Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Harry Potter
October 29th, 2017
Harry knew he looked like a mess. Time passed him by in painful, fleeting images. The room stayed unlit no matter the time of day, and the only real way to mark the passage of time were when Zhen showed up to grind down his Occlumency.
But Harry had plenty of experience with people trying to break into his mind, to subvert his will. He had a well of will power within him that had served him when he was a teenager staring down a Dark Lord's wand, Zhen was no where near Voldemort's level. So Harry persevered.
But this was torture, and Harry's concentration slipped at times. Zhen pounced on those moments, pushing deep into his mind and dragging old memories forward. At first she seemed content to just let them play out as they had, relishing in ancient emotions being brought forth. But eventually she started playing with them, showing off how skilled she was with Legimincy.
She stayed away from his children, a fact that Harry found himself strangely thankful for. But his friends, Hermione, Ron, Luna, and the others, were all fair game. Zhen showed Harry their deaths repeatedly, each more gory and horrific than the last, but she pushed too far: Harry could tell the visions were false, for even with Zhen's skill they were still cloudy.
Harry wondered if Ginny knew that they imprisoned him, or if he had just disappeared without a trace. He hoped she came searching from him soon, but despaired at the thought of her joining him in one of these cells. Harry bitterly realized he would rather she stay away, and protect their children, than find him.
That realization was a much harsher blow that any torture Zhen had done thus far. He found his resolve crumbling at the worse moment, and Zhen pushed forward at just the right moment, pushing through Harry's Occlumency. His recent memories, of visiting the Acropolis and speaking with Daphne, flashed through his mind.
Zhen's Legimincy abruptly snapped, and Harry was treated to the sight of a furious witch glaring down at him. She opened her mouth to speak but the entire room rumbled, shaking despite being made of thick stone. She snapped her wand at Harry, throwing him violently into the stone wall where stone hands reached out and grabbed him, securing him.
And not a moment too soon as the door opened. Light spilled into the room, blinding Harry. But he could see three new figures enter the room. "Well, well. Isn't this a surprise?" a deep voice asked. Harry felt fresh fear as he recognized the voice. It was Mikael.
"Werewolf," Zhen spat, her wand pointed at the new threat. "Awfully brazen of you to strike here." Harry's eyes adjusted enough to see Mikael shrug.
"Awfully brazen of you to torture the once savior of the Wizarding World," Mikael said. His eyes were hungrily fixed upon Harry. "Change of plans boys, kill her but bite Potter. He'll be a worthwhile werewolf."
Mikael exited the room and the two werewolves grinned at Harry and Zhen. Their bodies exploded, shredding their clothes as they gained mass and muscles, hunching over in the too small room. They lunged forward.
Zhen's wand lazily snapped up, sending a Piercing Hex through one's chest. He collapsed in a bloody lump while the other managed to lay a hand on Zhen, throwing the witch into the wall and causing her wand to land at Harry's feet. The werewolf ignored her and turned to face Harry, baring his teeth.
Desperation filled Harry, and he felt a burning need for his hands to be free of their bindings. To his immense surprise he found Zhen's bindings collapsing, letting him fall free of the wall. His hand desperately scrambled for her wand and pointed it as the werewolf lunged. Harry cast.
The werewolf fell in two halves, splattering Harry with blood. Across the room Zhen had pulled a second wand from within her robes and killed the second werewolf, and the witch and wizard eyed one another warily. More roars and screams could be heard from outside the cell, and Harry, despite how much he hated the witch, knew she was the lesser threat.
Harry could see Zhen come to the same conclusion, and they both turned to the cell door, wands at the ready. They exited into an empty dungeon and they wasted no time in following the sounds of combat, moving cautiously.
They found a dozen War Wizards fighting three times as many werewolves, who were shifting in and out of their forms with ease. One War Wizard conjured silver droplets, banishing it into the beasts, but it might as well been sand for how little effect it had. The wizard was torn in half.
Harry and Zhen immediately threw curses at the werewolves from behind, providing the War Wizards a brief respite. Together they killed four before the werewolves regrouped and faced the new threat, but in their haste they allowed the War Wizards to unify.
