Chapter 6: Incendio

{ August 2. 1991, Backyard of the Black Manor }

The morning sun cast long shadows across the grounds surrounding the Black Manor. The expansive gardens gave way to rolling hills and dense woods in the distance, secluding the estate in pastoral tranquility. Mordred stood alongside Narcissa on the dewy lawn, ready for today's lesson. 

"Today we'll focus on the Fire-Making Charm and it's counter", Narcissa explained. "Incendio conjures flames, while it's counter-spell Aguamenti produces a stream of water to douse them." 

With a sharp jab of her wand, she demonstrated, "Incendio!" A burst of orange fire erupted from the tip of the wand, dancing wildly in the air before her. "Aguamenti", she swept her wand horizontally, expelling a coursing jet of water, extinguishing the flames in a hiss of stream. 

Narcissa turned her steely gaze on Mordred. "Your turn. Indencio first."

Mordred lifted his wand, concentrating as he spoke the incarnation. A few red sparks sputtered from the tip. He tried again with more force, managing a small flickering flame, that instantly guttered out. He casted the spell over and over again, each attempt growing more like the result he desired. A brief burst of fire, tiny tongues of orange licking at the air, before winking out. Finally an irregular conflagration sprouted, hungrily consuming the space before him for a few seconds before spluttering to an end. 

"Passable", Narcissa said. "Now Aguamenti." The spell was not quite on the level for the system to recognise it, but still he could work with this. If he trained it a few more hours, he could get it to this level. 

Mordred's water streams started as little more than a trickle, but gradually grew in intensity. Soon he could conjure a forceful jet, though its flow remained erratic and inconsistent compared to Narcissa's fluid arcs of water. 

"Adequate for an initial attempt", she appraised. "However true mastery requires strict control and consistency. You have two days to practice both spells diligently, before we resume full lessons." 

...

The rest of the day, Mordred relentlessly repeated the Fire-Making Charm over and over again till he got the system notification, he awaited. The flames now erupted in a powerful and controlled torrent, filling the space in front of him with a blazing stream of fire - spreading widely and devouring everything in its way. That was also the reason he was forced relocate to the stone courtyard, lest the unrestrained flames reduce the lush grounds to smoldering ash. 

[ You've successfully learned the Fire-Making Charm ]

Not going to look at the spell tab, Mordred remained immersed in practicing the spell, feeling the mana flow, manipulating it. Much like with the Wand-Lighting Charm, experimenting deepened his understanding - the nuances of mana control grating insights into conjuring the flames, possible leading to a way to get an even mightier stream of flames. 

This continued relentlessly he next day, he casted the spell again and again. Getting more and more proficient with the spell, he now even tried to cast the spell without the wand movement, since he was rather confident to replicate the impulse the wand movement gave the mana with his control over it. The results were not quite on the level of the ones cast with movement, but he got better and better and it also felt more challenging and rewarding casting this way. 

This night he even choose to not sleep and instead continued his studying, fully immersed in it. He was oblivious to Narcissa observing him for quite a while, a proud, approving smile played across her lips at witnessing her nephews unwavering determination to master the spell. Nor did he rising sun and dawning of his final practise day. so singularly devoted to the task at hand.