- Location
- US
Older women, eh? So does this mean he'll have a crush on The Ancient One if he meets her? 
Mason Aves: The Wizard(Kinda Complete.. again)
- Thread starter HelloDarkness07
- Start date
older mind in boy body, all women in his strike zone are older.Older women, eh? So does this mean he'll have a crush on The Ancient One if he meets her?
- Location
- Planet Earth
So...
I REALLY hope the MC only lent Darla that Mind Arts book, and that he has secured it, maybe also already retrieved it. I mean, Wasn't that one like a family Heirloom, SUPER SECRET and all that? Talk about being dangerous if it was found or read by someone else.
Did the MC place any kinds of security on his Trunks? Maybe restricting them to ONLY allow his soul through? or his blood/magic? something to stop anyone else from discovering/using them in any way?
Hope that he Masters several more interesting fields of magic. Flesh/Blood/Biomancy, Soul Magic(Maybe?), Ritual Magic, Conjuration, Transmutation, Transfiguration, Alchemy, Constuction spells/magic, maybe Technomancy...
Maybe he will even revolutionize St. Mungo's, how it is built, maintained, and all that. I mean, I cannot imagine it is up to the standards of "modern" medicine. It might be, with the muggleborns and all, but with how the Wizarding World views traditions and all...
We have not really seen any evidence of it yet, but it may be too early in the century/story for it. I hope the MC invests in all kinds of successful businesses, rapidly/greatly increasing his wealth.
Would be interesting if he got romantically involved with the "Ancient One".
Looking forward to what kind of new mutant abilities the MC might get... I mean, either through rituals, celestial technology, or his own mutant ability. Maybe Technokinesis(think thats what its called), Rapid learning(there was that mutant who could master/learn ANYTHING rapidly), maybe further enhance his abilities with Telepathy, Telekinesis, Empathy, Mind Manipulation, Psionics, as well as other mental/psionic powers like Teleportation, maybe even eventually Omni-Manipulation like some of the Reality Warpers can do.(Legion for example)
Maybe have the MC start setting up or preparing for when WW2 hits. So that he and his friends, as well as others, are more protected. Especially the Magical communities, as they will likely be blindsided by the bombings otherwise. Maybe even figure out some way to further enhance the Wizarding Worlds ability to stay hidden, what with Shield, the SSR, Hydra, and many other groups that are active in this world...
I REALLY hope the MC only lent Darla that Mind Arts book, and that he has secured it, maybe also already retrieved it. I mean, Wasn't that one like a family Heirloom, SUPER SECRET and all that? Talk about being dangerous if it was found or read by someone else.
Did the MC place any kinds of security on his Trunks? Maybe restricting them to ONLY allow his soul through? or his blood/magic? something to stop anyone else from discovering/using them in any way?
Hope that he Masters several more interesting fields of magic. Flesh/Blood/Biomancy, Soul Magic(Maybe?), Ritual Magic, Conjuration, Transmutation, Transfiguration, Alchemy, Constuction spells/magic, maybe Technomancy...
Maybe he will even revolutionize St. Mungo's, how it is built, maintained, and all that. I mean, I cannot imagine it is up to the standards of "modern" medicine. It might be, with the muggleborns and all, but with how the Wizarding World views traditions and all...
We have not really seen any evidence of it yet, but it may be too early in the century/story for it. I hope the MC invests in all kinds of successful businesses, rapidly/greatly increasing his wealth.
Would be interesting if he got romantically involved with the "Ancient One".
Looking forward to what kind of new mutant abilities the MC might get... I mean, either through rituals, celestial technology, or his own mutant ability. Maybe Technokinesis(think thats what its called), Rapid learning(there was that mutant who could master/learn ANYTHING rapidly), maybe further enhance his abilities with Telepathy, Telekinesis, Empathy, Mind Manipulation, Psionics, as well as other mental/psionic powers like Teleportation, maybe even eventually Omni-Manipulation like some of the Reality Warpers can do.(Legion for example)
Maybe have the MC start setting up or preparing for when WW2 hits. So that he and his friends, as well as others, are more protected. Especially the Magical communities, as they will likely be blindsided by the bombings otherwise. Maybe even figure out some way to further enhance the Wizarding Worlds ability to stay hidden, what with Shield, the SSR, Hydra, and many other groups that are active in this world...
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- Location
- Israel
Eh, maybe something The Ancient One had to fight with the time stone and what she was fighting was turned into inert rock so she left it there, but was still imbued with time energies and Wizards took the
edited: missed words that made the sentence dumb
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18. Patronus
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07
Two chapters today. This is the first one.
---
My 6th Year of Hogwarts. Well, 5th year of learning, but the 6th Year of the Hogwarts Curriculum. It had begun with just introduction to NEWT level classes, and in the middle of December, we had begun speeding things up. It was February now, and my 6th year was just a few months shy of ending.
My last summer had gone just like usual. Only this time, I used the Vanishing Trunks to move between Hogwarts and my orphanage, learning different things. I brought the trunk with me, obviously, since I don't want anyone to find it and use it. The RoK won't stay hidden if anyone does. Granted, the protection spells might delay them some, but there's nothing like a perfect defence. Other than the Fidelius Charm, which I can't cast yet.
So, yeah, I learned, a lot. I finally managed to create my first Time Spell! Well, I modified an existing Time spell, but same thing. It's just as exciting!
The original spell was one I had learned to study for 5-6 hours inside the Room, while only half an hour passed outside. Damn useful when I had to study different Sorcery Primers from the Room of Knowledge for 9 hours a day, and still have 6 hours of sleep.
That was an Enchantment Ward, called the Time Slowing Ward, and was basically a charm that you cast on the Room you want to affect.
My own spell was a Runic Ward combined with a charm. The Runic Scheme had to be carved in metal, and worn around any single body part. But the thing is, the metal ornament had to be enclosed, and not stay open.
I had found a set of Gold Bangles, uncarved, in the Room of Hidden Things, after a lot of searching, and used them for the ward. A really weird thing to lose in Hogwarts, really. The owner must've really gotten punished when they returned home.
Carving Runes wasn't hard, I just had to heat the scalpel, a lot, and cast a metal softening charm on the un-enchanted gold.
11 errors, and 4 melted bangles is all it took for me to carve the Runes perfectly on the bangle currently around my left wrist. The bangle was too eye catching though, and the Runes visible, so I covered it by rolling a strip of leather around it, and shrunk the bangle till it fit perfectly around my wrist.
I could have carved runes on the inside, I suppose, but I didn't exactly mind doing so on the outside either. I'll figure out a way to completely hide it later, though, or improve the enchantments.
Once the Time Slower is activated, it makes you twice as fast as everything else. Or everything else moves half as fast as you. So, it's practically useless in public, unless you want to be known as a Speedster or something.
But, for learning, it is a Godsend. It can also be used in parallel with the Time Slowing Ward, meaning I got 10 hours every half hour.
I've already managed to learn to access the Astral Planes through Sorcery, with the help of my Time Slower.
My telepathy allowed me to only enter the Astral plane, travel to places, and stay awake without needing to sleep.
Sorcery, however, allowed my Astral Form to do a lot more than that. Searching for specific Magical signatures, possession, and entering dreams of other people. I could also now use my Magic while in the Astral form, which happened only after I connected with the Universe.
Plus, I was now learning to bring my Astral Form in the Physical Realm, although it'll only be for a short while. Before that happens, though, I'll need to master the Mirror Dimension, for which, I'll need a Sling Ring. Slytherin, for some reason, didn't have an alternative for the Sling Ring, (or if he does, I haven't read about it yet,) even if he did say that after some time, Wizards can stop using them.
Which still meant I had to actually use one before getting used to the feel of creating portals.
Yeah, it's on the back burner for now, since I don't want to be stuck in the Mirror Dimension, even Astrally, without a Sling Ring on hand. Portals will be handy too, I'm sure of it. So, my Personal Magic was currently limited to Astral Projection, Mind Arts, and the now slowly developing Telekinesis.
Yup, my constant use of the Accio, Depulso, Wingardium Leviosa, was finally getting paid off. The control over those spells was slowly, but surely evolving. Soon, in a few years, I won't even have to cast the spells to use the spells.
Meanwhile, for the Universal Energy, I was just practicing different spells for Sorcery, and hand to hand fighting. The second was needed, because a lot of spells were actually dependent on my footwork, hand gestures, and my physical form.
The strength of my shield depended on how well I can hold a physical shield to defend myself. Unsurprisingly, this also makes my Wizardry spells better, who'd have thought?
But it wasn't just shields I was using. There were other Mystic spells to create weapons like whips, swords, fans, threads, chains, etc.
Then there were the elemental spells, which don't summon elements like Wizarding spells do, but they can help you manipulate the elements. There are actual spells that can conjure the elements, but that's only possible if you make a pact with another Dimension related to those elements.
Yeah, no. I'm definitely not doing that. Like Salazar wrote, a Wizard's magic is his own. Another being cannot be allowed to access it. And I agree with it. I'll use my own Magic, and the Magic of my own Universe. Other than that, if I do somehow end up becoming the Ruler of an entire Dimension, then I'm using only that Dimension's Energy.
Cyttorak, Raggador, and the rest can depend on the Sorcerers to use their magic.
Finally, there was Transmutation, but I was waiting to completely master the other Sorcery spells available to me, before trying Transmutation. Plus, I think, learning Wizarding Alchemy before that will be helpful.
There were a lot more spells, rituals, and other practices in Sorcery, but most of them depended on getting Magic from other Dimensions. And we all know how I feel about that.
Along with that, however, I was trying to learn something else.
Apparation. The Magical art of disappearing from one place, and reappearing at another. Every 6th year student has the option of taking the Apparation classes, and the classes start in February.
Luckily enough, age is not a constraint here, at least now. So, just being in a NEWT level class is the requirement for taking the Apparation lessons. Which means, despite being just 15, I couldn't be barred from Apparation lessons, thanks to their own laws.
Granted, I couldn't apply for a license until I turn 17, or pass my NEWTs in at least one subject, which immediately makes me eligible to emancipate as an Adult Wizard. But that was okay.
There's no way I'm waiting another year to learn teleportation, so obviously, I elected to take those lessons this year as soon as the notice was put up.
"You sure they'll let you?" Ana asks, incredulously, seeing me sign my name on the sheet.
I shrug, and say, "There's nothing in the laws that prevents me from taking the lessons. They can, however, prevent me from having a license before I turn 17."
"Right, and they're not exactly stupid enough to have a Wizard capable of Apparition go out there without a licence? Which means they'll be forced to give you a license too, if you pass the test." Ana says, and shakes her head.
The need for Apparition license is two fold. One, it allows you to legally apparate wherever you want, other than the places specifically warded against it. And two, it helps the Ministry determine which one of the Licence holders was there near a Magical crime scene.
The Licence given to you can track your Apparition, if the ministry tries it within a few minutes. After that, the trail goes cold, and the spells fail. But they can only do it in cases of crimes. Public won't trust the government at all otherwise.
There's an entire sub-department in the Department of Mysteries, that works together with the DMLE to track Apparition in cases of crime. So, no robbing banks by apparition when you have a license. They can, and will track you down.
And refusing to get a license isn't an option. The punishment for apparating without a licence is 5 years in Azkaban, along with a 5000G fine. 'That's if they catch me.' you might say, but don't forget, they have Time Turners and an entire army of Aurors.
That's not even mentioning that splinching in Muggle areas incurs even more fines and punishments.
I put my 12 Galleons in the pouch provided for the Apparition lesson fees payment, and say, "The only thing the Ministry might try, is making sure that I don't pass my test this year. But they're not stupid enough to fail me without any cause, so they'll have to find a valid reason to fail me."
Well, that's assuming that they allow me to sit my NEWTs this year. If I don't pass my NEWTs, I'm not an adult, and I don't get to even try the test. Which means, I'll have to convince Merrythought that I'm ready to sit my NEWTs this year itself, skipping another year at Hogwarts. Should be easy, given my OWL results.
Ana just shakes her head, and goes back to writing on the parchment in front of her. We were currently sitting in the Ravenclaw common room, on a table near the walls. Looking at the parchment, I ask, "What are you working on?"
Sighing, Ana says, "Rowle gave us an assignment, to write 9 inches on the Patronus Charm. I've gotten three inches, and I don't know enough about it to write more."
Hmm.. the Patronus Charm.
"You're hoping I teach it to you, aren't you?" I say, seeing Ana discreetly look at me with her quill just poised over the parchment.
Ana just pouts, seeing me smile in amusement, and says, "Can you blame us? You haven't even told us what your Patronus takes the form of?"
Ah-hah! "So, it's not just you then. Dorea and Darla too?" I ask, because of course it's them.
Shrugging, Ana says, "We offered Charis, well Dorea did, but Charis refused to study under a privileged cheater like you."
I blink, and then snort. Charis Black is a Ravenclaw, the same age as me. She had taken the offered Time Turner to study all the classes in the third year, and managed it pretty well. But in 4th year, she was forced to give it back after some psychological issues she faced. Not getting enough sleep was one of the major reasons for that, along with her snapping at a teacher out of frustration.
And she absolutely hated, how without even a Time Turner, or hours and hours of studying, I was offered the chance to give my OWLs early, and how I came second in the entire year. My marks were at the top in every subject I sat, but I simply did not bother with Muggle Studies, Divination, and Care of Magical Creatures, which ensured the Hufflepuff girl came at the top.
"God forbid, she burns herself out again, and blames me. Anyway, when's the assignment due?" I say, deciding to finally let them in on some of my secrets.
"Next monday." Ana immediately answers, straightening up.
Looking around, I ensure that no one's paying attention to us, cast a simple Notice-me-not on us, and say, "Come on, I'll show you something."
"Ooh! An adventure! I feel like a Gryffindor right now!" Ana says, whispering to stay silent.
Shaking my head, I start walking towards the Gryffindor common Room to get Darla. On the way, I stop in an empty corridor to Ana's curiosity, and call out, "Dippy?"
Almost immediately, a loud crack of Apparition sounds in front of me, and a pillow case wearing House Elf stands in front of me. Dippy the Hogwarts House Elf.
"Young Mason Sir calls for Dippy?" Dippy says, happily looking up at me.
My heart aches for her once again, at how much the Wizards have messed with their psychology. My studies haven't gone well, when it comes to House Elves. Not even Rowena knows about how they came to be.
Bending down, I pat Dippy on her head, and say, "Thank you for coming, Dippy. I wanted to ask for a small favour, if you will?"
Dippy rapidly nods her head, excited, and says, "Dippy always be ready to do small favours. What can Is be doing for young Mason Sir?"
Ana giggles, which I ignore, and say, "I need you to send a message to a girl in the Slytherin common Room. Dorea Black is her name, and she should be in the Fourth Year dorms, or the Common Room. Can you do it?"
Dippy nods again, rapidly, and bangs her fist on her chest. She exclaims, "Of course! Dippy be sending the message secretly!"
Sighing, I say, "Thank you, Dippy."
With the wave of my hand, I summon a piece of parchment from my bag, and with another wave, cast a spell to write on it.
'Come to the second floor girls bathroom. And wait- M.L.A'
Handing the note to Dippy, I see her apparate once more, and marvel at how powerful they are. Wizards have been trying to stop their apparition for centuries now, and the only one successful was whoever built the Azkaban prison, which no one now knows how it works.
Nothing Wizards tried every worked in stopping the Elf Apparition, not even the darkest of the wards. Well, they do harm the ones who aren't allowed in, always very darkly, but they can't be stopped.
Ana's voice brings me out of my fascination, as she asks, "Since when do you have a House Elf? I thought they'd all died in the fire that killed your family."
I correct her, and say, "Dippy isn't my House Elf. She's a free Elf, who has bonded herself to the Castle of Hogwarts. This is only the 2nd time I've ever asked her to do something for me."
"You're a weird Wizard, Mason Aves." Ana says, shaking her head, and starts walking agait.
While better than most, Ana still has some prejudice against Elves. She thinks of them as Servents, and nothing more. Racist, yes, but she's mostly a product of her raising. I'll change her opinion, slowly.
About a minute later, Dippy pops back in front of us, to tell us that she delivered the message, along with the order, "Young Mason Sir be coming to eat Dinner tonight. To repay the favour?"
I really need to teach her how favours actually work. She just asks me to spend time with the Elves! I just nod, and agree to it, as Ana looks on in open amusement.
Soon, we reach the Gryffindor Entrance hall, and stand in front of the Portrait that hides the Common Room. The Lady in the portrait looks at us two Ravenclaws in distrust, and asks, "What is it?"
Ana takes a step forward, and says, "We're here to meet our friend, Darla White. She's in the Fifth Year."
Narrowing her eyes, the Lady turns around and walks away from us, going deeper into the painting. Soon, she returns, and a few seconds later, the Portrait opens. Darla steps out, sees us, and sighs.
She says, "I won't even ask how you found out about the entrance, bloody Ravenclaws."
As we begin walking towards the stairs, Ana snorts, and points her thumb at me, and says, "This one here's hiding a lot of things, it seems."
"Did he agree to teach us?" Darla asks, ignoring me, even if I was standing in between them.
I say, "HE can answer for himself, and yes, I did. When's your assignment due? Wednesday?"
Darla nods, lifting her shoulders in an apology. After some small talk, we reach the 2nd floor Girls bathroom, and see Dorea standing there waiting for us.
I cast another Notice-me-not around us, and wait for the Bathroom to become empty once again. Say what you will, but Myrtle's death would have been really helpful in keeping this Bathroom unused. Hope she doesn't die this time though.
While waiting, Dorea asks, "So what are we waiting for? You aren't going to perv in there, right?"
I look at her with disbelief, and say, "No! Gods no! Where I'm going to take you has it's entrance inside the bathroom."
They look at me as if they don't believe me, so I say, "I promise! I'm not being a pervert."
"If you say so." Dorea mumbles, while the two nod in acceptance.
Bloody hell, what's taking those girls this long.
Sighing, I extend my telepathy, and without entering their minds, prompt the subconscious minds of the girls inside to leave. One by one, the three girls leave the bathroom, and the bathroom becomes empty once again.
Entering it, I go towards the main sink, while the girls look on in curiosity. Since they are not that close, they don't hear me whispering in parseltongue to open the Entrance, and only see the Sink sinking into the ground.
"What the bloody hell is that?!" Darla exclaims seeing the tunnel.
Smirking, I say, "Follow me and find out."
And then, without any warning, I jump into the tunnel, happy to hear three simultaneous yells of my name.
"MASON!!" the three girls yell, a lot of fear in their voice.
Within a few minutes, I drop down on the cushioned ground at the end of the tunnel, and look around.
I'd changed this cave a lot since the first time I'd found it. Now, instead of a rough ground completely covered in skeletons of different animals, mostly rats, the ground was covered in a smooth cobblestone like pathway. The spot of ground, along with the patch of the wall right in front of the Pipe opening was softened with the help of Runes, to break the fall. Although, it's not needed much, thanks to the Enchantments on the pipe itself, which causes us to slow down at the bottom.
Above us hung a few of my Lumos orbs, which I'd enchanted to always stay lit. I just had to renew the spells every few years.
I'd done nothing to the walls, other than the initial softening and cleaning, because they did set the mood somewhat.
Soon, I hear the screams of the three girls, not of fear, but of exhilaration, and they exit the wall with a slowed down speed. They land on the ground, and laugh a little.
The adrenaline goes away, however, and they turn to see me smiling at them.
I say, "You lot sure took your time."
As one, the three girls jump at me, and hug me together with a yell of, "MASON!"
"Well, aren't I a lucky guy today." I quip, to soften the blow I'll inevitably face.
The punch on my chest dissuades me of the notion, however, as Darla yells, "How dare you, you bloody prat! You scared us!"
Ana takes a step back, and folds her hands in front of herself. She says, "You could have given us a warning, Mason."
Dorea stays in my hug, and I say, "You can let go now, Dorea."
"5 more minutes." Dorea mumbles from my chest.
Sighing, I use my minor telekinesis and gently push her away. Ignoring her complaints, I say, "Well, I wanted to surprise you with this. Plus, tell me you didn't enjoy it."
"We did." The three girls in front of me mumble.
Darla says, "We were just going to leave to get a teacher, but the sink started rising again, and we had no choice! We had to jump, you twat."
I chuckle, remembering the nifty little piece of Enchantment. It was already there, I just didn't know about it. As soon as the first person enters, a countdown starts. 30 seconds later, the sink starts closing unless specifically given an order in parseltongue.
"Just be thankful that I clean the pipe frequently. You wouldn't believe the types of fungus that's born in them. One mushroom tried to eat my bloody shoes." I exclaim, and start walking.
As the girls follow behind me, Ana speeds up to stand beside me, and asks, "What is this place anyway? I don't think I've ever heard of such a place."
"In a minute, Ana. You'll soon find out, don't worry." I say, and pat her head.
Ana pouts, and starts looking around, joining Darla and Dorea in examining the cave.
A few minutes later, we come across the second door, and this time, I loudly say, ~~Open~~, to the shock of the girls, and walk through. Inside the room, was the still mostly intact corpse of the Basilisk, and lounging in its empty eye socket, was Sly.
"Welcome, ladies! To Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets!" I say, walking inside.
The three girls just remain shocked, staring at the corpse of the Basilisk in fear. Ignoring them, I walk towards the Basilisk, and poke Sly awake.
I'd taken the eyes out, along with the venom glands, and the tongue, after I'd read about a few rituals that could use them. The meat was practically useless for humans, since the Venom inside the flesh is too potent for us to eat, and there's no ritual that uses them.
So, Sly was using the Basilisk corpse as a home that he can eat. I did plan to keep half the meat stored away, just in case. Sly spent most of his time in the chamber, nowadays, and only came up through the various tunnels if he needs something, or to crawl around the forest.
~~What?~~ Sly asks, annoyed at being woken up.
As he yawns, I say, ~~I brought guests.~~ and point him towards the frozen girls.
Frowning, I walk towards them, and snap my fingers a few times.
Jumping in place, the girls come out of their shock, and immediately start firing questions.
I smile, my heart feeling a little bit lighter over the single shared secret. A group of secrets. I'm a parselmouth, I'm a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, and I have access to the fabled Chamber of Secrets.
Other secrets might come out in their own times, but there's one secret that won't ever come out. Not to them, not to anyone. The secret- that I'm a reincarnated soul.
-
"The Patronus Charm, is one of the Purest forms of Magic. The spell, when cast correctly, forms a shield of Light in front of us, a shield of happiness, that can stop Dementors as well as Lethifolds. When cast perfectly, however, the Shield takes the form of an animal." I explain the next day, standing in the Chamber of Secrets with Dorea, Darla, and Ana standing in front of me.
The last day had gone into explaining my Slytherin heritage, along with what I've found till now in the Chamber. They also met Sly, but he didn't like anyone of the girls touching him, so he was just a sight to see for them.
I'd also shown them the Room above Salazar's head, but since they couldn't read the books in his library anyway, we mostly stayed in the main chamber.
I didn't need to worry about them inadvertently sharing my secrets, since the Chamber highly appreciated its secrecy. Turns out, Salazar Slytherin made it so no one can share the secret of the Chamber, other than a Slytherin, which I am. It's not Fidelius, but it is enough for now.
The Corpse of the Basilisk was in the back of the chamber, close to the exit door, while the part of the chamber near Salazar's head was used by us for our lessons. I'd brought a few chairs, and a few mattresses down, so the girls can rest in between casting.
Ana raises her hand, and asks, "What does the animal depend on?"
I smile wide, and say, "Haven't a clue. No one knows, but speculations are aplenty. Some say it depends on personality, some say it depends on what we think will protect us, while some say it depends on our Spirit Animal, our potential animagus forms."
Waving my wand, I focus on a happy memory, a very personal one, and chant, "Expecto Patronum!"
Immediately, the tip of my Acacia wand glows white, and a glowing white mist starts coming out of it. Within a second, the mist condenses and forms into a ball, which then begins taking shape.
I was purposefully keeping the process slow, so the girls can observe it happening and they can get an idea of what is expected of them.
The orb of white light first forms two legs, and then wings, immediately clueing them in, that my Patronus is a bird. Slowly, the shape becomes more defined, and the orb of light starts flying around us with its wings, showing itself to be an Eagle.
My Patronus Eagle had a white head, and breast, while the top was completely grey, although on the darker side. The under wings were black, and its eyes were golden. White bellied Sea Eagle was the breed.
The eagle screeches a high sound, and looks around for any threats to itself, or its caster, me, and then finding none, comes towards me. I raise my hand to allow it to land, and smile.
I turn towards the girls, and see them looking just as fascinated with it as I am, and say, "Just being in the presence of a Patronus is enough to bring a tiny bit of happiness to everyone, as you can feel."
Seeing them all staring at my eagle, I gently dissipate it, and ignoring their disappointment, I say, "You all can learn how to do that too. It took me 3 days to learn it, and then 2 more to master it. So, let's see how long it takes you, shall we?"
Dorea eagerly nods, while Darla looks at me expectantly. Ana was smiling, still staring at the place my eagly had dissipated from.
Taking a step back, I have them stand an arm's length away from each other, wands out, and say, "First, close your eyes, and begin by digging deep into your mind. There has to be one memory, could be anything, that makes you happy as soon as you think of it. The happier the memory, the better. Once you do find it, keep that memory in your mind, don't think too much, just let it play out."
The girls close their eyes, and I see all of them smile one by one.
Softly, I say, "Now, say the incantation."
Ana is the first one to try, and she raises her wand hand in the air. Smile still on her face, she opens her eyes, and yells, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The wand tip glows white, and for a few seconds it stays like that. Unfortunately, not even a wisp exits her wand and she drops down, exhausted.
"Be careful, the spell takes a lot out of you." I say, handing her a cup of hot chocolate I'd already prepared.
Chocolate wasn't actually a cure for Magical exhaustion, but it did provide a bit of Placebo effect. Chocolate is good after Dementor exposure, and wizards quickly connect Dementors to feeling tired, and drained.
Now discouraged, even Dorea and Darla fail their attempts. I sigh, looking at the three girls silently staring at their cups.
Maybe I should have had them learn it one at a time. That day, I have them try 2 more times, both of which only cause their wands to glow at the tip, and then take them back up through the stairs. I do have them meditate at night, so they can calm their minds, and tell them that the spell is difficult. Doesn't mean there's a reason to discourage yourself.
The next day, Ana and Dorea manage to produce a transparent wisp of smoke, but Darla still stays stuck on the wand glowing stage.
The day after that, Ana produces a shield, but no matter how much she tried, it didn't progress from there. Already knowing the solution, I say, "Try another memory, maybe something happier than this. It should immediately fill you whole being with happiness."
