บท 13: A New Surprise
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07
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Second year was looking to be just as boring as the first year. Whatever they had to teach me for this year, I already knew, both theoretically and practically.
Every 2nd year spell, I had already mastered with the wand at least; some, I was in the middle of mastering wandlessly. Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against Dark Arts, hell I'd even learned all the potions that I was required to learn this year in the first month itself. There were some transfiguration spells that I haven't mastered though, thanks to the lack of the source material.
Plus, Transfiguration spells are way harder to cast without a wand.
Helena had shown me a room that was left abandoned, originally meant for teaching Rituals. Rituals was a subject that hasn't been legally taught for at least 200 years. I say legally, because every Wizard worth his salt knows at least how to conduct the few basic rituals.
Unfortunately, the room was completely cleaned out, so there were no mysterious Ritual books that had been left alone for centuries or anything like it. The room just had a few desks thrown to the side, a table for the teacher, and a giant table in the corner meant for brewing potions. Because, you know, rituals might require Potions.
I had claimed the room for myself, and cast the few Warding Enchantments that I know, thanks to Cassiopeia's generous donation of her memories. The wards won't stop a determined 7th year student, let alone a teacher, but it was a start in learning Warding.
I hadn't begun learning the theory behind it though, because I didn't have the sufficient knowledge of Runes, Arithmancy, or Charms yet. Meh, I still have time to do all that.
For now, however I was learning languages. Lots and lots of languages. In the 3 months that I've been to Hogwarts, I have managed to master reading 7 languages, and 3 spoken ones, not counting the three I already knew from before I was reborn.
The reading languages part was easy. I just had to borrow a book in that language from the library, focus on trying to understand it, and within a few minutes, 15 at most, I would gain a complete understanding of the languages written word. Every character, word, phrase, rules, and literally everything regarding that language would somehow take hold of my mind.
I'd noticed that whenever I mastered another language, a new book was added to my Mind palace, titled 'Complete Mastery of the Language' followed by the language name. Obviously, I was keeping the memories from James's mind alone for now.
I had already seen those memories once, but that was before I had somehow copied the Mutation.
Anyway, back to school. Merrythought had noticed me being somewhat distracted in classes, and had taken to glaring at me. But, since I actually produced what was needed, she didn't say anything.
Transfiguration had moved from inanimate-inanimate transformation, to animate-inanimate transformation. First, we began by learning to transfigure a beetle to a button, and then a rabbit to a slipper. The first one was easy, and barely took me 10 minutes to figure out, and then master.
The second one was a tough spell to master, and I had to practice for an hour before I could get it.
As for Charms, Professor Rowle was as beautiful as ever, and even if I knew everything, I made sure to pay attention in that class. Damn hormones.
Other than going to classes, I was also regularly roaming everywhere inside the castle, and sometimes outside, to see if I find anything interesting. And boy, are there some interesting places.
Like the secret path that leads to the village of Hogsmead, right beneath Honeyduke's Chocolate shop. Or the stairway hidden behind the illusion of a portrait, that goes upwards, but drops you from the 7th floor, to the ground floor. Of course, I had also seen the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, and the wall in front of it, but hadn't proceeded further yet.
There hasn't been a need to go there yet. I'm still a noob relatively, so I can't even look for advanced topics yet. Maybe next year I'll be ready, but not yet.
Right now, I was standing in the dungeons, very close to the Hufflepuff Dorms. So close, in fact, that I could actually see the barrels that make up the entrance of the Common Room. If it wasn't for the disillusionment charm currently hiding my presence, I would have been caught by the 17 students that passed by here.
Looking at the painting in front of me, a Still Life painting of various fruits, I raise my hand, and tickle the pear.
"Heehee." The painting giggles, which makes me jump even if I knew it was going to happen, and the painting turns into a door, with the pear shifting to form the door knob.
Very slowly, I touch the handle, and when nothing happens, I turn the knob, and push the door in. Without a single sound, the door opens, and then there's a cacophony of noise.
Clinking of plates, spoons, and the cooking utensils, yells in squeaky voices, and a lot of banging. The voices belonged to tiny creatures, barely 3 foot tall, with pointy ears and nose, and big round eyes.
House Elves of Hogwarts.
