DISCLAIMER: I do not own Negima or Harry Potter. Negima is the property of Ken Akamatsu, and Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling.
Italics text = character thinking to themselves.
Underline+Italics = character communicating with telepathy
Bold text = shouting
Bold+Italcs = Casting Spell/Ability
Chapter Fourteen
The Special Training and the Ring
After they finished their homework, the Hogwarts students took their mage wands and went to the terrace.
"Well, since you have already taped into your latent magical capacity, we can move on to discovering your elemental affinity." Negi said. He then pointed his staff towards Hermione and an orb of light came from her chest and split into smaller orbs of different color and size.
"It seems you have fire as a dominant with light and nature secondary. For now, you should focus on fire."
Next it was Ron.
"You have wind as dominant with shadow and nature secondary."
The twins and Ginny turned out to have nature and fire in nearly the same amounts.
And finally, it was Harry's turn. Instead of a single bright orb, two came out, but one was dark-crimson. Then, the orbs split up normally and the ones from the dark one arbitrated around the ones from the bright one. They had lightning-shaped marks on them.
"Hm, you seem to have two Magic Cores, one cracked, though. It would be easier to draw power from it, but much harder to control. Your natural Core has as dominants lightning, light and darkness. The cracked one has darkness, shadow and ice as main elements, but the other ones seem to be developed as well. Well, except light and wind. At any rate, for now focus on light and lightning. Darkness isn't something easy to control, and in your case it may devour you if you're not ready. "
Seeing the look on Harry's face, Negi smiled and added:
"Don't worry. It was the same for me. Once you manage to control light well enough darkness will be safer to use. Here's a hint: control your emotions for light and let them loose for darkness."
"Now let's teach you some magic! We'll start with the most basic magical attack "Sagitta Magica", the magical archery. It exists for every element so everyone can use it. But first.... you need 78 hours of theoretical study."
At Negi's final words, everyone except Hermione frowned.
"Yeah, then see you in two weeks!" Ron said.
"With all of our other studying to do, that would be an understatement." Fred added.
"Hmph! You brats seem to be forgetting where you are and who you're talking too." Eva smirked. "Stay inside here until its morning outside and you'll be done."
"But even in here, it will take us two weeks!"
"You have one week for studying, and if you manage to pull it off you'll also get one week of practice. But I have a better idea." Negi said.
"What would that be?"
"Do them together in nine days. If you do it this way, you'll be able to try the theory right after you've learnt it, thus securing the progress. If you first study and then apply the theory, there's a chance you'll screw up."
"I personally recommend it, that's how I've learnt it." Yue encouraged them.
"But why can't you just tell us how it's done and then practice?" George asked.
"Because you can't use that much power without unlocking your Core. For that you must come up with you own Unlocking Keywords, or Aria, that will allow you to make full use of your magical capacity."
"Now that you mention it, before every spell you chant there's always the same words." Hermione observed.
"Yes, that's my Aria: "Ras tel ma scir magister" "Negi said.
"And mine is: "Lic lac la lillac"." Eva said.
"Basically, it must consist of words that have great meaning to you, such as your goals or your hobbies or other things" Yue explained.
"Also, it's usually in Latin or Greek, so consult a dictionary before you chose it. If it sounds too complicated, it will get in the way when you're casting." Negi added.
After that, the studying began, and it went with surprisingly few problems. The only notable incident took place when Hermione's fire spell and Ron's wind spell collided, creating a small fire tornado. Negi explained afterwards that when using some spells in combination, one may use the other to grow in power, like fire and wind, or may negate each other like fire and water.
But they weren't left on their own. Chao and Yue assisted the fire users, while Negi helped the wind and lightning users. The others either observed or went training, but Asuna, Nodoka, Konoka and Setsuna stood there the entire time, as they knew the beginning is always the most prone to accidents.
By the time it was morning outside they've chosen their Arias and learnt the "Sagitta Magica".
"Cordis dis libris! Undecim spiritus ignis, coeuntes inimucum concordant! Sagitta Magica Series Ignis!" Hermione chanted and fired eleven arrows of fire at the eleven ice orbs Evangeline was levitating, hitting all of them with great accuracy. But these were Eva's orbs, so they weren't completely destroyed.
"Next time focus a little less on accuracy and more on power. Even if you throw a spark at someone from a mile away, it's still a spark" the vampire commented.
"Artificium versutus! Undecim spiritus ignis, coeuntes inimucum concordant! Sagitta Magica Series Ignis!" the twins chanted together and rained the shots on the twenty-two ice orbs, shattering eighteen of them, but not even touching the other four.
"The power is about right, but your accuracy needs a lot of improvement" Eva said.
"Floris intra flamma! Undecim spiritus ignis, coeuntes inimucum concordant! Sagitta Magica Series Ignis!" Ginny chanted and fired her arrows at the orbs hitting them dead on and shattering all of them in large melting pieces.
"Now that's some good intuition you have there, girl. You compressed your arrows in a smaller form, making them easier to control and their effect more powerful. Well done." Eva said to Ginny's amazement. She thought the vampire would say she cheated!
"Candidus ventus! Undecim spiritus aerials, vinculum facti iimicum captent! Sagitta Magica Aer Capturae!" Ron chanted and sent his arrows towards eleven ice sculptures of Eva and wrapped around them. But at Eva's command, the statues began to rise and two of them got loose of their binding arrows.
"Those tow arrows don't have enough power, even though they were wrapped properly." Eva said.
"Signum Demonium! Undecim spiritus fulgurales, coeuntes inimucum concordant! Sagitta Magica Series Fulgoris!" Harry chanted lastly, releasing eleven arrows of lightning that not only struck all the orbs, but went right through them, leaving large melted holes visible for a few seconds before the ice shattered.
"Very well! Lots of power and perfect accuracy. Well, the accuracy comes naturally to lightning, but the ability to control that kind of power doesn't." Eva praised him. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're pretty good with curses, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am. But what does…." Harry began.
"Most curses take the shape of lightning, I'm sure you've noticed by now. Especially the most powerful ones." Negi explained.
"Well, we're done. We should head back, it's about time for breakfast." Asuna said from the side. "Oh, yeah! Harry, come here for a minute."
"I'm sure you've realized by now just where does that cracked Core come from." she whispered.
"It's from Voldemort. That's why I said you should forget about darkness for now. Until you get the feeling of your own Core, you shouldn't use his. Even though you also have the darkness element, using it so soon could make you access his power while you're still unprepared. For example, I heard that during some of your nightmares you wake up with your scar burning. During your stay here, I've asked Sayo to check on you when you're asleep. While you were having nightmares, a subtle darkness enveloped you. It was because of that cracked core. That kind of thing can be dangerous for your body, especially since you're asleep and unaware." Negi explained.
"Then I should stop sleeping? Harry asked confused by this new information.
"Of course not, you idiot!" Eva whispered herself when she got close enough. "Take that ring and keep it on your finger at all times. It should seal off the cracked Core. Actually, I think it cracked when he lost his body over 14 years ago." The vampire said and gave Harry a ring with a white stone in its socket. "Let me know when the stone becomes pitch black so I can change it. It's not a seal, but an absorbing crystal. It will absorb the designated elemental energy from the one who uses it until it's full." she added.
"Even if the power comes from Voldemort, it should take at least a month to fill that stone" Negi assured him.
"Thanks!" Harry said.
"But it won't make the pain from the scar go away. That's from something else I guess" Negi warned him.
"Oh, well, can't win them all" Harry resigned himself.
"Ok, now let's go, I'm starving!" Asuna said and they followed her to the warp zone, Harry putting the ring on his finger.