Chapter Twenty: Brumation

…

We returned from Hogsmeade after a rather fun day. However, the first thing we had to attend to was getting Regulus up to speed on our next planned trip to Hogsmeade village.

…

In the Room of Requirement, Regulus started to be filled in.

"Hold on, let me get all of this straightened out," he sighed. "You want to sneak me out of the castle and into Hogsmeade?"

I shrugged. "Should be fun. The more rules we break, the better."

Nelson fixed his glasses. "Actually. I was hoping you'd explain that Robert. Why are you so casual about breaking rules? You're a great student so, I was always curious about it."

"The truth will probably not be the best for you all right now."

"I promise it won't," said Severus. "The truth is all that matters."

"Does everyone concur with Severus?"

Everyone muttered in agreement.

"Good. Square, I'll begin a lesson."

"But this isn't a training session it's-" Wilkes said.

I just looked at him. Then no one hesitated.

Everyone obeyed, standing and then sitting in a square with me standing in the center over all of them.

"We can achieve great acts of magic together. For instance."

I drew my wand and for the first time ever, summoned my Patronus on the first try easily and perfectly.

"Expecto Patronum!"

They all gasped quietly, a huge eagle sprung forth and took a loop around the Room of Requirement. Salazar and the Gamer allowed me to control my magic so well I already had perfect control over the Patronus.

Then I summoned it down and it rested upon my arm. The Patronus was so large and powerful I nearly swore I could feel its talons on my forearm.

"How did you do that?" asked Wilkes. "A. A perfect Patronus with ultimate control. That's not even NEWT level, it's much higher level than that."

I got why they were impressed but with a bit more training and the actually proper wand from Salazar this was next to nothing.

With a flutter of its wings, my eagle Patronus disappeared as quickly as I had summoned it.

"Trust me when I can tell you, every single one of you can do this and more. If you think this was impressive, the kinds of magic we can pull off together will really blow you away."

"I don't understand," said Severus. "What does this have to do with breaking rules?"

"It has everything to do with it. Dumbledore set all these rules. Right now the entire magical world heralds Dumbledore as the only barrier between us and annihilation. But we know better now, don't we?"

No one said anything, it was clear why today was so important to me.

"Some of you might think I was leading us down the path to join Lord Voldemort. I'm not, on the contrary really. But. After all, why shouldn't we? We're remarkably talented beyond the average student here, we're of the right blood and temperament. But even for those who don't follow Dumbledore, he's not the right answer either."

My eyes fell on the four of my friends I knew had most of their families involved in this, Evan Rosier, Jonathan Mulciber, Regulus Black, and Jacob Avery.

"Do you all wish to know the right answer? Do you all wish to know who we really should follow to become the wizards we were meant to be?" I asked rhetorically.

Wilkes piped up. "A-Are you saying it should be you?"

"No. Think harder, the answer is sitting all around you."

It took them a second, but Severus got it first. "Ourselves."

"Yes. The answer to surviving an increasingly violent magical world, and, a very quickly advancing and growing muggle one by proxy, isn't Dumbledore. Or Voldemort. Or the Minister for Magic. Or the Aurors, or what everyone calls Dark Wizards. The answer is us."

A few of them smiled, liking this.

Especially Severus and Rosier.

"See I break all these rules so casually as you said Wilkes, because I myself never trusted Dumbledore. But what does Dumbledore do? He touts people like Potter and his friends as fine, despite their mediocrity and arrogance. Meanwhile the children of ancient wizarding families, some half as old as this very castle."

My eyes rested on a nodding and smiling Rosier, who was very satisfied. "Are called criminals and butchers, just for who their family is, and daring to step inside this castle. They've picked sides for us since before we were born, everyone of us."

I sighed. "Unfortunately. Our parents and family members are no different. They too believe we have no agency, that the only answer to the power of Dumbledore is following a man slightly less secretive about his own power. Voldemort."

Everyone knew I never feared him or the name. Now they knew why.

"They think our only choices are to stay out of the wizarding war entirely. In my father's case and the case of Emma and Fred. Or in the case of everyone else except for Wilkes and Severus, to spend our lives battling Aurors until the Ministry somehow gives up. Is that a life for a wizard? Clawing and fighting to stay alive or in Azkaban. Because someone else told you to?"

There was complete silence in the room.

Finally, Regulus spoke up. "No."

"No. It's not. Our ancestors, all of our ancestors, built the very foundations of magical society, ingrained in these very walls." I said, pointing to the pillars of the Room of Requirement. "And we can't even graduate without being forced to cower and be afraid, or pick a side. Is that what they would've wanted? Is that what you want?"

"Then what do you propose?" wondered Severus.

"I propose we do what we were meant to do. Push the horizons of magic so far until we can't even see them. Because I promise you if you trust me and follow what I can teach you and tell you to do. We will be the most powerful and respected wizards who ever lived."

Severus tutted. "Wait. What?"

"I understand your apprehensions. But think of every wizard in history. One way or another they started in our shoes. As students of someone. Only a few of us have even reached the age of fourteen. And people decided to draw battle lines around us before we were even born. For the last time, I'll ask you. What do you want from magic?"

Severus chuckled, surprising everyone. "Is that even a question?"

I nodded without a word.

"I want what you've said Rob." Severus smiled. "True magical power. But I'm not stupid, this seems risky."

"Hasn't everything we've ever done carried risk? Today? Training for three years in this room? Perhaps it's time we stopped worrying about risk, and started worrying about truly using magic the way it was meant to. Salazar Slytherin was brutally honest, he saw the world for what it was, and they banished him from this school and the wizarding world forever was broken."

I laughed for a second. "Is that what you all want? To be too afraid to take that step?"

"Of course not." Rosier said with cold anger. "I want none of that. Not even a bit."

"Then do any of you believe we can't achieve what I've proposed here today? Something away from all the madness Voldemort and Dumbledore stirred. Our own future. Built by us."

Severus looked down at his lap. "I just. I just don't know what that entails."

I offered a hand, smiling at him. "It just entails trust. And patience. A few years time, we'll graduate and everyone at this school would've wished they were with us fighting Voldemort or Dumbledore's wars. We'll be winning our own battles. For every single one of us. For you Severus."

He took my hand, and stood up.

He knew, they all knew I offered more than power. This was the right way forward, to build an alliance that could inherit the future.

I had never seen Severus as confident in himself than when he gripped my hand and clapped another onto my elbow. "I'm with you. Always. I promise. This sounds like madness, but it really doesn't seem like any other idea might be proper."

"I'm in too." I heard Emma say.

Fred surprised me when he stood up and put a hand on my shoulder. "Meh. I kinda liked it more when we didn't know what the point of all this training was for. It was more fun that way."

"You kidding Greengrass?" asked Rosier as Mulciber and Avery chuckled. "We'll be more than just the lords of our houses that was going to happen anyway. Forget all that, we can do whatever we want. For us this time."

"Looks like Evan gets it." I said with a smile as everyone stopped being in the square and laughed.

The air turned from attentive listening to lighter.

We were all hopeful for what we could achieve together moving forward.

