Hello, sorry for the slightly late update, exams in university is really not fun. Anyways, here we are.
As always, thank you for reading, and please review if possible.
Chapter 22 Testing limits
Albus POV
A few months later
I was in the library, digging through divination and healing books. If divination is real and accurate, I am going to try to learn that skill. I would be able to help Ari avoid her episodes, figure out what her trigger is before she blows. She might be able to live a normal life again. I have been trying to find information on learning to be a seer but it seemed to be as impossible as a muggle learning to wield magic, given its blood borne nature. There were rituals that supposingly could transfer the gift, but the sacrifice was too great. There is no way I am going to kill a seer for their gift, much less Seraphina, who is the only seer I know of. It is unknown why it is so rare, given how much the pureblood families try to get seers into their bloodlines. So far, there are no confirmed seer lines since ancient times. But no muggleborn seers either. I snapped the book in front of me shut in frustration. As much as I hated to admit it, it seemed that Seraphina was right; there were no books on how to Scry without being a seer in the Hogwarts library.
Sighing, I picked up the book on elemental magic that I had taken out previously. Seraphina has her awesome fire whip. It was as deadly as it was beautiful in a duel. If not for the fact that we were not actively trying to kill each other, I am sure that at least one of us would be dead by now. As it was, there were a few close calls, and too many trips sneaking into the hospital wing under disillusionment charms to steal burn ointment. I want to try to see if I can make something like that, too. I hesitated for so long because of how banned it was. I suppose I probably should not care, as Seraphina suggested. But rules exist for a reason, then again, bending rules was not really that big of a problem to Seraphina, and she has been encouraging me to explore more on my own. Since Seraphina refuses to give anyone her spell, I want to create my own variation on it.
To begin your journey in elemental magic, you must first understand the elements. What makes water, air, earth and fire? A true master would be able to identify air from water, fire from air and earth from fire, utilising all at will; this has yet to be achieved by anyone, other than Merlin himself. Most others achieve a state of half mastery, where they are able to use all elements, but gain a particular fondness and ease for one only. This is known as an affinity. The simplest elemental spell has no set wand movement. Instead it requires the caster to identify or create their own movement with what resonates with themselves, hence it is recommended to try elemental magic only after one has at least a basic form of occlumency…
Affinity. I know Seraphina has an affinity for fire. Her whip is evidence of that. I have been trying to find my affinity. I need to identify what it is, how it would be to behave like it, going with the flow. I just needed to test out the basic spell.
I gathered that book and the book on healing, and walked out of the restricted section and the main library. Seraphina and I got a new pass from the Arithmancy teacher, Professor Vector, who did not even bat an eye at us for asking for one.
I arrived at the abandoned classroom Seraphina and I had claimed, a cold blast of icy air hitting me in the face. Almost as if we forgot to close the window there yesterday. I looked inside, expecting it to be empty, only to find Seraphina already there.
"Good morning, Seraphina."
She jumped from what seemed to be a ritual, quickly vanishing something before standing up rapidly. "Albus! I did not realise you would be here!" She said, surprised.
"What were you working on?" I asked, curious. I have seldom seen rituals, considering the fact that they were very much illegal.
"Nothing much." She replied nonchalantly. "Oh, hey! Nice socks!"
I looked down, I was wearing the pair she gave me for Christmas last month. They were black, with moving constellations and crystal balls, the figure of Orion often picking fights with Scorpio…
I looked up and narrowed my eyes. The diversion had almost worked. Emphasis on the almost. She sighed then stepped aside, revealing a blue-green flame, exactly the colour of Seraphina's magical core.
"Gubraithian Fire?" I asked, surprised. There was no reason to hide that, was there?
She beamed. "Yes, but with a twist. Here, come closer."
I walked towards it, to my surprise, the air grew colder and colder as I walked closer, as if the flame was drawing all the energy from the air. Seraphina stepped back behind me moving further away from the flames as I moved closer, and to my surprise, the flame changed colour, going from blue-green to an odd grey then lavender. The colour of my magic core.
"Adaptable Gubraithian Fire?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I have never seen anything like it, not even in books. It was almost alive, I could feel it tethering itself to me, like soft cobwebs, clinging onto my skin.
"I have been experimenting with ambient magic."
I opened my mouth to protest how dangerous it was, only to be cut off.