The next day is Saturday, where Dorea manages to produce a shield, while Ana's Patronus stays in the shield form. Although, it did look like it will start taking shape soon.
Seeing them have another go at it, I say, "Remember, this isn't a test. Many adult witches and wizards fail to cast this charm. Heck, many Aurors can't cast this spell, and they're the ones protecting us. But don't let that discourage you, ladies. If I, a 15 year old can do it, you can do it too."
Darla sighs, dropping her wand on the ground after another failed attempt at even a wisp, and says, "Easy for you to say. You're a bloody prodigy at everything you learn!"
Frowning, I nod at Dorea and Ana to continue, and approach Darla. Sitting down on the ground, I look up at Darla expectantly. She drops down on the chair in front of me, and says, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Yup, you shouldn't have. But I get it." Picking her wand, I hand it to her gently, and say, "Do you know why I find Magic so easy? Compared to you lot?"
Darla shakes her head, so I say, "Because I didn't get used to it. I didn't get used to the novelty of Magic!"
"What do you mean?" Dorea asks, sitting down on the ground beside me, while Ana joins Darla on the chair beside her.
Great job continuing your practice, girls.
Seeing them looking at me in expectance, I purposefully keep my wand on the ground, to the curiosity of the girls, and say, "I've been reading about Magic since I was a child. Legends of Arthur, Merlin, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz. For years, I've wanted to be a Wizard, use Magic! And then, I found out I was actually a wizard. I wasn't just a normal kid that lives in an orphanage! And I was so damn excited"
It was the first time I'm speaking about my life like this. They knew the basics, but not my actual thoughts at the time.
I say, "But then, I found out that Magic isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are rules on how Spells can't be cast, rules on what can't be done, and rules on what shouldn't be done. And you know what, most of them are actually true. Food cannot be conjured, nor transfigured out of anything but food. There's no coming back from the Killing Curse. You can't create permanent matter out of nothing, etc."
Smiling, I say, "Oh but there's so much more Wizards are entirely wrong about. Like the fact that only the most powerful, most Learned Wizards can use Wandless Magic. You must've learned that, right?"
The girls nod, to which I smile.
"I'm no where near the strongest Wizards, heck a newly anointed Auror with barely any training can outperform me in every way, when it comes to magic. Nor am I the most Learned, because obviously, there are teachers who have forgotten more magic than I have ever read about." I say, and see them nod once again.
Standing up, I ask, "So how is it that I can do this then?"
Without any prompting from me, the water from the pool behind me rises into the air, scaring the girls into standing up. I lift my arm up, and the water rises even more, now completely in the air. The orb of water then freezes, starting from the inside, and once the surface is frozen, it starts melting back to water.
Behind the girls, the ground transfigures itself into different miniature animal shapes, and they start circling around us which prompts the girls to huddle together. My Eagle Patronus comes out of my back, and joins the transfigured animals in circling us.
Out of my left hand, fire starts pouring out, and forms into a circle. The circular halo of flames rises up and stays in the air, with no fuel to burn it.
I ask, "How can I do this, you may ask? Let me tell you. I don't believe anything is impossible, until I've actually failed to do it. I used to believe Transfiguration can't be done without a wand, and now look at me!"
"Okay, OKAY! YOU MADE YOUR POINT!" Darla says, and then yells, looking at the animals in fear, and me in a new light.
I drop my hands back down, and immediately, the spells dissipate. The water falls back down with a splash that soaks us all with a heavy shower, while the flames just dissipate in the air. The transfigured animals, meanwhile crumble to dust, which is then washed away by the water.
I snap my fingers, and with a plop sound, the water gets sucked off our bodies along with any dirt that stuck to it.
I prompt the girls to sit back down, and this time, Dorea sits on the chair, glaring at me. I say, "My point was, if you believe something to be impossible, or even hard, you won't ever succeed in doing it. You need to let go of the notion that there's anything impossibile. When it comes to magic, everything is possible! You just need to try it yourself!"
Now with a new zeal, Darla stands up and lifts her wand. She opens her mouth to cast the spell, but before she can do that, I stop her with my hand on her open mouth.
She glares at me, so I say, "Good thing you're motivated, but maybe try it tomorrow? Preferably, do it with another, even happier memory."
Darla pouts, but I just shake my head. She was tired, I could see it in her eyes. Dorea and Ana were alright for a few more attempts, but it's better to stop now itself. We still have a weekend before the assignment is due for them.
When we exit the Chamber of Secrets, and enter the castle proper, Dorea immediately joins me at my side, while Ana pulls Darla away. I look at her in curiosity, but Ana just says, "You guys go on. I and Darla have to go over our assignment once again."
Okay, that's a lie, but anyway. I nod, and raise an eyebrow at Dorea, who watches them go with barely hidden joy. She says, "Well, looks like Fate has some plans, doesn't it?"
I snort, and say, "You already know what I'll say, Dorea, don't even try."
Dorea pouts, but drops the subject. Instead, as we start walking towards the Slytherin common room, she asks, "I was always curious. What went on between you and Cassie?"
"Hmm.. why'd you ask?" I ask, wondering why it took so long for her to breech the subject.
Shrugging, Dorea says, "She kept asking me about you this summer, wondering if you've gotten rich all of a sudden or something. When I asked her why, she scowled and dropped the subject. I know she tried something against you, which failed, but since you never did anything about it, I thought it to be just minor. But now, after knowing about your Slytherin heritage, I wondered if it's related to that."
I shake my head, thinking if this is the new plan of Cassiopeia. Try and get her sister to find something about me. I trust Dorea not to share my Secrets, and Cassiopeia is not the kind of girl to try the Mind Arts on her own sister though, so maybe I am actually safe.
Still, better start the girls on Mind Arts training, Ravenclaw style.
I say, "Cassiopeia tried to manipulate me, not with talks, but with spells. It failed to take hold on me however, and I managed to fight her spells off."
"THAT'S ILLEGAL! Oh my God, if Father, or God forbid, Uncle Sirius finds out, she'll get thrown out of the family!" Dorea exclaims, slapping her own forehead and holding her head in frustration.
I drily point out, "I hardly think Sirius Black will punish your sister for using Mind Arts against a muggleborn. She can just say, 'I thought he was a mudblood' and the topic will be dropped. Well, she might be punished for failing in her goals."
"You have a really weird image about my family." Dorea says, frowning.
Well, I did get most of it from Cassiopeia's mind, so I wonder how Dorea remained so sheltered.
I say, "I am a Ravenclaw, researching is my thing. And after Cassiopeia tried that shite with my mind, I sought everything related to your family. No offense."
Dorea shakes her head, so I continue, "Your sister didn't like that I defied her orders, and I didn't appreciate her trying to mess with my mind. But, since I was a little first year student at the time, I let it go. And since what she did was a crime, she let it go, in case I told anybody. She did try to obliviate me, but obviously, it didn't stick."
I shrug at the end, in a 'What can you do?' manner. Dorea looks at me in disbelief, and asks, "My sister's Obliviate Charm… failed on you? What the fuck did you feed your brain?"
"Knowledge, lots and lots of knowledge. Oh, and learning Meditation helps. My Mind cannot be messed with, without my knowledge. And I know that to be a fact." I boast, with some additional fake pride thrown in.
I'd originally planned a soft revenge against Cassiopeia, but Dorea began seeking me out at the time, and then the teachers began looking too closely, so I had to drop it. Not like I haven't done something like this to others, although not to someone so young as me. She'll get her due, but not yet.
For now, I'm just happy with learning at Hogwarts.
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A/N: How was this? Comments and reviews please!
Thank you! Tata!
Two chapters today. This is the first one.
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My 6th Year of Hogwarts. Well, 5th year of learning, but the 6th Year of the Hogwarts Curriculum. It had begun with just introduction to NEWT level classes, and in the middle of December, we had begun speeding things up. It was February now, and my 6th year was just a few months shy of ending.
My last summer had gone just like usual. Only this time, I used the Vanishing Trunks to move between Hogwarts and my orphanage, learning different things. I brought the trunk with me, obviously, since I don't want anyone to find it and use it. The RoK won't stay hidden if anyone does. Granted, the protection spells might delay them some, but there's nothing like a perfect defence. Other than the Fidelius Charm, which I can't cast yet.
So, yeah, I learned, a lot. I finally managed to create my first Time Spell! Well, I modified an existing Time spell, but same thing. It's just as exciting!
The original spell was one I had learned to study for 5-6 hours inside the Room, while only half an hour passed outside. Damn useful when I had to study different Sorcery Primers from the Room of Knowledge for 9 hours a day, and still have 6 hours of sleep.
That was an Enchantment Ward, called the Time Slowing Ward, and was basically a charm that you cast on the Room you want to affect.
My own spell was a Runic Ward combined with a charm. The Runic Scheme had to be carved in metal, and worn around any single body part. But the thing is, the metal ornament had to be enclosed, and not stay open.
I had found a set of Gold Bangles, uncarved, in the Room of Hidden Things, after a lot of searching, and used them for the ward. A really weird thing to lose in Hogwarts, really. The owner must've really gotten punished when they returned home.
Carving Runes wasn't hard, I just had to heat the scalpel, a lot, and cast a metal softening charm on the un-enchanted gold.
11 errors, and 4 melted bangles is all it took for me to carve the Runes perfectly on the bangle currently around my left wrist. The bangle was too eye catching though, and the Runes visible, so I covered it by rolling a strip of leather around it, and shrunk the bangle till it fit perfectly around my wrist.
I could have carved runes on the inside, I suppose, but I didn't exactly mind doing so on the outside either. I'll figure out a way to completely hide it later, though, or improve the enchantments.
Once the Time Slower is activated, it makes you twice as fast as everything else. Or everything else moves half as fast as you. So, it's practically useless in public, unless you want to be known as a Speedster or something.
But, for learning, it is a Godsend. It can also be used in parallel with the Time Slowing Ward, meaning I got 10 hours every half hour.
I've already managed to learn to access the Astral Planes through Sorcery, with the help of my Time Slower.
My telepathy allowed me to only enter the Astral plane, travel to places, and stay awake without needing to sleep.
Sorcery, however, allowed my Astral Form to do a lot more than that. Searching for specific Magical signatures, possession, and entering dreams of other people. I could also now use my Magic while in the Astral form, which happened only after I connected with the Universe.
Plus, I was now learning to bring my Astral Form in the Physical Realm, although it'll only be for a short while. Before that happens, though, I'll need to master the Mirror Dimension, for which, I'll need a Sling Ring. Slytherin, for some reason, didn't have an alternative for the Sling Ring, (or if he does, I haven't read about it yet,) even if he did say that after some time, Wizards can stop using them.
Which still meant I had to actually use one before getting used to the feel of creating portals.
Yeah, it's on the back burner for now, since I don't want to be stuck in the Mirror Dimension, even Astrally, without a Sling Ring on hand. Portals will be handy too, I'm sure of it. So, my Personal Magic was currently limited to Astral Projection, Mind Arts, and the now slowly developing Telekinesis.
Yup, my constant use of the Accio, Depulso, Wingardium Leviosa, was finally getting paid off. The control over those spells was slowly, but surely evolving. Soon, in a few years, I won't even have to cast the spells to use the spells.
Meanwhile, for the Universal Energy, I was just practicing different spells for Sorcery, and hand to hand fighting. The second was needed, because a lot of spells were actually dependent on my footwork, hand gestures, and my physical form.
The strength of my shield depended on how well I can hold a physical shield to defend myself. Unsurprisingly, this also makes my Wizardry spells better, who'd have thought?
But it wasn't just shields I was using. There were other Mystic spells to create weapons like whips, swords, fans, threads, chains, etc.
Then there were the elemental spells, which don't summon elements like Wizarding spells do, but they can help you manipulate the elements. There are actual spells that can conjure the elements, but that's only possible if you make a pact with another Dimension related to those elements.
Yeah, no. I'm definitely not doing that. Like Salazar wrote, a Wizard's magic is his own. Another being cannot be allowed to access it. And I agree with it. I'll use my own Magic, and the Magic of my own Universe. Other than that, if I do somehow end up becoming the Ruler of an entire Dimension, then I'm using only that Dimension's Energy.
Cyttorak, Raggador, and the rest can depend on the Sorcerers to use their magic.
Finally, there was Transmutation, but I was waiting to completely master the other Sorcery spells available to me, before trying Transmutation. Plus, I think, learning Wizarding Alchemy before that will be helpful.
There were a lot more spells, rituals, and other practices in Sorcery, but most of them depended on getting Magic from other Dimensions. And we all know how I feel about that.
Along with that, however, I was trying to learn something else.
Apparation. The Magical art of disappearing from one place, and reappearing at another. Every 6th year student has the option of taking the Apparation classes, and the classes start in February.
Luckily enough, age is not a constraint here, at least now. So, just being in a NEWT level class is the requirement for taking the Apparation lessons. Which means, despite being just 15, I couldn't be barred from Apparation lessons, thanks to their own laws.
Granted, I couldn't apply for a license until I turn 17, or pass my NEWTs in at least one subject, which immediately makes me eligible to emancipate as an Adult Wizard. But that was okay.
There's no way I'm waiting another year to learn teleportation, so obviously, I elected to take those lessons this year as soon as the notice was put up.
"You sure they'll let you?" Ana asks, incredulously, seeing me sign my name on the sheet.
I shrug, and say, "There's nothing in the laws that prevents me from taking the lessons. They can, however, prevent me from having a license before I turn 17."
"Right, and they're not exactly stupid enough to have a Wizard capable of Apparition go out there without a licence? Which means they'll be forced to give you a license too, if you pass the test." Ana says, and shakes her head.
The need for Apparition license is two fold. One, it allows you to legally apparate wherever you want, other than the places specifically warded against it. And two, it helps the Ministry determine which one of the Licence holders was there near a Magical crime scene.
The Licence given to you can track your Apparition, if the ministry tries it within a few minutes. After that, the trail goes cold, and the spells fail. But they can only do it in cases of crimes. Public won't trust the government at all otherwise.
There's an entire sub-department in the Department of Mysteries, that works together with the DMLE to track Apparition in cases of crime. So, no robbing banks by apparition when you have a license. They can, and will track you down.
And refusing to get a license isn't an option. The punishment for apparating without a licence is 5 years in Azkaban, along with a 5000G fine. 'That's if they catch me.' you might say, but don't forget, they have Time Turners and an entire army of Aurors.
That's not even mentioning that splinching in Muggle areas incurs even more fines and punishments.
I put my 12 Galleons in the pouch provided for the Apparition lesson fees payment, and say, "The only thing the Ministry might try, is making sure that I don't pass my test this year. But they're not stupid enough to fail me without any cause, so they'll have to find a valid reason to fail me."
Well, that's assuming that they allow me to sit my NEWTs this year. If I don't pass my NEWTs, I'm not an adult, and I don't get to even try the test. Which means, I'll have to convince Merrythought that I'm ready to sit my NEWTs this year itself, skipping another year at Hogwarts. Should be easy, given my OWL results.
Ana just shakes her head, and goes back to writing on the parchment in front of her. We were currently sitting in the Ravenclaw common room, on a table near the walls. Looking at the parchment, I ask, "What are you working on?"
Sighing, Ana says, "Rowle gave us an assignment, to write 9 inches on the Patronus Charm. I've gotten three inches, and I don't know enough about it to write more."
Hmm.. the Patronus Charm.
"You're hoping I teach it to you, aren't you?" I say, seeing Ana discreetly look at me with her quill just poised over the parchment.
Ana just pouts, seeing me smile in amusement, and says, "Can you blame us? You haven't even told us what your Patronus takes the form of?"
Ah-hah! "So, it's not just you then. Dorea and Darla too?" I ask, because of course it's them.
Shrugging, Ana says, "We offered Charis, well Dorea did, but Charis refused to study under a privileged cheater like you."
I blink, and then snort. Charis Black is a Ravenclaw, the same age as me. She had taken the offered Time Turner to study all the classes in the third year, and managed it pretty well. But in 4th year, she was forced to give it back after some psychological issues she faced. Not getting enough sleep was one of the major reasons for that, along with her snapping at a teacher out of frustration.
And she absolutely hated, how without even a Time Turner, or hours and hours of studying, I was offered the chance to give my OWLs early, and how I came second in the entire year. My marks were at the top in every subject I sat, but I simply did not bother with Muggle Studies, Divination, and Care of Magical Creatures, which ensured the Hufflepuff girl came at the top.
"God forbid, she burns herself out again, and blames me. Anyway, when's the assignment due?" I say, deciding to finally let them in on some of my secrets.
"Next monday." Ana immediately answers, straightening up.
Looking around, I ensure that no one's paying attention to us, cast a simple Notice-me-not on us, and say, "Come on, I'll show you something."
"Ooh! An adventure! I feel like a Gryffindor right now!" Ana says, whispering to stay silent.
Shaking my head, I start walking towards the Gryffindor common Room to get Darla. On the way, I stop in an empty corridor to Ana's curiosity, and call out, "Dippy?"
Almost immediately, a loud crack of Apparition sounds in front of me, and a pillow case wearing House Elf stands in front of me. Dippy the Hogwarts House Elf.
"Young Mason Sir calls for Dippy?" Dippy says, happily looking up at me.
My heart aches for her once again, at how much the Wizards have messed with their psychology. My studies haven't gone well, when it comes to House Elves. Not even Rowena knows about how they came to be.
Bending down, I pat Dippy on her head, and say, "Thank you for coming, Dippy. I wanted to ask for a small favour, if you will?"
Dippy rapidly nods her head, excited, and says, "Dippy always be ready to do small favours. What can Is be doing for young Mason Sir?"
Ana giggles, which I ignore, and say, "I need you to send a message to a girl in the Slytherin common Room. Dorea Black is her name, and she should be in the Fourth Year dorms, or the Common Room. Can you do it?"
Dippy nods again, rapidly, and bangs her fist on her chest. She exclaims, "Of course! Dippy be sending the message secretly!"
Sighing, I say, "Thank you, Dippy."
With the wave of my hand, I summon a piece of parchment from my bag, and with another wave, cast a spell to write on it.
'Come to the second floor girls bathroom. And wait- M.L.A'
Handing the note to Dippy, I see her apparate once more, and marvel at how powerful they are. Wizards have been trying to stop their apparition for centuries now, and the only one successful was whoever built the Azkaban prison, which no one now knows how it works.
Nothing Wizards tried every worked in stopping the Elf Apparition, not even the darkest of the wards. Well, they do harm the ones who aren't allowed in, always very darkly, but they can't be stopped.
Ana's voice brings me out of my fascination, as she asks, "Since when do you have a House Elf? I thought they'd all died in the fire that killed your family."
I correct her, and say, "Dippy isn't my House Elf. She's a free Elf, who has bonded herself to the Castle of Hogwarts. This is only the 2nd time I've ever asked her to do something for me."
"You're a weird Wizard, Mason Aves." Ana says, shaking her head, and starts walking agait.
While better than most, Ana still has some prejudice against Elves. She thinks of them as Servents, and nothing more. Racist, yes, but she's mostly a product of her raising. I'll change her opinion, slowly.
About a minute later, Dippy pops back in front of us, to tell us that she delivered the message, along with the order, "Young Mason Sir be coming to eat Dinner tonight. To repay the favour?"
I really need to teach her how favours actually work. She just asks me to spend time with the Elves! I just nod, and agree to it, as Ana looks on in open amusement.
Soon, we reach the Gryffindor Entrance hall, and stand in front of the Portrait that hides the Common Room. The Lady in the portrait looks at us two Ravenclaws in distrust, and asks, "What is it?"
Ana takes a step forward, and says, "We're here to meet our friend, Darla White. She's in the Fifth Year."
Narrowing her eyes, the Lady turns around and walks away from us, going deeper into the painting. Soon, she returns, and a few seconds later, the Portrait opens. Darla steps out, sees us, and sighs.
She says, "I won't even ask how you found out about the entrance, bloody Ravenclaws."
As we begin walking towards the stairs, Ana snorts, and points her thumb at me, and says, "This one here's hiding a lot of things, it seems."
"Did he agree to teach us?" Darla asks, ignoring me, even if I was standing in between them.
I say, "HE can answer for himself, and yes, I did. When's your assignment due? Wednesday?"
Darla nods, lifting her shoulders in an apology. After some small talk, we reach the 2nd floor Girls bathroom, and see Dorea standing there waiting for us.
I cast another Notice-me-not around us, and wait for the Bathroom to become empty once again. Say what you will, but Myrtle's death would have been really helpful in keeping this Bathroom unused. Hope she doesn't die this time though.
While waiting, Dorea asks, "So what are we waiting for? You aren't going to perv in there, right?"
I look at her with disbelief, and say, "No! Gods no! Where I'm going to take you has it's entrance inside the bathroom."
They look at me as if they don't believe me, so I say, "I promise! I'm not being a pervert."
"If you say so." Dorea mumbles, while the two nod in acceptance.
Bloody hell, what's taking those girls this long.
Sighing, I extend my telepathy, and without entering their minds, prompt the subconscious minds of the girls inside to leave. One by one, the three girls leave the bathroom, and the bathroom becomes empty once again.
Entering it, I go towards the main sink, while the girls look on in curiosity. Since they are not that close, they don't hear me whispering in parseltongue to open the Entrance, and only see the Sink sinking into the ground.
"What the bloody hell is that?!" Darla exclaims seeing the tunnel.
Smirking, I say, "Follow me and find out."
And then, without any warning, I jump into the tunnel, happy to hear three simultaneous yells of my name.
"MASON!!" the three girls yell, a lot of fear in their voice.
Within a few minutes, I drop down on the cushioned ground at the end of the tunnel, and look around.
I'd changed this cave a lot since the first time I'd found it. Now, instead of a rough ground completely covered in skeletons of different animals, mostly rats, the ground was covered in a smooth cobblestone like pathway. The spot of ground, along with the patch of the wall right in front of the Pipe opening was softened with the help of Runes, to break the fall. Although, it's not needed much, thanks to the Enchantments on the pipe itself, which causes us to slow down at the bottom.
Above us hung a few of my Lumos orbs, which I'd enchanted to always stay lit. I just had to renew the spells every few years.
I'd done nothing to the walls, other than the initial softening and cleaning, because they did set the mood somewhat.
Soon, I hear the screams of the three girls, not of fear, but of exhilaration, and they exit the wall with a slowed down speed. They land on the ground, and laugh a little.
The adrenaline goes away, however, and they turn to see me smiling at them.
I say, "You lot sure took your time."
As one, the three girls jump at me, and hug me together with a yell of, "MASON!"
"Well, aren't I a lucky guy today." I quip, to soften the blow I'll inevitably face.
The punch on my chest dissuades me of the notion, however, as Darla yells, "How dare you, you bloody prat! You scared us!"
Ana takes a step back, and folds her hands in front of herself. She says, "You could have given us a warning, Mason."
Dorea stays in my hug, and I say, "You can let go now, Dorea."
"5 more minutes." Dorea mumbles from my chest.
Sighing, I use my minor telekinesis and gently push her away. Ignoring her complaints, I say, "Well, I wanted to surprise you with this. Plus, tell me you didn't enjoy it."
"We did." The three girls in front of me mumble.
Darla says, "We were just going to leave to get a teacher, but the sink started rising again, and we had no choice! We had to jump, you twat."
I chuckle, remembering the nifty little piece of Enchantment. It was already there, I just didn't know about it. As soon as the first person enters, a countdown starts. 30 seconds later, the sink starts closing unless specifically given an order in parseltongue.
"Just be thankful that I clean the pipe frequently. You wouldn't believe the types of fungus that's born in them. One mushroom tried to eat my bloody shoes." I exclaim, and start walking.
As the girls follow behind me, Ana speeds up to stand beside me, and asks, "What is this place anyway? I don't think I've ever heard of such a place."
"In a minute, Ana. You'll soon find out, don't worry." I say, and pat her head.
Ana pouts, and starts looking around, joining Darla and Dorea in examining the cave.
A few minutes later, we come across the second door, and this time, I loudly say, ~~Open~~, to the shock of the girls, and walk through. Inside the room, was the still mostly intact corpse of the Basilisk, and lounging in its empty eye socket, was Sly.
"Welcome, ladies! To Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets!" I say, walking inside.
The three girls just remain shocked, staring at the corpse of the Basilisk in fear. Ignoring them, I walk towards the Basilisk, and poke Sly awake.
I'd taken the eyes out, along with the venom glands, and the tongue, after I'd read about a few rituals that could use them. The meat was practically useless for humans, since the Venom inside the flesh is too potent for us to eat, and there's no ritual that uses them.
So, Sly was using the Basilisk corpse as a home that he can eat. I did plan to keep half the meat stored away, just in case. Sly spent most of his time in the chamber, nowadays, and only came up through the various tunnels if he needs something, or to crawl around the forest.
~~What?~~ Sly asks, annoyed at being woken up.
As he yawns, I say, ~~I brought guests.~~ and point him towards the frozen girls.
Frowning, I walk towards them, and snap my fingers a few times.
Jumping in place, the girls come out of their shock, and immediately start firing questions.
I smile, my heart feeling a little bit lighter over the single shared secret. A group of secrets. I'm a parselmouth, I'm a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, and I have access to the fabled Chamber of Secrets.
Other secrets might come out in their own times, but there's one secret that won't ever come out. Not to them, not to anyone. The secret- that I'm a reincarnated soul.
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"The Patronus Charm, is one of the Purest forms of Magic. The spell, when cast correctly, forms a shield of Light in front of us, a shield of happiness, that can stop Dementors as well as Lethifolds. When cast perfectly, however, the Shield takes the form of an animal." I explain the next day, standing in the Chamber of Secrets with Dorea, Darla, and Ana standing in front of me.
The last day had gone into explaining my Slytherin heritage, along with what I've found till now in the Chamber. They also met Sly, but he didn't like anyone of the girls touching him, so he was just a sight to see for them.
I'd also shown them the Room above Salazar's head, but since they couldn't read the books in his library anyway, we mostly stayed in the main chamber.
I didn't need to worry about them inadvertently sharing my secrets, since the Chamber highly appreciated its secrecy. Turns out, Salazar Slytherin made it so no one can share the secret of the Chamber, other than a Slytherin, which I am. It's not Fidelius, but it is enough for now.
The Corpse of the Basilisk was in the back of the chamber, close to the exit door, while the part of the chamber near Salazar's head was used by us for our lessons. I'd brought a few chairs, and a few mattresses down, so the girls can rest in between casting.
Ana raises her hand, and asks, "What does the animal depend on?"
I smile wide, and say, "Haven't a clue. No one knows, but speculations are aplenty. Some say it depends on personality, some say it depends on what we think will protect us, while some say it depends on our Spirit Animal, our potential animagus forms."
