Supernatural Connections
After their deal with the twins, the year passed quickly for Sal. Between classes and his conversations with Sarah about new projects, time seemed to fly. Before he knew it, summer had arrived.
"Hey Sal, what are you planning for this summer?" asked Tonks as they packed their trunks.
"Not much. It's an off year for the dueling circuit," Sal replied.
"Well, I was thinking about you staying the summer with me and my family," Tonks suggested.
"Sure. I'll let my mom know," Sal agreed.
Soon after, Sal sent an owl to his mother to inform her of his plans to spend the summer with Tonks and her family. At the station, they were met by Tonks's parents, Andromeda and Ted.
"Alright, do you have everything?" Andromeda asked, scanning Sal's luggage.
"Yes, ma'am," Sal said politely.
After settling in at the Tonks household, Sal decided to spend some time with the family.
"So, Sal, I heard it's because of you that Nymph is doing well in Potions," Andromeda said as they sat in the living room.
"I didn't do that much," Sal replied modestly.
"He's being modest. If it wasn't for his cooking advice, I don't think I would've passed Potions," Tonks interjected.
"That's right. I remember you saying he's the reason you started cooking. You weren't exactly the best cook," Ted added with a chuckle.
"I wasn't that bad," Tonks protested.
"Sweetheart, you would burn eggs," Andromeda said with a smile.
"To be fair, cooking isn't as easy as people think. And she has gotten better," Sal defended.
"I'm right here, you know," Tonks muttered, crossing her arms.
Ted smiled. "I hope you don't mind, but Sirius and Harry are coming over for dinner tonight."
"No, that actually sounds fun. I was hoping to talk to Sirius," Sal said, intrigued.
At dinner, Sal decided to bring up what was on his mind.
"So, Sirius, I don't know if Tonks has told you, but Tonks, Tulip, and I are going to open a joke shop after Hogwarts," Sal began.
"Really? That sounds like a great idea," Sirius said, grinning.
"I thought you wanted to be an Auror, Nymphadora?" Andromeda asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I still can. With Tulip running the shop and Sal making things, it should work out," Tonks explained.
"What type of stuff are you going to sell?" Harry asked, leaning forward with interest.
"I've already made some runes and rings. Not to mention that the Weasley twins are going to be creating products for us as well," Sal said.
"What about you, Sal? I thought you wanted to be a professional duelist," Ted asked.
"I do, but I don't want to be only one thing," Sal admitted.
Tonks smirked. "Truth is, of the three of us, Tulip will benefit the most from this. She didn't know what she wanted to do after Hogwarts until we started planning the shop."
"That's because before we started this venture, she didn't have a clear path," Sal added.
The next morning, Sal was back to brainstorming new projects. He decided to work on an idea to create a way to connect Sarah, the spirit of Hogwarts, to the Mage's Tower. He hoped this would help them uncover more of the tower's secrets and provide better insights into what they could accomplish with it.
Hey Sal, what are you reading?" asked Tonks.
"It's Hogwarts: A History. I was hoping there was something that could help me understand how Hogwarts has been used over the centuries," Sal replied.
"That's easy—it's a school," Tonks said with a grin.
"True, but it was a castle before that. There must be records of what the founders did during that time," Sal explained.
"Any luck?" Tonks asked, peeking over his shoulder.
"No, like you said, it's just the history of the school," Sal said, closing the book with a sigh.
"In that case, you should focus on something more useful, like enjoying our summer," Tonks suggested, plopping down next to him.
"I have an idea," Sal said, his eyes lighting up.
"What?" Tonks asked, intrigued.
"Well, if we can get the tower working properly, it could basically be a magical resort. It works like the Room of Requirement, so we could transform it into anything we need," Sal said excitedly.
Tonks grinned. "You're a genius."
"I know. Let's get started," Sal said, already formulating a plan.
They began by having Tonks scout the woods for a hidden spot while Sal found a shaded area under a tree to begin his research. As Tonks wandered off, Sal opened his notebook and began sketching ideas.
"Making an archway shouldn't be hard," Sal thought aloud. "I can handle the transfiguration, but the hard part will be the runes and the magic needed to make it work." He paused, tapping his quill against his notebook. "I wonder if I can use the Albion magic... but the only way to access it is through Sarah."
He pulled out the enchanted map Sarah had given him and performed the spell she had shown him, focusing his magic into the parchment.
"Sarah, can you hear me?" Sal asked.
It didn't take long for text to appear on the map. Yes. Is something wrong?
No, but I wanted to ask if you could help me connect with the Albion magic, Sal wrote back.
Yes, but you're too far away to make the connection, Sarah replied.
Is there a way for me to come to you? Sal asked.
Yes, but it's dangerous because you would have to use yourself as an anchor in a ritual, Sarah explained.
Before Sal could reply, Tonks returned, brushing leaves out of her hair. "Hey, I found a good spot," she said, pointing to a secluded area deeper in the woods.
"Good. I've got some news too," Sal said, closing the map. "Good news and bad news."
"Give me the good news first," Tonks said, sitting down beside him.
"The good news is, I may have found a way to get the tower working again," Sal said.
"And the bad news?" Tonks asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It requires a ritual," Sal said slowly. "And it could kill me."
Tonks stared at him, her expression a mix of concern and exasperation. "That's a pretty big downside, Sal."
"I know," Sal admitted. "But with your help, I think we can make it work."
Tonks sighed but nodded. "Alright. Let's figure this out together. But if you die, I'm bringing you back just to yell at you."
Sal chuckled. "Deal."
The night of the ritual arrived. Sal and Tonks returned to the secluded spot in the woods, bringing with them everything they would need. Sal had spent the past few days meticulously planning the ritual with Sarah's guidance, gathering runes, magical components, and books on ancient magic.
