HP: Alchemy? Nah, It's Crafting

[+10 Satisfaction from Dumbledore]

[+10 Satisfaction from Dumbledore]

[+10 Favorability from Dumbledore]

Kasenhis followed behind, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

Before long, the two arrived at an empty classroom.

Dumbledore sat in the center. Beside him was Professor McGonagall, whom Kasenhis had met once before, and a greasy-haired professor—Snape. Kasenhis recognized him as well.

The other two were strangers: a short man and a kind-looking woman. Kasenhis had no idea who they were.

The greasy-haired professor, Snape, glanced over indifferently and remarked, "Such a grand gesture. I thought you were bringing Ollivander in."

Oof... what a sharp jab.

Kasenhis swallowed nervously and took a seat across from them. In front of him was a neatly laid-out form and a feather quill.

Name...

Kasenhis.

Gender...

Male.

Age...

25.

Education...

University of Manchester, Civil Engineering Department.

For some reason, filling this out gave Kasenhis an inexplicable sense of shame.

Specialized Magic...

Alchemy, Transfiguration, Charms.

The last entry was something he reluctantly added based on Dumbledore's whispered suggestion from beside him.

After handing over the form, Kasenhis leaned back in his chair, his eyes wandering up to the ceiling…

The color of the ceiling didn't match the walls. If it were up to him, he'd use spruce wood planks instead. Not only would it provide a harmonious color scheme, but it would also add an air of elegant dignity.

Meanwhile, across the table...

"Mr. His…" Snape's eyes were fixed on the form in front of him as he spoke.

"…Mr. His?"

"Kasenhis!"

"Huh? What is it?"

Kasen, who had been deeply engrossed in analyzing the ceiling, snapped back to reality and looked at the greasy-haired professor addressing him.

"Would you mind demonstrating your alchemy?"

"What exactly do you need me to demonstrate? I mean, how should I do it?"

"The most basic thing: material transformation. After all, apart from certain people throwing around positions irresponsibly, I wouldn't want my colleague to be a fraud or a charlatan."

Kasen nodded in agreement.

Truthfully, he was that kind of fraud and charlatan.

If Dumbledore hadn't dragged him here, he wouldn't even have stepped into this classroom.

It wasn't that he didn't want this so-called professor job; he simply had a clear understanding of his own abilities. When it came to renovations, he was in a league of his own.

Alchemy? What even is that?

The four professors exchanged looks as if Kasen's reluctant nod was a silent confession. Their curious and doubtful gazes all landed on Dumbledore, who could only awkwardly say, "Feel free to demonstrate—something impressive would be ideal."

"Alright then."

In the next moment, a block of iron appeared in Kasen's hand. With four loud thunk sounds, he quickly assembled a T-shaped iron framework in front of everyone.

"This isn't Transfiguration," Professor McGonagall muttered.

"That's obvious. And then?" Snape's expression remained peculiar as he watched this so-called alchemy. Why did it feel so… bizarre?

Kasen then conjured a pumpkin block in his hand and placed it steadily on top of the iron T-frame to serve as a head. Moments later, the pumpkin block in his hand transformed into a pair of shears.

To be honest, this alone was enough to make Snape acknowledge his technique. After all, Snape hadn't detected any unnecessary magical fluctuations during the entire process.

It truly was something conjured from nothing—four cubic meters of iron brought into existence, shaped into a blocky pumpkin, and finally transformed into a crude pair of shears.

This wasn't the usual material transmutation through equivalent exchange; it was pure magic creating something out of nothing. Frankly, no alchemist Snape knew possessed such mastery.

Then came the moment that nearly made Snape's eyes pop out of his head.

Kasen used the shears to carve a jack-o'-lantern face into the pumpkin. Immediately after, the T-shaped iron structure and the pumpkin "head" began to melt and reshape themselves.

In the blink of an eye, a three-meter-tall iron knight—or rather, an iron golem—stood before them.

Dumbledore observed the entire process, the smile in his eyes growing even brighter. He nudged Professor McGonagall with his elbow.

"Well? What do you think?"

Professor McGonagall's expression grew increasingly serious. "You know I'm not an expert, but… I sensed a breath of life in it. Using alchemy to create life…"

"Dumbledore, where did you find him? I don't recall Hogwarts ever having a student like this…" Snape finally spoke up.

"You'll have to blame the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance for that," Dumbledore said nonchalantly.

The others had no idea what Dumbledore meant. Most assumed it was because the Quill hadn't extended its influence beyond England and Scotland, never considering that this seemingly extraordinary alchemist had lived his entire life in the Muggle world until today.

They quickly drew circles at the bottom of the form, signaling their agreement to welcome a new colleague into Hogwarts.

It wasn't until Dumbledore pulled out the letter of appointment he had prepared in advance that Snape happened to glance at it.

Monthly salary: 130 Galleons.

'What the...'

Honestly, this was the average salary for most professors—nothing too high or too low. However, for fields like alchemy or potions, which required technical expertise, it was practically an insult, akin to throwing a few pennies at a beggar.

Still, Snape didn't care to meddle. An alchemist of this level likely wouldn't need money anyway; they could always conjure gold if needed. Unlike himself, tirelessly brewing potions for every Galleon he earned—true blood, sweat, and tears.

'Sigh… life isn't easy.'

"Do I need to sign?" Kasenhis asked.

"Oh, right here," Dumbledore said, cheerfully leaving his seat to stand behind Kasenhis, pointing to a blank space on the corner of the parchment.

"A professor's job… sounds pretty decent," Kasenhis shrugged and picked up the quill, signing his name on the parchment.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! You'll like it here. My name is Filius Flitwick, but feel free to call me whatever you like," Professor Flitwick said as he approached Kasenhis, extending a hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Professor." Kasenhis bent down to shake hands with Flitwick.

"And I'm Pomona Sprout."

"Hello, Professor Sprout."

Kasenhis introduced himself sincerely and responded politely to the professors, while Dumbledore, off to the side, was putting away the magical contract with the look of someone who had just struck gold.

Watching this scene, Kasenhis suddenly had a thought: Was I just tricked?

Before he could process it further, Snape, clad in black robes, appeared before him.

"Severus Snape. I enjoy engaging with talented individuals. My office is on the lower level."

"Ehm.. I'll keep that in mind."

As the empty classroom was left with just three people and the iron golem, Professor McGonagall finally stepped forward to shake hands with Kasenhis.

"I'd be happy to give you a tour of Hogwarts. This isn't just your new workplace; I hope it will feel like a second home to you."

"Maybe it'll even become my first home," Kasenhis replied politely.

"That would be perfect."

…

The next day, under Professor McGonagall's slightly exasperated gaze, Kasenhis dismantled the iron golem he had built.

He then chose a spacious, sunlit office on the third floor and followed McGonagall around Hogwarts, meeting the staff and familiarizing himself with the castle.

It wasn't until evening that he finally had some free time and returned to his office.

Overall, this job sounded pretty good, and his colleagues seemed to like him.

Some of them might have been more reserved, their expressions giving nothing away, but the steady stream of satisfaction and trust notifications in his mind didn't lie.

This wave of positive feedback caused his Minecraft blocks to level up once again.

A new block materialized in his hand.

A chilling, decayed aura filled the office as he stared at the Wither Skeleton Skull floating in his palm, falling into deep thought...

This block looked like it could explode at any moment. What was going on?