L For Lesson
The room descended into an eerie silence, a palpable tension hanging in the air, as my hand clenched Delphini's with an unrelenting grip. The life force and her connection to her Mana Cores drained away slowly, but something unusual caught my attention - an extra Core, one that resonated strangely with my own.
Questions raced through my mind like a whirlwind. Could this connection be attributed to our twin bond? Yet, it felt too similar, as if someone had copied and pasted it into existence.
"How rude." the crimson-haired teacher remarked with a dismissive flick of her hand, sending me soaring into the air like an annoying pest, carried aloft by her formidable magic.
"Ouch," I muttered, my voice devoid of emotion. The pain was undeniably real, but my Gamer Mind shielded my consciousness from its incapacitating effects, allowing me to maintain my composure.
"Just for the record," she continued, her tone now laced with mockery rather than the saccharine sweetness she usually employed, "I'm not some mere puppet under Voldemort's control."
A chilling smile crept across her face as I tightened my grip on Harpe, my wand firmly clasped in my hand, anticipation coursing through every fiber of my being.
"Then why are you meddling in family matters? Back off," I asserted, my focus directed towards channeling my mana reserve. Within the protective walls of Hogwarts, my magic recovery rate enjoyed a substantial 40% boost. The concept of magical exhaustion seemed almost foreign here, leaving me with no choice but to unleash my full potential should a confrontation arise.
"Now, now, dear," she retorted, her lips curling into a smug smile. "As your teacher, I must intervene to prevent my students from killing each other."
Bullshit.
A sly grin played across my face. "Maybe I should have a word with Dumbledore about the quality of educators around here, a Voldemort's puppet on loose? Oh my," I taunted, mimicking her earlier expression, watching as her smugness crumbled
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am nobody's pawn." Her once-blue eyes now blazed with crimson intensity, striking fear into Delphini, who began hyperventilating, trapped in a primal state of terror.
While I stood, giving her The Rock eyebrow raised.
Gamer's Mind repelled Terror
Gamer's Mind repelled Despair
Gamer's Mind repelled Fury
"Fascinating," Rowena... no, Voldemort spoke, her tone dripping with intrigue as she observed Delphini, who had fainted in terror, while I raised an eyebrow in bemusement.
"That's an astonishingly powerful mental defense for someone of your age. I had assumed Rowena was lacking in her Legilimency skills, but your shields surpass even my or Dumbledore's Occlumency," she whispered with a maniacal blend of interest and pride.
"So, it's not a puppet, but a meat suit?" I inquired cautiously, my eyes darting around the room for any potential escape routes. The open window caught my attention, offering the possibility of using Blink and my broom for a swift getaway.
"I would revel in such an opportunity, but I've developed a certain... rapport with Rowena; you might even call us partners," she hissed, her voice growing increasingly unhinged.
"Interesting," I responded dryly, casting my gaze between Delphini and Voldemort; the girl remained unconscious on the floor.
"May I kill your daughter?" I asked.
"No."
Well, it was worth a shot.
"Those murderous impulses toward her aren't your own; regain control of yourself," she commanded, her tone suddenly steadier, hinting at a semblance of sanity.
"Severus," she hissed, and the Hogwarts Potion master materialized instantly. The dark-robed man knelt before her, his left hand clutching his arm where the Dark Mark appeared and disappeared in a sinister cycle.
"My lady," he bowed.
"Who orchestrated the ritual, and why are my children locked in a deadly battle?" She demanded, her gaze drilling into Snape.
"I did, Milady," he replied with a chilling calmness, avoiding her piercing eyes.
"Give me one good reason not to end your existence," she pressed.
"After your departure, the Death Eaters grew restless and fearful. They needed a leader, but fear held them back from stepping up. Your children became their beacon of hope."
"But I made it explicitly clear that I'd return, even from the afterlife," she retorted, while I shot her a blank look. I mean, who would take such a declaration seriously?
"You do know that most people will take that as rambling of madwoman, riight?"
"Hush, child," she silenced me as if I were irrelevant at the moment.
"Their fear outweighed their faith in you, Milady. Both of your children failed to show leadership potential, so they proposed to empower one while turning the other into a squib, to live as a Muggle, by transferring a Magic Core," Snape explained. She seemed more repulsed by the notion of becoming a Muggle than concerned for her children's welfare.
"Due to their twin status, Delphini's body didn't reject the boy's Magic Core because of the twin bond," Voldemort mused, her intrigued red eyes peering from behind her fingertips.
