Hey! I'm starting her dating around this chapter - I'm going to mention it here and in a few other chapters. I know I've said it before that this isn't focused on romance, but I'm saying it again, since I know so many of you are worried I'm going to break out the sonnets and such. There are some mentions of who will be dating whom, but I won't be focusing on it at all, as of now.
There's not going to be piles of romance and stuff. It's going to be a few rough dates and then everyone goes back to being friends.
Anywho - another announcement! This story is now on Pat reon! Just look up Rotsu on there, or type the URL, "Pat reon (.com) / rot su". Just delete the spaces and brackets! If you want to support me, go have a look!
Stats as of the beginning of Year 5 -
Aubrey Hawthorne
Titles - Magical Titan, Queen of Ravens, Fatechanger
Level 68
Age - 15
Race - Human
Sex - Female
Str - 185
Agi - 238
Dex - 239
Con - 250
Int - 269
Wis - 268
Luc - 263 (291)
HP: 34,288 (89,021.35)
MP: 86,937 (306,741.94625)
STM: 96,252 (140,821)
Stat Points - 35
Perk Points - 4
Chapter 48 -
The train ride was the same as last year, just more lonely, considering Sarah was a Prefect. I imagine my bed will also be a bit more lonely, considering she'll have her own room in the Prefect's quarters.
I'll miss my bed warming pillow. I really will.
The upside to this whole thing is my cabin is very quiet. Apparently news of my astoundingly high placement in the Duelling circuit had caught people's attention - enough to have a bit of the paper dedicated to me.
That appears to have been enough to chase anyone but the First Year - a cute little girl by the name of Alexandra Thyme - from my compartment. She is happily humming a song between asking me questions, which I answer as nicely as I can, while trying to keep exact details vague.
"Why are you dancing around questions about exact details on the Sorting? It's an odd thing to be touchy on…" She mumbles cutely and I smile largely as I toss her another Frog Card, which is another I have and know she - someone who's just starting - does not. Merlin is just too common...
"Because it's what was done for me - and everyone else. Don't worry, it's not anything dangerous or really tough to do - and it's shaping up to be a clear night out, so you'll be fine. The ride over in 1st year is unlike any other. Savour it, and the views. I think it's Rickie Vantor's turn to manage you guys, and she's awesome! She's probably one of the most knowledgeable people in the whole world about how magic works. Ask her anything you can think of. She loves people asking good questions." I direct her away from the Sorting. Rickie is up to bat this term, due to not having Alchemy again, and being the only teacher for the rare classes who hasn't done it in recent years.
"Oh! Is she very pretty? You sound like you have a crush!" Alexandra teases. I roll my eyes with a smile.
"No, I'm afraid she's married, or I might be interested. Well that, and she's a bit older than I am. I like to swing around my own age, after all." I lie, hopefully convincingly. In honesty, dating anyone so much younger than me just didn't sit well with me, and no one who I would consider an attractive proposition would consider a younger than twenty year old attractive. So, I got to sit and wait. Now, people are approaching the proper dating age, so I can begin doing the awkward teen song and dance, to 'get my feet wet' for the big deal of finding my life mate.
I already have two candidates! Maybe three, though that third is a bit shaky, given we don't talk as much as I may like…
"But she is very pretty?" Alexandra pushes, and I indulge her with a nod.
"Very, yes." I agree peaceably. She grins at me widely.
"She sounds great! Can't wait to meet her!" She chirps excitedly. I can't help but to smile at the childlike exuberance on display.
Then the compartment door is flung open. "Have you seen Potter?" A snotty voice asks. I turn from my pleasant chat to see the little twerp known as Draco Malfoy, flanked by two gorillas in human skin. I quietly Observe both as I exert a bit of my negative feelings in his direction as he eyes Alexandra with disgust.
"No." I say with a chilly tone of voice, giving him a glare. His eyes turn from Alexandra to me, then he pales as he realises who, exactly, was in this compartment.
"Then I'll be on my way-" He says, going to close the door. I block it with my foot, my glare intensifying.
"And?" I ask frostily, looking for an apology and hoping to make that clear.
"Ah, well, I suppose…" He trails off into incomprehensible mumbles as I flick the door further open.
"Again, but I want to hear it this time." I glare, and he pales even further.
