Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. It's a slow chapter, but a necessary one to transition into some more exciting ones ahead.
Chapter 52
28th June
The sky was overcast, and there was a chance of rain. This weather could potentially affect the completion of his work today. Despite the gloomy weather, Harry was in a good mood.
As he walked around his workshop, he assessed the progress in painting the building's exterior. Even if it rained, it shouldn't delay completion that much. They had a system in place that involved casting a drying charm on each painted section to instantly dry it and prevent any damage from rain. With most of the building already painted, they should be able to complete it today.
Something wet splashed onto his cheek, catching him off guard. Instinctively, he reached up to touch his cheek, only to find his fingers stained with a red substance. He might have mistaken it for blood if it hadn't been so vivid.
"Could you please watch where you swing that thing?" Harry yelled, looking up at Susan, who was standing on the scaffolding above him.
Susan was dressed in a tight pair of jean shorts, giving him a great view of her legs. The sight distracted him so much that he narrowly avoided another splatter. In response to his words, she waved her paint roller, causing more paint to fall on him. He dodged the splatter of paint, cursing.
"I am sorry, Harry. It was a total accident." Susan said. Her smirk suggested otherwise.
Shaking his head, he summoned his wand and cast a cleaning spell on himself.
He nodded in satisfaction after inspecting the entire building. With the assistance of Susan and Remus, they had nearly completed the exterior. After returning home from the Delacours a few days ago, he sat down and spent hours outlining his summer plans. While he had an idea of what he wanted to accomplish, he needed to write it down to ensure he stayed focused and accomplished everything he set out to do.
His first goal was to finish decorating his workshop, a task he had taken on before he even started Hogwarts last year. While he had made some progress by finishing off his bedroom previously, there was still a lot of work left to do. He assumed that the task's rewards were variable, meaning that the better he completed it, the greater the reward.
Except for adding some windows to the ground floor, decorating the exterior wasn't overly complicated. Gabrielle insisted on more natural light for his workshop. He didn't disagree with her, but it wasn't something he had considered adding previously because he was in a rush to finish the workshop before going to Hogwarts.
As Harry entered the building, he noticed Gabrielle instructing Sirius on how to arrange the new furniture. Harry and Sirius assisted her in overseeing the interior design. Harry had no complaints about being in charge because Gabrielle had a keen eye for detail, resulting in a significantly improved workshop. She was aware of his preference for a neutral colour palette, so she wouldn't design something that he didn't like.
The most noticeable change was the installation of a long window on the eastern wall, which had previously housed Fawkes and Hedwig's perches. He had expanded the area to make it more comfortable for them. They also assigned Nagini her own area. A stack of cushions lay on the floor, which had become Nagini's favourite sleeping spot.
He entered the building, startling her awake. She had been sleeping soundly, unaffected by the bustle around her.
"I can't smell the moon-cursed man anymore. Is he gone?"
"I sent him on an errand because Susan is finishing up painting the building's exterior."
He told Remus to employ someone to locate Gallahad's third pocket watch, although he was aware that it would be a challenging task. He realised that devoting too much of his time to this task would be impractical. As a result, he decided to hire someone to search every magical antique and junk shop in Europe in the hopes of finding it for sale. He recognised that this was a long shot, given the likelihood that the watch already had an owner, but he hoped that luck would be on his side.
Simultaneously, he wanted them to look for a second vanishing cabinet to go with the one he discovered in the Room of Hidden Things. Even though he hadn't yet repaired it, there was no harm in looking for the second cabinet in the meantime.
"Good. He makes my nose itch."
"You don't have a nose. You have a pair of slits that barely qualify as nostrils. You scent it with your tongue."
"Silence. You get my meaning."
"What does Gabrielle smell like?"
"In comparison, the she-harpy has a very pleasant scent. Make an effort to keep her around more often."
"I will keep that in mind."
He wasn't going to tell Gabrielle about the conversation, because she wouldn't be happy being referred to as she-harpy.
Because Nagini was a magical snake, he asked if she had any abilities. Aside from her ability to shrink and expand her body, she possessed another ability that Harry found particularly interesting.
