Thanks to all of you who took the time to review my story :)
AN-2021/02/20: Thanks to Miette and dstone12 for betaing this chapter!
Four days later, Severus found himself waiting impatiently for Drunek. He could not wait to discuss with his Master prospective end-of-Apprenticeship projects as he felt quite at loss where to begin, and which kind of projects it encompassed. Evan would have groaned at only one week of rest but Severus was so eager to learn more that he was only too happy to begin his project as soon as possible.
"Always early Daoack," chuckled Drunek as he entered their usual study room. "One would think you had enough studying during your year in Bǎo."
"Enough Taichi practise you mean," smirked Severus.
"You won't be as pleased with yourself once I have explained what an end-of-Apprenticeship project entails," replied Drunek seriously.
Severus straightened at his Master's tone. He was reminded his Apprenticeship mattered as much to him as to his clan.
"I'm listening."
"End-of-Apprenticeship project. As the Korkein told you, you must use all your apprenticeship subjects in it."
"Even infiltration?"
He had to ask, even if he knew the answer.
"Even infiltration," confirmed Drunek. "However, you may use any of your fields to reach your project goal instead of it being part of your project result."
Severus nodded thoughtfully. He was unsure how he could use infiltration for a project, even as a means to an end, but he would keep it in mind.
"Your project may be several small projects, but I must warn you one big project impresses Masters more."
Translation: find yourself one kick-ass project which will render the Korkein speechless, jealous and impressed despite himself. Speaking of, Professor McGonagall had said something troubling in her letter.
"Master?" asked Severus. "I recently received a letter from Professor McGonagall. She is under the impression I only have one year left with you. Professor Flitwick is the one who told her."
Drunek sighed.
"As the Korkein stated, you have two years to complete your project. However, the longer you take to achieve it, the more exceptional and complex it must be. Especially for you."
Especially for clan Röykkiö's future plans. Severus had already blown away the Korkein's expectations once. He would do it again. No pressure.
"Do not trouble yourself with politics. Focus on your project. To give you ideas, it can centre on the breaking of a curse which has defied previous Masters, potions to cure or stabilize sicknesses without existing remedy, discovery or new uses of herbs, new business or alliance contracts, incapacitation of our enemies without a trace, especially if done without bodily damage... It can also be to spend time defending our borders and negotiating treaties with our neighbours."
"Defending your borders?" asked Severus intrigued.
Drunek laughed.
"Our nation is not unlimited. Of course we have borders, and like any borders, they concentrate and attract conflicts. Anything from poachers who would like to steal from us to wild creatures which could endanger the population, as well as other magic beings who would like to take some territories back from us... You Wizards do the same, except you usually cannot be as obvious as us as you are tightly meshed in Muggle territory. You would need to either go to Russia or America to witness a Wizard border like our own."
Severus had never thought about it. He was suddenly very curious to visit a border, even though he did not see his trial taking place here. No matter how well integrated he was, no matter how much he liked Drunek and his family, he remained a Wizard.
"You once wondered why you had not noticed many Familiars here," kept on Drunek. "Most of them are patrolling the borders. I am sad you missed meeting Armiya, she came back last year while you were in Bǎo."
Severus frowned at his Master, ignoring the sudden clenching in his chest.
"You have a Familiar?"
Drunek looked at him sharply then sighed.
"I... While our bond is strong, it clearly is not the same kind as the one you share with Dhaal. You must remember Severus that all Familiars are different. Depending on when you pass the Ritual, young or old, whether happy or sad... You choose your Familiar as much as he chooses you, and it reflects the person you were at that time, even if both of you are entirely separate people. Armiya is a Warg, she lives with the clan pack and greatly enjoys it. We can communicate through our bond and it is enough for us not to be in each other's company for long periods of time. Like a cousin you only see every two years or so."
As weird and sad Severus felt at the description of the bond between his Master and Armiya, it was not the reason he felt unsettled.
"You never told me about her."
Drunek looked at Severus blankly for a few seconds before comprehension dawned.
"Daoack. Please forgive me. You already know so much I forget what you don't," said his Master earnestly. "I wanted you to settle with us before introducing you, then the pack decided to remain on the east border because Draugrs were causing troubles, and then you were in Bǎo and then..."
"You could have told me when I found Dhaal."
"Remember how you were back then," retorted Drunek sharply. "Mourning your Mentor, full of anger and grief. You almost left us."
Severus turned his gaze away. He was not proud of his reaction to Abraxas murder. It did not mean Drunek could not have found another moment, when Dhaal had finally named himself for example.
"If we are talking of Familiars, know that Frekka does not have one. Master Wirkrund does, he also is with the pack."
Severus nodded, filling the information away. It did not take away the sick feeling in his stomach.
Drunek growled wordlessly.
"Honestly Daoack. I did not tell you about my parents who live in Australia or about my cousin I visited while in Bǎo. It did not impact you. You've told us about Lucius, Jonathan, Evan, Petunia and Lily. They are not the only people you know."
"Only the ones who matter," shot back Severus.
"And Lord Prince?" retorted Drunek.
"I met him at Abraxas funeral for the first time," answered Severus angrily. "Come on Drunek, you saw my Bonded list."
"I thought you had shown restraint. We have to cut down most of our foreign Apprentices lists," said Drunek, looking at a loss.
Severus laughed humourlessly.
"Right. Anyway, I don't need a thousand people."
Why did he feel so angry? Drunek had forgotten to tell him about his Familiar. No big deal right. He only was Severus' Master.
"Let's go back to your project Daoack," said Drunek gently after an uncomfortable silence. "Have you thought of something?"
Severus allowed the subject change. He would vent to Dhaal later.
"From what I remember of my Apprenticeship contract, I'm supposed to do a potion project combined with runes, so it seems obvious this is it. Herbs should be easy to combine with potion, to use a peculiar way of harvesting herbs or to create a recipe with an unusual herb. For Defence and Infiltration… I do not know yet. Maybe a potion which can be used to defend yourself or to disguise yourself..." said Severus thoughtfully.