"I apologise for my rude form of address, Heiress Hawthorne." He rumbles, clearly embarrassed to be forced into apologising to anyone - especially a clear Muggleborn. Even if it was only implied he was apologising to her.
"Very well, Heir Malfoy. You're dismissed." I say airily, not accepting the apology, which heavily implies it was insufficient recompense, and that I would be remembering this.
"Thank you, Heiress Hawthorne." He bows and then closes the door softly. I sniff with derision and then lock, silence and lightly ward it to alarm me if someone is outside.
Then I turn back to Alexandra - her bluish grey eyes are wide in amazement. I'm sure I've gained a positive reputation with her, there.
"You're AMAZING!" She yells bouncing with excitement. I nod sedately. She continues bouncing. "He came in like BANG! And then you shut him down like WHAM and then he left!" She goes on about this for a few minutes, before I'm smiling lightly at her exuberance. How could I not be?
"You're making my day, you know that?" I ask lightly, giving her a grin. She bounces a bit harder in excitement, before visibly forcing herself to calm down.
"Oh, really?" She asks, clearly a bit disbelieving. I nod again, and she smiles. "It's hard to tell, you're a bit… hard to read? I'm not sure!" She chimes happily. I smile at her, and nod again.
"Of course I am. People call me the Queen of Ravens at Hogwarts - say I do all kinds of bad magic and stuff, because I'm so good at the stuff we study, but don't listen to them - I really don't. I just study hard, but as a result of all the people being dumb, I've become a bit rough. Younger kids tend to fear me a bit, sadly. I'd love to have more young friends, like you." I chip, patting her hand lightly before pulling out a book to read, sensing the conversation is soon to die.
"I'll just have to make sure others know you're cool, then!" She declares, before sinking back into her chair, adopting a thinking position. I give her a genuine smile.
"Thanks." I murmur genuinely, before opening my book. "Hope to see you in Ravenclaw…" I trail, before sinking into my book. I barely register her sound of acknowledgement.
The rest of the trip passes me by without incident.
.*****.
As I departed the train with Alexandra in tow, I quickly spotted the petite form of Rickie standing on a conjured raised dias, with a sign in front and behind her which read "First Years!" - I quickly led Alexandra over.
"She is very pretty…" Alexandra mumbles with a blush, and I giggle at her tiny blush.
"Does someone have a crush?" I giggle mockingly at her, and her blush steadily increases.
"No!" She squeaks back, and I break into laughter, which results in Rickie turning to me, and raising an eyebrow. I pat Alexandra's shoulder, and she glances at the small girl, she nods. I see my sister among the gathered 1st years under Rickie's banner already. I give her a nod and smile, which she returns. I gently point her out to Alexandra.
"That's my sister. I think you'd both get along, given your… preferences." I whisper, then stand up straight as we walk up to the platform, where I stop as she continues onto the rest of the first-years.
"Good to see you, Professor!" I greet cheerily, and get a typical icy nod in response.
"And you, Miss Hawthorne." She greets, and I feel a polite knock on my mental shields. I allow her in. Quickly a short list of instructions - to meet her, Liliana or Gaelin on certain nights, unfurls in my head, and I feel the presence retreat, as she continues. "However, it seems I've got most of this year's students - ready to go. I suppose I'll see you up at the Castle?" She asks, and I nod, turning to head up to the castle.
That was an inventive use of Legilimency. Delivering a… memory, and set of instructions? Quite inventive. I quickly hop into my carriage where Sarah is waiting with Adrian, and we set off for the castle.
I'm hopeful to see where everyone ends up.
"Little Jasmine is joining us this year, huh?" Adrian asks from the window-seat, glancing at me from the corner of his eyes. I give a slight nod.
"She is, yea. I think Hufflepuff, but I may yet be surprised." I murmur, a slight smile on my face. Jasmine is a gem, and I'm sure she'll do well in any house. She'd probably not like Slytherin too much with their politicking, but she'll probably like the dynamic social structure.
"I agree. Slytherin is pretty rough on people like her, unless they have some type of protection, like Davis has in Greengrass, as a notable example." Adrian replies with a sigh, shaking his head. "I hate having to stay out of things like that, but I don't have a choice with the family's reputation…" He finishes, shaking his head lightly.
"Wait, what do you mean rough?" Sarah asks abruptly, looking a bit indignant.
