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Chapter 287: Visiting Nicolas Flamel
🕑 Added 2025-02-05 15:55:23 +0000 UTCThe arrangement of articles in the Daily Prophet sparked widespread discussion across the British Isles.
Although many dismissed it with a laugh, there was a portion who took it seriously, mostly the less discerning wizards who believed in Rita's stories.
In contrast to the broad reach of the newspaper, an article in a magical academic journal truly stirred the waters, though it was confined to the academic community.
The article, written personally by Newt Scamander, was titled "Phoenixes Should Not Be Classified as Magical Creatures."
As soon as the article was published, it was reprinted by numerous academic journals, including Today's Transfiguration, Modern Wizard Development Studies, and Potion Guide.
This was understandable. As the most wondrous of magical creatures, the existence of phoenixes had always been shrouded in mystery.
No one knew how they reproduced, no one knew where they came from. Even those fortunate enough to glimpse a phoenix in the wild would see only a fleeting, vanishing figure.
Yet, despite this elusiveness, wizards never gave up on studying phoenixes. Whether it was their magic of rebirth through fire, the healing properties of their tears, or the alchemical uses of their tail feathers, all of it was incredibly valuable.
For this reason, Newt's article was widely reprinted around the world.
Although the audience for academic journals is smaller, their credibility far surpasses that of the Daily Prophet.
Together, Newt and Rita successfully thrust Ino into the limelight.
...
As the subject of this commotion, Ino paid little attention to the outside world's hubbub.
At the moment, he was carrying a suitcase and strolling along the famous Champs-Élysées.
With the rise of French capitalism in the 19th century, the Champs-Élysées had become a renowned shopping destination.
But Ino's purpose here was not shopping or sightseeing; he was here to visit a truly legendary figure.
Who would have thought that Nicolas Flamel, the legendary alchemist who had lived for nearly seven centuries, was in seclusion on the bustling Champs-Élysées?
When Fawkes brought the note with the address, Ino's first reaction was disbelief, but he quickly dismissed that thought.
After all, the street was built in 1771 and renamed Champs-Élysées in 1789. When Nicolas settled here, it might have been desolate.
After locating a Chanel flagship store, Ino took out the note from his pocket.
Merely seeing the address written on it, the bustling commercial street ahead seemed to vanish under some mysterious force, and a vast courtyard appeared out of thin air.
The main gate of the courtyard was eerily carved with numerous eyes, which seemed alive, staring intently ahead.
This sight was quite creepy, but Ino raised the note in his hand nonchalantly.
Like a Muggle gate pass, these eyes closed uniformly upon seeing the note, and the gate to the courtyard opened automatically.
Seeing this, Ino didn't rush in but stopped at the threshold to carefully observe the closed eyes.
In that brief moment, he sensed a flicker of life in those statue-like eyes.
This was remarkable, for no matter how realistic the Transfiguration or how advanced the alchemy, the creations fundamentally lacked life.
Magic cannot resurrect the dead, nor can it create life.
But the fleeting vitality he just felt made him question the so-called magical rules.
Ino knew his feeling was accurate. There were only two possibilities: either the magical rules weren't absolute, or Nicolas had a more exquisite alchemical method.
"Interesting..."
Ino murmured to himself, then stepped into the courtyard.
...
As he crossed the threshold, another magical scene unfolded.
What looked like a courtyard interior transformed into a modern room, complete with air conditioning, fans, a television, and a chandelier.
But before he could take a closer look, an old voice echoed in the room.
"Welcome, young alchemist."
Turning towards the voice, Ino saw the legendary alchemist in a corner of the room.
To his surprise, Nicolas Flamel wasn't the frail but sharp-eyed elder he had imagined.
The Nicolas Flamel before him could be described with one word—ordinary.
With graying hair and a loose robe, although his face was pallid, he looked fairly normal.
He resembled a retired old man who hadn't been in the sun for a long time.
Despite the ordinary appearance, Ino showed no disrespect, slightly bowing and greeting politely:
"Good day, Mr. Flamel!"
"No need to be formal, please sit," Nicolas Flamel smiled and nodded, pointing to an empty sofa nearby.
Months earlier, he had received a letter from Dumbledore, learning much about the young wizard before him.
He had expected such a gifted young wizard to be quite arrogant.
But meeting in person, he found everything was contrary to his expectations.
Whether it was Ino's behavior outside the door or his current composure, it all gave Nicolas a good impression.
At the same time.
As Ino sat down, a cacophony of noises came from afar.
Glancing sideways, he saw a dozen or so tiny figures, each about three inches tall, carrying a teacup much larger than themselves, struggling towards him.
This scene piqued Ino's interest, reminding him of Tom and Jerry in the valley.
Unlike the Transfigured ice sculptures, these alchemical puppets were lively and seemed quite intelligent.
He concluded this after observing them for a short while, noticing they had smoothly climbed onto the tea table.
They formed a two-foot 'giant' by stacking themselves like a ladder, easily lifting the previously large teacup and teapot.
However, the scene didn't last long.
Apparently, one of the puppets acting as an 'arm' slipped, spilling hot water onto the 'giant's' foot.
"Ow, lift it quickly, it's burning me!" cried the puppet.
Seeing this, although knowing it was not real, Ino couldn't help but touch the table, instantly freezing the hot water into frost.
"Phew! Saved!" the burnt puppet exclaimed with relief.
...
A few minutes later.
"They're fascinating!" Ino looked up at Nicolas Flamel.
His brief observation revealed the uniqueness of these puppets. They weren't like the pre-programmed actions and dialogues of wizard chess.
These were truly 'alive,' similar to the concept of artificial intelligence in Muggle theory, capable of thinking and possessing a sense of 'self.'
This realization reminded Ino of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales.
Unlike the bizarre adventures of the Brothers Grimm, Andersen's stories were more gentle and dreamlike.
If he had to compare, the Brothers Grimm were like adventurers, while Andersen was a troubadour.
Andersen's stories included The Old Street Lamp, Thumbelina, The Teapot, The Ugly Duckling, and The Princess and the Pea.
It seemed that personified objects remained an enduring theme in Andersen's fairy tales.