The eleven remaining wizards moved in unison, raising stone barriers and launching spells in a brutal, grinding pattern that chewed through the werewolf ranks from behind. They fell en masse, and Harry and Zhen quickly found themselves under friendly fire, which was anything but. They dove for cover behind two chipped pillars, and banished any werewolf that came close back into the deadly field of fire.
A few tense moments later and the dust settled, allowing Harry and Zhen to poke their heads out. Another War Wizard had fallen, but the remaining ones stood tall, their eyes sharp and wands ready for any new threats. They spotted the two newcomers and immediately held them at wand point.
"Patronum!" one of them shouted.
"Ghost!" Zhen called back. The War Wizards lowered their wands and began to double-check the dead. Three approached Zhen.
"Good to see you're alive, ma'm. The High Chancelor ordered us down here to extract you and the prisoner. We're to bring you to him," a witch explained. The other two War Wizards took up position behind Harry and relieved him of his stolen wand.
"That's mine," Zhen said, taking her wand back. She sheathed her spare and nodded to the War Wizard who had spoken. "Let's go."
"You heard the Undersecretary, let's go!" the War Wizard shouted. Immediately, the remaining War Wizards fell into a loose formation around Harry and Zhen.
They walked through halls filled with blood and death, and the rare survivor. The War Wizards ignored their desperate pleas for aid as they pushed toward the High Chancelor's office, stepping through puddles of blood and over dismembered limbs. Harry stumbled at one point and found himself face to face with a headless werewolf, the beast's face snarling even in death. He pushed it away and was dragged to his feet.
As they neared Nicolas' office, they could hear screams. Quickening their pace, they nearly ran face first into another group of War Wizards, covered in blood and levitating werewolf corpses away. After another round of identification by Zhen, the group entered Nicolas Flamel's office, and the source of the screams.
Hard faced War Wizards stood around the room, their wands trained on the spectacle in front of Flamel's desk. The High Chancelor stood in front of him, his hands curled out in front of him. Kneeled his feet was a panting werewolf, the beast bound to the ground by thick stone chains.
"You will tell me what I want to know! Crucio!" Flamel shouted, casting the spell without a wand, much to Harry's shock. The werewolf screamed and howl, a human voice mixed with a beast-like snarl.
The torture proved to be too much for the werewolf and there was a sickening snap, and it fell limp in its chains. Nicolas sneered in disgust at it before pointing to one of the watching War Wizards. "Get rid of it!" he ordered and the War Wizard obeyed without hesitation.
Harry was pushed forward, and the werewolf was dragged out, and Nicolas Flamel gave him a long, hard look. Harry braced himself for the painful touch of the Torture Curse, but it never came, as Flamel turned to Zhen and asked, "where does he stand?"
Zhen answered instantly. "He has a deep need to protect his family and friends, and after that, he acts as he does to protect the Wizarding World. He thinks you've gone too far at times, but considering the state of the world, he's disgusted with himself that he can see the reasoning for your actions. He won't try to overthrow you, at least, not until the current crisis is resolved."
Harry said nothing as Flamel turned to him, deep in thought. Did Harry really think all that? He did want to protect his friends and family, the two often interchangeable, but was he really okay with Flamel's actions? One look at the fresh bloodstains on the floor told Harry, no, that he was not, but what could he do? And why would Zhen lie?
"I can work with that. Anything else to report?" Flamel asked, his eyes still focused on Harry.
"Yes. While interrogating Potter, Mikael stopped by the cell," Zhen said, causing Nicolas to snap his focus onto her.
"What?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. Zhen merely nodded.
"The werewolf ordered his underlings to kill me and to turn Potter. They failed, but Mikael made the mistake of making eye contact with me. The beast has no Occlumency to speak of which allowed me to dig around for information without him knowing," Zhen explained. Harry joined Nicolas in looking at her with shock, as he hadn't even seen her cast a spell. How powerful of a Legimincer was she?
Nicolas smiled, a small, nasty smile that spoke of future pain and cruelty. "What did you find out?"
