Chapter 18

In the forest north of Hogsmeade, a large granite boulder measuring three feet in every dimension was being pulled up a raging river. Thick chains were tied around its surface as the other ends were wrapped around Vesryn's bare torso and arms as he marched through the chest deep water. His feet moved one step after the other as he fought to find purchase on the slick rocks beneath as the violent currents battered against his body and the boulder behind him. His eyes focused in front of him, unflinching even as the river fought to slow his advance while his mind was occupied as he thought of the past now lost and the future that was yet to come.

The feeling of hopelessness gradually faded from his heart as it was transformed into something else. Hatred for the ancient Eldritch monster and the cultists that summoned it. Hatred that turned to pain when he remembered all that he lost. And from that pain came determination, a drive to avenge everything that was taken from him, a drive to make sure it would never happen again. He had a second chance now and he would make the most of it. He would make sure that he would become stronger than he ever was before. He knew where his faults lay, his strengths and his weaknesses, and now he had the chance to correct it as best he could. He didn't know where his potential would take him now with all of the changes discovered in his body, but he would push his limits as far as possible.

The image of the gargantuan monstrosity appeared in his mind as he ground his teeth. A growl escaped his throat as he dragged the large boulder behind him, his bare feet pushing along the rocky riverbed beneath. He knew that monster was still out there, ever hungry and searching for a new world to devour. Reaching back, Vesryn grabbed the chains as he untangled himself from its bindings. Vesryn roared as he tugged and pulled in one violent motion, lifting the boulder out of the river and slinging it through the air.

A loud crash echoed through the air as bits of dirt and wood exploded outward from the impact. Vesryn breathed heavily as he stood still in the center of the rapidly flowing water. Reaching up with his hands he brushed his damp hair back as he looked into the afternoon sky. It had been several hours since he had started training, the sun had barely begun to rise when he began and now it was beginning to make its way down. He wanted to become stronger than he ever was before, he had to. He needed to surpass everything he once was because he knew it wasn't a matter of if he would encounter Shuma-Gorath again, it was when. He remembered the hate in its monstrous voice as the few fragments of his fight replayed in his mind. It would come for him one day, and when that day comes, he would be ready.

Vesryn waded out of the river and onto the shore as he shook the water off his body before reaching into the bag on his waist to pull out a dry towel. It was one of many small features the pouch had that he was thankful for, being able to protect everything that was contained within from its surroundings. After quickly drying off his hair and body, Vesryn withdrew his wand from his bag and made a quick wave as a stream of hot air rushed forth from the tip. Vesryn took a breath as he directed the stream of air towards the now damp towel in his hands. Instantly steam rose from the cloth as it dried in the blink of an eye before quickly catching fire in his hands as he groaned in frustration. He had learned the Hot Air charm the day before from Charlie and despite performing the spell in the exact same manner, Vesryn found himself unable to stop whatever he dried from being set ablaze.

"Fucking hell. I know I'm not messing up the movements or incantations." Vesryn questioned as the towel turned to cinders in his hand and fell to the riverside. Rubbing his face with his right hand, Vesryn sighed heavily as he moved to sit down on a nearby rock. Shaking his head, he pulled out his tunic and boots to dress himself as he thought about what he was doing wrong.

He had gone to Charlie and the other wizards in the sanctuary to ask about spells that turn people invisible and whether or not any of them could demonstrate it for him to verify one of his suspicions. Charlie was more than happy to volunteer and as a result, Vesryn was able to verify that the Disillusionment Charm did function as advertised and effectively camouflaged the individual against their surroundings. It could even render someone invisible if they were skilled enough. What he also discovered however was the charm had no effect on his perception of them if they were within a certain range of him, roughly a hundred feet give or take by his estimate. He did his best to pretend that he couldn't see the redhead as he was reminded of an ability that certain powerful creatures, like ancient dragons, had in his previous world. True sight.

Feigning surprise, Vesryn asked the group to teach him the spell only to have them recommend that he start with the basics before moving onto the more advanced and complicated spells. Using his unique visual gift, he studied the process that each of the wizards used to cast the basic spells. Basic spells that he discovered were surprisingly difficult for him to perform properly, despite the fact that he was able to mimic the exact process that they themselves used to cast the spells. A fact that was unbelievably annoying to him as it wasn't that he failed to perform the spells but rather somehow the spells all ended up having an extreme effect that he wasn't intending.

The wand-lighting charm had managed to light up the entire mountaintop in the middle of the night as though it were the middle of the day. The softening charm that was directed at the egg he placed on a crate, ended up causing the egg, the crate and its contents to become rubbery and bouncy. A problem that caused the others a great deal of trouble when someone bumped into the crate a moment later and it went bouncing completely off the mountain. Then there was the unlocking charm that did more than he was intended to, completely dismantling a simple lock into its individual parts rather than simply unlocking it.

