In the afternoon, Augustus stepped out of his dormitory and headed to the Slytherin common room, where Loki and the others had been waiting for some time.
"Mr. Augustus, you're here. Where are we going for magic training? I've been at Hogwarts for a year and still haven't found a proper place to train," Malfoy said, approaching Augustus.
"There's a room I stumbled upon. It's perfect for our training. Hogwarts is full of surprises; you never know what you'll discover," Augustus replied coolly.
"Such a place exists? I can't wait," Lilian said with a smile.
"Let's go. It's getting late," Augustus said, glancing at the group before leading them out of the common room. They ascended the massive floating staircases, heading toward their destination.
By 1:30 PM, the group reached the seventh floor. They walked down a corridor until they came to a blank stretch of wall, opposite a painting of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet.
"This is the place," Augustus announced, stopping in front of the wall.
"But... there's nothing here," Malfoy said, frowning at the blank wall and then at the painting.
"Foolish. In the wizarding world, what appears to be nothing is often the biggest clue. Think about Diagon Alley or Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Honestly, how can a pureblood wizard be so ignorant?" Loki sneered, a mocking smirk curling his lips.
"Fine, you're the expert. We commoners can't match your brilliance, oh great genius," Malfoy shot back irritably, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"It seems Loki has figured it out," Augustus interjected. "The key lies in this wall. Focus on what you need, and the room will reveal itself." He turned to face the wall. Even the trolls and their ballet instructor in the painting paused to watch with interest.
In the next moment, a gleaming door appeared in the wall. Malfoy stared at it nervously as Augustus reached out, turned the brass handle, and pushed it open.
Inside was a spacious room illuminated by torches, reminiscent of a dungeon. Wooden bookshelves lined the walls, while large silk cushions were scattered across the floor instead of chairs. At one end of the room stood a shelf holding various magical instruments: Sneakoscopes, Secrecy Sensors, and a large Foe-Glass.
"This place is perfect for practicing Stupefy," Malfoy muttered, nudging one of the cushions with his foot.
"Look at these books!" Lilian exclaimed, running her fingers along the spines. "The Standard Book of Curses and Counter-Curses, Strategic Defense Against the Dark Arts, A Collection of Self-Defense Spells... Amazing!" She turned to Augustus, her face beaming with excitement.
"Indeed, it's a fine place," Loki admitted, even with his usual critical eye.
"Mr. Augustus, what are these?" Malfoy asked, pointing to the magical instruments on the shelf.
"Dark magic detectors," Augustus explained. "They can sense the approach of dark wizards or enemies. But don't rely on them too much; they can be fooled at times."
He glanced into the Foe-Glass, where indistinct shadows flickered, too vague to identify. Then he turned back to the group.
"Now, let's begin. Before we start training, we'll conduct a small test. This test will determine which magical attribute suits you best," Augustus said, clapping his hands to get their attention.
"Attributes? Are you saying magic has attributes?" Loki asked, surprised.
"Yes. The magic and theories I'm about to teach you are entirely different from what you've learned so far. This is an independent magical system, one that opens a new world before you—magic you've never encountered before," Augustus explained.
The group's expressions turned serious. A new magical system? A world they had never touched before? Deep down, they sensed that their fates were about to change forever.
Drawing his silver wand, Augustus thrust it into the ground. A surge of powerful magical energy erupted, his robes billowing in the wave. The three students squinted against the force as a perfect circle of fourteen massive stone slabs appeared on the ground. Each slab was inscribed with intricate runes and strange symbols, exuding a deep, dark aura.
At the center of the circle was a black void, spewing magical energy in a state that was both gaseous and liquid. The energy split into fourteen streams, each absorbed by a corresponding stone slab. Loki was shocked to see the streams immediately deconstruct into fourteen distinct types of energy.
"These fourteen stones represent fourteen different magical attributes. Place your hand in the center of the energy source to determine your attribute," Augustus instructed.
Loki stepped forward first, placing his hand over the source. A pull radiated from his palm as the energy passed through him and back into the center. Moments later, one of the stones began to glow, ice spreading across its surface.
"Ice attribute," Augustus announced simply. Loki nodded and stepped out of the circle.
Next, Lilian approached. When her hand connected with the source, another stone lit up, engulfed in roaring flames.
"Fire attribute," Augustus said with satisfaction.
Finally, Malfoy stepped forward. His test revealed a wind attribute, a rare magical type prized for its flexibility.
"Not bad. Wind magic is known for its versatility," Augustus commented.
The group was ready, their new paths clearly marked.
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09