I smile sadly at the sight, feeling bad for them. An entire race of beings, enslaved by the people that think they're the superior race. Nothing good ever came to those who thought like that, and nothing will.
But sometimes, even the enslaved race doesn't get their peace back, even if they stop being enslaved as evidenced by the current situation of those of African descent. Which just makes me pity them even more. Can't ignore that so many countries are currently under the rule of England, my current country, including India, my former country.
I shake my head, since I can't even do anything yet.
One of the House Elves, a being with a tattered Pillow case around its body, and green eyes finally sees me standing at the door, looking at them all, and freezes.
It then drops the bowl it was transferring somewhere, and yells in squeaky voice, "Yous shouldn't be here!"
I raise my hands, and say, "I'm not here to cause any trouble, I just.. heard about the kitchen and wanted to see it myself. Sorry, I'll let myself out."
As I take a step back, still facing them, I see the one that I just spoke to still once more, and widen its eyes. It speaks in a distinctly female voice, as it asks, "Yous say sorry to Dippy? To House Elves?" And then, the elf begins to cry, loudly. This gathers the attention of the other House elves, who look at me weirdly.
Well.. fuck. I'm going to try and free them, aren't I? If just a sorry can cause them this many emotions, then the situation can't be good.
Patting Dippy the House Elf on her head, I grimace when she flinches, and say, "Uh.. yeah. Dippy, right?" As she nods, sniffling, I continue, "I just wanted to meet the ones who do everything for us. I read about the House elves in my books, you know."
"Yous did?" Dippy asks, wide eyed. And now, even the other elves had stopped what they were doing, prefering to watch us talk.
Nodding, I look all around, and say, "Yeah. Many books wrote about you, about House Elves. I wanted to thank you, for everything you do around here. Cleaning, cooking, repairing stuff, and even Processor Binns's homework. I think people appreciate you a lot less than they should."
I also think that they shouldn't be enslaved in this day and age, and freed immediately. But I'm not going to say that before knowing more about how they came to be enslaved in the first place.
Dippy smiles widely now, her eyes once again tearful, and says, "Young sir is too kind to Dippy! What can Dippy be calling you, young sir?"
Damn, this language will take some getting used to. And I don't think my language mutation will help here.
Smiling at Dippy, I offer her my hand, and say, "My name is Mason, Dippy. You can call me that, if you wish."
Dippy looks at the hand with fascination clear on her face, and whispers, "Dippy can shake Mr Mason Sir's hand? Like an equal?"
Considering that she's better at Wandless magic than me, her calling me an equal is an insult to her. But, baby steps.
I nod, and say, "This is how people introduce themselves, isn't it?"
As Dippy shakes my hand, I smile at the exhilaration emitted from her, and the shock shown on the faces of other elves. Yup, I'm rescuing them, even if it takes me literally years to do so.
Enslaving is bad, and it's way past time Wizards also know that.
---
"Where did you get so much cake?" Darla asks me as soon as I bring the box full of cake out of my expanded bag.
I take one out, hand the box to Tom, and while winking at Darla, I say, "A secret."
Anastasia hands the box back after all 4 of us have one piece each, and says, "As long as you don't harm any of the books here, bring as much cake as you want."
Darla snorts, and says, "He loves books more than you do. There's no way he's harming a single book here even by mistake."
I chuckle, realising that it's true. We were currently in the library, working on our homework. Darla was the sole Gryffindor amongst us Ravenclaws at this table. She wasn't studious, nope, but she liked us as friends, and this was one of the very few hours we get for ourselves.
Sometimes, her friends from Gryffindor would join us, Mary Prewett and Bernadette Jones. Jones is a muggleborn like Darla, so they had bonded over being on the same boat. Prewett was just too friendly and they couldn't resist her charm for too long.
But, I was also her first friend, and the one she spent the least amount of time with, which is why at least thrice a week, we got together. Sometimes, Tom and Ana would be with us, when we were focusing on Homework. Other times, it would be just the two of us, and we would roam around or just relax.
A few days later, when Helena makes her weekly visit with a book on Charms, I ask her, "What do you know about House Elves? Do you know how they were enslaved?"
Helena hums, floating down to sit on my chair, and says, "I'm afraid not. House Elves have existed for as long as I can remember. Even when I was alive, they had existed for hundreds of years. Why do you ask?"