Even the few spells he did manage to cast 'properly' had unintended side effects. The fire-making spell created fire like it was supposed to, but said fire ended up being hot enough to turn a stone into molten lava that incinerated a campfire. The locking charm did lock a suitcase like it was supposed to, unfortunately said suitcase also remained locked even after several people turned to unlock it. Last Vesryn knew, Charlie was still trying to find who was responsible for sealing his suitcase after he was forced to break it open to get to its contents.

Vesryn sighed as he looked at his wand and remembered what he was told about his wand when he received it. Combination of cherry wood and ebony, with a core of dragon heartstring. The ebony wood that made up the handle matched those who held fast to their beliefs, goals and purpose. Cherry however possessed extraordinary power especially when combined with dragon heartstring and required exceptional self-control and strength of mind to master. That description was clearly not an exaggeration, every spell that he has cast with it has come out faster than he ever managed without it. Faster, more efficient and more powerful. Vesryn paused as he thought about the process of spellcasting, his eyebrows furrowing as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

'It can't be that simple. Oh, I'm going to feel so stupid.' Vesryn thought to himself as he came to a conclusion. He didn't have any issues casting the spells he learned himself, it was only when he tried casting spells by copying others that issues arose. Copying their gestures, movements and incantations likely weren't an issue. However he was also using the exact same amount of magical power that they did in the process of casting. Vesryn looked over his shoulder at the large boulder that was embedded into the dirt.

'I'm physically stronger than any of them. What if my magical strength is the same and my wand is amplifying it even further?' Vesryn rose to his feet as he raised his wand toward a nearby tree and flicked it lightly to the side.

"Diffindo." He intoned as cast the severing charm at one of the branches, drawing the same amount of magical power he saw Marisa used to split a single leaf from a different tree. A red light sparked from the tip of his wand as the targeted branch and almost a dozen others beyond it instantly dropped to the ground. Vesryn shifted his aim to a different branch as he repeated the motion and cast the spell again, this time drawing half the amount of magic he did previously. The red spark flashed and a handful of branches fell from the trees. Vesryn breathed deep as he shifted his aim once more and repeated the spell again. A flash and a single branch hit the floor. Once more he repeated the process, this time splitting a leaf in half and carving part way into the branch behind it.

"Diffindo." Vesryn intoned one last time, now drawing what he calculated was a twentieth of what he used previously. A smile grew on his face as he saw a single leaf split in half without so much as a scratch on the branch it was attached to. Shaking his head, Vesryn released a sigh before he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fuck. Now I feel dumb." He said to himself as he crossed his arms. His physical body was vastly superior to the adults around him, if his magical energy was the same way then he didn't need to use the same amount that others did. Especially given how wands appeared to amplify a witch or wizard's magical power. He had only paid attention to the quantity of magical energy used while disregarding the issue of quality.

"Can't believe I didn't think of that." Vesryn pointed his wand at a small pebble by his feet.

"Wingardium Leviosa." Immediately after the words left his mouth, the pebble lifted off the ground and rose to eye level. With a flick of his wand he tossed the pebble over his shoulder as he released the spell, letting it soar through the air before splashing into the river behind him. Putting his wand away, Vesryn started to walk into the forest toward Hogsmeade before he looked up to see the familiar shadow of Leithon swooping down toward him with a roll of parchment in its beak. Vesryn stretched out his arm just as the large owl came to a halt and landed on his forearm, the sharp talons doing little more than press against his hide-like skin.

"Hey Leithon. What do you have there?" Vesryn asked as he scratched the large bird beneath its beak before holding his hand out for the parchment. The black and gray mottled bird dropped the roll of parchment before flapping its wings and hooting loudly with its head held high as though it was asking to be praised. Vesryn unfurled the paper as he walked through the trees, a smirk growing on his face as he read through the copy of the Daily Prophet that was now in his hands.

'Fenrir Greyback At Large Again! Lord Nott Out For Vengeance?

Fenrir Greyback, the most savage werewolf of our time, was apprehended once again yesterday outside of Hogsmeade. The office of the Werewolf Capture Squad have released no information regarding the circumstances of Greyback's arrest. Greyback was being transported back to the Ministry to be processed and tried for the scrolls worth of crimes he has committed over the years. Unfortunately, early this morning Greyback has once again managed to escape captivity and escape once more into the dark recesses of the wizarding world. Families are advised to lock themselves in their homes earlier, especially if they have children or suspect that they might have run afoul of the savage monster.

Lord Viktor Nott was seen leaving the office of the Werewolf Capture Squad late last night. When questioned this morning, the Lord of the ancient and noble house of Nott had this to say.

'Fenrir Greyback is a savage monster that deserves no mercy. The Werewolf Capture Squad should have executed the beast on the spot when they captured him. Their unwillingness to take appropriate actions have once more put the lives of our children at risk once more!'

Lord Nott is the father of Veronica Snyde née Nott, who has recently been admitted into Saint Mungo's Janus Thickey Ward for reasons still unknown alongside her husband. Could she have been the most recent victim of Greyback's savagery? Could she have been afflicted by the dark curse of the beast? Is this why the once reclusive lord of House Nott has come out into the open with calls for Greyback's execution?

By Reporter and Special Correspondent, Rita Skeeter.'

