Chapter 62: Ancient Magic (1)

October arrived at Hogwarts with its dark rainy clouds and cold winds, yielding to the fleeting caress of a wan sun, turning into a spectacular display of auburn and amethyst hues as dusk descended.

The weather, however, couldn't chill the enthusiasm of the Gryffindor Quidditch team which was busy with an intense training schedule. In the absence of Sirius and James, Catherine spent most of her time doing homework in the Library or seated somewhere in the Common Room, usually accompanied by Remus, who appeared to have a lot on his plate with studying Arithmancy.

"Could you make sense of that?" – he asked pleadingly, pointing at a paragraph in his Art and Science of Arithmancy by Professor Heloise Thistlewick.

The black-haired girl picked up the heavy volume and read aloud.

"In the study of Arithmancy, numbers are not mere symbols but intricate components of a systematic and empirical approach to understanding magical phenomena. This discipline delves into the quantitative aspects of magic, where mathematical models and precise calculations unveil the underlying patterns governing the magical world. From numerical analyses of spell efficacy to probability assessments of magical outcomes, Arithmancy applies rigorous methodologies to interpret the magical fabric. This chapter aims to provide students with a comprehensive foundation in the scientific principles and methodologies of Arithmancy, fostering a practical understanding of how numbers and calculations drive the mechanics of magic in our world."

"Do you understand what it says?" – asked Remus hopefully.

"That you're screwed?" – chuckled the young witch but upon seeing the desperation on Moony's face, she quickly suggested that he studied together with Lily as they could help each other.

As Remus left for the Library in search of his red-headed classmate, Catherine sighed and stretched her arms. The new subjects they picked were interesting but certainly proved to be quite demanding. Their whole friends group shared Care of Magical Creatures classes which were fun, but also potentially dangerous if one was not paying attention.

Peter, Sirius, and James seemed to enjoy their Muggle Studies, except they felt obliged to inform Catherine about everything they learned and ask her many additional questions which she was not necessarily certain how to answer. While she knew a lot about the Muggle world, the fact that she grew up confined at home, meant her exposure to things like policemen, cinema, airplanes and so on was fairly limited. This led to a lot of stress on her part because she was afraid to blow up her cover over a trivial matter such as what type of equipment Muggles had in their hospitals.

In addition, the third-year found herself grappling with the repercussions of her elective choices. The second subject she opted for, the Study of Ancient Runes, posed some unexpected challenges. Catherine sighed, vividly recalling her first class, which had taken place in a very small classroom on the sixth floor.

There were just three desks inside, besides the one used by Professor Seraphina Oakenscript. A blackboard was attached to one of the walls, while every other free space was occupied by shelves, containing hundreds of books, scripts and even small stone and wooden tablets. Catherine was still curiously surveying the surroundings when Professor Oakenscript, a short plum middle-aged witch with chestnut hair, entered the classroom, carrying a bunch of books, that later turned out to be dictionaries. 

"Take a seat, dear!" – the Professor smiled at the black-haired girl as she passed by her. Catherine quickly scanned the available seats. Edgar Bones and Emmett Abbott from Hufflepuff had claimed the desk nearest the window. In the room's centre, Desmond Cornfoot and Lunara Rowanbrook from Ravenclaw occupied the second. Tucked behind the last desk, somewhat secluded in the shadow of a towering bookcase, a lone spot awaited. Catherine hastened toward it, abruptly stopping as she recognised her desk mate. 

"Hurry up, Miss Plantier! As you see there's only one seating option available and I'm sure Mr Snape won't bite you." – the teacher impatiently invited the stunned Gryffindor. 

"I wouldn't count on that." – Catherine murmured, which earned her an angry glare from the Slytherin who did not appear happy with the seating arrangements either. 