Nagini could detect magic solely through her sense of smell. She could detect magic in an individual's blood, such as their racial heritage, magical abilities, magical diseases, and other ailments. For example, she knew that Remus was a werewolf, as they gave off a particularly foul odour, and she knew that Gabrielle was a Veela. It wasn't omnipotent, as he needed to have encountered the magic before, or have detailed information about it.
Her interaction with Sirius was a true showcase of her abilities. She referred to him as a mutt with a tinge of insanity in his blood. She was referring to the family magic that affected the Black's entire lineage. Only a few of the family members appeared to have escaped the curse of insanity. Harry didn't include Sirius in that group because he had doubts about his godfather's sanity at times. Surprisingly, she detected nothing in Harry's blood, not even his animagus form. He assumed the Source had something to do with this.
Harry didn't have any idea how he would use her ability in the future, but it was undeniably useful. What if he came across someone with a magically transmissible disease? Even though he had vaccines for some of the more dangerous ones, there were still plenty out there against which he was defenceless.
"How long will it take to finish the interior?" Harry asked, approaching Gabrielle and encircling her waist from behind. He kissed her nape, causing a shudder to run through her.
"Not long," Gabrielle said, turning in his arms and kissing his lips. "I am rearranging a few things to make everything look perfect."
"It already looks incredible," Harry said. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"Of course," Gabrielle said, haughtily raising her nose in the air. "I, unlike you English cochons, am a lady of culture."
Harry slapped her bottom, causing her to squeal in surprise. "I need to keep a close eye on you to make sure you don't become too arrogant. Stop referring to me as a dirty pig."
"Salaud!" Gabrielle hissed.
"Would you stop flirting over there?" Sirius demanded. In a state of agitation, he waved his wand around. "Not only am I doing the majority of the work, but you are shamelessly displaying your affectionate behaviour in front of me."
Harry let go of Gabrielle and walked over to Sirius. "It's only been a couple of days. Do you miss Lauren that much?"
"It's unbearable," Sirius exclaimed. "One day you will understand what it's like to wake up next to a woman who—"
"Too much information," Harry interrupted. "When will she return from Italy?"
"A few days," Sirius replied. "Since its inception, her newspaper has created quite a stir. While the British Ministry of Magic doesn't appreciate her style of journalism, other countries do. Especially since she is sticking it to—"
"The English cochons," Gabrielle chimed in.
"If you keep saying that, I am going to end up with a complex about my own country," Sirius scowled. "Anyway, she is having more success outside of the inbred, moronic, elitist pigs that make up Magical Britain's society."
Gabrielle giggled.
Harry laughed, but when he thought about her assignment, it made him frown. "Will she be okay? She's investigating an outbreak of vampire attacks in the country. It could get dangerous."
"I hired an entire security detail to follow her," Sirius explained. "She is irritated with me, but it gives me peace of mind."
"Why didn't you go with her? Remus is more than capable of caring for me until my grandparents return. It's not like the full moon is going to happen anytime soon."
"I wanted to," Sirius grumbled, "but she said I would be too much of a distraction."
"Enough chit-chat," Gabrielle said. "We need to keep going if we want to finish before the evening."
Harry stood outside his workshop, accompanied by Sirius and his girlfriends, admiring the result of three days of hard work. He was pleased with how things had turned out. Given that he would be spending a significant amount of time there, having a welcoming environment was a much-needed improvement. Aside from improving the aesthetics, Gabrielle also added several modern amenities that would greatly improve his convenience and comfort while working inside the workshop.
When he declared the workshop decor finished, he felt the symbol on his hand heat up in recognition.
"It looks like a real workshop now," Gabrielle observed.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, offended. "It has always been a workshop. The functionality is what matters most, not the appearance."
"Whatever you say, Cherie."
"Since we worked so hard on it, Harry should treat us to dinner," Sirius suggested. "I worked harder than a Hufflepuff in the last few days."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Susan scowled.
"It's a compliment," Sirius assured her, taking a step back when she continued to glare at him.