Waving my wand, I focus on a happy memory, a very personal one, and chant, "Expecto Patronum!"
Immediately, the tip of my Acacia wand glows white, and a glowing white mist starts coming out of it. Within a second, the mist condenses and forms into a ball, which then begins taking shape.
I was purposefully keeping the process slow, so the girls can observe it happening and they can get an idea of what is expected of them.
The orb of white light first forms two legs, and then wings, immediately clueing them in, that my Patronus is a bird. Slowly, the shape becomes more defined, and the orb of light starts flying around us with its wings, showing itself to be an Eagle.
My Patronus Eagle had a white head, and breast, while the top was completely grey, although on the darker side. The under wings were black, and its eyes were golden. White bellied Sea Eagle was the breed.
The eagle screeches a high sound, and looks around for any threats to itself, or its caster, me, and then finding none, comes towards me. I raise my hand to allow it to land, and smile.
I turn towards the girls, and see them looking just as fascinated with it as I am, and say, "Just being in the presence of a Patronus is enough to bring a tiny bit of happiness to everyone, as you can feel."
Seeing them all staring at my eagle, I gently dissipate it, and ignoring their disappointment, I say, "You all can learn how to do that too. It took me 3 days to learn it, and then 2 more to master it. So, let's see how long it takes you, shall we?"
Dorea eagerly nods, while Darla looks at me expectantly. Ana was smiling, still staring at the place my eagly had dissipated from.
Taking a step back, I have them stand an arm's length away from each other, wands out, and say, "First, close your eyes, and begin by digging deep into your mind. There has to be one memory, could be anything, that makes you happy as soon as you think of it. The happier the memory, the better. Once you do find it, keep that memory in your mind, don't think too much, just let it play out."
The girls close their eyes, and I see all of them smile one by one.
Softly, I say, "Now, say the incantation."
Ana is the first one to try, and she raises her wand hand in the air. Smile still on her face, she opens her eyes, and yells, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The wand tip glows white, and for a few seconds it stays like that. Unfortunately, not even a wisp exits her wand and she drops down, exhausted.
"Be careful, the spell takes a lot out of you." I say, handing her a cup of hot chocolate I'd already prepared.
Chocolate wasn't actually a cure for Magical exhaustion, but it did provide a bit of Placebo effect. Chocolate is good after Dementor exposure, and wizards quickly connect Dementors to feeling tired, and drained.
Now discouraged, even Dorea and Darla fail their attempts. I sigh, looking at the three girls silently staring at their cups.
Maybe I should have had them learn it one at a time. That day, I have them try 2 more times, both of which only cause their wands to glow at the tip, and then take them back up through the stairs. I do have them meditate at night, so they can calm their minds, and tell them that the spell is difficult. Doesn't mean there's a reason to discourage yourself.
The next day, Ana and Dorea manage to produce a transparent wisp of smoke, but Darla still stays stuck on the wand glowing stage.
The day after that, Ana produces a shield, but no matter how much she tried, it didn't progress from there. Already knowing the solution, I say, "Try another memory, maybe something happier than this. It should immediately fill you whole being with happiness."
The next day is Saturday, where Dorea manages to produce a shield, while Ana's Patronus stays in the shield form. Although, it did look like it will start taking shape soon.
Seeing them have another go at it, I say, "Remember, this isn't a test. Many adult witches and wizards fail to cast this charm. Heck, many Aurors can't cast this spell, and they're the ones protecting us. But don't let that discourage you, ladies. If I, a 15 year old can do it, you can do it too."
Darla sighs, dropping her wand on the ground after another failed attempt at even a wisp, and says, "Easy for you to say. You're a bloody prodigy at everything you learn!"
Frowning, I nod at Dorea and Ana to continue, and approach Darla. Sitting down on the ground, I look up at Darla expectantly. She drops down on the chair in front of me, and says, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Yup, you shouldn't have. But I get it." Picking her wand, I hand it to her gently, and say, "Do you know why I find Magic so easy? Compared to you lot?"
Darla shakes her head, so I say, "Because I didn't get used to it. I didn't get used to the novelty of Magic!"
"What do you mean?" Dorea asks, sitting down on the ground beside me, while Ana joins Darla on the chair beside her.
Great job continuing your practice, girls.
Seeing them looking at me in expectance, I purposefully keep my wand on the ground, to the curiosity of the girls, and say, "I've been reading about Magic since I was a child. Legends of Arthur, Merlin, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz. For years, I've wanted to be a Wizard, use Magic! And then, I found out I was actually a wizard. I wasn't just a normal kid that lives in an orphanage! And I was so damn excited"
It was the first time I'm speaking about my life like this. They knew the basics, but not my actual thoughts at the time.
I say, "But then, I found out that Magic isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are rules on how Spells can't be cast, rules on what can't be done, and rules on what shouldn't be done. And you know what, most of them are actually true. Food cannot be conjured, nor transfigured out of anything but food. There's no coming back from the Killing Curse. You can't create permanent matter out of nothing, etc."
Smiling, I say, "Oh but there's so much more Wizards are entirely wrong about. Like the fact that only the most powerful, most Learned Wizards can use Wandless Magic. You must've learned that, right?"
The girls nod, to which I smile.
"I'm no where near the strongest Wizards, heck a newly anointed Auror with barely any training can outperform me in every way, when it comes to magic. Nor am I the most Learned, because obviously, there are teachers who have forgotten more magic than I have ever read about." I say, and see them nod once again.
Standing up, I ask, "So how is it that I can do this then?"
Without any prompting from me, the water from the pool behind me rises into the air, scaring the girls into standing up. I lift my arm up, and the water rises even more, now completely in the air. The orb of water then freezes, starting from the inside, and once the surface is frozen, it starts melting back to water.
Behind the girls, the ground transfigures itself into different miniature animal shapes, and they start circling around us which prompts the girls to huddle together. My Eagle Patronus comes out of my back, and joins the transfigured animals in circling us.
Out of my left hand, fire starts pouring out, and forms into a circle. The circular halo of flames rises up and stays in the air, with no fuel to burn it.
I ask, "How can I do this, you may ask? Let me tell you. I don't believe anything is impossible, until I've actually failed to do it. I used to believe Transfiguration can't be done without a wand, and now look at me!"
"Okay, OKAY! YOU MADE YOUR POINT!" Darla says, and then yells, looking at the animals in fear, and me in a new light.
I drop my hands back down, and immediately, the spells dissipate. The water falls back down with a splash that soaks us all with a heavy shower, while the flames just dissipate in the air. The transfigured animals, meanwhile crumble to dust, which is then washed away by the water.
I snap my fingers, and with a plop sound, the water gets sucked off our bodies along with any dirt that stuck to it.
I prompt the girls to sit back down, and this time, Dorea sits on the chair, glaring at me. I say, "My point was, if you believe something to be impossible, or even hard, you won't ever succeed in doing it. You need to let go of the notion that there's anything impossibile. When it comes to magic, everything is possible! You just need to try it yourself!"
Now with a new zeal, Darla stands up and lifts her wand. She opens her mouth to cast the spell, but before she can do that, I stop her with my hand on her open mouth.
She glares at me, so I say, "Good thing you're motivated, but maybe try it tomorrow? Preferably, do it with another, even happier memory."
Darla pouts, but I just shake my head. She was tired, I could see it in her eyes. Dorea and Ana were alright for a few more attempts, but it's better to stop now itself. We still have a weekend before the assignment is due for them.
When we exit the Chamber of Secrets, and enter the castle proper, Dorea immediately joins me at my side, while Ana pulls Darla away. I look at her in curiosity, but Ana just says, "You guys go on. I and Darla have to go over our assignment once again."
Okay, that's a lie, but anyway. I nod, and raise an eyebrow at Dorea, who watches them go with barely hidden joy. She says, "Well, looks like Fate has some plans, doesn't it?"
I snort, and say, "You already know what I'll say, Dorea, don't even try."
Dorea pouts, but drops the subject. Instead, as we start walking towards the Slytherin common room, she asks, "I was always curious. What went on between you and Cassie?"
"Hmm.. why'd you ask?" I ask, wondering why it took so long for her to breech the subject.
Shrugging, Dorea says, "She kept asking me about you this summer, wondering if you've gotten rich all of a sudden or something. When I asked her why, she scowled and dropped the subject. I know she tried something against you, which failed, but since you never did anything about it, I thought it to be just minor. But now, after knowing about your Slytherin heritage, I wondered if it's related to that."
I shake my head, thinking if this is the new plan of Cassiopeia. Try and get her sister to find something about me. I trust Dorea not to share my Secrets, and Cassiopeia is not the kind of girl to try the Mind Arts on her own sister though, so maybe I am actually safe.
Still, better start the girls on Mind Arts training, Ravenclaw style.
I say, "Cassiopeia tried to manipulate me, not with talks, but with spells. It failed to take hold on me however, and I managed to fight her spells off."
"THAT'S ILLEGAL! Oh my God, if Father, or God forbid, Uncle Sirius finds out, she'll get thrown out of the family!" Dorea exclaims, slapping her own forehead and holding her head in frustration.
I drily point out, "I hardly think Sirius Black will punish your sister for using Mind Arts against a muggleborn. She can just say, 'I thought he was a mudblood' and the topic will be dropped. Well, she might be punished for failing in her goals."
"You have a really weird image about my family." Dorea says, frowning.
Well, I did get most of it from Cassiopeia's mind, so I wonder how Dorea remained so sheltered.
I say, "I am a Ravenclaw, researching is my thing. And after Cassiopeia tried that shite with my mind, I sought everything related to your family. No offense."
Dorea shakes her head, so I continue, "Your sister didn't like that I defied her orders, and I didn't appreciate her trying to mess with my mind. But, since I was a little first year student at the time, I let it go. And since what she did was a crime, she let it go, in case I told anybody. She did try to obliviate me, but obviously, it didn't stick."
I shrug at the end, in a 'What can you do?' manner. Dorea looks at me in disbelief, and asks, "My sister's Obliviate Charm… failed on you? What the fuck did you feed your brain?"
"Knowledge, lots and lots of knowledge. Oh, and learning Meditation helps. My Mind cannot be messed with, without my knowledge. And I know that to be a fact." I boast, with some additional fake pride thrown in.
I'd originally planned a soft revenge against Cassiopeia, but Dorea began seeking me out at the time, and then the teachers began looking too closely, so I had to drop it. Not like I haven't done something like this to others, although not to someone so young as me. She'll get her due, but not yet.
For now, I'm just happy with learning at Hogwarts.
---
A/N: How was this? Comments and reviews please!
Thank you! Tata!
19. Smith
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07
Second Chapter!
---
The next day, when we gather in the Chamber of Secrets again, Darla is the first to try the Patronus Charm.
Curiously enough, she first throws a look at Ana, and then raises her wand. Taking a deep breath, Darla closes her eyes, and we see her smile wide, her face slowly reddening.
Okay, now I'm definitely curious.
"Expecto Patronum!" Darla says, very softly, and almost immediately, white mist starts pouring out of her wand tip, which then starts to form into a shield. The shield holds for a few seconds, and then, it slowly starts dissipating.
Darla, now tired, immediately sits down on the chair, sipping on the Hot chocolate, leaving us to look at her, impressed.
"Good job, Darla. See, nothing's impossible if you put your mind to it." I say, patting her on her head.
Ana has a proud smile on her face, which makes me realize that they really must've had some talk yesterday.
Soon, Ana has her own attempt at the spell, and in the first try itself, her Patronus takes the shape of an animal. An Arctic wolf was her Patronus. Dorea managed to form her own corporeal Patronus that day, albeit after a few attempts, with hers being a Lynx.
Darla, meanwhile just manages to form her Patronus at the end of the day, taking the form of a Lioness. When we leave the Chamber that day, Ana and I walk Dorea and Darla to their House common rooms, and start our walk towards the Ravenclaw common room.
While walking, I cast a privacy charm around Ana and I, and ask, "Did you force Darla into anything she didn't want to do?"
Ana snorts, and mumbles, "Oh, trust me, Mason. Darla wanted to do a lot more than what we did."
Sighing, I say, "Ana." in a warning tone.
Ana stops in her place, making me stop too, and looks up at me. She crosses her hands in front of her, and says, "What, Mason? You think that I will force myself on Darla? How low do you think of me, hm? Darla is my friend, she needed help in remembering a good memory, a happy memory, and I gave a new one to her because her family didn't give her enough of them. Is there anything else?"
I keep staring at Ana for a while, and then just drop my head. I say, "I apologise, Ana. I was out of line."
"Damn right, you were." Ana says, none too quietly.
Nodding, I say, "Darla is my friend, my first friend. I don't like her getting hurt. And she already has it hard in the muggle world because of what gender she likes. I don't want her to face the same problems here."
"And you think I don't? Mason, it might be hard to believe, but I don't like just boys. I like girls too, and I will have to hide it from everyone for the rest of my life. Like it or not, Wizards and Muggles agree on this one thing." Ana says, and starts walking towards the common room alone, leaving me to think.
Same sex relationships aren't common in the Wizarding World. I'd go as far as to say they're rare. They don't openly get cursed at or anything like that, but everyone always looks at them differently. Ana has it a little bit easier, since she's a bisexual, by her own statement. But I don't think anyone would like to hide half their identity for their entire life.
I care for Darla, a lot. But even I can admit that I was a dick to Ana right now. Sigh, I'll have to talk to both of them.
-
A few days have gone since that incident, and I apologised to Ana, once again. Along with that, I spoke with Darla about her sexuality, and told her that she has a home with me, if things don't go right with her parents. Well, as soon as I have an actual home that is.
She cried, we hugged it out, and then I teased her about getting it on with her secret crush.
Right now, I was in the Potions Lab, with Professor Slughorn standing in front of us. I was with the 7th year students, listening to him talk. NEWT classes don't divide the students by the houses, since so few of them managed to get into the classes. My own class just had 15 students, of all houses.
"Usually, I do this at the start of your 7th Years, but some things had come up, which caused me to postpone this." Slughorn says, happiness oozing from his body. How one person can be so smiley, God knows.
Pointing at the three Cauldrons sitting in front of us, he says, "These three Potions are all above your level, but you should be able to recognise them if you've read Chapter 79 as I told you to. Now, who can tell me what this first potion is?"
The first potion was easy, and just by looking at it, anyone should be able to identify it. The potion was a gross green in colour, and even without being on the fire, bubbles were erupting on the surface.
Polyjuice Potion.
"That's the Polyjuice Potion, Professor." Some girl from Gryffindor says, without raising her hand.
Slughorn claps a few times, and says, "Wonderful, Ms Tofty! Take 5 points for Gryffindor! Although, I'd appreciate if you raise your hand first."
Soon, the other two potions are also identified, as Amortentia, and the Wiggenweld Potion, which I identified. I'd already managed to brew it a lot of times, one of which I allowed Slughorn to see. Hey, I might not have planned my early graduation, but I did plan to be in as high image as possible, when it comes to the Slug Club founder.
The Wiggenweld Potion is a cure for all sleeping potions, and it is also the only known cure to the Draught of Living Death, and the Draught of Peace, both of which put the drinker in an unbreakable sleep. Draught of Living Death puts them in the false death state, with every test showing them as dead, while Draught of Peace just puts them to sleep.
After that, came the part I was looking forward to. A fourth cauldron, sitting inconspicuously behind Slughorn. The sly smile on his face, when the same Gryffindor from before pointed at the Cauldron told me that he was waiting for someone to mention it.
"Ah, that is a bit above your level. I'm not going to lie, it'll take you being a Certified Potions Master to even attempt brewing that potion. Can anyone guess what it is?" Slughorn says, and then looks at us expectantly.
Seeing no one take the leap, I raise my hand, and once he nods at me, I say, "That's the Felix Felicus. Liquid Luck. It gives the drinker an hour worth of good fortune for every drop they consume. Of course, repeated use is harmful, and large quantities of the potion can cause recklessness, and extreme bad luck."
"Correct! Take 5 points, Mr Aves. The Felix Felicus was invented in the 1570s, by Zygmunt Budge. I've only taken the potion once in my entire life, when I was 23. I'd brewed it myself, and I drank 7 hours worth of the potion. Best 7 hours of my life!" Slughorn says, and then stares at empty space, lost in thoughts.
Someone clearing their throat brings him back, and he says, "Ahem, yes. Sorry for that. Today's task for you, is to brew the Draught of Living Death. The best attempt at the potion will win them a single vial of Liquid Luck. But be warned, the use of Felix Felicus is banned in any form of competitive sport, as well as your exams. So, I better not find out you've used it to cheat in exams. Now, you have 1 hour and 20 minutes. You may begin."
-
"Well, that was easy." I say to myself, entering Salazar's room and keeping the vial of the golden potion on the shelf.
I wasn't yet good enough to try brewing this Potion, which is why I was waiting for Slughorn to offer it in his competition. Every consecutive year, he offers it as a prize to the 6th and 7th years. I can only guess that he must've had something important come up that prevented him from brewing the potion earlier this year.
~~What's so special about this Potion?~~ Sly asks, flying around my head.
You know, I liked him a lot more when he couldn't fly. Bloody annoying noodle.
Turning my head towards him, I say, ~~This potion makes you lucky. Doesn't matter what you try to do, you will have only good luck.~~
~~So, I can drink it before fighting a big snake, and I'll win?~~ Sly asks, looking at the vial with undisguised greed.
Slapping his head, I say, ~~Don't even try it. It doesn't work the same for animals.~~
Even a single drop will be like an overdose for Sly, or any other small animal. Bigger animals might get some benefits, but what do they even need good luck for?
~~Pity. I wanted to eat the squid in the lake up there.~~ Sly says, and lays down on the King's size bed that once belonged to Salazar.
You know those kids, who are smaller than everyone around, but want to fight every single person around them? Sly is like that. Except he wants to kill every other dangerous animal, and eat them.
Ignoring Sly, I enter the library, pick up the next book needed for Sorcery and sit down on the chair. At first, I'd ignored the other books, thinking that the "My Journey in learning the Mystic Arts of Kamar Taj" would have everything I'd need.
But then, I found out that it was just a journal, and was mostly focused on Salazar's own personal experiences. He did have Primers though, some of them enchanted into what I'm calling Parselscript, since only parselmouths can read them, while some were written in other languages.
I'd also found many primers in the Room of Knowledge- Sorcery, which I'd copied and brought down here. Few of them I'd already memorized, and read in my free time, while others I read whenever I come down here, or go to the Room of Knowledge.
The book I'd picked up right now, was a thin book, barely 50 pages long, but it looked promising.
'Portal Rings and How they work- Saraswati' the title page said, in Old Sanskrit. Honestly, this makes me want to slap myself really hard. I can't believe I dismissed this book just because it was thinner than most.
Sighing, I lean back, rest my feet on the footstool, and start reading. The one thing that'll make my life extremely easy, and I ignored it for so long. Well, I won't make that mistake again, that's for sure.
Now, better find out how Sling Rings work, so I can either create one for me, or find an alternative.
-
A few days later, I'm in the Room of Hidden Things, Helena with me, and Sly hiding in the Chamber. Both of us were staring at the heaps of junk in front of us in contemplation. I was just staring at everything that amazed me.
"Why do you even need Silver for?" Helena asks, making me turn away from the amazing marble statue of a woman holding a clay water pitcher above her head.
"I need it for my Sorcery project. And I don't need just Silver, I need Goblin's Silver." I say, wondering why I'm wasting so much time. Right, because I get distracted by all the different things I keep seeing here.
Helena sighs, and says, "Mason, I don't think anyone is stupid enough to lose Goblin's Silver, let alone in Hogwarts."
I shrug, and say, "Doesn't hurt to look for it, does it? Plus, I don't need much, a few rings worth of it is enough."
Creating Sling Rings, or as the Sorceress Supreme Saraswati called them, Portal Rings, is fairly easy. It does need a highly magical metal, though. Lady Saraswati used Orichalum, but she wrote that other Magical metals worked well too. Orichalum was just the one she had easy access to when she invented the Rings.
But, even still, I know that just any magical metal won't work. It has to be something that's right at the top, something that can conduct Universal, and probably even Dimensional Magic, if needed.
And what metal do I know, that can even adapt to something like Basilisk venom?
Helena frowns, and asks, "Do you even know how to reforge Goblin's Silver into Rings?"
"I've read a book or two about the process. How hard could it be?" I say, distractedly waving my hand at her.
Helena just shakes her head at me, and says, "Maybe one day, you'll regret asking this question."
Maybe I will, but as I said just a few days ago, nothing is impossible. Plus, I have memorized the entire process of reforging Goblin's Silver magically. I won't even need to touch a single hammer to do that!
"Let's get this over with." I say, more to myself, than to Helena, and point my two hands towards two directions. Sending as much magic to my hands as they can handle, I yell, "ACCIO GOBLIN'S SILVER!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Did you seriously think this would work?" Helena asks, looking at me incredulously. Slapping her face, she groans and says, "The Ravenclaw bloodline is doomed!"
I drop my head, and groan myself. I actually thought this would work. I really should have considered the fact that almost ever Goblin weapon is enchanted to resist the Summoning spell. And Goblin Enchantments don't just.. go away.
"Shut up. I didn't see you coming up with a better plan." I grumble, kicking a dust bunny away from me.
Helena humphs, and says, "As a matter of fact, I do have a good plan. But for that, you'll need to find something that actually has Goblin's Silver."
Find Goblin's Silver to find Goblin's Silver. Jeez, really helpful plan, but if it works, good enough for me.
"You sure?" I ask, because finding one Goblin's Silver item won't be as hard as finding every Goblin's Silver item here. I think.
Helena waves me away, and removes a solid chalk from her robes. What the hell is this? She's a bloody ghost, and she has a solid chalk in her gown?
She begins writing Runes on the ground, and says, "Yes, find me a single Goblin's Silver piece, and I'll give you everything that's in this room that has it. Don't get your hopes up, though. As I said, people aren't stupid enough to lose Goblin's Silver."
Sighing, I sit down with my back to the wall, and enter the Astral Plane. With a single glance at Helena, who was moving half as fast now, I jump into a heap a few piles behind the first one, and start looking.
If someone lost Goblin's Silver, or if they wanted to hide it, it won't be at the exact forefront of the room.
20 minutes and 7 piles of different junk later, I return to Helena with a single broken Armour plate, made of Goblin's Silver. The armour plate was just a couple inches big, and had a crack right down the middle. It also had brown blotches of blood, which leaves no doubt that it was purposefully hidden here.
'Someone took a school fight really seriously, me thinks.'
By now, Helena had finished writing the Runes on the floor for whatever she wanted, and was waiting for me. Taking the armour plate from me, she says, "Go back to your body. I need your blood."
"Excuse me?!" I yell, taking a few steps back, floating a few steps back.
Helena rolls her eyes, and places the armour plate in the centre of the Rune Scheme. She points at one Rune, and says, "Don't be a jessie. You want to find a lot more Goblin's Silver to satisfy your hoarding tendency, yes? Then drop 5 drops of blood on the outer edge of that Sowilo."
Grumbling about the bossy ghost lady, I float back into my body, and then walk towards the Rune Scheme. Looking at it, I can tell that it is a higher level Summoning Charm. But, this one needs a sample of what you want to summon, along with a small sacrifice of blood. No wonder Rune Spells are almost unused, right now.
Whether I'll use them or not, depends on how this spell goes.
Pointing my right index finger upwards, I conjure a burning orange dagger around it, using a Sorcery spell, and nick my left thumb with it. Carefully, I drop 5 drops of blood on the outer edges of the Rune, so as to not ruin it completely.
Helena nods in satisfaction, looking proudly at me, and says, "Now, stand back."
Can ghosts use Magic like this? I didn't know that. I mean, I know Helena is a different kind of ghost, thanks to her Mutation, I think, but using Magic as a ghost? That's literally supposed to be impossible.
Without saying anything, as I walk a few steps backwards, Helena floats towards the back of the Rune Scheme, at the point closest to the door, and places her hands on the same Rune where I poured my blood.
Closing her eyes, she intones, "Accio Argenti!"
Almost immediately, things from all around the room start rising up into the air, and come shooting towards the Rune Scheme. Banging my fists together,(Boom boom whoosh!), I create a single orange Tao Mandala shield in front of me, stopping a single dagger that overshot it's target.
"Don't you already have a spell to stop physical objects?" Helena asks, still kneeling in front of the Rune spell.
Rolling my eyes, I say, "I've got to get used to using both kinds of Magic, Helena. Just because I'm a wizard first doesn't mean that I'll completely rely on Wizardry spells."
I can't use Sorcery spells in public though, at least, not the Wizarding public. Sorcerers are hidden, and there's almost no likelihood that the normal everyday wizard knows about them. The Government, Department of Mysteries, or the ICW, however, most definitely know about them.
Fighting demon's and evil Sorcerers in muggle world doesn't make them inconspicuous, and it probably just increases the workload for the Obliviators. Speaking of, the Government probably hates the Sorcerers.
"Suit yourself." Helena says, and focuses on the stuff flying in towards her, and sometimes even through her.
Swords, daggers, rings, necklaces, a crown, cups, plates, shields, and even Armour. All in all, once the things stop flying in, Helena and I have in front of us about 30 various items, all made of Goblin's Silver.
Most of them were broken beyond repair, which is really surprising, considering that Goblin's advertise their Silver as unbreakable, but there were a few items completely intact. And they were Goblin's Silver, not fake either. I could just feel how magical the metal is.
"Is this enough?" Helena asks, waving at the pile of my new possessions.
Rubbing my hands, I say, "Oh, yeah. This is definitely enough. Helena look at that sword! And that arrow! Sometimes I think Wizards can't be too stupid, and then someone loses something as precious as this!"
"And you say you don't have a hoarding tendency?" Helena asks, shaking her head.
I choose to ignore her, since I have a new item to study. And I have to repair the sword, because I want me a sword.
-
About a week after I'd.. liberated a stockpile of Goblin's Silver from the Room of Hidden Things, I was once again in the Room of Requirements. Only now, the Room was transformed into something else.
A Forge.
I know nothing about actual Metal working, but I have an eidetic memory, Telepathy that I'd already used on a muggle blacksmith a while back, and I've read Rowena Ravenclaw's notes on reforging Goblin's Silver.
But, I'm not stupid enough to start metal working directly on something so precious as Silver, let alone Goblin's Silver. Which is why, I was starting with steel. I'd returned to the Room of Hidden Things to find a few items made of steel, and brought them here just for that purpose.
Lighting the furnace with a simple Incendio charm, I wince at the high amount of heat I immediately feel. The enchantments on the Magical furnace ensured that the temperature would reach as high as you want them to, but it did nothing to prevent me from feeling the heat. Can't work with fire if you can't feel the heat.