"After transferring the magical core to Delphini, Sirius took the other to a 'Wool Orphanage,' which seemed like a more suitable option at the time, given the boy's squib status and his bloodthirsty nature toward the future Death Eater leader."
She voilently twitched her eyesbrow for some reason.
"Then please enlighten me as to why this boy is here, thinking I wouldn't notice him conjuring swords over our heads?" She asked sarcastically, waving her hand to turn all my surprise attacks into golden dust.
I clicked my teeth in annoyance, and Snape remained silent in response to her question.
"Why even bother pretending to care?" I interjected, once again disrupting their sinister Death Eater reunion.
"Pretend?" Voldemort tilted her head, or more accurately, Rowena's head.
"Really? Do you honestly expect me to believe that the Dark Lady Voldemort cares for her children? Come on. You'd love nothing more than to watch Delphini and me fight to the death, and whichever one of us survives would become a powerful tool for you, right?"
Voldemort transformed into mist and reformed in front of me. In a flash, my head turned to the left, a stinging sensation on my right cheek.
Voldebitch just slapped me. It was certainly a novel experience. If it weren't for the Gamer's Mind, a dagger might have found its way to her stomach, ending our conversation.
"I am many things—monster, demon, perhaps even death incarnate for many people, I'm devil himself to those worthless muggles but a heartless parent who views her own flesh and blood as mere tools is not one of them," she hissed, as if her past and trauma were vividly before her eyes.
Well, I never thought I'd see the day.
She was about to continue when she suddenly started coughing.
"Severus, take care of my daughter. I don't have enough time to catch up, lest I create myself a new body to inhabit. We shall speak soon. I'll have some words with my son before returning to Rowena," she ordered, and Snape picked up Delphini, leaving the room without using teleportation, which was unusual.
I thought he could teleport, just like when he appeared when she called him before.
"Now that that's over, let's talk, my son. I don't have much time left," she said as a throne materialized out of nowhere, and she took her seat.
Talk about big ego and big ass.
Rowena still looked attractive, which annoyed me. Damn it, brain, that's your mother in there.
"Okay, then. Let's start with why I shouldn't report you to Dumbledore," I inquired, causing her face to twitch.
"Do you think I'd allow you to do such a thing?"
"I don't need your permission to do anything I want. You can't touch my mind," I replied smugly.
She tapped her throne a few times and pointed her wand at me, its green glow a warning. "Or I can kill you here and now," she suggested with a barely hidden snarl.
"You're bluffing. You've already revealed your weakness. I'm your weakness, along with Delphini," I retorted with a cold smile, noticing her Voldemort side surfacing with her growing displeasure.
This was a gamble. I wasn't sure if she really loved me and Delphini because of her maternal instincts, but somehow her eyes held human emotions that made me bolder by the moment.
"But even if, by some chance, you kill me," my smug smile turned into a chilling one, "my darling will inform Dumbledore before you can leave this room, and you can say goodbye to that Philosopher's Stone you're after."
"Your darling?" she inquired, ignoring how I knew about the Sorcerer's Stone for now.
"You know, the one your pet snake killed during your Hogwarts days," I said with a smug smile, making her face twitch as she recalled something from her past.
"Myrtle?" she muttered in surprise. I was surprised she even bothered to remember her first victim, even more so when she was the indirect cause of the death of that poor girl.
"It's Moaning Myrtle now," I smiled, faking a sigh. "Poor girl. First, she was killed by her idol, the Great Emily Riddle, without knowing how or who. Now she's nothing but a pawn to her killer's son. What an attention-seeking ghost she is."
"You're cruel," she remarked with a smile, but it soon faded into a frown. "Unnecessarily cruel."
"Like you're one to talk," I scoffed before getting serious, pointing my wand, Harpe, at her. "But seriously, give me a reason why I shouldn't expose you to Dumbledore. It would certainly earn me his favor if he's suspicious of me because of my heritage."
Voldemort looked at me with a medley of emotions in her eyes—annoyance, anger, love, pity, but most of them overshadowed by pride.
"If you don't betray me, I will be your personal teacher. I'll train you without keeping anything secret and provide you with all the knowledge I can give," she said, closing the distance with a soft finger brushing across my cheek.
"All the knowledge you can take." She whispered, her red juicy lips near my ears.
Oh no you early sign of horny brain, don't look at those red plump lips.
"Why should I trust you to keep your word, witch?" I asked with a sneer, refusing to flinch away from her touch. If she expected me to become emotional or fearful because of her, she was mistaken.
I was not one to be driven away by my brain's chemical reactions or my dick. Because damn, Rowena was too attractive, and I was afraid she would awaken something that shouldn't be awakened this early.
