chrysopoeia: the transmutation of metal into gold.
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September 2, 1692
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Chilly and grumbling, a young man wrapped in a woollen travelling-cloak stumbled alongside the Great Lake, pellets of rain stinging his flushed face. He lugged a leather-bound suitcase behind him, its loose flaps whipping wildly in the wind, and a decorated manuscript threatened to loose itself from the pack.
He set himself against the sturdy castle doors with a sigh and waited a moment before knocking twice, solidly.
On the other side of the door, a nervous-looking wizard in robes of deep brown peered through the peephole.
"Name and purpose?" he called, his quavery voice amplified by the wand at his throat.
"Sir Isaac Newton," replied the man over the howling wind. "Here for professorial duties."
The heavy doors creaked open, and the brown-robed wizard ushered him inside. "Thank you kindly for arriving on such short notice," he said as Newton dried his case and then himself. "It is an honour to have you here."
Newton took no notice of the compliment and regarded his surroundings with a quiet fascination. Finally, he turned back to the man and offered his hand. "Headmaster Viridian, I assume. Pleasure."
Viridian beamed and shook it.
"You've established many protective spells above the grounds," Newton murmured absently, tracing an invisible fabric above both of them with his wand.
"Ah, yes," Viridian said gravely. "Surely you've heard of all the turmoil in Salem. And the Ministry's new statute…"
"Regrettable," he said, but did not elaborate.
The headmaster escorted Newton to his office, which was barren except for a worn mahogany desk and a neatly-made bed in the corner (which, upon further inspection, appeared to have been that way for quite some time). His intended classroom was located a floor below, which he hoped wouldn't prove too difficult a barrier for transport.
As if in response, his suitcase flaps shook insistently, trying to catch his attention. Newton sighed and unwound the case, which twittered angrily and spat a pair of stockings across the room before he quieted it with a swift slap on the lid. The case gave what could only be described as a sigh and begrudgingly allowed itself to be opened.
The contents would make little sense to most people, even magical ones, but Newton didn't seem fazed. The cavernous interior of the case (adjusted by what would later be known as an Undetectable Expansion Charm) contained an assortment of spindly, fragile-looking objects, padded all around with scripted packets of parchment. Somewhere deep inside, a bell chimed insistently. Newton smiled fondly; it was nice to see his laboratory again after travelling such a distance.
It was only after he'd unpacked and prepared for bed that he remembered that classes would start the next day and he was woefully underprepared. He floundered around for a clean piece of parchment and quill, finding both on top of a thick manuscript on fundamental calculus, tentatively titled Principia. Brushing it aside, he touched the tip of the quill to an inkwell and began to think.
Alchemy is a precise study which branches off of potioneering and incorporates many aspects of the Muggle practice of chemistry—
He frowned. He had a feeling it would be particularly unwise to mention anything about Muggle practices, considering the current animosity between both peoples. It saddened him. Unlike most wizards, he had received his education at home and at Muggle university rather than attending Hogwarts. He felt equally tied to both worlds; he didn't want to conceal one from the other, as would happen upon the enactment of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy.
He began again.
Alchemy is a precise branch of potioneering which focuses on three defining goals: chrysopoeia, panacea, and the universal solvent. It requires a profound knowledge of metallic components and transformative magic, as well as a deeply spiritual understanding of the world we inhabit; therefore, the prerequisites for this class include O.W.L. levels in Potions, Transfiguration, and Divination…
He paused. Perhaps less introduction and more description of the class would be better. He continued from where he had left off.
This class will first study the history of alchemy and alchemists. The works of Dzou Yhen, Nicolas Flamel, and Paracelsus will be studied thoroughly. These studies, in turn, will contribute to the class's theoretical knowledge: when a metalloid is favoured over a metal, how to type a substance by subsistence and colour, etc., etc. Such practices will be enacted only when history has been well-learnt.
The winter months will be focused on the discovery of a panacea. This will be achieved through study of common antidotes, such as the bezoar, and the three laws attributed to Hephaestus Golpalott, particularly the third—"The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components."
The final exam will take place over the last four weeks of term. This class will attempt to replicate the process, divined by master alchemist Nicolas Flamel, of the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. As it is a highly complicated procedure, finished products will be graded generously. Sixth-years who demonstrate an adept understanding of alchemical processes may continue the class for a second year, in which they will be given more substantial research projects.
Newton ended the paragraph with a flourish and, in sudden realization of his fatigue, promptly fell asleep at his desk, his quill staining the desk with a splotch of dark blue ink.
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September 3, 1692
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The morning found him bleary-eyed and frantic. He flailed about and nearly snapped his wand in two while rolling his case out of his room; it was only then that he remembered that his wand could indeed be used to facilitate the transport, and used it accordingly. Gathering his manuscripts carefully, he clutched them to his chest and arrived in the classroom with only ten minutes until the class would begin.
He realized he'd forgotten a syllabus and cursed under his breath. Borrowing from his experiences as a Muggle professor at Cambridge, he quickly outlined a schedule:
9:00-9:10—Roll call
9:10-9:40—Course introduction
9:40-9:45—Questions
9:45-10:30—Lecture on the findings of Dzou Yhen
Newton smiled. He did love to lecture.
10:30-11:00—Practical demonstration of the Diana's Tree
No sooner had he finished his outline than the door swung open, revealing a smiling student. He walked in and set his bag at a desk in the front before approaching Newton.
"Caelum Malfoy," he said confidently, holding out a hand for the professor to shake. "It's an honour to meet you. I've heard all about your work from my father—Brutus Malfoy, of course—and he says you're brilliant."
Newton took his hand, smiling as well. "Best regards to your father for his kind words." As Caelum returned to his seat, more students filed in, filling up the first three rows of desks. They chatted with one another until, at the stroke of nine, the clock chimed and they fell silent, turning to their new professor with polite curiosity.
He took a stance behind the desk, pleased with their obedience. "Welcome," he said quietly, "to your first Alchemy lesson."
A/N: so we watched this weird movie in math about Newton a while ago that explained that aside from inventing calculus and writing the Principia and discovering gravity, he also studied alchemy in secret. I thought he might make an interesting professor :D (except apparently he just lectured nonstop, which must've been a bit boring…)
There's probably so much more I could've included about Salem and the Statute of Secrecy, but this is late as it is, and more research would've taken a while :x
Anyways, hope you enjoyed! I'd love it if you'd leave me a review :)
Ebaz