The cabin was warm that day, with the fireplace crackling peacefully as I sat there, my nose buried in a book.
'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'
As I read, I heard footsteps entering the room. They were heavy, and soon they were accompanied by a loud thud.
"When are you going to get over all that fantasy stuff, son?"
My dad stood there; logs he had cut at his feet. Kneeling down, he started to organize the logs against the wall.
"You know, Dad, while I do respect your pure 'masculine outdoorsmanship', you should really try reading some books like this at one point…"
My dad snorted, looking at the book in my hand.
"I just can't find myself enjoying such stories… What's the fun in something that doesn't exist? I find true fact rather than fiction much more interesting."
I sighed at my dad's words. He was stubborn to a fault. I couldn't really argue with him, though; he grew up in this kind of environment, whereas, after I moved to the city and visited him on occasion, I expanded my horizons in every way, including what I read. Although this specific series, the Harry Potter series, was something I was given when young and read over and over. My dad would listen to me as I told him about it, but he always seemed disinterested.
"I mean, that one just looks like an animal encyclopedia… of animals that don't exist. You see, right here I have a book of animals that do exist, and it's useful to know about."
"Yeah, yeah, Dad, I get you."
My dad wasn't really 'upset' with me liking these books; he just had the tendency to tease me about them. It was the way we functioned ever since Mum died.
Finishing the book, I read the name of the publisher and the name of the company: "Mr. Augustus Worme - Obscurus Books."
"Augustus Worme? That's a weird name…"
I laughed at my dad's comment. Looking at the name and publisher, though, reminded me of a theory I read online.
"I think some people see the name as an anagram…"
"Oh…?"
Seeing my dad's interest piqued, I started to explain.
"An Obscurus within Harry Potter is a dark force that appears in a child who suppresses their magical powers. Children with trauma, pain, and so on are more likely to cultivate this force. Naming the company after a 'malevolent force' that literally caused children to suffer seemed weird to a lot of readers online…"
My dad continued to listen attentively. Seeing him actually interested for once, I continued to talk.
"It's told within the Harry Potter world that Newt Scamander once came in contact with an Obscurus and contained it - he's the author of this book. The publisher being Obscurus Books then starts to seem really weird. However, where it gets even more interesting is the name of the owner of Obscurus Books, Mr. Augustus Worme."
"People believe his name to be an anagram. When you rearrange the letters of his full name here, including his title, you get a specific phrase… Use Arum Mugworts".
"…Arum Mugworts?"
"Yeah, they are real plants, even for us. In Harry Potter, I guess they would be used in a potion. Anyway, with all this information, people believe Newt Scamander learned the cure for an Obscurus, realized that the cure didn't destroy an Obscurus, and probably just contained it, and by order of, more than likely, Dumbledore, buried it in his book using a publishing company and fake publisher to do so…"
"Thats… so damn convoluted, Axel."
I laughed at my dad's words as he wasn't wrong with what he said at all, but the author of Harry Potter was known for their use of anagrams in certain cases. Alongside this, the evidence behind the theory had some weight. The main contention point was why it was hidden in such a weird way…
.
As the memory replayed in my brain over and over, I latched onto it like a leech. I hadn't remembered this memory, probably because it was buried deep within my mind. When I saw the book in Jason's arms, my mind seemed to unlock that memory, and I remembered that scene playing out.
"Arum, Mugworts."
I rarely spoke to myself anymore; that nature of mine, cultivated in the forest, was gone after the last 2 years of torture. With the current hope filling my body, though, I couldn't help but mutter the two words that could be my saving grace.
After 2 years of being here, I had grown to understand Jason more thoroughly. He was powerful, but he had his weakness: his perverse curiosity. If I played this right, I might be able to trick him into brewing a potion with those two ingredients.
It would be risky, no matter the outcome. If it proved false, it could do me more harm than good, but if it works, I would be free of the obscurus' grasp, yet with no obscurus revealing itself, Jason might end up discarding me.
Even with the prospect of the latter, my mind was made up quickly. I didn't want to just wait around to die; if there was a way to cure this obscurus, then maybe there were other possibilities I hadn't opened myself up to.
Maybe… I could wield it.
.
Jason walked through the Blightheart Manor, showing visible annoyance on his face. The other members of the family knew this was when you avoid Jason and actively dodged his gaze and moved out of his path.
Walking through the manor, Jason's mind filled with the same thought. He was close, really close to finding out the last piece of the puzzle that would allow him to wield the obscurus as his own power. He just didn't know how to make the power cultivated in another his own.
Walking through the manor, he finally arrived at a big door. Opening it, he saw Graham and Cecilia within. Graham was sat down with paperwork in front of him, several quills floating and automatically writing for him while he was focused on a specific pile himself.
Cecilia stood near her father, probably had just come by to talk to him for a moment. Seeing her uncle enter, though, she noticed his annoyed gaze and instantly made herself scarce. She walked out of the room and closed the door behind her, leaving both Jason and Graham in the room.
"What was my dear niece doing here? Has she been naughty again?"
"Nothing like that… I've been busy of late, so she just came to speak with me for a moment. Anyway, Jason, I called you here to report what's going on with that 'thing' in your study."
Jason smiled and stated simply:
"Everything is still under control, Graham. I've gotten close, so close to discovering something here… however…"
"However? However, what Jason?"
