Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 138: Professor Terra

The secret passage was dark, without even a torch, but if there were torches, it probably wouldn't be called a secret passage.

"Secret passage number thirteen leads to the alchemy office and the restroom..."

Fred proudly introduced the product, then quickened his pace.

“I think I understand now—Professor Terra isn’t in the book, and she doesn’t like fame, right?”

George's expression was a little strange, and he said quietly.

"Alright, we've arrived. Now, don't say anything and just wait quietly."

Fred gave a reminder, then took a thin rope out of his bag.

"This is our masterpiece. Although we don't know what to name it yet, it's still very useful."

George threw the rope on the ground, and it stretched out on its own until it reached the end of the secret passage, then turned right.

"Professor Tara teaches on Mondays and Wednesdays, and you'll never see her at other times—she's a very busy person. She even disappears after class, and if you can't find her today, you'll have to wait a week, because she's only out grading papers on Mondays."

Oh—she'll be grading in the nearby hallway for a while after she's done…but we don't know where she'll be grading, so we rely on this!”

The slender rope trembled slightly, and Fred murmured to himself:
"Oh, it's not in this classroom, and it's not here either. Then we know... Let's go through Secret Passage Number Five!"

In a strange atmosphere, Sheen followed the twins out from behind a large portrait. They jumped out of the portrait and turned into a secret passage that required six knocks to open.

"Lumos! (Flashing light!)"

Fred's wand tip burst forth with light.

"Lumos! (Flashing light!)"

George lit up his wand the next moment as well.

“We’ll wait here until we tell you you can leave, then you can take all your alchemy books and ‘bump into’ Professor Terra.”

If you're lucky, you might get to talk to the professor; if you're unlucky, you might bump into him—remember to put your notebook on top…

Sheehan nodded, though he thought the chance encounter was a bit ahead of its time, but after hearing the Weasleys say that they had bumped into the professor seven times, he fell silent.

"Lumos! (Flashing light!)"

He lit his wand and opened "A History of Modern Magic," which contained records of the Vagado School of Magic.

Located in Africa, Vagado has been established for at least a thousand years. Although there are many small magic schools in Africa, Vagado is the only one that has stood the test of time and achieved an enviable international reputation.

The students there are particularly skilled in astronomy, alchemy, and transmutation.

At a past Animagus International Symposium, a delegation from the Vagado School nearly caused a riot while demonstrating synchronized transformation, attracting considerable media attention. Many older and more experienced wizards and sorceresses felt threatened by a group of 14-year-olds, as Vagado students were able to transform into elephants and cheetahs at will.

Furthermore, they also cast spells using gestures, simply because wands were invented in Europe and did not spread to other parts of the world.

So initially they frequently violated the Secrets Act, and the Ministry of Magic couldn't do anything about it because they said:

“I just waved my hand; I never intended to dislocate his jaw.”

The Ministry of Magic was so angry that it changed the rules overnight.

"Oh, it's time! Go quickly!"

Fred seemed very excited. He pushed Sheen out of the secret passage. At that moment, a white-haired professor in a silver robe, who looked extremely aloof, was carrying some parchment.

With a flick of her finger, without even using a wand, the parchments jumped into a newly appeared trash can, and then both the parchments and the trash can disappeared.

Flora Terra always had a blank expression. The alchemy course had been running for more than two months, and the young wizards couldn't even distinguish between Feoh and f.

They are simply different spellings of the same rune in different regions.

The silver-haired professor glanced at the thin thread in the corner, and two missing parchments reappeared. A quill pen leaped out of the office, quickly scribbled something on the parchment, and then the parchment transformed into an owl, flapping its wings and flying away. Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, Pamela Payton and the Gryffindor beside her were hit on the head by a roll of parchment that had fallen.

Sheen watched this amazing scene, his attention falling on the trash can.

"It's... Vanishing Charm, Disguise Charm, Manifestation Charm, and Transfiguration..."

"Not bad, a keen intuition."

She raised her eyebrows slightly, her voice not loud, but loud enough for the Weasleys to hear, while keeping Sheehan completely in the dark.

We have to help him—

Fred was so anxious that he was spinning around in circles.

"He is a true alchemical genius!"

George nodded in agreement.

Unbeknownst to the two, Professor Terra's eyes clearly showed some interest at this moment.

She waved her hand, and the Weasleys, who were supposed to be preparing to use magic to give Sheehan a push, suddenly heard a loud noise.

It turned out to be a retractable ear, which was being chewed by the wastepaper basket—that is, the trash can.

"We've been spotted! Retreat—!"

The Weasleys vanished in an instant.

"How far have you gotten to 'An Easy Introduction to Ancient Magic Runes,' 'Magic Rune Dictionary,' 'Magic Word Phonetic Chart'...?"

In the corridor, afternoon sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, and Sheen saw Professor Terra's silver hair appear slightly translucent in the golden light. Clouds drifted by outside, shifting the light's intensity and causing Sheen's eyes to gleam softly.

"I just finished memorizing it..."

Sheen confessed honestly.

"Not bad..."

The professor, clad in silver robes and wielding silver magic, paid no heed to this. Approaching closer, she saw it was a young, inexperienced wizard, and her expression softened slightly.

"Are you very interested in alchemy?"

"Yes, Professor."

Sheen took out his floating quill pen, knowing that his opportunity had arrived.

“A floating quill pen—a nice rune array…”

The professor was clearly intrigued. She held the quill pen, and even after letting go, the quill pen remained floating in the air.

"This is a practice piece, not exactly an alchemist's first work, but it's good enough..."

Her usually indifferent eyes now held a hint of appreciation.

Back in second grade, she had already completed the basic rune array. The amount of rote memorization required by books like "An Introduction to Ancient Runes," "Rune Dictionary," and "Magic Phonetic Chart" wasn't as much as she had imagined. However, she didn't rashly attempt to create alchemical items…

The recklessness he picked up from those two somewhat talented but mischievous little wizards is understandable.

"When did you begin learning alchemy, child?"

Her words already revealed a very clear interest.

"A month ago, Professor."

"A month... Oh, a month?!"

(End of this chapter)