Thanks to all of you who took the time to review my story.

AN-2021/01/22: This chapter was betaed by the lovely crazy Miette who is helping me clear the story plot in my mind, and by dpstone12 who kindly corrected the mistakes left!

Severus' Apprenticeship routine did not change after the wedding – and why should it have?

Taichichuan with Wirkrund in the morning, followed by stealth as well as history and tradition. Lunch with his Master's family and then lessons with Drunek, usually focusing on Runes.
Routine suited Severus, especially when the only thing expected of him was to learn. He realised he had almost no interaction with Goblins of his own age. Apart from Wirkrund, Drunek and Frekka, the few other Goblins he had met were those visiting his Master's family, and it was quite enough for Severus. Give him a couple of caring people over crowds of undecided backstabbing teenagers anytime.
As Severus went through Yi Yin Fa two days after the wedding, he focused on sensing Magic around him, how it flowed through him and where it ran afterwards. He had felt Magic before when practising Taichichuan, but he had been trying so hard to get the figures right he had not been aware of much. Today, he moved without thinking about his body and felt for Magic. At first, he sensed it faintly, a bit like when he had practised for his NEWTs also he was not looking for any particular meaning through it. Severus almost fell when he reached Shuang Tui Sho, overwhelmed by a sudden surge of Magic.
He opened his eyes, breathing heavily and feeling unbalanced.

A sharp pain in his backside made him yelp and he turned sharply, unconsciously calling his wand to him and raising it as he fell into the Dan Bian stance.
Wirkrund was scowling at him, ears reared back and teeth showing. Severus swallowed uneasily.

"You are not ready for this yet Daoack!" He said sharply. "What were my instructions?"

"To warm up with Yi Yin Fa then move up to the other kata until I reached the end." He answered meekly, forcing himself to meet Wirkrund eyes.

"Exactly. When did this change to exploring the Magic movements inside your Khorlos?"

"I was only trying to feel Magic, like I did during my trials." Protested Severus.

Wirkrund growled. Severus did not step back to put some distance between them. Barely.

"During your trials, like during your Wizard studies, you tried to sense magic from outside subjects, never from yourself. You focused your own Magic on them to feel their Magic. It's completely different!"

"Why?"

"Because if your Magic is focused on one subject, you do not risk widening your Khorlos!"

Severus frowned. Wirkrund was saying that sensing Magic from outside sources meant focusing his own Magic on them while sensing Magic inside him meant focusing on his Khorlos and potentially widening them?
He wanted to slap himself. Of course. Taichichuan was the means to open your Khorlos. Severus had assumed that as cracking or opening Khorlos was difficult, he was in no danger of widening them.

"Both you and Drunek told me how hard it could be for Wizards and Goblins to even crack our Khorlos. As such, I didn't even think I could manage to widen them. I really thought it only was a problem for Magical creatures like Fae."

The old Goblin humphed, losing some of his angry stance.

"I sometimes forget you have been with us less than a year." Wirkrund said grudgingly. "For now, you are only to learn your kata. Do not try to feel Magic while doing them. You will feel it move around you but do not focus on it." He smiled grudgingly. "From what I saw today, you will soon be ready for more, but you still need to work on the last fifth of your kata."

Severus nodded and shifted into Chi Kung.

"Byrjä!"

Taking a deep breath, Severus lost himself into the movements.
Wirkrund made him repeat the end of the kata until it was time for lunch. When he joined Drunek for his afternoon classes, his body feeling like lead, Severus wondered how he would keep from nodding off.
He should not have worried. Drunek knew how to chose his day topic.

"I was wondering when you would have the time to take a step back from all you are learning and begin to experiment." Said Drunek with a smile.

Severus restrained his embarrassed blush.

"I had not expected you to have that time before the end of your first year with us, but I should have realised one day of respite, even for a day as full as a wedding, would give your mind leisure to think."

"You could have told me I should not focus on my Magic until you said so." Said Severus petulantly.

"I would have if I had realised you would jump over the natural course of Sensing for outside sources of magic first."

"I was feeling for Magic outside of me. But it went through me too, I only followed it."

"Yes but you did not sense for a specific outside source as most people do."

"It was covered in the NEWTs program. And I did it during my trials." Retorted Severus.

Drunek shook his head but Severus could tell he was not mad.

