It is again the end of the year - a few scant days before I go home for the summer. I just know I'll miss this place. The summer is a looming, dark presence. A trial I'm not sure I'm ready to face.
I'll never allow myself to be alone with my father. Otherwise, I'll act the same. My excuse will be preparing my brother, Adam, for Hogwarts. 'I want him to know what to expect when he gets there, and to have insights to the school and how it works I wish I had.'
I just hope it's good enough. I'll also insist on having a sleep-over with Sarah and Daphne at separate times. I'll set up different pass-phrases so if I get mind-wiped again, or father does some ritual stuff to hinder me / trick me, we can undo it. I'll just give them each the knowledge that I am Sindrie Amaglain. They don't need to know what that means, but if I'm confronted with that and don't remember telling them, then I'll know something is up.
Outside of planning to survive my soon-to-be homeward trip, I'm also preparing for the fiesta which is sure to happen in the school soon.
Namely, the thief will try to steal the stone sometime soon. They have scant days left, now.
I am presently heading back from a duelling session with Professor Flitwick - the final stage of dueling is getting harder to achieve. I was stuck at 88 in dueling, but after the breakthrough after the spring-ball and my meltdown post-Heather, I got to 92. Now it's slowly grinding up. I've barely squeaked out 2 points in the last couple months. Horribly slow. The difference in points, now, is as much as 10 points were, back around level 60, though.
Tonight, we were working through what he called a 'mental block.' Something that was stopping me from progressing because I didn't know it was possibile or didn't think what was actually achievable was, actually.
The Mental Block? The fact I had made Flitwick move from the circle, specifically, how I had done it. That's how I'd gotten to 94 - but I'd never been able to replicate it due to my mental block - and stark disbelief I'd actually done it.
I still think he was fibbing about my moving him, but that was the point, I guess.
As I pondered these thoughts I wandered past McGonagall's office as I do often, these days, since we moved down to the un-used dueling room on the first floor. This evening, there was conversation - unusual. Not unprecedented. The door was also cracked - Mcgonagal is speaking. "... the stone, but I can assure you it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly, if you please." She asks, and my eyes widen as I hear Harry give a swift agreement. I duck behind a suit of armor to hide, casting every stealth spell I can think of to cover myself. A quest dings.
The Hogwarts Hall of Traps, Trouble and Trolls.
Objectives: Make sure the Philosopher's Stone Stays Safe!
Bonus Objectives:
Make sure no one (other than the potential thief) Dies!
Don't get caught out of bounds!
Do the first half with no help!
Do the second half with no help!
Recover the Stone before it can be taken!
Defeat Quirrell in single combat!
Secret Objective(s):
Discover Quirrell is the Thief before anyone else! (Complete!)
Convince people in power of his guilt beforehand! (1 success out of 55 possibile.)
Harry thinks it's in danger, tonight? The theory must have sound foundations if he thinks tonight is the night. I know only faculty and a couple students from each house have gone up to the corridor.
Well damn. He probably thinks it's Snape, still. I'm convinced, clearly correctly, it's Quirrel. His level is still ?'s, and I'm concerned since he is definitively the one who's awakened like myself and Dumbledore (and Flitwick and Babbling). I know for a fact he's weaker than the other core-subject teachers, but how much so?
Well, if I'm right, It'll be best to send a message to Dumbledore and make sure no one dies while he's gone. Despite his relevant flaws, I think he's a force for good that is needed while the world is in a sort of limbo like it is now. If I'm Quirrel, when do I strike?
Like every evil Wizard - in the dead of night.
10pm sounds about right.
I know I probably can't beat the traps myself. I also know I couldn't beat Quirrell in a duel. This means one thing - I need to make sure I do everything else, if I can.
I jog off to my dorm for a quick nap. I have two hours before my hot date with a deadly corridor.
Now, how do I get Sarah to cover for me?
After a few minutes of thinking, and jogging, I have my answer. I'll owe her any-one thing she wants, no questions asked. Pretty tough to offer, unless you're in this situation we're in. Then it feels really fine. What'll she ask me to do? Kiss her? I already kiss my sister, mother and father regularly. It's not too uncommon. Kissing was also brutally common in my last life - both aromantically, as with my mother and sister and father, and romantically, as she would be asking.