…

"You shouldn't have done that." Salazar hissed.

Immediately after that night, I entered the Chamber.

"Are you kidding me? I have to build up to it at some rate. I didn't tell them you were training me. I didn't tell them the full extent of my powers. I didn't tell them we were going to be going to war with everyone else at some point."

"You can't trust children with something like this. You're all barely fourteen."

"They'd never betray my trust. They know for a fact that Dumbledore, Voldemort, even their own bloody parents couldn't care less about them. They know that the only people who can fend for them are themselves."

"Still. By definition the relationship you and I have automatically separates you from them. You're not their friend Robert. You have to be their leader without telling them yet what they're getting into, not their friend. You can't ever truly be, as much as you want to, as much as they want to. You can't lad, I'm sorry."

I sighed. "And why's that?"

"I saw it in my first set of students. Merlin, he wanted the same. He wanted to gather and lead the best Slytherins he could find and start a new future for wizards. Things didn't work out, and without me there, Merlin ended up helping the muggles. If he hadn't done so, it's possible he could've replaced me as Head of Slytherin House after the other Three passed, and crafted the magical world in his image instead."

"So?" I asked. "I saw the dedication Merlin had for your cause. For this castle, magic, all of it. You said that's what made you respect me so much."

"Lad these boys and, this one girl I suppose understand the power and the opportunity you're offering them. I don't doubt that. But. I suppose the best way to explain that is that you must all brumate."

"Brumate?"

"It's like hibernation but for cold blooded animals. It's what my Basilisk did for centuries until it awoke. Except while they sleep, all they're doing is gathering strength for the ability to wake up. And strike. It's what you and the rest of the people you've chosen to complete my legacy must do. But in a way, they must be brumating as well. Not privy to what you have planned until the time is right."

"I've done that." I said, exhaling quickly. "They don't know everything. They know what they should do to trust me. To trust the cause."

"They don't need to trust you. It's unfortunate, but automatically they'll dedicate themselves to our cause as long as they know it's in their best interest. Tell them no more than what you've already told them. But for now, it's time to take precautions."

I nodded. "What kind of precautions?"

"The extreme kind. Proper mind magic, Legilimency so powerful you can rearrange the consciousness of even the mightiest wizard."

"Alright. Like a memory charm?"

"No. Obliviate has its uses, but while the victim can't detect their own erased memories, a proper Legilimen could instead as long as they were stored in someone's mind at any point. If you don't know this spell. This specific sort of Legilimency is called Tinentias, it can't be detected or rearranged in any way. By anyone, ever."

"But if the precaution is to stop them from telling anyone, why would a memory charm help?"

"It's not just a memory charm. It acts upon a certain event to activate the charm. Like the shutter on a trap, it snaps closed when activated specifically. For instance if one of your peers were to betray your trust, tell anyone they know they shouldn't to expose your group, your plans, and what you've taught them. It could render them unable to speak any further on the matter. And then the spell would let you know it happened."

"That seems harsh but necessary. But they wouldn't do that. Not yet anyway."

Salazar rubbed his ghostly temples. "You shouldn't be this trusting. They're children."

"Exactly. Children can be overly trusting, right?"

"Not typically of other children Robert. Even their greatest friends and the people they admire most. It's lucky no one told anyone else you were acting against Dumbledore and Voldemort until now. Act before it's too late."

"I'm not putting on a secret muting charm that not even their subconscious can detect just because I haven't done a good enough job of earning their trust."

Salazar raised his voice, for the first time I've heard him do so. "For the last time boy! These aren't your friends! Everything we've worked for will fall apart before it's even begun. It's not your fault, it's not even theirs. They just can't be trusted until they're old enough to make their own decisions."

"So that's what I am then right? Some sort of parent? Or a very strange babysitter? I'm technically their age."

"But I'm not. And in a way, you're not. This is very unlike you Robert, you had no problem slaughtering acromantula and roosters, going against everything Dumbledore and to an extent my own descendant stand for just to talk to me. But ensuring that years later they'd be in positions of power and status where none of your actions would matter now, that's wrong?"

In a way, I agreed with Salazar fully. And almost my entire reasoning until now for what I was doing was exactly what he said. The ends justify the means.

But I never charmed or used any sort of magic on the same people I knew. The only reason I could agree with doing this was if it was on the same level as the Sneak charm Marietta got that Hermione used whenever someone snitched.

But this was, stranger. It wouldn't hurt them, sure, but it was a mind bug that stopped them from talking about the group the moment they blabbed.

Would they thank me for it later? If they were going to betray me, what would I have to do then?

"This is just a precaution right?"

"If you didn't want to deal with the consequences you never should've trusted them with this. You never should've wanted to try and elevate yourself above Voldemort and Dumbledore if you weren't sure the cause could require sacrifices like these. If you couldn't lead these children better than they could, why risk wanting to form a group like this with them."

"But. I mean, you said it yourself, they're barely fourteen."

"The only alternative is to go off on your own to complete our plans. But that'll never work and if it would, it wouldn't be enjoyable for anyone involved. Robert if you can't bring yourself to take precautions like this to ensure the completion of my legacy. And ensure magical society evolves and at some point stops being so insignificant in comparison to."

Salazar chuckled, knowing it would come to pass. "A society with no magical abilities of any sort. How can you bring yourself to kill legions of people who would come to oppose you with their power and families threatened? How can you conquer anything if you can't ensure the silence and allegiance of your closest followers?"

"I'm trying to save them from Voldemort and Dumbledore. Not become them." I said.

"Think logically about this. Magical society has rotted away, growing weaker and smaller every century for the last ten centuries. Is it really so bad to ensure the most important magicals today, who have the future in their hands, like yourself. Don't throw it all away based on naivety or fear?"

"I'm not like the Three who cast you out. At least not like Godric."

Salazar smiled. "I know you're not, lad. That's why I stress how important it is that you make sacrifices. In these scenarios, it's all or nothing for the success of our cause. You can't win the war later on completely on your own. Not if prematurely, as the metaphor I've given you would say, the Basilisk would come out of brumation."

"But I can't bug the minds of the only people I've connected to at all in the past three years. Who would be my friend then here. Huh? Myself? A ghost? A thousand year Basilisk? How can the ends justify the means if I had to use any sort of mind magic to get them there? To force them to follow me?"

"You never considered you'd have to do this?"

"Back before I became friends with some of them, yes. But I'm going to come up with alternatives. Earning their trust better, training them better. Because right now, all it looks like to them is that I'm the leader of their friend group. Powerful, but not Dumbledore or Voldemort by any metric. And that's my fault not theirs."

"What alternatives?"

I took a page out of Hermione's book when she helped make the DA.

"I suppose I could have them write their names on a piece of paper. The paper's charmed to shut their mouths and close off their eyes and mind to Legilimency when they talk about the group to people they shouldn't."

"So the charm isn't on the children, it's on a sheet of paper and a few sets of ink on a page."

"Yes. Someone I consider to have an ounce of my talent with magic did it in her fifth year, I could do it easily."

