AN: Alright, new story, new community. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, and I'm going all out and totally redoing almost everything. Rowling left many holes in her wizarding world, and I'm gonna try and fill in those holes without confusing people too much or just copying from someone else. Any similarities with another story is completely unintentional, and I would actually be very grateful if you could send me a link to that story so I may read it myself.
Also, if you're here because you read my other stories, then I apologize. I am working on the next chapter of "Well, This is Different" but I had some problems that I list in the author's note of that chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, obviously
Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business - Tom Robbins
From the very beginning of time, there have always been irregularities. Exceptions to the rules. Something that would make scholars rip out their hairs and do their best howler monkey impressions. And one such irregularity is one so large and so unexplainable, that scientists would just scoff and blow it off as nonsense. After all, this one exception makes everything that had ever been declared fact null and void. What could possibly be so glaringly eccentric? One word:
Magick.
Magick, the harnessing the energies of the spirit and world to accomplish great feats, terrible feats, and feats that are terrible, yet still great.
And with something as grand as Magick, there have to be different techniques, different ways to channel the power, different methods for achieving the same goals, and maybe, even different goals. After all, water travel is a great boon to every coastal group, but every region on Earth designed their own boats and ships. Every empire had their own soldier uniform, with different weapons and armor. Why should Magick be any different? And so, as with sailors and soldiers, Magicians come with many names, and many tools.
Some have little power themselves and instead use the forces around them. Whether by infusing an object with energy or simply directing the energies in the directions they want, Enchanters and Elementals have great control over the world, despite their personal weakness. However, while their command is nothing to laugh at, they can only work with what is already there, lacking the power to coerce something new into existence.
Others, in contrast, are born with so much power they often destroy themselves if they do not get proper instruction. The transformation of Magicka, pure magical energy, into more commonplace energies like heat and light that are necessary in the conjuration of fireballs and the like require the Magician to constantly pour Magicka through their body to the point of conjuration. Magicka that is volatile and dangerous by nature. Very few Magi and Sorcerers make it to adulthood before blowing themselves up after being too lax in their grip on the energy running through them.
There are others still who are neither born with a Magicka powerhouse nor with innate control over wild forces, and instead achieve mastery through intensive study and practice. While Wizards are the weakest of all the different Magicians, they are the most versatile, able to apply weak enchantments, have a minimal control of the elements, and even use raw Magicka and transform it into what they want. Centuries of study granted Wizards with a large pool of spells, with more being created all the time. Everything from cleaning dishes to stopping a heart, a well learned Wizard can do it.
And finally, there are those whose power extends beyond this world. Instead of using Magicka to create, or to fuse, or to direct, these Magicians tear holes in reality, creating little pockets from which things that don't belong can enter. In fear and in fury, people have named these beings, demons, evil spirits. In gratitude for passage to this realm, demons will serve their summoner for a time, though most will extract payment for their services, whether the Warlock knows it or not. The most dangerous forms of Magick, even a Warlock doing well is in trouble as more powerful demons are all the more likely to take notice and take the place of a summoned lesser demon and play with the Warlock is some perverse sort of amusement.
Of course, Magick is unpredictable and, by definition, mysterious, and with millions of Magicians throughout history, who's to say whether or not there was an exception to the exception? Not all fit the molds, and in fact, most Magicians could be many different types at once, but are only taught Magick in one mindset and so never discover their true potential. There are books however, large tomes and grimoires, written by those Mages who had truly mastered Magick in all its forms.
One such master is the great Mage Merlin, a wizard of incredible power, control, and enough demonic heritage to link him with other worlds. Most believe that the works of Merlin are all lost, but off the coast of Morocco, several leagues west of the Rock of Gibraltar, thousands of feet below the waves three Magicians were practicing their vanishing act after collecting the, most valuable item on Earth, Merlin's grimoire.
"Give me a hand here, will ya?"
"Hold on a minute, I still need to seal this wall."
"South and East are holding up, how are North and West going?"
"Would be going better if SOMEONE would give me a hand!"
"Hey, don't look at me. I already told you I still need to finish with this wall. Will, go help Simon."
"Alright, let's see here, can't be too bad... and just WHAT have you done to this wall Simon?"
Simon looked away from the cracking and crumbling stone wall that was leaking water just long enough to glare at William before refocusing on the wall, making sure they don't all drown. Well, at least not for a bit.
