DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. New Movie is coming in April! Hurrah! Yeah, for Fanfiction – a great place to stretch your imagination and enjoy someone else's creativity too! The is the sequel to The Potter Cartouche.
Harry displays his new magic with incredible results.
Chapter 20: Runes and PaperOn Sunday afternoon, as lunch began, Professor Carter invited Harry to join him in his office at 2:00 PM. His friends teased him about being in trouble, but Harry ignored them. Ron Weasley complained that Professor Carter was too hard on Gryffindors and failed to notice that no one joined in his complaints.
In the office (McGonagall's old office), Professor Carter welcomed Harry and began by apologising for his harsh questions the other day. He explained, "I need to look out for all my Gryffindors while trying to help all the students in their upper years with potions. There are so many problems and holes in everyone's potion education that I fear for their test results."
"Don't worry about it, professor," Harry said. "It's nice to have a Head of House who thinks about the students and their education instead of what the headmaster wants and needs."
"Now, tell me, what's going to happen with you on Tuesday?"
"I have a lot of new magic that I've documented inside this supplement to my family grimoire," Harry began before he gave his head of house some generalities about a radical way to create runic arrays that worked without pulling magic from his core.
CHANGE SCENE: Tuesday ExaminationsOn Tuesday, when it was time for the fourth-year class to begin, the only two students who entered the classroom were Daphne Greengrass from Slytherin and Harry Potter from Gryffindor. They were both surprised to find Professor Babbling and Madam Marchbanks waiting with Headmaster Bennet, Professor Carter, and Professor Flitwick in the classroom. After the two students entered the room, Deputy Headmistress Longbottom joined them.
"The castle is calm," Augusta reported to Bennet as she sat down beside the headmaster.
Professor Babbling smiled as she reminded the two students, "Today, you will complete three parts of an examination as you attempt to place into the fifth-year class for runes. If you are admitted to the fifth-year class for runes, you will be allowed to test with the other candidates for their OWLS at the end of this school year. The exam today will be just like sitting for your OWLs for the written portion and in the practical portions."
"One-third of your grade will be written, and one-third will be carving a cartouche and selected runes. When complete, the array must call forth light and brighten a room on the sandstone shard with the touch of any witch or wizard's wand. The final third of your grade is to present a previous completed and functioning runic array. Madam Marchbanks and I shall examine it for the quality of your work."
Madam Marchbanks stepped forward and instructed both students to place all of their belongings on a table at the back of the room. Then she provided them with quills and inkpots before telling them that they would have one hour for the written portion of the examination and then one hour to complete the practical part of carving the cartouche and runes.
Harry waited for the test paper to land on his desk and began reading the questions as soon as Marchbanks told them the hour had begun. Focusing on the questions and revising answers in his mind, he used the traditional quill to write his responses to the eight questions.
CHANGE SCENE Daphne Greengrass Point of View'There must be a dragon's blood potion somewhere in the room waiting to explode. Nothing else would bring two more professors, the headmaster, and deputy headmistress, to watch us test out of runes. What's Potter done this time?' Daphne wondered. She'd kept her opinions to herself when Snape died, and Draco had been expelled permanently. She celebrated quietly with Tracy and Millie in the privacy of their dorm room, but no emotions were shared in the common room or outside the dormitory.
'This is year is wonderful! All the junior death eaters are gone from the country, and then Draco and Snape fell before Almighty Potter. Dumbledore is effectively neutered – Merlin, I can study without worrying about trolls, basilisks and dark lords wandering the halls of my school.'
While she waited for the exam to begin, she glanced around and found that the four staff members from Hogwarts kept their attention on Potter while Babbling continued to encourage her. Marchbanks attempted to appear disinterested, but her eyes continued returning to Potter.
'Nott swears the Gryffindor can vanish and reappear at will,' Daphne thought. 'Perhaps he is worth more study.'
SCENE CHANGE: Examination ResultsOnce the hour for the written exams was complete, Babbling collected the papers and gave them to Marchbanks to score. Then she provided the two students with the plate-sized shards of sandstone used for practising carving the cartouche and runes for all students in her classes this year. Until her students took their tests in January with the plates provided by Hogwarts, they would use these shards. Again, Professor Marchbanks instructed both students to retrieve their carving tools. Once they were inspected, they continued with the instructions on how to proceed during the next hour and carving their sandstone shard with the cartouche and runes.
