Before departing from the station, Hagrid made repeated promises to take excellent care of the little creature entrusted to him. His fondness for magical beasts was evident and heartwarming.
Ron, in a rush of urgency, dashed onto the train. He was anxious because John had borrowed his pet rat, Scabbers, for an experiment that, alarmingly, had sterilization as its most significant side effect. Terrified, Scabbers sought refuge in Ron's pocket, refusing to emerge, which left John feeling quite guilty.
As the train pulled away from Hogsmeade Station, John took a moment to reflect on his achievements.
[Ding, Hogwarts Stage Task Two Completed: Successfully pass the second year as a magic apprentice. Reward: Magic Blood +1, Any Point +3]
[Ding, Achievement: Maintain top grades until the semester's end. Reward: Any Point +1, Blessing: Diligence and Scholarship]
Suddenly, John found himself four points richer, adding to the two points he had previously earned from the Gryffindor inheritance test, bringing his total to six points. Feeling wealthier in magical prowess, he eagerly reviewed his panel.
[Magic Power: Level 4 (755/5000)]
[Spells: Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration (Level 3, with dragon option), Disillusionment Charm (Level 4), Fiendfyre (Level 4), Bone-Breaking Curse (Level 4), Fierce Fire (Level 4), Occlumency (Level 4), Patronus Charm (Level 3), Iron Armour Charm (Level 3)...]
[Skills: Proficiency in Short Weapons (Level 7), Greatsword Mastery (Level 4), Firearms Mastery (Level 2), Runes Mastery (Level 3), Alchemy Mastery (Level 3)]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Reflexes, Precision, Scholar 2.0, Pilot, Long-Distance Running, Sword Dance, Night Devil, Troll Buster, Knight, Fire Swallower, Intimidation, Hardening, Dragon Tongue, Botanist, Diligence]
John focused on his higher-level skills, finding the Levitation Charm, despite its simplicity, incredibly useful. The Disillusionment Charm, a staple in his arsenal, proved invaluable. He contemplated integrating the blood of an invisible beast but decided there was no rush to upgrade. The Bone-Breaking Curse was his go-to offensive spell, sufficiently powerful at Level 4. Fiendfyre, now uncontrollable at Level 4, would not be considered for an upgrade until his mana reached Level 5. Occlumency and Transfiguration were up for consideration.
The Patronus Charm, discovered in the Gryffindor Chamber of Secrets, contrasted with the Slytherin Chamber's focus on dark arts and research materials. Understanding that even the most formidable wizards needed knowledge of the dark arts, John planned to upgrade his runes and alchemy skills to Level 4 when possible.
With six points at his disposal, John upgraded his Transfiguration to Level 4 and invested in the Patronus Charm, bringing it to a level where its form could manifest clearly. After allocating two points to upgrade his Iron Armour Charm to a level comparable to many Aurors, he reserved the remaining points for alchemy, runes, and emergencies.
Upon arriving at the station, John bid farewell to his friends, finding his father waiting for him. The inconvenience of car travel sparked a new goal for John: to learn Apparition during the vacation.
Before heading home, John visited Knockturn Alley, where Johnny the Silver Hand had established a formidable presence. Tang Mi, now the captain of the security team, introduced John to his diverse crew, including werewolves and wizards. Among them was a familiar werewolf, Remus Lupin, whose competence Tang Mi praised, though he mentioned Lupin's potential resignation with regret.
Back home, after a week, John ventured into the basement with the magic blood in hand. The blood shimmered with colors, hinting at the presence of invisible beasts within. Drawing from his previous experience, John meticulously sealed the basement before proceeding, determined to harness the magic blood's potential. Blood coursed through his veins, igniting a familiar sensation. John struggled to harness his burgeoning power, yet it surged uncontrollably, transforming the basement around him. Flames burst forth from his body, morphing into fierce fire dragons that roared into the silence. After a moment that felt like an eternity, John felt as though he was being pulled from deep waters. He quickly cast a cleansing spell on himself and glanced at the illusion spell he had been practicing. Remarkably, what was once a level 4 illusion spell had evolved into a level 5. Such a level of Disillusionment Curse was unheard of among Aurors, save perhaps for a select few elites.
