Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 405: It's actually the Dragon King?! A legend!

The way African sorcerers use magic is indeed unique.

They prefer to study magical runes.

That is, the focus on alchemy.

This method may be slightly inferior to European wands in terms of the immediacy and variability of magic, but it has unique advantages in the stability, persistence, and specialization in certain specific areas of magic.

Ian stood outside the shop, watching with great interest. This completely different system of magic broadened his horizons and gave him a deeper understanding of the nature of magic.

Magic doesn't follow a single path; different cultures and traditions have developed their own wonderful interpretations. He even considered whether he should have a "magical rune stick" custom-made for himself, perhaps it would play an unexpected role in some situations? Or at least buy a few books about African magical runes to study?
of course.

All of this happened after I talked to the owner of this engraving shop.

"Indeed, the saying 'travel ten thousand miles' still holds true; the world is vast, and there's everything there." Ian developed a strong interest in the unique spellcasting system of African wizards, which revolves around inscriptions of magical runes. He observed the old craftsman at work for a long time, watching the seemingly ordinary ebony stick gradually transform into a powerful magical artifact under the intricate carving of runes, and he was filled with admiration.

Finally, when the old craftsman finished his work and put down his engraving needle to rest, Ian stepped forward and greeted him politely in English: "Master, your skill is amazing."

The old craftsman raised his head, revealing a pair of deep and sharp eyes. He carefully examined Ian—clearly an outsider, dressed in a simple but well-made travel robe, with a calm demeanor.

His gaze lingered on Ian's empty hands for a moment, probably because Ian's wand was carefully tucked into his sleeve, and alchemists have a much stronger sensitivity to their wands than normal wizards.

This can be roughly compared to perfect pitch. People with perfect pitch are far more sensitive to sound than ordinary people, just as wizards with alchemical talent are more sensitive to alchemical creations.

I watched Ian for a long time.

The old craftsman then spoke slowly, his voice hoarse but clear: "Outsider. What do you wish to buy? Custom-made magical artifacts require an appointment; ordinary finished products are on that shelf over there."

It's worth mentioning that this alchemist was able to tell that Ian was from England; his English had a heavy accent, but it was enough for communication.

This demonstrates his keen observation skills; of course, it could also be that he knows how to use English with white wizards.

Ian smiled slightly and shook his head.

"I am not interested in purchasing, Master. I am simply very curious about your rune inscription technique and your staffless spellcasting. Would it be possible for me to have a conversation with you about it?"

He tentatively began to speak.

"Exchange?" The old craftsman raised his white eyebrows and looked Ian up and down again, his eyes filled with scrutiny and... barely perceptible contempt?

"You want to become an apprentice? To learn the way of runes? You're not young anymore, and you're a stranger in this land. It won't be easy for you to learn from scratch." He clearly regarded Ian as a young wizard who was interested in mysterious African arts and wanted to try his luck. In recent years, with the Muggles establishing the global village, exchanges between countries in the wizarding world have become quite frequent.

Ian maintained his gentle smile: "You misunderstand, Master. It's not an apprenticeship, just a simple academic exchange. I also have some knowledge of alchemy, and I think it might complement your path of magical runes."

"Alchemy?" The old craftsman scoffed, his disdain even more pronounced. "Young man, alchemy is a skill that requires time, patience, and countless failures to master. It's not something you can claim to be 'accomplished' just by reading a few books."

He showed his hands, which were covered with calluses and fine lines. "Judging from your age, you must have just graduated not long ago, right? It's better to be down-to-earth."

This is both advice and contempt.

Capable people tend to have some degree of pride, especially in Africa, where capability is a precious and something to be proud of.

Ian was not angry when he heard this.

He really does look like he's only in his twenties, thanks in large part to his human transformation technique; otherwise, his real age would probably be even more dismissive of the other party.

It was precisely because he considered that as a teenager, he would be difficult to be taken seriously when he went out, that Ian deliberately disguised himself as an adult when he came to this shop.

Never thought about it.

Even in his twenties, he was still looked down upon… Actually, upon closer reflection, it makes sense, since most wizards' learning speed in alchemy can only be accumulated over time. Someone as freakish as Ian is rare even in history; no one in Hogwarts has ever seen one, let alone in a remote place like Africa.