Because, of course, you can spill the beans to the headmaster if I don't." She backed away while grimacing. No matter how much she loved me, she still appeared to be somewhat unhappy with the deal, probably because if I accepted this deal, I'd be the one who's going to be in favor.
I can manipulate her as long as she's searching for the Philosopher's Stone in this castle.
"Fine then, Deal," I sighed, relaxing as my exhaustion caught up with me once my adrenaline left my veins. Magically, I was still ready for a few rounds, but my stamina was not as eager.
Voldemort smiled before coughing heavily; it looked like she was really ready to spill her lungs out.
"Rowena, your body is rejecting me," She whispered while sitting on her throne in pain. If she were in her real body with a fully functional soul, I could just kill her and be done with it, but with so many Horcruxes in play, it would do nothing but infuriate her.
"Welp, try not to die, my teacher; you have still much to teach me after all," I said uncaringly as I exited the room, trying not to wince as my mother coughed and writhed in agony.
Because two souls were inhabiting the same body, and a foreign soul was in control, Rowena's whole body and magic were fighting against Voldemort, despite having Rowena's permission.
But my thoughts were on somewhere else.
But damn, Delphini got away.
Quest Completed
Revenge is a salty reminder
After embarrassment defeat at Hogwarts Express, face your twin for dominance and crush her.
Objective; Kill her to sever your twin bond: X
Alt Objective: Spare her after the Battle (Completed)
Reward: 5000 XP, One Random Perk.
Alt Objective Reward: Lacrima of Sky Dragon
Level up!
"Well, that's better than I expected, though not exactly what I was hoping for. It's one way to power up, but I had my eyes on more OP things, like Excalibur or even the Sharingan or Rinnegan or Power of Destruction from DxD," I mused.
The Lacrima, essentially a magical crystal, granted me Dragon Slayer Magic, arguably one of the most potent forms of magic in the world of Fairy Tail.
"To be honest, even the average mages there are more combat-ready than here in the Nasuverse or the Harry Potter," I reflected.
In my own right, this magic can turn me into a powerhouse.
But there was a catch.
The problem is that this magic was wielded by a little girl who hadn't yet reached her full potential. So, I don't know the full extent of its capabilities.
In Fairy Tail, Wendy, the Sky Dragon Slayer, was often seen as a Support Class mage in gaming terms. Not that she lacked offensive power, but it was nowhere near as impressive as Fire or Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic.
I shrugged it off, concluding with a positive outlook.
Well, I'm not one to turn down unique power like this. The good thing is that I can also access healing magic from this.
Random Perk Selecting…..
Pure Hands.
Pure Hands: All negative effects are removed from created potions while all positive effects are removed from created poisons.
Skill Alchemy Ranked up due to Perk Above.
Novice — Expert
I literally no longer suffer from any side effects when creating faulty potions. It makes sense why it's categorized as an Expert-level skill not in grandmaster, considering my lack of knowledge in brewing even the simplest of potions.
Alchemy, it turns out, is not limited to potion-making, although that's been my main focus, along with most students who didn't even realize that potion-making falls under the umbrella of Alchemy. This perk is a game-changer for me.
It ensures that I'll either create a perfect potion or the perfect poison. Right now, the only potion I can create flawlessly is the Boogie Potion that Snape taught us this week.
But no matter; I now have a wealth of potion books to dive into. This is getting exciting.
I take back my earlier reservations. These rewards are exceptionally good. It's as if the stars are aligning in my favor today.
"You know what? I'm going to use all those Gachas today and get it over with."
Let's start with the Gachas from the previous quest, Mind-Melting-Mayhem. Since I already got Light Magic from it, should I try the familiar summoning Gacha?
"Or maybe not. Let's deal with the rewards from this recent quest first."
Randomizing one common Gacha reward.
"Gale Force Reading Glasses."
Not bad; they increase the user's reading speed. What's with me getting these Fairy Tail-themed rewards all of a sudden?
But i already have fast reading perk. Holy fuck, I can read so fast now that I'm sure I can make Lady Revenclaw orgasm.
Anyway, I'll hold off on using the familiar summoning Gacha for now. I've got too much on my plate to waste time on familiars. Looking at you, Sky Dragon Slaying magic.
I let out a loud yawn as I reached the ground floor, just past the moving stairs. I'm seriously exhausted now. It's the first time I've been this drained. Without the Gamer Body perk, I know tomorrow morning is going to be rough.
