HP: Alchemy? Nah, It's Crafting

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Afterward, Kasenhis was subjected to nearly an hour of stories recounting Neville's various embarrassing incidents from birth until he started attending school.

In a way, this was a vicious cycle.

Why was it a vicious cycle?

Well, Neville's magical aptitude was slightly lackluster, which provoked dissatisfaction among the Longbottom family. To force Neville to demonstrate his magical talent, the family implemented all sorts of high-pressure tactics.

These high-pressure methods, in turn, hurt Neville's psyche—a significant problem for a wizard trying to perform magic without confidence.

And so, Neville and the Longbottom family members became entangled in a cycle of "mutual harm," leaving both sides in pain.

Yet, no one could clearly identify the fault.

The Longbottom family wanted their heir to demonstrate magical talent—nothing wrong with that.

Neville, as a child, couldn't be blamed for being a bit slower in developing his abilities. In fact, he wasn't even truly lacking in talent; his issue stemmed from a lack of confidence. And this lack of confidence?

Kasenhis carefully reviewed the entire situation, retracing every step, until he finally identified the primary culprits.

Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

That's right—the root cause of Neville's current predicament lay squarely at their feet.

Having figured out this key point, Kasenhis felt a sudden clarity and freed himself from the trap of overthinking. 

Dinner was soon prepared and served by the house-elves, and Kasenhis glanced at the spread, once again marveling at the resources of these old pure-blood families.

In Hogwarts, such a feast was typically shared among the entire staff. However, tonight, a meal rivaling or even exceeding Hogwarts' dinner was prepared for just the three of them.

The meal proceeded pleasantly, with both the host and guest enjoying themselves. Yet Kasenhis couldn't help but notice that whenever Neville looked at his grandmother, the same unintentional withdrawal and timidity appeared on his face.

At the table, Kasenhis deliberately recounted to Augusta the story of how Neville, unburdened by the presence of his formidable grandmother, managed to knock the Malfoy heir flat with just his wand—a tale embellished with a touch of artistic liberty.

His intention was to illustrate to Augusta that when not stifled by her imposing presence, Neville could excel, particularly in areas like dueling and Herbology.

"I will follow your advice, Professor Kasenhis—encouragement-based education," Augusta said as she walked Kasenhis to the gates of the manor. Neville trailed behind her, clearly wanting to accompany them further, beyond the limits of the manor's anti-Apparition wards.

"This is far enough," Kasenhis said, smiling. "It doesn't have to be strictly encouragement-based education. Normal education works just fine, as long as it's not suppressive. Speaking of normal education, I'd actually recommend taking a page out of the Weasley family's book—specifically the Weasleys from the Burrow."

"I'll make time to visit the Burrow," Augusta replied thoughtfully.

"Not this Christmas, though. I believe they're visiting one of their older sons," Kasenhis added.

"Professor, are you sure you won't stay for at least a day? Just one day?" Neville asked hesitantly, standing behind his grandmother.

"I'm sorry, but honestly, I'm quite busy this Christmas," Kasenhis explained. "When I return to Hogwarts, there's still so much work waiting for me. The fourth-years' Enchanting Table thesis has been approved, and I need to find time to take them to receive their well-deserved accolades."

"Not to mention my office renovation and expansion plans, and the Christmas gifts for all of you. While I've prepared them, I haven't packed them yet, let alone added the cards and sent them off."

"You prepared a lot, didn't you?" Neville asked.

"Of course! Aside from gifts for all of you, I've also prepared presents for the professors and my Muggle friends. I still need to go back to my previous residence outside the school to collect their gifts. It's an endless cycle—truly exhausting," Kasenhis said with a chuckle.

"Well, alright then," Augusta said.

Kasenhis nodded to both of them. With a sudden rumbling sound, he disappeared from where he stood, leaving behind faint, purple-glowing particles that gradually faded into the air.

"...Professor Kasenhis can bypass the Anti-Apparition enchantments? And that wasn't the magic of a Portkey?" Augusta murmured in astonishment.

"Nothing Professor Kasenhis does surprises me anymore. The other day, he even knocked Professor Quirrell straight into the medical wing with a single move," Neville chimed in.

"Quirinus Quirrell? That adept in dark magic?" Augusta asked, uncharacteristically using the word "adept" with a tinge of respect.

"Is he really that powerful, Quirrell?"

"He has quite the depth of skill. Among the younger generation, he's at least stronger than most Aurors," Augusta admitted, pulling Neville closer as they headed back into the manor.

Returning to his residence at 222 Baker Street in London, Kasenhis chuckled helplessly as he glanced at the pile of Christmas cards crammed into his mailbox.

Soon, he retrieved a large stack of Christmas gifts from the local post office. As he unwrapped them one by one, he prepared return gifts for each sender.

"Let's see... Mrs. Marsha sent me... oh, something quite pink. Lovely," he muttered with amusement.

"Peanut sent me a bag of peanuts. Lucky for me, I sent him peanuts too. Perfect match."

"And Sherlock's signed trench coat. Still as narcissistic as ever," Kasenhis remarked, shaking his head. He quickly found his sewing kit and covered Sherlock's embroidered name with a small patch of fabric. 

On the left collar, Kasenhis embroidered his own name. 

"Much better," he said, nodding in satisfaction at his handiwork.

Trying on the newly modified trench coat, Kasenhis admired himself in the full-length mirror. He turned left, turned right, and even glanced out the window to check his neighbors' reactions. 

No one. Of course, those two were always so busy.

After finishing the reciprocal gifts for his Muggle friends, Kasenhis blinked back to his Alchemy office at Hogwarts. There, he carefully packed the stack of pre-prepared presents into his Ender Chest, ensuring every gift was safely stowed away for delivery.

Kasenhis carried a small Ender Chest ring on his finger and made his way toward Hogwarts' Owlery.

Unfortunately, the few days leading up to Christmas had already left the owls with barely any rest, and Kasenhis' arrival only worsened the situation for the overworked birds.

"Alright, let's see... Harry's protective broomstick cover—this one I can just send directly to his dorm. Hmm, yes..." 

"Neville's memory bracelet. That Remembrall is to big and he won't forget this bracelet which will be tied to his hand!"

"Ron's new robe. Seriously, can the Weasleys not even afford a new robe?"

"Hermione's alchemy primer. If she chooses my course in her third year, I'm definitely making her the class representative…"

"Angelina's broomstick cushion…"

"Professor McGonagall's enchanted quill. She'll love this…"

"Severus... does Snape have a fear of hair conditioner or something? His hair is always so greasy. Lucky for him, he has a friend like me... a hair-drying machine! I'm a genius!"

"Hagrid's golden beer mug. He's always complaining that his mugs are too light and don't feel substantial... hopefully, he won't find my gift lacking in creativity."

"Are you struggling to lift it?" Kasenhis asked as he secured Hagrid's gift to an owl. 

The poor owl, tasked with carrying the hefty mug, flapped its wings furiously but failed to take off.

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