Author's Note: Another installment of Crisis Converging. Beware: multiple new characters (and later installments will only introduce even more) so prepare yourself (you've been duly warned).
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Crisis Converging
By Renatus
Chapter 03 : The Wight School
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"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other." – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
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Harry tugged at his vest, smoothing the grey fabric over his shirt. It was a simple shirt, collared and buttoned like any normal Muggle shirt, except it's sleeves were a bit fuller and the cuffs around his wrist fitted nearly to his elbow. The act of wearing a vest over it was different for him, and the snug, durable fabric made him feel skinny after his Dudley cast-offs.
"Try tucking it in," Liam said. Harry glanced at the man standing in his doorway, before doing as he suggested, and tucking the shirt into the slim pair of black trousers. The trousers weren't snug, but were far from baggy either, tucked into a pair of half-calf boots.
"Style doesn't matter much at Arxum," Liam commented. "You can wear whatever style clothing you prefer, but there are color codes that you must follow. The plain white shirt and grey vest denotes an unplaced student; one who has not chosen a specialty." He gestured to Evan, who was sitting cross-legged on his bed, and dressed similarly to Harry, except his shirtsleeves were off at the bicep and his vest was yellow. "The yellow vest over top is a symbol of the Primary School. Red is the Combat Arts, blue is Healing and so forth. It is the colors that are your uniform, and you must wear them while at the school."
Harry inspected Liam's own dress, similar to his own though the man's boots were considerably taller. His shirt was grey instead of white, and he wore a red vest over top of it. There were symbols stitched into the left breast with grey thread (two crossed swords over a silhouette of a dragon) and the man had a dark grey long coat thrown over top. Harry could see the man's arm braces peeking out from the sleeves.
"Ready?" Liam asked.
Harry nodded and allowed Liam to grip his shoulder and pull him close to the taller man. Evan scrambled off the bed and wrapped an arm around the man's waist. With the gut-wrenching sensation that was apparation, the three left the lop-sided Breasal house behind. The world tilted and spun around him and Harry was only saved from tumbling to the ground by Liam's firm hand on his shoulder.
Harry scowled, "I hate apparation," he said, prompting a quiet chuckle from the man.
"Side-along apparation is more disorienting than when you apparate yourself," Liam said. He pointed a head of them, "Welcome to the Citadel."
Harry looked up at the school and stared. It wasn't quite what he had been expecting. Actually, it was a bit less than what he had imagined. He had thought that Arxum would be something like Hogwarts – an old castle towering into the sky. The Citadel wasn't very tall at all, and it looked more like a fortress than a castle. It was situated on a flat stretch of cliff that looked to have been cut out of the mountain. A shadowed forest clung to the side of the hill, surrounding the cliff, school, grounds and a stretch of overgrown fields off to the side. The buildings that he could see were mostly made of a grey-brown stone, topped with red shingles, and were clustered close together and butted up against the side of the mountain, leaving the grounds to stretch out to the edge of the cliff in front.
"Look, Harry," Evan said, pointing behind them. Harry turned, and found that they were standing close to the edge of a high cliff. The plateau the school was on dropped suddenly and steeply, the cliff rocks sparse from anything but the smallest of vegetation. The cliff ran straight into the circling forest, far enough below them that their line of sight wasn't at all hindered by the trees. Far below them stretched a red-roofed village, and past that a wide, calm lake that emptied into a river that disappeared through a patchwork of wood, field and fence line on the horizon.
"That is Bertrao," Liam said, "It is a Wizarding village. Ars Arxum was built out of the ruins of its castle, Bertrao Torre, after an attack that nearly decimated both castle and village. From that point Arxum was more than just a castle, it had become a Citadel – a fortress. Some of the ruins of Bertrao Torre are still here. The Headmaster's Tower is one of the few pieces of the old castle that is still standing. The rest of Arxum is newer. It is updated often."
"Where are we?" Harry asked.
"Northern Spain," Liam said, "Come on, we'll visit the village later this week."