"Are you planning on expanding the workshop in the future?" Gabrielle asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe?" Harry replied. "I have more than enough space right now, but that may change in the future as I take on larger projects."
He was unsure how adding structures to the main workshop would affect his trunk workshop. Would any alterations be passed onto it automatically? Perhaps any new structures he built would have to be directly connected to the main workshop to count.
Later that evening, in his bedroom, Harry retrieved the Source and read the message that had been waiting for him.
The host has completed a task.
Task #9 - Workshop Decor
Objective: Decorate and furnish the entire workshop so it looks and feels comfortable to work in. The host may declare it complete at any time but the reward will change depending on the outcome.
Rewards: 10000 general experience points; 120 Shop points.
The host has reached Level 11!
New items have been added to the Magic Emporium
The host has received the double-tier array schematic.
Progress to level 12: 800/153600
Level 12 unlocks:
Items: Superior Artifact schematic page (1/4)
The task rewarded him with a surprising amount of experience. It just goes to show that the more effort you put into something, the greater the rewards you will receive. He didn't know what the next level's reward was about, but he wouldn't have his answer until he reached level fifteen. It better be something amazing to take up so many of his reward slots.
Harry turned to his inventory page and examined the schematic for the double-tier array. The item was exactly as he had suspected. He was currently learning how to make an array specifically for inscription layering. Although it was only a basic one, it would be a huge help in getting his head around the complicated skill.
He then checked out the new items in the magical emporium. There were a slew of new materials and ingredients, some of which he had never heard of before. The Assimilate Crystal caught his eye, so he read the description. The item allowed him to level his Assimilate Runes skill to level two for the cost of two hundred shop points. Harry didn't waste any time thinking about it, and he spent the points to purchase it.
"Worth it," Harry mumbled.
He would be able to assimilate runes from a greater variety of arrays now that the skill had reached level two. The only drawback was the object's destruction during the process. If he possessed a unique artifact, for example, he couldn't use the skill to learn the schematic because he might not be able to replicate the result. Then he would lose the artifact for nothing.
After he had finished exploring the new features, he turned his attention to something that had been on his mind for some time. The Source didn't provide him with a succinct method to view his parameters. He had previously relied solely on the messages to get the information he needed. Instead of relying on this method, he decided to directly enter the information into the Source itself.
Harry flipped to the final page and began taking notes. He didn't add in every detail because he just wanted a quick summary of his progress, including things like his level, workshop information, and all of his skills. He was surprised to receive a new message after he finished writing everything down.
The host demonstrated the need for a new feature using the data he added to the book.
Converting the data into a usable feature.
The status page is now available. It can now be found in the index.
It will automatically update the host's parameters when something changes.
Minor adjustments have been made to better reflect and display the host's parameters.
To say he was taken aback would be an understatement.
Harry had no idea he could influence the Source in this way. He wondered why he had not thought of doing this before. It also demonstrated that the Source wasn't completely omniscient and could be persuaded if the request was reasonable enough. In either case, he would be able to keep better track of his progress in the future.
He returned to the last page, where the status page was now displayed.
Harry Potter
Magic reserves: 4050
Shop Points: 150
Level: 11 Next: 2780/153600
Artisan Rank: 999th
Renown: 200
Workshop Level: 2 Next [150/10000]
Level 3 Unlocks: Wardstone; Protection Wards
Crafting Book Level: 1 Next [3240/5000]
Current Tasks
Task #8 - Build crafting stations for the workshop (ongoing).
General experience earned + 1000
Task #10 - Climb to the 750th position in the rankings.
Objective: Continue to create artifacts to increase the player's renown and rise in the world rankings.
Reward: 5000 workshop points; additional rare items added to the Magic Emporium.