Salazar took a second to think. "I suppose that could work. You'd only need to know a few things. How to set up sudden and powerful Occlumency shields for others. A slight bit of Legilimency too, or just a very strong Silencing Charm, and something to link both spells together."

"You see why I reacted to what you suggested? I didn't tell them I was going to build an army out of them to slaughter all of Voldemort and Dumbledore's soldiers and have them replace them with me. I didn't tell them I could speak to snakes or. Or you."

Salazar shook his head. "That's not the point. You have to be prepared to make sacrifices. You have to act the part of a general or tactician in all of this. Not a friend."

That's not what bothered me. It just wasn't necessary with the little they knew yet. But he did have a good point. Had to act like Lelouch VI Britannia, not someone who cared too much about friendships. I didn't forget who I was yet, I just knew there was a lighter alternative that worked perfectly well.

"I'm not going to bed until we come up with this paper."

"That's fine. It won't take long with the speed at which you can learn most magic."

He was right. With the Gamer, I managed to create a strong specialized Mind Magic Shield at LV 30 in under an hour with the right scroll Salazar got for me acting as a skill book. A bit more leveling as time went on, and even Dumbledore or Voldemort couldn't break these shields I could set up for others.

It wasn't hard at all, because my usual Magic Shields were extremely powerful at LV 80. They dwarfed the regular Shield Charm because if I wanted them to at some point, even Unforgivables could be blocked.

I tested it out, I cast Legilimens for the first time under Salazar's guidance to test it right here in the Chamber.

"Legilimens!" I shouted in Parseltongue, pointing my wand at the barrier.

Salazar told me the best way to test or use spells was in fact in Parseltongue unless I had mastered nonverbal spells, so I used it as often as I could when actually using incantations. Of course I never did so in regular classes to draw attention, but here it was business as usual.

The barrier shook, like a stone hitting a pond, but it stood still afterward without breaking.

Somehow through Salazar's teachings, my magic with a wand or otherwise had gotten stronger. More efficient. It all just felt better and cleaner.

"Good. Make sure it's invisible now and then it's usable."

I snapped my fingers and the barrier switched from a light orange to completely invisible.

"Excellent. I'll say lad, it still shocks me that someone at thirteen has your skills with magic."

After an hour of reading scrolls in the Chamber's libraries, my high INT stat helped and I was ready.

I came up with a very strong Silencing Charm, or rather an altered version of it that completely blocked any impulses to speak on a neurological level. Far more effective because it got done to the nitty gritty of blocking speech instead.

I called it the Muting Spell, in that the second you were hit with it, no matter what level you were or what your skills at Legilimency were, it was impossible to say anything. Meaning that even Voldemort, the apparent Legilimency god, was hit with it, even he was a mute as long as the spell took effect.

Then with the simple use of the Protean Charm modified for spells and written names on a sheet of paper not objects that I just came up with through my knowledge and skill at magic instantly, I connected both spells to the piece of paper.

On the sheet of paper, I used a quill and paper I had summoned and wrote on it.

Robert Pelham's Room of Requirement Training Group:

Robert Pelham

"See? Innocent name. Not so innocent cause."

"The time will come when they will be forced to fight their own colleagues and family. I just hope they understand that well enough and are loyal enough to you."

"Don't worry. As adults, I won't be as merciful as I am now with all this loyalty stuff. Mostly because by that time, they will have picked a cause."

With that, I was tired enough to go to bed.

…

Walking from Potions to Charms the next morning, I spotted something I otherwise wouldn't have if I hadn't noticed it by coincidence.

"See you in the Room in a bit." I muttered as Emma, Jonathan, and Evan walked off with Fred.

I approached them and as I suspected, a Hufflepuff and Gryffindor boy were picking on a Slytherin.

"Can you just." the Slytherin said quietly. "Give me my Gobstone back?"

"You still play with Gobstones? What are you five?"

"Just give it back please."

They laughed and stopped him, and even just at a few months away from turning fourteen I was significantly taller than both of them.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"Nothing. What do you care about?" the Gryffindor boy squeaked.

"It's none of your business." the other one said weakly, looking away shamefully. Caught.

"You're stealing stuff from people. Afraid that it is my business, whether or not this person is from my house."

"What are you going to do? Get a teacher?" asked the Gryffindor.

I raised my eyebrow slightly. "Do you know who I am?"

"Someone nosy?" suggested the Gryffindor.

His friend finally got the courage to look me in the eyes and he got even more scared. "Cripes. Look mate. You know who this is?"

"Should I?"

The Hufflepuff put his arm around his friend and muttered something only Gamer perception altered hearing allowed.

"This is Robert bloody Pelham. They say he's so good with spells he can probably duel fifth or sixth years. He could probably turn us into frogs and tell the teachers we just had a Potions accident."

Listen to your friend.

"What? You can't be serious."

"Wish I was kidding."

Without a word, they then dropped the Gobstone and ran off as fast as they could.

I picked it up and turned to the boy. "Sorry about that. It can even-"

I stopped, seeing the tag the Gamer had floating over the first year's head.

[Barty Crouch Jr - First Year Hogwarts Student]

He smiled. "Thank you." he took the Gobstone back. "I really appreciate it."

"I'm Robert." I said.

"Bartemius. Everyone calls me Barty. You're our top Chaser right? I saw you play, you're incredible."

I smiled. "You like Quidditch?"

"Like it? I love it." said Barty.

Voldemort's top Death Eater at one point speaking to me at age eleven. I don't know why I felt so different about meeting this one than the others. Mostly because I was sure that just like Regulus he'd be more than happy to join from what I already knew about them.

"How'd you do that? They took one look at you and ran. Was that, was that magic?"

I shrugged. "In a way. Must be my reputation with the teachers. Don't tell anyone this but people won't stop asking me for help."

"They do?"

"They do it so often I have a club. It's an exclusive club of sorts, think you'd be interested in joining. It'd help your spellwork a great deal."

Barty laughed. "A club? Well, I could use it in case those two idiots come back. Or their friends."

It just hit me that looking at him a bit more that he looked like a much younger version of David Tenant. Odd how even though I technically wasn't in the film franchise by any measure things like this happened.

"You'd fit right in with us I promise you. I was on my way over there. Want to come with?"

"Sure!"

I didn't realize Barty would've gotten sorted while I was still at Hogwarts a few months ago.

…

Barty gawked, watching the way I activated the Room of Requirement's door. "Whoa. What is this place?"

"A secret training room. We use it so no one bothers us when we practice."

I opened it, Barty followed, and I closed it behind us. "Everyone!" I called out.

The three groups of Slytherins stopped talking, approaching.

"This is Barty. He's joining the club right?"

He nodded happily. "Yes."

"He's a first year. You can't be serious." Nelson said, fixing his glasses before crossing his arms holding his wand.

"We all had to start somewhere." I said.

Mulciber also challenged him. "Barty? Barty who?"

"Barty Crouch." he said.

Fred sighed. "Your father's been making a play at the Minister of Magic post for years. It's a wonder he doesn't have it yet."

"Crouch tree tends to be rather pure." Rosier muttered quietly.

