The Mage's Path Chapter 3, a harry potter fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.

Hi all,

Here's the first of two chapters being released today. Harry and Celeste get to know each other, and Harry continues to explore the dungeon.

Chapter 3

Harry gently lifted Celeste from the remnants of her shell, marvelling at her delicate form. Her translucent wings shimmered in the dim light, catching rainbow hues as they fluttered. She wore a simple white dress, its open back accommodating her gossamer appendages.

Celeste's eyes darted around, taking in her new surroundings. Without warning, she snatched up a piece of broken eggshell and began nibbling.

Harry's brow furrowed. "What are you doing?"

"Mmph," Celeste mumbled, her cheeks bulging. She swallowed and licked her lips. "I don't know why I'm eating it, but It's oddly delicious.

"Is this a baby animal's instinct at work?"

Celeste's wings flared, a spark of indignation in her eyes. "Who are you calling an animal? I'm an Umbra Fairy, the most powerful magical species in my realm! Not some common woodland creature!"

Harry couldn't help but smile at her vehement reaction, finding her outrage endearing. "How did you end up in that egg, Celeste?"

Celeste's wings drooped, her earlier bravado deflating. "Bad luck, I suppose. In my realm, certain magical creatures are chosen to become familiars. We're sealed in eggs, suspended in time until we meet our destined partners."

"Do you remember anything from your time inside the shell?"

"Bits and pieces. Mostly, I slept. But there was this... loneliness. It felt like an eternity." She shook her head, as if clearing away the memories. "When your magic touched me, it was like waking from a long, dark dream. Suddenly, I remembered who I was, where I came from."

"That explains why you aren't so confused about your situation." Harry said. "I'm sorry about your realm."

"What do you mean?"

"I examined your egg before you hatched, and it indicated that your realm had already vanished."

"My home... gone?" Her voice cracked. "I should feel devastated, but..."

"It's okay to be upset," Harry said softly. "You've lost everything you knew."

"My home wasn't exactly paradise. Magic was dying, making each day a struggle." She paused, eyes distant. "Still, it was home."

"Do you think there are survivors from your realm?" Harry asked.

"I don't know."

"What was your realm called?" Harry asked.

"The Shadow Lands."

Harry nodded, mind whirling. "Realms... like separate worlds?"

"Sort of," Celeste said. "I always thought of it as a piece of land that was isolated from other areas. Perhaps it is connected to the real world, but moving between them is difficult because they are separated by space. There was a gate in my realm that supposedly led to other places, but it had been dormant for as long as I could remember."

Something clicked in Harry's mind. "Like the gate I used to enter this dungeon..."

"Dungeon?" Celeste's eyes widened. "Where exactly are we?"

"It's complicated. We're in a magical space, probably not on Earth anymore."

Harry explained Earth to Celeste, describing the world, its reliance on technology, as well as its billions of inhabitants. He kept it brief because he could tell the majority of it went over her head. If she was going to live with him, he could gradually teach her more about his world. He wasn't sure how he would keep her hidden from the Dursleys.

"And you?" she asked. "Why are you here?"

Harry explained the Gamer's ability, watching Celeste's face for signs of comprehension. Her brow furrowed, wings twitching occasionally, but she remained silent.

"So, the Shadow Lands," Harry said, changing tack. "Is that why you're called an Umbra Fairy?"

Celeste's eyes lit up. "Exactly! Our realm pulsed with dark magic. Creatures there fed on pain, domination, and death."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you fit right in, little sadist."

"Hey!" Celeste zipped forward, hovering inches from his nose. "Take that back!"

"Sorry, sorry," Harry chuckled, leaning back. "Bad joke."

"How does a kid like you even know that word?"

"I read a lot," Harry said, shrugging. "Were there humans in your realm?"

"A few. I steered clear of them, though."

A notification blinked in Harry's vision. "Hold on," he muttered, focusing on the new information.

New Side Quest!

Bonding Ritual of the Familiar

Quest Description: Harry Potter has discovered a companion in the form of Celeste, a mischievous fairy with untapped potential. To cement their bond, they need to perform a ritual. Until then, Celeste is vulnerable to attacks as she cannot use the system's features. Until the bonding ritual is completed successfully, her safety must be prioritised.

