'd share lightly. That kind of accumulated wisdom was the backbone of any wizarding family.
Ron, beaming, took the notebook without overthinking it. To him, it was a ticket to learning how to make alchemical constructs like Whitefang. Even if Lucien thought the knowledge wasn't enough for something as advanced as a mechanical animal, Ron figured he could start with simpler mechanisms.
But before he could get too excited, Percy handed him the second item.
Ron's smile froze as he stared at the red envelope in his hand. "This… this is a Howler, isn't it? From Mum?"
His hand trembled as he looked to his brother for confirmation, but Percy had already stepped back a safe distance, giving him a firm nod.
"You'd better open it quick," Percy advised. "The longer you wait, the louder it gets."
Lucien stood up, taking Fang and the newly repaired Whitefang with him as he moved to stand beside Percy. Harry, though clueless about Howlers, followed Lucien's lead, sensing it was the smart move.
Left alone, Ron shakily opened the Howler.
A piercing, maternal voice echoed through the air:
"RONALD WEASLEY! If you've made up your mind, then study hard! Learn from your friend, learn from your brother!"
"Be a man and keep your promises!"
"I'll have Percy check on your progress regularly!"
"And don't forget to dress warmly, eat properly, but no overeating! Hogwarts' hospital wing…"
Ron's face and ears turned as red as his hair. He glanced at Lucien and Harry, utterly mortified.
Being cared for by his mum was great, of course, but for a kid his age, having her fuss over him in front of his friends was downright embarrassing.
"Well, my job's done," Percy said, bidding farewell to Lucien and the others before heading back to the castle.
Ron, shaking off his embarrassment, eagerly handed the notebook to Lucien. "Lucien, take a look! Is this good enough?"
Lucien flipped through the pages. Hmm, all spell-casting techniques. The handwriting varied—notes from several generations of Weasley wizards, no doubt. But it wasn't exactly a family grimoire.
Which made sense. No wizarding family would share their most precious magical texts right off the bat. Those were their lifeblood.
Harry's case was an exception—purely accidental. Talk about giving away the family jewels without a second thought. But in fairness, the knowledge in those Potter books was worth a year or two of Harry's tuition.
Thinking of Harry's recent progress—pretty solid in Potions, actually—Lucien decided it was time to ramp up his training.
Flipping through more pages, Lucien found a few techniques that caught his eye. For instance, chaining spells in combat to build momentum, paired with specific spell combinations for smoother, more fluid output. These were pearls of wisdom from past generations, saving him the trouble of trial and error.
"Not bad," Lucien said. "We'll start with the basics. You'll need to learn the theory behind mechanical constructs and the Transfiguration techniques involved…"
"And once you've got some knowledge under your belt, you can show your progress to your brother."
Ron was over the moon, nodding enthusiastically as Lucien explained. He didn't notice Harry giving him a sympathetic look.
Lucien's teaching was effective, sure, but his standards? Tch, brutal.
Harry recalled his own experience under Lucien's tutelage.
Yup, good mates share the blessings… and the pain.