Chapter 15: The Diamond Experiment
Alex sat at a table in the Ritz Hotel's dining room, enjoying the meal in front of him. The Ritz in 1992 was known for its high-quality offerings, and tonight's menu had been impressive.
He started with a bowl of French onion soup, followed by Beef Wellington, a tender cut of beef wrapped in pastry with mushroom filling. For dessert, he had a lemon soufflé, light and tangy.
After dinner, Alex returned to his room and continued to delve into magical books. He deciphered many spells for his own use, each principle of use giving him great inspiration on how to utilize his energy better.
Take the Levitation Charm, for example, and the gravity spell. The purpose of the spell is to make things levitate, and the other to increase gravity, similar to his crude manipulation of objects like telekinesis.
By applying the same principle, he could manipulate anything related to gravitational force. He could hover himself and move around in that state by controlling the air around him. He could also bend the light around his body like gravitational lensing, making him invisible like wearing a cloaking device.
He experimented with many possibilities as he deepened his understanding of energy manipulation.
Thinking of tomorrow's agenda, Alex focused his attention on his ring situated on his right middle finger.
Alex focused on his energy, reaching into Mín Heimr. Moments later, a chunk of diamond, the size of a quail's egg, appeared in front of him. Its surface was clear and free of impurities, though its shape was irregular.
He manipulated his energy, reaching inside the diamond to create an air pocket at its center. Then, using his control, he applied pressure to the pocket, more than 1000 gigapascals, or ten million atmospheres.
Lily's voice interrupted his focus.
[What are you doing?]
"If what I learned is correct, hydrogen would form metallic properties at this pressure," Alex answered. "I intend to create it."
[But it already is. Look at gas giants in Mín Heimr.] Lily responded, puzzled.
"I want to create it myself," Alex said. "I want to understand how it forms."
[If you say so. Speaking of which, Alex, tonight is Voldemort's final showdown with the savior.] Lily reminded.
"Yeah, but the old man is there. The events will probably unfold as they are. It's admirable that he never bothered me since we last met at Hagrid's hut."
[That's true, he might send you a letter after Voldemort is dealt with.]
"Maybe, he might feel the urgency of the matter witnessing the current state of the dark lord." Alex muttered as he continued his work.
Alex isolated a group of hydrogen molecules and placed them inside the pocket. As the hydrogen molecules were compressed, they began to lose their individual identities.
The electrons became free to move between atoms, forming metallic hydrogen. The result was a small drop of liquid shining with metallic properties, but it had the potential to disrupt scientific understanding.
Alex knew exactly what to do with it. He would sell the metallic hydrogen to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), a leading institution for scientific research.
He wasn't naive, though. Exposure could lead to questions, and Alex had no formal identity in Britain. If the authorities investigated him, his lack of background could raise suspicion.
He might also be in danger if the news leaks out, although he's not afraid of trouble because no one in this world could pose a threat to him, he still preferred not to be bothered by such trivialities.
To avoid that, Alex planned to bring the metallic hydrogen directly to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where he could potentially gain privileges due to the value of his discovery.
To secure the diamond with the metallic hydrogen, Alex crafted a small gold box with a perfect indentation at the center. The box was simple but secure, ensuring the material would be well-protected during transport.
As Alex finished his preparations, he imagined how this material could impact the future advancement of science and technology.
It could be a revolutionary material for use in various applications, including energy storage, propulsion, and high-energy density systems.
He planned ahead, thinking about where he could settle in Britain. He didn't want to constantly rent hotels when he's here, so he would arrange for a place to stay, somewhere he could return to in the future without worry.
Why not America, his hometown you ask? Because traveling there as a wizard is troublesome, and he didn't intend to visit there for the time being. He had no business going to America, so he'd rather stay in London.
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