Jason clicked his tongue and decided to speak after some contemplation:
"That subject of mine, his resilience is frightening. It's been 2 years since I brought him here, and at the start, he was easy to mould, easy to manipulate. Now, though, his will has hardened, and he's actually able to bear some of the methods I use to bring his obscurus out."
Graham, who had his eyes looking at the papers in front of him the entire time, raised his head to look at his brother. He let out a deep sigh looking at his brother:
"If he's still alive and has grown resilient to the point of leaving you distressed, I have to admit it's a pity the boy wasn't born in our family. If he were a Blightheart, we wouldn't have let an obscurus form, and his strong resilience could have been a boon for us… what a pity…"
Sorting the papers in front of him, Graham raised his wand and flicked it, sending the papers flying towards some filing cabinets. The papers sorted themselves in each drawer, and watching this, Graham stood up and walked around towards Jason.
"That's all, brother. Thank you for the report. Maybe we should go for a drink somewhere later? It's been a while since we've chatted properly."
Jason's face remained stoic. He didn't hate his brother, but he did feel some indignation over the years that his brother was made the head of the family and not him. Part of this indignation fueled his goal towards power.
"Maybe another time, Graham. I have to get back to my study."
Graham showed a wry smile.
"Figures. Well, don't let me keep you."
As Jason was about to leave, he turned around and asked his brother one last thing.
"Have any other clans made any movements recently, like the Blackfangs, for example?"
Graham shook his head, giving Jason his answer.
Seeing this, Jason departed out the door, and as he exited, he noticed a certain girl on the other side. He was startled by the door swinging open. Jason looked down at his niece with some bemusement but also anger in his eyes.
"Cecilia, my niece, it's rude to eavesdrop."
"S-sorry, uncle. I just haven't talked to you for so long I wanted to hear about your research…"
Jason felt his anger cool; he didn't think it was worth the effort to reprimand his niece and just snorted instead, walking off. As he started to head off, though, something, or rather someone, appeared in front of him.
"Dron?"
Dron the house-elf had apparated, appearing in front of Jason. He had informed Dron to do this if anything was happening with his subject. When he first brought his subject here, this was the norm for a while. Ever since his subject became cold and stoic, though, Dron never usually apparated to inform him of anything.
Excitement welled up in his heart.
"What's happening, Dron?"
"M-Master Jason… The S-subject, he seems to be, uh… chanting something?"
Jason looked down at Dron with a confused expression. During this, he had forgotten that his niece was still present, listening to this entire exchange.
"You head back, Dron. I'll meet you back down there."
Dron immediately apparated away. Jason starts to pace away immediately after, heading back to his study, leaving behind a curious Cecilia.
.
"Arum… Mugwort… Arum… Mugwort…"
Jason looked at Axel in the room and pondered to himself for a moment.
"Arum and Mugwort… those are potion ingredients and extremely basic niche ones at that. I wonder why he's chanting about them… did his mind finally break fully?"
Going over to the desk in his study, Jason searched around and found some Arum and Mugwort he had on supply. He had nearly all potion ingredients a potion master needed due to his status in the Blightheart family. Looking at the ingredients before him, he wondered what potion would be made with the two.
"This is certainly the most interesting thing I've heard in a long while… Arum and Mugwort seems like it would do nothing when put together. Their medicinal properties just cancel each other out and create a potion that does nothing, as far as I can tell…"
Jason weighed his options for a long time. Eventually, though, he succumbed to his greedy curiosity, moving to create the potion with Arum and Mugwort within. He spent some time brewing, and during this time, Axel continued to chant 'Arum... Mugwort…' continuously.
When he was finished making a batch of potion that had Arum and Mugwort in it, he ladled some out and put it in a cup. Looking at the cup, it had a white colour, akin to milk almost. Staring at it for a while, he looked over to Dron in the corner of the room, who was still staring at Axel chanting.
"Dron! Come here."
Dron nearly fell off his chair, hearing Jason yell over to him. Dron immediately walked over in front of Jason.
"What does M-Master Jason want Dron to d-do…"
Jason thrust the cup he had poured the potion mixture into Dron's hands. Dron looked down into the cup and then up at Jason.
"Drink it."
"Yes, Master…"
Jason watched as Dron drank the entire cup of potion, watching how he would react. To him, house-elves were dispensable, whereas a rarity like Axel was not. If this potion was weirdly lethal, then losing Dron was easier to take than losing Axel. Any other house-elf could take Dron's position after all.
Jason instructed Dron to report any bodily changes within the next 24 hours, then sat back at his desk. He began to peruse the scattered books and notes he planned to review further.
As time passed, Dron showed no adverse effects during the 24-hour observation period. Initially, upon drinking the potion, Dron's face contorted in disgust, but no further symptoms manifested after ingestion.
Jason concluded that the potion appeared safe for consumption.
"Make the subject drink it," Jason commanded.
Dron flicked his fingers, levitating the cup towards Axel. Approaching Axel, Dron tilted his head back and opened his mouth. With Axel's mouth open, Dron tilted the airborne cup, pouring the potion down Axel's throat.
Jason watched with intrigue, wondering if anything would transpire. He closely observed Axel's face for any change in expression.
Unfortunately for Jason, Axel maintained control over his emotions and facial expressions as the potion entered his body. Initially, the potion tasted disgusting, akin to expired milk, but as it neared the obscurus within his body, something shifted.
The potion washed over the entire obscurus, which, unlike its usual pleasure in Axel's suffering, began to shudder in fear.