In short, she wouldn't ask me for anything too out there. She would probably use it for something simple she wanted from me that I didn't realize she was curious about.
I opened the door to my room and glanced at the clock - 7:49 PM. "Hey Sarah, I've a favor to ask of you!" I call into the room, shutting the door behind me and locking it, and hitting it with silencing spells.
"Mm? What's that?" She asks from her spot at the desk, where she is busily calculating an arithmetic equation.
"Well, I need to sneak out tonight, and I need you to cover for me. It's really important." I say, my voice, even to me sounds rather pleading.
It is really important. I can help people not wind up dead. That's very important.
"Sure! You owe me one, though!" She chirps. I sigh in relief.
"Yea, anything you want." I tell her, and she, at that, turns.
"Anything?" She asks, surprised. I shrug.
"Yea, anything." I reply. She nods.
"I have a few questions, then if you're sure. Can I ask them, and you promise a true answer?" She asks. I blink. What kind of questions?
"Sure. I don't really have anything to hide." I tell her. I really don't.
"Okay, well, the first question I have is about some things you talk about in your sleep. Like who's Markus? Or Tyriel? I'm not aware of any Mark outside of Charmichael and Flint. I'm sure you weren't talking about either of those assholes." She says, and my eyes go wide.
"Huh, this is one question that will take some time to answer. Simply put, they're not people that exist in this world, and I only can see them in my dreams or with special artifacts. I'll be happy to show you some of them with our shared Occlumency and Legilimency, when you've completely mastered Occlumency." I sigh sadly, thinking about them. "It's really a shame that I'll never be able to see them again." She seems shocked at my addendum, but more focused now.
"I've also done research on each of the gods you mentioned. All are brought up except for the Luminous one. He's never mentioned anywhere." She says, the question is clear 'who is that'?
"He's something in line with Tyriel and Markus. Something of a personal patron, though, as opposed to someone I love and hold dear. I've been directly told my skill with Magic and my ability, birth and even some of my memories and personality are because he allowed me to have or retain them. He is also a deity which stands above a lot of the others in a very notable way. He controls vast swathes of the multiverse and... it's really difficult to explain. This is just from what I've surmised, based on my infrequent interaction with him, anyways." This is all honest. I know for a fact he's interacted with me directly or intervened on my behalf directly. I also know he's as strong as, or stronger than Io, who was the original deity who made the naturally strongest race in the local universe - Dragons - at the start of time. He also single handedly - as in he literally used one hand - beat lesser gods and goddesses. He's much more powerful than most. The Luminous being operates at least on this level.
"Okay, that's frankly a lot to process. I know you aren't insane, so I'm just going to process that quietly, for awhile. Last question for now - is your mission tonight potentially deadly?" She asks, very serious.
"Not for me. I'm going to stop people from getting themselves killed. Not actively doing anything dangerous or that may get myself killed." I tell her. She nods. This is also true. If I run into something I can't handle, I'll stop, wait and then help whoever does try to do it.
Or hinder them, if it's Quirrell. By 'Hinder' I mean 'follow after he clears and try to set off every alarm I can without alerting him' but considering we're both awakened?
Might be hard to hide. I'll still try my damndest. I'll shadow-walk out if needed. I'm not fighting him.
"Good. Now, how about you help me out with these equations?" She asks - she's in third year Arithmancy still. I'd long since finished up to fifth year equations. I'd not realized how stupidly hard it is when you don't have a teacher. My general Prodigy Perk really made the theory and comprehension of this stuff… easy.
"Sure! Which were you working on?" I ask, pulling up a chair. I could go without a nap. Helping was more rewarding, after all.
The time had come - I'd helped her study for an hour before getting my short nap. It'd been just over an hour, then I woke up. I cast my stealth charms and slipped out of the room. Realistically, no one would notice I was gone. Sarah was an extra layer, just in case, though.
I popped out of the seventh-floor exit. It was less-used, and thus it was almost completely unguarded. I then jogged on silent feet down to the third floor corridor. I hit the door heading in, and heard a harp playing deeper in. I jogged in, and then past the sleeping cerberus, and jumped in the trap door, closing it behind me.
I hit Devils Snare. Light charm saw me sink to the floor, and I headed out to the next room.