Once the students began the practical, Marchbanks turned her attention to the written portion of the exams and was delighted to find them both excellent work. Miss Greengrass's penmanship was better than Potter's, but that was to be expected between a pureblood and muggle-raised, half-blood. Potter provided the best answer on seven of the eight questions, and for the last one, their responses were equal. Following the magic of the Examination Board, Marchbanks awarded Daphne an Outstanding on the written portion, and she awarded Potter an Outstanding with Distinction.
'If the young wizard pulls off the other two portions, Bathsheba will have both of them in the fifth-year class.'
When the second hour ended, Professor Babbling and Madam Marchbanks looked first at Miss Greengrass's sandstone shard. The cartouche was almost perfect – one corner might have been carved slightly deeper than the other three. And her runes were precise but smaller than necessary. And when prompted to tap the slate with her wand, the array did produce light that was bright enough to light up a darkened room. Babbling hung the shard on the wall and ignited the light by touching it with her wand. And then Madam Marchbanks touched it with her wand to extinguish the light.
"Excellent, Miss Greengrass!" Babbling praised her student when Marchbanks awarded a second Outstanding score. With the written exam also scored as Outstanding, Daphne's chances of being in the fifth-year class when it next met looked promising.
The two witches examined Mr Potter's slate with the cartouche and runes. They had to admit (if only to themselves) that the young wizard had carved a perfect cartouche of equal depth all the way around, and his three runes filled the cartouche as was suggested in all advanced texts. They scored him with an Outstanding, and when he was handed his written exam, he smiled. Professor Flitwick had to explain that the plus (+) beside the O meant 'with distinction'.
Daphne and Babbling were slightly disconcerted to hear that but kept their opinions to themselves. Hanging Potter's shard on the wall, Babbling found it ignited with the slightest touch of her wand, and Marchbanks extinguished the light with the simplest of touches. Pleased and full of praise, Longbottom, Carter, Flitwick, and Bennet remarked how impressive both students had performed with only two months of study in their fourth year.
"Now, if we can have Miss Greengrass's artefact," said Marchbanks to move the examination to its conclusion. Daphne walked to the back of the room, and from her bag, she drew out a medallion that she identified as bearing the rune for fresh breath for the witch or wizard wearing the medallion. Marchbanks performed the simple test to prove that the artefact had been created by Miss Greengrass's magic and then tested the medallion.
"Excellent, Miss Greengrass," Marchbanks declared as she felt her teeth, tongue and mouth refreshed. "A third Outstanding grade today."
"Miss Greengrass, I invite you to join the fifth-year runes class that meets tomorrow at 1:00 PM," Babbling announced.
"Thank you, Professor Babbling. Thank you, Madam Marchbanks," Daphne said as she quickly gathered her belonging and left the room.
"Don't you want to remain and see how Mr Potter performed?" Babbling asked.
Her face remaining expressionless, Daphne replied, "I need to write a letter to my mother and father about my test results and send the owl immediately."
"Very well," Babbling said, waving the girl from the room. Then she turned to Potter and asked, "What project did you bring, Mr Potter?"
"I made a ring for your examination," he replied as he handed over a new gold ring with a white stone.
"A ring?" asked Marchbanks. "How did you make a ring? Isn't that seventh year and beyond?"
Babbling said, "That is seventh-year work."
From the side of the room, Professor Flitwick spoke up, "Test the ring to find the name of the maker and his magic."
Babbling set the ring on the table and cast the spell that verified Harry Potter had created the ring. Marchbanks moved the ring to the seat in a chair and repeated the test with the same results. The profile of Harry Potter in blue light was displayed above the ring both times.
"Will you both state out loud what the results of your spells were?" asked Flitwick, and both witches were forced to state that the magic revealed the ring to be Harry Potter's work.
"And what does your examination of the ring tell you?" asked Flitwick very respectfully.
Marchbanks replied with some hesitation in her voice, "This ring was made -apparently made – by a six-layer runic array. The spells on the ring include a piercing hex, a shield, silver knives thrown at high velocity, a second shield, then something to protect the mind of the person wearing the ring, and a cap."
