Chapter 70. A Compendium of Alchemical Rituals Worth Trying
Come November, the weather at Hogwarts turned sharply cold.
Especially in the early mornings, students changed into thick robes and hurried through the courtyards, rushing to all corners of Hogwarts.
For Adrian Wesson, today was another leisurely day.
At the moment, he was in Greenhouse No. 2 of his own planting grounds, staring blankly at a tree with a battered book in his hand.
It was a short apple tree, about two metres tall, with a slender trunk but a profusion of branches.
Most eye-catching of all were the few apples hanging from it—red with a hint of green.
Clearly, they were about to ripen.
Of course, if it could appear in Adrian Wesson's planting grounds, it certainly had something special about it.
[Species: Apple Tree]
[Level: 2]
[Trait: Purification]
It was an apple tree with the "Purification" trait.
However, this was not the tree's own ability, but the ability of its fruit.
As the name "Purification" suggests, eating the fruit from this tree can clear away unnecessary or harmful impurities from the body and restore one to peak condition.
When this apple tree bore fruit last year, Adrian Wesson tested it: even poison from a Venomous Tentacula cleared instantly after eating one of these apples.
It could even dispel the effects of certain minor jinxes.
Its potency was evident.
However, for Adrian Wesson, that effect was still not quite enough.
Just then, a voice brought him back to himself.
"The things you asked for are ready, Wesson," Remus Lupin approached with a travelling case. "A brand-new crucible, a sack of gold ground as fine as can be, and a table."
Adrian Wesson waved his wand, and the three items floated neatly out of the case to settle before him.
"Thanks."
He set up the crucible, placed the bag on the tabletop, opened it, pinched a small pinch of gold dust between his fingers, and examined it carefully.
"Finely ground," Adrian Wesson nodded in satisfaction. "That will do."
Lupin stood to one side, hands in the pockets of his robes. "I found a shop in Diagon Alley—very fortunate. Their gold is extremely pure. But… what do you need these for? Brewing a potion? I don't know any potion that calls for gold dust…"
Adrian Wesson shook his head, set the book down on the table, and waved Lupin over. "I found something interesting in this book."
Lupin glanced over and saw the title stamped on the cover: "A Compendium of Alchemical Rituals Worth Trying."
Alchemy rituals?! Lupin was a little surprised.
"May I have a look?" he asked Adrian Wesson, curious.
"Of course," Adrian Wesson nodded. "Just don't tear it, or Madam Pince will be cross."
Lupin carefully opened the worn cover and found several crooked lines scrawled beneath the title "A Compendium of Alchemical Rituals Worth Trying," clearly added later by someone else.
"Friendly reminder: the things inside are not worth trying."
Lupin's heart gave a jolt, and he read on.
Beneath that was another line.
"Another friendly reminder: the things inside might cost you an eye—or give you an extra eye, hahaha."
Lupin fell silent for a moment, then closed the book without reading further.
"Are you sure this book… is safe, Wesson?" he couldn't help asking.
Adrian Wesson smiled and waved a hand. "Don't worry, Lupin. I'm only using this book for reference."
"That somehow sounds even less reliable—" Lupin muttered under his breath, already considering whether he ought to contact St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in advance, lest they miss the best window for treatment.
At that moment, Adrian Wesson suddenly felt a faint aura.
He turned, eyes locking on the apples. The skins, red with a touch of green a moment ago, were visibly becoming a more vivid hue.
[Name: Apple]
[Trait: Purification]
[Status: Ripe]
"The apples are ripe," Adrian Wesson said, a little excited.
"They look ordinary," Lupin said. "No different from the ones I usually eat."
"There's a big difference!"
Adrian Wesson waved his wand. An apple left the branch and drifted gently to a stop in front of Lupin. "You have to try it."
Lupin hesitated, then reached out and took the floating apple.
It felt weighty in his hand; apart from looking a touch more plump, it really did seem no different from a normal apple.
"It's not poisonous, relax!" Adrian Wesson urged when Lupin still looked uncertain. "Go on."
At last, Lupin lifted the apple to his mouth and took a small bite.
"How do you feel?" Adrian Wesson asked, a trace of expectation in his eyes.
"Seems… no change?" Lupin smacked his lips, puzzled. "At least it tastes good."
Adrian Wesson lifted an eyebrow, looking mildly surprised at the result.
He stepped closer, peered at Lupin's face, and asked sceptically, "Truly nothing at all?"
Lupin nodded.
All right. Adrian Wesson let out a quiet sigh.
He had thought that an apple with the "Purification" function might have some effect on Lupin's lycanthropy.
After all, lycanthropy is also a kind of malady.
By rights, it ought to be something that could be purified.
As it stood, that did not seem to work.
Adrian Wesson used his wand to pick all the apples and set them on the table—apart from the one Lupin had taken a bite from, there were six left.
"Let's begin," he murmured, and started to prepare the ritual.
A large cauldronful of dew collected on the night of the full moon.
A few drops of phoenix tears that Rai had obtained from Fawkes.
A sack of gold dust.
And finally…
Adrian Wesson picked up a small silver knife and, without hesitation, drew a cut across his forearm. Blood flowed steadily down his arm and dripped into the crucible.
…a cup of a good person's blood.
In truth, Adrian Wesson wasn't sure whether he counted as a "good person."
But aside from himself, he didn't know whose blood to use.
As Adrian Wesson worked, Lupin watched, dumbfounded. However he looked at it, the scene before him exuded a distinctly uncanny air.
"Wesson, are you sure this is all right?" he couldn't help asking.
"Relax," Adrian Wesson answered curtly.
The instant the blood touched the golden liquid, a blinding light burst from the contents of the crucible.
Seeing this, Adrian Wesson ignored the wound on his arm and swiftly selected two apples, placing them into the crucible—the crucible could only hold two.
As the apples sank into the golden liquid, the contents suddenly began to boil.
A dozen seconds later, the radiance faded and the liquid in the crucible grew calm again.
Adrian Wesson used silver tongs to retrieve the apples and laid them on the table.
By now, the apples had turned completely golden.
"Eldra."
[Name: Gold Apple]
[Trait: Purification!!!]
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