Harry and Evan followed Liam to the school, and Harry got a better look at the buildings that made it. He had thought at first that they were separate buildings, but with a closer look he realized that they were all connected, seeming to run into each other as if they had once been separate and had been pushed together.
They passed through a deep, if wide arch and Harry suddenly realized that a part of the outer buildings was actually a really thick wall. The school opened up to a wide courtyard paved with uneven stones. Off to one side stood an old grey stone tower with narrow windows and a red-slated roof - the same roof that all of the buildings had. Liam pointed it out as being the Headmaster's Tower. Broken stone walls trailed away from it, overgrown with grass and moss, and another narrow building had been built into the back of it, connecting the tower to the wall of buildings around the courtyard. Most of the buildings were built with red brick or tan stone, and decorated in a Spanish architectural style that had wooden beams stretched up to the roofs. The wall-buildings arched somewhat erratically but generally formed a half-circle that completely enclosed the courtyard with the aid of the sheer cliff of the mountain it was butted up to. More buildings seemed to have been grown out of the mountainside, and Harry wondered how deep into the mountain the school went.
"There are six main sections to Arxum," Liam said, leading them along a cobbled path that cut through the center of the circling wall. Most of the courtyard was paved with uneven stone in a circular pattern. Wide paths stretched out from it in six directions.
"Ars Arxum has six sub-schools, called colleges, that make up the greater Institution," Liam continued, "You will learn about them soon enough. The short of it is that there are five main colleges that teach masteries, and one college that caters mostly to children and teaches the basics of magic. Evan is enrolled in the sixth, called the Primary School. He'll likely graduate from it early this year."
Evan smiled and nodded and Liam pointed to a three-story building that had been molded into an inner portion of the wall near the tower. Another, taller building was beyond it, partially separate, yet still connected, and helped to form the outer part of the circular wall. "That is the main building for the Primary School. Classrooms, dormitories and meal halls are all located there specifically for that school. This helps to keep the Primary School separate from the rest of the Arxum students. Unlike the rest of the students, the Primary School students are off-limits for trials."
"Trials?" Harry asked.
"Yes, trials." Liam said, "Think of them like impromptu tests."
Harry narrowed his eyes at the other man, not much liking the concept or the way his eyes gleamed.
"Trials is the school's way of keeping her students on their toes, testing what they have learned and their progress, and preparing them for the world," Liam said.
"So what exactly are they?"
Liam shrugged elegantly, "They can be anything."
"Anything?"
"Yes," Liam said. "You will learn."
Harry glared at him, annoyed with the non-explanation. Liam had thrown that phrase – 'you will learn' – at him nearly every time Harry asked about Arxum and how the school was run. He kept getting distinct impressions that it was handled considerably different from Hogwarts, but he had yet to get much of a straight answer.
"You will be tested to determine your knowledge and skill level," Liam said, starting to lead them down the path towards the Headmaster's Tower. "It's an aptitude test. From there you will be able to begin choosing your classes and enter a college."
"What college did you enter?" Harry asked.
"I was entered into both the College of Combat Arts and College of Natural Studies," he said. "Which is unusual, but not unheard of. It is more common to earn one mastery and return to earn the second at a later time, rather than earn two at once."
"Was that in – er…"
"In both worlds, yes," Liam said, raising an eyebrow at his trailed off sentence. "When I arrived here five years ago and re-enrolled at Arxum I tested directly into adept status. Adepts are graduated students without a Mastery." Liam preempted his question. "From there it only took me a year to officially complete my two masteries again. The Headmaster employed me as the Groundsmaster shortly after."
Harry nodded, thoughtful. "What level will I be at?"
"You are considered a novice at this point," Liam said. "On that scale, Evan is a juvenile until he tests out of the Primary School and I am a master."
"How many levels are there?" Harry asked, wondering if he would be able to keep them all straight.
"There are four student levels and each are marked by the white sleeves," Liam gestured to Harry's shirt. "Juvenile, novice, notare and three varieties of adept. These are all called owens. Owen is a Wight school term for student."
"So I'm an owen?" Harry asked. Liam nodded. "And a novice."
"Exactly. You'll be tested to see if you are able to make notare status and chose a specialization."