The remainder of the lesson unfolded without much excitement. Snape diligently recorded notes with almost maniacal precision, yet surprisingly, he proved to be a rather agreeable desk mate. Contrary to the young witch's initial fears, there was no unpleasant odor emanating from him. After the initial shock, she simply ignored his presence, immersing herself in the captivating study of ancient runes.

The subject was extremely interesting. Professor Oakenscript explained that during that first year they would focus on learning the basic runic symbols and the common grammar and vocabulary before, later on, they could dive deep into the four known runic languages used for constructing and inscribing the magic formulas for different rituals.

Catherine was a little disappointed that the classes were purely theoretical, which meant that they wouldn't try to use any of the rituals they were to translate and study, but she concluded that with the acquired knowledge she could experiment on her own. Evidently, a ritual required much more than reciting a few words of the magic formula. Most wizards and witches were not able to handle the lack of wand. Directing the power currents also was problematic or in some cases even sensing them on the first place. Catherine thought that this aspect shouldn't be a problem for her and unconsciously glanced at Snape imagining his reaction to witnessing her wield such intricate magic. 

'What the hell am I thinking?' – she scolded herself, refocusing on the blackboard as she diligently copied the final segment of the homework assignment.

The rhythm of Ancient Runes classes remained unchanged for Catherine. She dedicated herself to rigorous study, active participation in the discussions, and a deliberate effort to ignore Snape, seemingly aligning with his own preferences. 

The young witch glanced down at the second roll of parchment before her. Unfurled across a small table, it held the beginnings of a lengthy translation she had carefully selected for its thematic richness. The text, a tractate dating back to the fourth century B.C., delved into the nuanced techniques of performing wandless magic. Its original discovery, concealed within a stone chest a century ago, had taken place beneath the foundations of a modern-day church.

Catherine hissed in frustration when she realised she didn't have the necessary books to continue her work. It took her good ten minutes to arrange and collect all her belongings before she could head to the Library. Remus and Lily were nowhere to be seen; hence she left her homework on one free spot and went to find the book called Linguistic Labyrinth: Unraveling Ancient Runes by Professor Seraphina Moonshadow. 

Despite combing through the ancient runes section twice, the sought-after book was nowhere to be found. A sense of disappointment settled over Catherine as she returned to her table, confronting her half-finished work with a helpless gaze. Then, a gasp of surprise escaped her lips as she discovered the very book she pursued within arm's reach of her. 

"Do you need this book?" – the black-haired Gryffindor heard a pleasant, rich female voice. She shifted her focus toward the girl occupying the seat next to her on the table. The tall, blond sixth-year was someone Catherine had only glimpsed at the Ravenclaw's table but had never spoken to nor knew her name.

"Yeah, if you can lend it to me for an hour or so?" – she replied promptly.

"Take it! I just needed it to check something, and I'm already finished with it. I assume you're also studying Ancient Runes." – the older girl said, smiling.

"Indeed! I've just started this year. I'm Catherine Plantier from Gryffindor." – the black-haired girl introduced herself. 

"After last year, we all know that." – the other witch chuckled – "I'm Gwendolyn Lockhart, sixth year, Ravenclaw."

"Nice to meet you." – Catherine nodded, blushing slightly – "So, you're taking Ancient Runes for your NEWTs?"

"Yes. I'm planning to become a magical historian, specialising in ancient magic." – Gwendolyn explained proudly. 

"Sounds very interesting." – Catherine replied, though the third-year's words might have hidden a hint of scepticism.

The blond girl smiled broadly and made a slight motion with her right hand. The Linguistic Labyrinth volume slowly rose above the table and landed on the top of Catherine's other books.

"It's not purely theoretical work." – she winked at the surprised Gryffindor girl – "Studying Ancient Runes is pointless without making use of the knowledge inside the old texts. See you around, Catherine!"

The black-haired witch stared after the sixth-year Ravenclaw for a long time. Eventually, she returned to the task at hand. However, the more her quill was filling in the parchment with the translated text, the more she yearned to try the wandless magic she was writing about.