A crooked two-story house stood in the middle of a large forest, surrounded by various magical crops. Pesky gnomes took advantage of the owner's distraction to dig holes and cause mischief in the vegetable garden.
In the living room on the first floor, the fireplace crackled, continuously releasing light and heat, enveloping the figures sitting on the sofas in a comfortable warmth.
"Grandpa Nicolas, have you really made up your mind?" On the long sofa, a beautiful silver-haired girl blinked her large, tear-filled eyes as she squeezed the old man's hands beside her.
Although the girl wore light makeup and a simple style, she naturally exuded an air of enchantment. This was because she possessed a quarter of Veela blood, a lethal charm that affected every man who saw her.
Makiya would have originally been affected by this charm; even though he could restrain himself, lewd and crazy thoughts would still pop into his head from time to time.
After Erotica Makiya went online, everything changed. Only things that were desired but unobtainable were truly precious; once actually possessed, they were no longer as coveted.
After merging the memories of Erotica Makiya, a wave of restricted scenes appeared in his mind. The sensation of skin felt as if it were right at his fingertips, no different from having experienced it himself.
From then on, Makiya's resistance to Fleur's charm skyrocketed, leaving the young girl bewildered and wondering if her lineage was a sham.
"Oh, poor little Fleur, do not grieve for me." The elderly Nicolas Flamel wiped away her tears, his face full of kindness. "Death is but the next great adventure, an adventure I have missed for a very long time."
Nicolas Flamel's voice was aged and weak. The Elixir of Life could indeed significantly extend his life, but the aging of the body was unavoidable. After living for more than six hundred years, his body was nearing its limit; his five senses, physical strength, and desires had all declined sharply, leaving him with no interest in anything in the world.
Living was no longer interesting, the quality of life continued to drop, and the frequency of taking the Elixir grew more frequent, with his resistance to it about to reach its peak.
Nicolas Flamel realized his end was near. Rather than lingering until the very end, he preferred to end his life voluntarily while his mind was still clear.
Before this, Nicolas's only regret was failing to pass on his alchemical legacy. Over the years, many friends had recommended geniuses from various countries, but without exception, none had met his standards.
Just as Nicolas was losing hope, his old friend Dumbledore introduced Makiya. Nicolas was pleasantly surprised to find that Makiya was unlike any other genius he had ever seen; not only did he have a photographic memory for book knowledge, but his practical skills were also exceptional, always able to put his ideas into practice.
After a period of quiet observation, Makiya's character was also found to be worthy, making him the perfect successor.
With many thoughts flashing through his mind, Nicolas Flamel's aged eyes turned to the other side of the fireplace. There, in a single armchair, Makiya was curled up in the soft cushions, lost in thought over a massive tome.
A teacup floated in the air, occasionally tilting to feed the black tea within to Makiya's mouth.
Fleur noticed Nicolas's gaze and turned to look where the old man was looking, immediately seeing Makiya drinking tea and reading.
"Makiya, how can you be like this!" Fleur wiped her tears. "Grandpa Nicolas is about to... about to... and you don't have any reaction at all."
"Fleur, if you truly respect Teacher Nicolas, you should respect his choice." Makiya lightly tapped the book, and the alchemical tome closed itself from the center of the pages, resting on the latest page he had read.
"But..."
"Alright, children, come and have some cookies."
Another aged voice interrupted Fleur. Nicolas Flamel's wife, Perenelle Flamel, walked over carrying a tray of cookies fresh from the oven, their inviting aroma instantly filling the room.
Even food couldn't stop Fleur's mouth. The girl continued to linger reluctantly for a while longer until her father arrived right on time to take her away.
With Fleur gone, only Makiya and the Flamels remained in the room.
Facing the teacher who had taught him so diligently and without holding anything back, Makiya let out a long sigh, masking the sorrow in his heart. "Teacher, is there anything I can do for you?"
Makiya thought Nicolas would say no. In his eyes, the old couple had no more concerns and had already prepared everything for after their death. Unexpectedly, Nicolas thought for a moment and spoke seriously. "If possible, I hope you will go to Hogwarts or Beauxbatons to serve as a professor for a year or two, specifically in charge of Alchemy."
"Serve as a professor... No problem, Teacher Nicolas. Is there anything else?"
"Nothing else. When you go back, give Dumbledore a message for me. Tell him not to bother visiting my grave; he'll never find where it's hidden!"
After saying that, Nicolas gave Makiya a playful wink.
Even after he was gone, this old fellow wanted to play a game of hide-and-seek with his old friend.
Makiya agreed to everything. The conversation lasted until late at night. When Makiya walked out of the two-story house with his suitcase, he looked up and saw that the moon was high in the sky.
"Teacher, you..."
Turning around, he found that the original two-story house had vanished, along with the surrounding vegetable garden. Even though he had just walked out the door and the surroundings were the familiar woods, he could not find Nicolas's residence no matter what.
