17 A Distasteful Mentor

Oz felt conflicted at Salazar's proposition. Sure, learning from one of the greatest dark wizards ever would certainly be a boon but wouldn't it skew his balance? Plus, Salazar was said to be an evil guy through and through with an extreme distaste for muggles, there's no way such a man would want to train someone just under the pretence of 'You have potential'. Oz felt strongly that Salazar wanted to use him, maybe even ensnare him.

But even though the risks were great, learning dark magic from one of the greatest dark wizards of the past era would definitely help his growth immensely. The void being itself was impressed with Oz's willpower especially when he accepted his death. Such willpower should be able to overcome any of the burdens of using dark magic.

'It will be a huge risk indeed but... to become something great in this world... I think I need to take this chance. If my ancestor in this world could handle it surely I can too'.

With his decision made, Oz looked at Salazar with confidence.

"I would like to learn from you".

Salazar responded to Oz's answer with a grin.

{Seems your not completely foolish at least... Very well! you should look forward to these lessons child, besides Merlin you are the only other wizard that will have the pleasure to learn under me personally}.

Oz walked up closer to the portrait staring at Salazar, his new mentor in the dark arts.

"What exactly do you want to teach me then?"

{From the simplest of dark arts to the darkest. I want you to inherit and absorb as much of my knowledge as I can give. This will be a long and arduous journey for you im sure... visit me down here every day after your pitiful lessons and I'll teach you all I know}.

With that said, Salazar walked back to his basilisk throne and fell into a slumber. Oz gathered from this that the man could only stay up for a certain amount of time, calling him down to this place from so far away must have drained him quicker than usual also.

'Well the next few months are certainly going to be interesting'.

.

Oz's schedule had now changed after his run in with Salazar. He would wake up, go to lessons and then immediately after go down to train with Salazar for a couple of hours. When Salazar fell back into a slumber, Oz would go back up to the RoR to balance out his core so as not to let the dark magic take it over completely, sometimes fitting in some combat practice when possible.

'Each lesson with Salazar I seem to absorb the ambient dark magic in that room while he's teaching me... this is probably one of his plots to get me to slowly become one of his puppets.'

Salazar's lessons themselves were extremely gruelling. He would teach Oz a topic in only 20 minutes and then expect him to have the topic mastered in just over an hour. If Oz was even a second later than Salazar liked, he would be cruelly reprimanded. On one lesson in particular, Salazar actually managed to curse Oz causing him immense pain, something which Oz personally thought was impossible seeing as he is in a portrait.

'He is one of the greatest dark wizards in the past era, of course he's got some bullshit up his sleeve...'.

Oz sighed as he looked at the core within him.

'Salazar said that after next lesson we will only meet once a week instead of daily... at least then I can finally start reading the books from the restricted section using the RoR. I can also try to get the marauders map and also create the augment spell'.

Although the lessons were harsh they were necessary. Now they were being eased he could go back to doing what he had planned initially.

'I can tell he's planning something that snake... I'll need to prepare thoroughly. Thankfully it seems ill advance soon so at least there's some security there'.

The core inside Oz was actually growing faster due to the recent influx of dark magic he's absorbed. The only thing left for Oz to do now was to fully complete the balance between both sides of magic allowing for him to break through into the next level.

'Most witches and wizards probably only pick one side, dark or light. The only known person to have ever progressed like I am is probably... Merlin...'.

Merlin's name felt weird to Oz whenever he thought of it, it was as if his magical source would respond to it. Every time this happened it solidified to Oz that he must indeed be connected to Merlin.

'After this year at Hogwarts I must go and do an inheritance test, only then will I for sure know that I'm truly a descendant of that man'.

.

{You've done well in these past months child, much like your ancestor you've absorbed everything I've given you like a sponge... no need to come down here daily anymore, just come once a week and ill tutor you...}.

Oz looked at the old snake within his portrait. Over the past few months of lessons, he had grown an extreme distaste for the man.

"Honestly I don't know whether I should thank you or say fuck you".

Salazar sneered at Oz's response.

{Cutting words from a greenhorn such as yourself. You've only opened the doorway of the dark arts and the path ahead is long. The lessons I've been giving you is only to prepare you for what's to come, so don't get cocky boy!}.

"Well I'll be leaving then snake, don't die while im gone".

Oz then left the room leaving Salazar brooding for a while. As he watched Oz leave, a cold and cunning grin appeared on his face.

{He's a tricky one that boy, difficult to ensnare. He seems to be balancing his core constantly after lessons so seems my preliminary plan is out the window... guess ill go with that plan instead}.

Salazar then sat further back in his basilisk throne getting himself comfortable before falling into a deep slumber yet again.