5.0 - Path of The Sorcerer
Disclaimer: I'vesaid it before and I'll say it again, I own Harry Potter.
I looked at the four ancient tomes laid out in front of me, their worn covers and yellowed pages hinting at the knowledge contained within.
Gently, I ran my hand over the cover of "Secrets of The Darkest Arts" and shivered lightly. It felt like the texture of human skin, cold and clammy, and the book itself seemed to emanate a palpable feeling of dread. That wasn't even to mention the fact that Voldemort, the most feared Dark wizard of this time, had already pored over these very pages and had decades to master the contents within and much, much more.
I wasn't sure if I could stoop so low as to throw lives to their deaths, and "Charm The Mind" was just that - a grimoire of spells and rituals designed to ensnare and control the minds of others. Did numbers even matter against those Magical Titans whose power seemed to defy all reason? If sheer force of numbers were the solution to defeating Voldemort, then he would not have lasted so long, defying the combined might of the Ministry and the Order. And it wasn't as if he was alone in his quest; he commanded a cadre of Death Eaters, many of whom were formidable in their own right, capable of taking on several opponents at once.
"Whispers of the Beyond" was a book that constantly shifted and changed its form, its pages seemingly alive with a maddening, indecipherable script that spoke only of insanity and cosmic horrors best left undisturbed. It wasn't something that I wanted to touch with a ten-foot pole, else I risk losing my grip on reality.
Then there was "The Sorcerer's Path, A Guide To Might." A look inside revealed a grueling path of strength, one which was filled with difficulty and long hours of practice. I read an excerpt from the book.
It is a widely accepted truth that we Magicals emit an aura of magic, which we harness to cast the spells that define our very existence. The strength and efficacy of these spells are often thought to be dependent on the inherent magical nature of our surroundings. However, this theory, while not entirely inaccurate, is an oversimplification of a far more complex reality. In truth, there is no place devoid of magic; every single iota of this world is suffused with it, permeating the very fabric of our reality in the form of Leylines. As we delve deeper into the arcane arts, we will discover other sources of magic, such as the celestial bodies that grace our skies.
Among our kind, there exist a select few who have transcended the boundaries of what is considered normal for Magicals. These individuals, known as Sorcerers, possess the rare ability to tap into the magic inherent in not only the planet itself but also the celestial bodies that orbit it. By doing so, they are able to significantly enhance the power of their spells, achieving feats that would otherwise be impossible for the normal magical.
However, the path of a Sorcerer is fraught with peril and hardship. To truly feel and harness the magic of the planet, one must push their own aura to the brink of complete depletion. This is a dangerous practice, as it can lead to the ultimate price: death itself. Those who choose to walk this path must do so with the full understanding that they may not survive the journey. It is a sacrifice that only the most dedicated and courageous among us are willing to make, in the pursuit of knowledge and power beyond the grasp of the ordinary magical.
I'll admit the Sorcerer's Path truly spoke out to me, whispering of untold might. Why would I need to learn a spell to rupture someone's organs when a simple Incendio, fueled by the strength of the world itself, would reduce them to ash just as well?
The book held all of my attention as I started to read the prerequisites to even be able to attempt to call on 'Nature's Power' as the book called it, and as I read on, I grimaced lightly.
To even attempt to have a chance at survival, the Wizard attempting to become a Sorcerer must have cast a minimum of ten thousand spells to truly get a feel for the ebb and flow of their magic. That would be a time-intensive task, as I currently couldn't even cast more than thirty first-year spells without exhausting myself. Though, if I spent hours daily casting spells, I might be able to finish the requirement in three to four months of dedicated effort.
After the step of casting ten thousand spells has been completed, the wizard should be capable of feeling the ebb and flow of Magic more intimately. At this stage, the wizard should notice a growth in their ability to learn and perform new spells, as well as an increase in the casting speed as they are able to call upon their magic much faster. Wandless Casting also becomes possible for the wizard, though at the cost of lesser fine control.
After that grueling effort, one has to perform the 'Rite of Spiritual Attunement' - A ritual through which the wizard would connect their aura to the Leylines of the world itself. It is said that those who have failed this pivotal ritual lost themselves in visions of the deepest secrets of magic, their minds shattering as they tried to comprehend that which was never meant for mortals. Shortly after being driven mad by such revelations, their bodies exploded from the uncontrolled power that they had sought to wield.