"It's a beginning. I think you should list subjects you are interested in which could apply for potion and runes solutions. Then, we'll see how the rest can be included."
"Yes Master."
" Now—"
"If you don't mind," interrupted Severus, "I have one question about Familiars."
Drunek nodded, intrigued.
"From what you said earlier, I got the feeling your Familiar was who you needed him to be at the time of the Ritual. It means as time passes and you evolve, he may not be anymore?"
"Well... It really depends. Some have been known to remain close to their Familiar their whole life while others have drifted away. The Bond remains but it changes as we grow older and change as well. Your Familiar is his own person, he will evolve as much as you will. The Bond between Familiar and Broer is like any other Bond you share with family and friends, except its magical presence is more perceptible."
"I understand what you mean," said Severus slowly.
It was completely logical, yet it shook his understanding of the Familiar Bond. He should know not to trust stories. Someone to remain with you your whole life no matter your faults and mistakes. It could not be that simple. Severus realised he preferred this new complexity of the Bond. Dhaal was another member of his family, not someone chained to him only because of a Ritual.
"Now, I want us to work on Sensing today."
Severus perked up. Sensing lessons with Drunek were never boring.
"I would like you to attempt a Sensing which requires delicacy and precision. It is not well known, few people use it because you can either do it or not."
Drunek held his hand before Severus could ask his question.
"What I mean Daoack is that once you have achieved Sensing Shields as well as elemental Magic Sensing, you are as ready as you ever will be to... Sense Khorlos."
Severus felt his eyes widen with surprise and excitement.
"I warn you, as much as you try, you may not succeed. It is a rare skill. Sensing the difference between outside and inside Magic, as well as the different elemental Magic, already is a huge achievement," said Drunek sternly.
Severus nodded. He heard the warning. He knew he would try a long time before accepting failure.
"To begin with, you will try to Sense my Khorlos. While my Sensing Shields would usually make it harder for you to Sense them than your own, today I will lower much of them."
Severus nodded. Focusing outward was easier than inward.
"How would you proceed next Daoack?" asked Drunek expectantly.
Severus cocked his head thoughtfully. He did not know what to expect, what to look for. He had no idea what Khorlos looked like. Frowning pensively, he wondered what was the best angle to attack this problem. With what he knew, he answered himself. So. Khorlos were magical beings' core... They were the seven points where inside and outside magic met... Where they met... Could Severus find Drunek's Khorlos by following an outside link? Through his Familiar bond? Severus dismissed the idea immediately. He would have needed to know Armiya. Hmm. If he used his Usta stone... It linked Severus to the clan, thus to Drunek. And Severus knew how to contact Drunek through it. Yes. It could work.
Looking back at his Master, Severus explained his reasoning.
"I would try to use my Usta stone to help me find a way to your Khorlos, through our clan bond."
"Kiitos, Daoack. Very clever. Now let's see if you can pull it through."
Severus spent the next hour Sensing Drunek but failing to see his Khorlos. He grew more frustrated with every passing minute as he could feel his Sense for his Master growing while he never even glimpsed something resembling Khorlos.
"Stàt."
Severus looked up at his Master, sweat glistening along his neck.
"You are using too much inside Magic Daoack, you are exhausting yourself. Sensing does not require power but delicacy and precision. Even more so when looking for Khorlos. I told you few manage to Sense Khorlos. Those are not always the most powerful. They are the ones who tried to understand Magic," explained Drunek. "They all were Chen practitioners. Remember. Efficiency and precision over power."
Easier said than done. Severus felt as exhausted as last year when he had begun training under Master Richtigk.
He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He pushed the tiredness away. Focus. Sense.
"Stàt. Enough for today Daoack."
Severus blinked at his Master interruption.
"But—"
"Enough," repeated Drunek firmly. "We will eat, then you will try to find your project subject. Sensing Khorlos can wait until tomorrow."
Severus wanted to argue, he was not finished yet. As he got up to his feet to protest, he was hit by dizziness and had to lean on the desk for a moment.
"You must learn not to give everything you have at once Daoack," said Drunek reproachfully as he took Severus by the arm, supporting him as they walked toward home.
"I don't when I cast spells," replied Severus grumpily. "But it took practise."
"Then we will practise Sensing. But not today," said Drunek firmly.
There was no choice but to obey.
For the next week, Severus spent his mornings trying to Sense Drunek's Khorlos, and his afternoons perusing Uusi library trying to jog his mind in finding a subject for his project.
He found several potions he could no doubt improve greatly in a few days but it was not impressive enough for a project. After discovering a book on runes and potion combination for healing, Severus one moment entertained the idea of working on some healing device to be combined with potions, either to enhance the potions effects or to alter their working. However, he felt his allotted project time would only permit him to create a simple device. Something as complex as what he imagined would take years to perfect. Severus also wondered if he could use an improvement of Petunia's protective stone as his project. He was currently working on improving the existing one and knew it would now handle more than harmful spells. But Severus did not know the goblin stance on blood magic. More importantly, he wanted a project he could boast about even in the wizarding world.
At the end of the week, Severus was frustrated both with Sensing and his non-existent project.
"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong," ranted Severus to Dhaal one evening. "I can Sense my Usta stone, how it binds me to the clan, allows me to talk with any of them and even how it can act as a Portkey. But when I follow the bound to Drunek, I just Sense Drunek. I already knew how his magic felt but now I can Sense him even when he is not close to me. I know right now he is with Wirkrund. But I cannot Sense his Khorlos! I feel like I am back in Richtigk's room trying to Sense earth magic!"
Dhaal gently rubbed his head against Severus torso before curling on him, his favourite place after Severus' shoulder.
"It took you months to feel earth magic. Give it time."