Such a prodigy has never appeared in African history, which is why it's understandable that he's looked down upon. Ian smiled, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable confidence: "Master, the level of knowledge isn't always determined by age. How can we know without testing it out? Perhaps we can both benefit from it."

He remained humble, though not without arrogance; rather, Ian admired that true masters always have the heart of apprentices, which was just another form of showing off.

"Oh?"

The old craftsman stared at Ian for a few seconds, seemingly intrigued by his confidence. He glanced at the door; no new customers were coming in yet, so he nodded. "Alright, we're just idling around anyway. I'll test you, old man, and see just how far your 'slight expertise' really goes."

"If you can't answer, then go buy a ready-made one and leave. Don't bother me while I'm working." He gave Ian another scrutinizing look.

“Of course, it’s up to you.” Ian nodded gracefully.

The old craftsman cleared his throat and began his "test," starting with questions on the basics of alchemical material processing.

"When extracting the essence of the moonflower, what is the most crucial moment in controlling the heat?"

“When the edges of the petals just begin to glow silver, and before the moonlight has fully infused the sap, the temperature drops instantly, locking in the spiritual essence,” Ian answered without hesitation, adding, “If a Cypriot frost crystal container is used, the effect is even better, as it can retain more than 95% of the activity.”

A hint of surprise flashed in the old craftsman's eyes. He nodded, and the questions began to deepen.

"How do we overcome the natural repulsion between mercury and refined gold?" "No need to overcome it, just utilize it."

Ian calmly replied, "By constructing a microscopic vortex using repulsive force and introducing a strand of stable ley line energy as a neutralizer and bridge, the resulting alloy structure is actually more stable, and its magical conductivity is increased by 30%."

The answer was still impeccable.

The old craftsman sat up straighter, his expression becoming much more serious: "So... what are the three most crucial alternative materials for refining the 'Philosopher's Stone' and their respective energy loss rates?"

This is a rather specialized question, touching upon the realm of advanced alchemy. Of course, practice and theory are one and the same, and in fact, many advanced alchemists are well-versed in the theory.

Ian thought for five seconds and answered smoothly: "First, use crimson ruby ​​powder mixed with phoenix ash to replace the essence of life, with a loss rate of about 40%; second, use stellar core debris to replace Philosopher's Base, with a loss rate as high as 60%, but the stability is the best; third, and the least popular one, uses the sands of time generated by the wear and tear of the time converter as a catalyst to directly skip the substrate reconstruction step, with an uncertain loss rate and extremely high risk."

The old craftsman's breathing quickened slightly. These questions were the core area of ​​his life's research, yet the other party answered fluently and even offered a third solution that he had never heard of before!
He couldn't help but ask a few more questions, and Ian gave clear and insightful answers to all of them, even pointing out possible breakthroughs for several bottlenecks that the old craftsman had encountered in his own research.

The old craftsman's eyes had changed from curiosity to shock.

He asked the last, almost the pinnacle question of alchemy that he could comprehend: how to safely extract fragments of the soul and infuse them into magical objects without incurring a backlash from dark magic.

Ian pondered for a moment, not directly answering the question about the method, but instead asking, "Why separate it? Instead of guiding and symbiosis? Forcibly separating it will inevitably damage the source, violating the core principles of alchemy: 'equivalent exchange' and 'harmonious transformation.' Perhaps we could try constructing a two-way energy circulation channel, allowing a portion of the caster's consciousness to temporarily merge with the object's spirituality, achieving a similar effect without permanent damage..."

This is a problem that Ian had already figured out long ago.

The reason.

He elaborated on a completely new approach based on ancient runes and soul magic, the depth of knowledge and creative thinking involved of which completely exceeded the old craftsman's comprehension.

The old craftsman listened with rapt attention. Many problems that had troubled him for years suddenly became clear at this moment, and he even felt that his understanding of the Way of Magic Runes had been elevated to a new level!
After a long while, Ian finished speaking. The old craftsman sat there blankly, his eyes glazed over, as if still processing the massive amount of information. The previous disdain was gone from his face; replaced by extreme shock and…unbelievable bewilderment. Ian had assumed the old craftsman wasn't satisfied with the answer.