"It's a place for subtlety and, in most of the active students' minds, that means quiet plotting. Not boisterous happy attitudes trying to be your friend, like she does." He replies swiftly. "As a result, most students shun or otherwise neglect to help or support students who are too… chipper. It's a form of backwards handling to get people to behave how they're told. It's not nice or good, but it's effective. Sadly." He grumbles the last bit, glaring now, out the window at the clear evening sky.
"I should think not! Though, Ravenclaw can hardly be any better…" Sarah trails with a sigh. I nod, bumping her with my shoulder.
"The houses of the introverts - if you'd wanted to be extroverted, I think Hufflepuff or Gryffindor would suit you better." I joke, and get a horrified look in response.
"Never! If I'd gone there, I'd have likely never met you or the rest of our friends! That would be horrid!" She grumbles good-naturedly. I smile lightly as we continue the banter for a couple more minutes, before hopping out at the castle.
"Suppose we'll see you later, Adrian?" I ask as we walk into the entry hall, he nods.
"You will. Good luck with your OWL year. You'll not need it, but all the same.." he says in a way of farewell, before pushing the door to the Great Hall open and sliding inside. After a moment, I followed Sarah, and we take our place near the place cleared off for the first years. I make sure to seat myself in such a way that I'm facing the Gryffindor table, talking to Sarah on my left. I do this so I can see Harry, whom I make sure to hit with an Observe.
Harry Potter
Age: 13
Race: Human.
Titles: The Boy Who Lived, Hero, Light-Soul, ...
Level: 62
101 Str
187 Agi
183 Dex
225 Con
183 Int
119 Wis
+1284 or -716 Luc
Last year was slow, I suppose. More of him learning and mastering various skills and concepts. Not so much going out and fighting or growing martially. Hopefully this year is more of the same for him, though I can't be sure it will be. I know, at least for me, it probably won't be.
I've wrung every drop of knowledge I can on dueling and combat from Godric's portrait at this point - and now I need to put the knowledge to practice.
Which means I'm going to be putting a good bit of my free time into clearing the Forbidden Forest of the dangers which lurk in there. Those dungeons have gone undisturbed long enough - and I shouldn't struggle with any except for the Werewolf one, which I'm going to avoid, since I'm not one for Lycanthropy, or killing people afflicted with a disease.
Giant Spiders who hate me? Bugbears? Trolls? I have no problem taking these things out - they're all well documented as hating and wanting to kill humankind. When they're ever asked why, they don't really have a reason other than 'humans taste good' so, yea. Removing them from near school is probably a good idea.
In doing so, I'll gain a lot of combat experience, and be able to get back into gear with sneaking and taking things down undetected. It'll be a good set of skills to have should I ever need them.
I nod as I lock eyes with Harry, and offer him a slight smile. He smiles back, and I know he's doing alright.
Then, I turn to the Hat, apparently already part way through it's song. I'd missed it, since I'd been lost in thought.
"They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
I must wonder whether Sorting
May bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
I've never yet been wrong,
Now I'll have to take a look,
Inside your minds
And tell where you belong."
I feel like some of that is targeted at me. The school is still divided, and while I've shown them that you can have a combined group of every house - it's not been spreading beyond my group. Even other star students are failing to go beyond their own friend groups - notably Harry - and that's probably hampering things.
How can I influence him to hang out with people who aren't in my group outside of his own house, though? That's not a very easy task… maybe trying to get him a girlfriend outside of his house? The Bones girl has been making eyes at him, which he missed all of last year. Maybe I'll try to play matchmaker there?
Start small, Aubrey! You have to start small… hmm.
I figure I'll have time to ponder it later - for now, I focus on the feast.
"Now that we are all fed and watered!" Dumbledore announced as the feast was winding down. "The list of forbidden items has been extended this year, please review it at your leisure." He says with a slight smile. "Further, the school's forest is out of bounds, as is the Hogsmeade village to all below 3rd year. The Quidditch cup is all going to be cancelled as, this year, we're going to be hosting the-"
Just then, the doors of the Great Hall flew open, and a man stepped through. I hit him with Observe as I clutched my wand and got ready to dodge, before I recognized him from my history books. I glanced at the Observed name to confirm, only to be confused.