"You indeed began to practice Magic Sensing, but only in the crudest fashion. You will have to practice a lot more to be able to sense Magic without most magical beings noticing. And then you will learn how to interpret and use what you are sensing. "

Drunek paused, smiling as he knew he had piqued Severus' interest.
"You unknowingly developed your awareness of Magic thanks to your regular practice of Taichichuan. Now you need to learn how to always be aware of it, and how to bring that awareness to the front of your mind when you need it. What I mean is that you need to learn to sense Magic as naturally as you use your eyes to see. You unconsciously sort what you see between things to dismiss and things to notice."

That made sense. And Severus felt a headache coming when he thought about the amount of practice it would entail.

"However, Sensing can be used against you as you open yourself to feel for outside Magic. You must absolutely master Shielding to protect yourself. Sensing Magic and protecting yourself from outsiders who would exploit your Sensing as a weakness are disciplines just like Legilimency and Occlumency. As you must have guessed, we call them Sensing and Wielding. Shielding can also be used to prevent others from using Sensing on you or recognising you by the feel of your Magic."

This was exciting. Scary because Severus had a bone deep certainty people using others' sensing as a weakness only did so for nefarious purposes. He was also certain he did not understand the impact Sensing would have in his understanding of Magic.

"Master Drunek. From what you told me, Sensing Magic, inside and outside yourself, is the foundation of Magic use for Goblins."

"Indeed," agreed the Goblin, watching Severus with curiosity.

"Wizards are akin to Goblins in terms of magical beings, but Sensing is studied only after Hogwarts fifth year, and it depends on the NEWTs you´ve chosen. And they do not use Taichichuan so how can they improve? How have we not been completely squashed during the last Goblin wars?" Asked Severus flustered and confused.

"Visst," said Drunek, as he began pacing in front of Severus. " From what you have learned thus far, what would you say is the main difference between how Goblins and Wizards learn Magic?"

Severus frowned. Taichichuan and Khorlos were the obvious answer, so Drunek wanted more than that. Of course.

"Wizards first learn how to use Magic to produce results without knowing why they are getting them. They apply potion recipes, spells... Goblins first learn how Magic works and then how to use it. Which means Goblins should use Magic better. Except if your main Khorlos effects your magical abilities?..." trailed of Severus as he thought out loud.

Drunek shook his head.

"While your main Khorlo usually dictates how you will use Magic, it has no impact on your ability to use Magic as long as you use a proper Bridge or Wall. You are essentially right about the big difference between Wizards and Goblins initial learning of Magic. Surprisingly, more Wizards achieve a kind of Magic mastery than Goblins do. I´m not talking about achieving Khorlos opening as you can be proficient in Magic while using a Bridge. However, Goblins who achieve Magic mastery usually have opened their main Khorlos which improve their Magical capacities."

Drunek paused, letting Severus absorb his words.

"You must note magical capacity and power can be bested by intelligent use of Magic and even resources. I believe this is why many of my kind turn to other masteries. I must also admit human abilities for improvisation, adaptation and creativity have often been our downfall."

Severus let the information sink in. He felt he did not truly grasp Drunek's words, but as Wirkrund often said, knowledge was nothing without time and experience.

"You will have to ask your friends when they reach their own Apprenticeship, but I believe Sensing is developed then. Outside Sensing only, except for Healers I believe."

Severus nodded. Healers could not ignore Magic flux in bodies if they did not want their healing spells to interfere badly. He would have to check into Lily's book.
He smiled ruefully. Even if he lived 150 years, he would still need more time to learn.

"I must insist that Sensing Magic alone is not enough to master magic and spells. For example, Sensing will allow you to feel a curse and avoid it, but you will need knowledge of how it works to be able to break it. Sensing alone is not enough."

Severus nodded. In a way, it was like sport. Being in good health with endurance made it easier to cast Magic as your body did not add its exhaustion to the one caused by the use of Magic. It also helped avoid spells and a physical hit could be a good distraction.
But Sensing was cool. Like ten thousand times super heroes cool. Even if he disliked super heroes as they were only bloody good-doers without any kind of ambition and utterly devoid of any faults which could make them real.
All in all, Severus suspected the most difficult task would be to mesh everything he was learning during his Apprenticeship with his Wizarding knowledge. !however, the rewards should be incommensurable.

"Another warning before we begin Runes practice with Outside Sensing."

Drunek definitely knew how to get his attention.

"You must be very careful with Inside Sensing. The reason why younglings are always supervised during Taichichuan practice is that by exploring the flows of Magic inside them, they can inadvertently widen their Khorlos. Wirkrund and I were wrong not to tell you earlier. Our wizard Apprentices usually have more trouble with Taichichuan, and Inside Sensing more particularly, surely because they are used to Outside Sensing." His Master sighed. "One reason the Wizard prince forbid Taichichuan teachings was the risk of craziness because of Khorlos widening. Some of his subjects were too eager and not cautious enough. It is far easier to widen your Khorlos through Taichichuan than to crack or open them because it implies control and balance."