Keys? Flying keys? The enchantment is probably like a Bludger or a Snitch. Hmm… You can summon those, which is why wands were illegal on the pitch.
I walked to the opposite door and summoned the proper key, slid it in the door and walked out, never even touching the brooms.
These traps are kinda weak…
Oh.
Wizarding chess? But it's 2+ meter tall play pieces. Interesting. I see someone has been through before me - and I'm not sure I can win this challenge - so I decide I should wait here. If someone were to get injured, it would be in this, or one of the following rooms, and I'd not risk myself. I stepped off to the side, and decided to wait. Invisibile, soundless and unscented, in the corner on the wall I entered, but as far from the door as I could be.
Not three minutes later Harry and his two friends - Herminonie and Ron - stumbled into the room. A series of loud 'thunks' sounding on the wood.
So if you got the key with the broom the others attacked you? Interesting. I'd figured, but damn. That actually sounded dangerous.
It was then I settled in to watch the chess match. Ron insists that they each take up a spot on the board - I'm sure only one of them needs to. Probably an oversight. He makes Harry the Bishop, himself the Knight and Hermionie the Rook. The game begins. White moves, then black. Back and forth I watched as the moves unfolded.
1.e4 c5
3 d6
3.d4 cxd4
4 Nf6
3 a6
3 e6
Then I stopped caring. It became a bit of a blur until Ron called out he was sacrificing himself. I focused back on the board.
The fool did not get off the giant marble statue. It was broken - shattered - his body getting tossed onto the jagged rubble on the side of the stage. I went over and cast a few healing charms - to stop bleeding (internal and external) to remove headaches and to mend minor fractures. These are simple healing spells. If anything was shattered or broken, or he had a shard of stone in his body, I couldn't fix that. If he had a curse on him from 'losing' then I couldn't fix that, either.
He'd have to wait. For now? He'd not die.
The loud clanging of a sword falling, the enemy king giving up, sounded. Well, moving on. Harry and Hermionie ran to Ron and I ran out the door across the room. Slipping through as they were distracted.
A dead troll? How quaint. I sprinted through the demolished corridor. I came out in a room with a lot of potions, and what looked to be the remains of an age line. Beyond the Age line was black hellfire. Not feindfire, but close.
The potions had a puzzle. Long story short - three kill me, two make me drunk and two let me move on or back. The one which I deduced would let me go on had two doses - maybe - in it. Untouched.
Quirrell had gone through the Hellfire barrier some other way - probably with a dark-defence spell well beyond my level. I downed the potion and walked through, and didn't burn up. Still disguised in every way I could be, I entered a long hall. It was full of broken lines - wards to alarm, halt, block… it was jam-packed. Each one was broken.
The door opposite my entry closes behind the person leaving the room. Looking back through the fire I saw Harry enter the room - Hermionie picked up the half-drank potion after a few seconds, handed it to Harry and took the one which would send her back.
Smart girl. Smart. I continued forward. Layering yet more suppressant spells.
One to hide souls, from Homenum Revelio. One to hide from specters, one to hide from any type of detection as I walked. It wasn't perfect - I still couldn't cast the anti-divination spells. The ones targeting me, or a specific part of me specifically, anyways. Like my status as an Awakened being. Nor could I cast the counter to mass dispelling of invisibility or summoning of myself if I was in the room of the summoner.
I hoped he wouldn't do these things. I can't beat Quirrell, I don't have the power to do it, except by surprise.
Then I ran into an invisible wall, and looked down.
An age line. Roughly "no one under the age of nineteen, but older than eleven may pass. Alert Headmaster, and Head of Charms if triggered."
There were four students who could cross. I am not one of them. Nor am I strong enough to break it. This was the final line against students. Very powerful, premade ward. Infused with runes I don't know and three-layered. So, I'd trigger it, over and over, and OVER. Hopefully help would come, and quickly.
As I was beating on it, Harry walked on, oblivious. Opening the door, he let out a gasp, walking forward. "Professor -" And he was cut off. The door shutting him in. I slammed a fist into the ward.
"Let me IN!" I yelled at it, after another minute of beating on it. "I want to help! He's going to DIE!" I say again, kicking the wall of a ward. I hear a crack, and a boom beyond me, and flinch.