"Oh, I should grab a latte for that brooding girl in the Common Room if she's still there," I mumbled sleepily while making my way toward the kitchen.
Hopefully, the House Elves won't sense the scent of their own kind on me.
"Poor Wigby, you will be missed.'
Gladly, they didn't seem to notice Wigby's disappearance, nor did they detect anything unusual about me. After acquiring the Latte, I made my way into the dormitory, but the common room was empty. Well, not my problem. Hopefully, nobody would make a fuss if I just left it on the table.
You see, I never went back on my word. It wasn't my fault she wasn't there to receive her Latte.
I flopped onto my bed as soon as I entered my room, letting out an audible groan. My body was aching all over, and I didn't even have the energy to take a bath and wash off this sweat and stench.
Yuck.
"I should just sleep it off," I mumbled, stretching my limbs out on the soft bed. "What wouldn't I give for some healing magic right now."
Wait a minute! Healing Magic! I did have something that could grant me that.
I abruptly got up from my bed, ignoring my body's protests of pain as I retrieved the reward from my latest quest.
From my inventory, a bright crystal materialized in my hand. It was surprisingly heavy, and I nearly dropped it in surprise. I held onto this radiant crystal that resembled the gems from Sonic, except it emitted a brilliant sky-blue glow that easily illuminated my room.
Do you want to use this Item?
Sky Dragon Lacrima: Ultra Rare item
This magical crystal can be implanted inside humans, granting them Sky Dragon Slayer magic. This allows them to tap into the domain of the Sky. Thus Users of this magic can control Elements connected to Sky itself.
Note: Proceed with caution!
Upon implantation of this Lacrima, the User's body will go through Dragonization due to Sky Dragon Seed in this Lacrima. This seed will continue to sprout more when this magic is used, so beware.
Huh, what in the world is the 'Domain of the Sky'? I initially thought I was just getting wind-based magic similar to Wendy's, but it sounds like it's granting me powers on the level of Zeus himself.
I mean, it's called Sky Dragon Slaying Magic, but in the anime, the original user of this magic primarily used wind. Does this mean it's a different form of magic, or did Wendy only focus on wind because it's the easiest element to master?
And then there's this thing about 'Dragonization.' It's supposedly a side effect or even a curse of this magic. But seriously, how can becoming a colossal dragon be a bad thing?
I mean, sure, if you can't turn back into a human, that would suck. But dragons are nearly comparable to gods, especially the ones in Fairy Tail. Do people really think these god-like lizard beings can't figure out simple Transformation magic?
The best part is their near-ageless lifespan. No need for dark magic to stay immortal, which means no soul or mind damage for me.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Dragonization seems to be a long process that will take years, and it'll only happen if I use this magic like a madman.
So far, it looks like there are only pros to using this magic with no visible cons.
"System, use this item," I uttered, and in an instant, a blindingly bright light engulfed me. I felt my body lose its weight, collapsing onto the carpeted floor, stunned and wracked with pain.
I twitched my finger through the agony, clamping my mouth shut to stifle any screams. Is this what it felt like to have a curse like Cursio or blood boling curse coursing through your body?
My rational thoughts grew hazier with each passing moment, and I managed to whisper, "Stupify." while managing to point my index finger at my chin.
And then, instead of darkness, there was light as I slipped into unconsciousness.
Dragon Seed Insertion Failed!
Error!
No Ethernano container was found!
Alternative Magic Core selected
Error!
Enchanting Magic Core into Dragon Core
Enchanting Dragon Senses
Enchanting Dragon Scales
Enchanting Dragon Lungs
Enchanting Dragon Heart
Enchanting Dragon Claws
Enchanting Dragon Animagus Spirit
Dragon Seed successfully Inserted
Level UP!
Heliel Marvolo Riddle
Title: Smooth Criminal (40% chance people will not notice your crime)
Race: Wizard
Rank: Mortal
Level: 35
Strength: D (25/30)
Speed: C (1/50)
Endurance: D (25/30)
Magic: C (20/50)
Intelligence: D (29/30)
Stat Points: 43
Perks
Gamer's Mind
Perceive reality as one big game. Immunity against mental and psychological attacks.
Dovahzul
The Parseltongue who spoke with Serpent has improved, now you can speak in the Ancient tongue of Dragons.
Ultimate Luck
The Gamer has become fateless due to the game, not bound by destiny, causing unbelievable fortune and catastrophe.
Blank
The Gamer is invisible to any precognition abilities including Divine Precognition.
