HP: Hogwart's Journey

The new semester kept Robert extremely busy. While he had no trouble with the mandatory homework assigned by the professors, his main focus was on learning other subjects. 

At the end of the previous semester, Robert and the twins had discovered a flying disc in the Room of Requirement, engraved with ancient runes. Initially, he had only intended to experiment by studying his mother's textbooks on the subject. However, Chen Xiang happened to notice his efforts. 

Chen Xiang wasn't an expert in ancient languages, but he did know enough to use them. He revealed a secret to Robert: these ancient runes carried inherent magical power. If Robert wanted to improve himself, mastering ancient runes was an unavoidable step. 

For example, the talismans Chen Xiang used were inscribed with seal script, not simplified characters. This wasn't to show off his knowledge but because simplified characters, while easier to learn and spread, couldn't hold as much magical energy. That said, talismans written in simplified characters weren't entirely useless—they just had significantly less power. For instance, a simplified-character explosion talisman might only have one-tenth the power of one written in seal script. 

Similarly, Latin letters, which English is derived from, have their own magical origins. The sister script to Latin, the runic alphabet, is said to have been discovered by Odin himself while hanging from the World Tree, pondering the secrets of the universe. These letters, known as "Runes" in the wizarding world, are inherently magical. 

At Hogwarts, there's a class called Ancient Runes, which teaches this very script. Just as talismans use seal script, wizards' runes differ significantly from Muggle writing. A small mistake in writing a rune could turn "defense" into "cooperation," leading to disastrous results—like being roasted alive instead of walking out of a fire unscathed. 

But the main reason Robert wanted to learn ancient runes was to study alchemy. Like the obsession of Daoist alchemists with elixirs, most wizards are deeply fascinated by alchemy, which is seen as a path to ultimate truth. However, alchemical knowledge is traditionally recorded in ancient runes. 

In the wizarding world, alchemy, astrology, and arithmancy are considered the three great cosmic wisdoms. Hogwarts already offers courses in alchemy and astrology, but only alchemy might appear on the elective course list. Headmaster Dumbledore, a renowned alchemist and partner of Nicolas Flamel, could easily find a tutor for aspiring students. 

Historical records show that Nicolas Flamel was proficient in Latin and Greek, skilled in painting and cryptography, and deeply knowledgeable in alchemy. This suggests that alchemy involves potions, ancient languages, and arithmancy—all subjects taught at Hogwarts. 

Robert wasn't sure if alchemy would appear on his schedule next year, so he decided to memorize ancient runes first. His mother had taken arithmancy but only earned an "E," standing out among a sea of "O"s, likely due to her lack of numerical talent. Interestingly, divination was the only subject she avoided, possibly because she found it… silly? 

Although the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest were skilled in astrology, their obsession with it made the entire tribe seem eccentric. Robert, despite his decent astronomy grades, preferred to steer clear of divination. 

As for arithmancy, it was rare and advanced, combining charms and transfiguration. Robert hadn't found any books on it, but he imagined it was incredibly powerful. 

The process of learning was tedious, especially when he hadn't yet grasped the basics. But then, Robert discovered that something he had brought from the Flower Country came in handy: an electronic dictionary. 

It was common knowledge that Hogwarts had no electricity, as it conflicted with the castle's magical field. However, the electronic dictionary Robert had purchased from the Chen clan wasn't battery-powered—it ran on magical energy. After explaining he was a Hogwarts student, the shopkeeper handed him a magical energy collector, which could gather ambient magic to charge the device. 

Robert was stunned. He had expected something like a magical stone, but instead, he got… a modified power bank? 

Since it was specially designed, the device worked at Hogwarts, though its monochrome screen paled in comparison to the colorful screens of the future. As an electronic dictionary, it stored a wealth of study materials, including ancient runes. However, since it was made in the Flower Country, the database was in seal script. Robert needed runic materials, so he sneaked through a secret passage to Hogsmeade and sent an owl to the shopkeeper, asking if they had runic resources. 

"Hey, Robert, we haven't seen you around lately. Have you been burying yourself in the library?" Fred ambushed Robert one morning. The twins had discovered a secret about the Hufflepuff table and often came over to share meals. 

The Hufflepuff students welcomed the twins warmly, which left Robert puzzled. When had they become so popular? Had he been too absorbed in his studies? 

"We've got great news for you!" Fred beamed, looking like he might float away. "Our counter is a huge success!" 

"What?" Robert, still thinking about the intercontinental owl, was momentarily confused. 

"The counter! Our potions are selling like crazy! Mr. Zonko hooked us up with a supplier for Bubotuber pus, which cut our costs. We've already made 70 Galleons!" 

(End of Chapter)