"Yes, yes, Albus, I know you do not approve. But what I was doing was too interesting to put off! Unlike most flames, I realised that Gubraithian fire draws on soul magic."
I gaped, soul magic is strictly forbidden due to the high chance of damaging one's soul! Even reading the first three pages on it was enough to tell me that! What is she thinking!?
"That's why it was so hard to create normally. It functions in a different dimension, so only spells like Avada Kederva can extinguish it, also killing the caster in the process. Or necromancy. But! Here's what I also found, if I keyed it to ambient magic instead of my own magic, it can adapt to any source, making it independent from me! You have seen some of my calculations, Albus, and even checked them over, so you would know that they are correct. Since a witch or wizard is basically an immense source of power, the fire will change to adapt to the magic of the strongest witch or wizard nearby! Hence, the portable soul projector!"
I watched, fascinated, unable to find a counterargument to Seraphina's point. If it was the sheets of arithmancy that I spent days checking over, then there should be nothing to be concerned about. I have to agree with Elphias, Seraphina is sometimes too Slytherin for my own good. A projection of my own soul. My magic. As flames.
Wait a second, did she mention dimensional magic?
"Why were you messing with dimensional magic?" I asked.
"Well, I wanted to know all magic, after all knowledge is power and the best way to survive in this Darwinian world is to be powerful." She replied.
I nodded, she has used this same justification a lot when I asked her why she took control over Slytherin. At this point, I have given up trying to pry another answer from her.
"Yes, yes. We both know deep down you are just a curious Ravenclaw." I teased good naturedly, rolling my eyes.
"Like you are any different." She retorted.
I smiled. Remembering my reason for being there in the first place, I refocused. "Seraphina, I am going to try to do the beginner spell in elemental magic, can you watch me in case it gets out of hand?" I asked, like a responsible human being.
She nodded. "Just remember, when you reach for the element, do not give in."
I nodded. Elements are semi-sentient, if you give in too early, they can and will consume your sense of self. A stupid and quick way to die. I conjured four bowls. The first I left empty, for air. The second I filled with conjured water. Seraphina conjured flames for the third and summoned dirt from outside the castle for the fourth.
I closed my eyes. This was how one was supposed to start elemental magic, casting the spell letting nothing but instinct guide my movements, one of the four elements will respond to my will and shift. I could also have done what Seraphina did in second year, conjuring water and manipulating it directly, but if water was completely incompatible to me, I would drown. Seraphina was always more risk taking than me. So I am not surprised by her unconventional approach.
"Fiat voluntas mea!" I said. My hand flew in a spiral, drawing patterns in the air. Whoosh! Suddenly, I felt a warmth, a burning, hard and hostile, cold and set, soft yet firm.
I opened my eyes.
In front of me, the water from the bowl had grown into a huge droplet, shapeless and floating, graceful and strong. Clear and white.
Water at its most pure form.
After a few minutes I was becoming light headed so I drew on the magic in the air to maintain the spell, watching as the water tried to freeze around the edge, only to be stopped by my will. It was exhilarating. I let go of the spell. The water splashed down in a thin stream, filling only to the edge of the bowl.
Behind me, Seraphina clapped.
"Impressive! You used elemental magic to control the state and shape of the water! That needs a lot of power! Very good on your first try."
I laughed. "I was drawing on ambient magic towards the end, seeing how I was running out of energy."
"Smart. Any other spells you want to try with ambient magic?" Seraphina asked.
"I think I will take a break first, besides my friends are probably wondering where I am." I replied.
She nodded. Waving her hand, my messenger bag came flying from where I left it on the floor. I grabbed it, nodding my thanks.
"See you soon, Albus!"
"Bye Seraphina!" I waved, closing the door behind me.
Seraphina POV
That was impressive. The first time I messed with elemental magic I only managed it for a few seconds. Then again, that was in the middle of a duel in second year. Looking at my once again blue-green flame, I sighed.