Evil Twin
The Twins Bond, one of the most powerful and sacred bonds, has been tainted. You represent the dark side of this bond. By being in contact with your twin, you will instinctively try to kill your light side and take back what was lost. You can leech off their life force. You can sense your twin's general location. You can sense their negative emotions.
Speed-reader
You can read anything 60% faster than normal.
Hecate's Blessing
Compatible with all magicks and all magic restrictions and limitations will no longer affect you as long as you have the required energy and knowledge.
Magical Resistance
The Caster is surrounded by Void particles known as Anti-Magic, disrupting foreign Magic around the Caster's body. The weaker the foreign magic is, the more effective it will be.
Dragonslayer
Due to the Dragon Slaying enchantment in your body, your attack has gained Anti-Dragon properties.
Dragonization
Your body will slowly morph into the Sky Dragon. Due to Dragon sense, your human body may not synchronize correctly, causing motion sickness and other debuffs.
Wind Immunity
You are Immune to Wind, as well as capable of devouring Wind itself to regain Magical Energy.
Lightning Resistance
Any Lightning is not as effective as it should be against you.
Skills
Wandless Magic: Intermediate
Ability to channel magic with no external medium. It is very hard to achieve without hard work.
Curses: Intermediate
Darker charms that bring negative changes to their targets. They use negative emotions as fuel to boost themselves.
Parkour: Expert
Physical activity that includes running and manoeuvring with near-perfect accuracy.
Blink: Intermediate
A downgraded version of Apparition that lets users teleport but only within a limited range of visible eyesight.
Presence Concealment: Master
The caster can cloak themselves in Natural Magic energy to blend with their surroundings.
Reinforcement: Expert
This skill allows casters to reinforce any object or organ to boost their capabilities without exceeding their limits.
Illusion: Intermediate
The caster can project mana out of their body to create illusions in the targeted area.
Hydromancy: Expert
By using mana, this ability allows the caster to manipulate water particles around themselves.
Charms: Amateur
The caster can enchant something or someone, giving them additional properties without changing the target.
Jinx: Intermediate
Minor dark magic that brings negative changes to the target. The effects are irritating and amusing rather than harmful, like curses.
Riding: Amateur
Users can successfully ride low-end vehicles, such as bicycles and magic brooms or beasts.
Magical Pressure: Expert (MAX)
The caster can project emotions through their mana into the environment and bring about changes accordingly.
Alteration: Novice
The caster can temporarily or permanently alter the molecular structure of the target, bypassing the laws of physics.
Alchemy: Expert
Alchemy is the art of combining ingredients to create magical items or beings with various effects.
Seduction: Amateur
By manipulating words and captivating the target with appearance, you can emotionally enthral the target.
Light Magic: Novice (Enhanced because of elemental affinity)
This magic allows the user to generate and manipulate light at will.
Sky Dragon Slayer Magic: Amateur
This is the lost magic of Sky Dragon, capable of manipulating the Elements of Sky domain. Compared to the rest of its kind, this magic is not destructive yet it's capable of Healing and support.
--666--
(Two Days Later)
"I'm surprised you find this place so quickly," my mother said, somehow sounding impressed, as I casually took a seat in front of her overly dramatic, edgy throne. Was she trying to channel her inner goth teen girl?
"Were you attempting to be cryptic? I figured that out the moment Rowena gave me a hint," I chuckled, concealing the fact that my knowledge of the Room of Requirement wasn't from genuine research but rather foreknowledge.
Before me stood a dark-haired milf with sharp, piercing blue eyes. She looked to be in her late thirties, and her tight gothic witch robe made quite an impression. She looked well equipped with those two heavnly mountains.
I slap myself mentally awake.
In the current situation, this body still belonged to Rowena, but Voldemort was once again in control for the night. She had also taken a Polyjuice Potion with her own DNA, effectively fooling the body into behaving like Voldemort's for a limited time.
That was a clever move on her part.
"Yes, yes, you're quite the detective," she retorted, rolling her eyes, and then took a seat with a grace I hadn't expected from someone with her dark history. After all, she was the Dark Lady who had committed unspeakable atrocities like pillaged muggle city and village, her death eaters treating muggles worse than animals and she herself raped an 18 years old boy while she was in her seventies or eighties one time to have me and Delphini so she wasn't exactly a virtuous person despite her favoritism towards me.
And yes Wizard can give birth till eighties. Its same as forties for muggle.
It made me wonder if she had a sinister plan for me or if she was merely tolerating me because I was her spawn.
"I'm surprised you didn't invite Delphini," I pointed out with a teasing grin. "Aren't you being a bad mother, favoring your son over your daughter?
