28: The Silver Pendant

[Alaric's Pov]

Observing Orion freezing in place was rather intriguing. When I examined the two individuals, their resemblances were strikingly evident. I couldn't help but wonder if there was a connection between them.

"Orion?" I called out. While Sirius and Hope had already ventured off to explore the shop, my employee remained rooted to the spot, his eyes quivering.

In response to my call, Orion shook his head and turned towards me. "Apologies, boss," he muttered. "By the way, those curses on the items you purchased are exceptionally strong,"

There was a familiarity in his voice as if he had encountered such curses before.

Little did Lucius know that the half of objects he took with him were the ones with comparatively weaker curses. I could dispel each one effortlessly, but the ones I retained had some magic that I was familiar with.

Voldemort. The items emitted a similar kind of magic to the ominous wisps I often observed at the back of Quirrel's head when he was bound to his master.

"I'll take a look later," I murmured to Orion, picking up the second Hogwarts letter that arrived alongside the one displaying my grades. Opening it, my expression soured.

The classes remained unchanged, meaning most of the required materials only differed in terms of the books. However, when I glanced at the list of necessary books for Defense Against the Dark Arts, I felt the need to empty my stomach from the lunch I had earlier.

Lysandra's Lockhart phase had been akin to a horror story, so I couldn't even fathom having a professor afflicted with the same disease.

It was only after she was presented with a thesis on Lockhart's fraudulent nature that my sister realized how foolish she had been. We spent an entire afternoon burning most of the material she had about the man.

"Holidays with Hags," "Gadding with Ghouls," "Break with a Banshee," "Wandering with Werewolves," "Year with the Yeti," and "Voyages with Vampires" — these were all book titles I believed I would never have to hear mentioned again.

Yet now, we were being forced to buy all of them!

"By the way," I called out, capturing Orion's focus. "Beginning tomorrow, you'll be responsible for managing the shop on your own. I have other business endeavors that demand my attention, but I'll check in periodically. And I do expect a weekly report," I emphasized.

Although running the Emporium brought me a sense of tranquility, there were still numerous seeds I needed to plant before the school term began.

Memorizing the necessary details, the letter in my hand suddenly burst into flames, disintegrating into ashes.

Stepping out of the shop, I navigated through the bustling crowds of wizards on the street, with the intention to buy the few things my shop didn't offer.

__________

[3rd Pov]

"You should start practicing," Lysandra advised, her arms folded firmly across her chest, her gaze fixed upon her brother.

In the forest near Godric's Hollow, Alaric had his grandfather's notebook levitating beside him as he continuously traced his wand in circular motions, attempting to conjure a faint black fire circle around the twins.

With sweat coating his brow, Alaric slumped onto the ground, his frustration evident.

"Please, as if we even need to put in the effort to secure a spot on the teams," he grumbled, flipping through the pages of the book. "You won't struggle either if you actually had the desire to play."

Lysandra rolled her eyes but then couldn't help but let out a grin. "I just don't want to compete against you. Don't want to embarrass my own brother in front of the entire school," she quipped.

"Like that would ever happen," he scoffed.

"Any progress?" inquired Lysandra, observing her brother's furrowed brows as he studied the spellbook.

"Nope. I still can't understand how Grandfather manages to keep the spell up," Alaric replied, frustration lining his voice.

After months of attempting, Alaric had managed to learn how to cast the diabolic protection charm, but alas, he struggled to maintain its efficacy for more than five seconds.

The fusion of two nearly opposing spells required not only a considerable amount of magical power but also precise control and unwavering concentration—qualities that Alaric found lacking when attempting to merge the spells and cast the unholy circle of protection.

"Have you tried asking him?" Lysandra suggested, peering over Alaric's shoulder at the notes in the book. Despite her distaste for Dark Arts, she still wanted to help her brother.

"I sent him a letter," Alaric responded, his brow furrowing deeper. "He simply replied, and I quote, 'If you can't accomplish it on your own, then perhaps it's time to give up.'"

"He did mention that it's too early for you," she remarked. Despite Alaric's reluctance to acknowledge it, she knew he still lacked the necessary control to handle a spell capable of protection, unleashing waves of cursed flames and potentially decimating an entire city.

Alaric rose to his feet once more, resuming the same wand movements as before while quietly reciting the incantation under his breath.

Meanwhile, Lysandra stretched on the grass, extending her hand towards the notebook, her curiosity piqued by the spells made by their grandfather. Slowly turning the pages, her expression would furrow at spells she disliked but would light up with interest upon seeing ones she deemed useful.

She quickly threw the book aside, feeling slightly tempted by some of the spells. The book landed on the grass with a thud, opening on a different page.