Babbling shook her head and said, "No, such a thing is impossible to create. There are no such things as six-layers…six brother plates are impossible to create."
"This ring must be unstable! It might explode at any time!" exclaimed Madam Marchbanks.
"Or collapse!" added Babbling, her discomfort growing.
"What would cause it to be unstable? There's nothing to make it collapse or explode," observed Professor Carter. "I believe Mr Potter's ring meets your requirements…exceeds your requirements for admittance to the fifth-year class."
"This can't work…as soon as anyone tries to use it, the ring will collapse or explode," Marchbanks said.
"I think a test is required," suggested Headmaster Bennet.
"In my classroom?" shrieked Bathsheba.
"Everyone who feels it necessary can throw up shields," said Augusta. "I'm certain that's allowed."
"Simple shields won't survive an exploding runic array," Marchbanks stated.
"Put up your shields, and I shall add a Hogwarts ward in front of them," Bennet said.
Once the shields were in place, Marchbanks asked, "Aren't you coming behind the shield?
None of the other adults left Mr Potter's side, and Bennet motioned for the wizard to demonstrate the spells in his ring. First, a powerful shield to be seen appeared in front of them. They could see through the shield, and suddenly there were ten small holes punched in the wall opposite from the location of Harry and the professors. Then one hundred silver knives flew across the short space to embed themselves in the stone. Next, the shield changed to surround Harry and the four professors at his side, and finally, a shield was only in front of the wizard.
Bennet asked, "Who can test the mind protection?"
Carter said, "I will. I'll just brush Mr Potter's outermost thoughts."
"Ouch!" the professor said before covering his eyes and swallowing. "Very effective. Stone walls with attacking vines of muggle barbed wire."
Headmaster Bennet called out, "A headache potion, please."
The requested potion appeared in Carter's hand, and he chugged it down.
"Sorry, professor," Harry stated, just a bit sheepishly.
"No. No apologies necessary, Potter. I am glad to know your mind is well protected," Carter replied.
Professor Babbage asked, "How can you cast that many powerful spells? Is the ring draining your core?"
Harry replied, "No, the array doesn't take any of my magic. The runes just pull magic from the world around us."
Headmaster Bennet sat down and looked thoughtful while Professor Carter moved to stand beside Flitwick. Deputy Headmistress Longbottom said, "Fifth-year runes will not challenge Mr Potter. Shall we arrange for him to continue with independent study?"
Professor Babbling announced, "This is dangerous!"
Augusta smiled as she nodded her head and said, "All new magic can be dangerous. It took fifty years after magical wards were invented before wizards felt comfortable using them around their homes."
Still not willing to accept what she'd seen, Bathsheba Babbling continued, "This is a one-off! He found something or other. He can't have made a six-layer array!"
Madam Marchbanks turned to Potter and asked, "How did you do this?"
Harry grinned. "It's magic I created. And I documented everything inside my family, Grimoire, so you can't tell anyone about it."
Professor Carter added, "As Mr Potter's head of house, I verify that he has documented this magic in the Grimoire, and the protections are there. You must accept the restrictions to keep this process to yourself until Mr Potter reveals it himself."
SCENE CHANGE: Seeing is BelievingDetermined to get to the bottom of this impossible artefact, Babbling and Marchbanks agreed without hesitation. Then Marchbanks continued, "This ring is not possible. And I can't sign off on it by myself…I won't sign off on it. We need Tofty or Smithers – both of them – to view this examination and make any award."
But Professor Babbling complained, "But Smithers and Tofty are both theorists, and they do not have any practical application with runes."
"Perhaps they can tell us how it was accomplished," Marchbanks said, looking toward the four Hogwarts staff members. Headmaster Bennet used his magic and connection to the wards around Hogwarts to open the floo in the classroom. The floo allowed Madam Marchbanks to call the two wizards at the ministry and ask them to join her at Hogwarts.
When a green coloured head in the flames inquired as to why they were needed, Griselda said, "We need your expertise with theoretical runic arrays today."
Certainly intrigued, Professor Tofty and Professor Smithers stepped through the flames into the classroom at Hogwarts. Behind them, the floo closed and was once again a regular fire; Bennet would not leave a floo open in his school.
"I thought this was a simple OWL examination, Griselda," Tofty said as he took in the room and the gathering of wizards and witches, as well as the youngest attendee.