Now that I thought about it, Delphini had been avoiding me like the plague for days. I mean seriously avoiding me. She hadn't been attending the same classes we were both supposed to be in, and she never left herself open for a moment.
I didn't particularly want to see her face either, so I'd been fine with the avoidance.
"She couldn't handle my presence, even though she was taught by my subordinates for years," Voldemort sighed in disappointment before looking at me with a pleased smile.
"You, on the other hand, grew up in the same hell as I did, that Orphanage, and just like me, you rose from the shadows, right under everyone's nose," she laughed with glee. "Who would believe that poor little Hufflepuff is truly Voldemort's son?"
In my thoughts, I added, 'Well, Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix, Death Eaters, and many others who looked closely enough, but go on.'
"But aren't you afraid Dumbledore will find out about you?" I asked, genuinely concerned. I didn't want to be in the old man's sights just yet.
"Delphini is under a Geas. No one can force anything out of her, not even herself," she said with a victorious smirk. "And perhaps I should put you under a Geas too," she whispered challengingly.
I stared at her, my expression void of emotion, fully embracing the Gamer Mind.
"Try it," I replied, ready to fight her to the death. I might not be as powerful as her, but don't underestimate a player who's conquered Dark Souls on Nightmare difficulty.
"Learn to take a joke," she laughed at my reaction as if finding it amusing.
"Anyway, we've delayed long enough. Let's begin our first lesson," Voldemort announced seriously, her jovial tone vanishing to reveal the stern and serious witch behind it.
"Before we begin, I have to ask, what do you want to learn from me? I have many things to teach, yet there are very few things that you can learn." She said with an intrigued tone, looking at me with a calculating look in her eyes.
It was indeed a valid question. What did I need to learn from Voldemort in this limited timeframe? Curses and hexes came quite easily to me, and I could explore those within this room and the forbidden sections of the library.
I could ask her for offensive magic, but I had just acquired Sky Dragon Slaying Magic, and getting distracted by other spells might hinder my progress with this powerful new magic.
So, I needed to request something useful, relatively quick to learn, something I wasn't already familiar with, and something Voldemort could teach me within the remainder of the school year.
I also had to consider the potential impact of my action on the canonical events. If those were tied to things like destiny or fate, tampering with them could lead to unforeseen consequences. I mean I throughly fucked canon, but I wouldn't pass for Lady Fate to come knocking.
"I need you to teach me something that can be mastered quickly, something not too complex," I replied, meeting her red glowing eyes with my own blue ones.
"So how about Bounded Field and your subtle casting techniques?" I proposed.
"That's Mage terms for Ward," she said, narrowing her eyes, which sent a shiver down my spine. I quickly hid my unease beneath a careless smile. "Have you come across one or encountered their kind before?"
"Not that I know of," I replied honestly, mentally promising myself not to use a skill like Reinforcement around her. That would probably end very badly for me if her feelings toward mages were anything like those toward Muggles, or worse.
"Good," she nodded in approval, then produced a leathery book that seemed to have a mind of its own, with a monster-like mouth that tried to bite her hand off. She didn't flinch, instead softly rubbing the book's spine to calm it down, which it did, eventually settling in front of her with its mouth closed.
After the book had calmed down, she opened it and began flipping through the first half. When she finished, she looked satisfied and turned her attention to me.
"What's the first thing that comes to mind when I say 'Ward'?" my mother asked.
"Barrier," I replied promptly.
The Dark Lady hummed softly before extending her hand, conjuring a shimmering, translucent barrier that materialized between us, forming a protective wall of energy.
"This, my dear, is a basic Ward," she explained, her voice dripping with authority. "It shields me from harm and unwanted influences. Imagine it as an invisible shield that keeps me safe."
I couldn't help but think, 'But it's visible.' The blue barrier was clearly forming around her palm.
"May I?" I asked, pointing my wand at her. She nodded in confirmation.
"Water Bullet," I chanted quickly, trying to maximize my power. There was some weird self-hypnotizing logic that saying the attack's name made it more effective.
As my wand unleashed the water bullet, it didn't even make the barrier ripple; the water bullet deformed into a splash of water instantly.
Next, I tried my light magic, concentrating rays of light, but the barrier reflected it like a mirror.
I subtly exhaled at her, making it look like a sudden gust of wind emerged from my wand instead of my mouth, but it did nothing more than give her a slight, pleasant breeze.
"Okay, that's sturdy," I acknowledged, impressed by the strength of her ward.
"Yes, it's basic yet powerful," she confirmed while dismissing the barrier. "See, all barriers apply the same principle, yet their functionality can be vastly different."