"This might take a bit to remember," Harry commented.
Liam smirked. "You will learn."
Harry scowled at the man as they continued across the school grounds.
A brown-haired man dressed in an open robe greeted them at the base of the tower. The robe floated around him as he walked, revealing plain slacks and shirt with tall leather boots, all of which were brown. He wasn't overly tall, though his shoulders were broad and his arms thick, and he walked with a strange rolling gate that made him look bow-legged. He couldn't have been over thirty. He smiled widely at them, showing off sharp canines and bright amber eyes.
"Liam!" the man greeted, "How was your summer?"
"Lan," Liam shook his hand with a smile and a nod, "It was well, thank you."
"And you, Mr. Breasal?" Lan asked, ruffling Evan's hair, causing the boy to scowl up at him.
"Good, sir," Evan said. Lan chuckled as Evan tried to tame his hair after the ruffling.
"In case you don't know," Lan said to Liam, "your young Mr. Macaire has been having some troubles with the Hippogriff herds this past week," Lan said.
Liam sighed, "He shouldn't be near them around the full moon."
"Aye, aye," Lan said, his grin faltering a bit. "Figured you'd want to know. I was going to do something about it, but he hasn't sent them off on a rampage yet, and he's your apprentice."
"Thanks," Liam said, a hint of sarcasm leaking into his voice. Harry found it odd, he didn't often hear Liam resort to sarcasm.
Lan laughed and turned to look at Harry. Harry thought the man looked a bit feral, and he wasn't sure if it was the wide grin or the gold eyes that reminded him of Remus.
"Is this your new lad?" Lan asked.
"Aye," Liam said, moving to place a hand on Harry's shoulder, "This is Harry Jameson. He is a half-brother of Evan's by their mother."
"Is he then?" Lan said, looking highly amused. The man winked at Liam, then offered his hand to Harry. Harry took it after only a slight pause, and nearly cringed at the tight grip the man had. His hands were thick and muscular and Harry thought he felt bones scrape together at the force of the handshake.
"Welcome to the Citadel, Mr. Jameson," Lan said, grinning. "I am Headmaster Divot Landcastor."
"Uh, thanks Headmaster," Harry said, taken aback that this young, cheerful man was the Headmaster.
Lan laughed again and released his hand. "Have you tested him for placement yet, Liam?" Lan asked.
"No, I figured I would let another, since he is a relation and I'll take his sponsorship."
"Fair enough," Lan said, "Did you have someone in mind?"
"Not particularly. Whoever is available will be fine," Liam said. "Though he'll likely have a bit of a knack for the Combat Arts subjects, considering his history." Liam paused and glanced between Evan and Harry. "Additional tests in Healing wouldn't be remiss either."
"You think they're alike on their mother's side, then," Lan said, looking between the two with a knowing grin, "You certainly never professed much interest in healing."
"Quite."
Lan nodded and motioned for the three to follow him. "I'll see who is in the mood for a good testing, then," he said, giving Harry a wide grin.
The Headmaster led them into the tower and directly up five floors of spiraling stairs. The room at the top opened up with a vaulted ceiling and surrounded by narrow windows. A large wooden desk dominated the center of the room with a few chairs in front, behind which was a set of double doors. Two large battleaxes were tacked above the doors. The walls were hidden behind a host of shelves, tables and cabinets of all shapes and sizes. Most of the shelves held books, but there was equipment and gear that put Harry in mind of a muggle military installation, or an armory. Over all the room was mostly academic, and while he was vaguely reminded of Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts, Landcaster's office was also distinctly different.
"You said you had received custody of another child," the Headmaster said, gesturing for them to sit, "But you didn't tell me he was another you."
Harry froze, halfway between standing and sitting.
"In a letter by owl post?" Liam said, taking a seat between Harry and Evan, "Not likely, Lan."
Harry sat the rest of the way into the chair and chanced a look at the Headmaster. Landcaster was watching him, a grin stretched across his face. Harry scowled, feeling like he had been the butt of a joke.
Lan laughed, "Oh he is like you."
"I would imagine so," Liam said, his face stoic but his eyes filled with amusement.
