A/N thanks for your reviews and support.

mizzrazz72: thanks for your review, my friend. Ah yes, he probably should have.

DarkRavie: thanks for your review, my friend.

...

Riddle blinked as he explained, "Incantations and magic circles are integral in technomagic. A CAD are required to use magic circles. CADs are made from magic metals typically bought from the goblins. Most technomages have a set contract with the by the time they are a Silver ranked Apprentice."

"How many are there?"

Harrison had to think for a moment. Despite him being a Master of Technomagic he didn't attend the conferences. He had taken after his master in that aspect much to the chagrin of the other masters and the Council. Only twice since he started his apprenticeship with Keller did he attend a conference. One being in his first year as an apprentice. The second being when passed his Mastery examination.

Both had been fairly uneventful and had given him a rough estimate on how many technomages there were. It wasn't a lot. Technomagic was such an obscure branch of magic that few even knew it existed. Those that did were typically like the Malfoy or Black families. They used their wealth to support certain masters in their research. In return, they would get the first of any proven working product.

For Harrison's part, his benefactor was the Nott Lord Benjamin. The two had hit it off in the first conference and he had been offered a deal he couldn't refuse. Benjamin bought most of his supplies and gave him a 10,000 galleon stipend quarterly for research purposes. In exchange, he received high-level spacial rings and a CAD that Harrison personally attended to. Any programming or maintenance that was done was only done by him. Occasionally he would be asked to tutor the Lord in a particularly difficult spell.

Harrison hadn't trusted his father's "generosity" after his first year at Nightingale. The man considered him little more than a squib. It was why as soon as he could he opened a Vault that could only be used by him. The goblins valued secrecy over all else would not tell James Potter about it. Money from his exploits as a Technomage and Rune Master went straight into that Vault.

Blinking he realized he left the question for too long. So he said without a hint of embarrassment, "Between 50 and 75 at last count. Technomages work separately unless it is a big project. Too many different magics cause unpredictable side effects."

"Like what?"

Harrison grinned as he said, "Master Keller once tried to work with four others in creating a new spacial ring. They got halfway through laying the first set of runes when it exploded. The apprentices were protected by a shield charm that all the forges use. This of course didn't help the Master and they each had to spend three days in the infirmary. Master Keller was not happy and kept trying to sneak out."

Despite being injured Keller had proved why he was such a high-ranking Master at such a young age. It was only because of him holding a shield over the masters that they survived at all. They of course tried to berate the younger master for adding more magic into an already unstable setting. Keller had taken it quietly until the Grandmaster of the Technomage Guild had been called. Upon hearing about what the idiots had done he berated everyone but Keller. Keller he told them was the only reason they were still alive.

No matter what anyone thought technomagic was a volatile form of magic. One wrong move. One wrong incantation and you could lose your life.

Explaining as much to Riddle had caused the older boy to nod. Then surprisingly the other asked, "Why not focus on the end result? Even when you are drawing out the circle completely you're still not focusing on the end result which is the lightning."

"Magic circles don't..." He paused and blinked. Wait...

Harrison turned to the book that was laid out before him. Flipping through the pages he read. In theory, Riddle was right. The problem was no one had tried to use it that way. Then again no one tried using it silently either. Sure there was incantation reduction. The most basic of spells could be brought down to one or two lines. Going completely silent hadn't been done before and was widely considered impossible. Maybe they had just been going about it the wrong way.

Harrison jumped to his feet his hands already fiddling with his CAD. Riddle was only half a second behind him. A look of curiosity was plain on his face but he didn't interrupt. Tightening the CAD close to his skin he held up his hand palm out.

Focus on the end result which was the lightning. The rest would come on instinct. As he breathed in he focused his magic out in his mind eye he could see the streak of purple lightning. Around them, the air became electrically charged with lightning and the force of his magic.

Next to him, he felt Riddle stiffen and his magic reach out to Harrison's. For the moment the younger boy ignored him. He kept his mind and magic focused on the lightning.

Until a snotty voice called out, "Hey you're not allowed to use magic outside of the classroom. Riddle, you are Head Boy you should know this. Why are you just standing there?!"

Harrison swore colorfully as the lightning once more shocked him. His other hand came up to rub at his palm as he opened his eyes. When he looked up he found a bushy brown-haired girl with brown eyes. She was an inch or two shorter than him and if he had to guess she was the same age. A red-trimmed cloak lay over her shoulders. This marked her as a Gryffindor and his nose crinkled. Gryffindors they were supposed to be brave but from what he had seen they were lazy and lacked manners. The House of Leo could be brash but they worked just as hard as any House for its ranking.

Riddle said coldly, "I was supervising his use of magic, Miss Granger. You should know better than to interrupt someone using magic in such away. What if you had caused it to react badly?"

Granger said with her nose in the air, "It did react badly but if it had come at me I would have just used a shield charm. What kind of magic was that?"

That's it he needed to find a place where he wouldn't be interrupted by those who didn't have any brain cells. With deft fingers, he undid his CAD and put it in his pocket. Then he picked up the book and tucked it under one arm ensuring the nosy girl couldn't see the title.

Granger for her part was leaning over so that she could catch sight of the title of his book. Muggleborn then. Someone who wanted to prove that they belonged in the Wizarding World. Internally Harrison was glad his only interaction with muggle-borns before Hogwarts was at home. With her manners, she would not have lasted in Nightingale.

Harrison said coldly, "Technomagic. Since you so rudely interrupted me I must go now. No use practicing where I'll be bothered."

Riddle's jaw tightened and his eyes flashed with anger.

Granger tried, "I've never heard of technomagic. Are you sure it's a real magic? If you heard about it from the Weasley Twins you shouldn't believe them. They play pranks on everyone."

Weasley Twins if he remembered correctly were two seventh-year redheads. His father spoke quite often of them. How they were continuing the Mauraders legacy. Aka being bullies.

Harrison said coldly, "Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it is a prank. I in fact have my mastery in technomagic and Ancient Runes."

"That's not possible!"

Rolling his eyes Harrison pushed up the sleeve baring his forearm. There was the rune of Mastery first and closest to his wrist. Next was the golden dragon the ancient sign of the Inscriptors. Finally, there was a ring with tiny runes written on it showing technomagic.

Apart of him wanted to snicker at the look on her face. She was dumbfounded by the marks. Had she believed everything that had been said about him? He wouldn't put it past her. Already he could tell she would believe almost anything an adult said. Never questioning them because they were authority figures. That was part of what was wrong with this school. They didn't allow the questioning that insighted discovering.

Riddle however was looking at the marks with interest. Then Harrison rolled his sleeve back up.

Granger practically frothed, "They must be fake! You can't even get an apprenticeship in Britain that young."

It took a significant amount of self-control for him not to rub at his ears as she continued and he stopped listening. Did she have to be so loud? He knew creatures that were quieter than that.

With a glance at Riddle, he declared, "Miss Granger as I have no more obligations to you or anyone else I bid you farewell. If you wish to speak to me again try to sound less like a banshee. Scratch that, it's an insult to banshees. Try to sound less like nails on a chalkboard with an amplifying charm applied."

With that, he turned and headed back towards the castle leaving behind a shocked Gryffindor and a Riddle trying not to laugh.