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Chapter 549: Runic Magic
Chapter 549: Runic Magic
On the eighth floor of the castle, Kyle made his way towards the headmaster's office, a place he had visited numerous times before. With familiarity, he located the gargoyle statue and spoke the password.
The statue moved aside, revealing a hidden passage.
Inside the office, Dumbledore was searching for something among the bookshelves. He turned only when he heard the door open.
"I do hope my invitation hasn't inconvenienced you," he said cheerfully. "But please, bear with me for a moment while I find it... Ah, here it is."
Dumbledore withdrew a thin booklet from one of the shelves.
"I believe it's time I make good on our previous agreement," he said with a smile. "Do you remember? In that cave, I promised to teach you a spell."
"Of course, I haven't forgotten," Kyle replied, his excitement evident. But then he asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice, "But Professor, do you have the time now? I mean, with the Philosopher's Stone..."
"The creation of the Philosopher's Stone is destined to be a lengthy process, Kyle," Dumbledore said. "Once the preparations are complete, there is little left to do but wait patiently.
"This interim period provides an excellent opportunity for me to fulfill my promise... I should have taught you this at the start of the term, but it has been delayed until now. I imagine you've been quite eager to learn it."
Kyle remained silent, tacitly acknowledging that he had indeed been impatient.
He had been eager to learn, but each time he saw Dumbledore rushing about, he felt hesitant to ask, especially after Nicolas Flamel's visit to the school.
"Please forgive my curiosity, but why do you wish to learn the Fire-Making Spell... Ah, that is the name of the spell, is it not?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Kyle. "Is it to explore the mysteries of magic, or to pursue more powerful spells?"
"Both, to an extent," Kyle replied after a moment's thought. "But more than that, it's because of my interest and curiosity."
"Oh?" Dumbledore's expression shifted slightly.
"To be honest, I don't lack for powerful spells," Kyle said as he sat in the chair across from Dumbledore. "For example, the Blazing Spell."
A chorus of tinkling sounds filled the room.
They emanated from the portraits of past headmasters, who seemed surprised that a student would dare admit to knowing Dark Magic in front of Dumbledore.
The former headmasters could no longer feign sleep and gathered in the largest portrait to whisper amongst themselves.
However, Dumbledore remained calm, as if Kyle had simply stated something utterly mundane.
"Although this may sound arrogant..." Kyle continued, not sensing anything amiss, "...I believe I have already mastered and can skillfully use this spell. In terms of sheer power and destructive capability, I doubt there are many spells that can surpass the Blazing Spell."
"That is true," Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
The reason the Blazing Spell was not considered an Unforgivable Curse was solely due to the existence of a counter curse, not because it lacked power.
"I thought you might say it was for self-protection," Dumbledore said.
"That is also a factor," Kyle acknowledged. "But under normal circumstances, I wouldn't need to use it. What I've learned from my professors is more than sufficient."
Kyle recalled his experiences. "For instance, in my first year, Aurora told me to always carry a broom with me, which is a practical means of self-defense.
"Then, in my second year, Chiro demonstrated the Blazing Spell, and it was then that I learned it.
"In my third year, although Professor Lockhart was rather unreliable, he did give me a notebook on the Obliviate spell. In a way, that spell is quite powerful as it can instantly render someone incapable of resisting.
"Most importantly, it complies with the Wizarding Laws as long as you don't steal memories like Lockhart did.
"As for my fourth year, Professor Lupin..." Kyle paused, trying to recall what Lupin had taught him beyond the Patronus Charm, which he had already known before the start of term.
"Well..." he continued, "...he taught me how to recognize werewolves."
Suddenly, Kyle realized something seemed amiss.
Why was it that all the unconventional professors were the ones he was talking about, while the more orthodox professors seemed dispensable in comparison?
That didn't seem right...
Dumbledore seemed to notice this as well and shook his head with a hint of amusement, feeling a strange sense of solace.
Although the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers he had hired each had their issues, at least someone had learned truly useful things from them, which also proved that his decisions weren't entirely wrong.
"Every wizard will be curious and want to explore more magic." Dumbledore said, "including myself. It's quite normal."
"Then that's good." Kyle replied.
"Actually, I was just asking out of curiosity. Regardless of your answer, I would have taught you anyway, as I promised... Oh, and here, take this."
Dumbledore handed the booklet he was holding to Kyle. "This is something I wrote a long time ago, and it's the fundamental theory you must master to learn the Fire-Making Spell."
Kyle took the booklet and looked at the slightly faded cover.
The Evolution of Runic Magic: Spells and Sigils
"Ancient runic magic?"
"To be precise, it's Runic Magic."
Dumbledore explained, "Writing magic with a wand, using sigils instead of spells. This was how magic was initially practiced - powerful, yet complex and difficult to control. A slight misstep, and the magic could backlash on the caster.
"It was for this reason that the four founders - Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin - established Hogwarts. They believed it was necessary to teach young witches and wizards how to use magic properly and ensure their safety.
"But even so, it couldn't completely change the declining number of witches and wizards... It wasn't until centuries later, with the efforts of some far-sighted witches and wizards, that runes and sigils were gradually replaced by spells and gestures, making Hogwarts more accessible and attracting more students."
"Ancient Runic Magic..." Kyle murmured.
As he had suspected, his previous idea was correct. Even with the use of a Time-Turner to interact with people from a thousand years ago, such an action would be suicidal.
"Then, Professor, how many students were there at Hogwarts a thousand years ago?" Kyle asked out of curiosity.
"According to the records in the Book of Admittance..." Dumbledore thought for a moment, "...the fewest were twenty, and the most were still fewer than fifty."
"Per year?" Kyle blurted out.
"No, in total."
Dumbledore said solemnly, "In fact, if it weren't for your grasp of ancient runes far surpassing that of most adult witches and wizards, I wouldn't have agreed to teach you this spell. It's too dangerous."
Kyle pondered Dumbledore's words. Fifty people for the entire school? That would mean around ten people per house.
There probably wasn't a need for year divisions back then.
"But here, you don't need to worry about your safety."
Dumbledore then shifted to a more relaxed tone, "So, for the first lesson, you just need to memorize the contents of this booklet."
He pointed to the booklet with his finger, "Only by mastering these most basic theoretical knowledge can we proceed to the next step.
"How about a week? I can arrange for you to be exempt from... most professors' homework for a week, or you can have more time if needed."
Kyle flipped through the booklet, which only had five pages, "No problem, Professor. A week is enough."
"Then that's settled." Dumbledore said, "In that case, our future lessons will be held every Saturday at nine in the morning, and the password won't change."
"Yes, Professor." Kyle replied, his tone laced with anticipation.
Being introduced to ancient Runic Magic for the first time, he was naturally intrigued and wished he could come every day. But since Dumbledore had made the decision, he had no choice but to agree.
(End of Chapter)
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