I asked my sisters to give me some time and immediately pulled out my notebook and started taking notes while my mind was still fresh. Fleur and Gabrielle are wonderful girls with excellent upbringing, they know how to feel the atmosphere, I'm sure they won't even drag their drunken husband at once, let him rest and get over it. Anyway, we walked in silence for a while. I kept my course on automatic, completely absorbed in my notes.
First of all, Dumbledore's protective artifacts are damn powerful, and such a treat costs money. I need to find out: is he stealing from the children in his care, or does he have some other source of income, or has he found a treasure or something? Second, his magical power is not an innate talent — his aura shows signs of sacrifice and forced shell growth. Light mage, damn it. You have to look up when it was done, and you can find those traces in newspapers and chronicles. Personally, I've only read about this kind of enhancement. Sacrificing sentient beings is no longer dark magic, but full-fledged black magic.
There is also a section of "evil" magic — ritual torture and torment. The texts say that they try to destroy such knowledge when it is discovered, but there will always be a wizard or magician with "broad" views, right? It's hard to say who the "Light" sacrificed, but it could even be some ancient rituals, like Celtic or Druidic mysteries, which I don't know much about. I think there is a way to strengthen the sorcerer, if the spiritual shells of a reasonable person are devoured, even simpletons are suitable, after that you just get the classic voodoo zombies. Come on. Thirdly, it is necessary to establish who Dumbledore officially and magically has custody of. An astral imprint, which I now have, will suffice for the ritual.
No, the Headmaster also has protective artifacts against astral threats, but it's not like I've attacked him. By the way, he is not an Animagus — I saw that clearly. What is more, he had somehow killed his totem beast himself. To be honest, I did not even suspect that such a thing was possible, and I had never seen anything like it before. At least, the Miyazaki Library didn't have any information on the subject.
After about twenty minutes, I hid the notebook and went to the kitchen where the girls were baking. At that moment, they were baking berry buns. No sugar, all according to the traditions of those distant times. We didn't stay too long. After examining everything with my own eyes and even gutting a basket, I found a small mistake, which can be fatal in "ultra-precise" rituals. I had to give a mini-lecture on the subject, because if even a pure-blooded hereditary aristocrat can make such mistakes, what can we say about the others?
Wine at this time of year is just beginning to play, because the juice has just been squeezed. But weak beer, ale — it is possible, in general, only such products are used, which are harvested this year. Samhain — the holiday of remembrance of the dead and the end of the harvest, is considered dark, because the Celts divided the year into two parts: dark and light, summer and winter, day and night.
The girls and even some house elves listened attentively, finished and left. In fact, the wine is allowed as a symbol of the cycle of life, the wheel, like last year's harvest and this year's and next year's. Symbolism is a complicated and important thing, but I have extensive plans for this ritual specifically, so the younger generation will do things my way. Besides, I'm sure the older generation will definitely bring the liquor. But they are a different matter, they are the wingmen, but the leaders, as young and impetuous as they are, will play a very important role today.
When I left the castle, I contacted Padma to find out how the laying of the stones was going. It turned out that Luna, with a smile on her face, started singing some strange songs and dancing, but still, even without prompting, she drew a perfect plan for the boys to lay the stones. The girl was worried and asked what she should do, but I reassured her by saying that for Luna the holiday had already begun, as well as for the mistress of the ritual.
When I asked her a natural question: if there is a Mistress, there must be a Master, who is he if it is not me? I confirmed my guess, but clarified that for me, the celebration would begin in about half an hour, or a little more. Padma asked me to explain the ritual, and then she fainted, and I was finally able to pay attention to the Weylls.
— Where are we going? — Gabrielle asked casually while her sister frowned and looked very thoughtful.
— That was one of my expected questions. — she smiled at the girl. — And we are going to the ritual grounds. There I will light the first fire that will burn until dawn.
— At the lake? — The surprise was real. — At our school, the Ritual Grounds are located in a special grove....
— There was no such place at Hogwarts until this week, and I needed it. I built it. — I shrug.
— Strange... — Fleur said quietly, looking at the flowering grasses on the bank around the stairs.
No explanation, just a smile at the sisters' behavior. Fleur examined her surroundings, but Gabby took everything for granted and just enjoyed herself. She even began to weave a wreath, occasionally inhaling the scent of wild flowers or particularly fragrant herbs. I don't know how to weave wreaths, although I've seen it done, but when I get down to it, it's a nightmare. I don't know what it is, my fingers are obedient, well trained, and I draw well, but my wreaths are a mess. For a few minutes Fleur just watched, and then she joined in with all the fervor of her hot soul, and Gabby began to smile as well.
I didn't pull them away, they are gifted girls, which means they feel the world a little differently than men, and if a girl/girl/woman gets those urges before a ritual, then that's the way it should be, and it should just be accepted. Once the not-so-large wreaths were on the blond heads, I followed the stone path to the grounds, the center. I wasn't surprised that the waterfowl had decorated the holders and the bowl; they are magical people, after all.
The stone was wet, but without slime — the enchantments had removed it. And in general, the mermaids had done a good job of decorating this place: it had acquired a certain "atmosphere" or something? Garlands of tree branches, bushes and algae, underwater plants, flowers and even berries. Beautiful garlands of seaweed and shells. Moreover, the decorations do not interfere at all with free movement on the site. I hope this place will not be desecrated by any scum. Of course, I have taken care of some protection, but everything can be desecrated if you want.