HP: Alchemy? Nah, It's Crafting

"That's how it is. The Quill of Acceptance did not detect Mr. Kasenhis. He has never received any formal wizarding education. As for his ability to use magic, it was merely the result of accidental magical outbursts one day, after which an experienced wizard took him in as an apprentice."

"Not to mention, after completing his training, he only uses magic for renovations. This is enough to prove his good nature, and there is absolutely no need to send him to Azkaban."

Dumbledore, with a Muggle-purchased licorice stick hanging from his mouth, spoke persuasively to Fudge, who sat across from him.

"Then why did he refuse the Ministry's investigation? And why did he brazenly attack a Ministry employee?" Fudge asked angrily.

In the corner of the office, Kasen, sitting on the sofa, conjured a small flower in his hand with a snap of his fingers and handed it to Lester after materializing it.

Lester instinctively accepted it and muttered a quick "thank you" before blushing.

Dumbledore turned around to glance at their interaction and simply shrugged his shoulders casually.

"See? Look how well they're getting along."

Fudge rolled his eyes and gestured toward Lester in the corner.

"Let's let the victim decide whether or not to forgive him."

Kasen gulped nervously, the small flowers in his hands seemingly endless, nearly burying him under a pile of blossoms.

Lester, however, was in a more complicated situation. He glanced at Fudge's smiling face and then at Dumbledore's equally cheerful expression, completely unable to figure out what these two powerful figures were thinking.

Fortunately, during Christmas, someone had gifted Kasen a book titled "100 Strategies for the Workplace."

The book mentioned that situations like this typically occur when a leader wants to concede but is too embarrassed to do so.

Since that's the case, I'll help him save face.

"I have no objections."

'What the?' In an instant, Fudge's face turned bright red.

From the corner, Kasen pounded his chest with his fist and pointed at Lester, his eyes shining intensely, as if to say, "Brotherhood—right here, in the heart."

"It seems Lester has made his decision. Let's go, Kasen," Dumbledore said as he stood up gracefully.

"Fine, you always win… Where are you taking him?" Fudge, having lost all strength and leverage, slumped helplessly into his chair.

"I think Hogwarts needs a good Alchemy professor. I believe a natural-born alchemist teaching young witches and wizards about alchemy is perfectly appropriate."

Kasen, who had stood up alongside Dumbledore, froze mid-step.

He knew exactly what his skills were. His abilities were purely the result of his Minecraft cheat system. If you wanted him to cosplay as a construction worker, he could pull that off effortlessly. But as an Alchemy Professor?

What did he even know about alchemy?

He turned his gaze to Dumbledore, his expression frozen and lifeless, as if to say, "Me? An Alchemy Professor? Are you serious?!"

Dumbledore nodded kindly, as if to say, "You've got this."

The moment they stepped out of Fudge's office, the two of them could hear Fudge's furious roar echoing behind them.

"It seems our dear Minister doesn't want you to leave just like that," Dumbledore remarked.

Kasen nodded. "I noticed. And I heard it too."

As he spoke, a block of obsidian appeared in his hand. In the blink of an eye, he had completely blocked the entrance to the office with a solid wall of obsidian.

Dumbledore watched the scene with a cheerful smile. He even pressed his ear against the obsidian pillar until he heard the crisp sound of a head colliding with the block. Only then did he nod in satisfaction.

"Alright, our future Alchemy Professor, come along."

Kasen trudged over reluctantly, and Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder. What followed was a loud roaring sound accompanied by a wave of disorienting dizziness that hit Kasen from all directions.

"This is Hogwarts. From now on, this will be the place where you live and work."

Supporting a dazed and disoriented Kasen, Dumbledore slowly led him toward the castle.

The summer breeze brushed against them gently, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.

The entire castle, both inside and out, was filled with the joyful laughter of young wizards. Perhaps it was because they only had to endure a few more days before enjoying a long two-month vacation, with their return not scheduled until September 1st.

Kasen followed silently behind Dumbledore the whole way, not listening to a single word being said. His gaze was fixed on Hogwarts itself, marveling at its grandeur.

That was until Dumbledore ran into an acquaintance.

The scene was remarkably similar to a parent picking up their child from school, only to bump into an old friend and start chatting on the side of the road.

Meanwhile, the impatient "child," eager to get home, turned his attention to a staircase in the corner. It was moving, and it looked extraordinarily impressive.

Then came a scream.

Both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall quickly turned their heads just in time to see the staircase finish shifting directions, followed by the sound of someone tumbling down—thud, thud, thud.

Soon enough, they saw Kasen hopping and conjuring blocks beneath his feet as he climbed his way back up.

"The staircases at Hogwarts… have a lot of character."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall didn't quite know what to say. In the end, it was Dumbledore who broke the awkward silence.

"This is the new Alchemy professor I found for Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore, then turned to Kasen, who casually destroyed the blocks he had conjured earlier in the blink of an eye, leaving the area spotless.

"I actually think he looks more like a Transfiguration professor—at least, he seems the part."

"Hmm, but there still should be some formalities, like an interview."

"Then I'll go arrange it."

Kasen suddenly turned his head. "Hmm? What interview? Oh, right, sir, there's something I forgot to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I don't know alchemy."

"That's only because you think you don't know alchemy," Dumbledore explained patiently. "The essence of alchemy lies in transforming magic into tangible matter. For example, when building a house, most people start with the foundation and finish at the roof. But you already possess a complete house. All you need to do is explore its structure."

"…But doesn't alchemy involve actually doing something? What am I supposed to teach the students? Renovation?"

"Kasen, trust me. If you can manipulate the transformation of materials, you can also control how they are composed. It's like turning wooden planks into a floor. Perhaps you should try it. Do you see this feather? Wrap it with a plant."

Dumbledore took out a long, fiery red feather and handed it to Kasen.

Kasen accepted it. "Wrap it?"

"Yes, with any plant you like—or any other material if you prefer."

"OK."

He held the feather, and in the next moment, countless rose vines appeared in his hands, wrapping tightly around the feather. Eventually, the vines solidified and condensed into a thirteen-inch…

"This is the creation of alchemy—a wand. Try waving it," Dumbledore said with a smile.

Kasen held the wand and waved it casually. Blocks of pixel-like particles appeared in the air, sparkling for a moment like fireworks before vanishing.

"This… counts as done?"

"Mhm," Dumbledore nodded, walking ahead with a light step, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. It was as if he had just successfully found another sucker for Hogwarts.

After all, hiring a proper alchemist as a professor would conservatively cost upwards of 3,000 Galleons a year, with a salary easily rivaling—if not surpassing—that of Snape.

But a newly-arrived "alchemy genius" who was also a magical novice?

Well, such a person was far easier to fool—no, to convince—into selflessly contributing to Hogwarts out of the goodness of their heart.

Absolutely delightful.