Dinner, if I remembered correctly, would be held at 8 PM. I took a look at the nearby clock and saw that it was currently 5:05 PM. I'll practice for another two hours before leaving for the Common Room. If anyone asked where I was, I could simply say that I got lost while exploring the castle.
I sighed and got up, walked over to the dummy, and raised my wand. I aimed it at the dummy, deciding that first, I should fully master the Full Body Bind spell to cast it silently.
After another hour of practice, I was able to cast the spell silently each time.
I spent the remainder of the hour relaxing, asking the room to provide a comfortable area.
It provided a large queen-sized bed with a soft mattress and sheets. A small lit fireplace bathed the room in an orange hue, creating a soft ambiance.
I sadly couldn't sleep in the soft bed as I didn't have a way to wake up. I didn't want to miss dinner as I was quite famished.
So, I sat on the comfortable armchair, and I lightly whispered to myself, "All that is missing is a cup of Hot Cocoa."
I felt something behind me, the feeling was difficult to describe and was fleeting. Then adrenaline kicked in, and it was like the world around me decided to slow as I turned around and pointed my wand at the small creature who now looked stunned and scared.
The house-elf froze, eyes wide with fright. It was barely knee-high, with wrinkled, flabby skin hanging loose and large tennis ball-sized eyes. Its ears were long and pointed, head seemingly too large for its diminutive frame as it clutched a steaming mug of hot cocoa, dressed in little more than a ragged pillowcase.
"Lorry be sorry for startling Great Wizard Harry Potter sir!" It said, looking worriedly at my wand as I lowered it.
"Er, it's alright… Lorry," I assured the little House-Elf as he looked on the verge of tears.
"Thank you," I said while taking the Hot Cocoa from the Elf and placing it on the table.
His expression went from being on the verge of tears to one beaming with happiness.
"Um, can I ask you some questions, Lorry? If you don't mind," I asked. I needed to know how he found me.
At which point, I remembered that Dobby was the one who had led Harry to the Room of Requirements, which meant the Elves would be aware of the Room and who went inside it.
"Er, we're not supposed to be talking to students," Lorry mumbled nervously, avoiding my gaze as its spindly fingers fidgeted.
"It'll just take a couple of minutes, Lorry," I pressed gently.
The elf gave a jerky nod, twitching anxiously.
"Er, it's fine for me to use this room, right?" I said, feeling slightly nervous.
"Many students have been using the Come Go Room in the past, Great Harry Potter, sir," he said, looking unsure.
If I pushed further, that could lead to the Elf sharing that I had been here. I'll simply have to take the risk that I won't be reported to the Headmaster.
I would need to read 'Charm The Mind.' It would have certainly been useful here; I could persuade the Elf to keep my having been here a secret.
I would need to ensure that Penelope, as well, would stay loyal and stick by my side during the war.
"Thanks for the Hot Cocoa, Lorry. You were very helpful," I praised, as the Elf looked abashed at the praise while he practically radiated happiness. "I was wondering if you or any other elf would be willing to work for me?" I offered.
Having a House-Elf would be supremely useful after all. Weren't they able to Apparate through Anti-Apparition Wards? And, hadn't Dobby thrown back Lucius Malfoy? Even if he had been caught off-guard.
Lorry's eyes went wide. "Work… for the Great Wizard Harry Potter, sir? Lorry would be honored!" he squeaked excitedly.
"Excellent. Could you keep my presence in this room a secret then?" I asked carefully.
The elf nodded vigorously. "Of course, sir! Lorry's lips are sealed!"
I smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Lorry. I'll call on you again soon when I need assistance."
As the little elf bobbed enthusiastically and disappeared with a pop, I settled back into the armchair, sipping the hot cocoa contentedly.
I spat out the hot cocoa, my eyes wide with excitement and a grin spreading across my face. I needed to test something. "Lorry!" I called out as the elf popped in, a rag in his hand.
My grin stretched further as just before Lorry had arrived, I felt a fleeting feeling of something warping.
"You may go now, Lorry. Thank you; your assistance was invaluable," I praised, knowing that acknowledgment would likely strengthen his loyalty and contentment.
This… this could certainly be useful. I would still perform the necessary ten thousand spells even if I can already feel the magic. I couldn't take the risk of dying or losing my mind during the ritual.