"He put a lot of forces into this raid. His goal was to end, or at least severely hamper, our ability to strike back, so he could regroup for a massive, final push, in a few days. His base of operations, in Canada, is lightly guarded," Zhen explained. Vicious delight filled Nicolas' eyes.
"You saw where it's located? Where?" he all but demanded.
"A few kilometers away from Fort Severn. There are several hundred werewolves there, mainly children or those who support their war effort through other means," Zhen calmly said, as if she wasn't dooming them.
"Children," Nicolas said thoughtfully. He turned his gaze back to Harry. "Would you like your position back, Harry? To rejoin us in making sure that the world is safe from Mikael and his ilk?"
Harry bit back the instinctive response of telling his once mentor to go to hell. In truth, Harry wanted nothing to do with the man in front of him, he just wanted to go back home to his wife and children and live the rest of his days in peace. But Harry had long ago resigned himself to never getting what he wanted, and he knew that in order to keep his family safe, he needed to keep his eyes on Nicolas Flamel.
"What do you need me to do?" Harry finally asked, not really giving Nicolas an answer. Still, it must have been enough for Nicolas as he smiled, uncaring of the blood splatter on his face.
"I need you to go to this werewolf camp Zhen's uncovered with a platoon of War Wizards. I want prisoners to interrogate, and I want Mikael in chains. Do you think you can work with me?" Nicolas asked, extending his hand.
Harry looked at it. Disgust, anger, and fear warred within him, making his stomach churn painfully. But then a calmness overcame him. If he could get away from the War Wizards, if he could get back to England and his family, he could warn them of what was happening and send them with Daphne when she came back. They'd be safe. He slowly looked back up at Nicolas and made his choice.
Harry shook hands with Nicolas Flamel, giving him a curt nod. He would always do anything to protect his family, and right now, Harry's gut was telling him that Nicolas Flamel was the biggest threat. Not the Muggles, not the werewolves, and certainly not whatever the hell Daphne Greengrass was doing. He only hoped he hadn't doomed them all.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Mikael
October 29th, 2017
Mikael popped into existence on the coast somewhere in Peru. He did not care for the surf, the sand, or the fresh air, no, he was only focused on his rage. He howled, long and hard, echoing off the rocks and out into the sea. He snarled as his body shrank, becoming human.
Apparition as a Lycan was much more uncomfortable than as a human. Splinching was more likely, but less severe overall. Instead of chunks of flesh being torn out, or limbs being left behind, it ripped strips of flesh and fur off, almost as though tape had done it. It was unpleasant, but not lethal, and Mikael's flesh rapidly healed the damage, anyway.
He paced, angrily shaking as he tried to put his thoughts in order. The attack on the GWM had gone so well at first, but the information he had received on the War Wizards had been woefully incorrect. One on one, a werewolf was more than a match for the miserable wizards, but together their lethality multiplied exponentially. Dozens of werewolves had met their ends before Mikael's eyes, and many more were still unaccounted for. He feared the worst.
He snapped out his hand, silver mist pouring off of it. It formed into a wolf, which looked up at him curiously. "I need your help," Mikael growled. "Go to Alexander Dantes."
The wolf nodded before leaping away, moving far faster than any land creature had a right to. Mikael was left alone, and he decided to vent, screaming his rage once more as a human before raising his hands and blasting the rocks and sand around him, destroying the small beach he stood upon. Mikael had just blown up a boulder when the sound of mocking clapping reached him, causing him to whirl around to face the interloper.
"Dantes," Mikael growled, stomping forward. Alexander Dantes leaned against a shattered rock, his glowing eyes watching Mikael curiously. "I need your wolves."
Mikael hated how Dantes' eyebrow raised, as though he didn't know what Mikael was asking for. "I don't have any wolves," Dantes said. He stepped away from the rock as Mikael reached him.
Mikael glared up at the infuriating man, his teeth bare. Dantes must have done something else to his body, as the man was now much taller than Mikael, and the werewolf felt his pride burning. "Your Lycans," he growled.
"Oh, those wolves. Well, they're not really wolves," Dantes said, utterly unconcerned about Mikael's proximity. "You're closer to humans than we are to wolves."
