THE ALCHEMIST OF HARRY POTTER

"So, you want to go on a night tour tonight?"

At nine o'clock in the evening, Albert was writing a letter to his family in the Gryffindor common room, his quill scratching against the parchment. Hearing the Weasley twins whispering excitedly, he couldn't help but twitch.

It seems I have a task about night travel that I haven't completed?

No!

Can't do it!

Can't die!

Not yet!

Albert rubbed his temple and sighed. If he went on a night tour now, he would definitely be caught by Argus Filch, who knew Hogwarts' secret passages almost as well as the Marauder's Map.

"Albert, do you want to come with us?" the twins asked in unison, eyes gleaming with mischief.

"I heard…" Albert put down his quill and turned to look at them seriously. "Filch knows most of the secret passages in the castle, which means he can easily catch any students sneaking around." He tapped the parchment with his wand absentmindedly. "If you don't want to spend your first detention polishing trophies in his office, you'd better not go unprepared."

"That's what I said! Going on a night tour now is bound to end in disaster!" Lee Jordan quickly echoed, shifting his stance.

"No, no, I think the important thing is that if you want to go on a night tour, you have to be ready." Albert shook his head. "Gryffindor bravery doesn't mean being reckless. At the very least, you should master the Lumos spell first."

"Carrying an oil lamp is too troublesome," Albert continued, tapping his borrowed book, "Selected Curses of the Nineteenth Century." "It's better to rely on magic. Also, I found references to the Disillusionment Charm. If you master that, Filch will have a much harder time catching you."

"So, would you like to go on a night tour with us?" The twins clapped hands as if celebrating a victory.

Albert sighed. "You two…" He had already guessed what they were thinking. "If we're going to do this, we need to be smart. I don't intend to get caught. Master some useful spells first, and then we'll explore Hogwarts properly."

"Brilliant! With you on board, our plan just got a whole lot better!" George said excitedly, grabbing Fred and doing a little victory dance.

To the Weasley twins, their roommate was already proving to be quite the reliable co-conspirator.

"Tomorrow, George, Lee, and I are heading to Hogsmeade again. Want to come?" Fred brought up their next plan. "Only third-years are supposed to go, but we found a secret passage leading straight to the village."

"I want to buy a few things from Zonko's Joke Shop. I didn't have money last time," George added enthusiastically.

"That's the most famous joke shop in Britain—" Lee Jordan started, but Albert interrupted.

"I'm not interested in prank items, but seeing a wizarding village could be fun."

Another task appeared on Albert's panel, and he froze slightly.

**The Beginning of an Adventure**

**This is the start of a great journey. Visit Hogsmeade through a secret passage and experience the thrill of adventure.**

**Reward: 100 experience points, George Weasley favorability +5, Fred Weasley favorability +5, Lee Jordan favorability +5.**

Favorability? What kind of game-like mechanic was this?

Would maxing out favorability lead to legendary friendships?

Albert quickly shook off the bizarre thought.

No. Focus.

"Let's go after breakfast," Albert agreed, turning back to his letter. He described Hogwarts with enthusiasm, even adding in some photographs he had taken with his camera.

Fred and George didn't disturb him further. Instead, they, along with Lee Jordan, pored over "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1," searching for useful spells. Albert was right—carrying an oil lamp was impractical. They needed to learn a few spells first.

Minutes later, Albert smelled burning parchment. Turning his head, he saw that *The Daily Prophet* had caught fire. The twins were frantically stomping on it, trying to put it out.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" Albert put his unfinished letter back into the box, hurried over, and threw open a window to let the smoke escape.

"George just tested the Fire-Making Spell," Fred coughed, waving away the smoke. "And, well, it worked."

"You nearly set the carpet on fire!" Albert scolded. "Don't practice fire spells in the dormitory!"

"I think I might have a talent for Charms," George said smugly.

"How did you do it?" Lee Jordan asked, eager to try.

"Not here!" Albert snapped. "If you want to practice spells, use the fireplace in the common room!" He all but shoved them out the door.

"If you still want to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow, you'd better master Lumos first. I'm not walking through a secret tunnel with an oil lamp!"

"You're right," Fred admitted. "Let's focus on Lumos first."

Their initial attempts were clumsy. The light flickered and dimmed quickly. Lee Jordan struggled to produce even a faint glow.

"You're not concentrating enough. Focus on the wand," Albert instructed. "Be confident, and say the incantation clearly. Don't hesitate."

"You sound like a professor," Fred joked. "Maybe you should consider teaching one day."

"I'll pass," Albert said dryly.

"Why not?" George asked curiously.

"Because teaching sounds exhausting," Albert replied. "Especially dealing with a bunch of unruly students." He picked up the Muggle Rubik's Cube on his bedside table, twisting it absentmindedly.

"What's that?" Fred leaned in with curiosity.

"A Rubik's Cube. A Muggle toy that exercises spatial thinking and memory." Albert turned it again. "It's good for passing time."

It took them the entire evening to master Lumos. By then, they were ready for their upcoming adventure.