"Brothers, I'm back!"
With a tap on Stein's shoulder, Adam tossed his bag onto the long table and sat down.
"Where did you go? I haven't seen you in ages."
Stein asked, pushing a grilled sausage toward Adam, which had been saved for him.
"I went to talk to Professor Sprout about growing plants in the dormitory."
"Growing plants? Can't you just grow them whenever you want?"
There were plenty of plants in their Hufflepuff common room, including hanging pothos from the ceiling and cacti on the tables.
"Maybe it's a magical plant?" Eugene guessed.
Adam nodded. "That's right, so I had to ask Professor Sprout for permission. Don't worry, it's just a white flower. She gave me a seedling, and I planted it by my bedside. It won't bother anyone."
He had planted Baixian mainly to practice magic and as a first step toward requesting permission to grow other magical plants.
The magic of flower and tree cards couldn't be practiced in isolation. Adam was currently working hard to master the magic of the Gan cards. If everything went well, the Baixian would bloom just in time for him to use it to practice the flower card magic.
After lunch, Adam grabbed his backpack and left the group again.
"Where are you off to now?" Stein asked.
"Professor Sprout asked me to bring something to Professor Dumbledore," Adam replied honestly. She had tasked him with delivering a bottle of nectar from the honey orchid to the headmaster.
"What about your pot of soup?" Stein asked, swallowing in anticipation.
"Don't worry, it's just a quick delivery, and we've just had lunch!" Adam waved as he jogged off. "Be back soon!"
After Adam returned to the dormitory, Robert looked at Adam's four-poster bed and touched his chin in thought. "Didn't Adam say his parents were ordinary people? How is he adapting to the wizarding world so well?"
In fact, it was more than just adapting. Adam seemed to be thriving, even more so than those who came from established wizarding families.
Eugene and Uther exchanged glances, seeing the same unspoken thoughts reflected in each other's eyes.
Stein, on the other hand, didn't ponder these things too deeply. He was more concerned about when Adam would return. He hadn't eaten much lunch, saving room for that pot of soup... Oh wait, weren't there two tea eggs left from breakfast?
"Coconut sorbet."
After muttering the password, Adam stepped into the headmaster's office, only to find Professor Dumbledore dozing behind his desk.
Looking around, he saw most of the portraits of past headmasters were also asleep, with a few empty frames suggesting some had gone out for a visit.
Adam decided not to wake Dumbledore. Instead, he spotted a chair opposite the desk, sat down, and pulled out a book to read while waiting.
The refilling spell… it summons liquid from a prepared container. If he mastered this spell, he could use the Gan card to conjure a bucket of Coke in advance and always have it on hand.
How to make the perfect Steak Wellington using magic… Maybe he could ask his dad to send him some beef to try it out?
"Oh, I'm so sorry… Did I keep you waiting long?"
Dumbledore stirred, removing his half-moon glasses to rub his eyes, then replacing them as he glanced at the student before him. Adam was quietly reading, displaying patience and a love of learning. But wait—
"Advanced Household Magic, a More Exquisite Life?" Dumbledore's gaze lingered on the cover of Adam's book. He blinked.
"Professor Dumbledore, you're awake." Adam smiled and closed the book, slipping it back into his satchel. He then pulled out an envelope, a small bag, and the bottle of nectar Professor Sprout had asked him to deliver.
"These are from Professor Sprout, and this is the nectar from the honey orchid she wanted me to bring you."
"Thank you, Adam. You've been a great help." Dumbledore sighed with gratitude, taking the items and placing them aside before pulling out his wand.
"Now, what would you like to eat? Coconut sorbet? Lemon Olaf? I must admit, I'm fond of cockroach clusters, though most people are put off by their appearance."
With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore conjured up plates filled with the very snacks he'd mentioned.
"Professor Dumbledore, aren't you going to check the delivery first?" Adam asked, a little surprised. After all, that bag contained the Philosopher's Stone, and he knew it was genuine.
"That can wait. Afternoon tea is much more pressing." Dumbledore popped a lemon candy into his mouth, wincing immediately as the sourness hit.
"Oh—seems I've mixed up Lemon Sour with Lemon Olaf!" he said with a wrinkled face, quickly following it up with a cockroach cluster.
Adam exhaled in amusement. "I'll take a coconut sorbet, please."
The pink coconut sorbet wasn't too sweet; the light, refreshing flavor spread over his tongue, filling him with happiness.
"Professor Dumbledore," Adam began after a few bites, "why did Nicolas Flamel trust me with something so important?"
Dumbledore looked up, feigning confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the Philosopher's Stone, of course!" Adam put down his sorbet, looking stressed. "I recognized Nicolas Flamel's name in a book, and I realized what the red stone was. It's so valuable, and I'm just a first-year! What if something had happened to it?"
Dumbledore smiled, conjuring a glass of pumpkin juice and handing it to Adam, who took a grateful sip.
"Calm down, calm down… Didn't you deliver it safely? Nothing went wrong, right?"
"But I'm just a kid! Last month, I didn't even know magic existed. What if someone had figured it out?"
"Nicolas Flamel's security measures for the Stone are more complex than you think, Adam," Dumbledore said reassuringly, picking up the bag containing the Stone. "In fact, this bag is protected by the Fidelius Charm."
"The Fidelius Charm?" Adam asked, tilting his head.
"It's a powerful protective spell. Remember Nicolas Flamel's house? Unless you reveal the secret, even if someone touches this bag, they won't be able to see it or know it's there."
"That's incredible… Can I learn that spell?"
"If you study hard, you might one day," Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "But for now, it's probably a bit beyond your current skill level."
Dumbledore turned and took out a parchment—Adam recognized it as the first-year Hufflepuff schedule. He glanced over it before looking back at Adam.
"As promised, I'll teach you the Portkey spell. Wednesday afternoons after your Charms class should work well. Sound good?"
Adam nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely, Professor."
"Good, it's settled then. I have some other matters to attend to, so feel free to finish the snacks, and please close the door when you leave."
With a nod, Dumbledore picked up the bag with the Philosopher's Stone and headed toward the door. Just before leaving, he turned and added, "Oh, one more thing—please keep this all a secret, yes?"
"Of course, Professor," Adam replied, biting into his sorbet and flashing a cheeky smile.
( End of the chapter )
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