What Albus did not know was that Gubraithian flames can only be started with a sacrifice, usually it was a blood price of the caster, but in my case, I needed a death, so I used the life of a rat. It was part sacrificial and part blood magic. It was Old Magicks, the type used in ancient times. I needed it to be the death of a creature so that when their soul forms the flame, they are bound to this world as it. Blood magic was fascinating, they can perform exactly like a focus, like a wand, but can also be much more volatile. With the correct runes and sacrifice, theoretically, one could even create a shield strong enough to block the killing curse, soul magic being less powerful than corporeal blood and all. Then again, I have no intention of sacrificing an entire magical family to test a single spell. I watched the swaying flames once more. I am not sure what Albus would have thought if he saw the carcass. I barely had time to vanish it as he barged in.
I was going to try to send part of the flames to another dimension, but the only way I knew how was through a portal, also known as the veil of death. It was mentioned in a tiny old black book, wedged in the restricted section on dimensional magic and nowhere else. I placed the flame inside a glass bottle I had enchanted to be unbreakable. This is an issue I have been trying to fix since I started Hogwarts. If I am in a different dimension to my own, even if I do grow to live when I lived originally, I might not see my parents again. It was weird, to think that I still miss them even if I can't remember their faces anymore. It was almost like a small gap inside me, like a missing tooth after many years, you still feel the hole even if the flesh had healed over. I know I will recognise them if I see them, but it's been so long. To think that I have been through so much death. Being almost murdered, seeing kids get exocrised to death…I think I would not oppose the idea of killing muggles, afterall, I watched them kill so many children.
I wonder if I am classed as a psychopath now. If I am, I wonder what my parents would say if they saw me now? Would they be disappointed in my actions?
Sighing, I continued onto my ongoing research topic; necromancy. A normal necromantic ritual to summon inferi requires equal trades of blood and magic, a price to pay so that a part of you symbolically dies, becoming one with Death. But with ambient magic, I want to try to see if I can raise a dead mouse without feeding it my blood.
Summoning a dead rat from the forbidden forest through the open window, I began chanting, pushing my magic into the empty husk of a rat. I read about the ritual for creating inferi dozens of times, but so far, I have gotten its muscles to twitch. The air became cold. I felt my heartbeat become louder.
Bumpa. Bumpa.
My heart is slowing down, my eyelids are becoming heavy, a slight sense of dread and thrill began pooling in my stomach.
…Bum…pa….Bum…pa…
My limbs are growing cold and leaden, my eyes threatening to fall closed. Focus!
Bu….m…pa…
Death is around the corner, I can feel it. Focus!
Time seemed to stop. I started drawing magic from the air, entwining it with my own. I am the vessel, the conductor of this spell, and it will obey my intent! It turned white and black as it passed through my body and wand like a thick sludge. I focused on the rat. Willing it to live once more, under my will, my mind reaching out to form a connection. A small click…
Then the moment was broken. Time resumed, blood rushed in my veins once more, my heart beat once again quickly and loudly. I dropped to the floor, gasping for breath. Drawing air into my lungs greedily. I survived. I modified a ritual and survived. A tiny foreign feeling is now tied to the back of my mind. I looked at the still rat, time to test to see if it is a functional inferi.
Rise.
The mouse stood up on its hind legs. Its eyes, empty and dead.
An inferi.
Pick up my bag.
With impossible strength, it picked up my bag. Standing there like a weird statue. I had done it. After years of reading up on necromancy and testing out small parts, I had finally done it.
I had created an inferi.
Looking at its oddly still and pale form, a laugh bubbled up my stomach. At thirteen years of age, I created an inferius! One of the hardest subbranches of necromancy! And I am already powerful enough to modify a ritual into a spell and get it to work! A thought to be an almost impossible feat!
Suddenly an even more ambitious thought formed in my mind. What if I combined its body with the soul of the other rat? Would this allow me to resurrect the other rat?
Summoning the jar of flames from my bag, I opened it, waving my wand to move the grey flame in front of the rat.
"Fuse." I commanded, casting the spell to make the flames comply with my wishes.
The rat stood there, tossing my bag away. The grey flames slithered, entering the body of the rat. Instantly, both began to screech in pain. To my horror, the flames turned an angry red and black, violently burning the body to ash, before it too, was torn apart in a messy explosion, blasting me away. I quickly erected a shield, just in time to stop myself from gaining severe burns. The link in my mind vanished, completely gone without a trace.
After confirming that the dust settled, I dropped my shield. There was nothing left from my two experiments. Nothing at all.
