HP: The Boy who saw Magic

As soon as class ended the next day, Kevin said goodbye to his friends and went straight to Victor's office.

Kevin stood before the oak door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office, his gray-blue eyes fixed on the intricate runes carved into the wood. To ordinary eyes, the runes were mere decoration, but with his "Eye of Truth," he could see subtle magic flowing through the lines like a quiet stream. He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock.

"Come in," Professor Victor's low voice called from within.

Kevin pushed the door open and was momentarily startled by the scene inside. Unlike his previous visit, several moving star maps now adorned the walls, and seven crystal balls of varying sizes hovered near the ceiling, casting soft, shifting light. Professor Victor sat behind a desk piled high with ancient books, the black eye mask over his left eye adding an air of mystery in the candlelight.

"It seems you have made a decision, Kevin." Professor Victor lifted his head, his golden ponytail swaying gently. The ring on his right hand flickered with different colors in the candlelight.

"Yes, Professor. I have decided to join the Circle of Hermes," Kevin replied.

Professor Victor's lips curved slightly, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "A wise choice. So, have you read my book The Door of Truth? What do you think?"

Kevin drew the book, with its unique material, from the inner pocket of his robe. "The section on alchemy is especially fascinating—particularly the theory of the transformation of matter's essence. However…" He hesitated. "I found a description of an ancient curse on page 37, the Curse of Helbo. You devoted a lot of space to studying its related curses, so I wondered if the curse on you is connected to Helbo."

The office fell into silence. The ruby ring on Professor Victor's right hand flickered, and Kevin's "Eye of Truth" detected a subtle wave of magic sweeping through the room—clearly, the professor had activated some form of soundproofing enchantment.

"You observed more carefully than I expected. Of course, this is the clue I left for you." Professor Victor's voice dropped lower. "Yes, the curse on me is indeed caused by Helbo's black magic. But now is not the time to discuss the specifics." He touched the edge of his eye mask with his left hand. "I want to hear more about your thoughts on alchemy."

Kevin understood that the topic had been deliberately changed, but he did not press further. After all, everyone had their own secrets—just as he had never revealed the existence of his "Eye of Truth" to anyone else.

"I'm only at the theoretical stage and haven't had a chance to put it into practice yet," Kevin answered honestly.

Professor Victor stood, his black robe swaying as he moved. He walked to an old cabinet in the corner and retrieved an exquisite ebony box from a drawer.

"Alchemy is different from other magical disciplines. Theory alone is meaningless." The professor handed the box to Kevin. "This contains the basic tools a novice needs. It's enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Your Ravenclaw common room probably isn't suitable for experiments. Do you have another place to work?"

Kevin accepted the box and felt a warm wave of magic. "My roommates and I have an exclusive practice room on the fifth floor."

"Very good." Professor Victor took a small cloth bag from a bookshelf. "Like the box, this is also warded. Inside you'll find iron ore samples, moonstone powder, and a basic hexagram array diagram. Your first task is to complete a material conversion experiment—use this alchemical array to convert the iron ore into pure iron blocks. Remember, the purity must be high and the loss low."

Kevin took the bag, feeling its weight. "I will practice diligently, Professor."

"This experiment may seem simple, but it's a true test of the caster's control over magical energy." The sapphire ring on Professor Victor's right hand suddenly glowed, and a blue thread of magic traced a complex symbol in the air. "Don't try to cheat with Muggle methods. The essence of alchemy is to understand the truth of matter, not just change its form. Remember, I care less about the result than about your control over magical output during the process."

Kevin nodded and carefully stowed the box and bag in the inner pocket of his robe. As he turned to leave, Professor Victor suddenly asked, "Do you still have the parchment that Nico left for you?"

"I always carry it with me." Kevin retrieved a small leather bag from his inner pocket, inside which was the parchment. "But I still can't solve the puzzle on it."

Professor Victor smiled. "Don't worry. Nico will answer your questions in person during the summer. For now, you may go. Return to me when you've mastered your magical output."

"Professor, I have another question." Kevin hesitated, his gray-blue eyes fixed on Victor's expression. "Does Headmaster Dumbledore know about my situation? Is he also a member of the Ring of Hermes?"

Victor's lips curved in a meaningful arc, and the silver ring on his right hand flickered in the candlelight. "I'm curious—why do you think of Dumbledore?"

"Because you were invited by Headmaster Dumbledore himself," Kevin answered carefully. "And as far as I know, even students from pure-blood families can't find any background information about you. An alchemy master like you…"

"Are you suggesting," Victor interrupted, his eyebrows lifting slightly beneath his black eye mask, "that 'Victor Eisenberg' is not my real name?"

Kevin didn't answer immediately, but his eyes confirmed it.

Victor chuckled, his right hand rubbing the black glove on his left. "Besides that, what else makes you doubt my identity?"

"The title page of The Door of Truth is signed," Kevin said, meeting the professor's gaze. "It says 'KG,' which doesn't match the initials of your pseudonym."

"Ah… that was my oversight." Victor shook his head slightly, his golden ponytail swaying. "I rewrote the content but forgot to change the signature." He paused, then said seriously, "You are correct, Kevin. 'Victor Eisenberg' is indeed a pseudonym. As for Dumbledore…" His voice dropped. "He is not a member of our organization, but he has a good personal relationship with Nico and me."

Kevin noticed that the professor had deftly avoided revealing his true name. He understood that their trust had not yet reached that level, but he was certain he would uncover the truth eventually.

Kevin turned to another question. "Why did Headmaster Dumbledore not join? Was it because his talent wasn't sufficient?"

"Of course not!" Victor's voice rose, but he quickly regained his composure. "Everyone in the organization agrees that Albus Dumbledore is undoubtedly the most outstanding genius of this century—perhaps even more."

He stood and walked to the window, moonlight casting a silver edge around him. "Nico once told me he intended to invite Dumbledore to join. Unfortunately…" Victor tapped the window frame lightly. "Dumbledore was too deeply entangled with a dangerous person at the time. Their relationship was enough to shake the balance of the entire wizarding world."

Kevin sensed something odd in the professor's tone when he mentioned "dangerous person."

"Although Nico insisted on inviting him, the other members at the time…" Victor turned, a complicated look in his visible eye, "ultimately rejected the proposal for various reasons. Later…" He shrugged. "The headmaster of Hogwarts never had the chance to join our circle. Of course, he didn't need to—most members already had close personal ties with him."

"However, it was his example that changed the organization's admission criteria. It no longer requires a vote by all members, but only a review by another member. Of course, this is also because there are fewer members now." Victor added.

Kevin focused on the earlier words: "That dangerous man… was it Gellert Grindelwald? I read in Modern History of Magic that Dumbledore defeated the Dark Lord and ended the First Wizarding War."

The air in the office grew heavy. Professor Victor stood still, his right hand touching the black eye patch, his knuckles whitening.

"Yes, I didn't expect you to know so much—even Grindelwald." His voice sounded distant, as if speaking from far away. "A genius who could have touched the stars, but for the ridiculous slogan of 'greater good,' he was willing to become a slave to power…"

Kevin was about to ask more when Victor suddenly waved his wand, and a silver light flashed.

"Enough questions for now." The professor's voice returned to its usual calm. "You may leave."

Before Kevin could respond, a gentle but firm magic enveloped him. The next moment, he was standing outside the office door, which closed with a dull thud.

Seeing this, Kevin had no choice but to turn and leave.

Inside, Professor Victor leaned back in his chair and muttered, "How ridiculous, Grindelwald, how ridiculous!"

Then the office fell into silence.