Aeternum: Group Chat

Chapter 56: The Key Is in the Liquor!

Hermione laughed softly at the confused expressions of many students as they left Harry's class. A few days had passed, and now the class was about the age in which Merlin and King Arthur Pendragon lived. The students were a little perplexed to be refuted with evidence that Merlin was a court wizard and advisor to Arthur; he was the famous one, the magnificent one in magic, the one who taught Morgan Le Fay and then fought against her. The other Merlin from the Founders' era was nothing more than a man with the same name. And if he were alive, he would be perplexed to know he was so famous.

Harry wouldn't be impressed to learn that the Slytherins actually used this to gain more fame and respect. After all, that Merlin was in Slytherin.

"You made their heads explode, Harry."

"Probably..." Harry chuckled softly as he tidied up his things.

"By the way, Hermione, you need to be prepared for another week."

"Huh?" Hermione looked at him, puzzled. "Is there anything more important right now than Voldemort being cast into the Veil of Death?"

"That's not so important," Harry shook his hand angrily. "In seven days, we'll go to the ICW to present our research into the Information Dimension."

"And at the same time, we'll present another one."

"Another one?! But haven't we worked on another one!" Hermione immediately grew nervous.

"I've been doing it, and from now on, you'll be helping me with a few more things."

Hermione looked at him in disbelief before her expression changed to grateful and slightly puzzled.

"Why? Why do you want me to help you so much? I could understand if it's just because we're friends, but I don't think that's the case."

"I'm creating a university, Hermione," Harry said seriously. "And I want you to be a big part of it. You're a friend, and someone I can trust. I want you to be a part of this."

Hermione smiled softly at him; she'd put in the effort, and it seemed to have paid off. She didn't mind being part of Harry's university too much. Sure, she was excited and liked the idea a lot. But the most important thing was that she had regained Harry's trust; hearing from him that she was an important friend and that he trusted her made her day completely.

"Thank you... for trusting me so much..."

Harry just smiled.

"So... what will this university be called?"

"Aeternum University of Magical Research and Engineering"

"That's a good name... But doesn't Aeternum mean eternally? Why exactly did you name it that?"

"Eternally... my goal is for research and future discoveries to endure forever; to be passed down from generation to generation and improved over time."

"I see... that's a huge goal, but at the same time a beautiful one."

"What did you research, by the way?"

Harry smiled tightly, managing to show his white teeth: "A ritual for Squibs to use magic. Didn't you realize Mr. Filch no longer works here? He's working hard to learn as much as possible in a short amount of time."

"Wait a minute! You already did that, and it works?!" Hermione leaned closer, excited by this revelation.

"Yes... It works perfectly. But there are still details." And what's more, that's not my ultimate goal."

"Your... ultimate... goal?" Hermione frowned slightly, thinking quickly. If recovering the Squibs' magic wasn't her ultimate goal for this research, what was the end of it? she wondered in her mind. Hermione knew Harry was extremely intelligent and always looking to improve himself. But at the same time, if he could help people, he would do it as long as it was worth it. Especially when he took a risk himself.

"I'm sorry, but I can't imagine what else would open up after giving a Squib the chance to wield magic," Hermione shook her head.

"Giving magic to non-magical... Muggles..."

"..." Hermione stared at Harry blankly, before inhaling sharply as she closed her eyes.

"But they don't have the gene! How would you do that?! Does it have something to do with magical particles? Spiritual energy? It's even surprising that Muggle-born wizards and witches exist."

"Come on... I'll show you," Harry smiled as Hermione followed him closely into his professor's office. They entered, and Hermione could see two things on a large table. The first was a sword with a bluish crystal between the blade and the guard. It looked normal, but it gave off a strange feeling. The second thing was actually a wand. But it was completely different from a normal wand: it seemed to be made entirely of bluish crystal; it wasn't smooth or straight; it was as if a piece of crystal had been cut and struck all over to form a wand-like shape. However, it didn't make it any less beautiful; it shimmered slightly, as if it were crystal or a piece of ice.

"I was able to get my hands on some special crystals that absorb magical particles. The sword can be used once before it breaks, but since the wand is made entirely of crystal, it can be used indefinitely, even becoming stronger and more powerful over time," Harry said, looking at his creations.