"Don't worry, Miss Hawthorne." Professor Dumbledore says, breezing past me. "I'll ensure no one dies today." and he lets himself into the room, just in time for a sigh to escape him. An evil cackle from the room. "Tom…" He says sadly, and the cackling dissipates. I feel the ward disappear as the headmaster dismisses it with a forceful shove of magic. I lurch forward, slamming into the Headmasters back, but he waits for me to be righted and then walks into the chamber.
A dead Quirrell and a very beat up, but breathing, Harry are in the room. A red stone on the ground next to Harry, looking to have fallen from his pocket. Dumbledore levitates Harry with not a word or gesture, and grabs the stone and then he walks back to me.
"Come, my dear. It's time we get him to bed, and get you some answers." I nod, and the world blurs. This isn't apparition - more like a true teleportation. We appear in the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore summons an orb of light with his wand and we blur away again, this time to his office.
"Teleportation? I thought true teleportation was impossibile?" I ask. He smiles a bit darkly, the orb of light having been left behind in the teleportation, but his office having a merry fire crackling away, with lit torches floating about his office. .
"When the Death-Curse is cast, Hogwarts awakens and grants me - the Headmaster - unlimited movement within her walls. Classically this was because we were the strongest, and could put down adversaries to her halls fastest. However, after the situation settles, I am required to let her recharge the power to allow such for ten years. It had originally been much shorter, a manner of weeks, but the wards covering her, along with the other things around which drain the ley lines… Well, now it's 10 years per use of the ability. Never have I needed to use it, however. Indeed. Very few times in her history has the power been used. Foolish is any who would siege the ancient castle. I used it now, since of all times it may be needed, those who needed it the most, those who will decided all things, were most vulnerable now." He tells me. I nod.
"The power requirements… It's a good thing she resides on Seven Ley Lines." I say, nodding. He smiles. "That does beg the question, as to why the age line was set up the way it was. There are four summer children in Harry's year, himself being one of them…" I trail and he grimaces.
"Frankly I didn't think any first year would be able to stand the sight of the Cerberus. I figured a Sixth year may get so far, but Seventh years.. Too busy to even attempt the trial. The hope was an adult would get that far and trigger the final ward. It worked, which is my arrival, but sadly… I'd miscalculated. The trials were never going to be able to stop a dedicated wizard who had the ability to break into Gringotts for what they wanted. Not reasonably." Dumbledore concluded.
"Trial? Hmph. Suppose that's one thing to call it. Why didn't you put the stone in your rooms, or have Flamel make you a fake to hide? Hell, how do you know you don't have a fake?" I ask, and he chuckles.
"Ninety percent. Yes. I have what is often known as a Blood-Stone. It is one step below a Philosopher's Stone. It can do everything but make the Elixir. It would, instead, make a poison, which kills the one who drank it with water. If you used Blood instead of water, it would make a healing, though horrid tasting, elixir. No where near the Elixir of immortality, but still… good." He says, wincing. "The true stone, well, I'm afraid I've never seen it. Nor will I ever…" He trails off, smiling wistfully.
"So the Stone was destroyed ahead of time, if you're smart, or it's in a place where no one could steal it if they tried, which is what I'm guessing. Flamel doesn't seem to have any want to die, anytime soon." I comment, and he nods, though to which I don't know. I assume to the latter, so I continue. "Of course, there's no need to allow the knowledge out, so you'll say it was destroyed? The Flamels usually don't show up anyways. They'll probably not mind hiding or pretending to be other people for the next hundred years. Lord knows they did it during the times before and shortly after the witch trials and the Statute. The rumor of the loss of the method of a savory resurrection will make the Dark Lord look elsewhere for a means of return to our isles, and his power." I continue, and he nods again. "Though I have to wonder - why the hell is he alive and how didn't you know he was here? Don't you have, I don't know, wards to detect possession? Or intensely dark magic? I'm no expert but the corpse reeked of dark magic, like… I can't describe it. Sewage on a summer day in 95% humidity?" I ask, and he frowns, nodding, once more.