"I am nothing like those beasts!" Mikael roared. His patience was at its end. "You will send for your forces to join mine! You will help me end the Wizarding World, just as you promised, or else-"
"-Or else what?" Alexander Dantes asked, the bored amusement slipping off him like a cloak to reveal calm lethality. Mikael involuntarily stepped back. "Tell me, Mikael, what will you do?"
Mikael swallowed but stood firm. "I will kill you."
It happened before Mikael could react, faster than the beat of a heart, or a blink of an eye. One moment he was looking up at Alexander, and the next he was looking down, as Alexander shoved his hand into Mikael's chest, wrapped it around his heart, and lifted the werewolf into the air. Mikael struggled in vain to free himself, unwilling to pull himself free lest he rip out his own heart.
Alexander gave Mikael a wicked smile. "I have given you much, Mikael. This new form that you shared with the others of your kind. I lent you my Dementors so you might strike fear into the hearts of your foes. I even provided you information, resources, and an understanding of your enemies so you could strike at them properly. And this is how you thank me?"
Mikael struggled to speak, but found he couldn't. Regardless of the danger he was in, he tried to pull himself free, but Alexander must have cast magic as he found his limbs disobeying him. He was trapped.
"Now, I did promise you the end of the Wizarding World, and I intend to keep my promise," Alexander said. "But I promised nothing about you being there to witness it."
Alexander waited one moment for Mikael to comprehend his words, to make his peace, before he moved. Faster than anything Mikael had ever seen, Alexander removed his hand from the werewolf's chest, Mikael's heart in Alexander's hand. And on top of it all was the Philosopher's Stone that Alexander had implanted in him.
Mikael fell to the ground, struggling to breathe. He could feel his Lycan regeneration trying to work, trying to regrow his heart, but darkness was encroaching. All he could do was watch as Alexander pulled the veins and arteries that had grown into and around the Philosopher's Stone away, discarding the precious organ as if it were worthless. Because to Alexander Dantes it was.
The last thing Mikael ever heard was Alexander Dantes saying, "interesting how the heart grew another chamber with a direct channel to the stone. Is it a biological or magical mutation? Need to run more tests."
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Alexander Dantes
Six Years Ago
Alexander feared and hated Space Expansion Charms. The hate was easy to explain, as any idiot witch or wizard could charm a bag to hold much more than it should be able to, essentially carrying around a bomb that could go off at any moment. The fear had to do with the very nature of the charms.
Through careful experimentation, Alexander had discovered more about the structure of a typical Space Expansion Charm. Rather than creating additional space, it pushed reality in, like putting a heavy weight on a sheet. If too much weight added, or too much space pushed in, the entire thing would collapse, sealing it for eternity.
On the other hand, as nothing secured the expanded space on the other end, it could twist like a long noodle, wrapping up on itself in knots. The ends could be pulled tighter, causing it to snap, sealing parts of it away while the rest was violently expelled in a manner not unlike a bomb. In short, they were stupidly dangerous, and only stupidly ignorant magicals used them.
Unfortunately, that seemed to be all magicals.
Alexander's Space Expansion Charms worked in an entirely different manner. The first were the runes he had created, which carefully defined the borders of the expanded space, while providing it structure. Creating the runes in the first place had been the most difficult part of the task, as Alexander had to mold buckets of his blood into the appropriate shape using magic, while holding the purpose of the rune in his mind without any distractions. It had taken months of practice and far too many explosions.
Those runes were most often used on the Philosopher's Stone that he implanted in the chests of every Lycan, so they could grow without exploding the Lycan from within. Theoretically, the stones could grow forever in a compact space, as blood and magic would constantly renew them.
But Alexander had stumbled upon a second method of creating expanded spaces, and he wasn't quite sure how safe it was. And strangely, it had little to do with the expanded space, and more of how he created it in the first place.
Casting spells on an atomic scale was impossible. Alexander had tried for years with no success and had finally approached non-magical scientists to pick their brains. To his immense surprise, some had already been aware of magic and were actively investigating it. They likened it to some sort of chaos factor, something that could be used to introduce variables in the universe, and what might have kick-started life itself.