Severus Sensed his Familiar's amusement through their Bond and felt his frustration grow.
"But Drunek says I was as ready as I could be! It might mean I will never Sense Khorlos."
Dhaal snorted.
"You've Sensed Khorlos before."
Severus looked at his Familiar sharply.
"What do you mean?"
"When you found me," answered Dhaal as if wondering how Severus could have forgotten.
He was right. Severus had known Dhaal's Anahata Khorlo was almost closed, preventing him from interacting with his family. However, when Severus thought back to their meeting, the entire Ritual experience felt dreamlike, blurred on the edges. He did not remember what Dhaal's Khorlos had looked like. In fact, he had never thought back about the experience until Dhaal had brought it up.
"Maybe I managed because of the Ritual," said Severus dejectedly.
Dhaal gave his hand a rough lick.
"You only need to find the right angle, like in Bǎo." Sensed his Familiar, his faith in Severus' capacities showing strongly.
Find the right angle. Right. He felt he knew that stone and Drunek Sense by heart. What more could he... Unless... Khorlos were meeting points between outside and inside Magic. They should stand out, or change, or something when Drunek used magic. He needed to study Drunek when his Master was using runes.
Severus did not waste any time in finding his Master. Drunek was playing outside with the kids under Frekka's amused gaze. Severus stopped short, suddenly realizing it was almost dinner time and well outside classroom hours.
Drunek looked up at his sudden arrival. His master watched him carefully before shaking his head. He exchanged a glance with Frekka who stood up with an exaggerated sigh to take his place. Soraa's disappointment at her father leaving the game was quickly forgotten as Dhaal arrived to join in.
"You owe me dessert," Sensed his Familiar smugly.
"Only if it works," Sensed back Severus.
"Your dessert is mine today. It's chocolate cake."
Severus rolled his eyes at his Familiar's antics but focused on Drunek's approach.
"You look like you just had an epiphany," said his Master wryly.
Severus fought back an embarrassed blush.
"I think I know how to Sense your Khorlos Master," he replied, meeting the Goblin's eyes squarely.
Drunek nodded.
"Let's get inside so you can show me."
They sat face to face at the diner table, Drunek looking at Severus expectantly.
"I'd like you to use runes Master," said Severus.
"Any particular runes?" asked his Master, amusement sparkling in his eyes.
"Not for now," answered Severus, already honing on his Master familiar Sense.
Nodding, Drunek lost no time before writing up a rune combination in the air. Viter, to create a light breeze, absently supplied Severus' mind. He focused on his Master's Sense and suddenly felt something... different, immediately followed by wind in his hair.
"Again, please."
Drunek did as requested. Severus focused, recalling the fugitive feeling he had Sensed. There. He fought not to lose the elusive feeling even as it reverted back to normal, but felt it dissolve away. He frowned. Drunek had told him not to use too much power. He had insisted on delicacy and precision. Shaking his head to himself, Severus breathed deeply to centre himself. Then he focused on his Bond with Dhaal. On Sensing the Bond between them and how it went through his different shields. At first, the Bond seemed fuzzy, almost drowned in his Shields. As Severus patiently waited, trying to Sense as lightly as he could, the Bond took form. While his Shields felt inactive, the Bond was vibrant. Severus Sensed the four kinds of Magic in it although earth and air presence were more intense. When he was certain he could hold this Sense, Severus turned his attention toward Drunek and the place which had shifted when his Master had cast his runes. At once, Severus Sensed a point bright with magic.
"If you would cast again Master."
Severus knew Drunek obliged because suddenly, the bright point intensity increased before going back to normal. It had to be Vishuddha, the Goblins' main Khorlo.
"Could you cast a spell Master?"
"Why do you think I can?" replied Drunek, laugher in his voice.
Severus rolled his eyes.
"You can Sense Khorlos."
"Cheeky brat," said Drunek fondly.
His Master did cast a spell because another point brightened along Vishuddha. Manipura. Remembering the Khorlos position Wirkrund had taught him, Severus Sensed Drunek over. Now that he knew what to look for, Severus easily discerned Vishuddha and Manipura. Both clearly were opened. Anāhata situated between the two previous Khorlos was opened too. Ājñā and Svadhishthana were less bright so Severus deduced they were only cracked, while Mudhara and Sahasrāra, the lowest and highest Khorlos, were closed as they were almost mute to Severus. All in all, Severus was impressed.
Drunek's loud laugh brought him back to reality.
"Thank you Daoack. I am pleased with my Khorlos development too, although I strive to improve every day."
Realizing he had voiced his thoughts aloud, Severus refused to blush and shrugged instead.
"Kiitos," added Drunek more seriously. "Enough for tonight, you need to eat. Now you've done it once, you will do it again. You should be able to observe your own Khorlos soon."
Severus smiled tiredly at his Master, realizing he was hungry and tired. But he had done it.
"Remember my dessert!"
What did it mean for their Bond when his Familiar appreciated sweets more than he did?
Shaking his head, Severus sighed in contentment. One more thing done. Now, if he could find an idea for his project…
Severus spent the next two weeks honing his Khorlos Sensing skills. Drunek made him practise Sensing while his Master had one or two shields up, showing him the differences in feeling.
They practised diverting or stopping spells or runes by taking control of the magic flows conducting the spells through Sensing, while using only the right amount of inside Magic. It required Severus to continuously adjust his personal shield to filter the right flow and defend himself or go on the offensive. Exhausting. He loved every minute of it.
Drunek also made Severus study his own Khorlos. To Severus' surprise, Vishuddha and Manipura were opened while Anāhata, Sahasrāra, Ājñā and Svadhishthana were cracked. Drunek laughed at his stunned expression.
"What did you expect Daoack? To only have Manipura opened and the rest totally shut?"
Severus shrugged. He had not really thought about it but yes, with only three years of Taichi, he had not expected his Khorlos to look that good. He even had one cracked which was closed for Drunek.