Skills
Special
[IV] Warden [Mastered]
[III] Arcane Resistance [3/5]
[III] Animagus [Mastered]
[III] Velocier [Mastered]
[III] Assimilate Runes [2/5]
Passive
[III] Dexterity [5/5]
[II] Steady Hands [Mastered]
[II] Elder Futhark Runes [4/5]
[II] Anglo-Saxon Runes [3/5]
[II] Parseltongue Runes [2/5]
Technical
[II] Construction [2/5]
[II] Blacksmithing [2/5]
[II] Leatherworking [2/5]
[II] Whittling [1/5]
[I] Maintenance [3/5]
[I] Dismantling [3/5]
[I] Calligraphy [5/5]
[I] Drawing [2/5]
Among all the changes, his skills had undergone the most significant transformation. He had neatly divided them into three distinct groups and adjusted some skills. His leatherworking skill had also improved by one tier. Additionally, the maximum level for each skill was now explicitly displayed, indicating that any skill labelled "mastered" had reached its pinnacle and could no longer be improved further.
Even though two of his skills had reached the highest level, he hadn't accumulated enough experience points to fully max them out. At least, that was his guess about what it meant. Not that it mattered. Dexterity was already nearing its limit, but he didn't believe there would be any additional benefits from mastering it.
Before going to bed, Harry finished copying the schematic for the two-way mirror Remus had given him. Before he went on to improve its functionality, he wanted to make several for his girlfriends and friends so they could stay in touch more. He thought about adding his grandparents to that list, but that needed further consideration. If they had a means of communicating with him at all times, they would end up monitoring him too closely.
29th June
"Before we leave, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind," Appoline said.
The small group had gathered at the Delacout residence in preparation for their trip to the Veela conclave. Appoline, Harry, Fleur, Gabrielle, Susan, Daphne, Astoria, and Luna were part of the group. Gabrielle had invited Luna because they were working together on a news article for the magizoologist magazine. Gabrielle felt compelled to express her gratitude, and visiting a Veela conclave was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. Since Luna was invited, she couldn't leave Astoria out of it, so she came as well.
"The conclave has a completely different culture than the rest of the world," Appoline explained. "There may be some traditions there that seem strange to you, but don't show any disrespect. If you don't comply, they will ask you to leave and won't extend another invitation. It's unusual to invite so many people at once, and you only have this opportunity because of my maman."
Luna raised her hand. "Is it true that Veela displays their affection openly, even in front of guests?"
"Define what you mean by openly," Astoria said, nudging her shoulder with a grin.
"Very well. Sexual intercourse, making love, having coitus, fornicating, getting laid, making babies, humping," Luna said, pausing to take a breath. "Bang, bone, ride, get nasty, pound, get a di—"
"All right, that is enough," Susan yelled, covering her ears. "How could a thirteen-year-old know so many different terms for sex? I don't even know half of them."
Fawkes trilled in amusement from his position on Harry's shoulder. He had decided to go with them to the enclave.
"At least Luna was polite and started with the tamer words," Daphne remarked. "Giving poor Susan time to cover her ears in order to protect her delicate sensibilities."
Susan took her hands off of her ears and glared at her. "It's all your sister's fault. She has corrupted Luna."
"What?" Astoria put her hand on her chest. "I am deeply offended by the suggestion that I have corrupted anyone."
Luna handed her a piece of chocolate. "Have a chocolate frog. It will make you feel better."
Harry chuckled, amused by their antics.
"No," Appoline replied to Luna's original question with a smile. "Although Veela may have some strange notions about sex due to their nature, they aren't exhibitionists. They prefer their privacy."
She went on to instruct them on what to expect and how to behave, although she kept a few things close to her chest to keep the surprise factor. After finishing her explanation, she grabbed some floo powder and chucked it into the flames. She entered first, and the rest of the group followed her into the fireplace.
Harry emerged from the floo into a small room, where an older Veela woman was waiting for them. Usually, it was hard to tell with Veela how old they were because they aged slower than humans, but the woman had a lot of wrinkles on her face. She must be reaching her twilight years.
She sniffed in disapproval when she spotted Harry, but she was too polite to say anything rude to him.
"This is Marie," Appoline introduced her. "She is originally from Germany, but she came here as a little girl. She is the oldest Veela in the conclave and serves on our council of elders."
