บท 5: Working with Gnomes.

"Hello, Gnome teller Myonk. Could I have a personal chat with the manager? I bring to you good business." I said.

The gnome looked at me. They are quite different from goblins. All of them have long beards. And all of them wore pointy conical hats. A bigger and sturdier version of the pest garden gnome I guess but the same height as goblins. The gnome nodded and asked me to follow him.

The gnome led me to the mangers lounge where I sat while he went and rang the bell on top of the counter. The manager's gnome soon arrived. He was bigger than the rest of the gnomes.

"So Myonk tells me you have business with us. I am Broynk the manager. How should I address you, wizard?" He asks.

"Hello,Broynk. I am Quirinus Quirrell. I am a teacher at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. I am currently on sabbatical. I have come here seeking knowledge from gnomes in the field of warding, curse-breaking, and assassination techniques that you are famous for. I intend to give this as my fee for the knowledge you can give me." I took out a machine from the trunk. It was nothing but a DIY air conditioning unit. The most primitive one with water flowing in front of a fan which blows air resulting in cool air being circulated.

"What is this contraption?" Broynk was curious.

"This is a portable Air conditioner or AC as muggles call it. All you have to do is pour water here"

"Aguamenti" as the water-filled up, the fan inside the box started to rotate causing cool air to get circulated.

Broynk was ecstatic. The feeling was heavenly. Even if you have cooling charm on the clothes, the feeling of moisture-laden air brushing across your face was heavenly.

"I will give you the manufacturing method and runes required to make this" I said.

"This can bring us profits. But what do you plan to use our knowledge for" asked Broynk.

"I am in a situation where I am just a pawn of a powerful dark wizard. I do not wish to be a pawn. For that, I have to gain enough knowledge to protect myself and the people close to me, and that too within 10 months" I told him the truth as gnomes have a zero-tolerance for bullshit.

"Very well. You will learn with us. Myonk, bring him to master Ouyoonk and tell him to teach the wizard warding, curse-breaking, and assassination techniques.

I bowed and followed the teller gnome underground.

"Hello, master Ouyoonk. Leader Broynk asked to get this wizard trained in our ways. I will leave him in your capable hands." Myonk said and left.

The gnome named Ouyoonk was old, with the longest beard I have seen in any gnome. He wore a silver conical hat with matching silver clothes. "Wizards look down on beings like us. Why did you seek our knowledge and why should I teach you anything" he asked in a heavy tone. One could see the vicissitudes of life in the old gnome's face.

I repled carefully "Master Ouyoonk, I cannot vouch for the actions of most wizards as they tend to be extremely stupid. Look at my country. Wizards have killed, tortured, and raped one another in the name of blood purity. When they treat one another like shit what can be the treatment they give to gnomes, goblins, vampires, veelas, werewolves, and other creatures. I can only say that I am not like the racist bastards. Whether you believe is up to you. The reason why I came to the gnomes is that I don't think I will be able to peacefully live in Britain this year. I need strength before I leave, strength to protect."

Master Ouyoonk looked at me curiously and said. "The last wizard I taught went by the name of Obu. He was a crazy bastard who brought the plague to Africa. But he never touched our business nor any gnomes. I truly do not care what goes in the wizarding world, but you better not bring your shitshow to the gnomes. Once the teaching is done, that's when we say bye forever."

"Yes, master. I understand" I replied.

"Training begins tomorrow" he said handing me a bunch of books. "I expect you to read them within this week".

He directed me to the room I will be staying. Once in I unpacked and started looking at the information for advancing my spells obtained from the system.

"Let's start with Lumos I guess"

Lumos maxima and Lumos minima were two advanced spells that controls the amount of light radiated. There were also spells like Lumos rubrum which turned the light red. Once you substitute the right syllable any color can be made. Nox circuitus eliminated the light in a field of 10-meter radius making a darkness zone.

I practiced these spells indefinitely till dinner.

Gnome's dinner was not that great. They had meat, some boiled veggies, and strong rum. Once done with that I passed out on the bed.

Morning at 5 Master Ouyoonk started drilling me in physical exercises. Unlike warriors, gnomes were born assassins. Their exercise regimen depended mostly on agility and instantaneous force. He made me run for an hour and once done he started teaching me knife techniques. Who needs a sword when you can close the distance on an unsuspecting victim and boom hit him with a poisoned knife and voila job done.

Once the exercise and breakfast were done Master Ouyoonk started warding lessons. Quirrell had some knowledge on warding but nothing concrete to be used for day today purposes.

"Every ward that you create has to have a wardstone into which the properties of the ward are attached. If you want to break a ward you have to find the wardstone and destroy it. Now before wardbreaking you should create some wards. Today you will make a listening ward". he said.

The classes progressed. Curse-breaking was both dangerous and fun. I lost my fingers many a time but I did progress in my curse-breaking skills.

The assassination lessons were the most difficult. I had to learn how to hide in plain sight. Master Ouyoonk told me that once I am able to hide from him in a well-lit room, I can be considered a passable assassin.

Practice with Master Ouyoonk in the day and upgrading spells at night. I was spent almost every day. Quirrell also had several books on Occlumency. I knew that if I have to go back to Hogwarts, then I should have some of the best shields. Both Voldy and Old Dumbles were master Legilimens. Hence I started my Occlumency training as well. Quirrell had a passable shield. Nothing too elaborate. It would just crumble upon facing a competent legelimencer.