"What is it, Will? Simon blasted the wall instead of strengthening it? I just finished so I can help fix his mess."
"Oh, no. Don't you two start pinning this one me, you just picked the easier walls while I was still sealing the door."
"This is what we get for bringing along a Magus instead of a Water Elemental, eh, Aaron?"
"Aye, Will. Oh, well, it's been a good run." Aaron took of his hat and held it over his heart, head bowed.
"Stop messing around you two and actually help me."
William and Aaron grin at each other before moving to either side of Simon and started reinforcing the wall with their own Magick. Aaron poured in pure Magicka to add his power to Simon while William directed it to the most vital areas. It would buy them a little time, but even with three talented Magicians working against it, sometimes nature cannot be stopped.
Stepping back and panting, Simon looked at his two companions, his best friends for the past three decades. They were as thick as thiev- acquirers of goods. If they didn't do something soon, though, they'd be thick as corpses. "What's the plan? Those water-breathing masks of yours still good, Will?"
"Sorry, mate, they just had enough to get us here. This ruin was deeper than we were told. And I can't even recharge them as this room is already too flooded. any runic circles I'd try to draw would get washed away." Indeed, the water was already at their shins and rising slowly.
"Shit. What about you, Aaron? Anything you can summon to get us out of this mess? Maybe a Kraken, or something?"
Aaron shook his head, and held forward his left hand. On the middle finger was an ebony ring with a red gem imbedded securely. The gem was dark and cloudy, as is very impure. "I got nothing. I think I did something to anger some demon lord. Besides, you know I never really got along well with water demons."
"Double shit. I might be able to empower my lungs and legs long enough to get to the surface, but there is no way you two would make it before drowning, even if I carried you. Even if I do make, I'd be in no shape to swim to shore. Shit."
"You've been saying that a lot lately. It's almost as if you believe we're going to die"
While Aaron had intended to lighten the mood, he only realized what he said after it had already left his mouth. That pronouncement brought silence to the trio for several minutes as they each thought about their own lives and everything they didn't get a chance to do. Soon they were forced to start treading water to stay afloat.
"So... I guess this really is the end, huh?"
"After everything, we get defeated by a little bit of water."
"The Atlantic Ocean is hardly a little bit of water."
More silence, but this one wasn't the oppressive silence of fear. This was the content silence of friends who have accepted death together. They had good lives, dangerous and rife with adventure. Pillaging ancient ruins for lost treasure, pilfering from rich lords in their large manors, and cheating casinos out of business. Good times. They were all powerful, rich, and handsome. Though, if you asked anyone of them, then the other two were the ugliest louts on Earth.
They looked at each other once more and felt compelled to talk, but what do you say when you know you're gonna die?
"I always wanted a daughter."
"Really? I never pegged you as the type to settle down and start a family."
"Oh, well, I don't want a family. I just wanted to adopt a daughter. Thought I'd teach her the trade, and then ditch you two. After all, even a little girl would be a better partner than you, mates."
"Ouch, that stings."
"Big words from the enchanter who didn't even bring spare water-breathing masks to an underwater mission. What would you do when you're on a walk with your daughter and forgot to bring poopy-bags?"
"..."
"..."
"I think you're thinking about a dog, mate, not a daughter. A daughter is a female child, like a littler version of Will."
"Hey-"
"Oh, I know. It's just that any daughter you raise would be such a bitch, nobody could tell the difference between her and a dog."
"..."
"..."
"Fuck you, mate."
"Well, you only have a little bit of time left, but I guess that's no problem for you, is it? After all, you have such little stamina, you'd probably finish with time to spare."
"..."
"..."
"You have to admit, mate, he got you good there."
And so it continued for several minutes, each receiving a good ribbing at the hands of the others. To some it may have seemed mean, but it was just the way they showed each other they cared. Of course, they'd never admit it, but they all know it.
What were previously hairline cracks in the stones were now clearly defined, and the magic holding the walls together was falling apart. Soon, the room would be fully flooded with raging water. If they were lucky, it would knock them flying into something and kill them quickly, instead of slowly drowning them.
"Hey," William gets the attention of the other two, sounding more serious than he'd ever been before. "We... we should meet again. In the next life."
Simon nodded, "Yeah... yeah, I'd like that."
Aaron laughed, shaking his head, "Idiots. Just because you have next lives."
And then the walls broke.