"Call these magical artifacts for now. But with the ritual I used on Filch, it would be possible to excite the limited spiritual energy of a non-magical person. But even if their pores were open, they wouldn't be able to absorb the spiritual particles or interact with them properly: therefore, they wouldn't be able to use them. As an alternative method, these crystals, which interact and absorb the SP, could make a non-magical person use magic."

"How would they grow to perform more complicated magic?" Hermione asked. At first, she was impressed, but soon went into working mode, looking at the two magical artifacts.

"That's the problem... I still don't know how to increase spiritual energy in those people. A Squib still has the gene, but they just can't access the magical particles. A non-magical person is completely different."

Hermione frowned slightly. Harry was right. Non-magical people don't have the gene to access everything needed to perform magic, so even with all this, they would still plateau at some point. They might be able to use first- or second-year magic taught at Hogwarts, but they might not advance beyond that level.

"Can't spiritual energy be increased through an external method?"

"Tough... this is linked to a person's soul, so it could cause damage if you're not careful, and that's the last thing I want."

"Didn't you increase Filch's spiritual energy by a fold?" Hermione remembered Harry mentioning it as they walked.

"The point is, even if that level of enhancement isn't that complicated, a larger one certainly is. It would require the right methods and ingredients for that. And we don't know if non-magical bodies are ready for that."

"And again, it gets complicated..." Hermione bit her lip as she placed her hands on the table, looking at the artifacts. "The gene should allow a person's body to be enhanced somewhat through spiritual energy. This would also be evident in older people; wizards, after all, live longer than non-magical people."

Harry closed his eyes before leaving the room: "Wait here for a few moments."

Hermione just nodded as she continued to think.

Harry took out his phone and started a chat with Rias.

Harry Potter: "Rias... do you have anything that helps enhance the body while also enhancing spiritual energy?"

Rias Gremory: "Huh? Did something happen to you, Harry?!"

Harry Potter: "No, calm down." A complicated mission just popped up where I have to find a way to give magic to non-magical people. I'm on the right track, doing it through external artifacts and a small ritual. However, Hermione and I are stuck on how to improve spiritual energy so they don't stagnate at the level of first- or second-year students.

Rias Gremory: I think I have something that might help...

[Rias Gremory has sent you the Jade Emperor's Immortal Liqueur]

Harry made a strange sound with his nose as he choked.

Harry Potter: "Hey, I asked for something that improves body and spiritual energy! Not something that makes them immortal!"

He was too shocked to think straight. After all, this liquor belonged to the Jade Emperor! And what Sun Wukong stole while wreaking havoc in the heavens! Harry knew his history and mythology; he would know exactly what this was, especially if it came from Rias's world.

Harry Potter: "Besides... Isn't this important to you too?"

Rias Gremory: Remember when I mentioned that Sun Wukong actually gave me some of his liquor?

Harry Potter: .... Yes....

Rias Gremory: Well, actually, the gourd has a small pocket dimension inside. It's like a freaking huge lake, filled with immortal liquor!

Harry Potter: "So... if I dilute it enough so that it only strengthens the body, soul, and spiritual power..."

Rias Gremory: Even one liter would be enough for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of normal humans!

Harry Potter: I love you so much... When I visit, I definitely have to bring you a gift.

Rias Gremory: Hmph!... of course... By the way, I love you too.

Harry smiled before saying goodbye. When he returned to the room, Hermione saw him with some kind of gourd where liquids were stored.

"What's that?"

"If you really want to know, then you'll have to enter a small, select group, Hermione," Harry said seriously. "Your life would change, and you could be in danger."

"Do you want to keep searching for the answer?" Harry said seriously. He knew that if he continued investigating with Hermione, she would eventually figure out a few things. Therefore, he gave her the choice of agreeing to join the group chat.

"You're in the group, right?"

"Along with my girlfriend and a friend who's almost a little brother to me."

Hermione frowned slightly.

"No..." she shook her head with a small smile. "Okay, I'm really curious about what that is, but I trust you."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah... don't worry."

"Well, in the end, it's your decision," Harry sighed a little.

"But... what are we going to do with it?"

"We'll dilute it enough to get the desired effect. Hmm... maybe we need to dilute these fifty liters into a hundred or much more."

"Is it that strong?"

"Yes..."

"Then let's start planning how to do that. We have to be careful."

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