"He hasn't gone through your rituals, though," Lan said, thoughtfully, "Which would explain why you thought to test him for a healing aptitude."
"He's too young yet, anyways," Liam said, waving a hand in dismissal, "His life was similar to Evan's, though he never saw an orphanage. Otherwise the two seem quite similar."
"I see," Lan said, leaning back in his chair. The chair tipped back dangerously, lifting three of its feet off the floor. The Headmaster didn't seem at all bothered by the balancing act as he looked between the three seated before his desk. Harry's curiosity about Liam's rituals grew again. He hadn't outright asked the man about them since he had met him, and Liam did not volunteer any information on them at all. To know that he had to be of a certain age to go through them was the biggest clue Harry had yet gotten about them, past what he had been told initially.
"So should I assign the boy to Sybaris?" Lan asked, looking intently at Harry, "or Albireo? I would give him to Lovell to test but I think the old wolf would break him. Were you ever that small?"
Harry frowned, while Liam made a disagreeing noise.
"He's tougher than he looks, Lan," Liam said, "and I don't think Albireo would be ideal."
"Oh? Why not?" Lan asked.
"I think he could learn more from another," Liam said, his voice both suggestive and casual.
Harry wondered what he meant, and he thought that the Headmaster was a bit curious as well, but Lan didn't ask for clarification and Harry knew better than to ask for an explanation after that tone of voice. It had taken Harry a couple days, but it had finally clicked that with Liam's age – which he suspected was quite a bit older than the man looked – Liam knew a great deal more about the so-called future than Harry did. Liam also knew about Arxum and its people, which Harry knew nothing about. It made Harry feel like he was at a bit of a disadvantage, especially when the other man started talking in ways that left Harry confused. It was like he was giving away hints about the future without actually saying anything.
"Alright, I can take a hint," Lan said easily. "I'll see if Sybaris and Lovell want to fight over him. Though if Albireo is around, he'll want to see what the lad can do."
"I know," Liam said.
"I wonder if Artegal is here," Lan said, glancing towards the windows absently.
"Monat?" Liam asked. "That could be interesting. I hadn't actually considered her. She doesn't typically bother with the testing of novice students."
"There's always the chance of a first."
"Indeed."
The Headmaster nodded, "Alright, summon Athanasios and find the lad a room."
Harry didn't know how Liam summoned Athanasios, but ten minutes later they were joined by another boy, who glided into the room so silently that Harry nearly jumped when he saw him. Liam introduced him by a name longer than Harry could remember, and with more syllables than he personally thought prudent or pronounceable. He wore the white sleeves and red vest of a Combat Arts student, but Harry couldn't figure out what level of student he was, though he was sure there was some way to determine it by the man's dress.
"Athan will find you a room," Liam said, giving Harry a name he could actually remember for the other boy. "Take the time to get settled in and I will pick you up later for lunch."
Harry nodded, and followed both Evan and Athan out of the tower, taking the door behind the Headmaster's desk rather than the stairs downward.
Athanasios turned out to be a nineteen-year-old vampire. Harry hadn't realized it at first, as the young man seemed perfectly human, if a bit aloof (almost Malfoy-ish). He was tall and pale, with grayish hair and yellow eyes. It wasn't until they had escorted Evan to his dorm room, which he shared with three other boys, and Athan finally smiled that Harry figured it out.
There was no mistaking the fangs.
Evan didn't seem the least bit surprised or daunted by the idea, and while it had surprised Harry, he wasn't much unnerved by it. He was more annoyed with the older boy's aristocratic pride than his race.
"Settled, then, Mr. Breasal?" Athan asked Evan.
Evan gave the other boy a small smile and nodded as he wandered into his room. It was spacious, and featured four nooks that held beds and dressers. Another boy was already there when they entered, and bounced up from his bed to greet Evan enthusiastically.
"Hey Mick," Evan said, grinning as the other wrapped him in a hug. The boy was taller than Evan, but almost as skinny. Harry thought the two looked quite a bit alike considering they weren't actually related. Mick's hair was nearly the same shade as Evan's, both a sort of reddish-brown, though Evan's was darker and Mick's was almost blonde in its lightness. They both had green eyes, and light skin.