The old couple had already hidden the cottage with magic. Still young at heart, they planned to play hide-and-seek with their old friend.
'How broad-minded. I probably wouldn't be so casual about facing death...' Makiya clicked his tongue. He craved eternal life, and as someone possessing the mysterious space, he would inevitably achieve it. The kind of longevity Nicolas had—with a decaying body and a weary spirit—was not his goal. Physical youth and a vibrant spirit were the keys to a high-quality eternal life.
Grasping the crest necklace on his chest, Makiya's body instantly condensed into a single point. He felt as if he were being squeezed into a tiny pipe, like clear water flowing through a tap, drifting with the flow under the pressure of space.
Pop!
With a soft sound, Makiya was ejected by the space that had been stretched like a rubber band. With his extensive experience, he immediately regained his sense of direction, flipped his body nimbly, and landed steadily on the ground.
He appeared right next to the Forbidden Forest, near his private cottage. The weather was cold, and Hagrid's hut nearby was dark. Only the jack-o'-lanterns in the clearing were lit, their flickering candlelight looking like ghost fires in the pitch-black night.
Usually at this time, some couples would be found in the clearing outside the Forbidden Forest, but today it was uncharacteristically deserted. Makiya looked up toward the Hogwarts Great Hall and saw it was brightly lit and bustling with noise.
"Oh right, I almost forgot. Today is Halloween."
Halloween is a very important day here. The food in the Great Hall would be exceptionally lavish today. At this hour, the young wizards should all be feasting.
Stowing the suitcase Teacher Nicolas had given him into his cottage, Makiya tightened his wizard robes and walked quickly toward Hogwarts.
The interior of the suitcase had been cast with an Undetectable Extension Charm, and the space inside was large enough to hold a small library. The shelves were filled with books given to Makiya by Nicolas Flamel, the same style as Newt's suitcase from 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'.
Not forgetting Nicolas's request, Makiya passed through the castle gates and climbed the stairs, intending to deliver the playful invitation to Dumbledore.
Before he even reached the entrance of the Great Hall, Makiya saw a figure hurrying past him. The smell of garlic was like a biochemical weapon, drifting into Makiya's nostrils from a distance.
It was Quirrell and Voldemort!
A flustered Quirrell didn't seem to see Makiya, sweating profusely as he fled as if something terrifying were chasing him.
Halloween night, a panicked Quirrell—Makiya felt a strong sense of déjà vu. Scenes from the original movie immediately jumped out in his memory.
'This should be the scene where the troll attacks Hermione.'
Makiya didn't intend to meddle; it was better to let the original plot unfold. In any case, the troll would surely be dealt with.
Sure enough, not long after Quirrell ran into the Great Hall, the commotion began to spread. Then, a massive roar pierced through the doors.
"SILENCE!!!!!!"
Dumbledore's voice was magnified by magic, and waves of sound echoed throughout Hogwarts, suppressing all the noise of the panic.
Under Dumbledore's arrangements, the prefects of each year led the students back to their dormitories. The professors also dispersed to search for the troll Quirrell had mentioned.
Makiya took the opportunity to find Dumbledore standing in the center of the hall. "Headmaster, Teacher Nicolas asked me to deliver this letter to you. He also has a message: he said there's no need for you to visit him, as you surely won't find where his grave is hidden."
"Is that so?" Dumbledore took the letter and was stunned for a moment before slowly nodding. "I understand. Mr. Makiya, you should follow the others back to the dormitory. Trolls are very dangerous."
"Alright, Headmaster Dumbledore."
Makiya turned to leave.
Once Dumbledore was alone in the hall, he immediately opened the envelope and pulled out Nicolas's letter. If Makiya could have seen the contents, he would have found that it was almost entirely filled with praise and appreciation for him.
When Dumbledore had asked Nicolas to teach Makiya, he had also urged his old friend to observe Makiya's character and personality. He did not want to train a second Voldemort.
Fortunately, Nicolas's evaluation of Makiya was very high, allowing the constantly anxious Dumbledore to heave a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, after leaving the Great Hall, Makiya headed up toward the Ravenclaw common room. Before he had even climbed two floors, he smelled a thick, foul odor approaching.
"Ahhh!" Hermione's voice came from the end of the second-floor corridor. Makiya turned his head and saw the little witch fleeing for her life, the alchemical submachine gun in her hand continuously firing dense magic bullets at the creature behind her.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The magic bullets showered down like rain, striking the troll's tough skin and exploding into bursts of magical light.
Only when a few bullets hit its head did the troll's movements falter, buying her a moment to catch her breath.
Unlike in the original story where she fled in terror, Hermione, equipped with an alchemical firearm, was barely able to put up a fight. After encountering the troll in the lavatory, she relied on the submachine gun in her hand to keep moving and successfully escaped.
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