"It's impolite of you to bring up my age," Marie said, her arms folded behind her back. "Welcome to our conclave. I hope you enjoy your visit over the next two days. Gabrielle, are you just going to stand there and not greet this old woman?"
Gabrielle stepped forward and air-kissed Marie's cheeks. "I don't care if you are a decrepit old crone. I still love you, Marie."
The group gasped, unable to believe Gabrielle would dare say such a thing to the stern old lady. But Marie merely chuckled and pinched Gabrielle's cheeks.
"I see that the outside world has failed to teach you proper manners," Marrie said in mock disapproval.
"Not at all," Gabrielle said, batting her eyelashes. "I learned my manners as a little girl, sitting on your knees and listening to your adventures as a young woman."
"Cheeky girl!"
Marie motioned for the others to follow her. When Harry exited the building and saw the scene before him, his eyes widened in awe. The scenery seemed as if it had come directly from a painting. The others' exclamations indicated that they felt the same way.
The place where the conclave was located looked like the unicorn's grove he had seen before, but on a bigger scale. At its core, there was a huge lake with remarkably transparent water, as well as numerous tiny islands dotted around it. The conclave was encircled by massive trees that stood like towering guardians, their canopies almost blocking out the sky.
The majority of the buildings were built along the lake's edge, with some built on islands or elevated high into the trees. Each structure blended in with its surroundings, appearing to be a natural part of the landscape. If Harry hadn't known better, he might have misidentified the Veela as fantastical elves straight out of a fairy tale.
"No wonder Veelas don't want to leave this place," Daphne said. "This looks like a paradise."
"Not many of the conclaves look like this," Marie expressed with pride. "We are very fortunate that we have such a beautiful home."
There were dozens of Veelas walking around the lake's perimeter, going about their business. The vast majority of them were females, and they looked stunning. They were dressed in light clothing that showed off their beautiful bodies.
Harry had been so preoccupied with the scenery that he had not noticed how oppressively hot it was outside. Even though it was summer, he didn't expect the temperature to be this high. The sweat trickled down his forehead, and he reached up to wipe it away. But the action also revealed how damp his shirt was, clinging uncomfortably to his back.
Marie noticed his discomfort. "Veela loves the heat more than anything else. It may be a little too much for you. I recommend that you cast a cooling charm."
Harry followed her suggestion, and as the coolness spread throughout his body, a sense of relief washed over him. The others in the group who weren't Veela copied him.
They turned to see a group of children frolicking in the lake, laughing as they splashed each other.
"I thought Veela was afraid of deep water," Susan said.
"A common misconception." Gabrielle snorted. "The rumour arose as a result of our animosity with the merpeople. From a young age, we learn not to swim in unfamiliar lakes or rivers, as they might have merpeople residing in them who would attack us instantly. There are no merpeople in this lake."
"We are more aligned with the fire element," Fleur added. "But swimming in water doesn't weaken us; after all, we originally came from the sea." Although our harpy form wouldn't be as effective in the water."
That last sentence sparked an idea in his head, but it vanished as soon as he thought of it. Perhaps it will come to him later.
"Seraphine has told me that you are to be given access to the archives," Marie said to Harry. "I don't know what she is thinking. Knowing more about our race won't help you create an artifact that inhibits our allure. Furthermore, I don't think such a thing is necessary."
"That is only your opinion," Apolline said. "But you don't see our race's precarious situation for what it waning of magic forces the Veelas to overcrowd the remaining conclaves. We can't bury our heads in the sand and ignore the situation just because we are in a better situation than most. Veela must adapt to the outside world, or we will lose everything."
Marie didn't appear to agree, but she didn't offer a rebuttal.
"Magic is waning?" Harry asked. "What do you mean?"
"Magic is slowly dying. It's more readily evident in nature," Apolline replied. "Magic comes from the fae realm, as you are probably already aware. Dimensional rifts feed the surrounding area's magic, allowing places like this to exist. But the rifts are gradually closing. The vast majority of magic users don't notice the decline because it doesn't affect them, but the magical races are more in tune with the natural world."