How the Room of Requirements managed something like this, I'll never know. Did Hogwarts once teach metal working? I'd have to ask Helena that, but I haven't seen her ever since that day.
"First things first, put the steel in the crucible." I whisper to myself, speaking out loud so the instructions reach my own mind properly. The first items to be melted turn out to be a couple of owl cages.
Throwing them inside the crucible, I cover it up, and wait. A few minutes at the absurdly high temperature is all it takes for the two owl cages to melt completely, and I make sure of it by stirring them with a spell.
"Next, lift the melted metal out of the crucible, and shape it with your magic." I repeat the instructions from Rowena's manual.
Granted, that her instructions were for Goblin's Silver, but it can't be that different.. can it?
Shrugging, I use a spell specifically required for Metal working, called the Upliftment Charm. The only thing it can do, is lift up completely melted metals, and nothing else. If the metal wasn't melted completely, only the melted part would lift, while anything that wasn't melted, or metallic in nature, wasn't lifted at all. In a way, this spell was also useful in getting rid of the impurities.
"Vitae Metallum!" I intone, pointing my wand at the crucible.
Slowly, very slowly, the melted metal rises out of the Crucible, and floats aimlessly in the same spot. Then, once it's steady, I focus my magic through the Wand, again, stare at the slowly cooling lump of steel, and intone, "Diffingo!"
This spell is what actually reshapes the melted metal according to the user's wishes. I had the image of a small dagger in my mind, since the steel was just enough for that. Again and again, I cast the same spell, "Diffingo." And the melted metal slowly starts changing shape.
From a shapeless lump of molten steel, the steel becomes elongated at first. At the next spell, it becomes pointed at the top. At the next, it takes the rough shape of a dagger, handle and blade.
And finally, just before the steel completely cools down, I cast the final spell to give it some detail.
Now, in front of me, was a dagger 10 inches long, pointed at the tim, with a steel handle and steel blade, and had two edges. The problem was, the blades were blunt, the point was crooked, and the handle was twice as large as the blade.
"It's a good first attempt, I'd say." I speak out loud, trying to convince myself.
The Upliftment Charm stops working, now that the steel has completely become solid again, and the roughly shaped first attempt of a dagger falls down on the stoned floor of the Room of Requirements.
With a clang, the dagger drops on the ground, and almost immediately breaks into 10 different pieces. I just stare at it, some part of me amused, while the bigger part of me relieved.
"Well.. thank God, I didn't use Goblin's Silver directly." I whisper, gathering the broken pieces of my first project, and keeping it away. I'd read that failed projects cannot be used again immediately, they need to be kept as is for a week or so.
Not like I have a shortage of time with this handy bangle on my wrist. Time Slower, baby. And now, I could slow time for me to the quarter. For every second that passes for anyone other than me, 4 seconds pass for me.
-
An entire month, I took, to learn how to successfully reforge metal, and then reshape it into anything I want.
Kinda arrogant, when I say that I expected it to take a week at most, doesn't it? It is a Magical process, so I did actually expect a lot less time than a month.
Most of it was a game of focus, and Intent, but a lot of it also included my Magic's behaviour. At first, my magic was not being used to Metal working, and so, despite my perfect focus, and focused intent, the daggers failed, almost a dozen times.
I'd almost given up hope, but then, on the next try, the dagger came out better shaped, looking exactly like what I wanted to look like, except it's handle was still a bit on the larger side. A few more days later, it became perfect.
And then came the hard part. Sharpening the dagger. There was no spell for it, to my great sorrow, although there were spells to grind a whetstone on a sword/dagger without you doing it. But that needed the dagger to actually be sharp. There was even a spell to sharpen the quill tips, but nothing for steel weapons.
So, I had to jury rigg a wheel grinder, using a Penny-farthing bicycle, transfigured stone wheels enchanted to stay that way, and a lot of charms to keep the wheel spinning, and to prevent the stone wheel from breaking. A few more spells were used on the bicycle to prevent the cycle parts from breaking too, but that was pretty much a given.
A week after that, I managed to successfully sharpen my first dagger, and a week after that, I became adept at sharpening weapons.
And while I didn't actually need it for my Sling Ring project, it was too useful to not try to learn while I had the opportunity. I also practiced hammering the items I'm making, just for that purpose.
And so, after I'd gone a week without messing up a single thing while creating spoons, daggers, kitchen knives, rings, toe rings, helmets, and literally anything that caught my eye that day, I moved on to trying reforging Goblin's Silver.
You know how I said the Magical furnace maintains a temperature according to your wishes, and you just need to cast the Incendio charm once? Well, that plan got thrown out the window almost immediately.
Goblin's Silver needs a temperature of 4000° Celcius, while the maximum temperature that my furnace can give out without exploding is 2000° C.
So, I had to create a new furnace, all by my own hands and magic, and enchant it myself using the Old Atlantic Runes that I was learning. These Runes are a lot better at achieving extreme things than the Nordic Runes, so of course I'm using them.
5 days were taken up by building a forge in a tunnel in the Chamber of Secrets, since if I'm going to build a forge, I'm making it only for myself. I'm a Ravenclaw, we're selfish.
The chosen tunnel was under the Basilisk's sleeping area, and I had to use my broom to fly down to reach there. At the end of the long tunnel, there was just a single cave, with no secret about it. It was just a tunnel, that I repurposed for my forging needs.
The Cave was expanded to the size of the Great Hall, with one corner taking up the furnace, while another taking up the hammering and grinding area. The opposite side had the rack, where I kept all my finished projects from before most of which were just for show.
The room was also Enchanted to purify the air and provide me with oxygen, so I don't suffocate and die because of the fumes, or because of a lack of oxygen.
Another Vanishing Trunk was placed there, connected to the network of the first two Trunks, so I can come and Go as I please. And then, I began working on Goblin's Silver.
The first thing I did, was create another Artefact for myself, that allowed me to regulate the temperature I feel. I still allowed some heat to seep through, but nothing close to the 4000°C that was needed for Goblin's Silver.
The first few attempts were failures, since my Magic was not used to reshaping Goblin's Silver, and I had to allow it to get a feel for it. And when I finally succeeded in creating a small butter knife, perfectly shaped, made of Goblin's Silver, I became ecstatic.
"Oh boy, oh boy!" I whisper, looking at the butter knife in fascination. Goblin's Silver, even without hammering, was a naturally durable metal. But just how much stress it can handle, can only be determined by a durability test.
Chuckling, I pick the butter knife, and speak in an exaggerated sweet, loud voice, "Hello, my name is Mason, and welcome to my Youtube channel! Today we're going to be testing the durability of my first butter knife! Don't forget to hit subscribe, and click on the bell icon to get regular updates."
"What are you doing?" Helena asks, suddenly making herself known.
"AAH!" I definitely did not yell in fear, and I ask, "What the hell, Helena? Can't you give a guy a warning?"
Helena gives me a look, and says, "You've been here for hours, Mason. It's almost time for breakfast… did you even sleep?"
I wave my hand, and say, "Sleep is overrated when it's night. Now, day sleep, however, ah, that's the stuff."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Are you okay?" Helena asks.
"I.. actually don't think I am. I haven't slept in two days. I'm just.. so excited to finally create a Portal Ring, Helena!" I exclaim, looking at the knife in wonder, eager to start my tests.
Helena sighs, and says, "Today is sunday, believe it or not, so you're extremely lucky. Now, I'd like to see you sleeping in your room before your roommates wake up. Sleep for 10 hours and no less."
I open my mouth to complain, but Helena glares at me like I'm a bloody child, and says, "No buts. You're burning yourself out, and it's not just the effects of the furnace. Take a break, and then return to your tasks. But don't forget to do it in moderation. Too much fire, even if you don't feel it, will mess with your head."
If that's true, no wonder the Goblins become this grumpy.
Gasping, I ask, "Am I turning into a Goblin?"
Helena shrugs, and says, "If that works, then yes. Now, get going. The dagger will be here when you get back."
Sighing, and agreeing that she's right, I snap my fingers, extinguishing the furnace, and start my walk towards the rack that holds my loving creations.
A complete set of armour, completely non magical, spoons, daggers, a useless giant spoon, two swords, a shield, and a steel cage. And along with all that, was the Vanishing Trunk. Helena floats outside the Forge, while I go towards the Trunk.
The Forge was already hidden behind an illusion of a solid wall, that needs a Parseltongue password to reveal itself. There were also wards there that will warn me if anyone enters the Forge, or tries to do so.
As I leave the Forge, the Wards activate all on their own, and I exit the Vanishing Trunk in my Dorm Room. The 7th Year Dorm Room, since I do actually sit my classes with them. I fall asleep as soon as I rest my head on the pillow, leaving me just enough time to conjure a simple note for my dorm-mates.
'Too tired, too sick. Don't wake me up.'
---
Thank you for your support!
Tata!
Second Chapter!
---
The next day, when we gather in the Chamber of Secrets again, Darla is the first to try the Patronus Charm.
Curiously enough, she first throws a look at Ana, and then raises her wand. Taking a deep breath, Darla closes her eyes, and we see her smile wide, her face slowly reddening.
Okay, now I'm definitely curious.
"Expecto Patronum!" Darla says, very softly, and almost immediately, white mist starts pouring out of her wand tip, which then starts to form into a shield. The shield holds for a few seconds, and then, it slowly starts dissipating.
Darla, now tired, immediately sits down on the chair, sipping on the Hot chocolate, leaving us to look at her, impressed.
"Good job, Darla. See, nothing's impossible if you put your mind to it." I say, patting her on her head.
Ana has a proud smile on her face, which makes me realize that they really must've had some talk yesterday.
Soon, Ana has her own attempt at the spell, and in the first try itself, her Patronus takes the shape of an animal. An Arctic wolf was her Patronus. Dorea managed to form her own corporeal Patronus that day, albeit after a few attempts, with hers being a Lynx.
Darla, meanwhile just manages to form her Patronus at the end of the day, taking the form of a Lioness. When we leave the Chamber that day, Ana and I walk Dorea and Darla to their House common rooms, and start our walk towards the Ravenclaw common room.
While walking, I cast a privacy charm around Ana and I, and ask, "Did you force Darla into anything she didn't want to do?"
Ana snorts, and mumbles, "Oh, trust me, Mason. Darla wanted to do a lot more than what we did."
Sighing, I say, "Ana." in a warning tone.
Ana stops in her place, making me stop too, and looks up at me. She crosses her hands in front of her, and says, "What, Mason? You think that I will force myself on Darla? How low do you think of me, hm? Darla is my friend, she needed help in remembering a good memory, a happy memory, and I gave a new one to her because her family didn't give her enough of them. Is there anything else?"
I keep staring at Ana for a while, and then just drop my head. I say, "I apologise, Ana. I was out of line."
"Damn right, you were." Ana says, none too quietly.
Nodding, I say, "Darla is my friend, my first friend. I don't like her getting hurt. And she already has it hard in the muggle world because of what gender she likes. I don't want her to face the same problems here."
"And you think I don't? Mason, it might be hard to believe, but I don't like just boys. I like girls too, and I will have to hide it from everyone for the rest of my life. Like it or not, Wizards and Muggles agree on this one thing." Ana says, and starts walking towards the common room alone, leaving me to think.
Same sex relationships aren't common in the Wizarding World. I'd go as far as to say they're rare. They don't openly get cursed at or anything like that, but everyone always looks at them differently. Ana has it a little bit easier, since she's a bisexual, by her own statement. But I don't think anyone would like to hide half their identity for their entire life.
I care for Darla, a lot. But even I can admit that I was a dick to Ana right now. Sigh, I'll have to talk to both of them.
-
A few days have gone since that incident, and I apologised to Ana, once again. Along with that, I spoke with Darla about her sexuality, and told her that she has a home with me, if things don't go right with her parents. Well, as soon as I have an actual home that is.
She cried, we hugged it out, and then I teased her about getting it on with her secret crush.
Right now, I was in the Potions Lab, with Professor Slughorn standing in front of us. I was with the 7th year students, listening to him talk. NEWT classes don't divide the students by the houses, since so few of them managed to get into the classes. My own class just had 15 students, of all houses.
"Usually, I do this at the start of your 7th Years, but some things had come up, which caused me to postpone this." Slughorn says, happiness oozing from his body. How one person can be so smiley, God knows.
Pointing at the three Cauldrons sitting in front of us, he says, "These three Potions are all above your level, but you should be able to recognise them if you've read Chapter 79 as I told you to. Now, who can tell me what this first potion is?"
The first potion was easy, and just by looking at it, anyone should be able to identify it. The potion was a gross green in colour, and even without being on the fire, bubbles were erupting on the surface.
Polyjuice Potion.
"That's the Polyjuice Potion, Professor." Some girl from Gryffindor says, without raising her hand.
Slughorn claps a few times, and says, "Wonderful, Ms Tofty! Take 5 points for Gryffindor! Although, I'd appreciate if you raise your hand first."
Soon, the other two potions are also identified, as Amortentia, and the Wiggenweld Potion, which I identified. I'd already managed to brew it a lot of times, one of which I allowed Slughorn to see. Hey, I might not have planned my early graduation, but I did plan to be in as high image as possible, when it comes to the Slug Club founder.
The Wiggenweld Potion is a cure for all sleeping potions, and it is also the only known cure to the Draught of Living Death, and the Draught of Peace, both of which put the drinker in an unbreakable sleep. Draught of Living Death puts them in the false death state, with every test showing them as dead, while Draught of Peace just puts them to sleep.
After that, came the part I was looking forward to. A fourth cauldron, sitting inconspicuously behind Slughorn. The sly smile on his face, when the same Gryffindor from before pointed at the Cauldron told me that he was waiting for someone to mention it.
"Ah, that is a bit above your level. I'm not going to lie, it'll take you being a Certified Potions Master to even attempt brewing that potion. Can anyone guess what it is?" Slughorn says, and then looks at us expectantly.
Seeing no one take the leap, I raise my hand, and once he nods at me, I say, "That's the Felix Felicus. Liquid Luck. It gives the drinker an hour worth of good fortune for every drop they consume. Of course, repeated use is harmful, and large quantities of the potion can cause recklessness, and extreme bad luck."
"Correct! Take 5 points, Mr Aves. The Felix Felicus was invented in the 1570s, by Zygmunt Budge. I've only taken the potion once in my entire life, when I was 23. I'd brewed it myself, and I drank 7 hours worth of the potion. Best 7 hours of my life!" Slughorn says, and then stares at empty space, lost in thoughts.
Someone clearing their throat brings him back, and he says, "Ahem, yes. Sorry for that. Today's task for you, is to brew the Draught of Living Death. The best attempt at the potion will win them a single vial of Liquid Luck. But be warned, the use of Felix Felicus is banned in any form of competitive sport, as well as your exams. So, I better not find out you've used it to cheat in exams. Now, you have 1 hour and 20 minutes. You may begin."
-
"Well, that was easy." I say to myself, entering Salazar's room and keeping the vial of the golden potion on the shelf.
I wasn't yet good enough to try brewing this Potion, which is why I was waiting for Slughorn to offer it in his competition. Every consecutive year, he offers it as a prize to the 6th and 7th years. I can only guess that he must've had something important come up that prevented him from brewing the potion earlier this year.
~~What's so special about this Potion?~~ Sly asks, flying around my head.
You know, I liked him a lot more when he couldn't fly. Bloody annoying noodle.
Turning my head towards him, I say, ~~This potion makes you lucky. Doesn't matter what you try to do, you will have only good luck.~~
~~So, I can drink it before fighting a big snake, and I'll win?~~ Sly asks, looking at the vial with undisguised greed.
Slapping his head, I say, ~~Don't even try it. It doesn't work the same for animals.~~
Even a single drop will be like an overdose for Sly, or any other small animal. Bigger animals might get some benefits, but what do they even need good luck for?
~~Pity. I wanted to eat the squid in the lake up there.~~ Sly says, and lays down on the King's size bed that once belonged to Salazar.
You know those kids, who are smaller than everyone around, but want to fight every single person around them? Sly is like that. Except he wants to kill every other dangerous animal, and eat them.
Ignoring Sly, I enter the library, pick up the next book needed for Sorcery and sit down on the chair. At first, I'd ignored the other books, thinking that the "My Journey in learning the Mystic Arts of Kamar Taj" would have everything I'd need.
But then, I found out that it was just a journal, and was mostly focused on Salazar's own personal experiences. He did have Primers though, some of them enchanted into what I'm calling Parselscript, since only parselmouths can read them, while some were written in other languages.
I'd also found many primers in the Room of Knowledge- Sorcery, which I'd copied and brought down here. Few of them I'd already memorized, and read in my free time, while others I read whenever I come down here, or go to the Room of Knowledge.
The book I'd picked up right now, was a thin book, barely 50 pages long, but it looked promising.
'Portal Rings and How they work- Saraswati' the title page said, in Old Sanskrit. Honestly, this makes me want to slap myself really hard. I can't believe I dismissed this book just because it was thinner than most.
Sighing, I lean back, rest my feet on the footstool, and start reading. The one thing that'll make my life extremely easy, and I ignored it for so long. Well, I won't make that mistake again, that's for sure.
Now, better find out how Sling Rings work, so I can either create one for me, or find an alternative.
-
A few days later, I'm in the Room of Hidden Things, Helena with me, and Sly hiding in the Chamber. Both of us were staring at the heaps of junk in front of us in contemplation. I was just staring at everything that amazed me.
"Why do you even need Silver for?" Helena asks, making me turn away from the amazing marble statue of a woman holding a clay water pitcher above her head.
"I need it for my Sorcery project. And I don't need just Silver, I need Goblin's Silver." I say, wondering why I'm wasting so much time. Right, because I get distracted by all the different things I keep seeing here.
Helena sighs, and says, "Mason, I don't think anyone is stupid enough to lose Goblin's Silver, let alone in Hogwarts."
I shrug, and say, "Doesn't hurt to look for it, does it? Plus, I don't need much, a few rings worth of it is enough."
Creating Sling Rings, or as the Sorceress Supreme Saraswati called them, Portal Rings, is fairly easy. It does need a highly magical metal, though. Lady Saraswati used Orichalum, but she wrote that other Magical metals worked well too. Orichalum was just the one she had easy access to when she invented the Rings.
But, even still, I know that just any magical metal won't work. It has to be something that's right at the top, something that can conduct Universal, and probably even Dimensional Magic, if needed.
And what metal do I know, that can even adapt to something like Basilisk venom?
Helena frowns, and asks, "Do you even know how to reforge Goblin's Silver into Rings?"
"I've read a book or two about the process. How hard could it be?" I say, distractedly waving my hand at her.
Helena just shakes her head at me, and says, "Maybe one day, you'll regret asking this question."
Maybe I will, but as I said just a few days ago, nothing is impossible. Plus, I have memorized the entire process of reforging Goblin's Silver magically. I won't even need to touch a single hammer to do that!
"Let's get this over with." I say, more to myself, than to Helena, and point my two hands towards two directions. Sending as much magic to my hands as they can handle, I yell, "ACCIO GOBLIN'S SILVER!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Did you seriously think this would work?" Helena asks, looking at me incredulously. Slapping her face, she groans and says, "The Ravenclaw bloodline is doomed!"
I drop my head, and groan myself. I actually thought this would work. I really should have considered the fact that almost ever Goblin weapon is enchanted to resist the Summoning spell. And Goblin Enchantments don't just.. go away.
"Shut up. I didn't see you coming up with a better plan." I grumble, kicking a dust bunny away from me.
Helena humphs, and says, "As a matter of fact, I do have a good plan. But for that, you'll need to find something that actually has Goblin's Silver."
Find Goblin's Silver to find Goblin's Silver. Jeez, really helpful plan, but if it works, good enough for me.
"You sure?" I ask, because finding one Goblin's Silver item won't be as hard as finding every Goblin's Silver item here. I think.
Helena waves me away, and removes a solid chalk from her robes. What the hell is this? She's a bloody ghost, and she has a solid chalk in her gown?
She begins writing Runes on the ground, and says, "Yes, find me a single Goblin's Silver piece, and I'll give you everything that's in this room that has it. Don't get your hopes up, though. As I said, people aren't stupid enough to lose Goblin's Silver."
Sighing, I sit down with my back to the wall, and enter the Astral Plane. With a single glance at Helena, who was moving half as fast now, I jump into a heap a few piles behind the first one, and start looking.
If someone lost Goblin's Silver, or if they wanted to hide it, it won't be at the exact forefront of the room.
20 minutes and 7 piles of different junk later, I return to Helena with a single broken Armour plate, made of Goblin's Silver. The armour plate was just a couple inches big, and had a crack right down the middle. It also had brown blotches of blood, which leaves no doubt that it was purposefully hidden here.
'Someone took a school fight really seriously, me thinks.'
By now, Helena had finished writing the Runes on the floor for whatever she wanted, and was waiting for me. Taking the armour plate from me, she says, "Go back to your body. I need your blood."
"Excuse me?!" I yell, taking a few steps back, floating a few steps back.
Helena rolls her eyes, and places the armour plate in the centre of the Rune Scheme. She points at one Rune, and says, "Don't be a jessie. You want to find a lot more Goblin's Silver to satisfy your hoarding tendency, yes? Then drop 5 drops of blood on the outer edge of that Sowilo."
Grumbling about the bossy ghost lady, I float back into my body, and then walk towards the Rune Scheme. Looking at it, I can tell that it is a higher level Summoning Charm. But, this one needs a sample of what you want to summon, along with a small sacrifice of blood. No wonder Rune Spells are almost unused, right now.
Whether I'll use them or not, depends on how this spell goes.
Pointing my right index finger upwards, I conjure a burning orange dagger around it, using a Sorcery spell, and nick my left thumb with it. Carefully, I drop 5 drops of blood on the outer edges of the Rune, so as to not ruin it completely.
Helena nods in satisfaction, looking proudly at me, and says, "Now, stand back."
Can ghosts use Magic like this? I didn't know that. I mean, I know Helena is a different kind of ghost, thanks to her Mutation, I think, but using Magic as a ghost? That's literally supposed to be impossible.
Without saying anything, as I walk a few steps backwards, Helena floats towards the back of the Rune Scheme, at the point closest to the door, and places her hands on the same Rune where I poured my blood.
Closing her eyes, she intones, "Accio Argenti!"
Almost immediately, things from all around the room start rising up into the air, and come shooting towards the Rune Scheme. Banging my fists together,(Boom boom whoosh!), I create a single orange Tao Mandala shield in front of me, stopping a single dagger that overshot it's target.
"Don't you already have a spell to stop physical objects?" Helena asks, still kneeling in front of the Rune spell.
Rolling my eyes, I say, "I've got to get used to using both kinds of Magic, Helena. Just because I'm a wizard first doesn't mean that I'll completely rely on Wizardry spells."
I can't use Sorcery spells in public though, at least, not the Wizarding public. Sorcerers are hidden, and there's almost no likelihood that the normal everyday wizard knows about them. The Government, Department of Mysteries, or the ICW, however, most definitely know about them.
Fighting demon's and evil Sorcerers in muggle world doesn't make them inconspicuous, and it probably just increases the workload for the Obliviators. Speaking of, the Government probably hates the Sorcerers.
"Suit yourself." Helena says, and focuses on the stuff flying in towards her, and sometimes even through her.
Swords, daggers, rings, necklaces, a crown, cups, plates, shields, and even Armour. All in all, once the things stop flying in, Helena and I have in front of us about 30 various items, all made of Goblin's Silver.
Most of them were broken beyond repair, which is really surprising, considering that Goblin's advertise their Silver as unbreakable, but there were a few items completely intact. And they were Goblin's Silver, not fake either. I could just feel how magical the metal is.
"Is this enough?" Helena asks, waving at the pile of my new possessions.
Rubbing my hands, I say, "Oh, yeah. This is definitely enough. Helena look at that sword! And that arrow! Sometimes I think Wizards can't be too stupid, and then someone loses something as precious as this!"
"And you say you don't have a hoarding tendency?" Helena asks, shaking her head.
I choose to ignore her, since I have a new item to study. And I have to repair the sword, because I want me a sword.
-
About a week after I'd.. liberated a stockpile of Goblin's Silver from the Room of Hidden Things, I was once again in the Room of Requirements. Only now, the Room was transformed into something else.
A Forge.
I know nothing about actual Metal working, but I have an eidetic memory, Telepathy that I'd already used on a muggle blacksmith a while back, and I've read Rowena Ravenclaw's notes on reforging Goblin's Silver.
But, I'm not stupid enough to start metal working directly on something so precious as Silver, let alone Goblin's Silver. Which is why, I was starting with steel. I'd returned to the Room of Hidden Things to find a few items made of steel, and brought them here just for that purpose.
Lighting the furnace with a simple Incendio charm, I wince at the high amount of heat I immediately feel. The enchantments on the Magical furnace ensured that the temperature would reach as high as you want them to, but it did nothing to prevent me from feeling the heat. Can't work with fire if you can't feel the heat.
How the Room of Requirements managed something like this, I'll never know. Did Hogwarts once teach metal working? I'd have to ask Helena that, but I haven't seen her ever since that day.
"First things first, put the steel in the crucible." I whisper to myself, speaking out loud so the instructions reach my own mind properly. The first items to be melted turn out to be a couple of owl cages.
Throwing them inside the crucible, I cover it up, and wait. A few minutes at the absurdly high temperature is all it takes for the two owl cages to melt completely, and I make sure of it by stirring them with a spell.
"Next, lift the melted metal out of the crucible, and shape it with your magic." I repeat the instructions from Rowena's manual.
Granted, that her instructions were for Goblin's Silver, but it can't be that different.. can it?
Shrugging, I use a spell specifically required for Metal working, called the Upliftment Charm. The only thing it can do, is lift up completely melted metals, and nothing else. If the metal wasn't melted completely, only the melted part would lift, while anything that wasn't melted, or metallic in nature, wasn't lifted at all. In a way, this spell was also useful in getting rid of the impurities.
"Vitae Metallum!" I intone, pointing my wand at the crucible.
Slowly, very slowly, the melted metal rises out of the Crucible, and floats aimlessly in the same spot. Then, once it's steady, I focus my magic through the Wand, again, stare at the slowly cooling lump of steel, and intone, "Diffingo!"
This spell is what actually reshapes the melted metal according to the user's wishes. I had the image of a small dagger in my mind, since the steel was just enough for that. Again and again, I cast the same spell, "Diffingo." And the melted metal slowly starts changing shape.
From a shapeless lump of molten steel, the steel becomes elongated at first. At the next spell, it becomes pointed at the top. At the next, it takes the rough shape of a dagger, handle and blade.