"Harry," Evan called, "This is my blood brother, Mickero Landcaster."
Harry blinked. "Blood brother?"
Evan nodded and held up his left hand, showing off a scar that trailed across his palm. "We started at Arxum together," Evan said. "Mick this my half brother, Harry. We have the same mum."
Harry nodded to the other boy. "Nice to meet you."
"You too, Mr. Breasal," Mick said. "Wow, you two look a lot alike."
"It's Jameson," Harry said, "And you can call me Harry."
Mick nodded.
"Are you related to the Headmaster?" Harry asked, noting the same last name.
"He's my uncle," Mick said. "He and my dad are both werewolves, they got bit when they were kids, but I didn't inherit it. I sorta wish I had, it would make physical education classes easier. Werewolves are just stronger and faster than humans, but I suppose then I'd be held to a higher standard, so maybe it's fine anyways."
Harry guessed that he had figured out where Evan got his talkativeness from.
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"We are children of our landscape; it dictates behavior and even thought in the measure to which we are responsive to it." – Lawrence Durrell
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"You are related to Master Breasal?" Athan asked.
Harry glanced up at the tall form walking beside him. He was being led through the maze-like corridors of the school. He had only a vague idea where he was in relation to the Primary School's dorm rooms – where they had left Evan to unpack and socialize with Mick, and no idea how to return to the Headmaster's Tower. The interior of the school was much larger than he had anticipated it being from the outside.
"Yes, he is a cousin I think," Harry said.
"And you are related to Evan?"
"He's my half-brother." Harry found it easy to claim. He and Evan were so much alike that it felt like they were brothers, on the occasions that Harry managed to forget that they were actually one and the same but from different realities. If they were the same age, Harry figured they could have been twins.
Harry looked back at the boy next to him, "And you are?"
"Forgive me," Athan said, looking down at him, "I am Athanasios Lacque Leiandrosoka, Apprentice of Master Liam-Ri Breasal."
Harry blinked at the other's name. He still wasn't entirely sure about being able to pronounce it himself.
"You're Liam's apprentice?" Harry asked.
"One of three, yes," Athan said, "We also serve as groundskeepers to the school as Master Breasal is the Groundsmaster here."
"What level of student are you?" Harry asked.
Athan glanced sideways at him for a moment before answering. "I am an Apprentice Adept," he said, "This can be deduced from the grey that borders my vest." He traced one of the grey ribbing that hemmed the red of his vest. Harry nodded. Niether he nor Evan had the duo-toned vest, though when he thought about it, Liam's had a black bordering. He wondered if the different color meant anything and figured that it probably did.
"Have you yet been tested?" Athan asked.
"No. Liam suspects that I'll be able to make notare," Harry said, "Not that I'm clear about the difference."
Athan smirked at him. "Notares are given greater trials than a novice."
"It'd be nice if I knew what the bloody hell that meant," Harry grumbled.
Dark chuckling made him start, and he stared at his companion as he laughed. Athan was as poised while laughing as he was at any other time, though the flash of fangs made him look more dangerous.
"You will learn," Athan said, still smirking.
Harry scowled at him.
They lapsed into silence after that, walking through the white-washed hallways until they came upon an open hall. It was tall, stretching multiple stories above them with a vaulted ceiling. Wooden beams criss-crossed the open space near the top in between wide paneled windows. The sun streamed in through the windows, broken up by the beams to cast the hall into spotty shadows and light. Two layers of balconies ringed the room, with stairwells at two corners and more doors than Harry could quickly count.
"This is the Atrium," Athan said. "It is the center of the Arxum colleges." He gestured to the flooring. A patterned mosaic of tiles decorated the floor, forming a circular, radial design that stretched out from the center in an array of colors. "The Atrium leads to most of the other places in the school, though some of the branches are connected to each other as well."
Athan lead him away from the sunlit hall and down one of the corridors off the first level balcony. The hallway was wide, but not overly large and the floor was bordered near the wall with a wave-like pattern of white and grey tiles. The walls on both sides were lined with windows. He had noticed that the tile patterns in some of the other halls they had passed in the Atrium were different colors.