Objective(s)

1: Celeste must fully consume her eggshell to gain the experience points needed for the ritual.

2: Gather 200 experience points to fuel the ritual's magic on your end.

3: Follow Celeste's instructions to perform the ritual and formalise the bond.

Side Quest Completion: Celeste's Battle Dress; 2 skill points.

Time Limit: Complete the bonding ritual before finishing the tutorial dungeon.

Quest Difficulty: Easy

Failure: Lose out on getting an amazing familiar.

"Are you reading from one of those floating windows?" Celeste asked, observing his distracted state. "What does it say?"

As Harry shared the information, Celeste stroked her chin thoughtfully, her tiny fingers tapping a rhythmic pattern. "Hmm. I wonder how it works exactly. Before I was trapped in the egg, I could perform some spells, you know."

Celeste looked at Harry with a mischievous glint in her eye. She scrunched up her face in concentration, her wings tensing as she pointed at him. But then her face fell, disappointment evident in her delicate features.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't use any of my spells," Celeste lamented. "What's going on?"

"I have a feeling you were about to do something bad."

"You're imagining things."

An idea struck Harry. "Do you mind if I check your status to see if I find out what's going on?"

"Go ahead."

"Scan!"

The target cannot be scanned right now.

"Strange," Harry mused. "It works on the other monsters."

"Who are you calling a monster!?"

"Not this again," Harry sighed. "The Scan skill typically reveals details about all living beings. Perhaps it'll work once you officially become my familiar."

Celeste nodded and went back to eating her shell. Given her small stature, she would need a long time to finish it. She couldn't be any taller than six inches in height.

He received another notification about a new quest. When he opened it, a prompt informed him that he couldn't read the description because his level was too low. Curious, Harry opened the quest menu. It had several tabs, with the main tab displaying an overview of his current quests.

Quests Status

Main Quests:

Dive into the Tutorial Dungeon

Occupation Quest

Wandless Mage

Side Quests:

Hunger Pangs

Primed for the Big Time

(New!) Bonding Ritual of the Familiar

(New!) Umbra Queen: [Requires Level 20]

"There are more quests here than I was aware of," Harry murmured. "Why didn't I receive notifications about them? Were they granted when I first got the Gamer ability?"

With a mental command, he navigated to another tab with detailed quest descriptions and focused on the 'Wandless Mage' quest.

Occupation Quest:

Acolyte 1: Wandless Magic

Quest Description: Harry Potter can cast spells without the aid of foci. Wandless magic, a skill typically acquired through innate talent and rigorous training, has been temporarily bestowed upon him for the tutorial dungeon. However, this ability will disappear upon completion of the dungeon. To permanently harness this ability, Harry must diligently train and master the art himself. This quest serves as an advancement quest, marking the beginning of a quest series that unlocks the player's next occupation level.

Objective(s)

1: Unlock the Acolyte Path on the Skill Board.

2: Master the art of casting wandless magic independently.

3: Demonstrate your proficiency by using wandless magic outside of the tutorial dungeon.

Quest Completion Rewards: 1000xp; 5 path points.

Time Limit: None

Quest Difficulty: High

Failure: Unable to progress beyond an Apprentice Mage.

"What's a foci? Forget about that for the moment. How am I supposed to learn how to cast wandless magic? It's not like I have the time to mess around…"

Harry's thoughts drifted as a realisation dawned on him. Time was suspended in the tutorial dungeon. This meant he could remain here indefinitely until he mastered the wandless ability.

What about supplies? He knew he needed to refuel his body after experiencing thirst and hunger already. Will the food in the kitchen run out, or will it replenish itself automatically? Even if it didn't, he should be able to get by for a few weeks on what was already stocked in the refrigerator and pantry. Celeste was only tiny, so the food she would need was insignificant.

Closing the menu, Harry pushed aside the concern about learning wandless magic. Based on his understanding of the main quest, the tutorial wouldn't conclude until he found the exit and left the dungeon. In the meantime, he needed to gain the experience required to make Celeste his familiar. Having a companion to explore the dungeons with would be cool because she could contribute to the fights and he would have someone to talk to other than himself.

