"So you're saying that Hogwarts has become dangerous now, right?"
Nodding, Sean said to Antonius, "That's right, Teacher Antonius. Based on my speculation, there is at least one Death Eater still within Hogwarts."
"I see..."
Antonius thought silently for a moment, then continued, "I'm not very clear about what this person called Voldemort is like, but in my time there was no shortage of people who, after mastering magic, thought they were supreme above all others. These people generally all have one thing in common. They'll use any means to achieve their goals, and they always have backup plans. Perhaps you can take this as reference. When dealing with them, try to keep as many cards up your sleeve as possible. Only then can you be more composed."
As Antonius finished speaking, Nicolas also continued, "Sean, you don't need to worry too much about Voldemort's affairs. With Dumbledore there, he'll handle it. Your current task is to grow as much as possible. This is the meaning behind Dumbledore shouldering all the responsibility. When you children have grown up, you'll naturally be able to share the responsibility of dealing with Voldemort with Dumbledore. So you don't need to think about these things now. Instead, think about how to continue researching life alchemy."
Just as Nicolas said, the other members within the Order of the Phoenix had all come about this way. After they grew up, they shared the responsibility of dealing with Voldemort with Dumbledore.
Though most of these people didn't have good endings.
With this thought, Sean looked seriously at Nicolas and Antonius. "Teacher Antonius and Teacher Nicolas, can I begin studying life alchemy now?"
Nodding, Antonius said, "Yes, your current alchemy level has reached a decent standard. You can begin gradually studying life alchemy. I'll give you some books here. You'll still go to Gringotts to retrieve them. Combined with these books, read my first paper on life alchemy. I hope you can gain something during this week before our next class."
"Alright, just wait for my good news."
Sean had long been curious about what life alchemy actually entailed. Now that he could finally begin studying it, he was naturally somewhat impatient. Actually, Sean had always maintained an attitude of finding research delightful. Otherwise he couldn't have gone so far in potions.
Research was something that couldn't be assisted by his system panel. This was all Sean's own step-by-step progress. When others were resting, Sean was researching. When others were joking around, Sean was studying. When others were in love and being romantic, Sean was writing papers.
Without a genuine love for knowledge, it would have been absolutely impossible to persist until now.
Those days of repeatedly using Time-Turners to live through the same day, spending all time except for brief sleep and meals on research and study, drinking Pepperup Potion like water. How could such days not be bitter and tiring?
When the time came, Antonius left. Sean and Nicolas walked out of the classroom together.
Along the way, the two continued discussing alchemy problems, and even when they parted, Sean was still thinking.
Nicolas watched Sean's departing figure with some emotion. "I hope this child can succeed. He should be my last hope. If he cannot succeed, I may not be able to continue persisting. When life becomes a curse, under this curse, each day truly feels like a year."
Sean felt he had returned to his previous life of writing potions papers. Only this time he wasn't researching potions anymore, but alchemy.
The person most displeased about Sean researching alchemy was Snape. A perfectly good potions genius being led astray to research alchemy midway. Snape found this disagreeable no matter how he thought about it. And when he was displeased, someone had to suffer. Snape couldn't bear to continue tormenting his hardworking student, so the final lucky audience became Gryffindor and the Chosen One, Harry Potter!
"It seems our Chosen One hasn't been reading seriously. He can't even answer such questions. Ten points from Gryffindor!"
"Longbottom, if I were you, I wouldn't rashly throw ingredients into the cauldron. Five points from Gryffindor!"
"Miss Granger, perhaps you should learn to listen quietly when I'm asking questions, instead of telling the great Chosen One the answers below, attempting to deceive the professor. Ten points from Gryffindor!"
By the end of class, the Gryffindor potions trio had broken their point deduction record. The three walked out of the potions classroom looking dazed, with expressions of being utterly devastated, making Sean feel sympathetic and involuntarily laugh.
Sean could feel his Head of House's dissatisfaction, but in potions, his research had indeed reached a bottleneck. He needed time to deepen his foundation before he could step into new levels again. Snape probably understood this too, which was why he didn't force Sean to do anything, allowing him to take his time and research other things. Somewhat hoping Sean could learn by analogy.
Returning to his room, putting down his things, and saying something to Blaise, Sean went to the headmaster's office.
"Sean, are you ready?"
"Ready, Professor."
Nodding, Dumbledore gestured for Sean to come beside him, then grabbed a handful of Floo powder and scattered it into the fireplace. The fireplace immediately burst into green flames, and Sean stepped into the flames first.
"Ministry of Magic!"
The flames rose, instantly engulfing Sean. The next second, Sean felt the green flames around him quickly fade, and he arrived at the Ministry of Magic.
Walking out of the fireplace, Sean waited briefly before Dumbledore emerged from the fireplace.
As soon as Dumbledore appeared, wizards throughout the Ministry greeted and bowed to him. Dumbledore returned their greetings, then led Sean to the Wizengamot Administrative Services meeting room. Many people were already seated there. All Wizengamot members and reserve candidates. Like Sean, these reserve candidates were also seeking promotion opportunities.
Leading Sean to sit in the front row, Gavin was already waiting there. Seeing Dumbledore arrive with Sean, Gavin immediately thanked him. "Thank you for the trouble, Dumbledore."
"It's no trouble at all. Moreover, Sean is Hogwarts' most outstanding student. Helping him is something I'm happy to do."