Professor Bones nodded. "Exactly. But that's where things took a twist. After the Goblin Rebellions ended, when wizards tried to secure a steady supply of Lemay Alloy, Nick Flamel vanished. No one knew why, but occasionally, small amounts of the alloy would surface, proof that Flamel was still alive. Some say he kept the formula hidden because creating it was costly or required rare materials. Others speculate it needed the Philosopher's Stone itself."
Bones chuckled, "But I may get my hands on a piece soon. Dumbledore promised me a sample of Lemay Alloy as part of my teaching reward."
Alex's eyes widened in disbelief. "Dumbledore's giving you something that rare?"
"Yes," Bones said with a mysterious smile. "Dumbledore and Flamel are friends. Few people know, but it's said that Dumbledore is one of the few who knows Flamel's whereabouts."
Alex found himself slightly puzzled. In this case why hadn't anyone in the Order of the Phoenix thought to acquire some Lemay alloy from Nick? If it could enhance their defense, wouldn't it be worth the effort? Was the process for making this alloy truly that difficult? Alex had no way to know, and these advanced materials were beyond his current understanding, only sparking more questions in his mind.
Professor Bones, however, didn't linger on Lemay alloy. He moved forward, introducing Alex to other magical metals, each with unique properties and histories.
"One example is Agrippa alloy," Professor Bones said, his voice steady. "It's a bit weaker than Ulim Steel but more common since it was invented by the wizard Cornelius Agrippa. Many alchemists know the formula." He then paused, looking thoughtful, "And then there's the Herpo alloy—a controversial material designed for curses and dark magic, developed by the Herpo the Foul. It has incredible transformative qualities, able to disguise itself as other magical metals, making it an ideal choice for deceptive, cursed artifacts."
As Professor Bones described these materials, Alex couldn't help but realize that the professor's knowledge of alchemy was very vast. His understanding went far beyond the basics, showing years of study and experience.
Throughout the lecture, Professor Bones displayed various alchemical items made from these materials, giving Alex a chance to observe them up close. Touching and examining each one, Alex began to grasp the fundamentals of these materials.
After detailing different magical metals, Professor Bones shifted to the importance of wood in alchemy, and then onto the alchemical use of magical creature parts, explaining how skins, hair, bones, and other remains held unique properties. "The most common alchemy items on the market today," Professor Bones explained, "often come from these biological materials."
Suddenly, Alex had a realization—he'd been sitting on a wealth of resources without even realizing it! The very materials Professor Bones was introducing were things he'd seen around Hagrid's hut. Unicorn hair, for example, wasn't that the braided rope Hagrid used to hang up bacon? And that plush cushion Hagrid had given him to sit on, it was manticore fur! He even remembered seeing a dragon skin as the footpad by Hagrid's door.
It hit him like a bolt—Hagrid was silently very rich, he was sitting on so many magical treasures. Alex would never see Hagrid in the same way again. Over the next few days, Alex continued learning with Professor Bones, familiarizing himself with more alchemical materials. Finally, Professor Bones introduced him to the tools of enchantment.
"These," Professor Bones said, spreading out a roll of tools, "are the essentials for alchemical enchanting." Inside the tool set were fourteen carving knives, divided into two groups of seven, alongside a magnifying glass, scales, rulers, compasses, and pliers.
Professor Bones explained the two main enchantment methods. "First, there's direct spell enchanting, like with an invisibility cloak, but it doesn't last long—maybe a few years at best. The other method, engraving, is more durable. You inscribe the magical runes onto the material, and as long as you replenish its magic, the enchantment can last much longer."
He pointed to two engraving techniques: clear engraving, where the runes are carved visibly onto the surface, and hidden engraving, a more advanced method that requires steady magic control to invisibly inscribe runes by directly infusing them into the material.
Alex leaned in, carefully inspecting the carving knives. The clear engraving knives were sharp, designed for cutting precise lines, while the hidden engraving knives were more delicate, with thin tubes that allowed for controlled magic infusion.
Professor Bones encouraged him to try hidden engraving first. Alex held the hidden carving knife over a small piece of wood, gathering his focus. Slowly, he began to channel his magic through the knife, controlling his output to trace a floating spell rune. It was harder than he thought; maintaining a steady flow of magic while carving was tricky. Halfway through, his control slipped, and with a faint pop, the wood chip cracked.
Watching closely, Professor Bones gave him a nod. "Not bad for your first try! Wood is more fragile with magic, but if this were metal, it would handle the stress much better. Keep practicing."
Alex took another piece of wood, attempting the rune again, and again he faltered. Professor Bones was patient, though, offering advice and encouragement with each try. Finally, after four times, Alex completed his first successful rune. When he activated it with a bit of magic, the wood chip floated gently above the table.
Professor Bones smiled broadly. "Excellent! One success out of five attempts is impressive, especially with a material as challenging as wood."
"Thank you, Professor," Alex said, his voice bright with accomplishment. He could now envision the potential of alchemy in his hands.
As a final gesture, Professor Bones handed Alex the hidden carving knife. "Take this with you to practice. Once you're comfortable, we'll move on to testing your echolocation spell."
The next day, Alex committed himself fully to his studies. He spent most of his time in the library, borrowing every book he could find about spells, charms, and enchantments. Back in his hut, he would bury himself in studying and practicing inscription spells, determined to get better.
Charles continued to train alongside him. Every morning, they met up, and Alex led them through rigorous physical exercises. Charles struggled to keep up with Alex's routines, which started with a five-kilometer run. At first, Charles could barely handle it, feeling completely drained by the end. But after a week, he was slowly starting to adapt, his stamina and endurance beginning to improve little by little.
In the afternoons, Charles joined Alex back at the hut near the edge of the Forbidden Forest for spell practice and time-focused training. Outside, Alex had set up wooden targets for Charles to practice spells like the Disarming Charm and the Stunning Spell, Stupefy. Each session, Charles gave it his all, putting in every ounce of effort. By the end of each day, he was exhausted but also satisfied, feeling himself grow stronger and more confident as he discovered this new world of magic.