I got up and stretched, checking the clock to see that it was time for dinner.
Leaving the Room of Requirements, I made my way to the Great Hall. It looked as magnificent as it did the first night, with thousands of candles floating atop the tables, casting a warm glow, and the view of a starry night outside.
I seemed to have arrived a bit early, as my other year mates weren't there yet. Spotting Penelope, I waved at her, and she responded with a nod and a light smile.
I went ahead and took a seat near the end of the table. Soon, Terry, Michael, Anthony, Su, Turpin, and Padma walked in together, settling near me. Padma and Terry sat next to me, their expressions annoyed, looking as if they were about to scream at me.
"Where the hell have you been, mate? We've been worried!" Terry exclaimed, giving me a light glare.
"Yeah, we searched for an hour and couldn't find you," Padma added, looking displeased.
I scratched my cheek, acting embarrassed. "Er… Imayhavegottenlostwhileexploringthecastle," I admitted quickly.
"What?" they all chorused.
"I, uh, may have gotten lost while exploring the castle," I repeated sheepishly.
Everyone just sighed as Padma piped up, "Maybe not do that again? We were about to inform the Professors that you were missing."
Yeah, that would have been troublesome.
"My bad," I admitted.
After that, we finished dinner, and all of us chatted about our thoughts on the classes and had a few laughs, but my heart wasn't really in it.
"Terry, did you see how Professor Flitwick fell from the stack of books?" Anthony chuckled.
"Yeah, that was hilarious," Terry replied, grinning.
Meanwhile, Su and Turpin were chatting about Potions theory, with Turpin admitting she wasn't particularly good at Potions, while Padma turned to me with a concerned expression.
"Harry, are you alright? You seem a bit distracted," she asked gently.
I forced a smile. "Yeah, just thinking about… stuff."
"Well, I'm tired," I said, "The castle is massive. I'll go and take an early rest, if you all don't mind?"
"Not at all, mate," Terry said, slapping my back as I gave him a small smile.
"Penny," I called out to her as I saw that she had finished eating.
She came over with a slightly nervous expression on her face. "Yeah, Harry?" she said nervously.
Did she think I'd be taking her to a broom closet and taking her up on her offer? I mean, I would, eventually. Though not for now, not until I can be sure that I have her loyalty.
"I was wondering if you could guide me to the Common Room? I'm a bit tired and I'd like to get to bed early."
Her expression changed to one of relief, which she tried to hide, but her tense shoulders sagging definitely meant that she was relieved.
"Sure, I don't mind, follow me." I nodded and started to follow her when we were alone. I went closer to her, she flinched lightly but didn't take a step back. "Thought I'd be taking you up on your offer?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
Just as she was about to make an excuse, I waved her off. "I don't particularly care. Do you have the list I asked for ready?" She frowned for a second before her face turned neutral and handed me a rather large piece of parchment, which I pocketed.
"I'll check it tomorrow and let you know if I accept it or not," I said as we arrived at the eagle-knocker.
"I fly without wings, I cry without eyes. Wherever I go, darkness follows me. What am I?" spoke the knocker.
"Want to give it a try?" Penny said, a light grin on her face.
"Sure, let me think. I think I've heard this one before, it's a cloud." I answered, feeling relatively sure of my response.
And the door opened as I shot her a smug look, to which she rolled her eyes, looking more at ease.
I went to my room and laid on the bed, closing my eyes and attempting to feel the magic of the castle, though I didn't succeed as soon after, I fell asleep, tired from having cast nearly a hundred spells.
Author's Note: Now, this is the last 'Set-Up' chapter. I will now begin actually planning the year and the arc out. The pace of the story will begin to show some actual momentum, hopefully with more character dialogue and 'show' moments.
So, I've now made a ! If you have any extra money and want me to write faster and release chapters earlier, as well as have access to Advanced Chapters ahead of the general public, then that's the place you'll want to go. The Advanced Chapters for each tier should be available by Thursday or Friday! This post is to see if anyone is interested in supporting my writing, and if you do end up doing so, thank you so, so very much!
This story will be updated twice a week, on both Friday and Sunday, while Monday and Thursday will be for another story, this time taking place in Kishimoto's world.
I sincerely thank all of you for the amazing support on this story. I never thought that so many people would read what I write, and it frankly feels fantastic.
. com / spiderlite
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Word Count: 2502