Either this was in fact, a man impersonating Alastor Moody, which seems very likely as this mans name is the same as a long-dead inmate of Azkaban, or Observe is breaking.
For some reason I don't think it's the latter.
I whip my head to Dumbledore, and stare pointedly, projecting a thin wave of mana at him.
Snape, Gaelin, Rickie, Flitwick and Dumbledore all flinch and turn to me, I ignore all but Dumbledore to initiate a light mental communication. I knock urgently with Legilimency, and feel myself let into a partitioned part of his mind. I unload the information I'd picked up from my 'spell' which ID'd the man as Bartemus Crouch JR.
I felt Dumbledore's mind go through shock, then suspicion, then finally it settled on a burning line of anger, so cold and precise, I doubted it would result in anything other than the destruction of his point of ire. Then I was expelled from his mind, just as the imposter got to the table, before Dumbledore, shaking his hand. They exchanged words politely and the man sat on Dumbledore's right hand side.
"May I introduce our new DADA teacher, Alastor Moody!" Dumbledore calls, then he and Hagrid, and only those two, clap. Everyone else either watches on in fascination or whispers to each other. Then, he cleared his throat loudly, and everyone stilled. "As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."
"You're joking!" Ron Weasley yelled from Gryffindor and the whole hall broke into whispers.
A few moments of back and forth went on, then, Dumbledore continued with his explanation.
"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities — until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."
Many students were whispering excitedly about me, each saying they would be trying to enter the death-trap of a tournament.
"Still, there are many safety precautions being taken!" Dumbledore continues on, silencing them after the moment of pause he'd taken for a sip of water. "Among them, none under 17 years of age will be allowed to enter their names to participate, meaning that yes, you must be a legal adult to enter your own name." He tells us. Many students look really upset about this, but I feel relieved.
No need to get any kids killed. Though, I suppose Cedric could enter.
I only hope he doesn't. He's the highest level student in Hogwarts aside from myself and Harry, and he'll surely be chosen. I'd rather not put himself in the way of danger - to be killed - just for a shot at glory and some 1000 Galleons.
We are shortly dismissed, being told those who are from the other schools will be arriving sometime later in the month. Really, they're probably going to come when they've decided who their strongest children are. Their 'Champions'.
I imagine Fleur will be here, considering she's a monster through hard work. I imagine Drumstrang's champion will be someone like Fleur or Cedric - someone who had grown through such powerful attempts.
'Still' - I thought, squinting. 'I doubt Bartemus Crouch Jr will last the night.' With that happy thought, I drift airily up the stairs, well ahead of those who weren't as well versed in the castle as I.
With luck, I'll be up to my room first.
.*****.
I'm very surprised when my door flies open and I'm suddenly beset by Sarah. "Aubrey~" She whines, and I sigh, looking up.
"Yes?" I ask. She pouts at me pitifully. I put my Violin down from my nightly practice. "Did you need something?" I ask more calmly, and she nods vigorously.
"I need you to share the room with me. It's bigger than this one, and I really hate sleeping alone." She insists. I raise an eyebrow at her, honestly surprised at how forward she's being.
"Well, I suppose we can. I did say I would try dating after I was 15, so I suppose we'll have to try that. You had first dibs, so I wanted to let us be separate and try the whole courting thing. Which is why I didn't ask earlier. Hard to plan a surprise if you're in my room all the time." I remind her, and she perks, before flattening a bit.
"Yea, I know I have first dibs and that's a good point, but what kind of surprise could you get cooked up in this place? We know of the Room of Anything You Could Want and Hogsemede is the only other dating spot, so what could you be plotting?" She queries, which is a great question to anyone but me.
"Well, I can order you a date-time gift, you know? Or I could have a present hidden and you'd find it. I know for a fact you steal my clothes with regularity, ever since I keyed you into my trunk. There's nowhere else to hide that stuff, really." I tell her, and she nods obligingly.
"Then just hide it in here, and share a room with me. Jeez." She grumbles. I roll my eyes.
"Yes, I could, I suppose, but I'd feel bad about using this as a glorified storage room, wouldn't you?" I ask pointedly. She shakes her head.
"Not really, considering we're going to share a bathroom anyways." She points at the other door in my room, and I glance over, then sigh.
"How in the world did you manage that? I know for a fact that's supposed to be the 7th year Prefect's room." I ask with a light glare. She quails slightly, then rebounds.