"This is the Owen Commens area," Athan said as the hallway opened into another room. "Here you will find the student dormitories, study rooms, lounges and dining hall. Essentially, this is your home."
Harry nodded absently as he studied the room. It was cozy and spacious, featuring the same whitewashing on the stones and warm wooden beams that decorated the upper portion of the walls and ceiling as most of the rest of the school. It wasn't nearly as big as the Atrium, but featured a balcony on the second floor that was deeper and looked to hold a selection of couches and chairs. A wide, curving stairwell was on the right. A pair of double doors led off to the left into a spacious hall that was set up much the same as Hogwart's Great Hall. More doorways led to the right and off to the front of him as well as off the balcony area.
"Come, I'll find you a room."
Athan led him up the stairs and down one of the four hallways that led off of the balcony. Doors lined the hall at even intervals on both sides. Harry guessed that there was something near twenty of them. Most of them held a simple plaque that read a name, bordered in the same squared, wave-like pattern that was on the floors. Athan stopped at plain wooden door towards the end of the hall, and pushed it open.
"This will do," Athan said, standing aside as Harry followed him into the room.
It was about the size of his Hogwart's dorm room, though was L-shaped, and seemed brighter in color with the white walls. A washroom and closet was nestled into the space created by the shape of the room directly to his right, and two wide windows sat in the wall opposite the door. It was sparsely furnished, giving him only a double bed, a desk and a chair. The typical wooden beams hung low from the ceiling, nearly to the point that he could reach up and touch them with his fingers.
He liked it.
"I like it," Harry said, grinning at the space that was now his own.
Athan didn't reply, and just stood near the doorway as Harry inspected the washroom and closet.
"You do know how to ward, right?" Athan asked.
"Ward?"
Harry was sure he heard the man sigh.
"What are you? Wizard?"
"Uh, yeah," Harry said, not sure what else he would be.
"You'll have to cast wand wards then," Athan said. "They aren't as secure as some others, but they can be more varied than a sorcerer's wards. You will have to research the topic. I do not know much about wizard's wards, else I would give you some tips."
"Why would I need wards?" Harry asked, confused by the talk of sorcerers.
Athan raised his eyebrows, surprise flickering across his face. "Did Master Breasal tell you nothing of the trials at Arxum?"
"All he tells me is that I'll learn," Harry grumped. "I haven't a clue what you guys keep going on about trials."
Athan was silent for a moment, staring at him in something like surprise or incredulity; Harry wasn't sure.
"Trials are the way that Arxum tests its students," Athan said. "Trials can be anything, and given by anyone of equal or greater level than you, owen, adept or master. They are not scheduled, and are rarely preempted by a notice. Trials can vary in nature. Some are designed to test your magical skills, others your survival, character or knowledge. They can test to see what you know, or how well you've learned class material. Students often test each other to establish hierarchy amongst themselves. As a new student at Arxum, you'll be put through trials more than others until people are more familiar with you and what you are capable of. The wards on your room will help keep people out of it, and allow you to sleep more soundly in the night."
Harry stared at the other man, increasingly surprised as he continued the explanation. He would readily admit that he was a bit nervous. The concept of others breaking into his room to test his survival skills made him particularly edgy. He had a very strong feeling that life at ars Arxum was going to be very different than Hogwarts.
"I'll take my leave now," Athan said, with a small smirk. Harry nodded and watched the young man leave, closing the door behind him without another word.
Harry looked around his room again and pulled out his shrunken trunk from his pocket. It was time to unpack, and then he would have to find information about wards.
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Harry spent the next two days ensconced in the Arxum library. He had found it quite by accident, nestled off the main floor of the Atrium and towering five stories high, full of more books than Harry knew to really exist in the world. Like most of Arxum's large chambers, the library featured a series of balconies and curving stairwells to connect them. Each balcony level was lined with more shelves and towers of books, with the occasional table, chair or sofa nestled into corners.