Drunek shook his head.
"You are brilliant Daoack but sometimes..."
Severus scowled at him which only made his Master laugh.
"Stàt. Do you have questions on your Khorlos? On what you Sensed?"
"Yes Master. My Bond with Dhaal feels very different from my Shields, and I wondered if this was how the Masters in Bǎo knew I had a Familiar and tried to use our Bond against me during my Trial."
His Master appraised him thoughtfully.
"Can you Sense my Bond with Armiya?"
"Yes," answered Severus. "It feels different from your Shields, but also different from my own with Dhaal."
Drunek looked surprised at his answer.
"Hmm. Sense my Shields again."
Severus did as ordered, wondering what was his Master's point.
"Your Bond is still here, and you also left your personal shield opened to earth magic," said Severus puzzled.
"Indeed," agreed Drunek. "I think most of the Masters you confronted in Bǎo would not Sense a difference between your Bond and the weakness I left in my personal Shield. I can tell you your Bond felt like a weakness to me at first, until I spent so much time practising with Dhaal and you to teach you to protect your Bond that I now can Sense the difference. But I can Sense my own familiar Bond much better," explained Drunek.
Well. It explained why the Masters had not asked to see Dhaal. Or why Master Richtigk had not known about Dhaal's existence before Severus had told him. Was Master Richtigk even able to Sense Khorlos? He had to be.
"Now I would like to talk about your project," said Drunek, interrupting Severus' thoughts. "Have you made any progress?"
Severus nodded. In retrospect, he had to wonder why he had needed to read some of his friends' old letters to recognise the evidence.
"I want to create a potion which can incapacitate Werewolves," explained Severus. "It should be effective either by ingestion, contact or inhalation."
Drunek looked at him thoughtfully.
"Hmm, it allows you to integrate Defence in your project. But is it challenging enough for you Daoack?"
Severus frowned, thinking furiously. He would need to read all the bibliography available on the subject, then create his recipe, then test it on several willing subjects. It would take time but having successfully created a spell to defend himself from Werewolves, Severus knew he would succeed.
"You may be right," Severus admitted reluctantly. "To go further... So you think I should try to create a potion that would allow Werewolves to remain in control during the full moon?"
The idea had merit. If he succeeded, he would be recognised as much in the goblin world as in the wizarding world. Lord Voldemort would be delighted. He only needed to succeed where nobody had before despite the Lord promised reward. In less than two years. If he failed... Was it worth the risk?
In his heart, Severus wanted to try. The challenge and possibilities were fascinating and he was curious to see how his goblin knowledge would affect his brewing.
"The idea is not without risk," answered Drunek. "If you are willing, I will wholly approve."
Meeting his Master's eyes, Severus saw the curiosity and pride in his eyes, as well as his confidence in Severus' capacities.
"I want to try."
Drunek nodded.
"I think you cover Defence with this project. You only need to find out how to include Infiltration as well."
Infiltration was going to be a pain. Severus shrugged to himself. Inspiration would come when he was further into his project. He hoped.
From then on, Severus researched everything which had already been written and experimented on Werewolves. He already had extensive notes from his fourth and fifth year in Hogwarts on wizard spells and potions which had been tried. Sadly, most of it was either superstitions with no scientific demonstration of successful working, or successful working without theory to back it up.
Werewolves were not a popular topic in Uusi library but the few parchments Severus found on the subject were well documented. After talking with Master Suoajack, he asked the Russian Goblins Library for their available documentation on the subject. He received two boxes of parchments, books and written stones. All were very informative but a few were disgusting. He was all for science experimentation, but in some cases, it had been more akin to torture.
One particular treatise was a copy of an experiment conducted by Goblins during the seventeenth century. The objective of the experimentation was to understand why after being bitten, Wizards sometimes became Werewolves while other magical creatures always died from the bite after several days of painful agony. Many Wizards as well as magical beings, Goblins included, were used to find out what made Wizards special. In vain. Severus sneered at the researchers' conclusion, who stated the reason Wizards took to the Werewolves' curse was because they were already tainted, thus arguing for a new war against Wizards. The only merit of this study was to raise the point of what made Wizards capable of becoming Werewolves.
As Severus moved through his research materials, a tentative experimental plan slowly emerged. One month after having chosen his end of apprenticeship subject, Severus presented it to Drunek.
Phase I
Werewolves study:
- Needs and habits
- Abilities
- Khorlos
- Changes through moon phases
Potions:
- Find common points in Potions known to affect werewolves differently from Wizards
- Herbs known to affect Werewolves
- Herbs they unconsciously avoid
- Herbs they unconsciously like
- Test their reaction to legendary werewolves repulsive
Runes:
- Explore ways Runes can support potions (during brewing, all month on petunia protective stone model, ...)
Phase II
- Study of possible combinations
- Determination of Prototypes (max three)
- Potion which must be taken every day of the month to work or only once?
- Test on several volunteers (number to be determined)
Phase III
- Test on representative population (number to be determined)
- Work out details such as how long is the potion effective after brewed, how fresh do the ingredients need to be, ...
- Try to simplify brewing process as much as possible (if enough time)
"This is a good beginning Daoack. However, you need to flesh it out a bit." Commented Drunek.
Severus nodded.
"I agree. However, there are so many possibilities... I think I need to begin the Khorlo study part to know which way to go. I am certain Werewolves' Khorlos are different from ours, but I don't know what makes them different."
Drunek chuckled.
"You're definitely ready to begin. Do you know where to find willing study subjects though?"
"Well. They are Wizards so I thought I could have an announcement in St Mungo to ask for volunteers," answered Severus.
Drunek shook his head.
"I would rather you did not. Going through Saint Mungo means they will want to share in your potential profits. Moreover, with Lord Voldemort's promised reward if someone succeeds in creating a potion to help werewolves have a more normal life, you might find troubles when you begin having results."
