"Mr Flamel, could you tell me about that ritual?"
"For example, where did it come from, and what needs to be noted when using it?"
Walking through the corridor on the eighth floor of Hogwarts, Evans couldn't help but ask this question.
After all, this was the first time since living in this world for so many years that he had felt his talent take effect in a field other than magical creatures.
He had researched his own talent many times over the years, but never with any results.
It was like a special ability that came with his reincarnation—existing within him without any logic or reason.
But having done research in the magical world for so long, he always felt that this talent's activation patterns were very much in line with this world's rules, which meant this talent might not come from reincarnation alone, or at least not solely from that.
Previously, he had searched through all related materials but found no information about this kind of talent. The closest thing was the talent of Parselmouths to control serpents.
Now that a possible clue had finally appeared, he didn't want to miss this opportunity.
"That ritual?"
Slightly stunned, Nicolas Flamel recalled for a moment, "It comes from a very ancient text. The ritual's effect should derive from the phoenix's ability to be reborn from its own ashes."
Having said this, his tone carried some apology, "Sorry, I'm also not clear where exactly that ancient text was passed down from. I only know it's from a very distant era—after all, when I saw it I was only in my twenties, but that book already looked extremely old."
"I think it should be something passed down from Hogwarts' founding period, or even earlier."
"However, I do still remember some content from that ancient text."
"Please elaborate." Anticipation flashed in Evans's eyes as he slowed his pace, listening to Nicolas Flamel's account.
"At that time, I found this book in my family's forbidden library." Perhaps recalling those years, a smile appeared on Flamel's aged face. "The Flamel family has been an alchemical family since ancient times. Although it had somewhat declined by the era of my birth, the collected forbidden books still contained many texts unseen in the outside world."
"And that book was one of them."
"The beginning of that book actually seemed rather strange. It wasn't like normal wizard notes or inheritances that directly give formulas or content, but instead focused on describing a long section of strange philosophy. To summarise simply: respect nature, revere nature."
Speaking of this, Flamel smiled, "You should know that alchemy's essence is turning stone to gold, reversing matter, and even transforming death to life. Whether it's basic material transformation, homunculi, or the Philosopher's Stone—none of it relates to natural philosophy at all."
"We are inherently beings who reverse rules—how could we possibly follow natural philosophy?"
"Precisely because of this, it was thrown into the forbidden library by my family's elders, prohibiting young family members from contacting such heretical theories."
"But in my years of research, I gradually felt that philosophy wasn't entirely without merit."
"Alchemy is indeed a discipline that reverses rules, but this doesn't mean we can completely despise nature."
"Nature and alchemy shouldn't be in opposition. Our alchemical materials come from nature; the magical power we absorb also comes from nature. Alchemy is just discovering certain patterns within nature—how can it be considered unnatural?"
"Besides this philosophy, that book did focus on explaining some rituals and alchemical techniques. If you want to understand them, I can help record them when I have time." Flamel's face showed a smile. "After all, from now until Christmas, I should be quite free."
"I need to find something to do."
After hearing Nicolas Flamel's account, Evans lowered his head, walking while silently digesting the information he'd just received.
According to Mr Flamel's description, that book should come from some wizard who revered nature, or simply from some school of thought.
And the word "nature" was indeed closely related to him.
After all, his talent was being able to attract magical creatures and, after truly establishing friendships with them, gain their abilities.
Although the word "nature" represented more than just the narrow field of magical creatures, magical creatures were definitely part of nature.
But if that was the case, another problem arose.
Why did he possess such a talent? What relationship did he have with nature?
In his previous life, he wasn't some fanatical nature lover. Although he had a hobby of mountain climbing, he wasn't obsessed with it.
Why, after reincarnating, did he end up with such a significant connection to nature?
Moreover, speaking of nature... Evans slightly raised his hand, looking at the wand at his waist.
He still remembered that when he first touched his wand, this oak-made wand had enveloped the entire Ollivanders shop in a sea of flowers.
And when entering that historical period, when his peak-period self had again gained this wand's recognition, that ocean of plants had nearly burst through the walls.
He had looked into scenarios of young wizards first touching their wands, but no case was as outrageous as his.
That sea of plants itself could prove something.
"Nature..."
Staring at his palm, Evans's mind continuously flashed through bits and pieces of this lifetime.
Thinking this way, he really did discover some clues.
When he had just reincarnated, he was standing at the orphanage's entrance. At that time he was already over six years old, yet had no memories of the past.
But after that day, basically every year, a strange bird would appear at the orphanage window, staring directly at him.
At the time he wasn't clear what that bird was, and after coming to Hogwarts, that bird never appeared again.
But thinking back now, he realised with shock that even his current self still didn't know what that bird was.
As a master of magical creatures, he now knew about all existing and extinct creatures and magical creatures. What could a bird he didn't recognise be?
Besides this, the seal in the centre of the Forbidden Forest—he had only seen it after acquiring the Thestral's eyes. Initially, he thought one needed eyes capable of perceiving magic to see that seal.
But thinking about it now—was it possible that only eyes created by his talent could see that seal?
After all, Hufflepuff's inheritance had mentioned "his" chosen one to break the seal. Obtaining eyes that could perceive magic obviously wasn't that difficult.
Whether through alchemical magic eyes or biological self-modification, such effects could be achieved.
This seal had existed for at least a thousand years. In all these years, had no wizard with magic eyes ever seen that seal, leaving it for him to benefit from?
Finally, there was that phrase: "his" chosen one to break the seal...
Evans's brow furrowed tightly. He had even passed that tapestry of the troll clubbing Barnabas the Barmy without noticing.
"He"—who exactly was he?