The kindly librarian, an elderly Madam Ingram, took an almost immediate liking to him and was happy to help him find the section on wizard's wards. When Harry first stared at the aisle and realized that half the books within were about warding with a wand, Madam Ingram took pity on him and helped him find a few books that detailed some of the basics of the subject.
That was when he learned that there were different sorts of magics.
"You mean that there are wizards as well as sorcerers and mages?" Harry asked.
The old woman smiled and nodded. "That's exactly it. Human magic takes on one of the three. You see, magic behaves differently for a wizard and a sorcerer. And mages, too are different. Of course, wizard magic is most common amongst humans, but humans are capable of being sorcerer or mage as well."
"What's the difference?"
"A wizard's magic is contained within a core in their bodies," Ingram said, motioning towards Harry's chest. "They use a wand in conjunction with specific words and motions to cast spells. Their magic is drawn from their core. You, Mr. Jameson, are a wizard."
Harry nodded. "And you?"
She smiled. "I am a sorcerer, or sorceress, either works as there isn't really a gender difference."
"What is a sorcerer's magic like then?"
"A sorcerer's magic comes more from outside of themselves rather than from within. Sorcerers don't have a core so much," she said, looking thoughtful. "We draw in and store our magic, unlike a wizard who naturally has their magic as a part of them, their own sort of energy, say. A sorcerer's magic isn't as versatile as a wizard's, but can be more powerful. We need a focus as well, though it can be any number of items including, but not limited to, a wand. Does that make sense, dear?"
"I think so," Harry said.
"Now for a mage," Ingram continued, easily falling into a sort of lecture mode. "Mage magic, like sorcerer magic, comes from outside of themselves, but doesn't really have to be stored. Mages have a great deal of power, and also draw magic for casting from their environment. This is somewhat different from both wizards and sorcerers. Sorcerers must draw magic into themselves and then cast out from that store. Wizards cast from their core, but mages draw magic directly from the environment and can draw much more power than either wizards or sorcerers are capable of.
"Now mage magic is very powerful and is more versatile than sorcerer magic, but not as varied as wizard magic. Ah yes, and mages do not need a focus or a wand. Their bodies themselves are their focus. Your guardian, Master Breasal is a mage."
Harry sighed and leaned back into his chair, somewhat overwhelmed by the new knowledge. Madam Ingram had left him after that and Harry was somewhat grateful. It seemed like a lot to take in. He had no idea that a human's magic could take on different forms. He had always figured that a wizard was a wizard and that was that. Apparently his world was far more detailed and elaborate than he had ever dreamed.
Harry rubbed tiredly at his eyes, pushing his glasses up over his forehead in the process. The books spread out in front of him were all on wizard's wards. Harry was a wizard, and so needed to cast his wards with a wand rather than some of the other methods used by the different sorts of magic-users. The subject of wizard wards was vast and somewhat complicated, but seemed to start out basic enough. Harry figured he would be able to cast a few basic wards soon.
"How is your research coming?"
Harry started, jerking upright and letting his glasses fall back crookedly on his nose. Liam looked at him in his barely-there amused sort of way and Harry felt somewhat sheepish for startling so much. The man was deadly quiet on his feet, and had snuck up on him on more than one occasion over the past few weeks. Harry was still not used to that. He rarely noticed the other man's arrival.
"Fine I guess," Harry said, straightening his glasses and looking across the books spread out before him. "There's a lot about wards, I'm kind of overwhelmed."
"Wizard's wards are an extensive field of study," Liam commented. "As are the breaking of them."
"Cursebreakers?"
"A cursebreaker is one position that someone who has studied warding and their breaking can take, yes."
Harry puffed out a sigh, leaning his chin in one hand, still staring at the books but not really seeing any of them. It was just so much information.
"It is a lot to take in, isn't it?" Liam asked softly.
Harry nodded awkwardly, his chin still in his hand. "I feel like I'm starting over again."
"Ah, yes. I understand."
And Harry knew that he did. Liam had left Hogwarts to attend Arxum when he was sixteen as well, the same age as Harry now. He figured if the other man could deal with all that the Wight school brought, than Harry certainly could. They were the same person, after all, once all was said and done.
