"This ......"

In the small attic, Maca carried a lantern in her hand and circled around it. It can be seen that the four walls of this attic are depicted with an unusually dense concentration of alchemical symbols. Some of them are connected by lines, while others are separated in space, and they look extremely complex.

Looking at some symbols, Maca also had a headache.

He had studied it before, and the symbols of alchemy had very different rules of representation from the various ancient magic runes he had learned. Compared with the runes of ancient magic literature, the symbols of alchemy are more material elements with practical significance, rather than the so-called "meaning" of ancient magic literature that takes the subjective spirit as the starting point.

In fact, Muggle chemistry is a leapfrog branch of alchemy, and there may be more similarities between the two.

"Mr. McLean?" Old Edward saw that Maca didn't speak, just staring around at the four walls, so he couldn't help but try to call him.

"Huh?" Maca subconsciously turned her head, "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm a little fascinated by this...... Speaking of which, every time Mr. Lemay enters his lab, does he have to play this little game here? ”

"Mini-games?" The old butler was a little confused, so he said, "What do you mean?" All I know is that when the master usually goes back to the lab, he uses his wand to tap on these four walls a few times. But the position of his point is different every time, and I have never figured it out. ”

"At least for Mr. Lemay, it's a little game." Maca shrugged her shoulders and said, "You should get the idea—use it to brush up on the basics of alchemy, just as wizards often use runiwen combinations to make codes. ”

"Oh, I see—" said old Edward thoughtfully, "I have never had much talent in alchemy, and my master has not taught me some basic knowledge, but there are so many symbols when I come up, where do I remember?" ”

"It's not easy!" Maca nodded understandingly.

It's not that he can't remember the symbols, but because he himself has memorized a lot of messy ancient magic characters, and some of the alchemy symbols are directly inherited from some ancient characters, which will inevitably cause him confusion in a specific sense.

Therefore, he did not bother to memorize the many symbols of alchemy. Because he knew very well that the direction of his research was not the system of alchemy at all, and he didn't have any more energy to spend on it.

But the reason why alchemy is the same branch of wizarding is because these two systems are not similar to each other have a common research point. In Charms, it is called "soul magic"; In alchemy, it is defined as a basic element, the soul element.

It can be seen that although these two systems have completely different developments in the study of matter, they have similarities in the spiritual aspect.

"Mr. McLean, what do you think about this...... Hmm, this 'little game'? Is there any workaround? Old Edward asked.

Maca hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slightly.

"I don't know yet...... I don't really have much to do with alchemy," he said, "but it doesn't seem entirely hopeless, I think...... I'm going to spend a little more time on that. ”

As he spoke, he pulled out a book and examined it against a table. It can be said that if the riddle on the wall were to be interpreted entirely from the perspective of alchemy, there was little possibility for him to solve it; However, if you use some theories of soul magic as a benchmark and directly analyze the puzzle itself, the result is not certain.

Soon, Maca was fully engaged in her studies and stopped talking to the old butler.

……

The whole night had been unusually long on Maca's side, but Harry's side was not easy either. To be precise, he had insomnia!

The sky had lit up slightly, and Harry felt that he might be the first in all of Hogwarts to notice that dawn had arrived, even before Filch, who was on patrol at night.

In the boys' dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower, Harry lay on his bed with wide eyes, his eyes were bloodshot, but he couldn't sleep.

Since he learned the Occlumency Surgery, he has slept very sweetly every day, but he didn't know that he would have insomnia again today. And compared to waking up with the scar on his forehead, the feeling last night made him quite uncomfortable. There was no more Voldemort in his head, only the figure of the red-haired girl.

"Hah! It's another day! ”

Harry sat up helplessly on the bed, then hugged his bent knees and froze again. This night, he had been lying down and sitting countless times, but it still didn't make him put aside the chaos in his head.

He remembered that Ron suddenly sat up inexplicably during the night, sleepwalking with his eyes half-open and asking him what to do when he was forced to tap dance by a spider. Hell, how does he know what to do?