[Ding, the magic blood activation has concluded.]
[You have acquired the blessings of the invisible beast: Foresight, Invisibility, Insight, Prophet.]
**Foresight:** Ability to foresee events within the next 10 minutes.
**Invisibility:** Significantly enhances stealth capabilities.
**Insight:** Expands field of vision and heightens sensitivity to surroundings.
**Prophet:** Awakens the talent for prophecy, with a chance to trigger prophetic visions.
John was astounded by these new abilities, reminiscent of the fire dragon incident, where he had also gained four powerful traits. The last one, Prophet, particularly intrigued him. The ability to foresee the future was a rare and formidable skill. He recalled the most famous prophecy in the wizarding world, the one that foretold the defeat of Voldemort, made by Sybill Trelawney. It was this prophecy that led Voldemort to target Harry Potter, setting in motion the events that would lead to his downfall and Harry's rise as the savior of the wizarding world. Without prophecy, the course of history might have been drastically different.
"Divination is indeed powerful," John mused, feeling fortunate for his choice to study it. Eager to test his new foresight ability, he concentrated, and his eyes shimmered with colorful lights. The world before him seemed to fast-forward, and towards the end of his vision, he saw his son, Watson Wake, screaming in distress.
"Dad, what happened?" The vision left John with a sinking feeling. He opened the basement door, only to find Watson lying on the floor, having been eavesdropping and falling in as the door opened. To maintain his fatherly authority, John acted as if nothing was amiss, casually unwrapping a chocolate frog and popping it into his mouth.
"John, did you create any new crafts this time?" Watson asked, his eyes darting curiously towards the basement. The lifelike owl John had previously transformed had been a source of pride for Watson.
Upon seeing the realistic large dog John had created, Watson's eyes sparkled with excitement. "John, would it be alright to place this in the living room as a decoration?"
"Of course," John replied, though his mind was elsewhere, puzzled by the vision of Watson screaming.
Watson eagerly moved the large dog upstairs, with John following behind, filled with concern. As ten minutes passed without incident, John began to doubt his vision. However, Watson, still indulging in chocolate frogs, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his teeth. His scream echoed through the house, mirroring John's foresight exactly.
John looked on in disbelief, initially thinking Watson had bitten his tongue. However, the reality was more mundane—Watson had developed a toothache from tooth decay. Mrs. Wick, upon examining her husband, couldn't help but scoff at his earlier boast of having an "iron stomach."
"What does tooth decay have to do with the stomach?" Watson protested, despite the pain.
Mrs. Wick, unamused by his stubbornness, pinched Watson's swollen cheek, eliciting another scream from him. In agony, Watson Wake declared, "I can only have my tooth extracted." Mrs. Wick, with an air of indifference, rolled her eyes playfully at her husband. It was hard for her to fathom how an adult like him could still suffer from tooth decay. John, their son, shared her disbelief. He had initially wondered just how many chocolate frogs his father had consumed until he stumbled upon the boxes upon boxes of them stashed in the utility room. "Father, you've really brought this upon yourself," John remarked, finally understanding his mother's lack of sympathy. It was clear that Watson's tooth decay was a result of his own indulgence.
Watson Wake was now faced with the necessity of visiting the dentist for a tooth extraction. In Europe, the field of dentistry was known to be quite lucrative, with rumors suggesting that a successful dentist could afford luxuries such as owning a golf course upon retirement. Due to the debilitating toothache, Watson was unable to drive himself, prompting Mrs. Wick to take on the responsibility of driving him to his appointment.
John decided to accompany them, not out of concern for his father's dental woes, but because he had plans to visit Knockturn Alley. The trip, while primarily for Watson's dental emergency, presented an opportunity for John to explore the darker corners of the wizarding world. The family's journey to the dentist, intertwined with John's ulterior motive, set the stage for an unexpected adventure.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge