All warnings were given first chapter… please refer to it!
Extra note: Wow! Thank you guys so much! I'm ridiculously glad there are people out there who agree with my brand of crazy :) - so happy I'm writing one of these notes, which every one just skims over to get to the goodness bellow right away.
The Crow
(Second Arc: The witch from the Eastern lands)
(Part 10)
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Using the under side of her simple looking staff, Charlotte started to trace runes on the garden's rich soil. Making shallow but visible groves in a circular array – Clow has been teaching Violet about magical arrays, but the runes involved were a bit more complicated than what she was ready.
It involved a lot more mathematics than she knew, being ripped away from muggle school at eleven and never attending arithmancy classes.
'Magical circles are composed of runes arrays on a circular setting… circular so that the energy expended in the spell can be minimized, as it will complete the circuit and return to the beginning' She recorded Clow's lessons in basic runic spells. 'Rituals aren't made on circles though. Even back home Rituals involve some sort of action, chanting or sacrifice… what she's doing is a spell'
"And the tough part is done!" Charlotte cried out victoriously as she finished a rough outline of a seriously complex looking rune array on the ground "Thaumaturgy is pretty serious business. My family specializes in fertility and luck rituals, though I'm terrible at it. My father thought it would be a nice advantage to us if I was fostered under Teacher for a while, so even someone as dim as I am can learn something…" she admitted sheepishly.
"I… don't think you should sell yourself short like that" Violet tried to sooth, a little uncomfortable. She's not comforting material and was suspicious of Charlotte to begin with "I have a friend, Neville… he was terrible at everything he tried too. At least until he grew up and found his confidence, now he is one of the most powerful wizards I know"
"What's his craft?" Charlotte asked interestedly.
Hardworking Neville. Surrounded by the derision of his housemates and bullied by his own Uncle. The partial indifference from his grandmother and the belief that he was going to be a Squib... Living under the shadow of his father mustn't have been easy, as much as living under the shadow of the Girl-Who-Lived wasn't.
"Herbology" Violet answered, a nostalgic smile lighting up her face.
"Huh…So someone like that really exists" The blonde mused with amusement, mood doing a fast turn. "Thanks Violet. Just let me finish drawing the circle… This is one of the simplest for this type of ritual spell, and I'm not good enough to do it instantly yet" she commented, alluding to the more powerful magicians ability to conjure a circle out of thin air "Done! Now watch those roses!"
Charlotte then picked out a couple of rose buds from a nearby bush, tossing them into the circle. The moment the blond started to chant, using her own staff to trace invisible lines in the air, the pitifully torn flowers started to bloom as if they've never been collected in the first place.
"Woah! Amazing!" But nothing that can't be done with a little will power – Violet's magic used to manifest in Aunt Petunia's gardens sometimes, making little buds bloom or reviving dying plants… there were multiple wand spells professor Sprout taught that would do the same to muggle flora. 'though semi-sentient magical plants can't be grown using magic… it interferes with their own properties, making them unusable to potions'
But then Violet reflected inwardly 'Is what I said what Charlotte wanted to hear?'
Said blond woman demurred with a pleased grin. "Nah. My mother can make even the driest fields lively again. I can only do patches at a time and can't revive dead plants at all" The blonde said, smiling humorlessly. Then her blue eyes suddenly started to sparkle "Hey, want to try? I already drew the circle, so all you need to do is channel magic"
This startled Violet. She did want to try, but her stomach knotted at the idea and she strangely felt repulsed by the mere thought "I'm not sure I should. I also don't have my own wand yet"
'Where is this coming from?'
"Oh. Fine. Maybe next time" Charlotte pouted "I know! Grab one of those roses for Teacher, I'm sure he'll appreciate them" she suggested lightly, bending to pick a flower of her own and in the process, smudging the circle she drew until it was unrecognizable. Noticing Violet's questioning look, the blond explained "This is part of my family's craft, if I let it out here someone might copy it!"
Made sense. 'Am I thinking too much about the situation? Being too paranoid?'
"Just one" Violet agreed, eyeing the magically grown rose and trying to feel for its magic. She didn't know the runes Charlotte used to do her spell, so she didn't know if growing flowers was all they did – it seemed ridiculously complicated for such a simple act.
'I didn't memorize the circle she used, but maybe there's something in the flowers'
Or she might just be unnecessarily suspicious. 'Constant Vigilance!' Violet thought, and laughed silently to herself.
…
Flower in hand, Violet knocked on her 'master's study door. Her belly was doing nervous somersaults… the witch wasn't sure about Charlotte's roses, but if there was anything wrong with it, Clow would be able to tell.
'I can't feel anything wrong with them' Violet wasn't the best at detecting magic though.
