There were ten minutes left before Alchemy class began. This was also the time when the upper-year students had their last class of the day.
"Lady Ravenclaw..."
Professor McGonagall had known this already, but hearing it directly from Sean's mouth still gave her a strange feeling.
"Yes, Professor," Sean replied.
"You are willing to share..."
Professor McGonagall's stern tone softened considerably.
"Of course, Professor. Could you wait a moment?" Sean thought for a second and said.
"Yes, child," Professor McGonagall seemed to be mimicking something.
A few minutes later, when Sean returned to the suit of armor, he was holding a special basin.
It was a shallow stone basin with runes and symbols carved along the rim. It was filled with a silvery substance that moved like clouds—neither liquid nor gas.
Minerva McGonagall recognized it as a Pensieve.
"Headmaster Dumbledore showed me how to use silvery threads of memory. They are quite fascinating," Sean said, holding the basin.
Naturally, they went to the Transfiguration office. Together, they leaned over the rippling silver substance in the stone basin until their faces touched it.
They tumbled through a dark void and landed by a tranquil lakeside.
Here, a babbling brook extended from the lake's edge, flowing into the distance.
By the stream stood a beautiful woman with a stern, perhaps even slightly imposing, face.
She wore robes woven of green and blue, and in her hands was a very old, worn book.
"Ravenclaw..."
Minerva McGonagall looked a little dazed.
Then, the conversation between the person and the cat began. When she heard, "You may ask me many questions, but please choose the most important one," Professor McGonagall also felt a spark of curiosity.
When it came to being unexpected, the young wizard never failed to deliver.
Minerva McGonagall was stunned.
The two figures in the memory took no notice of Minerva McGonagall's expression and continued their conversation.
"You ask nothing for yourself?" Ravenclaw said.
"At Hogwarts, I have already received enough."
Minerva saw the black cat's ears twitch.
---
The mist slowly dissipated, and Sean felt Professor McGonagall's hand on his arm. A moment later, they were standing in almost the same spot, snow now falling on the windowsill outside.
As Sean stepped out of the Transfiguration office, he noticed that the fireplace here was still the roaringest of all the offices.
Students bustled back and forth in the corridor. Members of the Castle Spirit Cat Club were sparing no effort in searching the entire castle.
At this rate, they would discover more secret passages than the Castle Explorers Club—also known as the Blind Secret Passage Club.
For instance, they had just found the secret passage behind the one-eyed witch statue.
Ignoring the club members, Sean arrived at the familiar Alchemy classroom and climbed into his dedicated high chair.
Unbeknownst to him, Helena lingered on a treetop not far outside the window.
When she saw Sean carefully studying each material and leisurely inscribing precise runes on them, she nodded slightly.
When she saw upper-year students trying to take shortcuts, experimenting recklessly with materials, and hastily coupling alchemy components, a hint of disdain appeared in her grey-white eyes.
She left. Drifting past the trophy room in the corridor, it was as if she were watching generations of Ravenclaw students striving for wisdom, points, and honor.
Back then, she had always paid special attention to the clever but anxious students, or the gifted but solitary ones, quietly watching them learn magic and leave the castle.
She drifted through the castle she had inhabited for a thousand years, the prison she had confined herself in for a millennium.
Suddenly, she looked back at the young wizard.
By now, Sean's class had ended, and he was discussing something with Professor Tyra.
"I modified part of the Two-Way Mirror, Professor," Sean said.
"Very good. I remember you were trying to substitute some materials. What cheaper alternatives did you find?" Professor Tyra took the mirror, intrigued.
"The materials I used are still expensive."
Sean's eyes dimmed slightly.
It was indeed a difficult task.
"Oh?"
Professor Tyra actually looked excited.
This wasn't something you saw often.
"I only made partial modifications, adjusted some materials, and changed the magic circuits.
It only allows one mirror to connect to seven others, and that's the limit..."
Sean took out his notebook, which was filled with theories and hypotheses.
With this notebook, any Alchemy Master could undoubtedly create a similar alchemical artifact. This was the "Creation Manuscript" that alchemists valued most.
"Only..."
Professor Tyra took the notebook, somewhat speechless.
"How much did the cost increase?" she asked.
"Increase?"
Sean didn't understand.
"It only decreased by thirty percent."
"You are destined to change the wizarding world!" Professor Tyra exclaimed in a low voice.
She quickly flipped through the entire notebook, trying to find the few most precious materials usually required.
The good news was that she didn't find those nearly extinct materials.
The bad news was that she, a professor, didn't immediately understand the final ritual at a glance.
"Where are those materials?" she asked with a hint of urgency.
"Optimized away."
Sean knew what the professor was referring to. It was a tacit understanding among alchemists.
"Optimized..."
Professor Tyra was stunned for a moment, then a smile she couldn't suppress spread across her face.
The rarity and value of Two-Way Mirrors lay in those few nearly extinct ingredients.
Few people dared to boldly change the production method because it would disrupt the entire magical ritual.
But for Sean, he was unaware of these convoluted restrictions.
In the field of alchemy, he always followed his intuition.
"What do you want to call it?" Professor Tyra asked, handing the mirror back to Sean.
"I made it a bit smaller. As for the name, let's call it the Magic Hand Mirror."
Sean took out the newly optimized version.
It was only the size of a palm. The mirror surface slowly reflected the scene on the other side, looking quite unremarkable.
But Sean heard a notification from his interface:
[You practiced making a Magic Hand Mirror at a Novice standard. Proficiency +3]
[High-Tier · Magic Hand Mirror: Locked (3/30)]
Sean's breath hitched.
It was actually a High-Tier Alchemical Artifact!
So, all the alchemical creations he needed to advance to Master level had been discovered.
Now, all he had to face was time.
"How many did you make in total?" Professor Tyra asked suddenly.
"Two sets in total, seven mirrors in each set," Sean recalled.
"I understand."
Professor Tyra nodded with satisfaction.
This would prevent it from spreading widely, giving her more time to... maximize the value of this alchemical creation.
"By the way, Professor, this is for you."
Sean took out one of the mirrors.
Professor Tyra accepted it, looking even more satisfied.