"All barriers?" I questioned skeptically. I knew there were various types of Bounded Fields. For example, Mage Killer Kiritsugu Emiya could cast a Bounded Field around his body, manipulating time within it to make himself faster than humanly possible.
"Yes, all casting procedures are the same," she explained, raising her index finger. "From this basic ward to the most powerful ward at Hogwarts, they are all cast using the same principle. What differentiates them is the enchantment imposed upon the ward for various functions."
She raised both of her hands, conjuring two barriers that looked identical to the one before.
"These two barriers I cast simultaneously. The one on the left can defend against fire, but can you guess what the right one can do?" she inquired.
"Defend against water?" I suggested, throwing a small amount of water at the barrier. It passed through without issue.
"No, it won't let anyone with blue eyes pass inside," she said triumphantly, a smirk on her face. I rolled my eyes at her smugness, even though she was proving to be a good teacher.
Don't look at those lips, Heliel, don't look at those lips.
"So what's this universal Ward casting style?" I inquired, putting my pride aside to learn something new.
"The first step is Magical Energy," she began, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her stating the obvious.
No Shit Sherlock.
"The second step is intent," she continued, "visualizing the specific barrier you want to create. Now, here's the tricky part. You need to possess the magical knowledge of what your barrier is supposed to do."
I gave her a skeptical look. "That sounds rather vague."
"No hidden meanings here," she clarified. "If you want your barrier to repel fire, you must understand what can extinguish or block fire. If you want your barrier to detect intruders, you need to be able to sense magic and incorporate that enchantment into the ward."
"So, all these different types of barriers are cast in the same way, but their uniqueness comes from the specific enchantments they carry?" I asked, my eyes widening as I began to grasp the concept. It was starting to make sense.
For instance, with my existing skill of presence concealment, if I learn to cast a Ward, I could create a barrier that automatically makes anyone inside it invisible, somewhat akin to the Muggle-repelling charm.
"Yes," she affirmed, "once you know the specific functions you want your barriers to have, and you possess the required magical energy and intent, you can successfully cast them."
I had a feeling there was a "but" coming, so I commented on it.
She nodded knowingly. "But, even if you have a clear visualization and an ample supply of energy, you can't cast a Ward unless you precisely calculate where you want to cast it."
"How exact are we talking here?" I asked, my apprehension evident.
Her laughter took on an unsettling, almost demonic tone, causing a shiver to run down my spine. Several books soared out of the makeshift library within the Room of Requirement as she began explaining, and our first lesson commenced. I found myself diligently writing formulas on my parchment, with no explanations offered. It turned out that warding techniques in the magical world heavily relied on mathematics, including trigonometry with its sinus, cosines, and tangents.
I couldn't escape math, even in the wizarding world.
Fuck my life.
New Skill Ward is learned.
Ward: Novice
This is the art of setting enchanted fields of magical barriers that can do various functions like defending against threats, concealing the presence, detecting the presence, and many more depending on the enchantment of the Ward.
--66666--
(Delphini's POV)
Delphini, the daughter of Voldemort, sprinted across the open field deep within the Forbidden Forest. Her Godfather, Severus Snape, remained unruffled as he effortlessly thwarted every spell and attack she hurled his way. Her magic, despite her determination, failed to even make him flinch.
Defeated, Delphini collapsed onto the ground, catching her breath and gazing up at the full moon shining in the night sky. Training with Snape had been a part of her life for as long as she could remember, but this was the first time she had pushed herself so far.
"I yield," she admitted, her voice strained from exhaustion.
"You won't improve by yielding so easily," Snape remarked dryly, standing beside her and also observing the moon. However, Delphini was well aware that his vigilance never wavered, especially in the perilous depths of the Forbidden Forest, where danger could lurk around any corner. While weaker creatures might resort to ambush, the most formidable beings had no need for such tactics.
Severus Snape observed his goddaughter's turmoil, recognizing the fear that drove her actions. Her body may have been pushed to its limits, but her mind was still plagued by unresolved issues.
"You're driven by fear, no matter how much you push your body, your mind is still rattling, making it difficult to train properly," he assessed, his voice carrying a note of concern.
Delphini didn't refute his words; instead, she opened up about the source of her frustration. "I was angry at the time, you know. When he put Draco in danger and deliberately stopped me from helping him, I lost control."
Severus nodded, understanding the complexities of her emotions. "And then you nearly got yourself killed," he pointed out bluntly. "You needed to be rescued by the very woman you aimed to surpass."