"I traded so she could be closer to the first years!" She chirps, and I feel my eyes twitch. Why in the world would anyone want to be closer to the 1st years? In the NEWT year?
"Since you're so insistent, I'll allow it. However! If you try to do anything too crazy, I'll revoke your bed-privileges, because I may like snuggling, but I'm not too open for basically anything else, at this point." I remind her. She'll surely remember the nightmares I've been having, and the one time I was transported out in the middle of the night, due to the severity of the nightmare and my needing the Healer.
"Of course. Just snuggling!" She chimes, and I nod, grabbing my trunk so we can go to her room.
I don't think the relationship will last, to be honest. She seems like she wants security, and life with me can't really promise that for her, sadly. Not if I'm a wandering curse-breaker / duelist.
Going in with that thought alone, more than anything, will probably be what we are in, though. Oh well. Maybe I'm wrong?
Gods know I was in my last life.
.*****.
I roll out of bed and hop to my feet, I'm going to need to write a letter to my friends around the world and see if any of them are going to find their way to Hogwarts. It seems likely at least a few will, given the situation.
As I leisurely make my way into my morning attire so I can be the first one down to the breakfast hall, and get a short exercise in before I need to do anything else - which the list of things will be short, considering it's a weekend before classes, luckily for me.
First on the agenda, is working on those quests I'd been ignoring.
The War Room and the Heart of Hogwarts, two quests I need to complete but have been shrinking. To Lead Men is a quest I will catch up with in my own time, and Improving a Masterwork will take a superhuman level of knowledge, which I will likely need to come back to Hogwarts to complete, later in life.
That's fine. I have no issues with waiting for the rewards therein. The first two, though, I should be able to deal with presently. I've become quite adept at power-casting, along with fully mastering control and the finer aspects of control. Godric himself has told me that I am equal to what he was when he was a young adult, so I should be ready.
Ready for his final test, and ready to clear the War Room.
Then, I'll have to delve into Rowena's room, and probably work with the Room of Masters to figure out how to cleanse that room, but it should be doable. If not this year, then surely next year it will be something I can complete.
I take a deep breath, then let it out.
I'm ready.
I quickly finish Breakfast, then stand to let myself out, to go off to the room of Godric. The War Room.
I'm there not 10 minutes later. I enter without knocking.
"I'm ready, Godric. For the Final Test." I say to the large, mostly empty room.
"Are you certain?" The myriad of voices replies, and Godric from all ages - 11 years all the way to the crumpled form of him at 120 - appear, gripping their wand. "It will be hard." They remind me in that same, eerie unison.
A deep breath.
"Yes." I say, firmly. "I will win, no matter the cost. Hogwarts needs my help, and I can't hide from my promises anymore." I finish. I get a grave nod, and one Godric - him at around 40 or so, steps out of line. The rest fade to nothing.
"Good. We were wondering when you would become she whom we remembered. The lost legend of the Girl who Leapt. I knew it was you…" He smiles sadly, then shakes his head. "That is your future. For now, you pass my test. When you complete the trials who make you the girl I knew, I will continue your studies." He rumbles, and I feel a force grab the back of my uniform and pull me out, as I feel the War Room complete.
What the hell does that mean?!
I suppose I would have asked, if he didn't look so utterly heartbroken, having to kick me out…
So, seeing as the test was just accepting a challenge which seemed insurmountable… I guess I'll go ahead and look at the rewards?
The War Room
Objectives -
Find Godric Gryffindor's room (Complete)
Learn one subject in Godric Gryffindor's room (Complete (x11))
Surpass any tests in the room (Complete (x3))
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus Objectives -
Master any One subject (Complete)
Earn Godric's Respect (Complete)
Prove to Godric you are the Girl Who Leapt (Complete)
Master 3 Subjects (Failed)
Rewards -
10,000 xp per Objective (150,000XP total)
Title: The Protector (i)
Perk: Foci (i)
Bonus Rewards -
Title: Master of Defense (i)
Title: Godric's Favored (i)
Title: She Who Leaps (i)
Perk: Chronomancer
Access to the Spirit of Hogwarts.
I decide to look over the Titles first -
The Protector -
You're the Protector of an important place or thing. As a result, you're much more competent when working in its defense.