Harry frowned. What exactly was going on in the fae realm that caused the rifts to vanish? Knowing how selfish the deities he knew were, it wouldn't surprise him if they were involved. Although the situation didn't appear to be urgent, it didn't mean that everyone could simply ignore it, as Apolline suggested. Was there anything he could do about it, given his knowledge of the fae realm?
His thoughts wandered to the communication stone listed in the magic emporium, which would allow him to communicate with a random individual from the fae realm. He hadn't intended to use it ever, but it now seemed more important than ever. Was this what the Source had intended all along? Should he resist the urge to intervene and live his life more selfishly?
"Is that a Crumpled-Horn Snorkack?" Luna squealed, breaking him out of his musings. She bolted in the direction of a small, fluffy creature foraging around some foliage near the lake's edge.
"Who let the snorkack out of his enclosure?" Gabrielle frowned. "There is a reason why information about the creature is restricted. They are a critically endangered species."
"Even if you tried to erase her memories, I doubt it would work," Astoria laughed. "Her mind is unique."
"That is the polite way of putting it," Daphne said, rolling her eyes. "The snorkack is already out of the bag. Let's promise not to disclose the information to the outside world."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Harry smiled as he watched Luna clutch the creature to her chest. "Something tells me she will never let the creature out of her arms ever again."
Gabrielle groaned and slapped her forehead. "Why did I bring her here?"
"They are certainly cute enough," Harry said. "I imagine this is where your fascination with magical creatures began."
"We will deal with it later," Marie sighed. "Gabrielle, please show Harry where the archives are while I show the remaining guests to their rooms."
Harry trailed behind Gabrielle as she led him across a bridge over the lake to one of the islands. A lone building, a quaint single-story structure, sat atop the island, seemingly crafted from the same trees that surrounded the conclave.
"Did someone build this conclave from a sigil stone?" Harry asked.
"I can see where you would get that idea," Gabrielle said. "But I doubt there is a sigil stone large enough to construct such a huge space. No, Veela built it themselves, but it's reliant on magic of the natural world to sustain itself. There is a dimensional rift nearby that feeds it all the magic it needs."
"So that's why the conclaves are disappearing," Harry mused. "Why don't the Veela use wardstones to support the conclave?"
A wardstone's primary function was to artificially create dimensional rifts to gain access to magic to fuel wards. Although they began with that function, they evolved into a great deal more over time. They served as control schemes for a building's wards, making it easier to adjust or add new ones without having to destroy the structure to access them. They were primarily used to protect manors or institutions, such as Hogwarts.
"It would take too much to support the conclave," Gabrielle said, shaking her head. "Wardstones need rare materials to make, and the materials are finite. There aren't enough of them to go around."
Gabrielle led him into the building. The interior had bookshelves, comfortable chairs, and tables, like a typical library. Alongside rows of books on the shelves, one could find an assortment of weathered scrolls that had aged over time, their yellowed pages now cracked and brittle. He wondered how old they were to have reached such a state.
There was only one difference between it and a regular library: a pedestal with a bowl-shaped object on it. Harry recognised it right away because there was an identical one in the headmaster's office. A pensieve.
Behind the pedestal was a massive display case containing hundreds of vials. Each vial contained a glowing white substance that was a physical representation of someone's memory.
"I'm afraid you aren't allowed to view the memories," Gabrielle explained. "But everything else is at your disposal. Don't worry about damaging the scrolls; a spell protects them. Do you need my help looking for anything?"
"I'll be fine," Harry said, already browsing through one of the bookcases.
"Then I will leave you to it," Gabrielle said. "I will come back at lunchtime."
Harry began looking through books about Veela's interactions with water. He remembered what Fleur had said before, and it gave him a possible lead on how to design the artifact. It would most likely be nothing, but he had to start somewhere.
After finding a book that looked promising, he sat in one of the chairs and began reading. He was going to be here for a while.
So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Harry continues his research and gives a speech at the Ministry.
Patrons get access to advanced chapters for all of my stories. Read my profile for information on how to join if you are interested.
Thanks for reading.