Chapter 313: Dangerous Ancient Magic
Chapter 313: Dangerous Ancient Magic
In the Runic Script Club, the young wizards relaxed on sofas of various sizes, chatting enthusiastically and discussing what they planned to do during the holidays.
"The World Cup is a must-attend... I'll also visit relatives with my family. My uncle has a monster with a high, humped back and a pair of long horns..."
In a corner of the sofa, Hermione whispered, "I think he's talking about a Horned Beast. They are usually found in mountainous regions, are entirely purple, and are very aggressive—"
"Oh, Hermione, we've all finished our exams", Ron said.
"This isn't part of the exam—"
"I know, but you're just so excited that Mr. Newt Scamander wrote back to you that you memorized all of his information", Ron said.
Harry couldn't help but laugh, and Hermione glared at them in annoyance.
Harry fiddled with a seven-sided Muggle coin. Professor Hup had told him that he could only use apparition outside the Room of Requirement when the entire coin turned a brilliant golden color. However, it was still missing a corner, and Harry hoped to fill it before the holidays.
Ron looked at the coin enviously. He had tried a few times while practicing with Harry but never succeeded. He had always wanted to learn this magic before the twins and then tease them about it.
"Harry, when is Professor Lupin's farewell party? Is it set?" Ron asked.
"Day after tomorrow", Harry said. "It's just a small gathering, with some professors... and us."
"That's odd", Ron said. "I thought Snape would—ouch!" Harry hastily stomped on his foot, and Ron realized his mistake. "I mean, given Snape's attitude towards Professor Lupin, he wouldn't mind leaking his secret..."
Hermione said, "Professor Snape has known from the beginning. He had no reason to do so."
"I meant—"
Harry thoughtfully said, "Maybe he's just embarrassed. Professor Lupin has helped him, right? He can't cast the Patronus Charm." Although he said this, he still couldn't be sure if the silver light he saw from Snape's wand was just his imagination.
Or perhaps it was a completely different magic?
At that moment, Professor Hup walked over, holding a shallow stone basin. The young wizards curiously gathered around.
"Is this... a Pensieve?" a sixth-year student called out, excitedly. "Professor, is this a Pensieve?"
"It's just a replica", Felix said with a smile. He placed the basin on a small table so everyone could see clearly. "We'll be using it shortly."
The gray stone basin contained a silvery substance that looked like liquefied clouds or melted silver, slowly swirling.
Harry remembered that in the first Ancient Runic Script class, the professor had introduced this ancient magical artifact, which could store and view memories. He thought of his nameless book and wondered if it might serve a similar purpose.
Felix sat down and smiled at the group. "Many of you know that I will teach you an Ancient Magic during the last part of the term. I'm pleased to see that you have all mastered the Runic Script needed for it."
"Luminos—this is what I named it. I initially thought it was just for lighting, but I recently discovered that it also has a significant effect on dark creatures and can dispel magical dark mists. In short, it's a useful defensive spell."
As he spoke, Felix uttered strange syllables and reached forward, deliberately slowing the process to make it easy to follow. The young wizards craned their necks, afraid to miss a single detail.
One by one, Ancient Runic Scripts appeared in the air, as if they had always been there but were previously invisible. They were smaller than the tip of a pinky, and these Ancient Runic Scripts connected to form a complex pattern. In the next moment, a milky white light rippled and bloomed from the professor's fingertips.
"I've just demonstrated the casting process, not its full power. In fact, it's hard to gauge the upper limits of this magic", Felix said with a smile. "But I doubt anyone would be so bored as to exhaust their Magic—"
He suddenly paused, as more than one young wizard looked eager to try. He rubbed his forehead. Well, he had been wrong. For him, it would be boring, but for the young wizards, it was a fun challenge.
So he warned again, "Although the spell is quite safe, the worst danger is the discomfort from draining your Magic. But that feeling is very unpleasant. Let's just say, if you faint, you'll be glad you did."
The professor's serious tone made the students a bit more cautious. Felix continued, "Ancient Magic is powerful and difficult to control, but why is that? Has anyone thought about it?"
The club members discussed this in a flurry of voices. After more than half a year, they were no longer beginners in Ancient Runic Script. When it came to practical Runic Scripts, they were among the best in the magical world.
Despite Felix's opinion, it was still quite weak.