"See?" I said before anyone else could object. "He's a pureblood, his father's respected. He's a Slytherin. What else do you need to know before he can join us for some training?"

"Well I wouldn't say Crouch is respected." mumbled Mulciber. "But fine. He'll do I guess."

Fred chuckled. "I wouldn't say you'd do either now that you mention it Jon. You aren't the most skilled at most of our work I'd say."

"Meaning, Greengrass?" Mulciber looked a little mad.

"Exactly what I said." stated Frederick calmly.

Before they could argue I spoke. "I have something important to tell you all too." I took out the paper I made from my Inventory, but really my robes when I reached into them. "If you'd all please sign this." I said, showing the paper.

"What is this?" Severus said first.

"Yeah what is that?" asked Fred.

"You know I'd like less than any of us to get caught. But I do need certain assurances before we move forward. Like, knowing you officially consider yourselves part of this group. Just a signature of your names and we can move on."

Wilkes shrugged. "Don't see why not. Makes the club feel official."

"Now hold on." Evan said. "Then what's our name?"

I handed the paper to him and he read aloud. "Robert Pelham's Room of Requirement Training Group? That can't be it."

"It's neutral and a work in progress. Can we proceed or are we going to stand around talking all day?" I asked, drawing my wand quickly to summon a desk and a quill and paper atop it for everyone to sign.

Everyone treated the summoning of this as business as usual while Barty was blown away that a third year was as skilled as I was. He saw the looks on everyone's faces and I could tell that his mind was made about signing the paper.

Severus asked, as always, a great question. "What if a teacher finds the paper or confiscates it?"

"It's charmed to transform into a blank sheet of paper resistant to anything made to reveal itself the moment it strays more than a few meters away from me."

That was still risky, the paper would always stay in my inventory where no one could access it ever but me.

Barty's eyes widened. "How. Just how did you-"

"It's called a Protean Charm read a book. Honestly." Mulciber rolled his eyes. "We all know Robert can somehow do NEWT work already."

The Greengrass twins said something to each other and laughed. "Read a book? Look who's talking." Fred joked as Emma tried stifling her laughter.

"Alright, are we going to have a problem? Freddy?" Jonathan added severely.

I spoke and ended the quarrel instantly. "Save it for sparring lads. Now, if you will." I said pushing the paper forward on the desk.

Everyone quickly formed a line and by the end I had every signature I wanted, knowing the spell I had put on it was linked to the entire group. "Full signature of your names everyone."

Robert Pelham's Room of Requirement Training Group:

Robert Pelham

Severus Snape

Evan Rosier

Jonathan Mulciber

Bartemius Crouch

Jacob Avery

Emma Greengrass

Frederick Greengrass

Regulus Black

Nelson Wilkes

Ten people, eight third years, one second year, and a first year now, not a bad start. With a few of the Ravenclaws maybe next year or the year after would make around sixteen or eighteen people.

"Alright, Barty, because you're new here the first thing we do is break out in a square. Sit, and I review the week's goals. Then we practice. Let's go."

Everyone instantly took the square, with two people on each side and Barty awkwardly sitting on his knees next to Emma.

"All right. Important week, big week." I started. "Wilkes, Snape, Rosier. You're ready to start actually creating bubble Shield Charms and then moving on to specifically shield piercing spells. The stronger ones, none of those weak sparring based shields, you can practice on mine you're coming along really well."

"Mulciber and both of the twins. You three have to practice transfiguration on other people and how to block and summon fire and water. Tricky at first, but I'll help in a bit. The rest of you are with me reviewing fundamental dueling. You all know how important the basics are."

I sighed. "Before we start. Since yesterday we spoke on of course, the purpose of the group and other things. I'd like to mention something before we start."

Everyone kept listening.

"It's pretty obvious everyone in this group is of pureblood status. Those who aren't, have proven to be of highly advanced magical skill, Severus and Nelson. Now I share no particular affection for muggles. I know people in this room who actually have every right to be afraid of them, or hate them even." I said, making Severus look down at his lap with the allusion to his father.

"Our fathers, and their fathers, and the fathers of their grandfather's grandfathers had every right to fear muggles. To scorn their children who had magical ability. As such, I want to make a few things clear."

Now that you can't snitch on me without having the ability to snitch stopped immediately through the enchantment on your signatures.

"The term mudblood doesn't sit all that well with me. Again, I don't like muggles particularly. Nor do I like muggle born students. But to imply that I like or dislike someone more or less because of who their parents are, is absurd. I only value two things in people first. Honesty, and then skill with magic more than almost anything else."

The group nodded here and there, still listening.

"Muggle born students, like Mary McDonald, Lily Evans, and even those who show potential for being recruited in this group based on their magical skill like Bonnibel Beverly, don't deserve our hatred. Quite frankly, they don't deserve anything from us except for us to focus on building our skills. Consider myself and the training of this group by extension, as perfectly neutral in this regard."

Mulciber, Rosier, and Avery nodded as I went on. "I don't mean to ask you to change your opinions on muggles or muggle borns entirely. I'd rather you just never sought any opinion on muggleborns like myself instead. However, this brings me to my main point."

I crossed my arms. "You all know the things I can do with my magic. My objective here every day we practice, is that at some point you can do these very same things. This is not a group to bully muggles and muggleborns, this is not a group meant to bully or oppose anyone. This is a group dedicated solely to one thing and one thing only."

I smiled. "The perfection of the use of the ancient and noble art of magic."

The smiles, nods, and mutters of agreement spread throughout the room to everyone.

"I don't care about the discussion of blood purity in the slightest, I consider it a waste of time. Why? You focus too much on hatred, on judging others, your focus suffers. Your magic suffers. Clarity and neutrality of mind leads to perfect intent. Perfect focus. And perfect magic."

I raised my palms. "Let's get started on today's lesson."

…

Until winter break, I spent every day with all nine of the Group.

The training was in part physical with a bit of jogging and light calisthenics, I had to admit, it was weird creating an advanced magical training group at nearly fourteen but everyone followed me.

Everyone spent a few days to complete the objectives I had set for them, and then moved on to the next.

The basics I had to establish were dueling of all forms, only to disarm, to stun, and to disable opponents in various scenarios.

They became versatile, completing well into the end of the third year's final exam territory by late November.

The Nine as I typically called them often practiced the same basic spells again and again until I was satisfied that they had perfected it.

"Expelliarmus!" they shouted.

I felt somewhat like a teacher in a karate dojo, analyzing their technique, correcting mistakes, and trying to advance their magic as best as I could.

Severus was the first to master the basics of elemental control.

In the line the Nine stood in centered in the Room of Requirement they struck targets the Room had provided for them.

With a huge cracking sound, a massive jet of water flew around like a whip from Severus' wand and wrapped around a wooden dummy. He smashed it clean into the ground into several pieces, and not even shifting from his stance, a massive jet of Incendio flames burnt it away into ash.

Everyone was surprised and then instantly congratulated Severus.

During the weeks of training the Nine in the room, I had my own training in the Chamber of Secrets.