Well there goes my plans to resurrect anyone. Making an inferi is an uncomfortable experience. I guess I won't be doing it much then, unless I find a way to overcome or get used to the creepy feeling of death, even if I do want to take over in the future. I am glad Albus is not here to see this.
I think despite my wish for the contrary, I still keep Albus away from my darker projects. I guess I am afraid that he will be scared off by me once I reveal those to him. He is brilliant, no doubt, but he has much…stricter morals. I don't care so much on the other hand. I believe the ends justify the means, and the number of kids killed by the Statue of Secrecy means that it's got to go. We are living like the rats in the sewers, when we have so much more power and basic human decency than the muggles of this world.
There are so many wars…Senseless killings. So far, there have been almost no wars fought between wizards. Many wars against giants, werewolves, vampires and goblins, but almost no wars where wizards killed each other, only from ancient times when wizards were a part of the muggle armies. This needs to stop. Idiots who cannot even keep themselves from killing their neighbour countries should not be trusted to rule the world.
Yet I fear that Albus would refuse to even talk to me if I ever reveal my view to him. He is the only one I am truly friends with, an equal, not a follower like the others. To me, he is kind of like an older brother, he is close to me and I care for him, I don't want to push him away because I would not be able to go back to being friends with him if we have too big of a spat over this.
So far there are two unbreakable rules of magic. One is that the dead can never be returned to life properly, as there will always be a price to pay for this type of magic, be it sanity, energy or physical deformities. The second was that no changes can be made when you are time travelling if you have already experienced something once before, it is fixed in your timeline that way. In other words, paradoxes cannot exist in a person's personal timeline. So if Albus and I had a terrible spat, I can't fix it with time travel. Ironic how useless time travel is, even if it has already been invented.
I summoned another rat, and prepared it for the sacrifice to make the Gubraithian flames. It is a visual representation of a soul, so I needed it to be able to see what happens when a soul passes through the veil. Sighing, I killed the rat on the silver platter, wrestling its weak will into submission, turning into flames. Chanting the ancient chant, careful to change the pronouns from me to it. Another ball of translucent grey flames appeared. I stepped back. Without the input of a magical being, it will key automatically to the ambient magic.
After waiting about fifteen minutes until the flame solidified into grey, I stepped forward. This was a crucial step. Letting the flames gain its own identity, or rather, lack of identity before being influenced. Now comes the test. The flames changed into teal. Perfect. It adapted to my magic through my presence alone. I waved my wand, sucking the flame into the jar. I had enchanted it to take in fresh air (modified bubble head charm) and be unbreakable, this way, the ambient magic and air will keep it alive. Tucking it into my bag, I left the room for the library.
I had almost finished combing the entire library for dimensional magic. So far, I have accidentally become an expert in expansion charms, the theoretics of time and soul magic, but no interdimensional travel. So…no way home yet. There are three tomes left. And the veil.
My last hope.
A few days later
I walked into the Great Hall, a spring in my step. Today is the first day of the three day apparation course! I have been looking forward to this ever since that dreadful ride on the Knight Bus. Wooden hoops were laid everywhere. The tables were gone. There were very few Slytherins who took the course, most preferring to get private tutors on apparation. There is a much smaller chance of splinching that way. There is no real regulation for apparation, hence anyone can learn on their own.
Ironic, considering how tightly they monitor wanded underage magic. The ministry issued classes for apparation only take in students above the age of fourteen to prevent any issues with parents, seeing as this is when a lot of the muggleborns begin considering leaving Hogwarts. Albus waves happily at me from across the hall. Elphia Doge laughing at something Hendrick Prewett said beside him. I chose a spot not too close to him, seeing how his friends have a thing against Slytherins. Around me, several muggleborn Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs greeted me happily, with hints of admiration and awe in their voices.
I suppose being conditioned to believe that Slytherins are evil and that one particular Slytherin defied her house to defend one of you, changing the entire behaviour of Slytherin and creating a programme to make you fit in better, is enough to make a lasting impression. Actually, now that I put it that way, it does sound a bit impressive.
"Listen up, apparation is serious business and Splinching is no joke! So pay attention! There are three D's to apparation, Destination, Determination and Deliberation! Now visualise the circle in front of you and turn!" The coach yelled.
Well that was vague. I tried, imagining how much I want to be in the circle, but it really does not feel too appealing. So I opted to observe others first.
