CHAPTER 19 – Curses in Hogwarts

After training for the rest of the day, I was already going on my way towards the common room. I must say that I was pretty much fascinated with my new raw power. It was simply amazing, to say the least.

It wasn't just the fire wave spell that increased in power, each one of my spells turned more powerful, each one of the strikes became deadly, especially the death strike, which even if it keeps being the same small bullet, the speed of the decay on the targets was increased, making it harder to actually heal. While, at the same time, the area affected also expanded, now it could almost take an entire arm if the spell impacts on the elbow's area.

The energy strike increased its potency, while also growing in size until it became a basketball-sized orb of lightning. The fire strike didn't grow that much, but the flames burned fiercer, and it even left a small patch of fire in the area it impacted, while the ice strike also didn't grow that much in size, but still acquired a better effect, being able to slightly freeze a bigger area, and making it even harder for the targets to move.

The earth strike, on the other hand, was similar to the energy strike, growing in size and hardening, so the impact would be stronger, though, easier than the rest to evade or deflect since it was like throwing a mix of mud and stone to the target.

Finally, the best change with all my basic attack spells was the fact that I now can make them soundlessly, not having to recite them. This actually works perfect for me, as I won't have to speak an incant that would normally sound weird for other wizards.

In the case of my actually strongest attack spell, without considering any rune, the Great Energy Beam, it was simply amazing. I acquired that spell when my ML made it to 29, but I barely test it, as I could only use it once and not hold it on like the lesser version. But I know could sustain the spell for four seconds.

It doesn't sound too much, but it's surely a lot of time taking into consideration that I was shooting laser-like lightning towards my enemies which doesn't only burn them, but also electrify them in a slightly wide range.

And as if that wasn't enough, I made it. I could start using Wingardium Leviosa in multiple objects at the same time while making them move around me. I was one step closer to improve the spell and reaching my ideal of runic magic, which is what I decided to call it for the moments.

Some minor spells like levitation, magic rope, and haste increased their power qualitatively, I could now fly slightly faster without the use of haste, albeit not enough to beat a running man, while my magic rope increased its maximum length and resistance. And I finally extended my Magic Shield far over my own body, making a little film of magic power surround me in a meter radius. The only catch is, that the amount of magic power needed to stop the same attack doubles.

The only problem I have is that it got harder to increase my ML, even with all the testing I did, I was barely able to reach ML 34, which for anyone that played an OTS would know how absurd it is with how quickly it should increase.

"All in all, I got a nice increase in power. Thanks to this, I'm quite sure that I'll be able to raid the forbidden forest at the end of this year, it should be perfect to try and do it during Christmas, where the amount of people in the castle isn't that much. If I get to have my second vocation at that point. I'll do it. If not, well, I'll just wait until February or around then."-I shrugged while going inside my common room.

"Hey man, how are you doing?"-Roger suddenly called to me. "Where've you been? We've known nothing about you since our last class."

"Oh, well, I was around the castle for a little while, what about you? What are you guys doing?"-I asked Roger and the rest of the guys that were apparently discussing something.

"Listen to this! We've been looking into the story Julie told us about, you know? About the curses."-Jake said.

"Yeah, man. It's true! We've asked some second-years about it, and apparently, there were a few incidents last year, students getting trapped into portraits and even a professor that betrayed the school, she was called Rakepick or something, she was the last DADA professor."-William continued with the story.

"Ho… That's interesting... Is there a way we can find more about all this?" I ask.

"Yes! I've actually found a way!"-Roger said.

"So? What is it!? Talk man!"-I urged him.

"Listen. From what I know, there three students in Ravenclaw that could probably know more about this."-I started whispering among us.

"Really? Who?"-Jake asked.

"Wait. Because it may be a little bit difficult to get information from them."

"Why would that be?"-William asked.

"They're from the sixth year…"-Roger said.

"Oh…"

"Um…"

"So, our only hope is to ask to a sixth-year to tell us about what happened? That sounds like a hard thing to do."-I said while rubbing my chin.

"Oh well… I mean, it's not like we'll try to do something about the curse, right?"-Jake suddenly said.

"What do you mean?"-William asked him.

"Dude… I don't want to have anything to do about it. It may be dangerous if we start messing with curses."-Jake said.

"That's true."-Roger nodded.

"Hey… Just to be sure, why don't you give me the names of the students, and I'll try to ask them. What do you say?"-I ask Roger.

"Mm? Why? Do you want to intervene?"-Jake asked.

"Yeah Logan, it's dangerous… And you're just a first-year wizard."- Roger said while William nodded repeatedly.

"Look, I'll just try to ask for information and if there's a way to actually avoid the curses, you know? I'm not messing in any incident."-I assure them.

"Well… If that's true, then you should try to look for them… If you find anything, please just tell us."-Roger said with a frown, before writing down the names of the students.

"Wow, you really found a source."-I told while looking at the three names.

"Of course! If I get serious, I can decipher any mystery!"-He said with a proud face.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say detective."-William turned his eyes.

"It's true!"-They both started slightly pushing each other while joking.

"Well, who should I start with?"-I ask Roger.

"If what I know is true… You should start with either Badeea Ali or Tulip Karasu, Badeea seems to be friendly and she's easy to recognize thanks to her blue sparkled hijab, while Tulip is like a rulebreaker, that's all I got on her though."-Roger shrugged.

"What about Talbot Winger?"-I ask him.

"He's… Well… He looks more unfriendly than the other two… And from what I discovered; he doesn't have that many friends even in our house."-He shrugged

"Oh, okay, I guess I'll try to talk to either one of the girls, I guess…"-I just shrugged.

"H-hey, are you sure?"-Jake asked.

"Um? What do you mean?"

"They're like… Older girls, aren't you embarrassed?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"What?"

