Time to Judge
Harry found himself surrounded by pure white with a splodge of black. "Welcome Hadrian, Son of James, of House Potter. Welcome to your animus or soul." The voice boomed in a weird double harmonic; one part deep and low and the other relatively normal to his own speech patterns.
"You are confused. That is to be expected. It is not accepted for you to be ignorant on the ways of magic of which the House Potter has learnt. We know of your trials and tribulations and thus we shall explain it to you. Magic is somewhat alive. As humanity evolved as did magic until the first three thousand magic users began to manipulate the primal and cosmic forces that was magic. Magic was also much more diverse, people could learn whatever they wished to learn sometimes it was at home and other times abroad. Some of the things Potters learnt were Mage Craft from the Guilds and Watchtowers of Mages in America; the Craft of Edinburgh Sorcerer's albeit they are now very much reduced in size but the efforts of their teachings still remain. Other such magics are colour magics of Japan and elemental arts of Asian Shinobi Battle Mages or Shinobi. Shamanistic Soul Walking Paths of the Native Americans, Bush Magic of Australia and Arts of the Dead of Africa. Although the Australians are pretty good at Death Magic due to their country being able to kill you with grass. Now magic has diverted and some branches have been incorporated by others or died out. Focus users of Europe are the main cause of this."
Harry nodded, he didn't understand one level but on another he just simply knew.
"You are here because you are awakening. You are casting off your limitations and inhibitions. You have a great many abilities many of which you shall learn under the tutelage of another. But one thing they cannot teach you is the Craft of Mages. There are two ways to awaken these powers. One is to Awaken and the other is to Ascend. Awakening's give you more powers but requires more study and Ascension is less powers but more intuitive and the latter is much more painful. Below you shall learn about the nine spheres of magic that you can potentially learn."
Correspondence: manipulation of distance. It allows for the ability to teleport, fly, observe distant areas and at the higher levels warp bullets around, stack people on themselves, make copies of themselves, and even create planes of existence. However, the party trick of Correspondence Mages is to make reality divide by zero. Yes, it creates a black hole generally killing everyone within the area the mage himself included.
Entropy: This sphere is the sphere of chaos, luck and fate. Little things like taking Casino's by storm that sort of thing can be done with this sphere. Some of the party tricks of this sphere includedeffecting thought and ideas. Yes, you can make ideas grow outdated. Or the opposite. Awesome sphere is awesome.
Forces: The most well-known one. One to even grace the mundane world. The sphere of force is known for fireballs; the first spell in any person's mind set. However, it does not stop their, force mages are about controlling energy such as fire, cold, lightning, kinetic energy, gravity, radiation, and light. Even the nuclear forces at high levels.
Life: Life gets a bad rep. Only able to heal? No, it is the best for healing but woe be told anyone if they think that is the only thing it does. Life allows for control over living beings, healing, but also ripping people in half, physical transformations. Yes, it is a shapeshifters bread and butter. Life mages at higher levels appear to love Mary Shelly's Frankenstein as this particular sphere allows for the creation of life. Not unknown for life to ripped from one person and shoved into another.
Matter: The Control over all inanimate matter. The effects can be very, very varied. Examples are transforming matter into other matter, change the properties of matter yup, trapping enemies into solid air is one thing or turn them into a bacon slicer, or simply create matter from nothing. Be creative.
Prime: Very risky and dodgy. Tendency to backfire as you are messing with the FUNDAMENTALS of mana and magic. However. it does come with very nice phase swords
Mind: As it says on the tin. Mind reading, control, restoration of madness or cause of madness. Only applicable to humans and animals. Werewolves and other creatures not influenced.
Spirit: Rip open the protective veil on the world at cause hell. Summoning and binding available here or even move outside of reality.
Time: Again, as it says on the Tin."
Harry was amazed, so much diversity "How does this work?"
"On awakening you are drawn to five spheres. Two to master; Two to have a very thorough understanding of and One to have the basics."
(Great Hall)
Katie watched as the Watch Towers disappeared from the pentacle "This isn't good."
Dumbledore was over in a blink of an eye "Why is that Miss. Bell?"
Katie sighed "I don't know. I've never had this happen before. I haven't…" She was going to explain further but the Watch Towers broke and were replaced by Nine Symbols.
The letter 'A' with four bisecting lines through it. (Correspondance)
A variant symbol of Pluto (Entropy)
Katie gasped "That's the sign of Entropy…He's not Ascending. He's awakening…This is going to bad news for everyone."
A version of the Cross appeared instead of one line it had three with the latter bisection forming that of an umlaut. (Forces)
A hooked chalice with comma (Life)
A choker suspending a six sided cross. Fay's eyes widened "That's the symbol of Matter."
A glorified 'E' in a way that Lockheart signed his signiture emerged (Mind)
A trident on an upside down cross (Prime) this was easily deduced by Katie "Symbol of Prime. This could be worse than I thought…There hasn't been a traditional mage since the Cataclysm."