A lot of people turned, cussed, fell and laughed. The coach was walking around, judging us. Okay, think. You were desperate when you accidentally apparated at the orphanage, bordering on a panic attack. What if you used that desperate need and pushed? I imagined Anna's sneering face behind me, holding a knife and ready to stab. I grabbed my magic and turned.
The world spun and it was like I was pushed through a rubber tube. I appeared next to the pedestal in the hall. I did it! I tried to take a step forward, only to have pain shoot up my foot. I pressed my lips together to suppress a scream and looked down. A piece of my shoe was missing, and it was impaling my lower leg.
What in the world?!
The instructor snapped his finger twice impassionately as I collapsed onto the floor, my legs no longer supporting my weight. The school nurse came rushing forward. She removed the piece of bloody shoe from my leg, dripping dittany onto my wound.
"You'll be right as rain in no time, dear!" She said cheerily.
"Thank you." I replied. Why did she not just heal me? I know that is possible, you just need to use the most generic necromantic healing spell…which is banned by the ministry.
Why on Earth would you ban such a useful spell? Nevermind, stupid question. It takes a sacrifice of magic which would either make the nurse too weak to help anyone else or make an animal die. If you don't use ambient magic, which they did not know existed. I am healing this properly as soon as I get back to my dorm.
Why on Earth do they ban the dark arts when it is so much more powerful than the light healing spells? That's it! I am going to become a dark lord just to change that single rule.
"Are you alright?" Albus asked as soon as the class finished.
I was limping. "Yes, stupid nurse could not heal this properly." I grumbled.
Albus chuckled and shook his head.
"You know, the exams are around the corner, want to bet on something a bit more fun this year other than chocolate frogs?" I asked. Mainly because the chocolate isn't that good anyway, and I want to see how much trouble we can talk our way out of.
"Depends, what do you want to bet on?" He asked.
I hummed. What would be funny and dramatic, and a good test of skill? An image of red curtains burnt to a crisp in a red and gold room flashed across my mind. Perfect. I smirked.
"How about the loser has to make elemental fire stay on their bedside curtains for an entire day?"
It would be hilarious if we set the bed curtains on fire. Albus raised an eyebrow.
"And just how are we going to regulate that?" Albus asked.
I smirked. "Rumour mill."
Albus's other eyebrow joined his first as he threw his head back and laughed. "You're on!"
We shook on the deal.
Conveniently, Albus forgot that I am a seer.
A few weeks later
With such high stakes, I studied much harder for my exams, even if my instinct is telling me that I would win anyway. It is funny how any simple trick is already enough to make our teachers gape.
"Oh Albus!" I sing-songed as I walked towards the Gryffindor table.
Albus sighed. I could tell he was trying his best not to facepalm. Pretty sure in the time between the bet and the exams he remembered that I was a seer. I held out my report card. He snatched it from my hand, reading through each line. I can feel his hope crumbling, draining out of his eyes, slowly replaced by regret. Magnificent!
"Well, what about yours! Aren't you going to show me how you did?" I asked with fake puppy eyes.
Grumpily, he handed me his. Wow, he really went overboard in some subjects.
Ancient Runes: Outstanding*
Arithmancy: Outstanding*
Astronomy: Outstanding
Care of Magical Creatures: Outstanding*
Charms: Outstanding*
Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding*
Herbology: Outstanding**
History of magic: Outstanding
Potions: Outstanding**
Transfiguration: Outstanding**
But I still beat him by one subject. We tied in transfiguration, Arithmancy and Runes. He won in Potions, Herbology and Care. But I won in History, Astronomy, Charms and Defence. Seriously, Defence is a given win for me, since Albus is still a bit scared about the dark arts. How are you supposed to excel at defence if you are afraid of your enemy?
"Remember to uphold your end of the bet!" I said cheerily.
"I regret betting against a seer." He muttered.
The next day Gryffindor lost 100 points.
The official story was that Albus Dumbledor accidentally dropped his bedside candle while reading, setting his bedside curtains on fire.
The rumour mill is spreading the tale that Albus had somehow snuck a girl in his bed and they knocked over a candle when things got…passionate.
…We both know that he lost control of his elemental fire and it burnt his curtains to a crisp.
He still ended up giving me a chocolate frog on the train, which I accepted with much cheer.