"this… "
In that small attic, Maka was holding a lantern in her hand and spinning it in circles. It can be seen that the four walls of this attic are carved with unusually dense alchemical symbols. Some of them are connected in series with each other by lines, and some are alone in the gaps, which looks extremely complicated.
Looking at the symbols, Maka also had a headache.
He has studied it before, and the symbols of alchemy have completely different representation rules from the various ancient magical runes he has learned. Compared with the runes of ancient magic literature, the symbols of alchemy are more material elements with practical significance, rather than the so-called "meaning" of ancient magic literature that is based on subjective spirit.
In fact, Muggle chemical theory is derived from a branch of alchemy, and the two may have more similarities.
"Mr. McLean?" Seeing that Maca didn't speak, old Edward just stared around at the four walls, so he couldn't help but try to call him.
"Huh?" Maka turned around subconsciously, "Oh, sorry! I'm a little fascinated... Speaking of which, does Mr. Flamel have to play this little game here every time he enters his laboratory?"
"Little game?" the old butler said with some confusion, "What do you mean? I only know that when the master usually returns to the laboratory, he will tap the four walls with his wand several times. But the location he taps every time is different. It’s so similar, I’ve never figured it out.”
"At least for Mr. Flamel, this is just a small game." Maka shrugged, "You should understand - use it to review your basic knowledge of alchemy, just like wizards often use runes. combinations to make passwords like that."
"Oh, so that's it -" Old Edward said thoughtfully, "I have never been very talented in alchemy. It's not like my master has never taught me some basic knowledge, but there are so many symbols as soon as I start. , how can I remember it?"
"This is indeed not easy!" Maka nodded very understandingly.
It's not that he himself can't remember symbols, but because he has already memorized a lot of messy ancient magic texts, and some of the alchemy symbols directly inherited certain ancient characters, which will inevitably make him have specific thoughts. meaning confusion.
Therefore, he did not bother to memorize the many symbols of alchemy. Because he knew very well that the direction of his research was not the alchemy system at all, and he had no more energy to spend on it.
But the reason why alchemy is both a branch of wizard development is because these two dissimilar systems have a common research point. In magic, it is called "soul magic"; in alchemy, it is defined as a basic element - the soul element.
It can be seen that although these two major systems have completely different developments in terms of material research, they have similarities in spiritual aspects.
"Mr. McClain, do you have any solution to this... um, this 'little game'?" Old Edward couldn't help but ask.
Maka hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slightly.
"I don't know yet... In fact, I haven't done much research on alchemy," he said, "But it doesn't seem to be completely hopeless. I think... I have to spend more time on this."
As he spoke, he took out a book and looked at it carefully against a form on it. It can be said that if he interprets the puzzle on the wall entirely from the perspective of alchemy, he has no possibility of solving it; but if he uses some theories of soul magic as a benchmark to directly analyze the puzzle itself, The result is not yet certain.
Soon, Maka devoted herself to research and stopped talking to the old housekeeper.
…
The whole night was extremely long on Maka's side, but it was anything but easy on Harry's side. To be precise, he had insomnia!
The sky was already brightening slightly, and Harry felt that he might be the first one in Hogwarts to notice the arrival of dawn, even earlier than Filch, who was in charge of the night watch patrol.
In the boys' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower, Harry was lying on his bed with his eyes wide open. His eyeballs were obviously bloodshot, but he just couldn't sleep.
Ever since he learned Occlumency, he slept very sweetly every day. Who would have thought that today he would have insomnia again. Compared to when he woke up from the pain of the scar on his forehead, the feeling last night made him even more uncomfortable. There was no longer Voldemort in his mind, only the figure of the red-haired girl.
"Ha! It's a new day!"
Harry helplessly sat up on the bed board, then hugged his bent knees and started to freeze again. He lay down and sat down countless times that night, but he still couldn't get rid of the confusion in his mind.