They could have told him before. Not that it would have prevented him from accepting the Apprenticeship offer but he preferred to be aware of the risks. It was a reminder that as fond of the Goblins as he was, they were the crafty creatures he had thought them to be and more.

"Now Daoack. Time to earn your Apprenticeship," said Drunek with his now familiar smirk, the one which preluded atrocious torture.

When Severus stumbled into his rooms hours later, exhausted by casting his Magic to sense Runes and understand how they were linked together, he reflected that his Master knew how to push him to give his best by using both carrots and lash. Figuratively speaking of course, but effective nonetheless.
He let himself fall on his bed, sprawling from head to toes and fell asleep in seconds.

Severus woke up two hours later when Frekka brought him up one bowl of heavenly smelling broth with warm olive bread. She scolded him for pushing his body far beyond his limit and missing dinner. She remained with him while he devoured the whole meal before giving him his weekly mail and leaving him on his own with one sharp reminder to be asleep before ten.
His mail consisted of three letters. He knew who had written each of them. The first one was expected. The second was a half-half possibility. The third was a complete improbability.
He sighed. Better get all unpleasantness out of the way.

Dear Severus,

I know the address may feel hypocritical and yet, I cannot find any which feels more right. I hope you will read this letter, even though we have not been in touch for one whole year.
I am writing to you because I am confused.

So was he.

I will not get into our previous disagreements, I am sure you have no more changed your mind than I have on those points.

Why are you writing then?

I want to tell you how thankful I am that you passed your NEWTs and found yourself an apprenticeship with a renowned master who does not have a reputation of glorifying blood purity.
Yes, I could have written those words a lot sooner. I admit it took me some time to look past my anger at you.

That was her looking past her anger? Really?

Headmaster Dumbledore is on probation.

Yes. That would have shaken her up. Her hero tarnished. Unless she was not convinced he deserved it.

Remus is a werewolf.

Surprise surprise ...

House inter-fighting has never been as high (I checked the detentions records now I know they exist). I do not know if I must be happy about this sponsorship proposed to all Muggleborns above fourth year or cry in despair because it is Lord Voldemort's doing. I am confused and I realize you are the only one I really discuss these things freely without dreading how the others will react. They are already on my case for handing detentions to Gryffindors when they were exacting their justice on "Lord Voldemort's followers". Professor McGonagall told me she was proud of me and that I was an example to follow. It is hard though.
I must confess I only realized this after a big talk with Petunia – who would have thought, right? You would be surprised how much she changed this past year.- hence my letter today.
She showed me your protective stone after Sirius' hex rebounded on him and gave him pink funky hair while Peter's dress changing colour spell had worked on her. She explained how it worked. How could you give her blood magic?!

How could he not? Nothing else would work for a Muggle.

Yet it worked. I have not been hurt by one spell this year, even though I was in the middle of fights several times. I thought I was good or lucky. It might be all you.
So I'm definitely confused Sev. I don't even know if I must be happy you used forbidden magic to protect my family or cry and rage at you until you finally understand.

She would lose her voice before it happened. He understood quite enough.

You definitely are telling me exactly what you did.

Who did she think she was? They were not friends anymore!

I warned James that Sirius needed to see a psychologist. He really has not been in his right mind since the adoption.

He was not even before entering Hogwarts. But what were they doing in her home during the holidays? He was right last year. She did fancy Potter.

I know you will be enraged with my friendship with the Marauders but they really grew up this year. I hope I can convince them not to be so extreme with Slytherins. They had never seen a Muggle home before.

I hope you are doing well with your apprenticeship. Please consider every option before siding with Lord Voldemort. I would really like us to be pen-pals...

I will await your owl with impatience,

Lily

What was he supposed to make of that? She did not forgive him nor did she ask for his pardon. She had just... written as if they were still friends. As if their ... talk at the end of their fifth year had not broken their friendship on Hogwarts stones, its pieces left to the wind to disperse until there was nothing left.
Severus laughed harshly as he realized he was too stunned to be angry. It was so like Lily and yet... He would have rather not received any letter.
Shaking himself, he put the letter on the side and reached for the second one.