"It's become complicated," the witch replied. She pointed at the young wizard and said, "Mr Potter has an artefact that he made, but my knowledge of magic says this ring cannot exist."
Smithers looked intrigued while Tofty quipped, "Always said Dumbledore hid the boy because there was unknown magic attached to the boy."
"Look at the ring," Marchbanks said, offering them the golden ring with a smooth white stone in the head. The two wizards quietly examined the ring with growing excitement.
"Where's his written examination? And the class project he just finished?" asked Smithers. The two ministry wizards divided the two parts of the exam – Smithers looked at the written examination while Tofty considered the class project – the light plaque to hang on any wall. Then they switched and continued their inspection.
Tofty said, "Outstanding work; you can't give him anything less than O+."
"I awarded O+ for the written portion of the exam," explained Marchbanks, who sat down to consider what she'd seen and heard so far today. Tofty picked up the ring once again and asked, "Might I try the ring, Mr Potter?"
"Certainly, Professor, just make certain you don't aim it at anyone," he insisted.
Nodding in agreement, Tofty slipped on the ring and asked, "How do I invoke the commands?"
"You just think about firing the piercing spell, placing the shield to surround you, firing silver knives, or placing the second shield just in front of you. The last one is to protect your mind," Harry said.
Tofty motioned his left hand at the far wall of the classroom, and ten more small holes appeared in the stones. This was followed by a thick, visible shield surrounding the wizard, then more silver knives flew across the room and embedded themselves in the rock and mortar, and finally, another shield appeared that separated Tofty from the other individuals in the room for several seconds.
"I affirm that Mr Potter's ring does perform all the charms or spells in the artefact, including the mind shield. He has created a six-layer runic array."
Smithers took the ring, pointed it at the far wall and repeated the same test quickly and exclaimed, "How did you do this? This is the most important discovery since wards in the 1600s! The ICW will have to recognise Britain as the most innovative magical nation once again!"
Headmaster Bennet took the ring from Smithers and handed it back to Harry. Then he called for an elf and asked the creature to repair the far wall and put the silver knives into the cutlery in the kitchens.
"Mr Potter, if you will demonstrate for me how you completed this, then Mr Smithers and I shall award you a mastery of runes and write a paper that will set the Magical World on fire."
Professor Babbling continued insisting, "This is not possible! No one can do this!"
"Bathsheba Babbling, you must have slept through history class or never read any history," Smithers replied. "At one time, Magical Britain was recognised as the most important magical nation in the world because we created more spells and more magical devices than any other four nations combined."
"But…" she tried to object but fell silent.
With a frown, Harry asked, "Does that include the wizards who created Dementors and House-elves? I read a lot of history last year trying to learn about Dementors."
Ignoring Babbling and Potter, Marchbanks stated, "We must see how you do this! You have to demonstrate your spell…the process you use so that we can verify it is real, and you are the wizard who invokes the magic…we have to see it to grade you."
Tofty nodded and further explained, "To grade you appropriately, Mr Potter, we must view the process, but your requirement for confidentiality is acceptable. If you can successfully create this multiple layer runic array in the next two hours, we shall name you as a Master of Runes."
Harry grimaced, but Professor Clark had prompted him to invoke his Family Magic and mandate the examiners swear never to reveal his magic until he chose to make it known to the general public. There was no hesitation from Tofty, Smithers or Babbling to accept the requirement. However, Madam Marchbanks wanted to argue about the request until Professor Carter, and Headmaster Bennet reminded her that she was at Hogwarts as a member of the Wizarding Examination Board.
"Your oaths as an examiner require you to accept this condition," Carter reminded her.
"I don't see you accepting the requirement."
With a nod of his head, Carter explained, "Mr Potter and I have already discussed this requirement. And I am his head of house, so I must remain objective and argue in his best interest. Professor Flitwick will remain and witness the Potter family magic."
Turning to Harry, Carter said, "Good luck, Mr Potter."
Then the head of house for Gryffindor walked to the door and waited until Headmaster Bennet joined him. Deputy Headmistress Longbottom wished Harry the best and followed the two men from the classroom.
Whispering to each other, Professor Babbling and Madam Marchbanks decided to include a stumbling block in the examination. Marchbanks said, "Mr Potter, we want you to make a medallion with multiple spells that any wizard or witch can invoke."
