Chapter 24: Words are Power!

Percy looked at the pipe and his eyes opened in realization, "it was like a wand motion."

"Exactly. The way we move our wand determines the amount of energy we release. Magic isn't like water at all, a simple jerk can't push it out, though you may get the occasional spark or two from the tip if you do. No, we have wand motions to charge up the spell we use, to supply the magic through us and out the wand."

"Okay...so the wand motion is like us pushing our magic out, and the way we move our hands is supposed to, what? Generate a surplus of power?"

"Yes and no, it is more like trying to give enough power to what is needed. Which brings us to the next part of the question, why do we need words?"

Percy hummed, "words are power. We need them because….because they help us define what we want magic to do."

Hecate nodded grinning, "exactly Percy! Exactly! The words we use helps us focus on the effect we need! Magic is limitless, the very definition of the impossible given form! It can do anything! And we need to control it, or else it will run wild causing us more harm than good."

"So the words help us focus on intent?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't we just use english instead of latin? Why learn a dead language?"

"Think off it like this Percy, you like to curse yes? You say, 'go to hell!', what if suddenly your magic treat your words like an order and send the person you cursed to hell?"

"Is that even possible?" Percy asked horrified.

"No, not even close. But it's just an example. You see we usually pick a different language then we are used to to work as magic. During Roman times magicians used Greek, during ancient Greek magicians used sanskrit. And during those times...well let's just say there was a reason the Indus valley civilization was wiped out seemingly overnight."

"I see...so we speak the spells in latin so that we don't accidentally curse someone? But what if I want too? Like I want someone to lose all their teeth? Do I just point and say, 'teeth away!'?"

"Theoretically you can. But you would also need the appropriate wand motions for such a spell, which is why arithmancy is so important for spell creation. Are you beginning to understand now?"

Percy nodded slowly, "yeah...yeah I am!"

"Good. Now, let's begin," Hecate snapped her fingers and a black and white wand suddenly appeared in her hand.

"Wow, is that your wand?"

"No, it's just a piece of plastic, remember , I don't need a wand. Now I'm going to show you the motions and tell you the words of a basic levitation charm. Okay? Pay attention."

Percy nodded. Hecate pointed her wand at one of the books on the table, she flipped her wand in the form of a reverse 's' and pointed at the book, "Wingardium Leviosa."

Hecate then slowly lifted her wand up and the book followed her path slowly raising up higher and higher into the air. Percy watched in awe as slowly Hecate moved the book around the room over and over again until she finally put it back down.

"That was so cool!" Percy yelled out as he immediately drew out his wand, "can you show me the wand motions again?"

Hecate nodded as she repeated the motions for the spell. She made sure to slow it down for him so that Percy could observe everything. Percy the nodded, "thanks, I think I got it."

He then pointed his wand at the book and took a deep breath. 'This is the first type of magic I am ever going to perform with my wand. No pressure.' Percy moved his wand in a reves 's' form and pointed at the book, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Percy moved his wand up, but nothing happened. The demigod groaned he did the motion again and called out, "Wingardium Leviosa!" And again, nothing.

"Come on! Why isn't this working?!"

"You are trying too hard Percy, you are too nervous," Hecate explained, "remember what you know about phoenix feather Percy, what did Ollivander tell you about them?"

Percy closed his eyes and recalled the talk he had just an hour ago. 'Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners….. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won….You need to work hard to prove to the wand you are worthy'

Percy opened his eyes in realization, "I need to prove myself to it."

Hecate nodded, "yes,"

Maybe Ollivander was right, in a way the wand was alive, and if the wand was anything like him it would not give its allegiance easily.

Percy would not bow easily to any God, and his wand would be the same. Percy didn't understand it fully, but he didn't need to understand, he just needed to believe.

He knew magic, he was magic. He was a demigod, and this wand, he would prove to it that he worthy of being it's master.

Percy relaxed himself. He remembered the wand motion, the words. He pointed the wand at the book and flicked it into motion, "Wingardium Leviosa," he whispered. And then something pulled at his stomach.

The tip of the golden bronze wand light up as Percy felt a warm feeling rush through his hands and into the wand. He willed the book to move, he moved the wand up, and the book copied it's motions.

Percy smiled as he carried it higher and higher into the air and spun it around.

The book dipped down occasionally, but Percy pushed more and more magic into his spell, forcing it up through magic and sheer strength of will.

He suddenly started to feel the spell stress him and slowly brought the book down before letting out a deep breath canceling the magic supply to the wand.

"Good Percy, very good," Hecate smiled as she clapped, "I'm very impressed."

"Why?" Percy groaned as he wiped away the sweat on his brow, "it was just a bloody first year charm, and I couldn't even hold that up for long. I barely passed the 30 second mark! I thought I was supposed to be powerful or something? How can I be that if I can barely lift a book?!"