And finally, just before the steel completely cools down, I cast the final spell to give it some detail.
Now, in front of me, was a dagger 10 inches long, pointed at the tim, with a steel handle and steel blade, and had two edges. The problem was, the blades were blunt, the point was crooked, and the handle was twice as large as the blade.
"It's a good first attempt, I'd say." I speak out loud, trying to convince myself.
The Upliftment Charm stops working, now that the steel has completely become solid again, and the roughly shaped first attempt of a dagger falls down on the stoned floor of the Room of Requirements.
With a clang, the dagger drops on the ground, and almost immediately breaks into 10 different pieces. I just stare at it, some part of me amused, while the bigger part of me relieved.
"Well.. thank God, I didn't use Goblin's Silver directly." I whisper, gathering the broken pieces of my first project, and keeping it away. I'd read that failed projects cannot be used again immediately, they need to be kept as is for a week or so.
Not like I have a shortage of time with this handy bangle on my wrist. Time Slower, baby. And now, I could slow time for me to the quarter. For every second that passes for anyone other than me, 4 seconds pass for me.
-
An entire month, I took, to learn how to successfully reforge metal, and then reshape it into anything I want.
Kinda arrogant, when I say that I expected it to take a week at most, doesn't it? It is a Magical process, so I did actually expect a lot less time than a month.
Most of it was a game of focus, and Intent, but a lot of it also included my Magic's behaviour. At first, my magic was not being used to Metal working, and so, despite my perfect focus, and focused intent, the daggers failed, almost a dozen times.
I'd almost given up hope, but then, on the next try, the dagger came out better shaped, looking exactly like what I wanted to look like, except it's handle was still a bit on the larger side. A few more days later, it became perfect.
And then came the hard part. Sharpening the dagger. There was no spell for it, to my great sorrow, although there were spells to grind a whetstone on a sword/dagger without you doing it. But that needed the dagger to actually be sharp. There was even a spell to sharpen the quill tips, but nothing for steel weapons.
So, I had to jury rigg a wheel grinder, using a Penny-farthing bicycle, transfigured stone wheels enchanted to stay that way, and a lot of charms to keep the wheel spinning, and to prevent the stone wheel from breaking. A few more spells were used on the bicycle to prevent the cycle parts from breaking too, but that was pretty much a given.
A week after that, I managed to successfully sharpen my first dagger, and a week after that, I became adept at sharpening weapons.
And while I didn't actually need it for my Sling Ring project, it was too useful to not try to learn while I had the opportunity. I also practiced hammering the items I'm making, just for that purpose.
And so, after I'd gone a week without messing up a single thing while creating spoons, daggers, kitchen knives, rings, toe rings, helmets, and literally anything that caught my eye that day, I moved on to trying reforging Goblin's Silver.
You know how I said the Magical furnace maintains a temperature according to your wishes, and you just need to cast the Incendio charm once? Well, that plan got thrown out the window almost immediately.
Goblin's Silver needs a temperature of 4000° Celcius, while the maximum temperature that my furnace can give out without exploding is 2000° C.
So, I had to create a new furnace, all by my own hands and magic, and enchant it myself using the Old Atlantic Runes that I was learning. These Runes are a lot better at achieving extreme things than the Nordic Runes, so of course I'm using them.
5 days were taken up by building a forge in a tunnel in the Chamber of Secrets, since if I'm going to build a forge, I'm making it only for myself. I'm a Ravenclaw, we're selfish.
The chosen tunnel was under the Basilisk's sleeping area, and I had to use my broom to fly down to reach there. At the end of the long tunnel, there was just a single cave, with no secret about it. It was just a tunnel, that I repurposed for my forging needs.
The Cave was expanded to the size of the Great Hall, with one corner taking up the furnace, while another taking up the hammering and grinding area. The opposite side had the rack, where I kept all my finished projects from before most of which were just for show.
The room was also Enchanted to purify the air and provide me with oxygen, so I don't suffocate and die because of the fumes, or because of a lack of oxygen.
Another Vanishing Trunk was placed there, connected to the network of the first two Trunks, so I can come and Go as I please. And then, I began working on Goblin's Silver.
The first thing I did, was create another Artefact for myself, that allowed me to regulate the temperature I feel. I still allowed some heat to seep through, but nothing close to the 4000°C that was needed for Goblin's Silver.
The first few attempts were failures, since my Magic was not used to reshaping Goblin's Silver, and I had to allow it to get a feel for it. And when I finally succeeded in creating a small butter knife, perfectly shaped, made of Goblin's Silver, I became ecstatic.
"Oh boy, oh boy!" I whisper, looking at the butter knife in fascination. Goblin's Silver, even without hammering, was a naturally durable metal. But just how much stress it can handle, can only be determined by a durability test.
Chuckling, I pick the butter knife, and speak in an exaggerated sweet, loud voice, "Hello, my name is Mason, and welcome to my Youtube channel! Today we're going to be testing the durability of my first butter knife! Don't forget to hit subscribe, and click on the bell icon to get regular updates."
"What are you doing?" Helena asks, suddenly making herself known.
"AAH!" I definitely did not yell in fear, and I ask, "What the hell, Helena? Can't you give a guy a warning?"
Helena gives me a look, and says, "You've been here for hours, Mason. It's almost time for breakfast… did you even sleep?"
I wave my hand, and say, "Sleep is overrated when it's night. Now, day sleep, however, ah, that's the stuff."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Are you okay?" Helena asks.
"I.. actually don't think I am. I haven't slept in two days. I'm just.. so excited to finally create a Portal Ring, Helena!" I exclaim, looking at the knife in wonder, eager to start my tests.
Helena sighs, and says, "Today is sunday, believe it or not, so you're extremely lucky. Now, I'd like to see you sleeping in your room before your roommates wake up. Sleep for 10 hours and no less."
I open my mouth to complain, but Helena glares at me like I'm a bloody child, and says, "No buts. You're burning yourself out, and it's not just the effects of the furnace. Take a break, and then return to your tasks. But don't forget to do it in moderation. Too much fire, even if you don't feel it, will mess with your head."
If that's true, no wonder the Goblins become this grumpy.
Gasping, I ask, "Am I turning into a Goblin?"
Helena shrugs, and says, "If that works, then yes. Now, get going. The dagger will be here when you get back."
Sighing, and agreeing that she's right, I snap my fingers, extinguishing the furnace, and start my walk towards the rack that holds my loving creations.
A complete set of armour, completely non magical, spoons, daggers, a useless giant spoon, two swords, a shield, and a steel cage. And along with all that, was the Vanishing Trunk. Helena floats outside the Forge, while I go towards the Trunk.
The Forge was already hidden behind an illusion of a solid wall, that needs a Parseltongue password to reveal itself. There were also wards there that will warn me if anyone enters the Forge, or tries to do so.
As I leave the Forge, the Wards activate all on their own, and I exit the Vanishing Trunk in my Dorm Room. The 7th Year Dorm Room, since I do actually sit my classes with them. I fall asleep as soon as I rest my head on the pillow, leaving me just enough time to conjure a simple note for my dorm-mates.
'Too tired, too sick. Don't wake me up.'
---
Thank you for your support!
Tata!
- Pronouns
- you
The way he asked Ana about her intentions was bewildering. I mean, he noticed himself that he was being an ass, but... why?
I get looking out for your friends, and telling someone "If you break her heart, I'll break you" is kinda normal and perfectly excusable. Why did he have to say it like a retard?
...is charisma his dump stat? :3
I get looking out for your friends, and telling someone "If you break her heart, I'll break you" is kinda normal and perfectly excusable. Why did he have to say it like a retard?
...is charisma his dump stat? :3
- Location
- Planet Earth
"Other than that, if I do somehow end up becoming the Ruler of an entire Dimension, then I'm using only that Dimension's Energy."
Here's hoping the MC does. Maybe he takes Belasco's realm? Or makes his own? a Demi-Plane? Or a full-reality?
Finger's crossed the MC figures out some way to give himself a kind of hammerspace. So his stuff is not so easily stolen. Also hope he remembers to add a LOT more security to EVERYTHING, as well as removing dangerous knowledge/stuff before Riddle comes to Hogwarts. No leaving those sorcery books in the Chamber, or a connection to his trunks, when he KNOWS Riddle found it before.
Here's hoping the MC does. Maybe he takes Belasco's realm? Or makes his own? a Demi-Plane? Or a full-reality?
Finger's crossed the MC figures out some way to give himself a kind of hammerspace. So his stuff is not so easily stolen. Also hope he remembers to add a LOT more security to EVERYTHING, as well as removing dangerous knowledge/stuff before Riddle comes to Hogwarts. No leaving those sorcery books in the Chamber, or a connection to his trunks, when he KNOWS Riddle found it before.
Riddle only found the room of lost things.
If he leaves the trunk in the school someplace hidden it'll be "lost" and end up in the room of lost things
unless he hides it in the chamber of secrets (which is not really an option cuz riddle) or a place with similar protections... i guess he could make a hidden base in the forbidden forest?
edit: i guess he could ask the elves if he could put it someplace in the kitchen maybe? to come visit and eat their delicious food (lol)
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Or he can leave it in Rowena's secret chamber as it is now, we know only he and Helena can access it even from outside, even if he doesn't warn her about Riddle i doubt she would grant him entry there.
20. Apparition
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07
Two Chapters today, again. This one's the first.
---
Focus.
Focus.
Focus.
I keep chanting in my mind, while wearing the Enchanted Goblin's Silver ring on my finger. This Ring was made according to the instructions of Lady Saraswati, the first Sorceress Supreme of this Universe, and the second Sorcerer Supreme after Agamotto himself.
Agamotto, being a literal God, didn't need any device to create portals to everywhere in the Multiverse. Saraswati, however, was just a priestess of Oshtur, and hence she needed something to facilitate her Teleportation. Sure, there were spells, but they were too drawn out, and took too much energy out of her, and the other mortals.
God, it feels so weird to know that Gods actually exist here, or existed. At least, Saraswati wasn't the Goddess from Hinduism that I was familiar with, she was just another human with the same name. Although, she must have been an impressive one, to be named the Sorcerer Supreme.
Anyway, Lady Saraswati devised the first Portal Ring, that allowed her to create Portals to anywhere in the Universe, and if one becomes capable enough, even out of this Universe.
Her Ring was meant to be worn by two fingers of your non-dominant hand, preferably the Index and Middle fingers, and was Enchanted to connect to the Universe. This connection, the Universal Magic, along with the Enchantments allowed the Ring to create Portals.
But it wasn't enough to just wear the Rings after the enchantments were cast. You need to have an image of your destination, do the required Hand gestures, and actually be good enough at channelling Universal Magic. You need to be actually good at Sorcery.
Which, I pretty much am. I mean, I'm not the most powerful, nor the most knowledgeable, when it comes to Sorcery, but what I do know is I'm good enough to channel Universal Magic without a problem.
Taking a deep breath, I raise my left hand up, straighten it in front of me with just my index and middle finger raised, while the other fingers were half closed. Then, I lift my right hand and hold it in the same position as the left hand.
Focusing on the destination I'm hoping to reach, and focusing on the intent of opening the portal there, I channel my Magic into the Ring, and start moving my right hand in a clockwise direction. My right hand moves in a circle, barely one foot in diameter, as the left hand stays in it's spot, at my chest height.
For the first few seconds, nothing happens. Slowly, however, sparks start forming in the air in front of me. I smile, immediately becoming ecstatic, and then scowl, as the sparks disappear.
Well, no one said it'll be easy.
Lifting my hands once more, I continue to practice. Until the Apparition lessons reach their practical portion, which will happen beginning next week, I'll have to rely on Portals for travelling.
If I succeed, that is.
-
A week later, I fly through the wall of the Room of Hidden Things, in my Astral Form. I couldn't sleep today, and so, left my body to rest on my bed, and came here to try and find something interesting like I usually do.
Since I could now use Magic while in the Astral Plane, thanks to the increased Potency of my Magic, I just kept what I found aside, to take later.
I'd already mastered the use of the Sling Ring, which should make me a proper Sorcerer according to the current Rules of Kamar Taj, I think. After mastering the Sling Ring, and after knowing that the Enchantments were perfect, I did something else to it.
I melted a little more of the Goblin's Silver, and dipped the Sling Ring into it, so that other people don't manage to decode the Runes. For anyone that sees it, it'll look like a normal ring, or so I hope.
I wasn't going to hide the Ring, but wear it always, since it was so damn useful. Really, it was literally a Portal Ring, why would I ever remove it?
I even added a Resizing Charm, so it always fits me no matter how buffed up, or thin I get. Thankfully, Resizing Charms don't interfere with other enchantments.
Anyway, the Ring was already Enchanted. Covering it with another layer of Goblin's Silver did not mess with the Enchantments even a little. Good thing I researched it though, or I'd have left the Runes open for anyone to read and decode.
As I drop from the 7th floor to the 6th, I suddenly freeze, seeing Headmaster Dippet looking out the window. This is weird, it's literally 3 AM right now, why is he still awake?
I'm one to talk, I'm awake too.
I watch him for a few seconds, but then turn around to leave, knowing that he probably wants to stay alone right now, for some reason. I've spent a lot of my days, both in this life, and the last, staring out the window, crying, listening to music, just staring at the stars.
He might not be crying right now, but his reflection does look a bit contemplating.
As I turn away and float just a bit away from Dippet, he suddenly says, "Going somewhere, Me Aves?"
.
.
.
Well.. fuck.
I freeze in my spot, unmoving, most of it because of shock, but some of it because of fear. He's the headmaster, and almost 300 years old! I could be 10 times as strong as I am now, and I'll still be a literal ant in front of him.
Seeing me frozen, in the reflection on the window, Headmaster Dippet turns around, and looks at my Astral Form, top to bottom. He nods, for some reason, and says, "You've been practicing I see, a lot. Good, don't get complacent in the Mystic Arts, or the consequences will be dire."
"You can see me?!" I blurt out, ignoring his weird tip, and still staring at Dippet with equal amounts of fear, respect, and curiosity.
Fear, because I don't know the rules regarding using Sorcery in Hogwarts, and I was literally just breaking Curfew. He didn't say anything that might hint at me being punished, but still.
Respect, because he was the first Wizard that I've seen noticing my Astral form. I've literally done the worm in front of Professor Merrythought's eyes, while she was teaching our class, and she didn't even twitch.
And curiosity, because he wasn't immediately throwing spells, or punishments at me.
Dippet snorts, and says, "You overestimate yourself, Mr Aves. Every spell can be seen through, you just need the determination to do it. No spell is perfect. And separating your Astral Form, as complex as it might be, is still a spell. It might come under Sorcery, but it is a Spell all the same."
That.. makes sense. Nothing is perfect, no shield is a perfect defence, no sword has a perfect blade, and no spell is a perfect spell. Everything has a counter, and that's the one rule of Magic that even I had forgotten to take into consideration.
I'm just glad he didn't catch me doing anything embarrassing.
I gulp a little bit of saliva, and ask, "You.. aren't going to expel me.. are you?"
I wasn't afraid of being expelled, but I was afraid of the Consequences that come with it. I won't ever be able to sit my NEWTs, and no NEWTs means I won't go anywhere in the Wizarding world. Granted, I can still find my place in the muggle world, but still.
Contrary to my expectations, Dippet just laughs loudly, and says, "Expel you? My boy, breaking Curfew is not that serious of a crime!"
Seeing my disbelief openly showing on my face, he laughs again, this time silently, and says, "No, child. I won't expel you for learning Sorcery. Hogwarts is a place for learning. And no matter what the Ministry stooges might want to happen, Sorcery isn't forbidden to learn." He then winks at me, and says, "Besides, you aren't the only Wizard who dabbles in Sorcery."
And with that, he simply creates 4 circular Tao Mandala shields around his body, without even moving from his place, that then spin around him at a steady pace, and then vanishes it into golden dust with the snap of his fingers.
I simply gape at the spectacle, since I still wasn't able to conjure, let alone control more than two items at a time. I could either conjure two weapons, two shields, one weapon and a shield, or a single spell at a time of a different category. But, I always need to use my hand to guide where I want the spells to go. He literally did it all without even moving.
Seeing me gape at him, Dippet chuckles, and says, "Ah, the joy of exceeding your students' expectations and surprising them. Never gets old. Let's have a cup of tea in my office tomorrow, after lunch. The password is Draconis. And Mr Aves? I'd appreciate if you don't break the Curfew too frequently. It's not a good habit, you know."
Before I can do more than nod at him, he didappears from right in front of my eyes- bloody show off- leaving me with the extremely worrying revelation. Headmaster Dippet can see into the Astral Plane.
If Dippet can, who else is able to do that? Can Merrythought? Or Dumbledore? Hope not, the worm was the least embarrassing thing I did when trying the Astral form out.
Turning around, I go back towards the Room of Hidden Things. I won't be able to sleep even now, not with this hanging over my head.
-
The next afternoon, after lunch, I walk towards the Headmaster's office, my hand clenching every few seconds, thanks to my nervousness.
I know, after seeing yesterday's show of strength, that there's nothing I can do as of now, to escape Hogwarts, if Dippet wants to harm me, or have me arrested. Portals are an option, but they don't work inside Hogwarts. The Wards were just that good.
I'll have to go down to the Chamber of Secrets first, and then create a portal from down there. Salazar, being a Sorcerer himself, had made it possible to create portals while inside the Chamber.
Not exactly secure, since anyone who knows about it can come here, but it's the bloody Chamber of Secrets! Those who know about it, and are alive right now, could literally be counted on one hand.
Dorea, Darla, Ana, Me, and the Ancient One. I'm not stupid enough to dismiss her knowing about the Chamber. She might also know about me using the Chamber, thanks to the bloody Time Stone she has access to. Fucking cheat.
Soon, I reach the Gargoyle that guards the Entrance to the Headmaster's office, and after giving it the password, I walk up the stairs.
Knocking on the door, I wait to be called in. I don't have to wait too long, as within a few seconds, Dippet's voice calls out, "Come on in, Mr Aves."
Taking another deep breath, I push the door open, and walk into the Headmaster's office for the first time in my life. It was similar to what I remember seeing in the Movies, with the absence of the Phoenix, or even the perch for it. Some parts were different from the movies, because this wasn't Dumbledore's office. This office was Dippet's, who was sitting there staring at me with a lot of open amusement.
Dippet was sat behind a table, and behind him was a wall, that was covered almost entirely in portraits. The portraits were obviously of the old Headmasters and Headmistresses, going back about 600 years. They must have some stories, won't they?
Dippet smiles at me in reassurance, snaps his fingers, freezing the Portraits and covering them with a curtain, which does work in calming me down a little, and points towards the chair on the other side of the table.
I sit down on the chair, and wait for him to talk, while looking at everything that catches my eye. Books, lots of books, many of them I've actually read in the Room of Knowledge. Huh, didn't know Dippet was interested in Rituals so much.
"An impressive collection, is it not? I've found these all over the world, and spent 200 years of my life collecting them." Dippet says, bringing me out of my observations.
I nod at him, and say, "Yes, sir." Pausing, I ask, "Am I going to be punished?"
Dippet smiles, and ignoring my question, he asks, "Sorcery is wonderful, is it not? Wandless Magic, pacts with Gods and Demons, they're something else altogether."
"I wouldn't know, Headmaster. I haven't made any pacts, and don't plan on making them" I slowly say, wondering when he'll get to the point.
Dippet claps, and exclaims, "Wonderful! Your teacher must've had a good head on their shoulder."
Ah, fishing for details.
I shrug, not answering the unasked question.
Dippet smiles amusedly, and says, "Mr Aves, I'm not going to punish you for learning Sorcery, because as I told you yesterday, it isn't illegal, or forbidden. However, Sorcery or not, breaking school rules is still punishable. So, you'll be spending 1 hour for the next three days with Professor Slughorn, cleaning his Cauldrons for breaking the curfew."
I sigh, a bit relieved. This could have been a lot worse. Nodding, I say, "I understand, Headmaster. I will take care not to break curfew again."
Well, I'll take care not to get caught.
Dippet chuckles, probably already knowing my thoughts despite not actually hearing them. He says, "Now, let's talk business." And then, turning entirely serious, he asks, "Who taught you Sorcery, Mr Aves?"
"Would you believe me if I said no one?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
Dippet just keeps staring at me, and slowly says, "This.. is no joking matter, Mr Aves. In this entire school building, as of this moment, there are only 4 people who know about the Mystic Arts, and only two of them have learned it. Those two are currently in this office. And I know for a fact, that no one in Kamar Taj taught this to you."
"And why do you still not believe that no one actually taught me, and that I learned it by myself?" I ask in return.
Dippet says, "I learned the Mystic Arts at Kamar Taj, Mr Aves. I spent 3 years there before my Master deemed me ready to learn Astral projection, and I was already 70 years old when I begun learning it. I know how hard it is to learn, with a teacher, so I know what I'm saying. And you can't just start Sorcery without a Master to guide you, I've seen better Wizards than you get lost in the Multiverse."
I literally can't get away from answering him, can I? He's too knowledgeable for me to fool. I'll probably have to speak the truth, or as much truth as I can spare.
Sighing, I say, "I didn't learn Astral Projection on purpose."
"What do you mean?" The headmaster asks, looking curious, but I can see he was also becoming a bit frustrated with me.
Shrugging, I answer, "I was sleeping one night, and I somehow instinctively did it in my sleep. I behaved like a drunk, and only after I returned to my body, I began learning Sorcery."
"You're not lying." Dippet says, surprised. As I nod, he whispers, "Fascinating. This.. is unheard of. But still, someone must've taught you Sorcery." Pausing, he softly asks, "I beg you, Mr Aves. Please, tell me who taught you, because this is the matter of our School's security."
Okay, I can understand that. If a muggle has access to Hogwarts, it'll be a bad thing, Sorcerer or not. Hogwarts was literally built to be a defence against the Muggle armies of the time, to be a stronghold.
I open my mouth to answer, but I don't need to answer, because something else happens. Helena, appearing right in between us, rising from the ground, gives me a look that says, 'Just go with it' and turns to Dippet, who had gotten a bit defensive, jumping at her sudden appearance.
"What is the meaning of this?" Dippet asks Helena, glaring at her.
Helena looks at him a bit apologetically, and says, "I apologise, Headmaster. I came here to help my student, who was being illegally interrogated by you."
"I'm not interrogating anyone." Dippet says, frowning at her.
Helena points her thumb at me, as I was just gaping at the going ons, and says, "This sure looks like an interrogation to me."
Dippet frowns, his eyes getting unfocused, and then widens them. Turning to me, he says, "Well, this is awkward. I did not mean to scare you, Mr Aves. It's just.. I really need to know who taught you Sorcery."
I open my mouth to answer, but once again Helena gets in between us, and says, "I think it's obvious, innit? I am the one who gave Mason the knowledge of Sorcery, and I am the one who guided him through learning it."
Dippet gapes, switching his eyes between us, and then asks, "But.. but.. you're a Ghost!"
"Thank you for pointing it out, Headmaster." Helena gracefully says, making even the Headmaster feel ashamed. Nodding in satisfaction, while I internally laugh at how the tables have turned, Helena says, "I didn't personally teach him, Headmaster. I simply guided him. I helped him find the knowledge necessary for learning Sorcery, I helped him connect to the Universe, and I helped him understand everything that he might not, he is a smart boy, you know. That's all. No other being, Wizard, Sorcerer, God, or Demon, had a hand in Mason learning Sorcery. It was just him, me, and a lot of books."
Dippet slowly nods, accepting the answer, although his face shows that he isn't completely believing it, and then asks, "Why would you even do all this?"
Helena smiles, making me realise that she's going to reveal something that I'd rather stay hidden. I pray, with all my heart, that she doesn't say what I think she's going to say.
Proving my fears right, Helena says, "That part's easy. Mason here is my sister's last descendant. I want him to get as strong as possible, so he doesn't die too soon."
The sound of a slap is heard, as my hand reaches my face, while Dippet just keeps gaping at us. He's doing that a lot, is he okay?
"You- you're a Ravenclaw descendant?" He softly whispers, in shock, because of course he knows who Helena is.
By Gods, this day just keeps getting better and better.
-
Soon, the situation is all cleared up, and I'm allowed to leave the office, although my detentions still stood. Cleaning Cauldrons, all because I broke curfew and got caught. At least he didn't punish me for all the times that I didn't get caught.
Dippet did warn me about Sorcery, he said, "Remember, Mr Aves. Some Realms may offer you great power, beyond what both Wizards and Sorcerers know of, but the power always comes at a price. And it always, without any exception, corrupts. So, be careful of whomever you make pacts with."
I'd just told him, "I'm a Wizard first, and Sorcerer last. The only Magic I'm using, is my own."
And by my own, I mean my Personal Magic, and the Universal Magic, both of which are completely non corruptive. And sure, there are many Realms out there that don't corrupt, some even ruled by literal Demons that don't give a fuck, but I don't trust them, I don't like them.
I'd rather just use my own magic, thank you very much, even if it might mean I'm giving myself a disadvantage.
But there were a few things that I learned in this conversation. One, not many Wizards who know about Sorcery actually learn it. Wizards don't like using anything other than their own Magic, just like me, and they probably wrongly assume that Sorcery is all about outer dimensions.
And the number of people who know about Sorcery are low in the first place. Maybe only just the higher ups in the Ministry, and a few Obliviators, Aurors, etc.
But well, at least now I know that I'm doing nothing illegal, and so, I can continue with my daily routine. Without a single worry.
"Well, that was fun." I say, looking at Helena while walking towards the stairs.
Floating right beside me, Helena says, "Yes, yes it was."
Using my telepathy, I say to her, 'So when did you decide that I'm your student? I think I must've missed that discussion.'
Helena smiles amusedly, raising her eyebrow, and says, 'I was watching over your interrogation, and I knew that other than showing him the Room, or the Chamber, nothing would have convinced the Headmaster about you learning by yourself. So, I made a decision.'
I nod, impulsive decision it might have been, but it did save me from revealing more of my important secrets.
'But now he does know that there's a secret stash of books here, somewhere, that only you and I have access to. He might keep a closer eye on us now.' I say, musing over the possibilities. Good thing I'm a guest of just a few days now. But I should probably get my friends started on Occlumency now, can't dismiss any of the teachers(cough Dumbledore cough) using Legilimency on them.
Helena smiles, and says, 'There's already a rumour of a secret library, Mason. But since I proclaimed you a descendant of my mother, the Headmaster would rightly assume that the Library can only be accessed by those of my mother's blood.'
Heh, true. Dippet did seem a bit disheartened while sending me off. Could be that, or it could be something else. The main thing is, I'm not in trouble anymore.