Babbling listed the spells saying, "The runic array must make water, and include runes for cooling, warming, cleaning robes, and freshening the mouth. And don't forget to put a cap on the top of the runic array."
Tofty and Smithers frowned hearing the inclusion of cooling and warming – those runes were incompatible and would not work in the same array. A journeyman testing for his mastery would know that and bring it to the examiner's attention as part of the examination for the mastery. At that point, all four of the examiners expected the young wizard to fail. But Tofty looked at Professor Flitwick, who understood the problem in the 'test' but remained unconcerned.
'I wonder if he expects Potter to cast some spell to make cool and warm work together?' he speculated.
Nodding his head respectfully to Marchbanks and Babbling, Harry asked, "How much water do you want me to create? A flood to fill the room or a single glass of water?"
Babbling waved the question away and said, "A pitcher or two of water will be sufficient."
The young wizard continued with his questions asking, "Do you want me to cool one person, everyone or the room?"
Marchbanks directed him, "Cool everyone in the room, but your warming rune should only warm the person with the medallion."
Nodding his head as he wrote down the instructions, he asked, "Should the cleaning panel clean everyone's clothes?"
"Yes, and the fresh breath should be for everyone too," Babbling said. "The runes are Norse and Egyptian for those last two charms."
Tofty said, "Mr Potter, can you make a medallion instead of a ring this time?"
"Okay. I'd started thinking about limiting the number of rings I should make," Harry agreed. "I'm thinking about bracelets on my arms and ankles, and maybe necklaces."
Tofty whispered to Harry, making him blush and insist, "I would not put a bracelet there!"
Flitwick smirked and contributed to the conversation for the first time, saying, "Mr Potter, remember that you can make earrings or studs to put into your ears, or even in your nose.
Grinning and nodding toward the Charms Professor, Harry suddenly thought about an ear stud for a permanent shield around him. Then Tofty said, "Time to bottle the potion, Mr Potter."
The young wizard nodded and went to his book bag at the back of the room. Harry pulled a gold nugget and a limestone nugget out of the bag that he handled to the examiners to inspect. Tofty, Smithers, Marchbanks, and Babbling examined the gold and limestone to verify they were inert materials and not enchanted.
Then Harry pulled out a sheet of paper and a muggle biro.
"Oh, my!" exclaimed Tofty, watching the young wizard.
"No!" Babbling said. "This won't work!"
Harry folded the sheet into thirds and then once more in half. Holding up the paper with the folds easy to see, he said, "This gives me six sides to draw cartouches and fill in my requirements."
"Do you use words? Not runes?" demanded Babbling, confused and scared by what she saw her student preparing to do.
"Runes will work, but words…English words work fine," Harry assured the examiners.
"No! No!" Babbling insisted, refusing to believe what she was seeing.
"What kind of paper is that?" asked Smithers.
"It's regular paper…a normal sheet of muggle paper," replied Harry.
"That won't work," Babbling insisted.
Harry handed over the paper and suggested, "Feel it. Cast spells on it. The paper is magical."
Tofty and Smithers looked at the paper, and cast detection spells on it. Once satisfied, the two wizards offered it to Marchbanks and Babbling. Smithers asked, "Where did you get this paper?"
"This piece of paper came from Hogwarts. She stores all supplies like paper, quills, biros, and ink pots that students leave behind each year. And while the paper sits here, it becomes saturated with magic."
"We've always used parchment," insisted Babbling before she repeated herself. "We've always used parchment."
"Yes, before people learned to make paper, parchment was the only thing to use," Harry said to agree with his professor.
"Parchment arrives at Hogwarts, and it is magical!" Babbling said.
"The process to create the parchment in Magical Britain uses magic. The Black family holds the monopoly for creating parchment used in contracts, documents, and letters," Smithers contributed to the conversation, his mind beginning to consider the implications of muggle paper working for magical needs.
Marchbanks shouted, "But runes have to be carved on sandstone plates…or other stone plates! Not just written on a piece of paper!"
Ignoring the questions and objections of the witches, Smither took the sheet of paper from Marchbanks and Babbling before he asked, "Is Hogwarts the only place that can infuse this paper with magic?"