"I do, actually have a couple wards for that. All of those things, actually. Every year a few minor dark things get into the school and they're always investigated, but ultimately they're nothing major, or are blood-locked to a family so I can't determine their properties. Quirinis worked around all of that, though, with a localized anti-scrying and anti-magic wrapping on his head-dress, so the wards failed to tell me anything other than it was magical. Those are not dark magic, themselves. No alarms. He's had that turban for years, so I thought nothing odd.." He shakes himself. "And your deductive, or rather forward thinking abilities are.. Quite developed. More than anyone else your age I've met. I've met, I assure you, thousands of folk your age." He says, I nod, crunching down into a lemon drop as he offers me one.
"Have to be, when you're surrounded by enemies growing up. I didn't think they were enemies at first, but instinct, my gut, told me otherwise. I don't think they mean me direct harm, but they have done me significant, lasting and brutal harm, of which I doubt I will ever be able to fully forgive them for, as much as it pains me." I tell him. It's as good a reason as any.
"I suppose." He says, looking at me mournfully. "Forgiveness can be quite hard, for those who wrong you in your youth. Just make sure not to wrong yourself, lest the burden weigh heavy for the rest of your days.." he tells me, and I nod. I hear the unsaid 'don't make the same mistakes I did.'
Been there, still hate myself for it, and done that. Not this time, nope!
"I know we've talked about it, but I'm curious… How many people are like us, or how Quirrell was?" I ask. He smiles at my question.
"All seven-hundred and seven members of the ICU are like us, along with the heads of some departments in the ministry. Of the roughly one-million wizards on the planet, based on our last magical census, I know there to be just over a thousand, personally." He tells me, and I nod, so he continues. "I require they be in such a state to teach Defence. It's the only way to be sure they know or have some grasp of deeper magics." He tells me, and I nod again, but raise my hand to ask a question.
"But how can you tell if they're good people or bad? I could have easily sacrificed others and let them suffer, but I didn't. I imagine this would have had an impact on my magic, as the choices I made, did. How can you detect and determine what is what?" I ask. He strokes his beard while I ask, before responding.
"Well, frankly, you can't insofar as I know. The shorter a person's magical career is the easier it is to tell, but there are some, such as Alastor Moody, who register as intensely dark, but are well known to be light. Their darkness is the shadow which lays in wait for something to try and take the light down. Not a threat to it. Whereas someone like Bellatrix Lestrange feels very similar. She is a threat, obviously. If you ever happen upon a way to determine true magical alignment, and think you could teach an old man like myself, I'd be happy as a pair of socks!" He tells me. I nod.
Magical alignment did not equal personal conviction and direction. Dark was generally bad, with exceptions, and Light is generally good, with exceptions.
Neutral is very dangerous, then. Very. Very. Dangerous.
The thoughts must be projected on my face, as Dumbledore laughs lightly. "Yes. Neutrality is a rather odd position. There are very few truly neutral alignments, most waver one way or another. Some are very direct, but in the end, I suppose the only really neutral people are the ones who have gone untried, or that play both sides equally." He tells me, and I nod.
"But then you have to keep them at arm's length, lest they stab you in the back." I tell him. "After all, I imagine people who have reached this… point, when evil, would like there to be none others like themselves, and so hunt the others who are weaker, at least." I continue. "But at the same time, if you keep them too far away, to the point where they actually become resentful of the side of good, and treat us as the enemy." I finished. He smiles, once again, but this time it's sad, instead of the pleased look he had before.
"Sometimes, I must wonder, how old are you, really?" He asks me and I blink at him.. "You're clearly a bit older than you seem. Frankly I don't know how to handle this situation, and have just now decided it would be best to be direct." He tells me, taking off his glasses, and putting them before him on his desk.
"So, who were you, before you were Aubrey?" He asks, and my heart nearly stops. How did he…? "The artifact's of Pervelle have given me unique insight into souls and soul-magic. You had twin-souls. They may have merged, but you - the much larger, stronger and more mature soul - were always in control, as the other one was suppressed. I, at first anyhow, had thought you had perhaps stolen her body for your own as some wandering spirit." He continues, as I begin to gape, a bit shocked. He chuckles at my expression, shaking his head emphatically.