He had not thought that far ahead. He was so focused on the research and discovery he had not taken enough time to think through the pros and cons of different options. He had stopped as soon as he had thought of one which seemed to answer his needs.
Drunek paused and reached for Severus shoulder briefly.
"Last but not least, chances would be high for you to cross paths with one of your Bonded."
It had not even crossed Severus' mind. A powerful pang of longing suddenly threatened to overwhelm him. He missed them so much.
Drunek kept talking, not noticing Severus' plight. He shook his head, trying to focus back on the subject at hand.
"I think there are two or three locations you could go to study Werewolves. I need to discuss this with Wirkrund to get his advice on which one is the best for you."
Severus nodded, still caught in his longing for home.
"Kiitos Daoack," finally said his Master. "No more studying or planning today. You need to rest, you're looking a bit pale."
Happy to have the opportunity to be on his own and get his melancholy under control, Severus escaped to his room. There, he spent several hours reading his friends' letters from the past three years. He fell asleep wondering if they would be awkward with each other when he came back.
The next day, Drunek announced to Severus the Head Pack from Kyirong had agreed to Severus' presence on his territory.
"For now, you are allowed to meet with the pack, talk with them, ask them questions, ... Depending on how they react to you, you will then be allowed to explain your project and ask for volunteers," explained Drunek.
Severus grimaced.
"You mean I am to tame them first."
It would require far more time in their presence than he had anticipated. Severus repressed the shiver coursing along his spine. There would be no prank repeat.
"Yes but I advise against telling them to their face," answered Drunek seriously.
Severus wanted to roll his eyes.
"Daoack. I am sure you've read Werewolves can be very territorial and more easily offended than common Wizards. You must be careful if you do not want to alienate them."
He nodded dutifully. Drunek did not look convinced and sighed.
"Anyway. We chose Kyirong because it is a unique place. One of the few where several magical communities live truly merged together. Goblins, Wizards, Faes, Vampires, Werewolves, ... They all came to Kyirong to get away from the world and find peace. Do not make that face Daoack," said Drunek severely. "The Werewolves you will meet are trying to better understand and control themselves. If you do not anger them first, you should have numerous willing test subjects."
"I am not a child Master," stated Severus. "I believe I can manage not to ruffle Werewolves feathers."
"Even as you fear them so?"
Severus scowled at Drunek.
"I have it under control."
"You had nightmares about them in Bǎo."
How... It did not matter.
"Did you know during my Blanking, they removed a Constraining oath from me?" asked Severus instead.
"I did not," answered Drunek, looking troubled.
"Headmaster Dumbledore made me swear a silencing Oath so I would not tell that one of my fellow students had used another fellow student who happened to be a werewolf to prank me on the night of a full moon. I know what a Werewolf looks like up close. I created a spell to never feel so defenceless again," said Severus dispassionately.
A growl escaped Drunek, as the Goblin suddenly got up and paced, fists clenched. After several minutes, he calmed down and faced Severus.
"I am proud of you for choosing this subject despite..."
Severus shrugged.
"I am doing it for me too. My spell is a bit... lethal."
Drunek watched him carefully before taking a deep breath and sitting back down. His Master nodded to himself before speaking.
"Wirkrund and I have discussed the difficulty of including infiltration in your project. We have found a way, and this is another reason we chose Kyirong. As I told you, there will be more than Goblins and Werewolves in Kyirong. You are not to let people realise you are apprenticed to Goblins. You must hide your Sensing abilities as much as possible. Finally, you must not tell anyone of Khorlos."
Severus silently mulled over his Master's words. Hiding he was Apprenticed with Goblins was in his Apprenticeship contract so he would need to pretend to have a wizard Master even without the need for infiltration. It was a reminder he would need to be careful not to let his guard down when crossing paths with the goblin community in front of other species. Both his clan and Severus would benefit from him hiding the extent of his knowledge and capacities, it was a Slytherin motto to never show his full hand.
"It seems fair," finally said Severus.
"I thought you would see it that way," smirked Drunek. "You will go to Kyirong tomorrow."
"Alright," agreed Severus, eager to really begin his project. "Where is it located exactly?"
"Tibet," answered Drunek.
"A Chinese province?" asked Severus, trying to remember why the name was familiar.
"Careful Daoack. Contrary to their Muggle counterparts who are either exiled or under Chinese control, Tibetan Wizards are recognised as a nation. Same goes for magical communities who attach importance to nationality."
"Don't you?" asked Severus, curious.
Despite the easy travel brought by the Room of Crossings, Severus felt there were at least several regions, if not countries, in the goblin nation.
Drunek smirked.
"I do. But not as much as Wizards or Vampires. It must be a human thing."
Did Drunek mean that like Werewolves, only human Vampires existed? When you thought both Muggles and Wizards could be turned into Vampires through a bite, that Wizards were also turned into Werewolves through a bite, but that their offspring could either inherit their creature side or be completely human, it made Severus wonder… Were Werewolves and Vampires humans who had mutated? And what about Wizards? Goblins did not have muggle Goblins because all were considered magical, even though some were more gifted than others. Once more, Severus was persuaded Muggles possessed at least a trickle of Magic. But it was not important right now. However, should he also try to study Vampires? Could it impact his conduct of his project?
"Asgard to Daoack."
Severus blinked back to his Master amused smile.
"Just remember that magical Tibet exists like any other country and you should be fine."
"Yes Master."
"You will be welcomed by Sthir, the second of the Pack. The Wises over there have been warned of your arrival as well as your project. They will be part of your jury."
"I understand Master," answered Severus. He hoped at least one of them was from the clan.
"Alright. I'll let you prepare for your first visit to the pack," said Drunek.
Dismissed, Severus slowly made his way back to his room, thinking about tomorrow, both nervous and excited. A letter from Lily was waiting on his desk. He should ask her about Tibet. He was certain he had heard about it in the muggle news before.