I jogged around the Chamber, in the pipes, read Parselscript and above all practiced Protego Diabolica and the basics of Legilimency from Salazar.

Salazar was hard at work every day doing the ritual himself to chant daily in Parseltongue to unite the magic of the three Basilisk horns we had carefully removed from his familiar's head with some special tools we had in the Chamber.

I helped where I was needed. As a ghost, Salazar's magic was greatly limited, but he was able to speak in Parseltongue and use the magic of the Chamber to start having all three horns grow together slowly.

It would take weeks, on Christmas Eve of this year, 1973, I would have a wand for once able to amplify my magic.

The final step after the three Basilisk horns had become sentient enough to obey and listen to Parseltongue together to act as a magical conduit and thus a wand was simple. It was to use the unicorn hair in my wand, choose a physical form for the wand to take shape as, which would be my old wand to draw less suspicion, and then use it.

I had to practice most spells on small animals I summoned, such as simple 'Peering' engaged through the simple incantation 'Legilimens.'

I pointed my wand at the cow, looking straight into its eyes before speaking in Parseltongue.

"Legilimens!"

I was able to look through the cows eyes, and through a bit of a trip, watched myself through the eyes of the animal.

Salazar told me removing fear and hesitation is what guaranteed perfection in any kind of magical art. Especially mind magic, where admittedly scary things like seeing yourself and controlling animals like puppets on strings were weakened the more you hesitated.

Gamer's Mind was especially helpful, and soon I was able to learn the basics of speech magic quickly as well.

I couldn't use Parseltongue on people without being outed as well, a Parselmouth. So Salazar taught me how to augment regular modern English with Parseltongue syllables in between words.

Sounds like 's' or 'sh' or 'as' could subtly be added into regular sentences with a strong enough understanding of how snakes hissed, so during meditation in the Chamber to connect my mind better to magic, the Basilisk was kind enough to circle around me, speaking to me about her daily activities of coursing throughout the pipes and cracks between the walls beneath the castle, eating what she could find.

This Parseltongue powered speech made anything obey me, it was a form of speech powered so thickly by magic that it automatically made animals understand.

I got a pack of acromantula terrified of me because even slightly snake addled speech made them too afraid to challenge me and made them scitter about the walls of the Chamber in lines, and then rows.

I remembered what Voldemort said to Dumbledore as a child.

'I can control animals without training them.'

Is this what he meant perhaps? Either way, I improved at spells of all sorts under this sort of training. Speech magic and mind magic acted as the core of magic so well that I improved my spellcraft greatly in just a few weeks of training.

In the Room nearing Christmas break, I started to notice something.

When the Nine were happy, I started to. When one of them came back from their regular classes, Barty one evening in particular, because their grades in classes had improved so much from our training, everyone cheered and congratulated Barty.

And then they thanked me. And I was pleased to help them.

One evening when Mulciber was able to produce a faint wisp of a Patronus when Emma already had her bat Patronus fluttering about her after weeks of practice, we all cheered.

Emma and Severus typically competed as top of the class, but the fact that Mulciber had made any progress at all on a spell so difficult impressed all of us.

We laughed, we patted Mulciber on the shoulders and the back, shook his hand.

And even though I almost always felt like a teacher to them. An outsider as being a decade older and from a different world, I nearly felt like one of them.

And for the first time in months, I genuinely was able to smile. Proud of the choice to build the group practicing magic well beyond our mid third year level.

…

My smile slid off my face back in the Chamber.

"Is something amusing, child?" asked Salazar.

"No." I said.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Jon pulled off a faint hint of a Patronus today. And Severus and Emma can summon a full Patronus after months of practice in areas of plenty of spell work."

Salazar floated around me speaking. "And?"

"Severus' Patronus was a great big bear. It wasn't vicious, it wasn't odd. It just sat there. And Emma's, a wild bat. Can you believe it, a bat Patronus?"

Salazar's voice, infused by the same augmentation that turned regular Old English into Parseltongue powered speech shook the Chamber slightly in his cold anger. "You forget yourself Robert."

"Excuse me? I'm the one who understands the importance of trying to build this army one step at a time."

"Exactly. An army."

"They're fourteen like you said!"

Salazar's stern look towards me still carried a great deal of presence, even as a ghost. "Do you think that'll matter in a few years time? You can't get attached to them. It's not right, and it undermines the cause, boy."

"I'm not getting attached to them."

"You could secure their loyalty for life. Reveal the training you've received from me, your full talents as a powerful Parseltongue and mage. They will never ever doubt you. Not for the rest of their lives."

I balled my fists. "This isn't about fear, Salazar. This is about-"

"Friendship? They're young and innocent, it's true Robert. But sooner or later they will make many enemies. Their own fathers, their own colleagues. You have to do something to teach them about the stakes of all this."

"I've been training them. What more can I do?"

"They need to understand the severity of their choice to ally with you. They need to understand that there are indeed going to be fighting by your side to end the wizarding war, and all wars to come. That you are planning to change the entire world forever. It's unfortunate, but lad, it's the truth."

I sighed. "They're getting really strong. Two of them can produce a Patronus at almost fourteen with what I've done. I plan to teach them to use very effective magic even without a wand. I'm improving their magic slowly to its fullest potential, the same way we've done here for months. What threat can there be?"

"The worst threat of all. One that can't be solved through strength. The threat of heartbreak, of guilt and loss. If they really wish to join you, they must know they'll be warring with their own families. With their friends, with several of the people in this castle. And it all starts with you Robert. Lead by example."

"That's what I've been doing." I said simply.

"I don't expect them to be ready to become soldiers so young. It just can't be done. But I'm talking mostly about you. You need to start removing their weaknesses, the same way you must shed yours. Like the skin of a snake, at some point in a few short years, you will have to become merciless. And if you do intend to fully take over the magical and non magical worlds, all of your comrades will as well."

I considered what he said for a moment, before continuing. "Thank you, Salazar. I needed to be reminded of this."

"I had my failings as well child. Never consider me flawless Robert. In a way, the greatest teachings I can give you were of my own failures. How to avoid them. The very same desire to coddle and protect cost the magical world dearly. Instead of taking charge myself and trying to confront Godric and the Three myself, I built this Chamber in an attempt to have any semblance of proper magical training in this school."

Salazar waved a ghostly hand towards the Chamber. "I wanted to shield my students away from the Three's incompetence instead of trying to do something to improve it. Instead of taking hold of the castle myself and locking Godric in a dungeon cell for his naivety and idealism I let it fall into mediocrity. I let Merlin grow soft enough to help muggles, not his own kind. And you, a thousand years later, are paying the price for it."

"I don't think you're projecting. I think you're right. Maybe if I am wrong about this a lot of people could get hurt and things could get worse. But with how well I'm training them, I really don't think we're headed in the wrong direction."

Salazar gave me a weak smile. "Thank you."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. Without your house, you wouldn't have me, no one would have me here technically."

Salazar rarely smiled, especially genuinely.

But now he was.

…

"Welcome." said a man with an eyepatch, metal arm and leg spoke in a snowy clearing. "Attention everyone!" Silvanus Kettleburn said.