"No… It's just that with all the talk about the curses, I forgot that I would have to speak to an upperclassman… And a girl to make it worse…"-I just said.

"I'm not sure how it will go, but at least try to talk with Badeea Ali."-Roger said. "She's the easiest to approach among them…"

"Well, if you say so, I'll try to talk with her."-I said.

"Great, because here she is!"-Roger smiled while pointing towards the entrance to the common room, where a girl with clear brown eyes, a pale face, and wearing a blue sparkled hijab was coming in.

{Guess it's time to talk to her.}-I said before sighing and standing up. "I'll go, see you guys."-I said goodbyes and walked towards the girl.

{Hopefully, she's as friendly as Roger said she is, as I haven't interacted with girls that much before dying}-I thought while approaching the girl.

"Hi!"-I said in my most friendly tone.

"Huh? Hey, first-year, maybe?"-She asked with a smile. "Are you curious about something? I guess Hogwarts can be a little intimidating the first time."

"Um… Yes, actually… I was wondering if you could tell me something, I'm quite curious about these curses that people are talking about."-I got straight to the point.

"Curses? Oh, so you've heard too?"-She asked, still smiling. "I guess it wouldn't be kept a secret from first-years. It's okay. If you're worried about the curses, trust me, it's better to stay calm, the more you worry about it, the worst it'll be for you."

"But… I mean, where do these curses come from?"

"I'll love to answer you that, but I'm afraid I can't be of help. That's information better not known, it could be dangerous for you, so you better focus on your first year's classes."-Badeea asked while shaking her head with an apologetic smile.

"Really?"-I tried to ask again.

"Yes, trust me, it's better that way. Now, if you excuse me, I have something to do in my room before sleep hour."-She said before walking towards the dorms.

{That didn't turn out well… I guess I'll have to try with the next one if I want to know more about these curses…}-I thought while going back towards my friends.

"So? What did you find about?"-Jake asked.

"Nothing… She said I better focus on my studies, and not worry about the curses. Though she did tell me that it was better not to know where the curses come from… Somehow, I don't think we'll find something from her."-I shrugged.

"Well… That leaves just two possible choices, right?"-William asked.

"If this turned out to be our friendly option… I don't know if we should even try the other two."-Jake said.

"Maybe not with Talbot, but what about Tulip Karasu?"-Roger said.

"What's with her?"-William asked back.

"Well, remember that I said she was a rulebreaker? Those are precisely the type of people that wouldn't stop to say something if it's just forbidden. They would love to talk about forbidden stuff, right?"-Roger said.

"We still don't know if that's information that's forbidden, or it was just Badeea that didn't want to talk."-I tell him.

"Still, you don't lose anything in asking her, right? Just one more try and then we forget."-William said.

"Of course."-I turned my eyes. "It isn't you who's asking, but well, I'll do it. Do you know how she looks like?"-I ask Roger.

"Yes, there she is, the one with long red hair."-He pointed towards one student that was reading at one of the desks of the common room.

"Oh, nice. It's sooo great that she's not in her room right now, giving me time go ask her right after being told no by the last girl I asked."-I said sarcastically while standing up and walking towards her, leaving my chuckling friends behind, with a "good luck" coming from William.

"Hey…"-I approached her.

"Um? Look, if it isn't the curious one that tried to pry some info from our dear Badeea."-She said with a playful smirk.

"Did you saw that!?"-I asked shocked.

"Of course, I did! You asked almost right in front of me. So, tell me, perhaps you came to ask me the same thing? It seems you and your friends are interested in quite the weird topics."-She said while taking a glance toward the other guys, which by the way, tried to hide behind their books.

"Well…"-I scratched my head. "Maybe? Would you answer me?"

"Why! For sure! I'm quite knowledgeable about the topic. So, what do you want to know? Which curses were placed before? Who stopped them? Where do they come from?"-She asks with a smirk. "Ask carefully, because I'm only answering once!"

"Why!? If you're answering, why don't just telling me everything?"

"Why would I let you know everything so easily? It isn't fun, right?"-She smirked playfully.

"*sigh…* Right…"-I started to think my question. "Um… How did you stop the previous curses?"

"Huh? That's a good question. Well, for starters, we've been-"-She stopped. "Hehe… I see what you did there. Well, I guess I should just keep going. We've been looking around for these vaults that happen to be cursed ones, and that are the origin of the curses, once the vaults are found, we just had to stop the curse while defeating the trial put inside them."-She said.

"Who were the ones to-"-I started to ask again but was interrupted.

"Stop, stop. I already answered you, with quite the extra tip of information. Any more, you'll have to fight it from me, but, no offense, it wouldn't be that easy for a first-year."-She smirked. "Now, you can go, if you're more curious, you can always look for me, let's have a small duel and maybe I'll answer another question."

"*sigh…* Fine, thanks…"-I said before turning around. But was stopped.

"Hey, I know you know my name, but, what's yours? I'm Tulip Karasu by the way, just to let you, little spy, officially know."-She smirked while offering her hand.

"Huh, I'm Logan, Logan D. Taylor."-I unconsciously said after turning to look at her while shaking her hand.

"Mm? Why would you put a D. between your names?"-She asks while tilting her head.

"Well, that's my middle name's initial. I just sometimes like to put that in there, let's say it's a little quirk from me hehe…"-I scratched the back of my head in awkwardness.

"Ho… Sure, no problem then, Logan D. Taylor, it's nice to meet you, and well, welcome to Ravenclaw, even if you've been here for almost a week already haha."-She said.

"Thanks, now, I'll be going."-I nod towards her.

"Right, remember, if you want to know more, just let's have a little duel."-She winked.

{Cursed vaults? What the heck are those things…?}-I thought while going back towards my friends.