Dear Severus,

I hope this letter finds you well and without regrets for your choices. Lily told me of your unexpected decisions and successes – I understand now why you told me not to write to you at Hogwarts. Congratulations, I hope you found a better place than Hogwarts was for you.
I write after one year of silence because I noticed this morning that my stone was showing signs of wear. By the way, it works. Some of Lily's friends tried to hex me for fun – you should easily guess their identity. One of their spells worked, it changed the colours of my dress and was fun enough. However, the second one rebounded on its caster and gave him atrocious pink hair all gelled up in a crest.

I also had a civilized talk with my sister – surprising yes? I believe your absence this past year along with Mary's description of you at your friend's wedding made more of an impression than any shouting match we ever had – and she realized she has not been hurt by any spells this year despite the increase of fights and violence – I told her she should follow your path and not return next year but she either wants to remain with her friends more than she is worried about violence or is not capable of what you achieved.

Anyway, I am unsure of when the wear signs appeared, but I have the feeling it was the attack on myself which triggered them. Do you think my being a Muggle makes it harder on the protection or is it because I am the one at its origin?

Severus was surprised at her insight but he should not have been. The Evans sisters were clever, but feelings sometimes clouded their intellect.

He took the notebook in which he had noted the alterations he had made on the Ritual and studied his notes quickly. As he had thought, the Protection was made to protect all beings from the family so the only reason for the wear signs should be that Petunia was the anchor of the ritual. Severus frowned as he looked over the runes he had carved in the stone. Some of the runes links felt choppy now that he had experience from the Goblins. As he thought about it, he should be able to improve the Protection with the use of Goblins' knowledge. And Drunek's boys would be delighted to take him rock hunting. Yes, he would send Petunia another protective stone.

He froze, stuck by a thought. Should he also find a way to test her for Magic? If she was magical but not strong enough for Hogwarts, he could tweak the ritual differently. But knowing Petunia´s jealousy of Lily's Magic... Would she really want to know?

I suppose it does not really matter as long as the protection remains. So thank you again. If Lily is going to bring home friends with distasteful sense of humour, I would rather be spared humiliation and pain.
I also write because I have decided to become a doctor or a nurse if I am not good enough.

It felt like she was preparing for war. It disturbed Severus because there was no reason for Muggles to be hurt except if they were abusing magical children. She might have decided Sirius Potter was crazy enough to take preventive measures.

I wonder if there are any magical means I could benefit from. Lily mentioned healing potions and herbs unknown to us mere Muggles.

It could be a way to test her for Magic without telling her. Yes, he would have her brew one potion under Lily supervision. If she had a spark of Magic, the potion should work but not be as potent for as long as Hogwarts' ones. Plenty of apothecaries sold potions from less powerful Wizards and they worked well if you respected the date of use limit. A properly brewed potion by someone less powerful was more efficient than a mediocre one from someone powerful, but its potency decreased more quickly in time.

I wish you well and hope to hear from you before Christmas. I would appreciate it if you used Muggle mail to answer me as owls curiously disturbed our neighbours when they show up in plain daylight.

Best Regards,

Petunia

Severus was surprised to realise that his soured mood at hearing from Lily had lightened up. To know that the protection was working pleased him, but he was also glad Petunia had taken pains to tell him, even if she expected answers from him. She might have been a Slytherin if she had gone to Hogwarts.
Smiling slightly, Severus opened his last letter.

Hi Severus,

I am so glad you were able to come to Lucius' wedding! It is almost like Jonathan and I were missing a leg without you (maybe a brain would be more appropriate?). I am so relieved you were there to talk some sense into Jonathan (and me, I admit it but don't tell him right!). He now is trying not to do everything himself and actually delegate some of the prefects' duties to the fifth year prefects. I have seen him more in the last two weeks than during the whole school year.

Severus smiled, relieved. Who would have thought his friends would need him to communicate with each other? He was so grateful to the Goblins for allowing him to attend the wedding although he wondered why they had.

I do not know what you talked about with Regulus Black, but he now joins us from time to time during our study sessions. I have also introduced him to Mulciber's group now that he is a fourth year. We will see what comes of it.

Severus frowned. Evan had talked a lot about Mulciber this year, it made Severus uneasy. Yet there was nothing to do, no argument to convince Evan not to associate with him as Mulciber belonged to Voldemort's group as much as them.

Guess what? The Ministry is once again trying to s...w us up. Father wrote to me three days ago, they are trying to discourage Muggleborns from having a sponsor, they even sent some officials to speak with the kids' parents who had agreed to share responsibilities in the Wizarding world between a sponsor and them. (Yes, we are expanding the sponsorship to other Houses but with caution. For now, one Raven and one Puff accepted.)