"Of course I quickly deduced this would be impossible. You wouldn't be able to control her body for more than a few months, without destroying it. Your first year you showed no signs of degradation, and that alleviated that fear. So I looked into alternatives. I didn't find one, not before you broke the binding on the smaller soul, and performed a complete merging of the two souls inhabiting your body. Something which is quite impossible, I'll add. Doubly impossibile in the event of a theft, as I still suspected. The original soul in their rightful domain would be able destroy any trespasser when not taken by surprise." He keeps going, revealing information I didn't even know. Tack on 'Master of Soul-related stuff' onto the man's resume. "But of course you're still here. The age of your soul is hard to measure, but I can tell your soul is old, and yet young. You were easily aged to maturity, before. Now you feel like someone maybe my age - but also like a school-child, due to the merger. This makes precise measuring I could attempt over time fail. Thus, how old you are, and what I'm dealing with is impossible to tell exactly. So I'm curious. You're an unknown, and while you're clearly a force for the light, and as of yet, good in general… I'd like to know who, and what, you are. If you can tell me more, I'd also like to know why you're here, how you've done what you have, and anything else you can. I know I can't force the information from you, either. Perfect Occlumens as you are." Oh. He isn't omnipotent about souls and hasn't dealt with Elves like me - or didn't suspect I was an elf anyways. He did, somehow, learn I have perfect Occlumency, and he knows what that means, far better than any book I'd read (which only had speculation.)
He said he couldn't force the information, not that he wouldn't if he could.
Okay, phew.
"So, who are you, Miss Hawthorne?" He repeats, after a second. "I'd rather not insult either of us by playing the roundabout word games like we have been." He concludes.
My gape of surprise slowly shifts into a smile. Calm, collected. I slide on my long-disused mask of a long-time assassin.
I'm not sure if he is the most powerful, but I'll be willing to bet he's the most knowledgeable force on my past which I'll face without preparation. I'd like to have avoided this - going to face this man, known for his power and knowledge. Doubly in this type of combat. Well, after Flamel, maybe. At least as far as I know, so far, they're the two best.
When confronted by a superior force which you absolutely lose to in combat, you have two choices. Flee and hope to live, or throw yourself on their mercy.
I don't much care for running, anymore… so... I straighten in my chair, and for the first time, sit exactly how I did in my last life, giving a curt nod to Dumbledore. Now, we're fully serious, and I'm taking off the 'kids gloves' I've been acting under, except for around Sarah.
"I was Kalanast - sometimes called 'Sindrie' - Amaglain. The Mistress of Illusion, and renowned Assassin, though I'd long since given up the latter, in hopes of redemption. Before my reincarnation I was fighting a man who had tethered his soul to the world by splitting it from his body and dividing it thirteen times, each part to an object. When he died, these objects would reform his body at the one containing most of his soul. I died to allow my son time to destroy one of these objects we'd uncovered." I tell him. Pausing to make sure he understands everything. He seems to be, face blank as my own. So I continue.
"I was very old. Many times your own, present age, when I died, though my people routinely lived into the Seven-Hundreds. The eldest body of my people with no magic was easily into her 11th Century." I pause to take a sip of the water he'd brought in by a house elf. He was clearly shocked, his eyes showed that. Not his face. Minute twitches in his hands. He was good, but I've been playing the game and reading people before he, theoretically, was a twinkle in his grandpa's eye.
To me it was clear. He was really very subtle but I was skilled enough to see it. "I must say, the magic in this realm is quite different from my original realm. I clearly crossed into a different multiverse - what we call a 'crystal sphere'. None of the extensive magical theories I learned happen to be applicable anymore. The reason I think I'm so successful is I have a lifetime of experience behind me, deciphering the arcane, and also I am much more… established. I know how to exercise. I know how to motivate myself. I know what real life is like. I know what real adults can do, at least physically, and some of what they can do magically. I am firmly of the belief I should be able to survive before anything else. After I can survive, I should aim to be free - and explore the world. My people value freedom and expression above all. You may have mapped the land, and it is largely occupied, but I suppose you have some crypts, dungeons and tombs which need cleaning of old traps and dangers." I tell him, outlining my goals. He nods, with a smile at that. "Of course, if all of that is done, your people refuse to map the ocean floors, and for some reason, the skies above the oceans. I will rectify those mistakes, if I run out of things on the land." I conclude my tirade on where I'm from, what I am, and what, where and why I'm doing when I finish school.