I'm free to study again!
-
My first practical Apparition lesson begins with a small lecture, repeating what we were told the last time. The lesson before this one, the first lesson overall, was a purely theoretical one, and every other lesson from now on will be a practical one.
"The Wards around Hogwarts usually don't allow for apparition, or disapparition. You cannot apparate out of Hogwarts, nor can you apparate inside Hogwarts, that's just how it is, and that's how it's always been." Wilkie Twycross says, pacing in front of us.
We were all 6th and 7th year students, with me being the only one not yet 17. Boy, everyone must be jealous of me right now, I know Darla is.
We were standing in the Great Hall, inside small two feet wide circles that were drawn on the ground. Each circle was separated by a distance of about 8 feet between them, while every odd circle was left empty. That empty circle on the ground in front of us was going to be our target for apparition.
Twycross turns around, pacing the other way, and says, "The Headmaster, however, has generously decided to lower the wards around the Great Hall, for the two hours that we will be here. So, don't waste this fine opportunity, or our efforts."
"Now, you know the three D's. What are they?"
"Destination, Determination, Deliberation." We all chorus together, many of us rolling our eyes, despite our nervousness.
Nodding in satisfaction, Twycross says, "Good, now. You have your destination in front of you. Focus on it, and be determined to Deliberately go there. Simple as that."
And then, there's a sound of shuffling shoes, as different students spin on their feet to no effect. They were probably the ones who just know that twisting feet equals apparition. Idiots.
Closing my eyes, I calm myself down, and then open them. For a few seconds, I keep starting at the circle drawn on the ground in front of me, keeping the location as my sole Focus.
Then, holding my wand in my hand, pointed downwards, I send my magic towards it, and twist myself around my right foot. I feel a tug, as my body bends within itself, and then, I feel a pressure high enough to make me almost black out.
It was similar to what I'd felt that day, when I'd done the ritual to go around the Realms, only the pressure was way higher this time. Probably because it's actually my physical form this time.
And then, the pressure disappears, and I come out of the very narrow tunnel, and drop down on my knees, breathing hard. Ugh, I feel like puking.
"Bravo! A first attempt, although unsuccessful! Good job, Mr.." I hear the sound of paper shuffling as I focus on breathing through the mouth, and then "..Aves. Huh, he's not 17, that's.. odd. Next time, focus on actually going to your destination, and not just think about it."
What the fuck is he talking about? I managed to apparate.. didn't I?
Opening my eyes, I find myself staring at the ground, still kneeling down on the ground, sweat dripping from my chin. Unfortunately, I was still in the same spot.
So.. I apparated to the same spot? How does that even work? Implications.
Shaking my head, I stand up and stumble towards the table full of refreshments, to drink some water. I think I'd best rest for a minute or two. Didn't know apparition will be this hard.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
As I'm resting, I hear a loud crack, followed by a loud scream, and then more screams of fright from around the first scream. I immediately snap my head towards the sound, to see a girl from Slytherin had managed to apparate to her Destination. Unfortunately for her, she had left her entire left leg behind, and was currently screaming out in pain.
Ouch, that's.. painful to watch.
"BLEEEUGHH!" This sound echoes all around the Great Hall, making me immediately close my eyes, and cast a Bubblehead Charm around my head.
And there goes the lunch of half the class. This.. is going to be a long, long subject to learn.
-
Sighing, I sit down on the table, remembering what had happened this afternoon right in this room.
I didn't try apparating again, since I had felt a sliver of doubt creeping up behind me. And I know, that Apparating in doubt, even if it is unconscious, is a mistake waiting to happen.
From beside me, Dorea asks, "What? Failed in apparating in the first try?"
While her question was asked as a joke, I couldn't help but snort. I say, "Yes, actually. I apparated in the first try, but I apparated to the same place. So it didn't count."
"Damn, Mason. You're just.. jumping steps 5 at a time, aren't you?" She says, shaking her head.
I smile at her, a bit half heartedly, since my doubt was still in my mind, and go back to my dinner. I'll have to meditate tonight, a lot.
Darla and Ana take that moment to enter the Great Hall together, walking as if they weren't just snogging somewhere 5 minutes ago.
They weren't exactly dating, but they were snogging quite frequently, using the Room of Requirements, or one empty room or the other. Depending on their mood.
As Darla sits down in front of me, with Ana taking the seat to her left, I ask, "Did you have fun.. studying?"
Darla blushes, and nods rapidly, while Ana answers, "Oh yes, we studied for a long time today. I think Darla left a mark on my shoulder though. Is it still there?"
And then, shamelessly, Anna pulls her robe a bit away to show us her shoulder, and sure enough, Darla had left her a love bite.
Smiling amusedly, and seeing Darla turn even more red-faced, I say, "That's one hell of a Stinging Charm, Darla. How did you manage to get it this strong?"
"Practice." Darla mumbles, still blushing.
Dorea looks impressed, having no idea what we're actually talking about, and says, "Damn, I really need to work on my offense, don't I? I've been using this spell since I was 8 and I still can't get the wound to be this pronounced. Can I join you girls in your training?"
This just causes Ana and I to laugh, and Darla to blush even more, while Dorea just looks on silently, not understanding what the joke is. Dorea doesn't know about Darla and Ana yet, she's still too.. innocent, but opinionated.
We don't yet know how she'll react.
But till then, they're happy together, and that's all that matters. Now, if only the public was a bit more tolerant.
Two Chapters today, again. This one's the first.
---
Focus.
Focus.
Focus.
I keep chanting in my mind, while wearing the Enchanted Goblin's Silver ring on my finger. This Ring was made according to the instructions of Lady Saraswati, the first Sorceress Supreme of this Universe, and the second Sorcerer Supreme after Agamotto himself.
Agamotto, being a literal God, didn't need any device to create portals to everywhere in the Multiverse. Saraswati, however, was just a priestess of Oshtur, and hence she needed something to facilitate her Teleportation. Sure, there were spells, but they were too drawn out, and took too much energy out of her, and the other mortals.
God, it feels so weird to know that Gods actually exist here, or existed. At least, Saraswati wasn't the Goddess from Hinduism that I was familiar with, she was just another human with the same name. Although, she must have been an impressive one, to be named the Sorcerer Supreme.
Anyway, Lady Saraswati devised the first Portal Ring, that allowed her to create Portals to anywhere in the Universe, and if one becomes capable enough, even out of this Universe.
Her Ring was meant to be worn by two fingers of your non-dominant hand, preferably the Index and Middle fingers, and was Enchanted to connect to the Universe. This connection, the Universal Magic, along with the Enchantments allowed the Ring to create Portals.
But it wasn't enough to just wear the Rings after the enchantments were cast. You need to have an image of your destination, do the required Hand gestures, and actually be good enough at channelling Universal Magic. You need to be actually good at Sorcery.
Which, I pretty much am. I mean, I'm not the most powerful, nor the most knowledgeable, when it comes to Sorcery, but what I do know is I'm good enough to channel Universal Magic without a problem.
Taking a deep breath, I raise my left hand up, straighten it in front of me with just my index and middle finger raised, while the other fingers were half closed. Then, I lift my right hand and hold it in the same position as the left hand.
Focusing on the destination I'm hoping to reach, and focusing on the intent of opening the portal there, I channel my Magic into the Ring, and start moving my right hand in a clockwise direction. My right hand moves in a circle, barely one foot in diameter, as the left hand stays in it's spot, at my chest height.
For the first few seconds, nothing happens. Slowly, however, sparks start forming in the air in front of me. I smile, immediately becoming ecstatic, and then scowl, as the sparks disappear.
Well, no one said it'll be easy.
Lifting my hands once more, I continue to practice. Until the Apparition lessons reach their practical portion, which will happen beginning next week, I'll have to rely on Portals for travelling.
If I succeed, that is.
-
A week later, I fly through the wall of the Room of Hidden Things, in my Astral Form. I couldn't sleep today, and so, left my body to rest on my bed, and came here to try and find something interesting like I usually do.
Since I could now use Magic while in the Astral Plane, thanks to the increased Potency of my Magic, I just kept what I found aside, to take later.
I'd already mastered the use of the Sling Ring, which should make me a proper Sorcerer according to the current Rules of Kamar Taj, I think. After mastering the Sling Ring, and after knowing that the Enchantments were perfect, I did something else to it.
I melted a little more of the Goblin's Silver, and dipped the Sling Ring into it, so that other people don't manage to decode the Runes. For anyone that sees it, it'll look like a normal ring, or so I hope.
I wasn't going to hide the Ring, but wear it always, since it was so damn useful. Really, it was literally a Portal Ring, why would I ever remove it?
I even added a Resizing Charm, so it always fits me no matter how buffed up, or thin I get. Thankfully, Resizing Charms don't interfere with other enchantments.
Anyway, the Ring was already Enchanted. Covering it with another layer of Goblin's Silver did not mess with the Enchantments even a little. Good thing I researched it though, or I'd have left the Runes open for anyone to read and decode.
As I drop from the 7th floor to the 6th, I suddenly freeze, seeing Headmaster Dippet looking out the window. This is weird, it's literally 3 AM right now, why is he still awake?
I'm one to talk, I'm awake too.
I watch him for a few seconds, but then turn around to leave, knowing that he probably wants to stay alone right now, for some reason. I've spent a lot of my days, both in this life, and the last, staring out the window, crying, listening to music, just staring at the stars.
He might not be crying right now, but his reflection does look a bit contemplating.
As I turn away and float just a bit away from Dippet, he suddenly says, "Going somewhere, Me Aves?"
.
.
.
Well.. fuck.
I freeze in my spot, unmoving, most of it because of shock, but some of it because of fear. He's the headmaster, and almost 300 years old! I could be 10 times as strong as I am now, and I'll still be a literal ant in front of him.
Seeing me frozen, in the reflection on the window, Headmaster Dippet turns around, and looks at my Astral Form, top to bottom. He nods, for some reason, and says, "You've been practicing I see, a lot. Good, don't get complacent in the Mystic Arts, or the consequences will be dire."
"You can see me?!" I blurt out, ignoring his weird tip, and still staring at Dippet with equal amounts of fear, respect, and curiosity.
Fear, because I don't know the rules regarding using Sorcery in Hogwarts, and I was literally just breaking Curfew. He didn't say anything that might hint at me being punished, but still.
Respect, because he was the first Wizard that I've seen noticing my Astral form. I've literally done the worm in front of Professor Merrythought's eyes, while she was teaching our class, and she didn't even twitch.
And curiosity, because he wasn't immediately throwing spells, or punishments at me.
Dippet snorts, and says, "You overestimate yourself, Mr Aves. Every spell can be seen through, you just need the determination to do it. No spell is perfect. And separating your Astral Form, as complex as it might be, is still a spell. It might come under Sorcery, but it is a Spell all the same."
That.. makes sense. Nothing is perfect, no shield is a perfect defence, no sword has a perfect blade, and no spell is a perfect spell. Everything has a counter, and that's the one rule of Magic that even I had forgotten to take into consideration.
I'm just glad he didn't catch me doing anything embarrassing.
I gulp a little bit of saliva, and ask, "You.. aren't going to expel me.. are you?"
I wasn't afraid of being expelled, but I was afraid of the Consequences that come with it. I won't ever be able to sit my NEWTs, and no NEWTs means I won't go anywhere in the Wizarding world. Granted, I can still find my place in the muggle world, but still.
Contrary to my expectations, Dippet just laughs loudly, and says, "Expel you? My boy, breaking Curfew is not that serious of a crime!"
Seeing my disbelief openly showing on my face, he laughs again, this time silently, and says, "No, child. I won't expel you for learning Sorcery. Hogwarts is a place for learning. And no matter what the Ministry stooges might want to happen, Sorcery isn't forbidden to learn." He then winks at me, and says, "Besides, you aren't the only Wizard who dabbles in Sorcery."
And with that, he simply creates 4 circular Tao Mandala shields around his body, without even moving from his place, that then spin around him at a steady pace, and then vanishes it into golden dust with the snap of his fingers.
I simply gape at the spectacle, since I still wasn't able to conjure, let alone control more than two items at a time. I could either conjure two weapons, two shields, one weapon and a shield, or a single spell at a time of a different category. But, I always need to use my hand to guide where I want the spells to go. He literally did it all without even moving.
Seeing me gape at him, Dippet chuckles, and says, "Ah, the joy of exceeding your students' expectations and surprising them. Never gets old. Let's have a cup of tea in my office tomorrow, after lunch. The password is Draconis. And Mr Aves? I'd appreciate if you don't break the Curfew too frequently. It's not a good habit, you know."
Before I can do more than nod at him, he didappears from right in front of my eyes- bloody show off- leaving me with the extremely worrying revelation. Headmaster Dippet can see into the Astral Plane.
If Dippet can, who else is able to do that? Can Merrythought? Or Dumbledore? Hope not, the worm was the least embarrassing thing I did when trying the Astral form out.
Turning around, I go back towards the Room of Hidden Things. I won't be able to sleep even now, not with this hanging over my head.
-
The next afternoon, after lunch, I walk towards the Headmaster's office, my hand clenching every few seconds, thanks to my nervousness.
I know, after seeing yesterday's show of strength, that there's nothing I can do as of now, to escape Hogwarts, if Dippet wants to harm me, or have me arrested. Portals are an option, but they don't work inside Hogwarts. The Wards were just that good.
I'll have to go down to the Chamber of Secrets first, and then create a portal from down there. Salazar, being a Sorcerer himself, had made it possible to create portals while inside the Chamber.
Not exactly secure, since anyone who knows about it can come here, but it's the bloody Chamber of Secrets! Those who know about it, and are alive right now, could literally be counted on one hand.
Dorea, Darla, Ana, Me, and the Ancient One. I'm not stupid enough to dismiss her knowing about the Chamber. She might also know about me using the Chamber, thanks to the bloody Time Stone she has access to. Fucking cheat.
Soon, I reach the Gargoyle that guards the Entrance to the Headmaster's office, and after giving it the password, I walk up the stairs.
Knocking on the door, I wait to be called in. I don't have to wait too long, as within a few seconds, Dippet's voice calls out, "Come on in, Mr Aves."
Taking another deep breath, I push the door open, and walk into the Headmaster's office for the first time in my life. It was similar to what I remember seeing in the Movies, with the absence of the Phoenix, or even the perch for it. Some parts were different from the movies, because this wasn't Dumbledore's office. This office was Dippet's, who was sitting there staring at me with a lot of open amusement.
Dippet was sat behind a table, and behind him was a wall, that was covered almost entirely in portraits. The portraits were obviously of the old Headmasters and Headmistresses, going back about 600 years. They must have some stories, won't they?
Dippet smiles at me in reassurance, snaps his fingers, freezing the Portraits and covering them with a curtain, which does work in calming me down a little, and points towards the chair on the other side of the table.
I sit down on the chair, and wait for him to talk, while looking at everything that catches my eye. Books, lots of books, many of them I've actually read in the Room of Knowledge. Huh, didn't know Dippet was interested in Rituals so much.
"An impressive collection, is it not? I've found these all over the world, and spent 200 years of my life collecting them." Dippet says, bringing me out of my observations.
I nod at him, and say, "Yes, sir." Pausing, I ask, "Am I going to be punished?"
Dippet smiles, and ignoring my question, he asks, "Sorcery is wonderful, is it not? Wandless Magic, pacts with Gods and Demons, they're something else altogether."
"I wouldn't know, Headmaster. I haven't made any pacts, and don't plan on making them" I slowly say, wondering when he'll get to the point.
Dippet claps, and exclaims, "Wonderful! Your teacher must've had a good head on their shoulder."
Ah, fishing for details.
I shrug, not answering the unasked question.
Dippet smiles amusedly, and says, "Mr Aves, I'm not going to punish you for learning Sorcery, because as I told you yesterday, it isn't illegal, or forbidden. However, Sorcery or not, breaking school rules is still punishable. So, you'll be spending 1 hour for the next three days with Professor Slughorn, cleaning his Cauldrons for breaking the curfew."
I sigh, a bit relieved. This could have been a lot worse. Nodding, I say, "I understand, Headmaster. I will take care not to break curfew again."
Well, I'll take care not to get caught.
Dippet chuckles, probably already knowing my thoughts despite not actually hearing them. He says, "Now, let's talk business." And then, turning entirely serious, he asks, "Who taught you Sorcery, Mr Aves?"
"Would you believe me if I said no one?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
Dippet just keeps staring at me, and slowly says, "This.. is no joking matter, Mr Aves. In this entire school building, as of this moment, there are only 4 people who know about the Mystic Arts, and only two of them have learned it. Those two are currently in this office. And I know for a fact, that no one in Kamar Taj taught this to you."
"And why do you still not believe that no one actually taught me, and that I learned it by myself?" I ask in return.
Dippet says, "I learned the Mystic Arts at Kamar Taj, Mr Aves. I spent 3 years there before my Master deemed me ready to learn Astral projection, and I was already 70 years old when I begun learning it. I know how hard it is to learn, with a teacher, so I know what I'm saying. And you can't just start Sorcery without a Master to guide you, I've seen better Wizards than you get lost in the Multiverse."
I literally can't get away from answering him, can I? He's too knowledgeable for me to fool. I'll probably have to speak the truth, or as much truth as I can spare.
Sighing, I say, "I didn't learn Astral Projection on purpose."
"What do you mean?" The headmaster asks, looking curious, but I can see he was also becoming a bit frustrated with me.
Shrugging, I answer, "I was sleeping one night, and I somehow instinctively did it in my sleep. I behaved like a drunk, and only after I returned to my body, I began learning Sorcery."
"You're not lying." Dippet says, surprised. As I nod, he whispers, "Fascinating. This.. is unheard of. But still, someone must've taught you Sorcery." Pausing, he softly asks, "I beg you, Mr Aves. Please, tell me who taught you, because this is the matter of our School's security."
Okay, I can understand that. If a muggle has access to Hogwarts, it'll be a bad thing, Sorcerer or not. Hogwarts was literally built to be a defence against the Muggle armies of the time, to be a stronghold.
I open my mouth to answer, but I don't need to answer, because something else happens. Helena, appearing right in between us, rising from the ground, gives me a look that says, 'Just go with it' and turns to Dippet, who had gotten a bit defensive, jumping at her sudden appearance.
"What is the meaning of this?" Dippet asks Helena, glaring at her.
Helena looks at him a bit apologetically, and says, "I apologise, Headmaster. I came here to help my student, who was being illegally interrogated by you."
"I'm not interrogating anyone." Dippet says, frowning at her.
Helena points her thumb at me, as I was just gaping at the going ons, and says, "This sure looks like an interrogation to me."
Dippet frowns, his eyes getting unfocused, and then widens them. Turning to me, he says, "Well, this is awkward. I did not mean to scare you, Mr Aves. It's just.. I really need to know who taught you Sorcery."
I open my mouth to answer, but once again Helena gets in between us, and says, "I think it's obvious, innit? I am the one who gave Mason the knowledge of Sorcery, and I am the one who guided him through learning it."
Dippet gapes, switching his eyes between us, and then asks, "But.. but.. you're a Ghost!"
"Thank you for pointing it out, Headmaster." Helena gracefully says, making even the Headmaster feel ashamed. Nodding in satisfaction, while I internally laugh at how the tables have turned, Helena says, "I didn't personally teach him, Headmaster. I simply guided him. I helped him find the knowledge necessary for learning Sorcery, I helped him connect to the Universe, and I helped him understand everything that he might not, he is a smart boy, you know. That's all. No other being, Wizard, Sorcerer, God, or Demon, had a hand in Mason learning Sorcery. It was just him, me, and a lot of books."
Dippet slowly nods, accepting the answer, although his face shows that he isn't completely believing it, and then asks, "Why would you even do all this?"
Helena smiles, making me realise that she's going to reveal something that I'd rather stay hidden. I pray, with all my heart, that she doesn't say what I think she's going to say.
Proving my fears right, Helena says, "That part's easy. Mason here is my sister's last descendant. I want him to get as strong as possible, so he doesn't die too soon."
The sound of a slap is heard, as my hand reaches my face, while Dippet just keeps gaping at us. He's doing that a lot, is he okay?
"You- you're a Ravenclaw descendant?" He softly whispers, in shock, because of course he knows who Helena is.
By Gods, this day just keeps getting better and better.
-
Soon, the situation is all cleared up, and I'm allowed to leave the office, although my detentions still stood. Cleaning Cauldrons, all because I broke curfew and got caught. At least he didn't punish me for all the times that I didn't get caught.
Dippet did warn me about Sorcery, he said, "Remember, Mr Aves. Some Realms may offer you great power, beyond what both Wizards and Sorcerers know of, but the power always comes at a price. And it always, without any exception, corrupts. So, be careful of whomever you make pacts with."
I'd just told him, "I'm a Wizard first, and Sorcerer last. The only Magic I'm using, is my own."
And by my own, I mean my Personal Magic, and the Universal Magic, both of which are completely non corruptive. And sure, there are many Realms out there that don't corrupt, some even ruled by literal Demons that don't give a fuck, but I don't trust them, I don't like them.
I'd rather just use my own magic, thank you very much, even if it might mean I'm giving myself a disadvantage.
But there were a few things that I learned in this conversation. One, not many Wizards who know about Sorcery actually learn it. Wizards don't like using anything other than their own Magic, just like me, and they probably wrongly assume that Sorcery is all about outer dimensions.
And the number of people who know about Sorcery are low in the first place. Maybe only just the higher ups in the Ministry, and a few Obliviators, Aurors, etc.
But well, at least now I know that I'm doing nothing illegal, and so, I can continue with my daily routine. Without a single worry.
"Well, that was fun." I say, looking at Helena while walking towards the stairs.
Floating right beside me, Helena says, "Yes, yes it was."
Using my telepathy, I say to her, 'So when did you decide that I'm your student? I think I must've missed that discussion.'
Helena smiles amusedly, raising her eyebrow, and says, 'I was watching over your interrogation, and I knew that other than showing him the Room, or the Chamber, nothing would have convinced the Headmaster about you learning by yourself. So, I made a decision.'
I nod, impulsive decision it might have been, but it did save me from revealing more of my important secrets.
'But now he does know that there's a secret stash of books here, somewhere, that only you and I have access to. He might keep a closer eye on us now.' I say, musing over the possibilities. Good thing I'm a guest of just a few days now. But I should probably get my friends started on Occlumency now, can't dismiss any of the teachers(cough Dumbledore cough) using Legilimency on them.
Helena smiles, and says, 'There's already a rumour of a secret library, Mason. But since I proclaimed you a descendant of my mother, the Headmaster would rightly assume that the Library can only be accessed by those of my mother's blood.'
Heh, true. Dippet did seem a bit disheartened while sending me off. Could be that, or it could be something else. The main thing is, I'm not in trouble anymore.
I'm free to study again!
-
My first practical Apparition lesson begins with a small lecture, repeating what we were told the last time. The lesson before this one, the first lesson overall, was a purely theoretical one, and every other lesson from now on will be a practical one.
"The Wards around Hogwarts usually don't allow for apparition, or disapparition. You cannot apparate out of Hogwarts, nor can you apparate inside Hogwarts, that's just how it is, and that's how it's always been." Wilkie Twycross says, pacing in front of us.
We were all 6th and 7th year students, with me being the only one not yet 17. Boy, everyone must be jealous of me right now, I know Darla is.
We were standing in the Great Hall, inside small two feet wide circles that were drawn on the ground. Each circle was separated by a distance of about 8 feet between them, while every odd circle was left empty. That empty circle on the ground in front of us was going to be our target for apparition.
Twycross turns around, pacing the other way, and says, "The Headmaster, however, has generously decided to lower the wards around the Great Hall, for the two hours that we will be here. So, don't waste this fine opportunity, or our efforts."
"Now, you know the three D's. What are they?"
"Destination, Determination, Deliberation." We all chorus together, many of us rolling our eyes, despite our nervousness.
Nodding in satisfaction, Twycross says, "Good, now. You have your destination in front of you. Focus on it, and be determined to Deliberately go there. Simple as that."
And then, there's a sound of shuffling shoes, as different students spin on their feet to no effect. They were probably the ones who just know that twisting feet equals apparition. Idiots.
Closing my eyes, I calm myself down, and then open them. For a few seconds, I keep starting at the circle drawn on the ground in front of me, keeping the location as my sole Focus.
Then, holding my wand in my hand, pointed downwards, I send my magic towards it, and twist myself around my right foot. I feel a tug, as my body bends within itself, and then, I feel a pressure high enough to make me almost black out.
It was similar to what I'd felt that day, when I'd done the ritual to go around the Realms, only the pressure was way higher this time. Probably because it's actually my physical form this time.
And then, the pressure disappears, and I come out of the very narrow tunnel, and drop down on my knees, breathing hard. Ugh, I feel like puking.
"Bravo! A first attempt, although unsuccessful! Good job, Mr.." I hear the sound of paper shuffling as I focus on breathing through the mouth, and then "..Aves. Huh, he's not 17, that's.. odd. Next time, focus on actually going to your destination, and not just think about it."
What the fuck is he talking about? I managed to apparate.. didn't I?
Opening my eyes, I find myself staring at the ground, still kneeling down on the ground, sweat dripping from my chin. Unfortunately, I was still in the same spot.
So.. I apparated to the same spot? How does that even work? Implications.
Shaking my head, I stand up and stumble towards the table full of refreshments, to drink some water. I think I'd best rest for a minute or two. Didn't know apparition will be this hard.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
As I'm resting, I hear a loud crack, followed by a loud scream, and then more screams of fright from around the first scream. I immediately snap my head towards the sound, to see a girl from Slytherin had managed to apparate to her Destination. Unfortunately for her, she had left her entire left leg behind, and was currently screaming out in pain.
Ouch, that's.. painful to watch.
"BLEEEUGHH!" This sound echoes all around the Great Hall, making me immediately close my eyes, and cast a Bubblehead Charm around my head.
And there goes the lunch of half the class. This.. is going to be a long, long subject to learn.
-
Sighing, I sit down on the table, remembering what had happened this afternoon right in this room.
I didn't try apparating again, since I had felt a sliver of doubt creeping up behind me. And I know, that Apparating in doubt, even if it is unconscious, is a mistake waiting to happen.
From beside me, Dorea asks, "What? Failed in apparating in the first try?"
While her question was asked as a joke, I couldn't help but snort. I say, "Yes, actually. I apparated in the first try, but I apparated to the same place. So it didn't count."
"Damn, Mason. You're just.. jumping steps 5 at a time, aren't you?" She says, shaking her head.
I smile at her, a bit half heartedly, since my doubt was still in my mind, and go back to my dinner. I'll have to meditate tonight, a lot.