After knocking politely, the young woman and her companion waited only a few seconds before they heard a confirmation from inside.
Clow' study was always a sight to behold; no matter how many times Violet has seen it. She usually spent time sitting on the guest's chair leaning over the table as Clow explained a text or formula – Or they'd idle away their free time with conversations, varying from Violet's experiences with magic to some of the sorcerer's weird encounters that never failed to amuse Violet.
She knew the space almost intimately to the point where if one was to ask, the witch would know where Clow kept his favorite pen, in which drawer were the important documents or even the location of the safe hidden behind the bookshelf.
'The Adventurer's Technical Guide: Africa' Violet couldn't help but quickly steal a glance at the horridly thick book that sat innocuously in the middle of said bookshelf, right beside the Adventurer's Technical Guide: India version.
The witch saw Clow questing throughout that certain safe once, and the askance bookshelf was a little daunting – "I don't mind you knowing my secrets, though one at a time" – The sorcerer said cheekily, eyes bright and mirthful. Violet got the feeling he meant something else when he spoke of secrets, but she couldn't deny the fluffy, cuddly warmth that was permeating through her chest.
When questioned about the boringly dull looking guides' presence, Clow's answer was both obvious and inciting. He traveled a lot during his years, getting to know new places, study magical practices and broadening his horizons. He'd tell tales of his travels sometimes, igniting in Violet a curiosity she's never felt before.
'Maybe when I go back home, I can travel the world too!' It'd be nice, she decided, to backpack around the world getting to know different cultures and meeting new people. 'I'd start with India… Padma spoke so much about her homeland that I can't help but be interested!'
And then maybe she wouldn't feel so shoddy about leaving Clow – in this future that hasn't even come to pass in which she goes home. And it is a certainty that she's going home… no matter her feelings for Clow, she'd move on from them sooner or later.
Or at least that's what the green eyed young woman chose to believe.
'That's what Violet Potter does, she survives'
Violet's thoughts were broken by Charlotte, who darted into the sorcerer's study, eyes wide cataloguing everything she could see. Seeing how the blonde was distracted and how Clow was now paying attention to them, the witch offered a courteous nod to him along with a standard greeting.
"Master Clow" The green eyed young woman said, drawing a dark sense of amusement from the title she bestowed the sorcerer.
He is her master, but in the student/teacher sense, though whenever Violet was required to act subservient and humble before Clow, she was reminded of Voldemort's Death Eaters who worshiped the Dark Lord without knowing what a true bond was like.
'Differently from the bond between teacher and students, Voldemort used the Lord/vassals one – less personal and more brutal, though it started with a true master/student at first, when Death Eaters were still the Knights of Walpurgis and Tom Riddle liked to teach them, even if what he taught was demented and twisted beyond repair' And Tom's knights loved him, there was no doubt about it – which made the perversion of their bond even crueler.
"Teacher" Charlotte snapped out of her awed haze when hearing Violet's voice and hurriedly sunk into a bow to Clow, who chuckled at their disheveled appearances.
"Hello there" He greeted back, offering his students a smile, though the one he gave Violet was infinitely more tender – Violet could read the softness in his eyes as he regarded her, it made her chest flutter incomprehensibly. "What have you been up to apprentice of mine?" Clow directed the question toward Violet, who smiled warmly back at him despite how uncomfortable she felt.
"Charlotte was showing me some of her magic" She answered dutifully, eyes wide with questions as she met the sorcerer's shimmery blue ones. Then Violet remembered the flower clutched in her hand, and her expression changed slightly, a small tilt to her eyebrows would alert Clow of her suspicions "Here, this is for you" The witch offered quietly with a strained grin and a blush.
Charlotte grinned too, lips pulling back to stretch rosy cheeks, that coupled with her angelic appearance, transmitted nothing but eager innocence.
'She acts like an eager puppy, but I just can't trust her' Violet thought sadly 'Sometimes I think Xiao Ling is truer than Charlotte… she's hiding something'
"Usually this happens the other way around" Clow said with amusement written all over his face – his comment had Charlotte stilling for a second as her baby blue eyes turned calculative "But thank you, and thank you Miss Dubois for entertaining my apprentice – the warded room is free now" He added absently, pinning Charlotte with an unreadable expression that seemed to cow her a little.
"Y-you're welcome Teacher" The young blonde stammered, before regaining her balance and biding to make a hasty retreat. Violet had to bite her lip to hide the smirk that wanted to desperately form on her face – Clow was a terrible influence with his brand of sadistic humor. "I better go before someone else grabs the room!"
Charlotte cried out, waving at Violet after she bowed to Clow one last time. She didn't scamper out the room, but her heels did clack rather loudly as she almost ran down the hall.