"Well, I wish you luck in your goals - honorable as they are - I suppose the why and what have been answered. But not the how…" He says, pinching the bridge of his nose. I wink at him.
"A girl has to keep some of her secrets, but I'll give you a hint. The gods decided that I wasn't quite done, yet." I tell him, before draining the glass of water and standing. "But if that's all, I'd like to be able to get back to learning everything I can about magic. I frankly hate structured schools. They limit what you can do. The magic academy in my first life, and now this. Both of you limit and show magic in a certain way, when it is clear there is much more. Goblins do magic differently. The Chinese do magic differently. I'm sure the Gnomes and all the other sentient, sapient creatures with access to magic do it differently. It is my hope that after I graduate I will go right into professional work, where I can discover these alternate ways to use magic, whilst I can adventure. I crave adventure. A mountain to climb, a Dragon to best. May I live in interesting Times." I tell him, extending a hand, which he takes, having stood himself, as he rose.
"If I can think of anything I can do to help with your goals, I'll be happy to offer it. Do be careful about how you study, though. Take your time to immerse yourself in the basics. The foundation must be strong, if not so wide." He tells me and I blink.
"So, what?" I ask, withdrawing my hand. "I should specialize now?" I say, giving him a look.
"Indeed. Why do you think we have you select your career - and life - defining electives so early?" He counters.
I don't answer, as I leave the room, but the idea bounces in my head. One I've surely had before but discarded every time. That isn't how power works. Or so I'd thought.
Why would you select such things so early? It's because you need to specialize to get very far in anything. The tighter your focus, the greater things you can achieve. This makes sense, yes. So, I guess if I'm going to become a curse breaker… I'll just need to ask the room for texts to improve as one of them. How to get to mastery in the field as quickly as possibile for myself.
Not to improve everything, but one specific thing at a time. Fully focused. So, I set a goal. I would begin grinding my skills, very focused on what I needed, to level 60 as soon as I could. No more expansion or additional skills. I need to specialize now, and get ahead of the curve. Once I master everything I have, or need for becoming a master-curse breaker, I'll branch out again. I'm not giving up on illusions! Never!
What do I need to do, to become the best Curse-Breaker this world has ever seen?
The goal, which before had been kinda ephemeral, cemented in my brain. I must shoot beyond all others, and become the best, if I hope to leave an impression and overcome what I've been promised will be a challenging life. I'm already seeing some challenges coming up, and they aren't aimed at me, it seems like, but I'll try to take part in them, as much as I can, to gain from them.
To this end, I decided what to do with those Skill Points. I threw all 20 into "Magical Theory" - it was my highest level skill, already. 82 before I threw this at it. Now it's 102.
I'd been gaining levels in it like crazy, considering my training regiment, and having a relative equal in my friends to push me. We were truly beyond most students in Hogwarts, in theory, at least, and probably practically in our chosen subjects.
Congratulations! Your First skill has broken the 100's!
Due to the nature of the Skill (Magical Theory)'s infinite potential, it will never stop scaling. Some perks will see massively diminished returns beyond level 100, though.
For Reaching Level 100 with a Magical Theory, take this Title -
Sage
You're a Sage when it comes to magical knowledge, and can identify anything with enough time. Complex lost arts will take years, if you're starting from scratch, where a common spell you've not seen or cast can be identified at a glance.
Additionally, you learn all Magic's 10% faster, due to your frankly insane grasp of the fundamental laws and rules of Magic. Your magical control is also increased by 1% for every level you gain. Currently (22%)
Note - if you don't continue progressing your knowledge you may lose this title, as Magic is never stagnant, and the rules always change when you least expect them to! If you keep up the good work, more boons may yet come your way.
PS: Some skills don't offer Titles or Perks, and sometimes you can only get one for certain things, and once you've acquired that title, you can't get the other titles anymore, even if you meet the Prerequisites.
That's a powerful bonus. Very powerful. I doubt it tells me the rest because I didn't earn it. I probably can't get some title now, which would be equally powerful, if not moreso. I have to wonder if the lock is just one way, or if it always works both ways? Say if I get a really high level of practical magic, then get a perk for it, would that lock a perk for studying? Or would I be able to get it, but not the other way around? Hmm.