Darla and Ana take that moment to enter the Great Hall together, walking as if they weren't just snogging somewhere 5 minutes ago.
They weren't exactly dating, but they were snogging quite frequently, using the Room of Requirements, or one empty room or the other. Depending on their mood.
As Darla sits down in front of me, with Ana taking the seat to her left, I ask, "Did you have fun.. studying?"
Darla blushes, and nods rapidly, while Ana answers, "Oh yes, we studied for a long time today. I think Darla left a mark on my shoulder though. Is it still there?"
And then, shamelessly, Anna pulls her robe a bit away to show us her shoulder, and sure enough, Darla had left her a love bite.
Smiling amusedly, and seeing Darla turn even more red-faced, I say, "That's one hell of a Stinging Charm, Darla. How did you manage to get it this strong?"
"Practice." Darla mumbles, still blushing.
Dorea looks impressed, having no idea what we're actually talking about, and says, "Damn, I really need to work on my offense, don't I? I've been using this spell since I was 8 and I still can't get the wound to be this pronounced. Can I join you girls in your training?"
This just causes Ana and I to laugh, and Darla to blush even more, while Dorea just looks on silently, not understanding what the joke is. Dorea doesn't know about Darla and Ana yet, she's still too.. innocent, but opinionated.
We don't yet know how she'll react.
But till then, they're happy together, and that's all that matters. Now, if only the public was a bit more tolerant.
21. NEWTs
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07
Second one!
---
Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.
Usually, Wizards(and Witches, and everyone else that counts as Magical Humans), have to study 7 years after they turn 11, or two years after they have completed their OWLs, before they're allowed to sit the NEWTs.
Not me though. Fucking Wizards.
Some teacher out there, probably Dumbledore, saw me having an easy time at school, and said, "Fuck you, in particular. You'll leave all your friends behind, study two years worth of Magic in a single year, give some hard exams, pass them, and do it again the next year. And you'll be forced to thank us for it!"
And so, here I was, giving my NEWT exams, while others of my age, were giving their OWLs, skipping two whole years in the curriculum.
Not that I was having a hard time of it, no. On the contrary, I was having as easy as a time as ever. I didn't need to study for hours and hours, to remember the Theory. I already practiced a minimum of 3 hours daily, not counting the classes, so I already had the Practicals in hand.
What did that leave? Nothing. That was all.
Charms, Transfiguration, DADA were already over, with me probably getting O's in all of them, and so was Arithmancy. For Runes, I had to show off a project I did within a month of the Exam, along with cast any spell they give me, completely with Runes.
For the project, I created a ring to be worn, since they were the easiest to find in the Room of Hidden Things, that could summon either a Magical shield spell, or conjure a physical shield, depending on the spell coming at you. You just had to bend your arm upwards, like you're holding an imaginary shield, and voila! The shield will appear parallel to your forearm.
The magical shield is as powerful as the Protego spell, while the physical metallic shield was another Runic artefact made by me, that could stop any physical object in its track. If Healing doesn't work out for me, I was going into Artefact creation, and Enchantment. It was fun, and I'm glad I entered this field.
Herbology was also kinda easy, but not that much. I just didn't click with the plants, magical or otherwise. I hadn't taken Astronomy, History, or Alchemy for my NEWTs, since I preferred studying those subjects alone. Less chances to be taught coloured opinions in History and Alchemy, that way.
Potions NEWT was the easiest. I had to brew 3 potions, one after the other, for the practical. I brewed the Wiggenweld Potion, the Draught of Living Death, and the Org-grow Potion. Each of those potions took 1 hour minimum, so you can tell that I was aiming to impress.
The Org-grow was my own invention, and I am damn proud of it. As the name suggests, the Potion helps in the regrowth of small organs. Nothing major, no. Eyes, tongue, ears, muscles and tissues, a few fingers or toes, internal organs like liver, kidney, lungs, etc. Although, it has to be taken along with the Skelegrow whenever bones are also involved.
For smaller stuff, like a single finger, eyes, tongue, ears, muscles and tissues, just one small dose of 10 ml has to be drunk before sleeping, and it will work overnight. And while the potion doesn't hurt much while working, it doesn't let you sleep peacefully either. There's a constant itching burn in the place where it is working.
For the bigger stuff, however, the 10 ml dose needs to be repeated every 6 hours, until the organ is fully grown. Once again, the itching burn will persist as long as the potion is working.
However, my potion doesn't work on anything major. So, no replacing amputated limbs, or heart. It just doesn't work. Same for anyone who wants to regrow a chopped d.. yeah, it won't work, despite it being just flesh and muscles. It counts as a higher value, magically.
Slughorn had already sent it to the ICW for patent registration, and I know he'll probably call favours or something like that later. Opportunistic bastard he might be, but at least his connections are useful.
Patents in the Wizarding World are really weird, you know. You apply, and if they accept your patent, then you get a lump sum of money every year, till your death. The recipe for your potion, meanwhile, is made public. Not that the Potioneers can sell the Potion, no. They need to ask for my permission, even if they have the Recipe, and offer a percentage of their profits to me.
So, anyone can make the potion, if they're capable enough, but I still make money. The ICW makes money by charging the Apothecaries monthly taxes, some of which they pay us Patent holders. Our descendants don't have any claim on the patent, however. Once we die, the patent is completely public.
I didn't mind much, since my Patent royalty was expected to be about 10,000 Galleons by Professor Slughorn himself. It usually ranged between 2000 and 15000G, so my payment was good enough for me.
The highest royalty ever paid was to Fleamont Potter, the inventor of the Skelegrow potion, at 23,000 Galleons. My Potion was a bit similar in effect to his, so I'll probably be in the higher range.
And now, after sitting my final NEWT exam, I was sitting in the Great Hall, to celebrate the end of exams.
"Speak about yourself, we still have two OWLs to get through." Darla says, groaning after taking a long swig from the butterbeer in her hands like it's actual alcohol.
Ana rests her head on Darla's head, both of them not even trying to be discreet about their relationship now. But, for some reason, other than a few observant girls, no one had managed to figure out that the girls are dating. Not even Dorea.
And say what you will, about Witches, they have each other's back. Not one of those girls had even thought about outing my girls as gay, which is really good for them.
Shaking my head, I say, "Your History OWL is useless, because practically no one even takes it for their NEWT levels, and Astronomy is a piece of cake."
Darla throws a piece of chicken at me, and says, "Oh, piss off. Not all of us have perfect memories, Mason. We need to actually study before vomiting facts on parchment."
I simply eat the thrown chicken, take a sip of my own butterbeer, and say, "Excuses, excusses, Darla darling. And please don't oversell the drunk act, Butterbeer isn't nearly as alcoholic as you'd want."
Darla pouts exaggeratingly, and asks, "Enough talk about exams, what are your plans now that you're finally free?"
Dorea, who was sitting beside me, leans forward, and asks, "He has that Apprenticeship, doesn't he? At Mungo's?"
Nodding, I say, "I'm meeting the Head Healer of St Mungo's on the 15th of September, so a month and 20 days or so after my results come in. They'll decide who I apprentice under, and under what capacity."
Ana says, "So you have a couple months of just.. nothing? Oh you poor boy."
I snort, and shake my head. Ana had gotten it in her head, that I like to be busy. Busy with studies, exams, reading, practicing, etc. Well, I kinda did, but not like she thinks.
My goal is to one day rest. I'm not the kind of guy to work 9-5, everyday, for years and years to come. I'd rather just open up a farm, where I can handle my own needs from. And I'll have the Patent royalty coming in for years and years! So I can now realistically do that, hopefully not too soon though.
But, it wouldn't happen unless I'm strong enough to handle anything the world can throw at me, and come out on top. So.. I'm grinding until that happens, and probably even then.
I say, "Not exactly. I have something in mind for the summer. Something exciting, super useful, and very difficult."
"Oh? Does the Great Lord Mason have another highly difficult subject for us to learn on top of our usual school?" Ana asks, leaning forward, resting her arms on the table.
I shrug, because I didn't say anything about them learning it. I say, "You can join me, if you want. You did see the benefits of learning Occlumency, didn't you?"
I had given them a book that I wrote, combining elements from the Mind Arts Compilation book from the Room of Knowledge, and my own experience in using Telepathy. That wouldn't give them too high of an advantage, but some advantage is still better than none.
They're still learning, since it's only been a couple months since they began, but they've already noticed their brains becoming a bit sharper, faster to react. Other benefits will come with time, but only if they keep at it.
Ana and Darla share a look, shrug to each other, and then they ask, "What's the subject?"
I raise my eyebrow, looking at them, judging to see if they actually want to do it. Then, I turn to Dorea and she raises her own eyebrow in question.
Sighing, she says, "Fine, I'll join you too. Bloody wankers, the lot of you. Can't even let me have lunch in peace."
Smiling wide, I hug the girl from the side, and say, "We all know you still love us the same."
Releasing the now blushing Dorea, I cast a few Privacy charms around us, each to hide just our conversation, and not us, and say, "What do you guys think of becoming Animagi?"
-
~~Why are we here again?~~ Sly asks, annoyingly poking his head out of my collar, while Ash silently stays around my shoulder.
Sighing, I force Sly out of my coat, and drop him on the ground, ignoring his complaints. I'd already cast a Notice-me-not, along with using Telepathy to make everyone around me ignore us.
~~HEY! HEY! WHAT IS THE WRONG WITH YOU? Can't even cuddle in peace these days!~~ Sly yells, and then says, as he starts curling up on my leg.
Annoyed, I magically flick him away, and say, ~~You've gotten fat, just eating the Basilisk meat and sleeping around. You need exercise, and we're here to meet with someone.~~
Ash barely even raises his head at the noise, since he was getting old. I'm hoping to also find a new home for Ash, since being with me is not good for him, and he doesn't even stay in the Bush anymore.
We were currently standing outside a small restaurant, waiting for my guest to come. This guest was going to, hopefully, give me an ingredient that is highly rare.
You see, I'd found an old method of Animagus Transformation, that was leagues better than the current method.
Right now, if you want to become an Animagus, you have to keep a Mandrake leaf stuck to the roof of your mouth, brew a Potion, keep it in a dark place until a thunderstorm, and then drink it. There were more instructions, mostly guidelines over when you should carry each step out, etc, but it was all annoying.
The method I found was lost in the 12th century itself, with the Wizard's Council slowly destroying every copy of the method, and forcing the Wizards to start using new methods.
It was similar, in that you still need to hold a Mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month, and you need a Potion. But, where the new method needs a thunderstorm, the old one needs a Lunar Eclipse.
The old method also wasn't as rigid as the new one, and you can get good results even with the small errors that are normal. And it was also more of a ritual than the new method. There are runes involved, along with the burning of Cannabis. Wizards really love Cannabis, don't they?
The best part, was the the old method gave you not one, but two Animagus forms. Which is why the Wizard's Council destroyed almost every hint of it.
The first one was the normal, completely non-magical animal, while the second one was the magical relative of the first one. This is the one that's I'm doing, since the Wizards of old did this.
Merlin himself was known to have two forms, one an owl, and the other a Phoenix, both of them from the Aves Class, while Godric Gryffindor was known to be a Gryffin and a Lion. The others either weren't Animagi, or they didn't make their forms famous.
Smart.
But there was one problem that I encountered. The Potion that I have to make requires Graphorn Golden Horn. And I know of only one person, who can provide me with that.
Newt Scamander.
But, I don't know if he will grant me that. Unless, I have a rare Animal I can bribe him with. And boy, am I lucky enough to have two such rare animals with me.
Ashwinders are born, when a magical fire, any kind, is left unattended. The snake then come out of those flames, and lays eggs in a dark place in the same dwelling they were born in. But, usually, Ashwinders die soon after laying eggs.
Meaning Ashwinders have a lifespan of one hour. And their eggs do not give rise to more Ashwinders, they give rise to more magical fire, which then if left unattended, give rise to another Ashwinder, and the cycle goes on and on.
But Ash, while now getting old, was definitely at least 10-12 years old. Not that old for snakes, but definitely old for Ashwinders. Which means, he was a cross breed. An illegal one, since cross-breeding of magical animals wasn't allowed.
So, I had written a letter to Scamander a few days ago, detailing what I wanted, what I can give in return, wanting to meet with him today. I had also met with Ash in these two days, wanting to see if he'll agree to help me. He agreed, as I was a Speaker, and his human owner was the breeder. I agreed to take him down, and rescue all the other animals trapped there.
Hopefully Newt comes today like he said he would. So, I was waiting in London, like I said I would, in a restaurant that I had mentioned in the letter.
At sharp 2:00 PM, I see Newt Scamander, looking just like I remember him looking during the movies, walking towards the restaurant I was waiting outside of. Great. He brought his American Auror Girlfriend.
I wave my hand at him, calling the two towards me, and say, "Mr Scamander, it's wonderful to finally meet you! I particularly love your passage in your book about Diricrawls and Thunderbirds. And Auror Goldstein. Nice to meet you."
Newt shakes my hand, and says, "It's always nice to meet a fan of my book."
"How do you know me?" Goldstein asks, looking a bit confused.
I snort, and say, "Your debacle in the colonies is quite famous in our school, Ms Goldstein. Please, sit down. Would you like some tea?"
By now, we had walked inside the restaurant and taken our seats. A waiter was standing near us, waiting for our orders.
"Coffee. Black. No sugar." Goldstein orders at the waiter who just came, while Newt simply shakes his hand, and says, "No thanks."
I smile at the waiter, and say, "A tea, please. Milk, two sugars."
Once the muggle waiter leaves, I say, "Can you do the Privacy charms? I'm out of school, and not allowed to use magic, you see."
Newt nods, and immediately casts the a few spells, while Goldstein looks vigilant. She was probably the security in case I attack.
"So, you want the Golden Horn. You contacted me, so you should know why I'm reluctant to just give it to you." Newt says, beginning the meeting. Man he's a twitchy person.
I smile at him, and argue, "I'm buying it, but yes. I know why. There're only what, 3-4 Graphorns left in the whole world? The Trolls killed the rest off."
"If you know that much, then why did you ask for the Horn?" Newt asks, honestly confused.
Sipping my tea, I say, "Mr Scamander, you misunderstand. I don't want the whole horn. If possible, I would like it if you shave a bit of the horn, and then sell it to me. Graphorns can heal from that within a few weeks at most. But still, I don't expect you to do it for free. So, I'm going to give you some information, and a surprise. If you agree that is."
Newt keeps staring at me, so I go inside his mind, obviously undetected, and see that he's still hesitant.
I offer, "We can sign contracts, stating, that I won't use the horn in anything nefarious, and I won't tell anyone where I got the horn from."
"The contract. Now. And then I'll give you the horn. But, I want to know what you're going to use it for." Newt says, while Goldstein stays watching us talk.
"I agree with the first part, but not the second. The use I have for the horn is not something I can tell you." I say, shaking my head firmly.
Newt stands up, ready to leave, when I say, "Aren't you going to ask what information I'm going to give you in return first? Would be a terrible thing if a magical breeding ring gets off undetected." All the while calmly sipping my tea which the waiter had silently delivered while we were talking.
Newt clenches his hand, and sits down. He says, "Fine then. Keep your secrets. I will have the contract now. Let's get on with it." Newt says.
Goldstein interrupts, and says, "Whoa there, Newt. Think about it first. You don't know what contract he's having us sign. I'm not getting into a contractual agreement, without knowing the exact wordings."
"I understand. My side, will only include that you won't reveal to anyone, with not even hints, that I was the one who informed you of the breeding ring, and that you won't reveal any of my secrets I reveal during this day, to anyone, again, not even hinting at it. Is that agreeable, Ms Goldstein?" I ask, sliding a contract forward.
Goblin contracts are very easy to get. Pay G10, get a contract, and sign it. You don't need a blood quill, or even your wand for that. You simply need to write down conditions from both sides, and then sign at the bottom. Once signed, the contract cannot be changed in any way, shape, or form.
I had already written my condition, as I stated above, and now, it was only time for Newt to write his. Then, all of us read it, and sign it. If we all agree with the conditions written, only then can the contract be considered valid.
If anyone breaks it, the other party will get all possessions of the contract breaker. Even clothes.
Goblins.
Newt reads my conditions, see's that they are as I just said, verbatim, and sees the forfeit clause. Scrunching his eyes, he writes down his conditions, and passes the contract to Goldstein. She reads it, nods, makes a correction, and then passes it to me.
I read the contract aloud, so all three of us can confirm.
Basically, I will have to tell them where the breeding ring is based, and vow that I will never use the Golden Horn I get from Newt, in a malicious manner.
In return, Newt and Tina will keep any secret of mine that they learn today, to themselves, and not even hint, tell, or even write down, my secrets, or the fact that I was the snitch that sold the Breeding ring.
All of us agreeing, we sign the contract, and watch as it burns to ashes, going to the Goblin's for safekeeping. They will keep one copy in my Trust Vault, one in Newt's, one will go to America for the American Goblins to store in Goldstein's Vault, and one will stay with the Goblins.
"Pleasure doing business with you. How soon can you get the Horn out of that suitcase of yours?" I ask, watching Newt stumble as I mention that suitcase.
That was something I wanted to replicate, but it'll take time. The enchantments on it were phenomenal.
"An- an hour? I'll have to talk to the Graphorns." Newt answers, looking at Goldstein in confirmation.
She nods, and says, "We'll stay at the Leaky Cauldron. I'll keep an eye on the kid, while you can go get the horn. You have everything you need on you?"
She asks the last question to me, so I say, "Yes. I can agree with you on that. I'll come to the Leaky. I have to go visit Gringott's either way."
"Good. Come on." Goldstein orders and starts walking.
I drop a fiver on the table, and walk after her, while Newt stays with me.
He asks, "What is the secret you don't want us to mention anyone?"
Smiling at him, I say, "Later, Mr Scamander. You'll like it though, I'm sure."
We all walk towards the Leaky in silence. Once we get a room, while I made sure no one noticed me using telepathy and disillusionment charm, Newt opens the suitcase and walks in.
Goldstein has a wand in her hand, as she keeps an eye on me. Rolling my eyes, I say, "Relax, Ms Goldstein. I'm a student still. I'm not going to ruin my chances to get the Healing Apprenticeship by attacking either of you."
"Healing Apprenticeship?" Goldstein asks, looking at me confused. It was understandable. I just blackmailed Newt by threatening to let an illegal cross breeding ring get by unpunished.
I nod, and smiling at her, explain, "My mother was a nurse in the Great War. She died right after my birth, so I never knew her. But, the tales my caretakers told me of her really had an impression on my mind. So, I've been preparing for learning Healing for.. a decade now. I've even read muggle books on the subject."
I chuckle, when Goldstein says, "Fascinating. And yet, you felt no shame when blackmailing us."
I smile widely, and say, "Oh, but Ms Goldstein, I never said I'm not going to tell you about the ring, I just said it would be a shame if it was never found out."
"So, you bluffed." Goldstein says, chuckling a bit.
"Yup." I state, nodding at her.
"You're good kid. Call me Tina." She says shoving her hand forward.
I shake it and smile, saying, "Mason."
And then, we wait in silence till Newt comes up from his suitcase. I do notice that Goldstein, Tina put her wand away.
About hour and a half after he went in, Newt comes out of the Suitcase, with four 3 inch long horns, and a couple scratches on his face.
"What the hell happened to you?" Tina asks, going forward to examine him.
"Nothing." Newt says, shaking out of her hold awkwardly. He later adds, "The Graphorns did not appreciate me asking for their Golden Horns at first."
He hands me the horns, which I examine, and keep them in my pouch, which immediately shrinks once I've done that.
"A mokeskin pouch!" Newt exclaims, looking at the vanishing pouch.
"Yup. Now, my turn. Remember, you can't share my secrets. Not even by hinting. To anyone, not even Dumbledore." I warn them.
"What's wrong with Dumbledore? He's a great man!" Newt exclaims, feeling second hand insult.
Both me and Tina roll our eyes, and I say, "Mr Scamander, I don't care if the Lord Almighty himself asks, you're not going to share my secrets. And, for your knowledge, not everyone trusts Dumbledore with their lives. Now, may I begin?"
Newt opens his mouth to argue, but Tina simply shakes her head, and says, "Yes. As the contract says, we won't tell anyone. We literally can't tell anyone."
Smiling at her in thanks, I say, "Very well. Say hello to my little friend, Ash."
As soon as I say that, the pair see the smoking Ashwinder coiled around my shoulders. And he was smoking. Meaning some of his scales were bright red, and would burn constantly.
Newt immediately comes close to examine the snake, as I put him down in front of us, while Tina takes a step back, pointing her wand at the suddenly visible snake.
"That's impossible!" Newt says. He looks between the snake and me, and adds, "Ashwinders can't live beyond the hour. And you've been with us for the last hour and a half. And you've been in the restaurant for who knows how long."
"15 minutes. But, this one's older than even that. I've known Ash for 9 years, give or take a few months. I just didn't know what he was until I read the 2nd edition of your book last year." I explain, partially lying.
I knew he was an Ashwinder, yes, but I did not know about the part where Ashwinder only live for an hour at the most.
"How is this possible?" Newt whispers, and picks it up for examining it.
I shrug, not knowing definitely, and say, "As far as I know, his owner crossed him with either one of the Horned serpents, or a Snallygaster. You can see the small horn there, but I'm not an expert in distinguishing between the two."
"Horned Serpent. The markings here are similar to them. And the horn is more like a jewel, than a simple horn." Newt whispers, already in his own world.
Despite me having a Horned Serpent of my own, Ash and Sly did not look similar at all. The Horns were different as far as I could see, but well, Newt is the expert here.
"That's all well and good, but how will this help us catch that breeder?" Tina asks, interrupting our conversation.
I simply hiss at Ash, ~~Can you take us to the owner's house? This will help you find a good place to rest in, I promise.~~
Ash nods, and slowly slithers over to me. As I help him up once again, he says, ~~Sure. But I can't smell it from here. I'll have to get to your dwelling first.~~
Looking at the shocked faces of Tina and Newt, both of whom looked awed too, I say, "He can lead us to the location. I'll have to come with, but unfortunately, I'll have to stay invisible. Don't want my name to get out, you see."
"You're a Parselmouth! That's amazing! Have you had many conversations with snakes? What do they say?" Newt begins rambling, excited at meeting a Parselmouth, who's actually pleasant to talk with.
"Let me stop you right there. First, I don't want anyone to know I'm a Parselmouth. And if I didn't need the Graphorn Golden horn, I wouldn't have told you this. Secondly, snakes either talk about food, boast about their power, or they gossip about their owners." I say, stopping him from asking any more questions.
"But.. why? You could become an amazing healer! Ilvermorny has books left for us by Headmistress Sayre!" Tina says, getting a bit hurt at not being able to share this knowledge.
While Newt answers her, "The Gaunts. That's why you don't want to let anyone know, isn't it?"
I nod, while Tina turns to Newt, and asks, "The who? Who're the Gaunts?"
I answer this time, saying, "Gaunts are the last remaining family with the Blood of Salazar Slytherin in their veins. Do you know what happened to the rest? Sayres are extinct, the Evanshades are extinct, and even the Slytherins themselves, are extinct. Each of those families died off in the same Century. Now, what does that tell you, Tina?"
Tina stays silent for a while, really thinking it over, but then she nods grimly, and answers, "You're of Slytherin's blood, and you don't want the Gaunts to know. And Gaunts killed the rest of the families with ties to Salazar Slytherin, so they can remain the only family with the claim."
I nod, not bothering with lies, as they can't share it anyway. Not even Legilimency, or Veritaserum would break that contract unless done willingly, and if they do, all of their assets will become mine.
I say, "One of the last two remaining male Gaunts, or at least I think it's two, is my father. I don't know which. I'm a bastard of the Gaunt line, and if they find out that I'm of their blood, they will have me adopted, and mind controlled to be their slave, and with their morals before the day is up. Not that they'll succeed, but still. It'll be annoying."
The atmosphere becomes a bit morose at that point, since they realise just what secret they hold in their hands. Not that the Gaunts will ever pose a threat to me, but still. That has potential to become an annoyance of the Highest degree.
"I understand. I give you my word that I won't even try getting out of the Contract. And Newt here won't tell Dumbledore." Tina says, answering for both of them.
Newt begins, arguing to defend Dumbledore again, and says, "But.."
"No. You might trust Dumbledore, but I don't." Surprisingly, Tina said that. She says, "I know you said he's trying to break the blood pact, but MACUSA thinks he isn't trying as hard as he could. I'm not asking you to stop trusting the bastard, I'm asking you to stay loyal to your word. You signed a contract, you know the rules."
Newt nods, and says, "Fine. I won't tell anyone. I won't even mention your name."
"Calling you had another goal behind it, Mr Scamander. I want Ash here to find a good home for himself. He is old, and getting a bit frail. Can you do that?" I ask, while scratching Ash on his head softly.
~~Why does he get to be up there, and I have to be down here.~~ Sly hisses in frustration, his giant tummy hitting Newt's leg as he crawls in.
Newt jumps, but seeing another snake, he looks at me. I just nod and say, "Ignore him, he's been eating and sleeping for years now. He's gotten lazy."
Newt and Tina look at Sly, and me, for a few times, and then shaking his head, Newt says, "I can't promise a perfect home for.. Ash?.. But I can promise to try. My trunk already has enough space in it, that I can enchant something for him."
"Appreciate it, Mr Scamander." I say, and then translate it for Ash's sake.
"No worries." Newt says, looking at Ash with a lot of fascination, and concern at the same time. Still looking at Ash, he says, "Giving creatures like Ash here a home is what I aim to make a life in. I already have a group of Occamies in there, so it's not like I can't help him."
"Good. That's what I wanted to hear. Now let's catch those bastards." I say, turning invisible with a thought.
"How are you doing that? I didn't even see you move your hand, let alone your wand." Tina says, looking, or trying to look, at the spot I'm in.
Smirking to myself, I say, "Now, that's one more secret I'm not telling. A warning. You should probably avoid telling Dumbledore about this raid. He looks in your eyes, and he knows you're lying immediately."
And that brings another round of questions, that I just wave my hand to. While he's not a bad guy, he's tried to manipulate me a few times, and that pissed me off. If this burns a fire under his arse, I'll only be happier.
At least I got the horns, and more than I needed! Now, let's go see about a breeding ring.
Second one!
---
Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.
Usually, Wizards(and Witches, and everyone else that counts as Magical Humans), have to study 7 years after they turn 11, or two years after they have completed their OWLs, before they're allowed to sit the NEWTs.
Not me though. Fucking Wizards.