At that time, he was so bored that he casually asked Ron to go and discuss something with those spiders directly. What else can I do? If you don't want to jump, don't jump!

Who would have thought that Ron would suddenly lie back down and fall asleep.

Is that guy going to negotiate with the spiders in his dreams? Harry didn't know, and he didn't want to know, because his head had already been filled with Ginny Weasley.

Is this what it's like to be in love? No, Harry didn't think it was, it was just an emotional annoyance forced by the situation at best.

"For Ginny, if you want to say that you like it, you must like it, but this is probably not the kind of love between men and women."

Harry thought to himself, trying to convince himself in this way that he wouldn't be unable to sleep all night long. But he found that it didn't work, he couldn't sleep at all!

He sighed, then lifted the quilt and dressed himself neatly. As for the glasses, they were already on the bridge of his nose before dawn.

After tidying himself up, Harry slowed down and quickly left the dormitory. Although I was upset, there was no need to let this chaotic mood affect the other students, they were still sleeping!

"Ahh

At the exit from the dormitory to the common room, Harry slammed his steps, but in the next moment, he wanted to slap himself in the face.

Yes, he saw that there was a person in the common room who had arrived before him, and it was still a girl. It's just that it's not Ginny who he thought he was doing in his first reaction, but his good friend Hermione!

Oh, my God! What's wrong with you? How do you think of Hermione as Ginny?

"Harry?" Hermione heard him whisper and immediately turned from her chair, "Good morning, uh...... What's wrong with you? ”

Harry knew that his eyes must be red as if they were bleeding, because he could clearly feel the sourness in them.

"No, it's okay—" He blinked vigorously and casually perfunctory.

"Didn't you sleep well?" Hermione thought for a moment and said, "Oh, because of yesterday evening?" I've heard you rush to your dorm yesterday like a gust of wind...... Let me guess, because I bumped into Ginny? ”

Hermione had always had a smart head, not to mention that she had actually caused it, so it was clear that she couldn't guess accurately.

“…… Well, that's right. ”

Harry hesitated, then nodded weakly. As he spoke, he walked over to Hermione with drooping eyelids and sat down casually.

"So that means you went on a date with her, and you failed?" Hermione said helplessly, "Otherwise, I'm going to create a less obtrusive opportunity for you today?" ”

Harry waved his hand to show that he didn't need to. Do you have to do it again? No, one time was enough for him, and he didn't feel like trying a second time at all.

Seeing this, Hermione flattened her mouth in anger and glared at Harry.

"Is it that difficult? Don't you think that inviting a girl on a date is an ability that any guy should have? ”

"No, I said it yesterday - it's not like that." Harry closed his eyes with a headache, "Okay, okay! I'm going to try again today, and it's the last time—"

"I don't think so!"

Harry had barely finished his sentence when a voice rang out from behind them.

"Ginny?" Hermione was surprised at first, then apologetically, "Oh, I'm not ......"

"No, it's okay, I understand." It was Ginny, I didn't expect her to get up so early today, and there seemed to be a little tired look on her face, "Hermione, I know you mean well, but I don't think it's necessary." It's his business who Harry likes, and I don't want to force him to do something for personal reasons, in which case he wouldn't be the real Harry. ”

"Ginny ......"

As Harry looked at her, he gradually realized the sincerity in her expression. Just as different people will show different personalities in love, Ginny may show an emotion called "understanding".

It was clear that she still liked Harry, but she didn't have to be Harry's liking. Rather than chasing after her, she hoped that Harry would like her of his own volition, and even if he didn't, Harry would still be the Harry she remembered as her favorite.

"Are you ......" Harry opened his mouth and hesitated for a few more moments before he tried to ask, "do you like me?" Belch...... You know, I've always been a bit sluggish. ”

This was probably the first time he had tried to understand Ginny's thoughts, because at this moment, he was really moved by the "understanding" that Ginny showed.