"All things dull with age. Except Magic. Magic only ever gets more powerful. It grows forever, if not in power, then in skill, speed, and knowledge. The older the mage, the more dangerous." I mutter to myself, remembering the saying from my last life.
It's true, here, too. Dumbledore is the oldest mage (I have directly interacted with), who has prodigal skill at any rate, and he's regarded as THE most powerful. Not the most Brilliant or knowledgeable - that would be the Flamel duo, but the most Powerful, yes.
He alone is the reason we've had so few Dark Lords since Grindlewald. Normally there's at least a minor Dark Lord, someone who isn't capable of destroying the country, but is a strong leader of the Dark side who leads them to total control of the government. He's not very effective, though, as a politician, though. He's clearly more of a teacher, or Combatant than he is a politician.
Lucius Malfoy would be a Dark Lord, but for one thing. He had no ability to control all of the Dark side at once. It was known to us in the neutral factions that the Dark Families were split into three factions. Lucius controlled most, but then there were the splinters, of the Hardcore Blood Purists (Malfoy is a Moderate, if you'd believe that!) and then the Passive-Dark Families. They oppose light side policy, but don't follow a leader unless they're 'worthy' - Lucius, next to the other two Dark Lords of the Century looks like a peon.
Not worthy of their allegiance. So, not a Dark Lord. Meanwhile Dumbledore is a very effective "Light Lord" but, so effective the "Neutral" and doubly the "Dark" families are repulsed by how blatantly he flaunts tradition. This is why the Light Side is stalled and it seems the Dark is winning in Government. The "Light" policies would often break some of the oldest and most sacred rules of the Ancient and Druidic Houses.
That'll never happen. So, they're stalled. Some Dark Policies are… okay. Not ideal, but better than the alternative.
Basically, Lucius is too moderate, and Dumbledore isn't Moderate enough. Funny, isn't it?
As I skipped back to my tower, then into my room and flopped into bed, I got a notification, as Sarah rolled onto me and back to sleep, instantly.
Quest Complete!
The Hogwarts Hall of Traps, Trouble and Trolls.
Objectives: Make sure the Philosopher's Stone Stays Safe! (Complete!)
+5,000xp
Bonus Objectives:
Make sure no one (other than the potential thief) Dies! (Complete!)
Don't get caught out of bounds! (Failure)
Do the first half with no help! (Complete!)
Do the second half with no help! (Fail)
Recover the Stone before it can be taken! (Fail)
Defeat Quirrell in single combat! (Fail)
Figure out Tom and Voldemort are the same (Complete!)
+13,000xp
Secret Objective(s):
Discover Quirrell is the Thief before anyone else! (Complete!)
Convince people in power of his guilt beforehand! (1 success out of 55 possibile.)
Convince Dumbledore you're not a threat to the Light. (Complete!)
+6,000xp
Title - Hidden Dragon. (i)
You have Leveled up! (x2)
I opened Hidden Dragon to see what that was about. My jaw dropped. This is almost as good as the Hero title which Harry had. Worse, in that it's not fully retroactive.
Hidden Dragon.
You've earned the trust of someone in a place of great power. They consider you a sort of hidden weapon, and this title proves you earned that level of respect.
Indeed - this is proof that you are, in fact, one of those who could grow to be known as a Great Dragon.
You gain +1 to every stat per level from here on out.
1st Level of Diplomatic Visibility.
Still pretty insane. Diplomatic visibility?
Diplomatic Visibility -
Diplomatic Visibility is how politically active your name is. The higher it is, the more you are regarded in most circles. You can earn this through power-plays, titles or even perks. This is rated out of 10. A 10th-level Diplomatic Visibility would be world-wide. Everyone knows who they are and has some impression of them. Most ministers and well-known people around the world average at 6 - which is 'nationwide popularity'.
Currently, you have a Diplomatic Visibility of (2) - you are considered a valuable resource and an upcoming mover in local circles who know about you. A couple of political groups are watching you for whatever reason.
At least one of those groups is Dumbledore. Probably the big players on the Dark Side and Neutral families, too.
I suppose I should make more connections while at school? They who strike first, strike best, after all.