Alchemy noun (ˈal-kə-mē)

'A science that was used
in the Middle Ages with the goal of changing ordinary metals into gold'.

This has been the exact
definition as defined by Muggles for centuries. Witches and wizards who have
developed a particular aptitude for alchemy are known as alchemists.
Alchemy has been developed over the millennia by various witches and wizards.
Although it is closely related to the scientific branch of chemistry, alchemy
tends to focus more on the magical aspects of elemental properties and our
spiritual mastery.

Alchemy focuses on
transmuting simple metals, such as base metals, into more noble ones.

The term base metal is
used in chemistry and alchemy to denote less precious metals, which are known
to be easily corrodible. You can find base metals almost anywhere in the world,
and they are often less expensive due to their abundance in nature.

While base metals can
often be found anywhere, noble metals tend to be the exact opposite.
Noble metals are extremely hard to find, making them extremely expensive.
Alchemists strive to create noble metals with the use of transmuting common
base metals (e.g. lead) into the more difficult to find noble metals.

Different ways of
practising alchemy can be found in different countries. For instance, the
Chinese focus primarily on understanding medicine from an alchemical point of
view.

Alchemists focus not only
on metals but also on something called the four elements: earth, air,
water, and fire. These basic entities surround our everyday experiences.
Although some alchemists believe that there are more elements, these have yet
to be confirmed.

The celestial bodies
focused on in alchemy are condensed into a small concept known as the seven
planetary aspects. These, as you might understand, are specific celestial
bodies. The seven planetary aspects, as adapted to Western alchemy, include
five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturday), the Sun, and the
Moon. Each has a specific characteristic about them. For instance, Jupiter is
known as our 'innermost being', while Venus is symbolic for love. In ancient
times, the Greeks and Romans believed that Venus/Aphrodite was the goddess of
love. This belief was adopted centuries later by alchemists who believed that
love played a factor in alchemy.

The three primes,
or tria prima,is an intricate alchemical system consisting of
salt, mercury, and sulfur. Each is important in furthering the study of
alchemy, and some alchemists have even deemed this as one of the most important
studies of the subject; the late Nicolas Flamel believed this to be an
important factor in alchemy.