"I don't suppose you'd help me with these wards?" Harry asked, looking at the man hopefully.
Liam's mouth twitched into a half-smirk and the man looked over the books on the table. "You have a good start, it looks like."
Harry sighed. "It doesn't always make sense, though."
"Explain what you're thinking to me," Liam said, settling into a chair across form him.
Harry nodded and launched into a rather piecemealed explanation of what he was thinking of doing with the wards for his room. With his limited knowledge on the subject (despite his intensive two day research spree) he really wasn't sure about most of his ideas. He knew he would have to start with some of the simpler ward spells and try to build them up from there, but he wasn't even sure he could build up wand wards. He told Liam his theories and plans, little that they were and sat back to see if Liam would give him some advice. Or maybe cast the wards for him.
"Alright," Liam started, pulling a chair out and sitting in it. "Wizard wards are a vast field and can take on many different forms and purposes. What you need to remember is that they cannot be cast at the same time."
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I got that much."
"What you can do is layer them."
"One on top of the other," Harry said, "Is there a limit?"
"No."
"So," Harry stared at the tabletop absently, "I can cast as many wards as I want?"
"No."
Harry let out an irritated breath, and Liam's lips quirked slightly in amusement.
"Think about it, Harry," Liam said, dropping his half smirk. "What are wards tied to?"
"An anchor."
"And what is the anchor?"
Harry thought about that. He hadn't actually come across that information. He knew that an anchor was needed, but not exactly what it was. At some points he figured it was an object, at others the caster of the wards.
"I don't know," Harry conceded.
Liam nodded, seemingly pleased by Harry's admittance to his lack of knowledge.
"It can be any number of things, actually," Liam said. "It is most common for stationary wards to be anchored to an object, typically a stone or series of stones, sometimes gems. Temporary wards can be anchored to their caster, or another wizard, so long as they have the strength to hold them for that time."
"Alright, so for warding a room, I'd anchor them to an object."
"Yes, exactly."
"What sort of object?"
"One that can handle the amount and power of the wards you want it to hold."
They fell into a comfortable sort of silence while Harry listed different objects in his head. Liam had said stones or gems, though Harry had none of them at his disposal. He figured he could probably buy something, or maybe find it, but he didn't know what to look for yet.
"I'm going to have to do some more research, aren't I?" Harry asked, staring down at the books again. Liam chuckled softly at that, and Harry resisted the urge to scowl at him.
"How do you know so much about wizard wards, anyways, Harry asked petulantly.
One dark eyebrow rose at his comment, and Harry wondered if he had maybe insulted the man.
"I wasn't always a mage, Harry."
"How…" Harry trailed off, not sure that he wanted to ask how Liam went from being a wizard to a mage. Something told him it wouldn't be a pleasant story. Maybe it was the dark look in the man's eyes when Harry began to ask.
"It is rare, for a person's magic to change its nature like mine did," he said, his voice quiet. "There are multiple ways that such a thing occurs. One day I will tell you how it happened to me."
Harry frowned, but didn't push the issue.
"If I had a choice," Liam said, meeting Harry's eyes, "you would not follow the path that I did. If I can help it, you won't have to."
Harry's frown deepened but he still didn't ask the questions that he wanted to. It was not the first time that he had gotten the impression that Liam had regrets about his life and world. Harry had yet to figure out much about the other man's history. He was remarkably sparse with details and the few times that Harry asked anything about his past the man would divert his attention without really answering much. Harry trusted him that he would tell him – someday – but his curiosity wasn't about to go away.
"Are you ready for your testing?" Liam asked, changing the subject.
Harry groaned, sprawling back into his chair. "No."
oooOoooOoooOooo
Author's Note: A lot of new information here. Think you got it all? Shall I test you on it later? And there is more to come. Hah!
You know, it's rather fun to elaborate on this Wizarding World; making it more, deeper, vaster. It's like we got a glimpse of a harbor in the books and now I get to take you out to explore the vast ocean. Hah. Sentimental or something I guess…
Do enjoy my imagination. That is, after all, the entire point of this.