Extis possesses the ability to use curses because he himself is a manifestation of a curse, albeit with his powers limited to controlling the physical body. Although he was dead, a combination of a curse left on a dementor and the manipulation of a time-turner allowed him to regain consciousness. Initially, John was puzzled by Extis's penchant for torturing people to create dementors, viewing it as a form of pure evil that benefits only the perpetrator, akin to a neurosis. However, he soon realizes that there's a method to this madness, a twisted logic that led to the accidental creation of an immortal Extis. By escaping this confined space, Extis would achieve complete eternal life—a bargain that made John laugh incredulously.
Indeed, John couldn't contain his amusement. "Incredible," he said, covering his face as his laughter grew louder, a greedy glint visible between his fingers. Even Extis was taken aback by this reaction.
"It seems you're quite confident," Extis remarked, unable to tolerate such a demeanor. He was accustomed to being the one in control, and yet, here was John, looking at him as if he were merely an object, asking coldly, "What are you laughing at?"
"Me? I'm just thinking of something amusing," John replied, struggling to suppress a smile. "You want me to open the 'Door of Things' and use it to return to the world?"
Extis, realizing his plan was seen through, laughed maniacally. "You know? It doesn't matter. I will be the one to send you in."
"No, no, no," John quickly interjected, still smiling. "What if I told you I was planning to do the same?"
A mirror floated between them, and in the blink of an eye, John vanished. Extis, caught off guard by the absence of any magical disturbance, was left bewildered. Then, a whisper reached his ears, "Tell me, how valuable is a person who has lived for hundreds of years?"
In frustration, Extis destroyed a mirror, only to find it empty. "Get me out!" he demanded, his white feathers turning ominously black. He unleashed a flurry of curses, but John, like a specter, darted between the mirrors, evading capture.
When Extis paused, John seized the moment. A silver hand swiftly covered Extis's mouth and nose, and before he could react, a wand pierced his neck. Such a wound would be lethal to a mortal, but Extis, being a cursed entity, was shocked. His body exploded into a black tide, attempting to engulf John, who merely touched a mirror and reappeared behind another.
Extis reformed, staring at John with pink eyes filled with disbelief. John, twirling his wand with ease, taunted, "Wizards without magic, did you think you were powerless?"
"You relied on me to enter this place. It seems you haven't changed since your living days," John remarked, his laughter igniting Extis's fury.
"When the two taboos meet, the 'Door of Things' will reveal the path to the ultimate," Extis declared solemnly. "Beyond the door lie the regrets and desires that can be fulfilled."
John had an epiphany. "No wonder you create dementors." He realized that dementors were part of Extis's alternative study of souls, aiming to gather enough pure souls to open the 'Door of Things.' However, failing to achieve this in life, Extis settled for using the dementors themselves.
John saw dementors as soul purifiers, and indeed, they were. But Extis's plan was foiled upon meeting John, who was not only a master of magic but also cunning and resourceful.
Extis launched another attack, but John effortlessly dodged and vanished behind a mirror once more. Frustrated, Extis shattered mirror after mirror, never catching John. Suddenly, a powerful force struck Extis from behind, propelling him forward. He tumbled towards the 'Door of Things,' and as he looked up, he saw John opening the door. With a smile, John addressed the Gate of Things, proposing a trade based on the unique combination of soul and curse that Extis represented. The Gate of Things, akin to the Curse of Coins, operates on a system of exchange—though instead of currency, it deals in a broader spectrum of offerings. Given the centuries of curses imbued within Extis, John's own value seemed lesser in comparison. Yet, as he made his request, a shadowy arm emerged from the gate, swiftly capturing Extis who attempted to flee. More arms followed, ensnaring him and pulling him into the abyss. Clinging desperately to the door frame, Extis's eyes darkened from pink to black as he glared at John, his voice filled with hatred and despair, "No! I won't let you go!!!"
His roar was akin to that of a beast caught in a trap, losing all semblance of composure. John approached calmly, methodically prying Extis's fingers from the frame. "Rest assured, I will make good use of the opportunity you've provided," John assured him. With a final, swift motion, he freed the last of Extis's grip, and the door slammed shut, leaving behind an intricate design of lines and circles.
Upon reopening, the door revealed a stark white space, housing three distinct gates: one white, symbolizing life and death; a golden one, representing the past and future; and a silver gate of creation. Knowledge of these doors flooded John's mind upon entry, accompanied by a system notification offering a unique blessing based on his choice.
Faced with the golden gate, John contemplated the possibility of opening all three, a thought that was quickly dismissed upon noticing a warning inscribed on the silver gate against greed and selfishness. Shaken, he approached the golden gate, intent on returning to his own time. However, a feeling of being watched halted him. Turning, he saw an elderly man, smiling benevolently as he held his wife's hand. As John stepped through the golden gate, a sword flew past him, eliciting a pleased nod from the old man.
John awoke under a starlit sky, the events of the day—encounters with Dementors, a surge of curses, interactions with Shim and Extis, and the revelation of the Gate of Things—weighing heavily on him. He lit his wand, its glow a comforting reminder of his return to his world. After a moment of reflection by the lake, now deserted by the Dementors and absent of the two Harrys, John prepared to leave. A glimpse of a sword, half-submerged in the lake and emitting a sinister light, caught his eye.
"Teacher," he whispered, recalling the image of Nicole Flamel within the Gate of Things. The day's experiences, especially the encounter with his teacher and the profound implications of the gates, lingered in his mind as he contemplated his next steps in this familiar yet forever changed world. John approached the spot where the sword had been discarded, his heart racing with anticipation. With a steady hand, he reached out and grasped the hilt of the Sword of Silver Wick. To his astonishment, the once-destroyed blade had been miraculously restored. But it was not just the physical restoration that caught John's attention; a familiar yet peculiar sensation coursed through him as he touched the sword. Running his fingers along the blade, he felt an inexplicable joy emanating from the Sword of Silver Wick, as if it were alive and rejoicing in its renewal.
A realization dawned on John, causing his eyes to widen in awe. "Equivalent exchange," he murmured to himself. "Sacrifice a soul, and in return, gain a soul." The notion was chilling yet fascinating. "Truly, this is a testament to the ingenuity of the most nefarious wizard in history. It's a bargain well made," John thought, a hint of admiration laced with a dark amusement in his thoughts.
At that moment, a notification chimed in his mind, [Ding, task completed. Choose your reward: +1 task point, or receive the blessing: Backtracker.]
[Backtracker: Allows you to trace back the events that occurred in a specific scene and recover items involved.]
John's eyes widened in disbelief at the description of the blessing. "This ability seems almost too powerful," he thought, astounded by the potential it held.
As he turned, his gaze fell upon a pair of small, frightened eyes. It took him a moment to recognize the owner of those eyes - Peter Pettigrew, the very person he had been tasked to capture. Pettigrew looked utterly panicked, regretting his decision to venture to this place, lured by the mysterious golden light in the lake.
John's discovery of the Sword of Silver Wick and the subsequent encounter with Pettigrew set the stage for a confrontation that neither of them had anticipated. The implications of the sword's restoration and John's new ability hinted at a deeper, more complex web of events about to unfold.
_________
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