"Of course, if you simply want to survive, I have the simplest way—a Horcrux." This is why Ian studies the fusion of souls into alchemical items.

He had studied Voldemort's Horcrux techniques in depth.

"No, no, no, that's the choice of fools. I'm smart, and I also look forward to the adventures after death." The old craftsman waved his hand in refusal, demonstrating the wisdom of a true wizard.

"Then you are indeed a great wizard."

Ian spoke with genuine sincerity, and his words coincided with Dumbledore's views, showing that he was indeed a remarkable wizard.

“Thank you for your praise, but why do you exploit this knowledge so much…” The old craftsman seemed to realize something. He suddenly raised his head, staring intently at Ian’s excessively young face, his eyes flashing intensely. Suddenly, as if he had a guess, he groped under the workbench with trembling hands and pulled out a brass device that looked like a combination of a compass and a crystal ball, covered with complex runes.

I saw.

The old craftsman adjusted the equipment.

He muttered incantations, pointed the device at Ian, and carefully poured in magic. The pointer on the device spun wildly a few times, the runes on its surface flickered erratically, and the crystal ball in the center first tried to reveal something, but suddenly became a chaotic mess, and finally even emitted a slight "click" sound.

Then, a tiny crack appeared! Upon seeing this, the old craftsman recoiled as if burned, his face turning deathly pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His eyes were filled with horror and awe as he looked at Ian, his lips trembling, barely able to utter a complete sentence.

"Your...Your Majesty...? I...I'm so sorry! My eyesight is poor, I was blind! I...I didn't know it was a legend in front of me...Please forgive my rudeness!"

"Forgive my ignorant and reckless words!"

He hurriedly stood up from behind the workbench, about to give Ian a deep bow. Ian paused slightly, then understood. He gently raised his hand, and a soft force supported the old craftsman, preventing him from bowing: "Master, there's no need for such formality. I'm just a passerby."

"Your device... is very interesting. It can detect the presence of legends?" Ian's answer was tantamount to acknowledging his identity; he wasn't the type to play dumb.

The old craftsman was held up by that irresistible force, unable to bend over, and his heart was filled with horror. Hearing Ian's question, he hurriedly and respectfully answered, his voice still trembling: "Your Majesty, this...this is just a crude magic component detector...originally designed to analyze the activity intensity and properties of magical materials, and occasionally to roughly sense the magical foundation of a wizard. But, but it can't actually detect the specific strength of a legendary being at all."

He held the cracked brass device in both hands as if it were a sacred object: "Its detection limit is far below the legendary realm. Just now, its detection of you resulted in chaos and overload, and it was even damaged itself. This can only mean that your existence itself is far beyond its comprehension. Therefore, the fact that it 'cannot detect' and 'detection overload' is actually the best answer."

The old craftsman's face was filled with lingering fear and shame. Only now did he realize what a magnificent being he had just "communicated" with. The other party's youthful appearance was either an illusion maintained by some powerful magic, or a natural manifestation of youth due to an extremely high level of life!
"I see."

Ian nodded knowingly. The principle was so simple and direct—undetectable meant unfathomable. That made perfect sense.

“A very interesting little device,” Ian commented, his tone still calm. “Your rune skills are indeed superb; I have benefited greatly from them. It was a very pleasant exchange today.”

His attitude still didn't come across as condescending.

And then I saw this scene.

The old craftsman immediately had a flash of inspiration and recalled Ian's initial question.

"Does Your Majesty wish to learn about our magic script system?"

The old craftsman suddenly remembered that Ian's initial purpose in approaching him was to inquire about the techniques of rune inscription and staffless spellcasting, and he had even used the word "exchange."

Realizing this, he was filled with both fear and excitement. A legendary mage was actually interested in their skills—this was an incredible opportunity!
He quickly composed himself and said to Ian with utmost respect, even a hint of pleading, "Our rune system is actually based on the evolution of the ancient rune system."

"If Your Majesty wishes to delve deeper—no, if you would be so kind as to deign to instruct me on this subject—this humble old man is more than willing to present you with all the knowledge I have acquired throughout my life, without reservation!"

(End of this chapter)