Maximus realized the gravity of what he had just done. He had transported a corpse from Diagon Alley to his hideout right after a Death Eater attack. In doing so, he had risked encountering Death Eaters themselves, a passing witness, or even more Ministry Aurors. Along the way, he had seen posters announcing large-scale Dementor deployment, adding even more danger to his movements. He couldn't afford to make the same mistake again, though something inside told him that bringing the Auror's body had been a good idea.
Before proceeding, Maximus decided to reinforce the refuge's defenses. He reviewed each rune inscribed on the walls, adding new ones to enhance security and anti-tracking capabilities. Now, he not only had Regulus's wand but also an Auror's body, and he didn't know what methods the Ministry would use to track it. He even suspected they might employ divination. He vaguely remembered, from the films, the Department of Mysteries and its prophecy collection, and assumed they could access some sort of seer.
Once he ensured the warehouse was sufficiently protected, he took the Auror's body down to the basement, where he had created the swamp. He left it on the small beach at the foot of the stairs and then immersed himself in the lake. As he descended, he noticed something unusual: the lake was much deeper than he remembered the spell creating.
Somehow, the lake continued expanding downward and outward, as if an invisible force, conscious or not, was making it grow until it resembled the cave he had once been trapped in. In the center, a small stone island was beginning to form, and the water now stretched about 50 meters wide and 5 meters deep.
While exploring the bottom, he felt something dark yet alive… something different. Instantly, he surfaced and called for Rachel and the others.
"Rachel! Gather the others and come down here, quickly."
The three joined him on the shore, awaiting instructions.
"Come," Maximus instructed, "dive with me into the lake's depths."
The four of them sank to the lake bottom, and it was then that Maximus discovered he could communicate with them mentally. The sensation reminded him of the bond he had established after absorbing the essences of Voldemort and Regulus.
"Can you hear me? Can you respond?"
"Yes… we hear you," the three replied in unison, their voices resonating in his mind.
"Let's return to the surface."
They emerged onto the small beach, and Maximus regarded them with curiosity.
"What did you feel down there?" he asked, hoping to understand the lake's nature better.
"I felt peace… rest…" Rachel replied, her gaze distant. "Flashes of memories reached me, like I was dreaming."
The others described similar sensations, though with less detail. Maximus understood that the lake not only served for rest but also seemed to strengthen them slowly. The idea of testing its effect on the Auror's corpse crossed his mind. With a decisive move, he dragged the body to the lake bed, feeling a strange force anchoring it so it wouldn't float. He watched the corpse for a while but saw no immediate changes. Perhaps, with time, something would happen, so he decided to return to the surface.
Back on land, he began examining the belongings he had recovered from the Auror. He found two wands, 20 Galleons, a couple of potion vials, and a moleskin bag. "Probably belonged to the Auror," he thought. He checked its contents and, finding no resistance (likely deactivated with its owner's death), discovered a diary, a couple of books, and some food and water. The books turned out to be The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Quidditch Through the Ages, nothing of practical use at the moment.
Finally, he found that morning's edition of the Daily Prophet, apparently published before the attack. The headline caught his attention:
"Attacks in Diagon Alley Intensify: What is the Ministry of Magic Doing as Our Society Crumbles?"
The article continued with "7 Steps to Take if You Find Someone Suspicious," but after reading it in full, he found only redundant, sensationalist information.
He then decided to test the new wands but found he didn't have the same affinity with them as he did with Regulus's. Still, he knew he couldn't keep taking risks and felt confident no one would trace these particular wands. To the Ministry, they were likely just wands taken after the attack. As long as they weren't registered, there would be no problems, but he would eventually need a free wand with no prior connection to any wizard.
His decision was clear: he would have to return to Diagon Alley. This time, he would not only seek information but also a new wand and perhaps something else useful.
Dawn was starting to light up the sky when Maximus decided it was a good time to practice with runes. He admired the versatility of this magic, though he knew inscribing runes on artifacts required time and patience—qualities that were now plentiful in his new state. While reflecting, an idea arose in his mind: to create blinding grenades using pieces of stone and the Lumos rune. If he managed to overload it, it could be a helpful weapon if he needed a quick distraction.
Determined to test his theory, he entered one of the rooms he had prepared. He checked there were no windows, and, with a stone in hand, he began inscribing the rune. He took a deep breath and concentrated all the energy he could handle, channeling it into the stone. As he did so, he felt his hand start to burn; an instinctive alarm went off in his mind, urging him to act fast. He threw the stone to the other side of the room and leaped out.
Bang! The explosion thundered behind him, filling the air with a blinding flash that he could feel even outside the room. He felt a slight burn on his skin, a reminder of the intensity of his own power. The entire hideout seemed to vibrate, and Maximus was grateful he had inscribed so many protective runes on the walls, which had prevented the explosion from turning into a major catastrophe. He realized he had underestimated the rune's potency, and exhaustion washed over him. It was evident that while he was improving in controlling his magic, he still had much to learn.
With a sigh, he decided to return to the basement, where the burn on his skin still throbbed dully. Seeking relief, he submerged himself in the lake. Upon touching the water, he noticed something strange: the burn began to heal, as if the lake possessed regenerative properties. Intrigued, he slowly descended to the rocky bed and, feeling an unusual sense of peace, lay on the bottom, closing his eyes momentarily.
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Author notes
I´ve opened a p4treo n so if you like my works you can support me there!, I have drawings, and maybe sometimes the chapter is a bit earlier also I´ve put polls there to vote for new arcs and storys anyways it´s only to support me if you like what I write, I will keep publishing here :).
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