Harry closed his menu. "I'm going to leave you here, Celeste, while I continue to explore the dungeon and acquire the necessary experience points for the ritual. If you cannot perform magic, then you won't be of much use to me."

"Harsh but fair," Celeste said, wrinkling her nose. "I will try and finish off this egg in the meantime. Don't say I didn't do my part!"

"Yes, it's a real hardship," Harry said wryly. "I need to sleep first to restore my resources first. But before that, I need to finish examining these items."

"I was going to ask about that. What are they anyway?"

"It's the loot from the chest."

Celeste's eyes lit up. "There's treasure in this dungeon? Maybe I should come with you after all."

"I don't think so."

Harry turned his attention to the next item laid out on the bed.

It was a light green robe adorned with patterns of wind swirls and clouds. Harry was certain it was an item meant for him, but he decided to use an appraisal scroll to confirm.

Description: The Cyclone Cape harnesses the power of the wind, granting the wearer the ability to move silently and amplifying the potency of wind-based spells. While providing respectable defence for its level, its true value lies in evasive manoeuvres rather than direct damage mitigation.

*Additional Requirements: None

*Defence: 7

*Durability: 100/100

*Increases agility by 10%

*Boosts the effectiveness of offensive wind spells by 30%

Harry draped the cloak over his shoulders, savouring the luxurious feel of the thin, silk-like material that was lightweight and comfortable. He opened his menu to view his current status. The cloak replaced the defensive stats he gained from the clothes, rather than supplementing them. It looked like only one piece of body armour would count towards his defence, and the one with the better defence would override the other automatically. His clothes didn't give him much defence, so it wasn't much of a loss.

Harry examined the next item, a belt with a dagger sheath and loops that appeared to be designed to secure potions. He used an appraisal scroll, but to his dismay, it was categorised as an unclassified piece of equipment, with no defensive stats or distinguishing characteristics—it simply served its intended purpose without any additional benefits.

The system categorised equipment into six different tiers: Unclassified, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary.

Unclassified equipment was completely ordinary and could be replicated by going to a store in the real world and purchasing it or having it made from basic materials.

Common equipment wasn't much better, offering average stats and durability relative to its equipment level. They didn't have special characteristics, such as inherent abilities or enchantment slots, but it was better than wearing nothing.

Uncommon was a notable improvement over common equipment, providing slightly enhanced stats and durability. But the main benefit is that they could hold up to two special characteristics and enchantment slots to enhance the equipment further.

Rare equipment was harder to come by, and it was typically found in locked chests or obtained by defeating elite monsters or bosses. They had significantly higher stats and durability, and they could possess truly unique characteristics such as monster skills or unique spells. It was also the first tier to feature equipment sets, which provided additional benefits if equipped all together.

Epic equipment was difficult to come by, with each weapon and armour boasting excellent stats and durability. Each piece of equipment could have up to four special characteristics and three enchantment slots. They didn't necessarily have to be used for offence or defence, as they could have unique and game-changing abilities. Such as his Gamer Specs, which provided him with a heads-up display.

All legendary equipment were near-mythical treasures of unrivalled strength and significance, with exceptional stats, durability, and properties. They could hold up to six special properties and five enchantment slots, and their unparalleled abilities made them extremely rare and highly sought after. Simply owning one would be a game changer, but they typically had stringent equipment requirements.

The final item retrieved from the chest was a vial containing a vibrant blue liquid. It was unmistakably a mana potion, aligning with the colour scheme of his other resources.

Before going to bed, he spent three of his AP to increase his Spirit to fifteen, meeting the requirement for unlocking the Wind Elemental Grimoire. He took the grimoire and agreed to absorb it when prompted. The grimoire turned into motes of light and rushed into his head. The information about his newest spell, Whirlwind Blades, flooded his consciousness.

Description: Whirlwind Blades is a spell that unleashes a razor-sharp blade of cutting wind, delivering slashing damage to the target. While its speed and decent range make it a potent offensive tool, its tendency to generate noticeable noise renders it unsuitable for sneak attacks. Initially manifested as a single blade of wind, the spell progressively intensifies in power as it levels up, culminating in a maximum of five blades.