Pushing the thought aside, Severus opened the letter, wary the previous one had been a fluke, a bout of clarity Lily now wanted to erase.
Dear Severus,
I am so happy to hear from you! Thank you for finally writing me back (also I would not mind longer letters!). I am glad you agreed to give our friendship another shot (yes I understood all the conditional tenses you put into your answer).
I admit I am really curious about your Apprenticeship, I cannot wait for you to tell me all about it.
So. I write to you today because I am in a quandary and I do not feel like I can talk about it with my family yet. I don't think my other friends would be objective on the subject so… I am so glad we are talking again.
Severus felt his eyebrows raised as he read her words. What on earth could she need advice on only he would be able to give?
James proposed.
Of course.
I said I needed time to think about it.
Unexpected. Or not, if he considered Lily away from constant Gryffindor influence.
James was very surprised and disappointed but he took it well.
Severus snorted. Right.
It all feels so rushed. We have been together for less than two years. We are only nineteen. But with everything that is happening… I feel like I should while I can. I understand better now why Mum and Dad got married during WWII even though they were younger than us. They are still very much in love, so why wouldn't it work out for me too? And it does not mean we would start a family right now, Mum only had Petunia when she was thirty.
I already warned James that even if I accepted, I would not stop my studies. I do not want to be dependant on my husband.
So what do you think? I know you do not approve of James, but if he was anyone else, and you knew he made me happy, was respected and had the means to comfortably provide for a family, what would you tell me?
That it was still too soon. To bind yourself to another so young. When Severus thought of his parents… Especially when Wizards lived longer than Muggles… They had time. He would advise her to wait until she graduated. He knew how much his Apprenticeship had already changed him, but when he thought of Lord Voldemort's expectations at his return, he still felt too young and unprepared.
Severus sighed. Evan sometimes talked about girls in his letter. How did they find the time for romantic relationships? Even if a Witch had been around, in the improbable event she would have been interested, Severus simply would neither have had the time nor the desire to strike up a relationship.
He looked back at Lily's letter and huffed. Who was she kidding? She wanted him to give her his benediction. She wanted him to say go ahead. She would be disappointed. Severus wondered what Petunia would think of it. Would she be jealous not to tie the knot first as she was the eldest? Would she chastise Lily for being too young for marriage?
Shaking his head, Severus put the letter aside. He had more important things to deal with. Like preparing his visit to a pack of Werewolves and be sure not to alienate them. Oh joy.
The next day, after Taichichuan practise, Severus walked alone to the Room of Crossings. As part of his infiltration project, he was not to be accompanied by anyone. Except Dhaal of course.
Perched on his shoulder, his Familiar was alternately gripping at Severus for voluntarily putting himself in danger among creatures he already feared, professing his confidence in Severus' abilities to defend himself against them, chirping his pride at Severus ambitious project and growling no Werewolves would get past him. It was really endearing and the only reason Severus was not hiding behind his tightest Occlumency walls.
Drunek had warned Severus temperatures in Kyirong were between temperate to downright cold so he had taken a warm cloak with him. Warming spells were useful, but not as comfortable. He had also been careful to swap his goblin clothes with wizard ones instead. The one thing he missed from Bǎo were his comfortable silk pants and shirts. While he had kept them, it felt weird to wear them in Uusi. However, he was determined to have some wizard robes made on their model when he was back.
Severus walked through the Rooms of Crossings, glad for proficiently speaking Gobbledegook so he could follow the directions instead of asking someone. The crowd thinned until he was alone when he finally came through to Kyirong. Contrary to Bǎo, the entry of the Room of Crossings came through a cave inside the forest. There were no signs of a city in sight. A lone man was leaning on an oak. Severus was pretty sure he was Sthir as he looked like a Werewolf bad caricature: dark, hairy, compact and heavily muscled.
"He's a Werewolf," Sensed Dhaal, confirming Severus' initial feeling.
"How do you know?" Sensed back Severus, intrigued.
"I can feel it. It's... one of the things the other Thestrals said I would know because it is in our instincts."
Hmm. Was his Familiar Sensing something different from the man? Severus did not dare examine him closely, in the event Werewolves were sensitive to Sensing and he took offence. There would be time for study later, once he had convinced them to help him with his project.
"You must be Severus," said the man as Severus approached him.
Hearing his name aloud after such a long time almost made him make a double take. Only his relief at the man speaking English covered his surprise.
"You must be Sthir," replied Severus.
The man nodded and grinned, looking even more wolfish. Severus repressed a shiver, and increased his Occlumency shielding. He would have boxes to deal with tonight.
"Welcome to Kyirong Severus. Come, I will give you the rules as we walk."
Severus obediently followed, listening with attention.
"Kyirong is unlike many places you've visited. The old races called it Sanctuary. The number of Sanctuaries in the world takes less than my two hands to count. Here, all beings live together and abide by the Sanctuary's rules," explained Sthir, watching Severus carefully.
For signs of disapproval? Severus only nodded.
"You will abide by the rules while remaining here. First, no harming anyone, except in self defence. Even then, avoid anything permanent. Second, all beings are equal, no matter if they are Wizards, Faes, Vampires, Goblins, Werewolves, Giants, or any other species. Three, all offences will be dealt with by the Council, composed of one representative from each species living on Kyirong grounds. Questions?"
Was Severus imagining a challenge in Sthir's voice? He shook his head.
"Seems pretty straightforward to me."
Sthir looked at him in silence a few seconds before speaking again.
"Kyirong is composed of the city plus the entire valley around it. From East to West, we are surrounded by the Himalayas mountains, while we are sheltered by Mount Marrah on the north side. The forest we are currently walking through is considered the centre of Kyirong, you will see the south is full of rivers while the north is arid and cold. We are a Sanctuary for all magical beings and creatures. Warning signs have been put on to warn people they are entering Xuěrén or Garuda territory."
