"I think I've built a decent foundation, and I can even show you my invention, the Homemaker's Happiness Box. Can I find a chance to audit your class?"
Ian spoke with anticipation, having given his current sole creation a rather cozy name. He didn't want the teachers at Hogwarts to see him as another Tom.
This school had post-traumatic stress.
"You want to learn alchemy from me?"
Arthur King sized him up and responded with a tone of contemplation, "Generally, I wouldn't want to take on a student of your age, but your map is quite well made. This does pique my interest, and perhaps you might be the little wizard for whom I make an exception."
His words left Ian slightly stunned.
"What map..."
Ian gave an awkward, guilty chuckle.
He didn't expect Arthur King to know about the things he sold. There must be a mole among Qiu Zhang's friends, even though he'd instructed Qiu Zhang to announce that the banned items were made by James Potter.
The young professor seemed to have seen through the doubts in Ian's mind.
"The creations of alchemy will always bear the traces of their creator. Tracking down the creator is not difficult, even Master Nicolas Flamel can't erase such traces." Arthur King placed his hand on Ian's shoulder, and Ian noticed that the professor wore a bronze ring on his finger.
Before Ian could closely examine the inscriptions on the ring, Arthur King withdrew his hand, "If I may, I'd like to ask about your progress in learning alchemy."
Upon hearing this question, Ian immediately perked up, "I've already completed Master Nicolas Flamel's 'Alchemy Manual' and 'Magical Alchemy'."
"In fact, I've now started studying the application of the Transformation Technique in alchemy." When it came to learning progress, Ian never pretended to be a weakling by holding back.
"Huh?"
Arthur King was clearly taken aback for a moment.
"Just a little slower than I was back then... really impressive." Arthur King muttered inexplicably and then quickly raised his head to speak to Ian, "But being a genius is only the threshold to the realm of alchemy. To earn my recognition, you'll need more than just genius."
Arthur King smiled, "If you can figure out the Room of Requirement by next year, my office door will be open to you next semester."
Another unexpected statement for Ian.
The Room of Requirement at Hogwarts was not a secret known to everyone.
And... expecting a first-year little wizard to understand the principles of the Room of Requirement? That's like expecting a primary school student to research string theory after learning 1+1!
"I think you're deliberately making things difficult for me..." Ian felt that this young out-of-the-ordinary-looking professor of alchemy wasn't as easygoing as he appeared.
Strategies that might work for other professors might not work here.
"Good luck, kid. If you can't achieve an unparalleled level, why should you occupy my time? My duty is to teach students of the age group specified by Hogwarts, and I only receive a salary for that." Arthur King gave a small laugh as he walked towards the library door.
"To make an exception for you, you'll need to be not just a student but an apprentice... This is not against you; I've always had high standards in this regard."
"For many years, it has been the same—if you can prove yourself worthy of walking among the stars, trust me, what I can teach you won't just be alchemy."
The green robe fluttered as the figure of the professor of alchemy disappeared around the corner of the doorway.
...
Meeting a young professor who could outdo even Grindelwald in pretentiousness, Ian felt quite frustrated. Fortunately, the book 'Modern Applications of Ancient Magic Potions' really did help him find a substitute for Fairy Grass.
It turns out that even in modern times, there are wizards with outstanding talents who can replace Fairy Grass with a mix of two common herbs. In Ian's view, this indeed counts as an astonishing innovation.
"I hereby crown this master of magic potions as the King of Amortentia!" Ian checked the map to confirm Snape was in the Great Hall, then skillfully slipped into Snape's office.
This was truly the magic potion version of Doraemon's four-dimensional pocket; as long as it wasn't extinct or extremely rare materials, he could always find the corresponding collection in Snape's office.
"This one, that one, and also that one... This one might not be enough either." To avoid making repeated trips, Ian also replenished materials that had already been greatly consumed.
A big bag.
Filled to the brim with magic potion materials.
Just as Ian was about to return with these magic potion materials to the Room of Requirement for an all-nighter researching Teacher Morgan's formula, he had just turned the doorknob when he felt another force turning the handle from the outside.
"Hiss!"
Ian had no time to hide. The door opened, and he was met with Snape's face. Snape wasn't at all surprised to find Ian in his office.
"Why did you come back so quickly!" Ian wanted to hide the big bag behind him, but Snape was quick and snatched it away.
The expression on the Professor of Potions' face was very unpleasant.
"Of course, to catch you!"
Clearly.
Ian had fallen into Snape's trap, deliberately laid to make him let his guard down.
"I discovered someone was stealing my stuff this afternoon! Sure enough! Got you!" Snape's face twisted, and his anger was quite terrifying.
"Uncle, I clearly... I paid for it." Ian hurriedly turned pointing to Snape's materials cabinet, where, in the compartments that he had taken herbs from, there were occasionally some Golden Galleons.
Market price.
No cheating, no bullying.
But Snape's face, in contrast, turned even more sour.
"Do you wonder why I knew it was you?!" Snape roared, shaking with rage all over, pulling out the Golden Galleons Ian had left that afternoon from his robe, "No other bastard who steals my stuff leaves these damn things behind! Prince! Should I commend you for being oddly decent?"
Goodness.
Ian had no idea how to refute it.
"Those are Golden Galleons, not damn things..."
He could only correct Snape's profanity against money.
"I originally didn't want to condone your mischief!" Snape gnashed his teeth staring at Ian, his eyes looking like they would devour him.
"But why did you have to make me smell the scent of brewing Amortentia in the corridor!" He opened Ian's bag to check the number of materials Ian had.
Not knowing until it was checked.
Upon checking.
Snape almost couldn't hold Ian's bag properly.
"Damn it! How many cauldrons did you brew!?"
His voice, filled with horror, echoed throughout the entire dungeon.