260. The Library

Magnus' smiling face shrank as he heard this abrupt answer. He was expecting some resistance but he hoped to make the old man agree. But, now all of a sudden he just outright rejected his request.

"BUT WHY? Don't you think if I also learn about dark magic I can better deal with the dark wizards? I mean, if one day I am to fight Voldemort, I have to have some kind of knowledge about it, or else he can just launch some spells I have never heard of." Magnus argued.

"You will never have to fight Voldemort, I will deal with him before he can do anything." Dumbledore confidently replied. He never wanted to expose Magnus more to that side of the world, as Magnus had already done enough for everyone. Him killing a few of them, putting bounties on their heads had alone put some pressure off the shoulders of the Order of the Phoenix.

Now, the Order was preparing to launch a big campaign to one by one ambush all the Death Eaters and catch them, until only Voldemort is left. All the official portkeys in the country leading outside the country were also being monitored now so no one could escape. But, all knew this was a useless measure.

Magnus rolled his eyes, "Oh, come on, what if they come for me? Like they have done many times up until now. We should always expect the unexpected, also, constant vigilance is the best.

"Also, don't you know about Prohibition in the United States? It was the constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933. They aimed to heal what they saw as an ill society beset by alcohol-related problems such as alcoholism, family violence and saloon-based political corruption.

"But, what actually happened? The more you try to stop something, the more ways it will find to continue to exist. After the prohibition, the Mafia and criminals either started to make bootleg alcohol or illegally importing it from outside. They created the underground black market and raked in huge money, which gave birth to the stronger mafia and criminal organisations. So, not only did the prohibition not stop the consumption of alcohol but it also made the criminals more rich and powerful.

"The dark magic is just like that. The ministry has outright banned it, yet dark magic books and items are still being sold in Knockturn alley and many are still performing it. The business owners are selling these books and items at a much higher price and making a lot of money. While the unregulated use of dark magic is creating more fatalities, mutant wizards and crime. Hence, understanding dark magic and regulating is the need of the hour.

"Besides, if you don't let me study it under your supervision, then I will just have to get some dark magic books stored by Merlin. I'm sure they can provide me with better and higher-level knowledge, it will be more dangerous but still, something is better than nothing."

He was blackmailing. Telling the old man that you only have two options, either let him study dark magic in the safety of his supervision or let him study dark magic under the safety of a portrait of Merlin. Of course, the portrait was useless in anything except providing verbal help.

"What kind of dark magic do you want to study?" Dumbledore asked him in defeat.

"I don't know, I have never been to the restricted section of the library, although I wanted to. So, I came here to officially ask." He replied. The truth was, he wanted to ask Dumbledore for a list of all the books, so he didn't have to search through all of them. Merlin had warned him that even opening a dark magic book could sometimes be very dangerous.

"Come with me, I will give you a tour." Dumbledore stood up.

"Didn't you have somewhere to go to?" Magnus reminded him.

The old man stroked his beard and sighed. "That can wait for a little while. This is more important. Or who knows, by the time I return you end up destroying this castle."

Magnus chuckled, "Hehe... but Professor, if you are going to give me a tour, why not start with your personal library here? I'm sure you have hidden the best stuff here."

"It's not the best, Magnus, it's the most dangerous. However, most of these books are nothing but copies of some important books that are also present in the library, they are here just so that I can quickly access them if need be. However, there are indeed some special books. For example, 'Unforgivable Curses and Their Legal Implications', 'The Imperius Curse and How to Abuse It', 'History of the Magical World, from 5000BC to 1850CE'. There is also, 'Muggles And Their Love For Burning Witches', 'Inbreeding And Decline Of Purebloods', 'A Squib's Tale'. There are some darker books too, like, 'How To Blood Magic', 'Secrets To Immortality', 'Blood Of The Dragon, Creation Of House-Elfs', 'Magical Mutation And Its Effects.'" Dumbledore pointed to each book and told him the names.