I look at the cover of the book she gave me, the title reading 'Basics of enchantment' in Anglo Saxon, and say, "I was just curious. I met them today, and the little people made an impression on me."
I think.. it's just better to keep my goals to myself for now. At least, until I'm able to defend myself properly. And Helena, no matter how much she might help me, is still a Witch, and a Ghost. She might find it offensive to her culture, if I don't explain it all properly.
Helena chuckles, and says, "Yes, the Elves of Hogwarts have always been an amazing breed. Aunty Helga made sure to buy any and all elves she could, to bring them here, and also frequently asked the freed elves if they wanted to work here. They get a lot of work, good quality food, and we get to rest from all the work."
I just frown, the casual talk of buying Elves baffling me. Shaking my head, I drop the subject, Knowing that this is not an argument I'll win right now. Plus, it's not like I don't have any time to complete all my goals. There's literally years, even with the summer's revelation about the Universe.
Mutations, honestly. Well, at least I won't be without any advantage in this Universe. A minor talent with languages? Yup, I'm mastering Runes. ASAP.
-
The next couple years pass by before I even know it. My second year passed just like my first, with no problems whatsoever from Cassiopeia, beyond the glares she sent in the beginning.
I'd thought that she would try something or the other after I didn't listen to her, but she didn't. She just stopped bothering me altogether, but she did try and sweet talk me a few times a month.
Well, thankfully, even if my hormones might disagree, I was too young to do any of it. And then, she passed out of Hogwarts last year, so there was that.
However, Dorea did somehow make her way into our group, to the open chagrin of her cousin Charis, who was also my classmate. According to her, the fact that I managed to not fall prey to Cassiopeia's flirting was an impressive feat and that prompted her to befriend me.
She was trying to be manipulative, with a lot of the students, but unfortunately for her, she's just too damn bad at it. She scares other students, just like Cassiopeia, but she hasn't gotten the trick to asking them to do stuff for you.
In my third year, our classes had a sudden jump in difficulty. Charms had gotten more fun too. We learned the Skurge Spell which cleaned up the ectoplasm that ghosts create, if they stay in one place for a long time, and the freezing spell(Glacia).
Transfiguration had us move on to inanimate to animate transformation, which was way more difficult than the animate to inanimate transformation. Making a dead thing mimic life has to be one of the most astonishing things I've managed in transfiguration class.
Same with every other subject, we were doing more written work, and our work had gotten harder. Except for History, but that was a feee period, as far as the students were concerned.
As for electives, I selected Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Sure, I could have selected Care of Magical Creatures too, but I didn't think that the subject is entirely necessary for me. I can just read the books later, if I need the subject.
Runes was the most disappointing subject in the entire curriculum. The first term literally had us learning the history of one Runic language, the Elder Futhrak. The second term at least included using Runes to create magic.
You can carve them on objects to enchant it, or you can use them on paper to carry on different effects. But we weren't allowed to carve runes yet. Our third year ended with us learning how to write Runes on parchment to create the Lumos charm. So, yeah, disappointing.
Unfortunately for me, my Language mutation did not work on Runes, no matter which type they were. Nordic, Futhrak, the Lost Greek Runes, and even the Runes of Atlantis. My mutation either doesn't recognise them as languages at all, or it has limits. Could be either, but the result was still the same.
But, I had other avenues, like actually studying them, which I was using. It's not like I had a shortage of time. I slept 6 hours a day, did my homework within an hour, and had classes for 4 hours. Even with all the goofing off I did with my group, I was still able to have a few hours for independent studies.
As for Arithmancy, it has quickly become one of my favourite lessons in Hogwarts, right behind Charms and Potions. Arithmancy is the study of Numbers, and how they relate to the world.
With the right variables, one is able to predict the future itself, so yeah, pretty damn interesting. There are complicated number charts, formulae, and even theorems, in Arithmancy. Obviously, just like every other subject, I was studying ahead in this too. It was too interesting not to!
I had also memorised the COMC book, and would read it in my mind, during lessons. And so, another year had ended, with me learning a few more secrets of the castle.