* Deals minor slashing damage to the target.

* Spirit=25: increases the power and range of the wind blades by 30%.

* At its base level, the spell conjures a single whirlwind blade.

* Upgrades to level 2 after killing 25 monsters.

He no longer had to worry about being stuck in the Magic Phase without an offensive spell to deal with monsters. After sleeping, he would put the spell to the test on some monsters.

Harry lay down on the bed and fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

Harry awoke, feeling as if he would just lay his head on the pillow, but also completely refreshed. He couldn't recall having a better night's rest. Perhaps he could take the bed with him when he exited the dungeon.

He was greeted by a prompt.

Harry Potter has slept in a bed for eight hours. All of his resources have been completely restored, and his consumption level has been reset to zero.

Harry scratched his head. "It's hard to get a sense of time in this place."

Celeste lay sprawled out on the foot of the bed, clutching her protruding belly. He shook his head in amusement. The little glutton appears to have finished the whole eggshell in one sitting.

He carefully got out of bed to avoid waking her and prepared himself a quick meal. He put on his belt, sheathed his dagger, and placed his potion in the loops. He didn't need to worry about the vials shattering, as they were surprisingly sturdy. When he dropped one of the potions previously, it wasn't damaged in the slightest. He appreciated the convenience of having his potions within easy reach on his belt, rather than being stored in his bag.

Before venturing outside the safe room, he consulted the main menu, noting that the dungeon was currently in the magic phase, signalling the opportune moment to test out his new spell.

The absence of monsters lurking outside the safe room suggested they had retreated to their usual haunts, which meant he had to hunt them down. He conjured a mage light, its soft glow casting flickering shadows on the books that lined the shelves. Harry noted that the range of the spell's illumination had subtly expanded after increasing his magic.

Harry encountered the Razor Edge that had pursued him previously. Raising his hand, he summoned a swirling wind blade above his palm, its eerie shrieks catching him off guard with their piercing intensity. The monster, alarmed by the noise, retaliated quickly, unleashing a barrage of pages in his direction.

Harry dodged the incoming assault before unleashing the wind blade, cleaving through the air and slicing into the book-like form of the monster. It retreated as the slashing wind ripped a large hole in it.

Razor's Edge - Level 3 - HP 20/34

The monster was vulnerable to slashing damage, so it dealt extra damage with its wind blade. Knowing it was attempting to flee, Harry quickly unleashed two more wind blades, each of which found its target and finished off the monster.

Harry retraced his steps and defeated the two Chompers who had previously pursued him, earning an additional thirty experience points.

He continued his journey northward, intent on exploring the rest of the northeastern section. However, the paths between the rows of towering bookcases seemed to constrict around him, their looming presence evoking a sense of foreboding and claustrophobia. The narrow passages not only heightened the risk of an ambush but also posed a challenge by limiting his manoeuvrability in potential conflicts.

After the path turned east again, a monster appeared, almost as if in response to his thoughts. Harry slowed down and crept forward silently. It had its back to him, but he could see that the monster was different from the others. When he was about four metres away, it turned around and faced him. It was a tattered leather book standing three feet tall, wrapped in a black robe with a hood. It held an orb that was emitting dark energy.

"Assess!"

Primary Attributes: Spirit: 16 | Willpower: 14 | Defence: 5

Primary Skills:

Shadow Bolt: A bolt of shadow energy that causes damage and intense pain.

Mind Warp: A curse that distorts the target's perception of reality, causing confusion, disorientation, and hallucinations.

Paralysis Hex: Immobilises the target, rendering them unable to move or defend themselves temporarily.

?: ?

Monster Traits

Resourceful: When it runs out of MP, it converts its HP into MP.

Sadist: Its magic becomes more powerful when it inflicts pain on its victim.

Dark Adaptation: The recipient has adapted to see in dark environments; PER +5

Do not Touch My Ball: Take the orb from the monster to keep it from using magic.

It's Just a Book After All: Weak against Slashing, Piercing, and Fire Damage.

Exp: 19 [Base 15 + 1 per level]

Loot: 10 Pounds; Tutorial Page (?)

Bestiary Entry: 0/10 defeated.