A four-hour conversation later, and Alexander was convincing dozens of scientists to immigrate to Cape Horn to study magic. A few had to be Obliviated for various reasons, but Alexander soon had a powerful think tank at his disposal, studying magic, technology, and the universe. Alexander added more non-magical scientists to this group over the next few months, ranging from doctors to engineers. Each was offered immortality in the form of the Lycan Serum and each accepted.
But these brilliant men and women agreed with Alexander's initial assessment: magic simply could not be cast on an atomic scale. It seemed to act like the opposite of gravity, resisting more as your focus grew smaller. Runes seemed to be the only exception to this, as the magic just needed to be present to activate it, not carve it, but this was deemed too dangerous after one researcher swallowed an explosive array the size of an ant by accident. It took them a week to fully clean the laboratory, even with magic.
Alexander hadn't been satisfied with that, though. If runes could be activated on a microscopic scale, then magic must work to some degree. So he worked with his think tank to examine what happens on a microscopic scale when a spell hits its target, and the results were fascinating.
Magic was energy, that much all could agree on. But it was an energy that seemed to act with an awareness, as the spells cast all seemed to be made of the same energy, but could be used to create wildly different results. A Stunning Charm and a Cutting Curse looked the same on a microscopic scale, for example, and the think tank determined that the intent of the spell seemed to color it. And then one scientist requested to look at what happens when someone casts a spell at a Philosopher's Stone.
The stone grew. They watched as, on a microscopic level, the energy that made up the spell seemed to dissolve as it hit the stone, feeding into it and causing it to grow. It was a miniscule amount, not even visible to the naked eye, but it was noticeable growth.
The scientists had been excited, but Alexander was more focused on the Philosopher's Stone. Somehow it worked on a microscopic level, as did runes, while nothing else did. Alexander had an idea and quickly asked his think tank for aid in carving up a Philosopher's Stone so it would make a knife.
They broke dozens before they figured out they could use lasers to burn layers off the stone. Slowly a small knife took form, no larger than Alexander's finger really, but no sharper than a normal knife. But then Alexander channeled magic into it.
The knife glowed and seemed to get stuck on invisible snags in the air. Alexander directed a microscope to be brought over, and the entire group looked on in awe as the knife seemed to touch atoms with magic, despite not having the proper edge to do so. The scientists were excited, pouring over the new data, when one of them nudged the knife, causing it to jerk to the side.
An impossibly straight cut across the table that somehow didn't penetrate through to the other side. One woman touched it and cut herself all the way to the bone in an instant, although her regeneration healed it quickly enough. They experimented with the blade, and this new power it revealed.
A window could be carefully cut, although the edges would always remain sharper than anything else in the world. It seemed to lead to a void where not even gravity existed, but somehow it avoided sucking all the air, or the universe, in. Alexander and the scientists determined that magic was somehow keeping them all safe.
It took them a few more days to figure out how to close these cuts. They could use the knife to push the edges closed, although it took them a few times. They then began to theorize how this new discovery could be used.
As an alternative form of Space Expansion, one an accidental miscast couldn't dismiss, was the obvious answer. But then the scientists began to talk of pocket spaces or using it to build objects that were larger on the inside than the outside. Alexander left them to their work, as he had other duties to attend to.
Like finding out what Mikael was doing with a group of werewolves at Cape Horn.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
"Alexander, you've grown!" Mikael said, eyeing Alexander's new height. The two men were almost the same height, with Mikael standing just shorter.
"You haven't," Alexander replied, approaching where the group stood in the welcoming area. Mikael laughed, but Alexander could see how the werewolf's eyes were now guarded, curious about Alexander's recent changes.
"You turned yourself into a werewolf," Mikael finally said. Alexander thought he almost sounded disappointed. The other werewolves around Mikael perked up, looking at Alexander curiously.
Alexander eyed them before looking back at Mikael. "Let's go on a walk. A lot has changed since you were last here," he said. He walked away, leaving Mikael to follow.