Magnus, in all honesty, wanted to read all of them as they sounded so interesting. However, as soon as the name of one of the books was told, the Merlin soul fragment residing inside his invisible locket spoke in his head. ~Blood Of The Dragon... Take It. I wrote that book after I and Arthur went through the Blood Ritual to infuse ourselves with dragon blood. It may be of use to you.~

"Professor, can I read Blood Of The Dragon?" Magnus asked all of a sudden.

Dumbeldore seemed taken aback, out of all the books Magnus asked for this one. "Sure, but let me warn you, it is written in the same language as that Merlin's rune book. However, in this one, the rune language was a bit easier to understand, so 5 out of 450 pages have been translated.

"But, nobody is interested in it since it was estimated that to completely decrypt this language, one smart wizard would need 2000 years, so, everyone left it to rot. But I knew it was a valuable book, so I bought it and kept it." He explained.

"I... I think it was written by Merlin, so I may be able to decrypt it. Also, can I read the History of the Magical World, From 5000BC To 1850CE, Muggles And Their Love For Burning Witches, Inbreeding And Decline Of Purebloods, Creation Of House-Elfs, Magical Mutation And Its Effects?" He asked politely. He was interested in the history of the world so the first and second one was asked. Reading about the inbreeding in magical families could help him understand the current political and family scenario of the British magical world. The creation of House-elf and magical mutation could help him understand and find a way to make Elfs independent again.

"Why not? These books mostly contain magical theories. All right, come with me to the library first. I can't keep my work delayed indefinitely." Dumbeldore hummed and led the way.

Magnus was happy, today was a bountiful day, he found so many new books after all.

...

Dumbledore brought Magnus to the first floor where the library was situated. The librarian, Madam Irma Pince, had her table just beside the entrance of the library so she could keep an eye on everyone that entered and went out.

Magnus knew about the infamous librarian of the school. Nobody liked this woman, including Magnus.

She was greatly disliked by the students for being very strict and unhelpful in finding books for them. An example of her strictness was she disallowed talking, laughing, whispering, sneezing, scurrying, or any other behaviour that might seem at all suspicious in any way. She was also known to place odd jinxes and hexes on library books for their protection, which usually punished the readers physically.

She was so obsessed with the books that she cleaned the dust on the shelves of the library manually, with a feather duster she brandished at students whenever they looked suspicious.

Overall, she was a young but grumpy and distasteful woman who didn't know her job was that of a librarian and not the security guard of the library.

Dumbledore smilingly greeted her, "Good evening, Miss Pince. Take this letter signed by me. I hereby allow Magnus to take the book list from you to see it whenever he wants and read whichever book he likes in the library, even those in the restricted section."

As soon as she heard this her eyes widened like this was the end of the world. Without thinking she started, "NO! NEVER! Those books are ancient, so delicate, you can't allow a child to touch them. What if they get damaged? No, Headmaster, I will not allow this."

Magnus was in shock, ~THIS WOMAN... She even dares to talk back to Dumbledore.~

Dumbledore looked at Magnus with a playful gaze, "Well, Mr Pendragon, I have already given you and her the authorisation letter, now it's up to you to make her agree. Ah, I'm getting late for my meeting, take care."

Magnus saw the old man vanish from his place like a ghost, ~THAT OLD MAN... He didn't want to spoil his relationship with the school staff. *Sigh* I guess I will ask her nicely then.~

"Umm... ma'am, please let me read the books, they are very important for me." He asked with puppy eyes. He knew he was one hell of a handsome bastard after all.

"NO! I will not let a child spoil the sanctity of this library." She barked at him, with her face contorted in anger and her nose tilted up.

Magnus sighed, ~Well, Gandhi said, when someone slaps one side of your face, you show him the other. But, I'm no half-naked bald dude with glasses. So I guess I'll handle it the dragon's way.~

[A/N: Alright, I will confess, the coming chapter is a bit too much. But the librarian was really an annoying witch according to the canon, so Magnus lashing out at her shouldn't be that out of normal.]

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