Violet blinked, swallowing her sudden mirth and making her way to the chair opposite of Clow's.
"That… was strange" The witch commented, eyeing the study's opened door. Narrowing her eyes in concentration, Violet only had to focus for a second before her magic responded, closing the gaping door and sealing the room.
'Ah, the wonders of wandless magic… crude but effective, I'm getting better at it!'
Clow sent her an appreciative look, looking impressed and proud.
"Your magic is taking less time to react, you have been practicing, well done Violet" He voiced out loud. Violet preened unashamedly, glowing under the praise. Though it didn't last long as the sorcerer's countenance suddenly turned serious. "I should warn you not to trust people so easily my dear. My students might seem harmless, and my mantle might keep you safe, but do not be mistaken that they want your wellbeing"
'No need to tell me that' The witch thought huffily, a little cross that he'd think to scold her right after praising her. 'I'm not a child' And well, she absolutely isn't pouting – Nothing he said is news to Violet Potter.
"It's alright…" The words dragged out her lips slowly as she nodded.
'It is alright because I know he's only trying to look out for me' the witch understood that her position is quite precarious – though not unstable unless Clow Reed had a sudden and unexplainable change of heart – which is not going to happen.
'Though with Charlotte I'm not exactly sure what her game is'
Fresh green eyes slid from Clow's face to the rose he cradled carefully in his hands. He handled the flora so delicately that a small jab of jealousy gnawed at Violet's heart for a moment, before she caught herself being jealous of a flower of all things.
"That… Charlotte grew it with magic" The witch hinted hopefully, both so he'd pay attention to the rose, and so he'd tell her more about magic generally.
"Yes" The sorcerer smiled understandingly, holding up the rose with a hand.
Under Violet's gaze, the flower shrunk with a controlled burst of power and dark sparks until it was nothing more than a tiny bud, which he offered back to Violet. She reached to take the little bud, but instead of simply handing the button, the sorcerer's hands snatched Violet's, cradling her hands between his and encouraging their magic to mingle in the middle.
Warmth spread through her arms, thick, gentle and soothing – as if she was dipping her limbs in a pool of melted chocolate during a snow night. It felt as if starlight itself was dancing through her fingertips, snapping and bursting and rejoicing.
It lasted but a second, but it was enough to bring tears to Violet's eyes… when Clow opened their hands again, instead of the bud Violet and Charlotte collected in the garden, or the flower Charlotte grew magically – was a beautifully sparkling white little flower, with crystal like petals and a lovely aroma. Swirls of pink and red crested at the tips of each petal, and a delicate mote of light shone from the core.
"Everyone can stimulate the growth of things that are already there… but you, my dear, have the power to make them truly yours" The sorcerer whispered gently, a smile that reached his eyes illuminated his usually placid expression "If you'd allow, I rather have this one gift from you than the one from Miss Dubois that you handed in her stead"
"O-oh… I want that too" Violet answered distractively, still awed and humbled by what Clow managed to draw out of her to dwell on the words he said for long. 'The magic he coaxed into the button was mine… yet it created such a beautiful thing!'
The master sorcerer kept smiling, that soft smile that he only seemed to have for Violet – the softly glowing rose produced from Violet's magic was encased adoringly by his hands, before he let go of it so the little rose could float autonomously over his desk, like an overrated night light.
Both took a moment to admire their handiwork, before the sorcerer shifted slightly, turning to Violet and catching her attention – which she gave freely.
"Since bygone times magic users have been using magic to stimulate crop growth. It started as ritualistic pledges to the gods that evoked earth elemental magic, until humans found a better way to direct and control this power…" Clow trailed off, continuing with his impromptu lesson that was eagerly absorbed by the witch.
He continued the lecture for an hour, keeping a regardful gaze on Violet the entire time. By the time he stopped speaking, the witch was content to watch him through half lidded eyes, a thoughtful frown inadvertently marrying her face.
Instead of asking questions, since Violet was quite apt at raising her hand jokingly every time she had a doubt – a remnant of her schooling in Hogwarts - or she'd write down the question and they'd discuss various theoretical points he'd just spoke about or she read from somewhere, Violet just look pensive.
Clow lifted an inquiring eyebrow, catching the witch in the middle of a distracted blink.
"Is there something bothering you?" He asked humorously, a smile gracing his lips.
Violet shook her head.
"No. I'm just wondering when we will leave and if anyone else was coming with" She answered with a sigh. Clow just stared at the witch, catching her eyes with his as he told her honestly.
"Just us. Now come along my dear apprentice, let us adjourn to the library so we can go more in depth over what you know about spell craft"
Said apprentice could only groan… more lectures.
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TBX~