The werewolf caught up quickly, joining Alexander as they wound their way to the cliff. The Acropolis loomed before them, massive and wide, and months away from the first phase of construction to be completed. Alexander couldn't wait for it to be done. They stopped at the cliff.
"I'm not a werewolf," Alexander began. He could see Mikael opening his mouth to protest, so he quickly continued, "I'm a Lycan."
"What the hell is a Lycan?" Mikael asked. He dramatically sniffed the air. "You smell like a wolf. And fish."
Alexander rolled his eyes. "We're by an ocean, Mikael, everything smells like fish. A Lycan is a much more dangerous form of werewolf, boosted through magic and with greater strength and control."
No way in hell was Alexander going to tell Mikael the many differences between them, or how the werewolf was hopelessly outclassed. Judging by how Mikael puffed up angrily, he might have to anyway.
"Oh, yeah?" Mikael asked, balling his fists. Alexander rolled his eyes and moved.
Alexander and his think tank had charted how fast a Lycan could move and found it depended on a variety of factors, but mainly one: Magic. It was the true equalizer, and the longer a Lycan lived the more powerful magically they would become, allowing them to achieve even more impressive physical feats as their bodies continued to adjust.
Which was why Alexander could grab Mikael by the throat and hold him over the edge of the cliff with one hand before he could react. The werewolf panicked and struggled, torn between pulling himself free and clutching onto Alexander's arm for safety. Alexander let him hang there a moment before tossing him onto the ground beside him.
As the werewolf recovered, the Lycan moved forward, kicking him over and placing one foot on his chest. This was just another dominance challenge in Alexander's opinion, and he had long ago discovered the best way to settle those.
"Are you going to behave or do you need to cool off with a swim?" Alexander asked, jerking his head to the cliff. Mikael would not be the first person Alexander had thrown over the edge. The amusing ones were the ones who forgot they knew how to fly and flailed helplessly before they crashed into the ocean below.
Mikael looked rebellious for only a moment, before Alexander pressed down with his foot, cutting off the werewolf's air. He frantically nodded. "I'll behave!"
Alexander let his foot remain a moment longer, just to rub in the fact that his choice, and not Mikael's, before he removed it. He then helped the werewolf up. "Good. Fishing you out of the water would be annoying."
Once Mikael was standing once more, Alexander continued speaking. "So why have you come down to Cape Horn? Last time I checked you were up in Canada building your village."
"How do you know about that?" Mikael demanded. Alexander gave him a blank look.
"I keep a tab on all of my friends and occasionally send them things they need. Didn't you find it odd that construction materials kept being shipped your way?" Alexander asked. Mikael looked away in embarrassment causing Alexander to laugh.
"Yeah, yeah. It's all well and good until someone does it to you," Mikael muttered. Alexander gave him a challenging look, making Mikael quickly back off. "Easy! Wow, I remember you being less aggressive than this."
"A side effect of becoming a Lycan is an increase in ruthlessness," Alexander drolly explained. Which was actually a side effect of using the Elixir of Life, but Alexander wasn't going to share that. Mikael would experience a drastic change of personality in the next few years as his body absorbed more of it from the stone in his chest.
"Anyway, I was hoping you'd help me. The wizards have stopped sending werewolves via Portkey to North America lately and I wanted to know where they are so I can help them," Mikael said.
Alexander eyed the werewolf beside him carefully before answering. "They're killing them, Mikael. Outside of your colony, werewolves are almost extinct. I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this," he added, seeing how Mikael was shocked into silence.
"No," he whispered in denial.
"It's regrettably true. There are a few lone wolves here and there, but essentially, your pack is it," Alexander explained. He fell silent to allow Mikael time to digest this information and politely looked away.
Alexander watched streams of building material leave the cliffs beneath his feet, pushed along paths that had already supported untold thousands of tons of weight. A slight smile of satisfaction crossed Alexander's lips as he watched his home nearing completion. He and his pack would be safe.
"I'm going to kill them all," Mikael suddenly said. Alexander turned to see the glaring werewolf staring at his hands. He looked up at Alexander. "I swear it."
"No."
The cliff side was silent as Mikael stared at Alexander as if he couldn't understand what he was seeing. Fortunately, Alexander continued to speak before Mikael could act on his confused thoughts. "We're going to kill them all."