I was currently at Hogwarts, in the Room of Requirements, while Sly was showing me a new gift he awakened. I'd "discovered" the room at the start of my fourth year, when I was just roaming around. Pure coincidence, I tell you, that I just happened to walk across the same patch of wall three times.
I'd spent the last few months getting intimate with the room, checking its limits and all. The Room of Requirements can become anything the user wishes, that is true, but it also has limits.
The Dimensions of the Room are not limited, I can literally create a beach within the Room and it'll go on and on. But, at some point, I find myself back on the original position, but I don't even know it when it happens.
Then, once I'm inside the room I created, I cannot change it completely. I can change minor things about it, but nothing major. To do that, I'll have to walk out of the room and repeat the process again. I also can't summon anything from the Room of Hidden Things to any other Room. I also can't change the Room of Hidden Things in any way, not even to organise it.
Lastly, the room cannot bypass the Laws of Magic. So no food, living beings, or potion ingredients can be summoned to the Room. I still have to see if there are more limits, but I have time.
Seeing Sly excitedly hiss, I bring my attention back to him, and ask, ~~So, what is this new Magic you've awakened?~~
Sly looks pleased with himself as he says, ~~I learned yesterday that I can also do this. Which you can't.~~
With that, he closes his eyes, and suddenly, a pitch black horn forms over his head, pointed at the tip. Thinking that was it, I open my mouth to congratulate him, but then suddenly stop. Sly was floating in the air, swimming as if the air was water.
~~How the fuck is this possible?~~ I whisper in shock, looking at the flying snake in front of me.
He has no wings, but he was literally defying gravity. Wait a minute.
~~You're a Horned Serpent! Like Horny!~~ I exclaim, finally realizing what his second parent was.
~~As if! I'm far better than Horny!~~ Sly says, flying forward and coming to a stop in front of my face. The way he flies looks like he's swimming, using his tail to move himself forward.
Amazing!
I hold my hand forward, and as he climbs down on my arm, I say, ~~True. He can't turn invisible like you can. You two must be of different types or something.~~
Horned Serpent, I really should have realized when he first became invisible. Very few snakes can do that, but when Horny didn't show that power, I dismissed that talent as really rare.
But now, after seeing him fly, and form the horn on top of his head, I'm sure. Sly is a Horned Serpent. Damn, he's going to get hella big, isn't he?
~~I know. I'm awesome. Bow to me, human.~~ Sly says, straightening up in pride.
I snort at him, and silently, and wandlessly cast the levitation charm on my clothes. As I float above him, I say, ~~See, I can do it too. You're not that special.~~
Sly hisses in annoyance, and floats back down. Amused, I remove the spell on my clothes, and fall down, thankfully landing on my legs.
The Levitation charm can be cast on clothes you're wearing, however it can't be cast on the person. And even if it looked like I was flying, I was fixed to just one spot, without moving either forward or backwards. The Levitation charm just levitates, and doesn't allow me to actually fly. Not even using other spells like Depulso will push me forward.
That was still a work in progress. "Tempus." I whisper, summoning the misty clock above my right hand. Damn, it's almost 7. I should go before anyone tries looking for me.
~~You're coming? Dinner's about to start.~~ I ask, looking at Sly enjoying flying.
Sly ignores me completely, so I leave him to his fun, and leave for dinner.
Unfortunately, I don't get to spend as much time as I want to in the Room of Requirements, as I don't want to seem suspicious. I've noticed that teachers were observing me a lot, for some reason.
Well, I know the reason. I'm suspicious as fuck. I have literally 3 friends, Darla, Dorea, and Anastasia, since Tom had just.. drifted off, I top my exams with barely a token if effort, and I disappear off the face of Hogwarts for hours at a time. And Grindelwald was still at large, so I could be a spy for him, you know.
I had also felt someone scrying for me whenever I wasn't in public, which is really annoying. Scrying for people without their prior permission, or unless they're declared missing, is illegal. Really annoying.
Thankfully, the Room of Requirements cannot be seen by Scrying, I think.
And wasn't that a surprise, that I could actually feel someone scrying for me. It was like an annoying poke at the back of my head, continuously, until they stop doing it. Inside Hogwarts castle, I could allow my Telepathy to show myself to the spell. Whenever I was doing something secret, however, I use my Telepathy to hide myself. Telepathy rocks, I'll say.