Harry began to answer, "No. I believe that Gringotts and the ministry both generate enough magic to infuse it into regular muggle paper."
Now, Professor Babbling interrupted him and argued, "Don't worry about the bloody paper! Show me…does this work?"
"You're wasting time, Mr Potter," Marchbanks said sharply. "You only have two hours."
"Yes, Professor Marchbanks. Thank you," he replied and set to work.
First, he pulled out another sheet of paper because Smithers kept the first sheet of paper. Then he folded it, so there were six panels on each side of the paper and drew cartouches that were merely closed circles on three panels on each side of the paper. When Harry folded the paper up, he checked that each cartouche touched the blank panel on the opposite side of another cartouche and explained, "Like brother plates, each panel of paper has a blank bottom with a cartouche on top. And because it's a single sheet of paper, I know the panels are 'brothers' like the sandstone plates."
Once again, Harry unfolded the paper and, using his muggle biro, he moved to the first cartouche and printed 'water in pitcher X 5'. In the second cartouche, he printed 'cool everyone'. On the third cartouche, he printed, 'warm me'. In the fourth cartouche, he printed, 'clean clothes everyone'. In the fifth cartouche, he printed 'fresh breath everyone'. And in the final cartouche, the cap, he did draw one rune that meant 'finish or cap' and printed the words 'at will'.
Now, the young wizard folded the paper up so the only panel visible was the one with the cap rune and the words 'at will'. Then he placed the piece of gold on the panel with the words pointed at the chip of limestone, and with the image of a medallion in his mind, Harry tapped the paper with his wand. A small woosh and a medallion appeared where the limestone had been.
'Merlin would have loved this,' Tofty thought before he looked at Smithers, who looked intrigued and glanced at Marchbanks, who looked as if she'd eaten a very sour lemon. He checked on Babbling, who sat without any expression on her face and caught the eye of Flitwick, who looked satisfied and pleased. Finally, Professor Tofty looked at Mr Potter, who simply smiled.
Feeling the professor's gaze on him, the young wizard asked, "Madam Marchbanks, how much time did it take for me to make the medallion?"
Marchbanks didn't reply, so Smithers did, "Less than ten minutes from start to finish."
Tofty asked, "May I examine your medallion, Mr Potter?"
"Please, Mr Tofty," Harry replied, pointing to the gold and white medallion where it lay on the table.
"There's even a hole for a chain," Tofty stated as he began his examination of the newly created magical artefact.
Harry said, "To invoke the spells in the medallion, just think about it, and it will happen."
Tofty lifted the medallion, and suddenly, there were five pitchers of water on the floor nearby. The pitchers were tall, pottery vessels, the image taken from Tofty's mind. Then everyone was cooled off, Tofty was warmed, everyone's robes were cleaned, and all wrinkles disappeared, and finally, everyone in the room felt their mouth, teeth and tongue all refreshed.
"The cooling and warmth should have cancelled each other and not worked," Tofty mentioned as he handed the medallion to Smithers to examine. "Those runes are incompatible together in a single array."
"Not when written out in English," replied Smithers. The wizard said, "English will take over the magical world now like it has the mundane world if ever wizard uses English for runes."
Then Smithers asked, "Does 'at will' mean I can call up the spells as I want?"
"Yes, and in any order," Harry added. Tofty smirked as Smithers cooled everyone again, then cleaned their robes, summoned five more pitchers of water, and refreshed everyone's breath. The pitchers that appeared were squat and white, representing the wizard's mental image of a pitcher.
"I don't have to use them all…wait, I am too cool," he said before the medallion warmed him.
Smithers handed the medallion to Madam Marchbanks and said, "Tofty and I shall name him a Master of Runes today; nothing else will do. Not only did he create a six-layer runic array, but he also got around a stumbling block you inserted on purpose, and he refined the charms to provide particular results."
Holding the medallion in her hands and realising her legs could no longer support her, Griselda Marchbanks sat before she examined the medallion. Calming herself, she turned to the young wizard and asked, "How many times will the medallion work?"
"I set a limit of five on the water pitchers, so that should only work five times before it has to pause and rest for a time. The other tasks are probably limited by the number of people in the room. It might vary in the Great Hall or the Quidditch Stadium," replied Harry.
END OF CHAPTER