Severus nodded, even though he had no idea what those creatures were.
They walked in silence, until the forest made place for the city. Unlike Bǎo, Kyirong felt peaceful. The buildings were smaller, not as grand or as shiny. They were not built as close either, giving an impression of space to breathe. The form of the buildings was different too, although they looked more like the ones in Bǎo than any other Severus had seen.
Like in Bǎo, various magic beings mingled together. The most notable difference was that humans were present too. All species seemed to mix, not just coexist in the same place. There were worse places to study Werewolves.
"Come," said Sthir as they entered the city. "You must meet with the Council. Then I'll give you a tour of the city."
The Werewolf led Severus into a building standing at the centre of the city. Only the carvings on its front wall, representing each magical species sitting on the Council, made it stand out. The interior was mainly decorated with wood and metal carvings hanging up the walls.
Severus followed Sthir into a small room where they waited a few minutes before a young Fae bade them to enter the next room. The Council was sited in a half circle behind a beautiful wooden table.
Sthir stopped about four steps away from them and bowed lightly. Severus copied him, trying not to show too much of goblin etiquette in his movement.
"Sthir Gadhavi from Pack Kyirong. I present to you a Wizard who wishes to spend time in our community in the hope of studying Werewolves."
All councillors turned their head to Severus who took it as his cue to introduce himself.
"Severus Snape, apprenticed to Master Tajniki in Potions. I hope to create a potion to help Werewolves during the full moon."
The councillors nodded then the Fae, who sat farther on the right, spoke.
"Councillor Nētā from Land Krōsiṅga."
The Vampire, sitting next to him, followed, then the Goblin, the Wizard, the Werewolf, the Dwarf, the House-Elf and the Giant.
"Councillor Petrov Nachal'naya from Family Ressurs."
"Councillor Kigen from Clan Hankō."
"Councillor Cyrus Greenleaf vassal to House Greengrass."
"Councillor Kang from Pack Kyirong"
"Councillor Rheolwr from Colony Cerrig."
"Councillor Jiā from Line Yī."
"Councillor Og from Tribe Cnoc."
It felt weird, those beings so different from each other sitting together. Especially the House-Elf and the Giant. It changed his perception of them, shaking the preconception from what he knew back home.
"Welcome, Apprentice Snape," said the Dwarf–Rheolwr. "I trust Sthir told you the rules you should respect while on Kyirong grounds."
Severus nodded.
"We are always pleased to meet new people and hope to all benefit from our differences. Sthir is your appointed guide for today, please remain with him for the duration of your stay."
"Yes Councillor," answered Severus, hoping he was choosing the right address.
"Before you leave, let us each give you one piece of advice," said Rheolwr. "The wise pursues understanding; fools follow the reports of others."
Weird, but Severus did not have the time to ponder its meaning as the House Elf was now speaking.
"As a thing is viewed, so it appears."
Were those warnings?
Severus barely kept his face impassive as the giant councillor spoke his advice.
"Any fool can say "Ah", you need intelligence to say "Yes."
Indeed. Giants may not be as dumb as some made them out to be.
"When drinking water, think about the source," said the Fae seriously.
Very Slytherin advice.
"Our best masters are those who make us suffer the most," drawled the Vampire.
It made Severus think of Master Richtigk.
"Are they done yet?" Sensed Dhaal. "I want to explore."
"Only three more to go," answered Severus, "Shush."
The next Councillor was Kigen. Severus listened intently.
"If your inner mind isn't deceived, your outer actions won't be wrong."
Was he supposed to follow his instincts whatever happened next?
"Cling not to experiences for ever-changing are they," intoned Greenleaf.
Severus wanted to huff. Dumbledore could have said this.
Kang, the Werewolf, closed the round of advice.
"Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."
That was surprisingly insightful. Or terribly corny.
"Kale Phe," said all the Councillors.
Sthir bowed, Severus following suit, and they left the building.
The Werewolf took Severus through the city, explaining that while some areas were more populated by one species or another, none was specifically reserved to one. That was different once outside the city, where parts of land had been specifically arranged for the various species' needs. It was an impressive work of collaboration. Severus wondered if life between them always was as smooth as Sthir made it out to be.
After the city, the Werewolf took Severus to the Garden. It was huge, bigger than Hogwarts greenhouses. It was divided in several areas. One was for food production. One was for common plants used for potions and healing. Another one was for rare and exotic plants. Parts of the garden were outside, the rest was in a greenhouse. It was impressive and Severus noticed several herbs he did not know.
He observed with interest a class learning how to take care of mandrakes under a Goblin's supervision. The students appeared to be around eleven and were from all species. After several minutes, the Goblin left his students to come and greet them.
"Yíngjiē Sthir."
"Morning Ōku. This is Severus Snape. He's apprenticed to Master Tajniki."
"Yíngjiē Apprentice Snape. I am Thạo Ōku from clan Sēnlín."
"Thạo Ōku is the one responsible for the Garden and usually delegates teaching to his own Apprentices," added Sthir with a drawl.
"It's nice to meet you Thạo Ōku," said Severus bowing lightly.
"Ōku, you might see a lot of Snape as he's here for his big apprenticeship project. He wishes to create a potion to help Werewolves during the full moon."
"Ambitious," said the Goblin, ears moving in surprise. "You are indeed in the right place," he added, looking at Severus. "Some of our plants can only be tended by Werewolves if we do not want them to either lose their potency or shrivel into nothing."
Interesting. He would need to know which ones.
Sthir interrupted before Severus could ask any question.
"Snape will come back to ask you questions later. I need to finish the tour."
The Goblin stared at the Werewolf. He felt unhappy. Was there a history between the two of them?
"I will see you later, Apprentice Snape. Enjoy your tour," finally said Ōku.
"Thank you Thạo Ōku. I look forward to our conversation."