"Alright," Sal began, placing the runes in a circular pattern on the forest floor. "This will anchor the magic and keep it stable. Tonks, I'll need you to stand at this point here." He pointed to one of the runes, marked with the symbol of protection.
"Got it," Tonks said, stepping into position.
Sal stepped into the center of the circle, holding the enchanted map. He closed his eyes and began to chant the incantation Sarah had given him, his voice steady despite the growing tension in the air.
The runes began to glow, faintly at first, then brighter as the magic flowed through them. The air around them grew heavy, charged with energy. Tonks watched as the light from the runes formed a web-like pattern, connecting to Sal.
Suddenly, a sharp wind whipped through the clearing, and Sal's voice faltered. "Stay focused," he muttered to himself, gripping the map tightly.
"Sal, are you alright?" Tonks called, her voice laced with concern.
"I'm fine," Sal said through gritted teeth. "Just keep holding your position."
The light from the runes grew blinding, and for a moment, everything went silent. Then, with a deafening roar, the magic surged, and Sal felt a connection snap into place. His vision blurred as he was pulled into his dreamscape.
When Sal opened his eyes, he was standing in a familiar, ethereal space. Sarah appeared before him, her expression both curious and relieved.
"You made it," she said. "I can feel the connection now."
"What happens next?" Sal asked, his voice steady despite the exhaustion creeping in.
"Now that we're linked, I can help you access the Albion magic safely. It will take time, but this connection will grow stronger. You did well," Sarah said with a smile.
Back in the forest, Tonks watched as the light from the runes slowly faded. Sal collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily.
"Sal!" Tonks ran to his side, helping him up. "Are you okay?"
Sal nodded weakly. "It worked," he said, a faint smile on his lips. "We're connected now."
Tonks sighed in relief, helping him to his feet. "Next time, let's try a less life-threatening project, yeah?"
Sal chuckled softly. "Deal."
With his connection to Sarah and the Albion , Sal carefully focused his energy on the runes etched into the archway. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he traced the symbols with his magic, trying to activate them.
"You think this will work?" Tonks asked, watching intently from nearby.
"It's primitive and won't last long," Sal admitted, "but yes, it should work."
After a few more moments of effort, the runes began to glow faintly. The light grew stronger until a shimmering portal materialized before them.
"Okay, now, before it closes," Sal urged, stepping through first.
The sensation was disorienting but brief. On the other side, they found themselves standing in a large courtyard surrounded by towering walls and intricate stonework.
"It worked," Tonks said, looking around. "But where are we?"
"This is the courtyard," a voice said from behind them. They turned to see the tower's mysterious caretaker standing nearby. "It will change to fit your tastes."
"Right," Tonks said, rolling her eyes. "Well, you two catch up while I go look around." She wandered off, leaving Sal and the caretaker alone.
"Can you help me connect the tower to Hogwarts?" Sal asked.
"You merely have to reconnect the portals to the Albion magic," the caretaker explained, gesturing toward a set of intricate symbols etched into the stones nearby.
Sal approached the portal and placed his hand on the glowing surface. The moment his magic connected, he felt resistance—a barrier of sorts. It wasn't as simple as the caretaker had made it seem. He focused harder, channeling the connection he'd forged with Sarah. The tower seemed to recognize his efforts and responded with a surge of energy.
There was a quick burst of light, and the portal stabilized, glowing with a steady brilliance.
"Nice," Sal muttered, brushing himself off. "Okay, this is Hogwarts. Now to find Tonks."
He stepped through the portal and found himself in a large room with high ceilings, ornate carvings, and, to his surprise, a large pool in the center. Tonks was lounging on a chair by the pool, her feet dangling in the water.
"You look comfortable," Sal said with a smirk.
Tonks stretched lazily. "You were right; this could totally be a resort. You should join me."
"Maybe later. I've managed to connect the tower to Hogwarts," Sal said, his excitement cutting through his fatigue.
Tonks sat up, her interest piqued. "Then let's go."
Together, they stepped through the portal, arriving in the Room of Requirement. Sarah was already there, her spectral form glowing faintly.
"Where did you two come from?" Sarah asked, looking amused.
"Where to begin?" Sal said, launching into an explanation of how they'd discovered the tower and worked to connect it to Hogwarts.
When he finished, Tonks chimed in. "So, we were hoping you could help us with one more thing—connecting the tower's full magic to Hogwarts."
Sarah considered this, her expression thoughtful. "Now that I've felt the magic that brought you here, I think I can create something helpful."
With a graceful motion, she extended her hand. A part of the room shifted and reformed, revealing an ornate archway glowing faintly with magic.
"This archway will serve as a permanent connection between the tower and Hogwarts," Sarah explained. "It'll allow you to move freely between the two locations. And now, we'll be able to fully integrate the magic of both places."
Sal and Tonks exchanged a triumphant look. "Thank you, Sarah," Sal said. "This changes everything."
"Just remember," Sarah said with a knowing smile, "with great power comes great responsibility."
"We'll be careful," Tonks assured her.
"Well, mostly careful," Sal added with a grin.
Sarah laughed softly. "Good luck, my friends. I have a feeling you're going to need it."
Sal reconnected the tower to the archway near Tulip's house. "Let's see, that should do it," he said, stepping back to inspect his work.
"What is that?" Tulip asked, eyeing the archway curiously.
"I take it you know what a Portkey is?" Sal asked.
"Of course."
"Well, these keys work on the same concept, but they're anchored to the tower," Sal explained.
"So they transport us here?"
"Not exactly. You use the key in a door like a normal one, but this will open a portal to the tower instead," Sal clarified.
Tulip grinned. "I'll have to try this out later."
"Good. I made one for each of us," Sal said, handing her a key.