"I didn't ask for it," Delphini replied with a simmering anger. "I didn't ask to be rescued by her. I didn't ask to strip my brother of his magic. I didn't ask for him to be replaced by that monster with his face."
I didn't asked to be born!
Unspoken pain lingered in her words, echoing the weight of her existence and the challenges she faced.
Severus Snape maintained his composed demeanor despite Delphini's challenging tone. He continued to provide insight into her mother's past, knowing that understanding Voldemort's origin might shed some light on her own family history.
"He's not replaced, he's simply grown up," Snape stated dryly in response to Delphini's earlier assertion.
Her glare intensified as she responded, "Are you serious?"
Snape let out a sigh, his eyes showing a mix of emotions as he continued, "Not many know about this, but your mother is not a Pure Blood as she portrayed herself as Voldemort. Only her closest inner circle is aware of this fact."
Delphini's expression shifted to one of seriousness and curiosity as she absorbed this new information.
"Her childhood was not a pleasant one. She grew up in Wool's Orphanage in London, and she described her life there as hell," Snape explained. "And your brother was ironically placed in that orphanage by Sirius Black when you two were separated after the ritual, just before he was thrown into Azkaban after being caught."
Delphini, however, seemed unimpressed by this revelation. "So what? Those kids bullied me. Boo hoo, all muggles are evil! Is that the lame reason for Voldemort's rise?"
Severus Snape's glare seemed to exert an invisible pressure on Delphini, causing her to freeze momentarily. However, Snape eventually sighed and regained his composure.
"That's not wise. Your mother is not kind enough to take any mocking without retaliation, even against her own daughter," Snape warned with a serious tone. Delphini, on the other hand, rolled her eyes dismissively.
Clearly, Delphini was well aware of her mother's tendency to be petty and vengeful, even within her own family. The dynamics of their relationship were certainly complex, to say the least.
Snape maintained his calm and replied ignoring her jeers, "It's not just about the orphanage. Your mother's experiences and struggles played a significant role in shaping her beliefs and ambitions. It's important to understand the complexities of her journey, even if you don't agree with her choices."
"But you have to ask why your mother became Voldemort on your own. But it's not a coincidence that Heliel also went to that same place and came out as a mutated version of Voldemort."
"And speaking of, Your brother reminds me of Regulus more than your mother, if Im being honest." He added, changing topic.
Delphini was clearly taken aback by Snape's revelation. "What?" she exclaimed, her jaws dropping in surprise.
"But you said he was like Voldemort." She protested, interrupting him.
Severus Snape, however, continued to explain. "Yes that's why I said mutated, while Regulus wore an aloof and snobbish pure-blooded persona, your father was a kind and good man, yet your brother is the exact opposite. He is the hidden snake. Unless he shows his true nature, everyone believes he is a pure ball of sunshine, and somehow his luck is really good that reinforces this idea."
An unholy combination of those two, and he inherited those aspects from both of his parents.
"So what can I do? I can't always be on the lookout, living in fear that he may make a move again."
Snape observed Delphini's determination, recognizing that she was ready to confront her brother in a different way. "Yes, you will need to outsmart him and use his own strategies against him," he agreed.
True nature of that boy is, he is impulsive, yet utterly calm at same time. So common sense doesn't apply to her brother.
Delphini nodded with determination. "Yes, brute force or common sense won't work on that brother of mine," she said, her thoughts racing back to her initial encounter with Heliel Black on the Hogwarts Express.
"I'll have to respond in his own language," she declared with a confident smirk. Her fear dissipated as she released her Occlumency shield, allowing herself to confront and harness all of her emotions instead of suppressing them.
Immediately, she sensed the connection to her second magic core, originally her sweet and kind little brother's. This link, this metaphorical rope that once symbolized the precious Twin Bond they shared, now felt like thorny chains constricting her, the bond felt far from the loving and protective link it should be; instead, it seemed to be tainted by a sense of hostility and corruption.
Delphini knew it wasn't Heliel's fault; the Death Eaters were to blame. But she understood that dwelling on the past wouldn't protect her or her loved ones from his twisted intentions any longer.
"He has a beautiful soul," she admitted, her voice filled with a sense of reverence as she touched upon the remnants of her twin's golden, radiant soul through the corrupting chains of their bond.
She was admittingly jealous, how could one jerk like him has such pure soul, even more beautiful than her own. But she shook her head, just admring its beauty from distance.
"Too bad he's got such a shite mind," she added with a wry smile, determined to use whatever means necessary to shield her brother from his own darkness.
Dun Dun... Another chapter.
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