He still remembered that Ron suddenly sat up inexplicably at night, half-opening his eyes as if sleepwalking, and asked him what he should do if he was forced to tap dance by a big spider. Damn it, how did he know what to do
At that time, he was feeling very depressed and unbearable, so he casually asked Ron to go directly to discuss something with those spiders. What else can be done? If you don't want to jump, don't jump!
Unexpectedly, Ron suddenly lay back down and fell asleep.
Did that guy go to negotiate with the spiders in his dream? Harry didn't know, and he didn't want to know, because his head was already occupied by Ginny Weasley.
Is this what it feels like to be in love? No, Harry didn't think it was, it was just an emotional annoyance forced by the situation.
"For Ginny, if you want to say you like her, you must like her, but this is probably not the kind of love between a man and a woman."
Harry thought this, trying to convince himself in this way, so as not to keep himself awake all night. But he found that this didn't work. He couldn't sleep at all even if he should have been unable to sleep!
He sighed, then lifted the quilt and quickly put on his clothes. As for the glasses, they were already on the bridge of my nose before dawn.
After cleaning himself up a bit, Harry walked lightly and quickly left the dormitory. Although I am upset, there is no need to let this chaotic mood affect other students, they are all still sleeping!
"ah!"
At the exit from the dormitory to the common room, Harry's footsteps suddenly stopped, but in the next moment, he wanted to slap himself directly.
Yes, he saw that there was someone in the common room who had arrived earlier than him, and it was a girl. However, it was not Ginny as he thought at first reaction, but his good friend Hermione!
Oh my God! What's wrong with you? How can we think of Hermione as Ginny
"Harry?" Hermione heard his soft call and immediately turned around from her chair, "Good morning, uh... what's wrong with you?"
Harry knew that his eyes must be red as if they were bleeding, because he could clearly feel the sourness in them.
"No, it's okay-" He blinked hard and said casually.
"Is it okay that you didn't sleep?" Hermione thought for a while and said, "Oh, is it because of what happened last night? I heard someone said that you rushed to the dormitory like a gust of wind yesterday... Let me guess, it was because of bumping into you. Ginny?"
Hermione has always been smart, not to mention that this incident was actually caused by her. It was obvious that her guess was not accurate.
"... Well, that's right."
Harry hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded weakly. As he spoke, he walked over to Hermione with his eyelids drooping and sat down casually.
"So that means you went to ask her out and failed?" Hermione said helplessly, "How about I go and create a less abrupt opportunity for you today?"
Harry waved his hand quickly, indicating that he didn't need it. Would you like that feeling again? No, one time was enough for him, and he didn't want to try it a second time at all.
When Hermione saw this, she flattened her mouth angrily and glared at Harry.
"Is it that difficult? Don't you think that inviting a girl on a date is an ability that any boy should have?"
"No, I said it yesterday - it's not like this." Harry closed his eyes with a headache, "Okay, okay! I'll try again today, just for the last time -"
"I don't think so!"
As soon as Harry finished speaking, a voice suddenly sounded from behind them.
"Ginny?" Hermione was surprised at first, then a little apologetically, "Oh, I'm not..."
"No, it's okay, I understand." The visitor was Ginny. I didn't expect her to get up so early today. She seemed to have a slightly tired look on her face. "Hermione, I know you mean well. But I don’t think it’s necessary to do that. Who Harry likes is his business, and I don’t want to force him to do something for some personal reasons. In that case, it won’t be the real Harry.”
"Ginny… "
While looking at her, Harry gradually noticed the sincerity in her expression. Just as different people will show different personalities in love, what Ginny shows may be an emotion called "understanding".
It can be seen that she still likes Harry, but she does not have to be liked by Harry. Rather than chasing after her eagerly, she hoped that Harry would fall in love with her of his own will. Even if he didn't in the end, Harry would still be the Harry she loved most in her memory.
"You..." Harry opened his mouth, hesitated a few more times, and then tried to ask, "Do you like me? Uh... You know, I've always been a bit slow."
This was probably his first attempt to understand Ginny's thoughts, because at this moment, he was truly moved by the "understanding" shown by Ginny.