Description: The Hexbound Tome is a monstrous creature made entirely of ancient, tattered books bound together with dark leather straps and magic. It's a malevolent and cunning entity, delighting in the suffering and chaos it brings upon its victims. Despite its malicious nature, the Hexbound Tome is also intelligent, using its knowledge of ancient spells and curses to outwit its opponents.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "You'd love Celeste. Two peas in a sadistic pod."

The Deathbound Tome's cackle reverberated through the corridor, the sound grating against Harry's eardrums. From its pulsing orb, a blade of sickly yellow energy erupted. It filled the narrow space, too wide to sidestep. Harry's instincts kicked in. He dropped, feeling the spell sear the air above him, the heat prickling his scalp.

He rolled across the floor right before a dark orb sizzled the ground where he'd been. The acrid smell of burnt carpet filled his nostrils. Scrambling up, legs wobbling, he lurched sideways. Another orb whistled past, so close he felt its energy tug at his clothes.

Heart pounding, Harry summoned a wind blade. It materialised above his palm, humming with power. He hurled it at the Tome, watching it slice through the air. But a yellow bolt shot from the orb, colliding with his attack mid-flight. The explosion of light and sound hit him like a physical blow. His vision whited out, ears ringing.

In that moment of vulnerability, white-hot pain exploded across his back. It felt like being struck by lightning. Harry crumpled, his knees hitting the floor hard. Through watering eyes, he saw the world spin. The Tome's manic laughter pierced through his disorientation. Somehow, impossibly, it had struck from behind.

Before he could recover, another orb slammed into his stomach. The impact drove the air from his lungs. Stars burst behind his eyes as pain radiated through his core. Desperately, he bit his tongue hard. The sharp, coppery taste of blood filled his mouth, but the new pain cleared his head just enough. He rolled, feeling the whoosh of air as the next attack barely missed him.

Prone on the ground, chest heaving, he spotted the Tome. Summoning his dwindling strength, he launched another wind blade. It sliced through the air, cutting clean through the monster's legs. The Tome's shriek of pain echoed off the walls as it dropped its orb. The glowing sphere clattered to the ground, rolling to a stop between them.

As the Tome desperately crawled towards its fallen weapon, Harry knew he had one chance. Sweat stinging his eyes, body screaming in protest, he summoned one last wind blade. It carved through the monster's body like a hot knife through butter. In a blinding flash of light, both Tome and orb vanished, leaving behind only wisps of dark smoke.

Harry's head thudded to the floor, his cheek pressed against the cold stone. New information flooded his mind, threatening to overwhelm him as his body shook from lingering pain and adrenaline.

"Some tutorial," he spat, tasting blood and bile. "This is a bloody death trap."

Groaning, every movement an agony, he pushed himself up. His fingers trembled as he accessed his menu, navigating to the database. The entry for the Hexbound Tome now revealed its hidden ability: Blindsided: Launches an attack from behind the target for twice the cost.

"That explains everything," Harry muttered. "I will have to be more careful the next time I encounter one."

He picked up the loot and stuffed it into his bag before checking his current HP.

Harry Potter HP: 68/100

The attacks didn't cause as much damage as he had feared, but the pain was almost incapacitating. It was a dangerous combination because when Shadow Bolt caused pain, it increased the monster's magic, resulting in more damage. If he hadn't been able to recover, he would have quickly become overwhelmed. The only positive note was that the monster had low health. If he could figure out a way to sneak up on it, then he could kill it before it could retaliate.

"Should I try to learn a stealth skill?"

He discovered that the system was designed to incentivise the accumulation of skill points through levelling up and completing quests. Skills were categorised into magical and physical abilities, governed by Grimoires and Primers, respectively.

Grimoires were books that gave him knowledge on magical skills freely, as long as he met the requirements to unlock them. They would appear on the Skill Board as skill trees, with one or more paths that focused on different aspects of the power granted from the Grimoire. However, most skills born from the Grimoire require skill points, and cannot be learned through practice. This made skill points extremely valuable, especially because most skill trees are linear and he needed to unlock one skill before progressing.