"Because it requires a lot of Magic?"
"Clearly not. I guess it's because when the Runic Script converges into a pattern, any mistake will cause an explosion."
Draco Malfoy suddenly spoke up, "My father said that Ancient Magic is very sinister. Once it takes shape, it develops its own will and will draw on the caster's Magic, even their life force..."
The discussion died down, and everyone looked at him with a wary expression.
Felix clapped his hands, "Hmm, Malfoy, I can't say you're entirely wrong on some level. This brings us to the question of how we can master an Ancient Magic..."
"First, the initial step is to master all the Ancient Runic Script associated with the magic. Ideally, you should reach a level of proficiency, understanding the magical symbolism of the Runic Script itself."
Runic Script symbols began to appear in the air in front of him, taking various forms before quietly vanishing.
"Take Luminos as an example. The core is a single symbol, representing Light. The secondary core Runic Script consists of six symbols, each representing a different characteristic. Outside of that, there are seventeen less important Runic Script symbols."
Felix displayed all these Runic Script symbols, and everyone in the room managed to grasp at least the seven most core symbols, reaching a level of proficiency.
"Second, we need to arrange the Runic Script in a specific order. In ancient times, this was a Wizard's greatest secret, only shared with the closest of kin..."
"The reasoning is simple. Wizards of the time knew only a limited number of spells, and they were often similar. If this information was leaked, it could easily be used against them by enemies."
"Completing this step is not easy, but it's not impossible. The best method is through extensive practice. For most Ancient Magic, except for some obscure ones, this step is not particularly dangerous, especially for Luminos, which we are discussing today."
Hermione nodded along, her practice process had been relatively smooth. Even when the Runic Script sequence collapsed, it only turned into pure Magic—she would write down her specific insights after each practice session and review them regularly.
"Finally, we come to the crucial part where the characteristics of Ancient Magic are fully realized—shaping."
Felix scanned the room, satisfied to see all the students fully engaged. He continued, "The form of Ancient Magic is not fixed. The same spell can manifest as a fire Phoenix for one person, a fire bird, a fire lizard, or a Fire Crab for another."
He gave an exaggerated example, and the young wizards chuckled.
"Malfoy's first part was correct. Once Ancient Magic takes shape, it seems to develop its own will, instinctively drawing on the caster's Magic to grow, like a greedy monster. At this point, you must have the ability to control your Magic to counteract this suction."
"Additionally, Ancient Magic has no fixed form, so you must command it to follow your will—how much Magic do you want to invest? How long do you want to maintain it? What form should it take? Which traits should be enhanced? How do you end it?"
Felix asked a series of questions, waiting quietly for a few seconds before spreading his hands. "Unfortunately, there are no fixed answers to these questions. It all depends on your judgment."
"So, once you start learning a powerful attack spell, you can imagine the consequences if it goes out of control."
Harry followed the professor's line of thought, imagining what could happen with a fire-based Ancient Magic. If it didn't form, it would be manageable, but if it was successfully cast and then lost control, being drained of Magic, one could only watch helplessly as the magic consumed them.
"But fortunately—" Felix raised his voice, snapping the young wizards out of their terrifying imaginings, "the Luminos you will be learning is not dangerous. At least you don't have to worry about being burned to ashes by fire, corroded to pus by toxic fumes, or turned into a charred corpse by lightning."
The young wizards all widened their eyes. They didn't find much comfort in the professor's words.
"Does anyone know what lesson this teaches us?"
One of the twins mumbled, "Don't let it form."
"Exactly", Felix approved, looking at him. Fred's mouth dropped open; he had just spoken off the top of his head.
"Don't let your Ancient Magic form easily. Repeat the second step until you feel very proficient, and then you can attempt the next step."
"Each of you will be tested before you leave school. I will also write to your parents to explain the situation and strictly prohibit private practice. Even being drained of Magic is a foolish act, do you understand?"
The young wizards were silent, the professor had never been so stern before. They nodded vigorously, like chickens pecking at grain.
"Very good. You have about a week to initially master Luminos", Felix pointed to the stone basin, "with the help of this."
Felix stood up and looked around, "Who wants to go in first? It's a replica, but I've retained some features of the Pensieve. Entering it is a bit like diving, and I find it quite interesting."
(End of Chapter)
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