+30 to all skills while working to defend the place you're the Protector of. (Hogwarts)
Master of Defense -
You learn new Defensive Spells twice as fast while you hold this title. You master them at the same rate, however.
Godric's Favored.
As the Favored Student of Godric Gryffindor, one who embodies what he thinks a Wizard or Witch should be, you've gained this Title.
+?
(Revealed when ?)
+1/10 starting Rep with all Gryffindor's.
She Who Leaps -
You have an innate ability to be where you need to be, when you're needed. When, being the operative word, there.
You'll be sent to important times, where you as the Girl Who Leapt Through Time do important, though forgotten, acts. These will all be dangerous, and cannot be declined.
She Who Leaps is naturally granted a passive ability, where people will believe you as an utmost authority on new historical finds, so long as you're not trying to claim anything outlandish without evidence. You also keep any benefits you otherwise may have had from the Girl Who Leapt Through Time, as that title is folded into this one.
This title replaces "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time"
I imagine it will be something like a Forced Dungeon, then? I wonder how or where it'll happen… hopefully not anytime or place too inconvenient for me, like the middle of class...
There's nothing for it. The perks? I re-read the first to make sure it's the same as I remember it.
Chronomancer
You can create objects that let you travel time, or use a time-rift to travel back in time, and fix the causation of a rift, without a magical catalyst nearby
+60 to the "Chronomancy" skill,
Enables Time Rifts,
+Access to the "Chronomancy" perk tree (at Half Off)
Oh. I didn't see the rest of that back when. Was it hidden? I didn't want to buy it because it seems like it's trying to force me to do stuff. Now it's more like it's begging me to… buy in? I guess…
Foci
Anything you hold is as good as a decently attuned wand, for you. It could be a stick, a sword or a tree. In your hands, it's a decent foci. If it's actually magical, or magically conductive, like a magical blade, staff or wand, then it will act as a perfect match to you.
It it is already a perfect - or nigh perfect - match for you magic, before this perk is taken into account, it will actively amplify the effectiveness of the magic you do, giving more for less mana and being able to channel more, faster, than any wand has any right to.
This cannot in any way equal the output or efficiency of Legendary Artefacts, like the Elder Wand. Still, it's the best you can get, otherwise.
+50% to 'Compatibility' with any instrument, when you try to use it as a Foci. (This can Break 100%)
The Elder Wand? I figured the fable was based on some reality, but to hear there was such an artefact, from the game, was interesting. I must wonder what other tales hold truth. Beedle the Bard is only one of many, many folks who wrote such tales, and his were restricted to England. I wonder if there's more, around the world, like these I grew up with.
And if there are, where they might be…
Now, to sort all those levels I'd just gained. Being level 72 didn't bring anything new with it, really.
Aubrey Hawthorne
Titles - Magical Titan, Queen of Ravens, Fatechanger
Level 72
Age - 15
Race - Human
Sex - Female
Str - 185
Agi - 239
Dex - 240
Con - 250
Int - 273
Wis - 272
Luc - 263 (291)
HP: 34,854 (87,021)
MP: 87,734 (312,741)
STM: 97,017 (142,821)
Stat Points - 75
Perk Points - 5
I'm not super interested in maximising my gains, as it were, not right now. So I level STR to 200 and leave the rest of the stats alone. I figure I can max out the rest with just continuing my workouts, even if it will be a slow, grinding process. I'd rather save Stat Points for things I struggle with, or if I need a stat level for a perk I want which comes up… and 200 STR is an easy perk.
So I have this -
Aubrey Hawthorne
Titles - Magical Titan, Queen of Ravens, Fatechanger
Level 72
Age - 15
Race - Human
Sex - Female
Str - 200
Agi - 243
Dex - 240
Con - 250
Int - 273
Wis - 272
Luc - 263 (291)
HP: 45,430 (97,860)
MP: 100,537 (342,236)
STM: 110,154 (155,931)
Stat Points - 60
Perk Points - 4
And my new perk -
For reaching 200 Strength, you've been awarded a perk.
Titan's Grip.
Your grip cannot be broken. By anything. You could be holding an ice-shard on a hot summer day, and you wouldn't drop the shard until it completely melted, and even then, the droplets of water in direct contact with your skin would not fall until you let go.
This does not stop something stronger than you breaking your arm or hand to force your grip to slacken, however. Do not assume it is so.