In contrast, Primers operated on a different principle and focused on physical skills rather than magical. They didn't provide him with skills like Grimoires did, which unlocked a set of skills immediately. Instead, he had to unlock a Primer by learning a group of related skills. For example, what skills might be relevant to the Dagger Mastery skill he learned previously? Based on the D&D book he read, he imagined anything related to thieves and assassins would count.

Once he unlocked a Primer, he received several perks that added a synergistic effect to all of the skills governed by it. If he worked hard, he didn't need to spend a single skill point to learn any skill, but that didn't mean he couldn't.

The second problem with learning skills was that learning each subsequent skill took more time and effort. This could be mitigated slightly by increasing his Intelligence, but there would be a point where eventually he was spending months just to gain a single skill.

Given his current occupation, he assumed Gaia was pushing him to become a magic-focused character. However, if the dungeons continued to shift between magic and weapon phases, he couldn't rely solely on magic. He needed to be an all-arounder.

"Gaia has given me an opportunity. I may not be able to train my attributes in the dungeon, but that doesn't hold true for learning skills."

Harry continued exploring. He encountered more monsters, and he took the opportunity to try and learn a stealth skill. Whenever he came across one, he would creep as close as he could, silently, until he was discovered. Even though he was getting better at killing them, he took more damage, reducing his health to a third of its maximum. To be safe, he drank the health potion that he had on hand.

When he reached the northeastern corner, he found another switch with "3/4" inscribed on it. Just like before, a rumbling sound emerged from somewhere in the library when he pulled it. He still needed to find the last two switches, which he assumed were in the opposite corners.

After consulting his minimap, he started to explore the northern centre of the map, but he made sure not to venture too far from the safe room. After finding another treasure chest with a health potion, he continued to kill monsters. After sneaking up on the third monster, he managed to learn a new skill.

Description: The Sneak skill enables you to move undetected, utilising the cover of darkness to your advantage and evading the keenest eyes. With a focus on subterfuge and precision, this skill is essential for executing covert operations, outmanoeuvring foes, and striking swiftly and decisively from the shadows. Success hinges on your skill level and Agility pitted against the target's Perception.

* -20% less likely to be seen when sneaking in darkened areas.

* -20% less noise is produced when sneaking.

* Sneak attacks deal twice the damage.

* Unlock Level 2 by eliminating ten monsters with a sneak attack.

He immediately retraced his steps back to the safe room after gaining the necessary experience points. He found Celeste trying to open the fridge, a sight that caused him to laugh.

"Haven't you eaten enough already?"

Celeste flew over to him and hovered in front of his face. "Did you get the experience points?"

Harry nodded.

"Finally!" Celeste twirled around. "It's boring here. There's nothing to do."

"Shall we perform the ritual now? What does the ritual entail?"

"It's not complicated. The ritual is more of a symbolic gesture than anything else," Celeste said. "It is known as the Ritual of Bloodbound Kinship. We must mix our blood and recite an incantation. It takes very little."

Harry sat on the ground opposite Celeste and pulled out a dagger. He made a shallow incision in his finger. Meanwhile, Celeste was much more crude, biting her finger to draw some blood. They pressed their fingers together.

"Repeat after me," Celeste instructed.

Harry joined her in reciting the brief incantation. He watched in awe as ribbons of light appeared from their hands and began to intertwine. He experienced a prickling sensation in his mind, as if something was attempting to burrow into his head. Then he felt another mind brush against his own, brimming with curiosity, mischief, and a sadistic edge.

After all of the ribbons had merged, there was a flash of light that caused him to close his eyes. When he opened them again, he noticed Celeste's white dress transforming in front of him. When it was finished, she was dressed in a purple flared skirt embellished with several gems and an open back to accommodate her wings. The outfit was complemented by black leggings, shoes, and elbow-length gloves.

Bonding Ritual of the Familiar Quest Complete!

You have gained a familiar!

Celeste: Umbra Fairy - Level 1

Celeste now has access to several advantages arising from the player's Gamer ability.

Her status can now be viewed from the main menu or using the Assess skill.

Rewards: Celeste Battle Dress; 2 skill points.

Celeste opened her eyes, smirking. "There's no getting rid of me now, mister! To death do us part!"

"Why did you have to word it like that?"

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, the two team up to continue exploring the dungeon.

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Thanks for reading.