The library of the Peverell estate was unlike any Hadrian had ever seen. The towering bookshelves stretched into the shadows, filled with volumes that pulsed with restrained magic. The air was thick with knowledge, the weight of generations pressing down on him.
Ignotus Peverell stood by an ancient wooden table, his presence still carrying the echo of time itself.
"Before we begin, you must understand something," Ignotus said, his voice calm but firm. "The world of magic as you know it is but a fraction of what once existed. The spells taught at Hogwarts, the dueling techniques used by Aurors—they are refined, efficient, but limited."
Hadrian nodded, already suspecting this. He had seen glimpses of magic in his visions that were nothing like what he had learned so far.
"What I will teach you is the magic of the old world," Ignotus continued. "Magic that has been buried, lost, or deliberately erased from history."
With a wave of his hand, several books lifted off the shelves and floated toward them. Hadrian glanced at the titles, his heart quickening:
"The Lost Arts of Wandless Magic"
"Runes of the Forgotten Ages"
"Blood and Bone: The Truth of Magical Lineages"
Ignotus tapped the last book. "Your blood carries the power of the Peverells. Magic is not only in the wand, but in the very essence of who you are. The first lesson is to awaken that magic."
Hadrian raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"By casting without a wand."
He had attempted wandless magic before, mostly out of instinct, but it had been unstable. The idea of controlling it fully intrigued him.
Ignotus gestured to a row of unlit candles across the table. "Light them."
Hadrian exhaled slowly. He stretched out his fingers, focusing on the candles. He could feel the magic inside him, like a sleeping beast waiting to be stirred. He reached for it—
And nothing happened.
Ignotus observed him patiently. "Do not reach outward. Feel inward. Your magic is not in the world around you, but within you."
Hadrian closed his eyes. He let go of the conscious act of trying and instead… felt. The steady beat of his heart, the warmth of his blood, the power humming beneath his skin.
He opened his eyes.
The candles burst into flame.
Ignotus nodded approvingly. "Good. Now, let's see how deep your potential truly runs."
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