novelraw Chapter 288 Communication and Consultation
Chapter 288 Communication and Consultation
Chapter 288 Communication and Consultation
The house was filled with a peaceful, languid atmosphere after the holidays. The faint aroma of roast turkey and pine trees lingered in the air, and the sky outside was greyish-white with occasional snowflakes falling. Everyone had gotten up a little late and was leisurely enjoying the breakfast Emily had prepared—mostly delicious sandwiches and hot tea made from the leftovers from the previous night.
After helping his mother tidy up the kitchen, Karen returned to his room. He closed the door, shutting out the festive noise. Several sheets of parchment lay spread out on his desk, next to the exquisite quill pen and the gifts from his mentors. He needed to hurry.
He took a deep breath, picked up his quill, and carefully considered his words before sending sincere Christmas greetings to Nico and Castor, thanking them again for their precious gift—the set of alchemy knives was indeed very useful. Then, he paused slightly, considering how to make the more important and complex request.
The pen tip moved gently across the parchment, and the ink blurred to create clear writing.
【Dear Professor Nico and Professor Castor】
Thank you again for the Christmas gifts. The carving knife is exquisite and practical, and will greatly benefit my current alchemy practice.
[I apologize for bothering you, but I have a request to ask you. It concerns Lily. Although she is not yet of school age, she has shown a strong interest in magic and some signs of talent. She longs for a safe and controlled environment to learn and practice basic magic manipulation beforehand, rather than being limited to toys. However, the International Law on the Protection of Minors and restrictions on magical artifacts used by minors make this difficult to achieve at home.]
I know this request might be a bit unrealistic, but I hope to try to create a portable alchemy tool for her, similar to my workshop, but smaller and with more basic functions—perhaps a box, or a small practice pod? Its main purpose is to provide a stable, tiny space that isolates magical energy from leakage, and to include some basic, harmless magical energy sensing and feedback devices to help her safely familiarize herself with her own magic and satisfy her curiosity.
I've learned a bit about this area recently, but unfortunately, my knowledge is severely lacking, especially regarding the stable application of the Seamless Extension Charm, the miniaturization of spatial alchemy, and long-term self-mana circulation systems. Blindly attempting these techniques could be dangerous. Therefore, I earnestly request your guidance. Could you provide some theoretical foundational books, feasible technical approaches, or any taboos I must be aware of? Any advice would be crucial to me.
The student fully understands that this is no easy task, but hopes to conduct research and attempts in the right direction. Regardless of the outcome, they are grateful for the teacher's valuable time and guidance.
[Your sincere student,]
Karen Hawthorne
After finishing writing, he carefully checked it to ensure the tone was respectful and the request was clear before sending the message through the quill pen. Watching the quill tip gleam slightly as the information vanished as a tiny stream of magical light, Karen felt a pang of unease. He didn't know how his mentors would react, whether they would think he was being unrealistic or too hasty.
The wait for a reply felt rather long. He forced himself to calm down and went through the books and notes he had previously found. These texts were profound and difficult to understand, and they didn't explain some key issues clearly, or even vaguely. He could only vaguely understand them, and many terms and rune combinations required repeated contemplation. Karen guessed that the Ministry of Magic might have restricted the availability of such books, since private use of such materials was not permitted by the Ministry.
Just as he was pondering a complex formula about "anchoring to real-world coordinates to avoid the collapse of extended space," the communication quill pen on his desk suddenly vibrated, its tip emitting a soft glow.
Seeing the notification, Karen realized it was Professor Nico's reply that had arrived first. She immediately picked up her quill and felt the information flow into her mind.
【My dearest Karen,】
I received your blessing and am glad you liked the little gift.
Regarding your request, firstly, I must commend your concern for your family. Guiding and protecting the magical talents of young wizards, especially those of relatives, is always something to be encouraged, provided it is done properly. Your sister Lily's situation reminds me of other wizards from similar backgrounds to you and your siblings.
[The direction you've conceived is feasible, but quite challenging. There are some things you haven't yet mastered, and your previous research wasn't focused on this area. Maintaining the Seamless Stretch Charm for an extended period, especially when attached to small, movable objects, requires extremely precise magical manipulation and an understanding of spatial spells. You already possess the former, but you lack the latter. Furthermore, the "built-in magical sensing device" you mentioned involves embedding active runes or even ruven at a basic level, and harmonizing this with the stability of the stretching space is a major challenge.]
Given your sister's age and safety concerns, I suggest you prioritize "stability" and "safety" over "functionality." A robust, self-sustaining container with a small internal space is far more valuable than a fancy but fragile device.
I recommend you focus on studying the following books (please note that *The Geometry of Spatial Extension* and *The Chamber of Alchemy: From Concept to Entity* are restricted by the Ministry of Magic; I will attach copies of my notes to this letter, which should help you understand them):
—From *The Geometric Principles of Spatial Extension* by Paracelsus (Focus on Chapters 3 and 7)
—《The Alchemy Chamber: From Concept to Entity》by an anonymous alchemist (pay special attention to the content on the basic structural stabilizing runes, which I believe is your area of expertise).
— *The Construction of Microcosms: A Deep Dive into the Application of the Seamless Stretch Spell* by Barnabas Finch — *Magic Field Theory and Isolation Techniques* by Morgana Lefebvre (This book presents extreme viewpoints and requires critical reading, but its section on basic isolation is quite insightful)
Furthermore, you must deeply understand the concept of "spatial anchors," which is similar to the principle of determining a target point in the Apparition Charm, only its application leans more towards continuous solidification. You also need to master the techniques of drawing and infusing the rune combinations representing "solidity," "isolation," and "micro-circulation" in Runes.