"Al, did you create this one?" she called out, her attention caught by the spell inscribed on the page. It had distinct handwriting compared to the others and lacked any description or effects, displaying only its name.

"Hmm?" Alaric retrieved the book from the grass, his eyes widening as he glanced at the spell. "Cursed Ice..."

Without warning, Alaric unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a hidden pocket from which he retrieved a silver pendant. His gaze locked onto the necklace, witnessing it emit whispers he hadn't seen in ages.

He could sense the ancient magic permeating his hands, coursing through his veins, and gathering at the tip of his wand, causing it to radiate a luminous whitish-blue glow.

Guided by an instinctual connection, he raised his wand and aimed it toward the surrounding trees. Without the need for any gestures or incantations, a stream of blue energy surged forth from the wand.

The moment it made contact with the trees, a thunderous explosion reverberated through the air.

*BOOOOOM*

As the dust settled, an eerie chill washed over the twins. In front of them, the trees became encased in ice, frozen in place. Even though they stood at a distance, Alaric and Lysandra could feel the cold emanating from the icy mass.

Lysandra's mouth hung open in astonishment, taken aback by the unexpected power of the spell. The unfrozen trees were uprooted, and the surrounding ground was marked with deep gouges of ice.

"That... that was surprising," Alaric muttered, still trying to comprehend the sensations he experienced before casting the spell.

In a swift realization, he understood that the magical energy he felt was linked to the pendant. Not only that, but the spell he had cast was the same magic that had previously frozen the Ice Vault.

Right at that moment, the ice from the spell continued to spread, encasing more and more trees.

"Shouldn't you stop it?" Lysandra asked, pointing at the expanding ice covering the ground.

"I would... if I knew how," Alaric admitted.

Nervously chuckling, Alaric aimed his wand at the ice. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the sensation he had felt earlier.

Once again, his wand tip began to glow, and Lysandra watched in amazement as the ice gradually receded and melted, leaving behind only a large puddle of water.

The twins exchanged bewildered glances.

With her hands on her hips, Lysandra furrowed her brows and looked at her brother.

"Are you going to explain how you caused... all of this?" she asked, gesturing towards the aftermath of Alaric's ice spell.

Alaric raised the silver pendant, catching the sunlight. The chain coiled around his hand and wrist, while the crystalline piece dangled beneath his palm.

"What about it?" she inquired. "You've shown me that necklace before,"

"Do you remember those unfamiliar whispers I could see in this pendant?" he asked, and Lysandra nodded. "When you showed me that peculiar spell in Grandfather's notebook, the pendant reacted to it, and I was able to cast it..."

"So you used the magical whispers from the necklace to cast this kind of magic? But how? As far as I know, you can't simply grab the magic you see from thin air," Lysandra pondered.

"That's what I would like to know," Alaric sighed.

The more and more he investigated the weird magical pendant, the more he felt he was getting further and further from the answer. Perhaps he would get the answer he sought where he first encountered the magic... Hogwarts.

Cleaning himself with some hygiene spells, Alaric went back home with his sister in tow.

__________

As the summer days rolled on, the twins filled their time with various activities.

Alaric occasionally met up with his friends, and when they couldn't be together in person, they exchanged letters. Most days, he focused on inventing new enchanted items or practicing his magic.

He would sometimes visit his shop in Diagon Alley to check on its progress. Other times, he traveled to an underground dueling club in France to test his skills against different wizards.

He also dedicated some time to practicing mind-related magic, strengthening his mental palace, and honing his ability to read thoughts. He made an effort to refrain from prying into others' minds out of curiosity, although that proved to be only a mild success.

Before their second year began, the Ministry learned about the high-quality products sold at the Emporium. They placed a substantial order to supply their Aurors and Hit Wizards, paying a handsome sum for the items.

Meanwhile, Lysandra spent most of her time assisting her brother and spending time with Hope and Hermione. The three girls often gathered, and Ginny, who would be starting Hogwarts that year, joined their group.

Albus and Aberforth also spent time with the twins. Albus enjoyed teaching them alchemy, broadening their knowledge, while Aberforth entertained them with stories from his own experiences. Despite being a barman and innkeeper, Aberforth had expertise in dueling and charms.

It was quite challenging to explain to the twins that the Prophet had greatly exaggerated when they heard about Aberforth's use of "inappropriate charms" on a goat. He swore that the spell only enlarged the goat's horns!

As the days passed, the leaves began to change color, and the air grew cooler. The arrival of September 1st was heralded by shorter days, signaling the start of a new chapter and a new year at Hogwarts.

**********

A/N: The summer finally came to an end, but it's only the start!

The second year will be quite large, as I plan to focus on some important plot points for the story. There'll also be some slice-of-life chapters, with the kids just enjoying their time at Hogwarts!

Hope you enjoyed!