They went outside the Greenhouse and walked in silence. Soon, the Garden made way to a grassland clearly meant for games. Young children and their watchers were running around screaming.
Sthir led Severus to the far right where stood a large if not high building. He quickly realised it was a school as some teachers were holding class outside, their students obediently listening while sitting in the grass
His attention was caught by one particular class who was not sitting but moving through familiar moves. Severus watched with interest as the class of younglings from all species practised a kind of Taichichuan. It neither was the Yang form nor the Chen one, but it was obviously Taichichuan. The form felt more lax than the ones he knew, he could Sense Magic float peacefully around them, more or less smoothly depending on the student.
"Taichichuan. An Art which can become a way of life. All of us learn it, even the older ones, if we remain long enough," said Sthir quietly.
"Even Faes?" asked Severus.
He mentally slapped himself. He was not supposed to know Taichichuan was a way to open Khorlos thus unneeded by the most magical beings.
"Even Faes," agreed Sthir, surprising Severus. "Taichichuan helps all of us, even when we do not have the same needs."
Severus nodded.
"I just have trouble visualizing it."
Sthir laughed.
"Yes, most of those who come here older than ten are the same. Look," He said, pointing to a lanky kid.
Severus observed the child carefully, and realised with a start he had the telling pointed ears of Faes. Focusing on him—or her? He could not tell—he Sensed how Magic moved fluidly around him. Suddenly, he felt the flow intensify, almost like a tornado surrounding the child. He watched curious as the goblin instructor walked to the kid and talked to him, the flow abating back to a calm river.
It seemed like Taichichuan might be used to help reduce a wide Khorlo. He would need to ask Drunek about it.
"Would you like to try?" asked Sthir, observing Severus carefully, a hint of calculation in his eyes and something else in his posture.
He would love to. But would he be able to hide he already knew other forms of Taichichuan? As he watched again the movements of the children, Severus knew he could not take the risk if he wanted to pass his infiltration trial.
"Sadly, I need to focus on the object of my presence here," answered Severus. "Maybe when it's over—"
Loud sniggers interrupted him. Severus looked up to see a group obviously laughing at him. They were far enough they had to have either used a hearing spell or have very fine hearing. Assessing them quickly, Severus bet on two Werewolves, one Fae and two Vampires. Odd group, but Dhaal Sensed him confirmation. He supposed the usual rules did not apply in this community. They looked his age, but with their species, looks were deceiving. One of the Vampires as well as the Fae were girls. They looked as scary as the males.
Severus briefly glanced at Sthir but he was conspicuously looking the other way while keeping an eye on them. A test then.
"Is the Wizard afraid of losing face in front of kiddies?" drawled one of the Werewolves, loud enough Severus and the few others around could hear him.
"I am certain I would require practise to hope to reach their level," answered Severus quietly. "Practise means time, and sadly I do not have time now."
"Excuses," said the female Vampire dismissively.
There was something threatening in her pose. In her tone. Somewhere.
Severus watched as the Vampire, with a flick of her fingers, put the group in motion, all walking at once toward Severus. They all felt dangerous.
"I'm here," Sensed Dhaal.
His Familiar was irritated. It calmed his nerves.
"So, what are you doing here, Wizard?" asked the first Werewolf, almost spitting the Wizard word out.
So cliché. It could only end badly with this sort. Except it was a test. He knew it.
"My end-of-Apprenticeship project centres on Werewolves. I am here to observe your pack," answered Severus calmly, Occlumency walls tighter than ever. He hoped. These creatures had senses more developed than humans, they could smell fear and distraught heartbeats.
"Really?" drawled the female Vampire. "How will you manage when you cannot stand to be near us?"
Time to up his game. Severus raised his eyebrow to her.
"Would you mind introducing yourselves? I like knowing who is insulting me."
"It bites!" laughed the second Werewolves. "Maybe not as useless as most."
Suddenly there was a presence in him. It reminded Severus of that night. Like he could smell the wolf on the man in front of him.
"Quit yapping," drawled Severus. "I am waiting for your names."
"Vilde Sæther, from Family Ressurs," said the female Vampire, smiling darkly to show suddenly pointed teeth.
"Brage Sæther, from Family Ressurs," said the second Vampire, eyes fixed on his neck.
"Muśkēlī, from Land Utpatti," said the Fae, voice eerily light yet promising darkness.
"Alyosha Ryjkov, from Pack Ssylka," said the first Werewolf, almost growling.
Severus repressed a shiver, the sound reminding him too much of his nightmares for comfort.
"Fu-Hsi Nan, from Pack Shìyìng," finished the second Werewolf smirking, keenly observing Severus.
The man felt even more like the monster from the Shrieking Shack. It was impossible, the full moon was days away, he had checked.
"Won't you introduce yourself now?" mocked Muśkēlī, suddenly very focused on Severus.
"I am Severus Snape, Apprentice to Master Tajniki in Potions," answered Severus, fighting the urge to take a step back and put some distance between them.
"Potions," said Fu-Hsi disdainfully. "Does it even qualify as Magic?"
"Barely", answered Vilde.
She was looking at Severus as if he were prey.
"Are you sure you should be here with the big bad creatures, little Wizard?" she asked "Really, who knows with us, what can happen…"
"Who knows which kind of ingredients could be useful in a potion," shot back Severus, unwilling to let fear silence him. Helhest, he was better than this. "Really, it could be interesting to test the impact of switching a wolf's liver for a werewolf's one, or pixies teeth for a vampire one."
Suddenly the Vampires felt like darkness. The Fae was still and unforgiving. And the Werewolves were growling loudly. They were all moving on him and he was not allowed to harm them. It was the rule. They were not allowed to harm him either. Those were the rules. Had Sthir lied? It was a test. Wasn't it? They were surrounding him now, Sthir nowhere to be seen, the other passers-by gone. He was on his own. He was alone in the Shack. With the Monster. He could not move. He could not move. Everything went black.