The third years from all four Houses were present. We all stopped chattering and listened.

"This will be your final exam this year. Each of you will be graded on the following exercise, requiring a great deal of attention to what I have taught you. As well as some courage, patience, and gentleness."

Kettleburn waved a hand as a large and feathery creature revealed itself, flying down from the trees.

"The mighty! The fearsome! The hippogriff!"

Everyone, except for maybe the eight Slytherins who I trained daily in the Room of Requirement who still were somewhat shaken by how large and strange the hippogriff appeared, looked rather scared.

"His name, is Galewing. I almost chose Ironclaw but decided that'd be a bit cruel."

Lily cleared her throat. "And why's that Professor?"

"Because he's the reason I have to use a metal arm instead of a normal one. Hippogriffs get very angry when you don't show them the proper respect."

Everyone looked morbidly scared, except for me I knew he was probably kidding.

"I'm only joking. I will only step in if I believe Galewing will harm one of you. Otherwise, if you take him for a quick flight around the clearing, you will pass. Now," Kettleburn clapped his gloved hands together. "Who will go first?"

No one said anything. Not even James Potter, supposedly the most Gryffindor Gryffindor we all knew didn't say a word.

I wanted to go first, I already knew I could use Parseltongue into my usual words and charm it, but I was hoping everyone in my house would take some initiative.

"I'll go." I said.

Everyone was surprised and Kettleburn chuckled. "Excellent Mr. Pelham! Excellent. Now, your examination begins."

I walked forward from the crowd of third years, across the snow to the beast.

The first thing I did was make eye contact with the hippogriff, staring it down strongly. To establish dominance.

Normally it would've attacked me or gotten nervous for doing so, but instead I was using the Legilimency Salazar taught me in the Chamber to bend the beast's mind to my will sending one simple message.

'Calm down. I won't hurt you. Just stay calm and keep looking at my eyes.'

As long as I kept making eye contact with Galewing, the beast's mind would not be released from my grasp to make sure it stayed calm.

I bowed my head a bit and spoke. "That's right. You're safe with me."

After changing the way my voice could reach the ears of humans and monsters, my augmented speech magic was undetectable as being strange or having any form of Parseltongue or snake hissing.

The Hippogriff pawed at the ground, turning to let me approach unharmed.

I walked forward and began to pet its feathers. "Thank you. You're so kind."

Even with all the Legilimency and speech magic I used, something told me I had a strong pull towards anything Eagle related. Not only because of my Patronus, but it was just a strange hunch.

Kettleburn began to applaud. "Well done! Incredible work Mr. Pelham!"

Everyone except for a few of the Gryffindors applauded.

Even Peter Pettigrew started to applaud but Sirius strongly nudged him.

[You have increased Speech Magic to LV 29!]

[You have increased Obedience Legilimency to LV 16!]

[You have gained +1 LV!]

[You have gained +1 CHA!]

Legilimency had several sectors, according to Salazar, there was even mind magic where you could alter people's subconscious to the point where they couldn't even know they obeyed or forgot something without any trace or hesitation.

You could make anyone into sleeper agents with enough skill at Legilimency. Without even the need for something like Imperius.

It didn't bother me at all, I'd known for ages I could cast any spell, from the Spellbook Atlas or otherwise, how I needed or wanted.

"Take your lap around the clearing Mr. Pelham." said Kettleburn.

Tall enough to smooth out the back of Galewing before mounting the hippogriff, I whispered to the animal. "Please make the flight easy and quick."

The hippogriff tucked its wings in, took a charge down the clearing and spread its wings to take off into the air.

Honestly I saw why Harry preferred brooms. Because I was pretty uncomfortable for the three minute flight around a small part of the forest.

However, I was high up enough to see snow atop the trees and for miles. It was a pretty nice view, but at Hogwarts that was basically everywhere.

Galewing dove back into the trees and then landed back upon the ground.

A bit more light applause and I dismounted the hippogriff's back to walk upon the ground again.

Kettleburn spoke. "Great job Mr. Pelham you can take your place back with everyone else. Now, who's next?"

I half expected James Potter to insult Galewing out of jealousy like Draco Malfoy but instead he just stood there, grumpily snapping a twig under his foot and muttering to his friends.

Lily went next, and she did really well.

She wasn't aggressive at all in her approach. Then her flight reminded me very much of her would be son Harry, at least from the films.

After going to school with Harry's parents for three years, I understood why he became the face of his whole franchise in a way. He had Lily's kindness and James' confidence, if things weren't so tense between Slytherin and the Marauders I bet we might've actually been friends maybe by now.

Her flight on the hippogriff was kind of long, she took her time, flew off from the forest towards the lake and castle, and really appeared to enjoy it hearing her laugh as we all gasped seeing how quickly, high, and far Lily flew.

After she returned to the ground, I watched Rosier mutter something to Mulciber. As Severus sourly frowned at them and looked a bit distraught over this, Mulciber and Avery burst out laughing.

It looked tricky for them, because you had to balance gaining the trust of the hippogriff by establishing some light ground as well as respecting the animal.

All of Slytherin seemed to get full credit. Even Mulciber who was unlucky enough to almost sneeze and nearly set Galewing off into screeching.

Overall, we all did well on our first round of midterms.

…

I found Severus on my way back from Quidditch practice that day on the bridge staring off into the valley and mountains about him.

I muttered to Regulus. "See you in the common room?"

"Yeah. Great work today Rob." he said walking past Severus before chirping a light 'Hey' to him which earned him a nod.

I approached Severus and spoke. "You alright?"

Severus shook his head. "Rosier. After Lily finished her Care of Magical Creatures final. He made a joke about her. Called her a name, I think I've only heard it a couple times."

I leaned on the bridge's window frame, looking at him. "Mudblood?"

Severus turned towards me. "I know it refers to muggleborns but. What exactly does it mean?"

"It suggests muggleborns are born with dirty blood. That muggles are filth, and that their magical children are tainted by it."

"But Lily is." Severus trailed, smiling for a second and then frowning. "Well she's wonderful."

"For such a wonderful girl you don't seem to talk to her that often."

Severus sighed. "I don't think she's heard what they call her. But things are complicated. I suspect Potter is after her, or maybe his lot just don't like any of us and try to get her involved. And I-. Nevermind."

I gave him a light smile. "What are you really worried about Sev?"

"This whole. Pureblood philosophy. I've tried reading on it, but Madam Pince told me most of those books were restricted."

I shrugged. "Then we can break into the Restricted Section. I could do it in my sleep if I wanted to."

"No." Severus shook his head. "Tell me about it yourself."

Considering I received tutoring from the man who founded the pureblood philosophy on a daily basis, I'm pretty sure being Salazar's closest associate made me an authority on the matter.

"I've learned about the subject well. My father taught me about it, and my mother to an extent did as well. As far as I can tell, the first magicals hated muggles for slaughtering magical folk everywhere and forcing them into hiding."

"And how does it live on a thousand years later?"

