1985, Journey Begins

[Grey Manor, 1985]

[Nate POV]

After the ambush, things went on as they did in canon, Voldermort went on to be defeated in 1981 by The-boy-who-lived, and The Potters died as the world celebrated the death of the Greatest Dark Lord of all time (Grindelwald, was arguably more dangerous) was killed when the Killing Curse failed for the first time since its debated conception.

While that all happened back in 1981, a week ago I had my first magical accident, I summoned a book from across the room.

And thus today will begin my magic training with my grandfather. I walked into his study where he was sitting on a couch near the fireplace and sat down at the crouch across from it.

"So, you had your magical awakening today."

"Yes."

"That means your education begins today."

"I know."

"You know Nate, you are an incredibly smart boy. I know you read those muggle books about psychics when I asked a muggle-born is not something a child your age should be able to understand and I, for a fact know you understand. So I will be trying to teach you like I would a teenager. That means if I say you will not dabble in something, my words shall be taken to heart, are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"And also would like to return this to you."

He gave me my Physics book along with scripts of cutouts from papers on mechanics.

"You went through my things. That is a violation of my privacy."I started

I was more annoyed than angry that he would go through my things since I never planned to hide my knowledge or wisdom but it is a violation of my privacy.

"You are seven years old Nate, and I was not the one who went through your things."

"Grandma?" He smirked

"Yes," I deflated.

I could not get angry at Grandma.

"You know, it is kind of offensive when you call me 'Grandfather' and Veronica 'Grandma'."

"Oh! But it is amusing to me because grandma is very sweet while you are cranky." I snarked.

"Cough cough! Anyways we are getting distracted so I will get to the chase. Nate, I have read the books you read and what I have seen is that you read a lot about the Natural law and while I would say that it is a good thing, it is troubling."

"Why?"

"Because Magic subverts natural laws, not work with them but bypass them sometimes partially, sometimes completely. What you read is something muggles created over hundreds of years to compensate to work with natural laws, not bypassing them but working with them. The Wizarding world is not a logical place, Nate we deal more with abstracts than we deal with codified laws said by Psychic over a few hundred years about how every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

"Physicist. And Newton was a mathematician."

"Do I look like I care?"

"No."

"Good! Now you need to understand that magic is all about abstracts and a bit of common sense really. In magic, actions do have consequences but it always does not have to be equal or opposite."

"I know."

"Okay, so the point to take away is that do not try to rationalize everything."

I furrowed my brow at that.

"But would that not lead to ignorance?"

Grandfather chuckled and then in a serious tone replied.

"Nate, ignorance is bliss sometimes my boy, many men have fallen trying to unravel the mysteries that constitute magic. Do not….. and I say this not lightly….. Do not try to chase an impossible dream, my boy."

"Then what am I supposed to do with my magic."

"The world does not revolve around magic, you need to understand Intent is something truly important in magic and you need to find a goal, you intend to finish that is all you truly need to do."

"So what do you intend to do?"

"To be honest I was born in a proper pureblood family where magic is considered more a way of life and since I was the heir, I was supposed to marry and produce an heir and become a 'proper' lord but after I met your Grandma I decided freedom to make my choice, my intended goal." Grandfather declared proudly.

"So it is a tool? A means to an end?"

"Merlin no! I prefer to describe it like a twin, a companion who supports you in whatever you do."

I hummed.

"Now that is all for today. But before leaving take these books, Magical Theory For Muggles and Mystic Arts Across The World. Read these two and we will meet after you finish reading them in two days. Now you can leave."

And so I did.

After that, I went to my room and started studying. That day I only came out in time for my evening exercise I was just simply running on the manor grounds and climbing trees and jumping from one tree to another, that is the only training I did. And then I had dinner in my room which made mom angry since she did not like serving food in the room and ranting about how we don't have elves because of grandfather refusing to contract one due to an ancestor being friends with his house elf and then giving his word about the elf's being the only one to ever serve us.

I pointed out that she could use her wand and she said that magic should not be used for luxury. I pointed out that having an elf is also a luxury. She huffed at me and then left the room and left the room while saying," Not out of his diapers and already going against my words." which made me chuckle.

And like this two days passed in which I consumed my first pieces of magical information since before this my family made it a point not to allow me to interact with anything magical in nature since without my own magic any accident that could occur could be dangerous for both physical and emotional growth. This was something I questioned and my grandma explained that sometimes magical accidents can be quite traumatizing and even make children hate magic and dislike practising it all together by forbidding it they could keep my interest in magic alive and also protect me from undue harm.

These last two days were enlightening, to say the least.

The mystic arts book was about how magical societies around the world performed magic and other information through it, I came to the conclusion that Wizards underestimate what Magic can do and all of this was because of their small population, most of these guys are just trying to live their lives and the few that did try to bring about the change were either too passive or too violent thus becoming either part of the system they were trying to change or becoming something that wants to tear down the whole system. Thus becoming Light Lords or Dark Lords.

Most of the revolutionary ideas come from these genius minds for good or bad and if you look closely all of the magic is either defensive or offensive in nature few of the exceptions being the Flamel couple, Daedalus or Egyptian Wizards under the employ of Pharaohs but they were mainly just there to satisfy the vanity of the Pharaohs or help them live past death since Pharaohs were obsessed with life after death. The few pieces of magic that do not help in that are for creating deadlier spells, healing from said spells, hiding, espionage, etc. And the only reason magicals started to change is that modern-day muggles progressed and muggleborn children started bringing new ideas into the wizarding world. This was for the western magical world at the very least and though eastern magic is also focused on fights, it is also focused on what they call spiritual balance which is a mastery of occlumency. Indian magic is the most varied but it also is the most difficult to bring change to because they have clans established that jealously guard their secrets. Africans prefer a mastery of transfiguration to imitate their Gods since their society formed around Animagii they try to do just that. The other thing of interest to me is the magical focii used around the world, there were wands, rings, talismans, tattoos, staves, spears, etc. The method of invoking magic is also very different around the world ranging from incantations, chants, songs, hymns, hand signs, and eye contact.

As for the magical theory book, it was all about how magic worked and how magic was used by wizards and what makes us unique from most other creatures. The main point of the book is firstly Magic was everywhere yet it was not in a state where a person could realize it was there, a wizard or any being for that matter can only sense magic imbued with intent. Secondly, magic is not stored inside a wizard's being but rather a wizard's capability to interact with magic around himself and a wizard's strength can be measured by three things:

Power- The amount of raw magic a wizard could imbue an intent to.

Field- The area around a wizard to which he can imbue an intent.

Control- The degree to which a wizard can imbue an intent.

This was also the reason wizards cannot just be offed by a sniper or killed by a stray arrow or fall off their broom and die. A Wizard's Field and Control will not simply allow it due to the wizard's subconscious imbuing the intent to remain safe, at the least if nothing the damage would be vastly mitigated yet it also means that wards can pick up on these intents and if a wizard holds his intent back, he can be offed with muggle weapons.

Wizards are unique even among the more humanoid magical species because wizards are adaptable like we can use magic in many ways and are highly versatile.

And with these thoughts, I went to Grandfather for my next class.