Mikael's face broke out into a fierce grin, and he nodded approvingly at Alexander. "Yes! With our forces combined, we can kill the wizards!"
"No."
Once more silence fell, and Mikael's face was a fascinating combination of colors. Alexander quickly explained. "I cannot risk the safety of my people, Mikael. Do not forget that I created this place as a safe haven. But I can spare some of my forces, resources, and information, and together, we're going to end the Wizarding World."
A dangerous smile crossed Alexander's face. "I promise you Mikael, no matter our fates, the Wizarding World will end."
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
AN: The story isn't being abandoned. It WILL BE FINISHED. But it will be a while before I write the sequel.
Harry: I know, it's a little weird how willing he was to work with Zhen to fight the werewolves, and later with Nicolas, but hear me out: By his, and their perspective, Mikael is a monster who has no issue slaughtering anyone, including school children. Voldemort, as bad as he was, didn't destroy Hogwarts like Mikael destroyed Uugaduo. Combined with the fact that muggles now know about magic (Muggle reactions will be shown starting in the next chapter), Harry is smart enough to realize he needs to pick his battles.
Zhen: Why did she lie to Flamel? Or was it a lie? who knows? Certainly not you... yet.
Flamel: He's lived for hundreds, I think that's more than enough time for him to figure out wandless magic. Don't forget, he was smart enough to figure out how to make a Philosopher's Stone in the first place, and determined enough to actually do it.
"Rise of the Wizards" is a very good story by Teufel1987, I highly recommend reading it.
Radioactive boar: I totally forgot those were a thing. Unfortunately, I don't really see a need for them in this story.
Mikael: I hoped with this chapter I could show off three different views on Mikael. To the wizards around the world, he's a monster. For himself, he's a freedom fighter. To Alexander and the Lycans he is inferior. Mikael is the only werewolf with a Philosopher's Stone, the rest were merely bitten by him, which gives them a much weaker boost (but still much better than what they already had).
Alexander: He's aware of what changes the Philosopher's Stone and Elixir of Life are doing to him, and everyone else. He's fine with it, wanting his people to be even stronger, to the point where no one and nothing is a threat to them. If it wasn't clear: The Elixir of Life also changes people's personality, making them become more ruthless over time. This change is what made Flamel start harvesting magic and blood to restore himself centuries ago, and even though it faded it left its mark on Flamel's mentality. It's also why Alexander can so easily be friendly with Mikael, with the knowledge that he will eventually kill Mikael once he's served his purpose.
Muggle Scientists: Alexander is bringing them to Cape Horn and converting them to his cause, gifting them immortality and magic in exchange for their loyalty. Honestly, I should have had him start doing this years ago, but meh. They'll start poaching other scientists, doctors, and engineers from all over the world, picking the very best to join them. This is what catches M's attention which makes him reach out to Harry all those years ago.
Atomic magic: The thing is, I still can't think of a valid reason for spells to work at an atomic level, or even microscopic level. Perhaps as a way to build a Quantum computer, but that's still decades away. (Runes only need the presence of magic to charge/activate.) However, the other day I was organizing my books and came across "The Subtle Knife" a book from the His Dark Materials series, written by Philip Pullman. It's a great series and I highly recommend everyone to read it. The knife Alexander and his scientists make is similar to that one, but theirs can't open windows to new worlds. It would need a boost of power...
Void: It's the place in between dimensions. It's not a typical void, which would have sucked air/the universe into itself as soon as it was created, but it is a definite absence of anything. Materials can be brought in and out, but there is no gravity, or air, there, which means it can't hold life...yet. I have a lot of ideas for it, but unfortunately, none of them will happen during "The Riddle Coins" as they aren't needed yet. The edges of the windows are still impossibly sharp, and can easily behead someone if they aren't careful.
Acropolis: The outer shell and the internal levels are almost finished. It's still largely empty, as no buildings have been built inside. But the next chapter will show more.
Thank you everyone for all your support and reviews! The NEXT CHAPTER will be in THREE DAYS!