Some teacher out there, probably Dumbledore, saw me having an easy time at school, and said, "Fuck you, in particular. You'll leave all your friends behind, study two years worth of Magic in a single year, give some hard exams, pass them, and do it again the next year. And you'll be forced to thank us for it!"
And so, here I was, giving my NEWT exams, while others of my age, were giving their OWLs, skipping two whole years in the curriculum.
Not that I was having a hard time of it, no. On the contrary, I was having as easy as a time as ever. I didn't need to study for hours and hours, to remember the Theory. I already practiced a minimum of 3 hours daily, not counting the classes, so I already had the Practicals in hand.
What did that leave? Nothing. That was all.
Charms, Transfiguration, DADA were already over, with me probably getting O's in all of them, and so was Arithmancy. For Runes, I had to show off a project I did within a month of the Exam, along with cast any spell they give me, completely with Runes.
For the project, I created a ring to be worn, since they were the easiest to find in the Room of Hidden Things, that could summon either a Magical shield spell, or conjure a physical shield, depending on the spell coming at you. You just had to bend your arm upwards, like you're holding an imaginary shield, and voila! The shield will appear parallel to your forearm.
The magical shield is as powerful as the Protego spell, while the physical metallic shield was another Runic artefact made by me, that could stop any physical object in its track. If Healing doesn't work out for me, I was going into Artefact creation, and Enchantment. It was fun, and I'm glad I entered this field.
Herbology was also kinda easy, but not that much. I just didn't click with the plants, magical or otherwise. I hadn't taken Astronomy, History, or Alchemy for my NEWTs, since I preferred studying those subjects alone. Less chances to be taught coloured opinions in History and Alchemy, that way.
Potions NEWT was the easiest. I had to brew 3 potions, one after the other, for the practical. I brewed the Wiggenweld Potion, the Draught of Living Death, and the Org-grow Potion. Each of those potions took 1 hour minimum, so you can tell that I was aiming to impress.
The Org-grow was my own invention, and I am damn proud of it. As the name suggests, the Potion helps in the regrowth of small organs. Nothing major, no. Eyes, tongue, ears, muscles and tissues, a few fingers or toes, internal organs like liver, kidney, lungs, etc. Although, it has to be taken along with the Skelegrow whenever bones are also involved.
For smaller stuff, like a single finger, eyes, tongue, ears, muscles and tissues, just one small dose of 10 ml has to be drunk before sleeping, and it will work overnight. And while the potion doesn't hurt much while working, it doesn't let you sleep peacefully either. There's a constant itching burn in the place where it is working.
For the bigger stuff, however, the 10 ml dose needs to be repeated every 6 hours, until the organ is fully grown. Once again, the itching burn will persist as long as the potion is working.
However, my potion doesn't work on anything major. So, no replacing amputated limbs, or heart. It just doesn't work. Same for anyone who wants to regrow a chopped d.. yeah, it won't work, despite it being just flesh and muscles. It counts as a higher value, magically.
Slughorn had already sent it to the ICW for patent registration, and I know he'll probably call favours or something like that later. Opportunistic bastard he might be, but at least his connections are useful.
Patents in the Wizarding World are really weird, you know. You apply, and if they accept your patent, then you get a lump sum of money every year, till your death. The recipe for your potion, meanwhile, is made public. Not that the Potioneers can sell the Potion, no. They need to ask for my permission, even if they have the Recipe, and offer a percentage of their profits to me.
So, anyone can make the potion, if they're capable enough, but I still make money. The ICW makes money by charging the Apothecaries monthly taxes, some of which they pay us Patent holders. Our descendants don't have any claim on the patent, however. Once we die, the patent is completely public.
I didn't mind much, since my Patent royalty was expected to be about 10,000 Galleons by Professor Slughorn himself. It usually ranged between 2000 and 15000G, so my payment was good enough for me.
The highest royalty ever paid was to Fleamont Potter, the inventor of the Skelegrow potion, at 23,000 Galleons. My Potion was a bit similar in effect to his, so I'll probably be in the higher range.
And now, after sitting my final NEWT exam, I was sitting in the Great Hall, to celebrate the end of exams.
"Speak about yourself, we still have two OWLs to get through." Darla says, groaning after taking a long swig from the butterbeer in her hands like it's actual alcohol.
Ana rests her head on Darla's head, both of them not even trying to be discreet about their relationship now. But, for some reason, other than a few observant girls, no one had managed to figure out that the girls are dating. Not even Dorea.
And say what you will, about Witches, they have each other's back. Not one of those girls had even thought about outing my girls as gay, which is really good for them.
Shaking my head, I say, "Your History OWL is useless, because practically no one even takes it for their NEWT levels, and Astronomy is a piece of cake."
Darla throws a piece of chicken at me, and says, "Oh, piss off. Not all of us have perfect memories, Mason. We need to actually study before vomiting facts on parchment."
I simply eat the thrown chicken, take a sip of my own butterbeer, and say, "Excuses, excusses, Darla darling. And please don't oversell the drunk act, Butterbeer isn't nearly as alcoholic as you'd want."
Darla pouts exaggeratingly, and asks, "Enough talk about exams, what are your plans now that you're finally free?"
Dorea, who was sitting beside me, leans forward, and asks, "He has that Apprenticeship, doesn't he? At Mungo's?"
Nodding, I say, "I'm meeting the Head Healer of St Mungo's on the 15th of September, so a month and 20 days or so after my results come in. They'll decide who I apprentice under, and under what capacity."
Ana says, "So you have a couple months of just.. nothing? Oh you poor boy."
I snort, and shake my head. Ana had gotten it in her head, that I like to be busy. Busy with studies, exams, reading, practicing, etc. Well, I kinda did, but not like she thinks.
My goal is to one day rest. I'm not the kind of guy to work 9-5, everyday, for years and years to come. I'd rather just open up a farm, where I can handle my own needs from. And I'll have the Patent royalty coming in for years and years! So I can now realistically do that, hopefully not too soon though.
But, it wouldn't happen unless I'm strong enough to handle anything the world can throw at me, and come out on top. So.. I'm grinding until that happens, and probably even then.
I say, "Not exactly. I have something in mind for the summer. Something exciting, super useful, and very difficult."
"Oh? Does the Great Lord Mason have another highly difficult subject for us to learn on top of our usual school?" Ana asks, leaning forward, resting her arms on the table.
I shrug, because I didn't say anything about them learning it. I say, "You can join me, if you want. You did see the benefits of learning Occlumency, didn't you?"
I had given them a book that I wrote, combining elements from the Mind Arts Compilation book from the Room of Knowledge, and my own experience in using Telepathy. That wouldn't give them too high of an advantage, but some advantage is still better than none.
They're still learning, since it's only been a couple months since they began, but they've already noticed their brains becoming a bit sharper, faster to react. Other benefits will come with time, but only if they keep at it.
Ana and Darla share a look, shrug to each other, and then they ask, "What's the subject?"
I raise my eyebrow, looking at them, judging to see if they actually want to do it. Then, I turn to Dorea and she raises her own eyebrow in question.
Sighing, she says, "Fine, I'll join you too. Bloody wankers, the lot of you. Can't even let me have lunch in peace."
Smiling wide, I hug the girl from the side, and say, "We all know you still love us the same."
Releasing the now blushing Dorea, I cast a few Privacy charms around us, each to hide just our conversation, and not us, and say, "What do you guys think of becoming Animagi?"
-
~~Why are we here again?~~ Sly asks, annoyingly poking his head out of my collar, while Ash silently stays around my shoulder.
Sighing, I force Sly out of my coat, and drop him on the ground, ignoring his complaints. I'd already cast a Notice-me-not, along with using Telepathy to make everyone around me ignore us.
~~HEY! HEY! WHAT IS THE WRONG WITH YOU? Can't even cuddle in peace these days!~~ Sly yells, and then says, as he starts curling up on my leg.
Annoyed, I magically flick him away, and say, ~~You've gotten fat, just eating the Basilisk meat and sleeping around. You need exercise, and we're here to meet with someone.~~
Ash barely even raises his head at the noise, since he was getting old. I'm hoping to also find a new home for Ash, since being with me is not good for him, and he doesn't even stay in the Bush anymore.
We were currently standing outside a small restaurant, waiting for my guest to come. This guest was going to, hopefully, give me an ingredient that is highly rare.
You see, I'd found an old method of Animagus Transformation, that was leagues better than the current method.
Right now, if you want to become an Animagus, you have to keep a Mandrake leaf stuck to the roof of your mouth, brew a Potion, keep it in a dark place until a thunderstorm, and then drink it. There were more instructions, mostly guidelines over when you should carry each step out, etc, but it was all annoying.
The method I found was lost in the 12th century itself, with the Wizard's Council slowly destroying every copy of the method, and forcing the Wizards to start using new methods.
It was similar, in that you still need to hold a Mandrake leaf in your mouth for a month, and you need a Potion. But, where the new method needs a thunderstorm, the old one needs a Lunar Eclipse.
The old method also wasn't as rigid as the new one, and you can get good results even with the small errors that are normal. And it was also more of a ritual than the new method. There are runes involved, along with the burning of Cannabis. Wizards really love Cannabis, don't they?
The best part, was the the old method gave you not one, but two Animagus forms. Which is why the Wizard's Council destroyed almost every hint of it.
The first one was the normal, completely non-magical animal, while the second one was the magical relative of the first one. This is the one that's I'm doing, since the Wizards of old did this.
Merlin himself was known to have two forms, one an owl, and the other a Phoenix, both of them from the Aves Class, while Godric Gryffindor was known to be a Gryffin and a Lion. The others either weren't Animagi, or they didn't make their forms famous.
Smart.
But there was one problem that I encountered. The Potion that I have to make requires Graphorn Golden Horn. And I know of only one person, who can provide me with that.
Newt Scamander.
But, I don't know if he will grant me that. Unless, I have a rare Animal I can bribe him with. And boy, am I lucky enough to have two such rare animals with me.
Ashwinders are born, when a magical fire, any kind, is left unattended. The snake then come out of those flames, and lays eggs in a dark place in the same dwelling they were born in. But, usually, Ashwinders die soon after laying eggs.
Meaning Ashwinders have a lifespan of one hour. And their eggs do not give rise to more Ashwinders, they give rise to more magical fire, which then if left unattended, give rise to another Ashwinder, and the cycle goes on and on.
But Ash, while now getting old, was definitely at least 10-12 years old. Not that old for snakes, but definitely old for Ashwinders. Which means, he was a cross breed. An illegal one, since cross-breeding of magical animals wasn't allowed.
So, I had written a letter to Scamander a few days ago, detailing what I wanted, what I can give in return, wanting to meet with him today. I had also met with Ash in these two days, wanting to see if he'll agree to help me. He agreed, as I was a Speaker, and his human owner was the breeder. I agreed to take him down, and rescue all the other animals trapped there.
Hopefully Newt comes today like he said he would. So, I was waiting in London, like I said I would, in a restaurant that I had mentioned in the letter.
At sharp 2:00 PM, I see Newt Scamander, looking just like I remember him looking during the movies, walking towards the restaurant I was waiting outside of. Great. He brought his American Auror Girlfriend.
I wave my hand at him, calling the two towards me, and say, "Mr Scamander, it's wonderful to finally meet you! I particularly love your passage in your book about Diricrawls and Thunderbirds. And Auror Goldstein. Nice to meet you."
Newt shakes my hand, and says, "It's always nice to meet a fan of my book."
"How do you know me?" Goldstein asks, looking a bit confused.
I snort, and say, "Your debacle in the colonies is quite famous in our school, Ms Goldstein. Please, sit down. Would you like some tea?"
By now, we had walked inside the restaurant and taken our seats. A waiter was standing near us, waiting for our orders.
"Coffee. Black. No sugar." Goldstein orders at the waiter who just came, while Newt simply shakes his hand, and says, "No thanks."
I smile at the waiter, and say, "A tea, please. Milk, two sugars."
Once the muggle waiter leaves, I say, "Can you do the Privacy charms? I'm out of school, and not allowed to use magic, you see."
Newt nods, and immediately casts the a few spells, while Goldstein looks vigilant. She was probably the security in case I attack.
"So, you want the Golden Horn. You contacted me, so you should know why I'm reluctant to just give it to you." Newt says, beginning the meeting. Man he's a twitchy person.
I smile at him, and argue, "I'm buying it, but yes. I know why. There're only what, 3-4 Graphorns left in the whole world? The Trolls killed the rest off."
"If you know that much, then why did you ask for the Horn?" Newt asks, honestly confused.
Sipping my tea, I say, "Mr Scamander, you misunderstand. I don't want the whole horn. If possible, I would like it if you shave a bit of the horn, and then sell it to me. Graphorns can heal from that within a few weeks at most. But still, I don't expect you to do it for free. So, I'm going to give you some information, and a surprise. If you agree that is."
Newt keeps staring at me, so I go inside his mind, obviously undetected, and see that he's still hesitant.
I offer, "We can sign contracts, stating, that I won't use the horn in anything nefarious, and I won't tell anyone where I got the horn from."
"The contract. Now. And then I'll give you the horn. But, I want to know what you're going to use it for." Newt says, while Goldstein stays watching us talk.
"I agree with the first part, but not the second. The use I have for the horn is not something I can tell you." I say, shaking my head firmly.
Newt stands up, ready to leave, when I say, "Aren't you going to ask what information I'm going to give you in return first? Would be a terrible thing if a magical breeding ring gets off undetected." All the while calmly sipping my tea which the waiter had silently delivered while we were talking.
Newt clenches his hand, and sits down. He says, "Fine then. Keep your secrets. I will have the contract now. Let's get on with it." Newt says.
Goldstein interrupts, and says, "Whoa there, Newt. Think about it first. You don't know what contract he's having us sign. I'm not getting into a contractual agreement, without knowing the exact wordings."
"I understand. My side, will only include that you won't reveal to anyone, with not even hints, that I was the one who informed you of the breeding ring, and that you won't reveal any of my secrets I reveal during this day, to anyone, again, not even hinting at it. Is that agreeable, Ms Goldstein?" I ask, sliding a contract forward.
Goblin contracts are very easy to get. Pay G10, get a contract, and sign it. You don't need a blood quill, or even your wand for that. You simply need to write down conditions from both sides, and then sign at the bottom. Once signed, the contract cannot be changed in any way, shape, or form.
I had already written my condition, as I stated above, and now, it was only time for Newt to write his. Then, all of us read it, and sign it. If we all agree with the conditions written, only then can the contract be considered valid.
If anyone breaks it, the other party will get all possessions of the contract breaker. Even clothes.
Goblins.
Newt reads my conditions, see's that they are as I just said, verbatim, and sees the forfeit clause. Scrunching his eyes, he writes down his conditions, and passes the contract to Goldstein. She reads it, nods, makes a correction, and then passes it to me.
I read the contract aloud, so all three of us can confirm.
Basically, I will have to tell them where the breeding ring is based, and vow that I will never use the Golden Horn I get from Newt, in a malicious manner.
In return, Newt and Tina will keep any secret of mine that they learn today, to themselves, and not even hint, tell, or even write down, my secrets, or the fact that I was the snitch that sold the Breeding ring.
All of us agreeing, we sign the contract, and watch as it burns to ashes, going to the Goblin's for safekeeping. They will keep one copy in my Trust Vault, one in Newt's, one will go to America for the American Goblins to store in Goldstein's Vault, and one will stay with the Goblins.
"Pleasure doing business with you. How soon can you get the Horn out of that suitcase of yours?" I ask, watching Newt stumble as I mention that suitcase.
That was something I wanted to replicate, but it'll take time. The enchantments on it were phenomenal.
"An- an hour? I'll have to talk to the Graphorns." Newt answers, looking at Goldstein in confirmation.
She nods, and says, "We'll stay at the Leaky Cauldron. I'll keep an eye on the kid, while you can go get the horn. You have everything you need on you?"
She asks the last question to me, so I say, "Yes. I can agree with you on that. I'll come to the Leaky. I have to go visit Gringott's either way."
"Good. Come on." Goldstein orders and starts walking.
I drop a fiver on the table, and walk after her, while Newt stays with me.
He asks, "What is the secret you don't want us to mention anyone?"
Smiling at him, I say, "Later, Mr Scamander. You'll like it though, I'm sure."
We all walk towards the Leaky in silence. Once we get a room, while I made sure no one noticed me using telepathy and disillusionment charm, Newt opens the suitcase and walks in.
Goldstein has a wand in her hand, as she keeps an eye on me. Rolling my eyes, I say, "Relax, Ms Goldstein. I'm a student still. I'm not going to ruin my chances to get the Healing Apprenticeship by attacking either of you."
"Healing Apprenticeship?" Goldstein asks, looking at me confused. It was understandable. I just blackmailed Newt by threatening to let an illegal cross breeding ring get by unpunished.
I nod, and smiling at her, explain, "My mother was a nurse in the Great War. She died right after my birth, so I never knew her. But, the tales my caretakers told me of her really had an impression on my mind. So, I've been preparing for learning Healing for.. a decade now. I've even read muggle books on the subject."
I chuckle, when Goldstein says, "Fascinating. And yet, you felt no shame when blackmailing us."
I smile widely, and say, "Oh, but Ms Goldstein, I never said I'm not going to tell you about the ring, I just said it would be a shame if it was never found out."
"So, you bluffed." Goldstein says, chuckling a bit.
"Yup." I state, nodding at her.
"You're good kid. Call me Tina." She says shoving her hand forward.
I shake it and smile, saying, "Mason."
And then, we wait in silence till Newt comes up from his suitcase. I do notice that Goldstein, Tina put her wand away.
About hour and a half after he went in, Newt comes out of the Suitcase, with four 3 inch long horns, and a couple scratches on his face.
"What the hell happened to you?" Tina asks, going forward to examine him.
"Nothing." Newt says, shaking out of her hold awkwardly. He later adds, "The Graphorns did not appreciate me asking for their Golden Horns at first."
He hands me the horns, which I examine, and keep them in my pouch, which immediately shrinks once I've done that.
"A mokeskin pouch!" Newt exclaims, looking at the vanishing pouch.
"Yup. Now, my turn. Remember, you can't share my secrets. Not even by hinting. To anyone, not even Dumbledore." I warn them.
"What's wrong with Dumbledore? He's a great man!" Newt exclaims, feeling second hand insult.
Both me and Tina roll our eyes, and I say, "Mr Scamander, I don't care if the Lord Almighty himself asks, you're not going to share my secrets. And, for your knowledge, not everyone trusts Dumbledore with their lives. Now, may I begin?"
Newt opens his mouth to argue, but Tina simply shakes her head, and says, "Yes. As the contract says, we won't tell anyone. We literally can't tell anyone."
Smiling at her in thanks, I say, "Very well. Say hello to my little friend, Ash."
As soon as I say that, the pair see the smoking Ashwinder coiled around my shoulders. And he was smoking. Meaning some of his scales were bright red, and would burn constantly.
Newt immediately comes close to examine the snake, as I put him down in front of us, while Tina takes a step back, pointing her wand at the suddenly visible snake.
"That's impossible!" Newt says. He looks between the snake and me, and adds, "Ashwinders can't live beyond the hour. And you've been with us for the last hour and a half. And you've been in the restaurant for who knows how long."
"15 minutes. But, this one's older than even that. I've known Ash for 9 years, give or take a few months. I just didn't know what he was until I read the 2nd edition of your book last year." I explain, partially lying.
I knew he was an Ashwinder, yes, but I did not know about the part where Ashwinder only live for an hour at the most.
"How is this possible?" Newt whispers, and picks it up for examining it.
I shrug, not knowing definitely, and say, "As far as I know, his owner crossed him with either one of the Horned serpents, or a Snallygaster. You can see the small horn there, but I'm not an expert in distinguishing between the two."
"Horned Serpent. The markings here are similar to them. And the horn is more like a jewel, than a simple horn." Newt whispers, already in his own world.
Despite me having a Horned Serpent of my own, Ash and Sly did not look similar at all. The Horns were different as far as I could see, but well, Newt is the expert here.
"That's all well and good, but how will this help us catch that breeder?" Tina asks, interrupting our conversation.
I simply hiss at Ash, ~~Can you take us to the owner's house? This will help you find a good place to rest in, I promise.~~
Ash nods, and slowly slithers over to me. As I help him up once again, he says, ~~Sure. But I can't smell it from here. I'll have to get to your dwelling first.~~
Looking at the shocked faces of Tina and Newt, both of whom looked awed too, I say, "He can lead us to the location. I'll have to come with, but unfortunately, I'll have to stay invisible. Don't want my name to get out, you see."
"You're a Parselmouth! That's amazing! Have you had many conversations with snakes? What do they say?" Newt begins rambling, excited at meeting a Parselmouth, who's actually pleasant to talk with.
"Let me stop you right there. First, I don't want anyone to know I'm a Parselmouth. And if I didn't need the Graphorn Golden horn, I wouldn't have told you this. Secondly, snakes either talk about food, boast about their power, or they gossip about their owners." I say, stopping him from asking any more questions.
"But.. why? You could become an amazing healer! Ilvermorny has books left for us by Headmistress Sayre!" Tina says, getting a bit hurt at not being able to share this knowledge.
While Newt answers her, "The Gaunts. That's why you don't want to let anyone know, isn't it?"
I nod, while Tina turns to Newt, and asks, "The who? Who're the Gaunts?"
I answer this time, saying, "Gaunts are the last remaining family with the Blood of Salazar Slytherin in their veins. Do you know what happened to the rest? Sayres are extinct, the Evanshades are extinct, and even the Slytherins themselves, are extinct. Each of those families died off in the same Century. Now, what does that tell you, Tina?"
Tina stays silent for a while, really thinking it over, but then she nods grimly, and answers, "You're of Slytherin's blood, and you don't want the Gaunts to know. And Gaunts killed the rest of the families with ties to Salazar Slytherin, so they can remain the only family with the claim."
I nod, not bothering with lies, as they can't share it anyway. Not even Legilimency, or Veritaserum would break that contract unless done willingly, and if they do, all of their assets will become mine.
I say, "One of the last two remaining male Gaunts, or at least I think it's two, is my father. I don't know which. I'm a bastard of the Gaunt line, and if they find out that I'm of their blood, they will have me adopted, and mind controlled to be their slave, and with their morals before the day is up. Not that they'll succeed, but still. It'll be annoying."
The atmosphere becomes a bit morose at that point, since they realise just what secret they hold in their hands. Not that the Gaunts will ever pose a threat to me, but still. That has potential to become an annoyance of the Highest degree.
"I understand. I give you my word that I won't even try getting out of the Contract. And Newt here won't tell Dumbledore." Tina says, answering for both of them.
Newt begins, arguing to defend Dumbledore again, and says, "But.."
"No. You might trust Dumbledore, but I don't." Surprisingly, Tina said that. She says, "I know you said he's trying to break the blood pact, but MACUSA thinks he isn't trying as hard as he could. I'm not asking you to stop trusting the bastard, I'm asking you to stay loyal to your word. You signed a contract, you know the rules."
Newt nods, and says, "Fine. I won't tell anyone. I won't even mention your name."
"Calling you had another goal behind it, Mr Scamander. I want Ash here to find a good home for himself. He is old, and getting a bit frail. Can you do that?" I ask, while scratching Ash on his head softly.
~~Why does he get to be up there, and I have to be down here.~~ Sly hisses in frustration, his giant tummy hitting Newt's leg as he crawls in.
Newt jumps, but seeing another snake, he looks at me. I just nod and say, "Ignore him, he's been eating and sleeping for years now. He's gotten lazy."
Newt and Tina look at Sly, and me, for a few times, and then shaking his head, Newt says, "I can't promise a perfect home for.. Ash?.. But I can promise to try. My trunk already has enough space in it, that I can enchant something for him."
"Appreciate it, Mr Scamander." I say, and then translate it for Ash's sake.
"No worries." Newt says, looking at Ash with a lot of fascination, and concern at the same time. Still looking at Ash, he says, "Giving creatures like Ash here a home is what I aim to make a life in. I already have a group of Occamies in there, so it's not like I can't help him."
"Good. That's what I wanted to hear. Now let's catch those bastards." I say, turning invisible with a thought.
"How are you doing that? I didn't even see you move your hand, let alone your wand." Tina says, looking, or trying to look, at the spot I'm in.
Smirking to myself, I say, "Now, that's one more secret I'm not telling. A warning. You should probably avoid telling Dumbledore about this raid. He looks in your eyes, and he knows you're lying immediately."
And that brings another round of questions, that I just wave my hand to. While he's not a bad guy, he's tried to manipulate me a few times, and that pissed me off. If this burns a fire under his arse, I'll only be happier.
At least I got the horns, and more than I needed! Now, let's go see about a breeding ring.
- Location
- miami
I swear to god I've read to many Harry Potter fanfictions that last chapter I could of sworn I read some where else before. That said good chapter and in a lot of story's and even the original Harry Potter books I get the vibe that magic is fading from the world slowly a lot of magical animals are gone and magical places are being lost and witch's and wizards are just being born weaker.
It's far more likely to be due to people turning magic into bureucracy rather than the wild and imaginative thing that it is.
- Location
- USA
It doesn't help that, in this story at least, they are suppressing knowledge. The magical/mundane animagus form being the example here. Who knows what rituals that are illegal or suppressed helped magic propagate, or magical animals flourish?
Thats why i always like fics with magical blessing rituals like Beltane for the land. It would also explain non-magical born outside of squib descendants or rape victims babies. Sadly all it takes is one generation of politicians full of bigots at the right posts and it all goes away, or people like Dumbledork playing both sides of the conflict in order to make weaker average children atleast knowledge wise. Not sure why MACUSA is pushing for DD to fight GW when they have powerhouse like Dippet around anyway, though politics and magical ones in general never were that sensible(especially on international level), then again we have mostly fanon to fill in the blanks for us.
To be fair, you might have actually read this chapter before.
This whole story has been written already, it is just this version is cleaner, edited and some of the plot elements have changed. For example, in the old version, Mason had Jean Grey levels of Telekinesis as well as his Telepathy, and was becoming so OP with it that he was likely gonna become some sort of Matter God eventually.
In this version, he has been slightly Nerf'd.
Also, in this version he isn't seducing Dorea. Which makes sense considering how little he interacted with the wizarding world after he left.
Tbh, I liked the old one, but I prefer this version better.
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In my mind, it's because Dippet is old, and doesn't exactly have a responsibility. Dumbledore was an old friend of Grindelwald's, and people know that in this time. They haven't forgotten it yet, so they believe that he has a responsibility of stopping Grindelwald.
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Thank you! The Dorea thing creeped me out when I read through a few chapters while rewriting. I really thought I was writing about 17 year olds, but nope, I was writing smut between 14 year olds. God, that was a gross self-deprecating period.