"Again from what I can tell, politics. Houses like the Rosiers, Mulcibers, Averys, Notts, Lestranges, and many others wished for their cause to have ground. For their families to never wane in power. So they blamed the muggles and their children for endangering the security and prosperity of the magical world."

I went on. "Other Houses who typically opposed them took the opposite approach. They claimed helping or associating with muggles was the only way to survive and grow. The way I figure it, it all starts in this castle. One side typically is sided into Slytherin, and the rest into the other three. Then no one bothers to realize the fact that magical ability is so rare in the world that the idea of purity of blood just doesn't matter."

"So which side is right?" asked Severus.

"Neither. Our side is right. It'll always be right."

"But except for Nelson and I. Everyone who trains with you are all purebloods."

I nodded. "Yes. Severus, our world view things rather simplistically. If it wasn't for me, just associating with Mulciber, Rosier, and Avery would get you targeted by Potter and his mates. And if it wasn't for me, those three would go farther than just occasionally insulting Lily and her friends. They'd target them."

Severus frowned. "But those three are our friends right?"

"Ask yourself this. Would they do anything I didn't allow?"

"Of course not. You're the best we know with spells. You're the reason all of us do so well in classes. Regulus and Barty aren't even in our year and they're doing really well."

I shrugged. "I wish no harm to come to Evans, McDonald, Beverly, or anyone else. If you want, I could make the price of disobeying me clear." My tone changed.

Severus understood the gravity of what I implied. I by no means would threaten our friends, but I could really set them up for a rude awakening.

With the skill at magic everyone knew I had, I could say a few words and the word mudblood would never be uttered again.

"I just want them to never say those things about Lily. I don't care if her parents are muggles, or if she's best friends with the sons and daughters of top Aurors and Wizarding Law Enforcement. I just want everyone to get along."

"Like I keep saying it's not going to happen. But there's something I wanted to tell you, Sev."

He spoke quietly. "I'm listening Robert."

I remembered Salazar's words. Severus might've been nearly a month or so away from his fourteenth birthday, but I had to toughen him up. The quicker they all grew up the better.

He needed a spine. Severus would take years to grow into the double agent, the cold and calculating Half Blood Prince, but if it took a slight push in that direction I was fine with it.

"Your greatest fear is your father right? Looking like he got angry enough to whoop you?"

Severus looked at me. "How did you know?"

"The boggart lesson. A man with nothing but muscles and an angry look on his face is unlikely to be some random muggle. I put it together. Now your father is angry and confused at your magical ability, he takes it out on your mother. And you. You hated your home so much that even a light summer with them is tense."

Severus kept listening.

"That's merciless. And I have to take matters into my own hands, or you do, to get our friends to accept you have feelings for a muggleborn girl. The first friend you ever made right?"

Severus didn't even question this, very unlike him, continuing to listen.

"If I didn't take action already. Who knows how everyone in Gryffindor and Slytherin would act. And to make matters worse, this is just a childish version of it. Outside these walls, people who've gone through these same things have taken to murdering and barbarity. It might not occur to you, but life isn't fair. My best recommendation, is to be just as unfair to life in return."

I brushed some snow off my shoulder. "There's a clear distinction between being a monster and showing people you have to stand your ground. But if this thing with Rosier bothers you so much, tell him. Be fearless. Be confident. Be strong. Never be afraid of your talents Severus, it's what makes you excel. What makes you so spectacular with magic."

"What are you saying?"

"You doubt yourself too often. You anxiously wait for Lily or Avery or whoever to resolve this issue. You have the power to resolve it yourself. Act!" I hissed. "You want something, strike first. Take it. Someone tries to stop you? Good. Move through them. Don't be merciful if you really believe the world has been unfair to you. You've been hit? Hit back. Harder."

It took him a second, but my words changed the look on Severus' face.

"I know what I have to do."

…

The next day right before training in the Room of Requirement, Severus approached Rosier, Mulciber, and Avery.

"What's going on Sev?" Rosier asked casually. He saw the look on Severus' face. "Whoa, are you alright?"

"No. I'm pretty frustrated."

"By. What?" asked Rosier, confused.

"By what you said. You called Lily a mudblood. Said the school probably gave her easy points for it as Dumbledore favored her. Right after she got off the hippogriff yesterday."

Rosier shrugged. "So? He does. Everyone knows he hates Slytherins and favors Gryffindors. Robert knows it, proved it, as do the rest of us. The only reason we haven't publicly denounced him is because he's smart enough not to have us challenge Dumbledore."

Severus stayed calm. "I'm not saying Robert was wrong. I'm saying you're wrong Evan. Just stop making comments about Lily alright? I can forget it happened."

"Forget it happened?" Evan raised his voice.

Everyone in the room stopped talking, everyone's attention was on them.

"Excuse me?" Rosier stood up from sitting around a pillar with Mulciber and Avery.

A look from me and the two did not follow Rosier as he walked up to Severus. "How could I forget that among the first wizards who would've built Hogwarts were hunted down and slaughtered by muggles? How could I forget that muggleborns are siding with Dumbledore to lock up my family, and the friends of my family? Why?"

"It's not right." Severus answered quietly.

"All this about Lily Evans? Severus. You don't fancy her do you?"

The room was dead silent.

Severus looked into Evan's eyes. "Yes. I do."

Evan began to laugh. "I can't believe it. I thought it wasn't true. You're insulted? I'm the one who should be insulted!"

Evan turned around and roared. "Piss off Sevvy!" he growled over his shoulder.

Emma was about to move, drawing her wand to step in.

I shook my head.

Severus kept speaking calmly. "I wasn't asking Evan."

"Neither am I. What!-" Evan expertly drew his wand while turning around and what happened next almost shocked me.

Severus had drawn his wand already so fast it might've been magic, and a curl of water wrapped around Evan's ankle and lifted him into the air of the Room of Requirement. It began spinning him around in the air by his ankle, and honestly it was kind of funny to see how outmatched he was against Severus.

"What's going on?" Evan fired off spells rapidly around the room. "Severus, put me down!" he yelled.

Some missed, but I was pleased to see that everyone who would've been hit had already drawn their wands and calmly blocked or dodged.

It was pretty funny seeing Rosier struggle at all as the water swung him around the room, but I still gave my advice.

"Use your training Rosier!" I called up to him. "You know what to do, just stay calm."

"But I can't-"

Evan sighed, executing his response with an excellent nonverbal Diffindo spell to split the water connected to Severus' wand.

The fall might've given him a sprained ankle at worst, but for a split second I saw Evan wave his wand to use the nonverbal version of the Softening Charm on the ground to cushion his fall.

I smiled. I had given them good instincts for combat.

Evan wasn't doing too bad at first exchanging spells against Severus, in an impressive and colorful display of attacks, but the moment it looked like Severus went all out it was over.

"Levicorpus!"

He flicked his wand and Rosier was lifted into the air by his ankle again. This time, an invisible force just picked him up. Quite comical again.

It was over, Severus ended the match by disarming Rosier instantly nonverbally.

Evan fell onto his rear but reached for his wand and I spoke. "Enough. Well done the two of you, but this is the perfect transition into our next lesson."