A quiff (music) symbol in a rectangle (Spirit)
A Glorified 'P' with four sided cross (Time)
Dumbledore watched with amazement as the nine symbols appeared and old information came to mind "The Nine Spheres of Magic! This is amazing."
Katie and Fay watched intently they needed to keep a note of them for when Harry came round. The first one lit up with the brightness of a dying fire. It pulsed around the eighth emerging symbol. "Headmaster?"
"I believe that is the symbol of Spirit. I do not understand the significance of the glow."
Katie smiled "The glow demonstrates his strength with it. Brighter the glow the more skilled."
The next to illuminate, these were as bright as the common room fire in full swing. They lit up the signs of 'A' and bisecting lines and Umlaut "Correspondence and Entropy at a reasonable skill level."
The last two were like a blazing hot summer day and they illuminate the umlaut and glorified 'E'. Katie paled "Forces and Mind as his strongest spheres…"
As the lights faded, Harry jerked bolt upright into a sitting position before staggering. He staggered as the knowledge of his spheres slammed into his skull. Harry took a deep breath and tried to relax as the knowledge sealed itself away.
"What happened?"
"You awoke. Basically…" Began Katie.
"Given a ton of spheres of magic. One I'll just cover the basics and four I will be most proficient. Somehow I already knew or know this…Did anyone get my spheres?"
"Spirt; weakest, Correspondence and Entropy may be able to master and Forces and Mind are your strongest." Harry smirked.
"Seems entropy is a running gag in most of these circumstances. Oh god, the comedown from awakening or ascending leaves you really out of it." Harry said as he made his way back to his seat.
"Are you okay Mister Potter?" asked Professor McGonagall, concern evident in her voice.
"Feel like I've just been kicked in the head by a Unicorn…I'm okay. I have a feeling something good is going to happen soon."
McGonagall cocked her head "What makes you say that?"
"I have the sphere of entropy and it is telling me something good is going to happen."
McGonagall nodded "I suppose it cannot hurt to take you into Hogsmeade…I mean the rule has been waived before, and it would be hypocritical of the school to stop you and allow another…Grab your cloak and money and meet me in fifteen minutes."
Harry made it in ten. He was subconsciously using Entropy to hinder the magic in Hogwarts to enable him to get to the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry had his cloak, money pouch and key and was joined by Katie and Fay in the Entrance Hall.
"I want the three of you to be back by Dinner which is at seven."
"That's plenty of time to sightsee and do all the shopping." Katie said and with that the three of them departed.
Harry found it remarkably easy to strike up a conversation with the two girls. "How the hell have I not managed to talk to the pair of you?"
"Granger and Weasley, I expect." Katie said dryly before Fay gulped and spoke.
"Harry, what do you know exactly about your family?"
"They studied Sphere Mage Magic, Watchtower Mage Magic and Gift Magic and that's about it. Oh my dad was arrogant until his seventh year when he dated and married my mum. I look like my dad but have my mum's eyes."
Fay's temper spiked and a sword appeared in her hand "I'm a Matter and Death Watchtower ascended…Anyway that much is meant to be kept within the family. This is important because the Potters have a lot of votes on the Wizengamot…" She stopped when she saw Harry's confused look.
She took a deep breath "This is important Harry. More important than you know, if you don't know anything about your family it may be best you get some books on the matter." She reached across and put her hand on his.
"I'm not annoyed at you, it appears someone is taking great lengths to inhibit you."
(Castle)
Dumbledore stiffened, it was the feeling that some of his ideas had inevitably fallen through. He regretted what he had to do and endeavored to try prepare for the inevitable fall out.
(Hogsmeade)
The trio disembarked from the carriage and linking their arms they entered the village. Harry found Ron a new chess set. Hermione a new book. Neville, some plant seeds and a book of plants in North America amongst other things. Harry slid into the Quidditch store followed by Fay.
"What you getting?"
Harry spun "Fay! Where's Katie?"
"Getting my presents."
"I wanted to get her a new set of pads and gloves. Hers are falling to pieces."
Fay nodded "She likes the normal leather pads and she's a medium." Harry nodded and he got the stuff. Little did he know that Katie had gotten him a new pair gloves, due to his record of hitting the pitch, they had additional damage resistant charms.
The trio finished off with a butterbeer and Harry splurged on sweets for them all and were back in the castle with 45minutes before dinner, in which they used to finish off any homework for the day.
After a hearty dinner of chili con carne, taco's and burritos which it turned out were Katie's favorite slim comfort food. They spent the evening planning the rest of their assignments before the three of them went to bed.
"Dammit Fay…Why didn't I tell him." Groused Katie as she collapsed on her bed.
"We have the rest of the holidays Kat. Don't worry." Fay said as sleep claimed them both.