[Finally, and most importantly: Never attempt to use spatial magic without adequate preparation! The consequences of accidents involving spatial magic are extremely serious. It is recommended that you practice drawing runes on ordinary objects until you reach a feasible level before considering the next step.]
Regarding alchemy, at your current level, you might be able to create a rough, prototype container, but you have a long way to go to achieve a safe and long-lasting one. I will send you some pre-treated basic materials with good affinity for spatial magic; you can use them to practice and get a feel for the properties of the materials.
[Also, after discussing with Castor, we will begin making a finished product that meets your sister's basic requirements and is suitable for her age. It is expected to take about a week. Therefore, don't rush to make it. You can use it as a learning and reference template, but remember, understanding the principles is far more important than simply copying a finished product.]
Stay curious, but be cautious. Looking forward to your progress.
Nicolas Flamel
Karen extracted information from Nico's reply, especially the book list and key concepts. Just as he had guessed, the books were being withheld by the Ministry of Magic. However, what surprised Karen the most was that his mentors were willing to make a sample for him personally, which moved him deeply.
He had just hastily jotted down the key points Nico had mentioned when his quill vibrated again—Casto's reply had arrived.
Teacher Castor's letter was less of a letter and more of a list of runes needed to create the runes, with a warning from the teacher attached at the end.
Karen was overjoyed. He immediately and meticulously copied down the complex rune sequence drawn by Castor, noting down every detail of the instructions in his notebook. He took out his new set of carving knives, pulled out a piece of ordinary parchment, and began practicing the most basic straight-line carving as Castor had instructed, controlling his extremely weak magical output to ensure that the depth and width of each stroke were perfectly consistent. This was an extremely tedious and mentally taxing process, requiring absolute focus and patience.
He was so engrossed in this new and challenging knowledge that he lost track of time until his mother, Emily, knocked on the door and came in with a plate of cut fruit.
"Do you need any help, dear?" Emily placed the fruit on the corner of the table, looking with concern at the heavy books spread out on the desk, the draft paper covered with intricate drawings, and her son's focused yet slightly tired profile. "You look like you're having a problem. You've been writing and drawing in your room since this morning. Is it Hogwarts homework?" She noticed that the covers of the books looked old and profound, unlike ordinary textbooks.
Karen snapped out of his reverie and rubbed his slightly sore wrists. He hesitated for a moment, thinking that perhaps his mother could know a part of what happened with Lily, since it needed to be done at home, and it was also for his sister's sake.
"It's not entirely homework, Mom." He smiled, putting away the notes concerning core space magic and danger warnings, and handed his mother another sketch with a simple container outline and a few basic reinforcement runes. "Hmm—actually, I was thinking about Lily. She told me yesterday that she really hopes to have one—"
"Hmm—a more realistic place, where she can safely feel and slightly try to guide her magic, instead of just playing with toys."
Upon hearing this, Emily's face showed understanding mixed with a hint of worry. "Oh, yes, I know she's been looking forward to it. She kept pestering me about Hogwarts yesterday. David and I have discussed it; we're worried she might try things recklessly and cause an accident, but we also don't want to suppress her nature too much—it's a real dilemma. Do you have any ideas?" She glanced at the draft on Karen's desk. Although she couldn't understand the runes, she could sense her son's effort.
"I'm researching something that might be called a magic practice room." Karen carefully chose her words, avoiding potentially alarming terms like "Seamless Stretch Charm" or "Spatial Expansion." "It's a specially made little box that can simulate a very, very small, stable environment inside, allowing her to safely practice the most basic magical control, such as making a tiny bead float slightly or making a feather glow faintly. Most importantly, it can guarantee Lily's safety during practice, isolate her from unnecessary trouble, and eliminate the need to worry about being monitored by the Ministry of Magic."
Emily listened intently, her eyes gradually brightening. "It sounds like—if it could really happen, it would be perfect! It would satisfy Lily's curiosity while ensuring her safety. Is it that difficult? You seem to be having a headache." She pointed to the profound books on the table.
"It's very difficult," Karen nodded frankly. "It involves many very advanced magical principles, far beyond my current level. But I consulted the professors at the school, and they gave me a lot of guidance and warned me of the dangers I need to be aware of. So at this stage, I'm mainly learning the theory and doing some basic preparatory work, such as practicing drawing patterns for stable structures, understanding the properties of the materials needed, and so on." He pointed to the parchment and carving knife he was using for practice. "Actually making one will probably require a very long time of preparation, and I can only attempt it when I'm absolutely certain. But Lily, don't worry, your tutors might send you a finished product they made later."
Emily breathed a sigh of relief, a smile of satisfaction and pride spreading across her face. "It's good to have a professor's guidance. I knew my Karen was the most reliable. Is there anything I or Dad can help you with? Like finding some materials? Or providing you with a quiet, undisturbed environment?"
"Not yet, Mom. Thank you." Karen felt a warmth in her heart. "Right now, it's mainly about theory and blueprints. If I need any help, I'll definitely let you know. Let's not tell Lily about this yet; I want to surprise her and avoid raising her expectations too high."
"Of course, that's our secret." Emily smiled gently and patted Karen on the shoulder. "Don't overwork yourself, remember to rest. Research is important, but you also need to relax during the Christmas holidays. What do you want to eat tonight?"
Karen's mother's understanding and support greatly reduced the pressure on her shoulders.