There were still ten minutes until Alchemy class started—also the last class period for older students.
"Lady Ravenclaw…"
Professor McGonagall already knew, but hearing Sean say it aloud still felt strangely unreal.
"Yes, Professor," Sean replied.
"You're willing to share it with me…"
McGonagall's stern tone softened considerably.
"Of course, Professor. Could you wait a moment?" Sean thought, then said.
"Yes, child." McGonagall seemed to be imitating someone.
A few minutes later, when Sean returned to the suit of armor, a special basin had appeared in his hands.
It was a shallow stone basin, its rim carved with runes and symbols. Inside was a silvery substance like clouds—half liquid, half vapor.
Minerva McGonagall recognized it at once: a Pensieve.
"Headmaster Dumbledore taught me how to use memory strands. They're… peculiar," Sean said, holding the basin.
They naturally headed into the Transfiguration office. Together, they leaned over the shimmering, rippling silver until their faces touched it.
They tumbled headlong through dark emptiness and landed by a quiet lakeside.
Here, a murmuring stream stretched along the shore and flowed off into the distance.
By the water stood a woman—beautiful, but with a severe, faintly imposing expression. She wore robes woven in green and blue, and held an ancient-looking book.
"Ravenclaw…"
Minerva McGonagall went a little blank.
Then the cat and the woman began to speak. When McGonagall heard, "You may ask me many questions, but choose the most important one," she couldn't help growing curious.
When it came to surprises, the young wizard never failed to surprise anyone.
McGonagall paused, stunned.
The two in the memory paid no attention to McGonagall's expression and continued their conversation.
"You ask nothing for yourself?" Ravenclaw said.
"At Hogwarts, I've already been given enough," came the reply.
McGonagall watched the black cat's ears twitch.
…
The mist slowly dispersed. Sean felt McGonagall's hand catch his arm, and after a moment they were back in nearly the same place, snow settling on the windowsill outside.
When Sean stepped out of the Transfiguration office, he noticed its fireplace was still the fiercest-burning of any office.
Students moved constantly along the corridors; the Castle Spirit Cat Club members were searching the entire castle with relentless enthusiasm.
At this rate, they'd soon know more secret passages than the Castle Explorers Club—the "Blind-Eyed Passage Club."
For example, they'd already found the passage behind the hunchbacked witch.
Ignoring the club members, Sean went to the familiar Alchemy classroom and sat in his own tall, high-backed chair.
Unseen by him, Helena hovered on a treetop not far beyond the window.
When she saw Sean carefully study each material and patiently engrave precise runes, she nodded slightly;
When she saw older students try to take shortcuts—carelessly experimenting, hurriedly coupling alchemical components—contempt flickered in her gray eyes.
She left. She drifted past the trophy room, as if watching generations of Ravenclaws struggle for wisdom, points, and honor.
She had always paid special attention to the clever but anxious students, or the gifted yet solitary ones—quietly watching them learn magic and leave the castle.
She floated through this castle where she'd stayed for a thousand years—this prison she'd built for herself.
Then, suddenly, she looked back toward the young wizard.
By then, class had ended, and Sean was speaking with Professor Tayra.
"I modified part of the two-way mirrors, Professor," Sean said.
"Very good. I remember you've been trying to swap out materials—what cheaper materials did you find?" Professor Tayra asked, taking the mirror with interest.
"The materials are still expensive," Sean's eyes dimmed slightly.
This really was difficult.
"Oh?" Professor Tayra looked even more excited.
That was rare.
"I only made partial modifications—adjusted some materials and changed the magical circuitry.
All I managed was to let one two-way mirror connect to seven others, but that's already the limit…"
Sean took out his notes, packed with principles and hypotheses.
With notes like these, any master alchemist could reproduce a similar creation—this was the "original design draft" alchemists valued most.
"Only…" Professor Tayra took the notebook, momentarily speechless. "How much did the cost increase?" she asked.
"Increase?" Sean didn't understand. "It only dropped by thirty percent."
"You're destined to change the wizarding world," Professor Tayra whispered.
She flipped through the entire notebook rapidly, trying to find the few most precious ingredients.
The good news: she didn't see any nearly extinct materials.
The bad news: she didn't understand the final ritual at a glance.
"And those few materials?" she asked, barely able to hide her urgency.
"Optimized away," Sean said.
He knew what she meant—it was the unspoken shorthand between alchemists.
"Optimized…" Professor Tayra froze, then her mouth curved into a grin she couldn't suppress.
Two-way mirrors were rare and valuable precisely because of those nearly extinct ingredients.
Very few people dared alter the method, because one change could collapse the entire ritual.
But Sean didn't know the twists and pitfalls.
In alchemy, he always followed his instincts.
"What do you want to call it?" Professor Tayra asked, handing the mirror back.
"I made it smaller. As for the name… let's call it a Magic Hand Mirror," Sean said, producing the optimized version.
It was only palm-sized. Its surface quietly reflected a scene from the other side—plain and unremarkable at first glance.
But Sean heard the panel's notification:
[You practiced crafting a Magic Hand Mirror to beginner standards. Proficiency +3]
[High-Tier · Magic Hand Mirror: Not unlocked (3/30)]
Sean's breath caught.
A high-tier alchemical creation!
That meant all the pieces he needed to advance to Master had been found.
From now on, the only thing left was time.
"How many did you make in total?" Professor Tayra asked suddenly.
"Two sets. Seven mirrors per set," Sean recalled.
"I understand." Professor Tayra nodded in satisfaction.
That would prevent it from spreading too widely—and give her more time to… bring the artifact's value to its absolute peak.
"By the way, Professor—this is for you." Sean handed her one mirror.
Professor Tayra took it, looking even more pleased.
~~~
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