A good perk - of course. The worst thing someone could have done to them in a fight generally speaking is being disarmed. For me, especially. My perks and skills are all lending themselves towards armed combat, and with the coming resolution that I will never be a true Master of hand to hand, I think it's probably time that I really double down on just ruling through force of arms, in combat. Not through unarmed combat.
Thankfully, a lot of martial arts forms and ideology translates well to dagger-fighting and such. It'll take some work, but I can probably convert my current skill set in hand to hand into a more holistic assassins approach to fighting. That is, fast, strong, and unseen.
I've been trying to strike like a lion, and I need to, instead, strike like a cobra, or an owl, perhaps.
All of that aside, I think that the fact that Access to the Spirit of Hogwarts was a reward, and I have no idea what that may mean, in theory. It could be anything from an access to the hope which embodies Hogwarts, to a literal magical spirit, like I'd theorized governs the school.
After all, powerful areas of magic have grown sentience and can very easily do so, and Hogwarts is well within those defined parameters. The fact it has unmanageable moving staircases which seem to pick favorites? Something is going on there. Surely.
I stop, before the Room of Requirement, asking for the Trial I am to face. The door is a normal wooden affair.
Deep breath in.
Out.
I open the door, into what has to be the messiest room I've ever seen. I squint into it.
Dust, dirt, discarded broken messes. Piles, or perhaps mountains? Of unused junk.
Deep breath in.
And out.
I wave my wand, and the room around me begins to repair itself. Things begin sorting themselves according to my will and direction.
Casting a sorting and repairing charm at the same time was easier than ever, with Foci.
I send out a simple sonar, to detect the size of the room, and feel it get shredded by something which feels malicious, alive and very, very evil. Not… organic.. Though?
Magical automata? I push towards it, launching five more sorting and repairing charms at the piles as I make my march. I want to know what might be useful here.
I stop before a bust, sitting before another mountain of junk.
Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem is there. I reeked of evil, and I can detect it's Awakened. It's sentient.
I observe it.
Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw
Legendary Item
This is the long lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. It is said to make the user far more intelligent and wise. This is not the case. Not really.
For those who wear this, and have the aid of the Spirit of Hogwarts, or the aid of the Heir of Ravenclaw, the modification of the Room or Requirements is possible. This was made to be so due to the great amount of magic and improvements which may become possible as time goes on. In this way, it would unlock infinite knowledge to those who possessed it. Only if they held the keys, though.
This item has been cursed by Thomas (Tom) Marvolo Riddle (III) aka Lord Voldemort. It is a sentient cursed item, known as a Horcrux. It has determined you're a threat and is waiting for you to turn your back to eliminate you.
This is the Anchor for a Curse on the DADA position. (Eliminate the Teacher of Defense)
Ah, so that's what all this was about. I'd learned about Horcrux's last year while reading some old tomes on shadow magic. There were a few methods of lancing a soul with shadow magic, and there were mentions of it being good for destroying soul-jars.
I will not be destroying this, however. I will be cleansing it, so I can use the Diadem. I don't know how, yet. I cannot, however, turn my back on it.
I feel my shadow detach from me, and begin walking over to the Diadem, across the floor. I smile slightly.
Tom never dealt with a Shadow Mage. Poor boy.
I summon and open a book bag from a pile of junk, eyes locked on the buff. A diversion. Then it happens. I see, then feel, my shadow devour the accursed item. I immediately want to scream, because it is very, very painful having such a vile thing trying it's best to destroy what is likely part of my soul. I sprint out of the room, though, skid to a stop outside, and quickly run the 3 back and fourth paces.
Then I stop, fling the door open, and my shadow expels the diadem on the floor of the chamber, inside a ritual circle.
A circle of containment. I'd needed a way to stop this thing from harming people while I found out how to strip it's vile soul-shard. I slam the door shut as my shadow re-attaches, then do three more paces, I know what I need.
The room of masters is shortly before me.
I march up to the portrait. "Arthur." I say shortly, snapping him awake. "How do I remove the soul shard attached to a Horcrux to another item, along with a curse it's powering and put it on a disposable item?" I ask coldly, slipping finally and fully into Assassin mode.
I have 24 hours to fix this issue, and I'm not stopping until this school is safe from that abomination.