Marvel: Trading with Worlds

Late at night, Fleur left the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office. Her face was flushed, and she appeared slightly out of breath as she glanced around nervously. 

Seeing no one, she quickly hurried back to the room where the Beauxbatons students were staying.

Fortunately, she and Gabrielle had made arrangements so no one would notice her late return. However, her efforts had been in vain. 

Not only had she failed to achieve her goal, but she had also lost a considerable amount of money in the process. Fleur's mood was now extremely complicated. 

Despite her best efforts, she hadn't expected that the love potion would have no effect on Kain.

Unbeknownst to her, a black cat hidden in the shadows observed everything. Later that night, Filch heard a few soft meows but dismissed them. 

However, Mrs. Norris, perched in his arms, hissed and puffed up her fur uneasily.

After the Christmas Ball, life at Hogwarts returned to its routine. The students resumed their daily lessons, though much of their attention was fixed on the upcoming second task of the Triwizard Tournament. 

The wizarding world, for all its marvels, offered limited entertainment—Quidditch, wizard chess, and a handful of children's games. Thus, the Triwizard Tournament, an event long absent from history, captivated them all.

Kain, on the other hand, cherished the relative calm. While his Shadow Clone handled daily teaching responsibilities, he devoted the rest of his time to studying alchemy and developing a source of magical power.

Alchemy consumed a significant amount of high-grade magical materials. To support his experiments, Kain provided Guy with large sums of gold to purchase rare items like fine gold, mithril, unicorn tail hair, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings—prized resources in the magical world.

However, obtaining fine gold and mithril proved challenging, as goblins controlled the refining methods and guarded their secrets zealously. 

It was rumored that not even the Imperius Curse could coerce goblins into revealing their techniques, despite many dark wizards trying over the years.

Alchemy items were invaluable to Kain. Even if he couldn't personally use some enchanted artifacts, they were highly sought after and could be traded with others. 

Yet, transactions often required similarly extraordinary items—ordinary gold and silver rarely sufficed unless the other party was desperate or foolish.

For now, Kain focused on crafting a few defensive magical accessories. His current skill level in alchemy limited him to creating items of this caliber. 

Only after thoroughly studying Nicolas Flamel's alchemical notes would he attempt to refine stronger magical artifacts. 

Until then, he prioritized hoarding advanced magical materials over accumulating ordinary gold or Galleons.

Significant progress had also been made in constructing his source of magical power. Inspired by a material conversion array left behind by the alchemy system, Kain successfully simulated his first "source of magic," which he referred to as a magical vortex.

This source maintained a perpetual swirling motion, resembling a stable vortex of magic. The runes within the whirlpool complemented one another, creating a self-sustaining and harmonious flow of energy. 

This breakthrough marked a critical step forward in Kain's pursuit of advanced magical mastery.

"Magic power, or energy like Chakra, is difficult to observe directly. If it were easier, artificial intelligence could greatly speed up calculations and simulations," Kain mused. 

After thinking it over, he decided to try constructing a few more rune configurations. If he couldn't find a better solution, he would settle for using the current method to build the magic vortex within his body.

The second task of the Triwizard Tournament was held as scheduled, unfolding much like Kain remembered. 

The challenge involved rescuing a person most precious to each champion from the depths of the Great Lake. It tested intelligence, adaptability, and courage—especially given the natural fear of deep water and the presence of magical creatures in the lake. 

It was no small feat to retrieve someone from such a treacherous environment.

Kain had skipped the first task without much issue, but he couldn't justify missing the second. 

After all, Dumbledore had invited him back specifically to enhance his coping ability within the framework of the tournament. Avoiding participation entirely would seem unreasonable.

When Kain arrived at the arena for the second task, preparations were nearly complete. Spotting Hermione, he walked over to her.

"Hermione, have you been researching Felix Felicis lately?" he asked casually. However, he quickly noticed her expression was off. Concerned, he added, "Is something bothering you?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment before replying, "It's about Harry. He hasn't even learned a single spell for this task. If he had cracked the secret of the golden egg earlier, he wouldn't have to rely on gillyweed, which has effects he doesn't fully understand."

Though this wasn't Hermione's true concern, she used Harry as an excuse to deflect.

Kain smiled and reassured her. "Teenage boys in their hormonal prime are like that—no pressure, no help, and certainly no motivation. Don't worry too much. Hogwarts has a good chance of winning the tournament anyway."

Hermione's face softened slightly as she pulled out a small vial of potion and held it up. "Godfather, I've successfully brewed Felix Felicis," she said calmly.

The neutral expression on her face belied the effort she had poured into the potion. Frustration had driven her to channel her energy into brewing it. 

She had begun experimenting during the summer, failing several times before finally mastering it a few months ago.

"Hermione, you're a genius," Kain said with genuine admiration.

"It's just a coincidence," Hermione muttered modestly. "I might not be able to make it again. This bottle is for you—it's a belated Christmas gift."

Kain accepted the vial with a smile. "Thank you, Hermione. In return, let me tell you a little secret," he said, lowering his voice. "There's a locker in the Potions classroom that contains a second-hand copy of Advanced Potion-Making. It's full of notes left by Professor Snape. Many of his observations on potion improvements and herb extraction have been verified. You should retrieve that book."

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