Severus shook his head in disbelief. The Ministry had wasted its opportunity to control the Sponsorship when they refused Abraxas' proposal, and then Lord Voldemort's. Now they were trying to intimidate Muggles because they wanted to be the only vision of the Wizarding World the Muggleborns had easy access to.
Anyway, the Sponsorship was legal. Lord Malfoy has only made it a proposal in the hope of uniting the entire population behind it, as well as gaining official funding. If they kept it up, the Ministry could be sued and lose much. Indeed, they could not oppose a private initiative unless they proved it would be harmful to the entire community. In which case, the Ministry would have to present its case to the Wizengamot, and Severus was certain that today, the Wizengamot would rule in favour of the Sponsorship.
It had been one thing for the Wizengamot to refuse Lord Voldemort's inquiry when Dumbledore was at its head. It was another to censor a proposed improvement for Muggleborns who agreed to it, especially when Dumbledore could not afford to weaken his position by frontally opposing the Sponsorship with most of the Wizengamot members seen as in agreement with it. Indeed, the Wizengamot had fifty members: one representative of each of the sacred 28 houses, and 22 elected representatives claiming at least three generations of wizards from either of their parents' side. They could only see benefits to the Sponsorship, no matter their agenda.
Severus was glad Dumbledore was not at the Head of the Wizengamot this year. The Head of the Wizengamot was chosen every year beginning from and by its peers. His role was to be the arbitrator and keeper of order during the Wizengamot's sessions. The position was prestigious as the Wizengamot's roles were crucial. First, they were the only possibility of appeal when one wanted to contest the verdict of a trial. They were also responsible for making rulings for exceptional trials, as well as exceptional inquiries. Moreover, they were the keepers of the laws. The Ministry promulgated laws, but any Wizarding citizen could ask the Wizengamot to review a law he deemed contrary to the Wizarding constitution. Finally, the Head of the Wizengamot was the one who prioritised the requests the Wizengamot received.

The worst part is the Ministry is trying to twist our work. They want to use Hogwarts' book to identify Muggleborns before they go to Hogwarts and send them leaflets on the Wizarding World the year before they enter the school. Father said Dumbledore is angry at the Minister because it would diminish Hogwarts first impression.

Of course. Hogwarts' professors usually were the first Wizards Muggleborns encountered. It would change with this new procedure, the first leaflet being without a doubt accompanied by a Ministry official. Dumbledore was afraid to lose both prestige and influence.

Severus wondered if the Ministry would have dared entertain such a proposal if Dumbledore was not under probation.

Lord Malfoy said they were fools. He does not understand why they do not propose properly introducing the Muggleborns to our world during this year, instead of sending them papers. It would be like the sponsorship but even earlier. Lord Prince agreed but he said they should not transform this into introductory courses for Muggleborns where they would get to know each other and form clans, hence widening the fracture between Muggleborns and Purebloods.

Severus nodded. His grandfather had a point. But Pureblood children already knew each other when they came to Hogwarts, they already had friends. Was it fair to expect Muggleborns not to have that chance too?
Severus sighed. In truth, it might be better to impose some kind of primary school common to Muggleborns and Purebloods. But all children did not manifest magic as early as six. Several only did in their tenth year, something Severus had been surprised to learn.

Lord Voldemort said it would be even better to take the Muggleborns from their family once they are in Hogwarts' book. Many of us agree, as you already know. However, Lord Malfoy asked what it would mean for children who are late boomers. If we use Hogwarts' book as it is today, children would be taken from their family at different ages. He argued the result might be the contrary to what we are aiming for.
Now, Lord Voldemort has some of us (not me right, elder, intelligent Wizards) researching a way to test for magic at a young age even if it had not manifested yet.

The idea was simple but its realization was not, as it often was the case when it impacted so many different people. If Lord Voldemort's project succeeded, it would be a chance for Muggleborns not powerful enough for Hogwarts to study Magic in lesser schools. If they wanted to. To learn you could barely perform Magic... Would it not be worse than not knowing?

I cannot wait for the holidays, three days is still too long. I cannot believe you do not have some. As much as what you are learning sounds interesting, even you need a break!

I hope to see you in less than a year, perhaps for someone else's wedding.

Evan

Severus shook his head ruefully. He did not think he would get another free pass during his Apprenticeship. Unless Lucius had a child or one of his dear ones died – Severus shivered at the thought- he would not see them for years.
Forcing his mind away from such morose thoughts, Severus reached for his notes on Runes. He had a protective ritual to improve.