"Lord Viktor Nott. Veronica Snyde was the name of the shit eater that the toad was trying to arrest me for, wasn't it?" Vesryn asked aloud as Leithon hooted twice in response. Tucking the paper under his arm, Vesryn scratched his owl as it leaned in closer.

"Good job boy. I'll see if I can't get you some bacon from the inn." Leithon hooted loudly in response as he flapped his wings before settling down again.

"You really narrowed things down for me, didn't you Viktor?" Vesryn asked quietly as he opened the paper again and looked at the moving picture of a bald old man, whose wrinkled face was twisted into an expression of rage but Vesryn got the sense that there was something else hidden in his eyes. Vesryn shoved the newspaper into his pouch as he saw the entrance to Hogsmeade come into view. Occasionally he would see a witch or wizard pop into view before moving on with their business. As he slipped through the crowd and approached the Three Broomsticks Inn, he could hear several young children calling out from beside their parents as they pointed into the air.

"Mum look! There really are dragons here!" A young boy called out as he tugged on his mother's sleeve and directed her attention up toward the mountains. Looking over his shoulder, Vesryn saw the once pale and wounded Ukrainian Ironbelly flying freely in the air above the mountain. A small smile covered his face as he pushed his way into the establishment, a feeling of happiness crossing his mind for the dragon's recovery.

A barrage of noise assaulted his ears as stepped inside the inn. The bustling room was almost completely filled to capacity as Vesryn pushed through to find a small table in the back corner. Looking around as he took a seat, he noticed several families situated around the building.

"Oh! Hey Vesryn. Come for lunch?" Vesryn turned to see Aurelius making his way to his table with a tray under his arm and an oversized apron tied around his body.

"Aurelius? You're working here?" Vesryn raised an eyebrow as he saw the boy stop on the other side of the table.

"Yeah. I kinda have to. I got caught sneaking into the castle again and might have damaged a couple of books from the library in the process. Gramps wanted me to work to pay it off myself." Aurelius rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish expression on his face.

"You? Snuck into the castle and damaged books in the library? Were you hiding in there or what?" Vesryn questioned as he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Huh? No! I was trying to find some books there." Aurelius answered, shaking his hand in front of him.

"So you snuck in the castle for books? Really?"

"I mean, some of the books I can't buy myself and I didn't want to wait." Vesryn sighed and shook his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So you're working here to pay it off then."

"Yep. Well it's either here for the rest of summer or at the Hog's Head every year until I graduate. And that's if I'm lucky and we actually get some patrons over there."

"Well, you might get more customers if you could get your gramps to actually clean the place."

"I'd have better luck flying to the moon on a broomstick. Anyways, what can I get you?" Aurelius asked as Vesryn looked over his shoulder at the blackboard to read the menu written on the other side of the building.

"Hmm. Rotisserie smoked chicken with roasted corn and potatoes. Oh and a side of bacon, for Leithon." Vesryn answered as the large owl hooted in response.

"Drink?"

"Just water will be fine."

"Okay. That'll be ten sickles for your meal and one for his."

"Ten? Wasn't it eight last week?" Vesryn asked as he pulled a handful of silver coins from his bag.

"It was but we've had a lot more visitors coming to see the new dragon sanctuary lately so Madam Rosmerta upped the prices. Labor costs, I believe she said." Aurelius replied as he picked up the coins.

"You don't look too concerned. Neither does she."

"Why would we? More people means we both make more money. I pay off those books sooner AND I can probably make some extra just in case it happens again." Aurelius responded as he put the coins into the front pocket of his apron.

"Are you really planning to do it again?"

"I've been doing it for two years now. This is just the first time gramps is actually making me pay for it. I'll be right back with your order." Aurelius answered as he rushed back towards the kitchen, passing by the large fireplace as it erupted with emerald flames. In moments, Vesryn watched as a family of six appeared from the flames. A gaggle of five red haired boys stumbled into the open space in front of the fireplace, two twins that appeared to be pestering a younger boy as an older looking boy stood with an irritated expression, arms crossed and a book held tightly against his chest. A short, and slightly plump woman pushed forward from behind the boys, shooing them along with one hand as a basket hung from her arm and a young girl held her other hand. Watching as the woman pushed what Vesryn assumed to be her children out of the inn as she waved back to Madam Rosmerta, who was standing on the second floor. With the noise of the busy inn masking her voice, he could only make parts of the dialogue as the family exited the building.

"Next time Rosmerta!…Going to see Charlie!" Vesryn shrugged as he watched the woman walk past the window and disappear from view.

"Here you go. Rotisserie chicken platter and a side of bacon." Aurelius said as he set down a large plate on the table along with a small bowl and glass of water.

"Thanks. Hey, Aurelius. I have a question." Vesryn said as he picked up a piece of bacon and held it out over his shoulder for his owl that had jumped onto the back of his chair.

"Well, I might have an answer. Maybe." The boy responded as he tucked the tray back under his arm.

"I want to know more about the 'noble' families here. Traditions, rumors, history. How much do you know?"