I muttered to Severus. "How did you do that?"

Severus shrugged. "I don't know. I came up with a proper set of words and just visualized Evan in the air again. Just from what I've read on incantations."

Mulciber helped Rosier up and I spoke in the center of the room. "As you can see, Evan got out of an impossible situation with some quick thinking and good combat instincts. With Severus' control of water, he could've been spun in the air until he passed out."

Everyone laughed and tittered quietly, except for a very angry Evan.

"Or worse, if Severus really wanted to hurt him, he could've slammed him hard enough to knock the life out of him into one of these stone walls. Head first, instantly killing him." I added, turning the look of frustration and disappointment on Evan's face at losing so badly into one of understanding.

"Severus was only sending a message. But outside of this room, whether you're facing other wizards or whoever. They won't be as merciful. Because unlike in here, they aren't your friends. When you face someone in combat outside of these walls. They are your enemies."

I crossed my arms, holding the edges of my Slytherin robes. "Frumentar might teach magical combat, but he teaches how to disable opponents who aren't particularly skilled yet. Our enemies won't care if we're young. Our enemies won't care if we wish to show mercy to them or not. When we graduate and get into real battles, or even a bit before that. They will, without hesitation, kill us if they want to."

I shrugged, looking around. "At some point we will have to fight in the war. Either on one side or the other, or flee into hiding. I've taught everyone here none of those options are suitable. Make your own choices. Always make your own choices." I added calmly. "But all I can remind you of is that you all saw as a silly show of some advanced magic, could've ended very. Very differently."

"Aguamenti is a NEWT level charm. You're all forgetting that I am not the only one who can move onto more and more advanced magic until we are suddenly creating our own boundaries. Creating our own power."

Everyone nodded, continuing to listen.

"Severus didn't just cast Aguamenti, he evolved his use of the spell into complete elemental control of water. I needn't remind you that we are all of almost the same age. We all have the same magic, we all have the potential to attain the same powers. Not just me, but all of you can grow so strong, that we can break any rule or law set in this school. Or the Ministry, or by anyone."

I began to look in between everyone. The Greengrass twins, Regulus, Avery, and everyone else.

"We're finally starting to use magic the right way it should be used. We're making it grow, and we're actually choosing to use it for those who matter. Ourselves. We have this power, far more than others. How does it feel?" I inquired.

"I think it feels like a great opportunity." Severus said, gripping his wand.

Everyone quietly agreed.

"Soon, we can begin to augment and change our magic without a wand. Grow it to even newer heights." I added. "To better ones."

Everyone muttered at this and Frederick spoke up. "Wait. What do you mean, new heights?"

"That's what today's lesson is on. Severus, attack me with absolutely all you have, don't be shy."

We all just saw what Severus going all out looked like, everyone took a few steps back.

"Are you sure?"

"You're scared of hurting me? I taught you that you shouldn't, especially when they've asked for it." I said drawing my wand.

Severus got into his dueling stance. "Fine."

I just walked in a circle with my wand lowered, staring right at the center of Severus chest, his attacks would come into my peripheral vision.

Severus used the first shield piercing spell I taught him. "Bombarda!" roared Severus.

I had gotten so good at and used to manipulating spells at this point that I caught the very spell in my hand and extinguished it.

"How did you do that?" asked Emma.

"Simple. The same blocking movement I would regularly use with my wand, I used with my hand instead. Leaves my wand free to block other spells or perhaps send a counterspell."

"But how?" Fred asked.

"Again, clear mind, a focused intention of what I want my magic to do. And as Severus has proven, you can do anything with enough practice. Again Sev, come on."

A string of powerful fast and nonverbal spells were sent like missiles in my direction, I really had forgotten how naturally gifted with magic Severus was and how well I had trained him.

A few reflected off my shield, but I caught and redirected a couple spells with my bare hand and pushed them away.

The last one, I threw right back at Severus with a strong application with one of the first spells the Gamer let me learn. The Reversal Spell, which reversed literally anything it came into contact with after LV 45.

Severus' red Stunning Spell flew right back at him, several times stronger and faster, and he barely dodged it.

"But wait," said Emma. "If the spells come into contact with your skin, why aren't they affecting you?"

"They're not touching me. Because I'm focusing my magic just in front of my palm to make a very thin and simple barrier. In my left hand, my shield, my bare hand. In my right, my sword, my wand. If you can control and manipulate your magic well enough to do what you please with it, there are too many possibilities to count."

I spoke again. "A few rounds of teaching you all this, and we can move on to Patronus work."

Regulus and Barty were younger than everyone else and struggled greatly sometimes, especially with the very advanced magic we were doing, but at some point they'd catch up.

Halfway through our third year, we were heading towards having everything necessary to complete fourth and some part of fifth year material. We already knew even the less skilled wizards in the group like Mulciber had more than enough to pass the third year finals.

The training group was a great decision, and I thought about how they were growing with their skills as they practiced.

Emma and Severus were in a league of their own. I considered them very highly skilled third years however, besides Severus' very advanced use of Aguamenti and his strange control of water, he couldn't do much else than Expecto Patronum that was beyond his year.

However, he could make Levicorpus on the spot during combat. I didn't care that I already knew he had the talent to make so many of his own spells and write them back in his Potions textbook, that was amazingly impressive for someone a month away from their fourteenth birthday.

Emma was slightly less skilled since the only significant thing she had done was make a Patronus, but even that on its own halfway through someone's third year was pretty impressive. While I knew Harry could do it in his third year, the fact that he learned it so quickly was admittedly really good work.

They were both above the rest by far. The only ones able to have any form of a Patronus yet, corporeal or not.

Evan, Regulus, Frederick, and Nelson occupied the next rung below them. They struggled with spells more than a year above their level, but generally had the patience, skill, and dedication to complete the weekly tasks I always set for them. They were slightly above average, whereas Severus and Emma were very exceptional.

Avery, Barty, and Mulciber were at the bottom but they still tried their hardest. Barty was above average for a first year, but lacked a great deal of courage in duels. Mulciber and Avery were just generally unskilled, but by no means were they terrible, just slightly below average.

Although, with my training, combining my knowledge of Jihan's Spellcraft Atlas, Salazar's training, and my work on my own, even a slightly below average wizard here in the Room's training group was strong.

Evan walked up to me mumbling. "Hey, Robert."

"Having trouble with it? Remember, it's like you're pushing aside someone's punch. You can focus your magic and you'll get it."

"It's not that. Well, okay, it is that, it's pretty tricky. But you can let Severus know I won't say anything about Evans. I hear him loud and clear."

"I will. You got it, Rosier."

He nodded and returned to training against Mulciber.

Winter break was around the corner, and soon I could really practice Protego Diabolica and other spells properly.

…

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A/N: Thank you all so much for reading, guys. I fixed a very important thing with Robert not outing Lupin as a werewolf just to prove Dumbledore isn't trustworthy when almost no one in Slytherin likes him anyway. It probably would backfire and do more harm than good. I hope you had a great Christmas and happy holidays, and I wish you all a Happy New Year!