Sitting in front of Anastasia, I ask, "Why're you looking at me like that?"
She was looking at me as if I'm a puzzle to be solved.
Ana says, "Professor Dumbledore was asking about you today. He wanted to know where you disappear off to."
Of course he does, bloody bastard. He's not evil, as far as I know, but he has a very annoying tendency to assume that everyone else is dumber than him.
I shrug, and say, "He can bloody well ask me himself, but even he knows that what I do outside of classes is not any of his business."
I hear a snort behind me, as Dorea comes to sit on the empty seat beside me. She says, "I thought you'd be singing his praises, Mason. He does favor the muggleborn over the rest of us."
I point out, "He's still a condescending wanker, though."
I just know, even without using my telepathy, that he's trying to make sure I don't get too powerful. The Librarian asking hundred questions before allowing me into the Restricted section, even after I showed her the pass, clued me into that.
But well, not my problem now. I can just go to the Room of Requirements and conjure a room fit to learn any subject I want.
That night, after reading a book on Runes that I'd gotten from the Restricted section, I go to sleep. The dream I have is a weird one.
I was floating around Hogwarts, moving through walls and doors as if they didn't exist, invisible to all, while feeling drunk as hell. Well, all but one. The dream Helena saw me, and just froze. My dream self giggled, (GIGGLED!), and did a back flip, and fell head first into the ground.
It became even weirder then, when I kept falling underground, non stop, and only stopped hours later, when I appeared in an underground cavern. The cavern had a pool of water, and the flowers on the cavern walls, glowed a yellow light, giving me enough illumination to see everything.
As I flew towards the pool, and impulsively jumped in it, I woke up.
Huh. That dream was trippy.
"How did you do that?" I hear as soon as I am done showering, and as I am about to put on my clothes.
"JESUS CHRIST, HELENA!" I yell, putting my towel back on in a panic.
Helena sees the condition I'm in, and just turns away after rolling her eyes. She repeats, "How did you do that?"
As I wear my clothes, I grumble, "How am I supposed to answer that question if I don't even know what I did?"
Helena turns back, thankfully after I'm done, and says, "You were flying, as a spirit. But you're alive. People who are alive aren't supposed to become spirts and return to their bodies!"
I lift my hand and raise it in front of me. Looks solid. Just as an experiment, I put the hand on the desk near my bed. Definitely solid.
"I don't know how to break this to you, Helena. But I'm not a spirit.. yet." Can't discount me dying today itself, can I?
Helena scoffs, and says, "Now you aren't. Just.. allow me."
With that, Helena takes a floating step towards me. I let her, and close my eyes as she puts her two fingers of both hands on the two sides of my forehead.
And then, I see it. I see me, drunker than Slughorn during the Slug Club meeting, floating around, transparent as hell, giggling every few seconds and just.. flying around.
Helena had followed me a little while, and somehow, no one could see me. Not the paintings, not the squib caretaker, not Peeves the Poltergeist, and definitely not the teachers. Hell, even the other ghosts couldn't see me, at all. Except Helena, but she was different, a mutant like me.
"How?" I mumble, recognizing the state I was in at the time, but still not able to believe it.
Helena shrugs, still worried, and says, "Whatever happened isn't supposed to happen. Wizards cannot just separate our Spiritual forms from our body to go on a journey, and even if they do, they don't just return as you did."
Hearing the slowly clearing thoughts of my roommates, who hadn't awoken when I fucking yelled, I say, "We'll discuss it later, they're waking up."
Helena nods, and says, "Be careful. And don't experiment without me there. You were behaving like a drunkard in that state, and I don't know if it'll be safe to do it again."
I nod, as she leaves the room, allowing me the time to think.
Astral Projection. Honest to God, Astral Projection. How the fuck is this even possible without the literal years of learning Sorcery?
Another Mutation hax? Could be, Xavier could do it, couldn't he? Well, whatever it is, I'll have to look it up, properly.
---
A/N: So, he awakened Astral Projection. This is a power that comes with telepathy, since their minds are so strong or something like that.
Sly is a horned serpent, but he looks like a normal serpent. His invisibility doesn't change his body, but when he wants to fly, he'll go through a temporary metamorphosis.
Tata!
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