"What was your last reading, Harry?" Penny asked curiously. "It's been a while since you've checked to my knowledge.""It has been a while." Harry admitted with a nod. "We studied for Exams quite a bit after all. Plus I've been looking into the 'loss' of my prototype as well as researching the 'other' sword.""I still wonder about that." Penny shifted in her seat. "It's an important piece for the school, but you were told you could hold onto it. I guess I'm a bit conflicted, especially after what you told me about your meeting Mr. Erdunn.""Just Erdunn." Harry tried to imitate the Dwarf's deep voice and failed. Penny giggled at his attempt though. "I don't plan to keep it forever; I just want enough time to look it over and learn all I can about it. Though it is very good at hiding most of its secrets; I think I might be able to figure out part of the Enchantments woven into the metal.""Well, then let's head to the workshop after breakfast and check your Mana Level." Penny suggested and Harry agreed."Maybe that feeling I've gotten from eating the Basilisk meat means I've gained some of its Magic?" Harry laughed at the notion."I still don't see how you're eating that thing." Penny's nose scrunched up. "It doesn't even sound good.""Tayla has been cooking it in various different ways for me. I don't want her efforts to go to waste." Harry shook his head. Tayla had been over the moon to have to learn how to cook something new like snake. The cheerful House Elf had been 'popping' into Hogwarts to deliver him lunch in his workshop on specified days. So far the meat had been palatable and with some recipes actually tasty. He'd had a bit of a 'rush' when he'd eaten the first part of the Basilisk meat, something he assumed came from the Rite of Conquest, but hadn't really worried about since he'd felt really good afterwards. He'd had no further 'rushes' since the first time, but he did always feel something when he ate the Basilisk meat. Though he couldn't be sure if that wouldn't always happen regardless, when a Witch or Wizard ate the meat of a Magical Creature.The two finished their breakfast a short time later and left the Great Hall together. The familiar path through the castle was second nature to both of them now and they arrived quickly. After closing the door behind them, harry went to his desk/worktable and opened the drawer he kept his Test Frame in. Taking it in both hands Harry poured his mana into the Talisman. The number displayed wasn't what Harry was expecting however, and it must have shown on his face as Penny spoke up."Harry? Are you okay? You look shocked." Penny worried and Harry shook his head for a second before turning the Frame around to show her his reading. Displayed in the Frame with the standard 'light' numbers was the reading 5,160."This…I'm sure it's part of the Rite of Conquest. It's probably some kind of Ritual Symbolism being completed when I first ate the meat of the Basilisk." Harry reasoned as he looked over his new reading. That was a massive increase for him to say the least!"But wouldn't you feel your mana growing by that much?" Penny questioned at Harry's large increase."Do you actually feel your mana grow?" Harry asked her in return."Well…no…now that you mention it." Penny looked thoughtful as she puzzled over what they'd realized. "So we don't notice growth unless we try to use spells more often and see that we can cast more. Or we check it with the Scouter or Test Frames, of course.""Seems to be the case." Harry nodded as he pondered. "Maybe because it's our new 'normal' we simply don't realize. We do realize when we use a large amount of mana of course; the drop in our reserves brings about a feeling of lethargy.""Do you think you'll keep getting this boost as you eat more of the Basilisk?" Penny wondered and Harry shook his head."I feel a small bit of 'something' every time I eat the meat, but nothing like the first time." Harry remembered. "I think that was the majority of what I could gain right there. I suspect the Rite of Conquest is something like a Ritual or Contract made between two Magical Beings from a challenge between them. When I consumed the first part of the Basilisk I gained a portion of its mana all at once and the repeated eating will only give me miniscule boosts, if any, from now on. Ritual Symbolism of taking in the Basilisk was completed the first time, so that's probably the 'rush' I felt. I should have looked into it sooner, I partially believed that rush came from satisfying my own spite against the snake for petrifying you.""Harry, that's…sweet…in a weird way; but you should have definitely gotten checked out if you felt this 'rush' when you ate the Basilisk." Penny sighed, though she looked downwards to hide the pink on her cheeks at how much Harry cared about her. "What if it had been something bad?""Well I felt really good afterwards, so I kind of put it out of my mind." Harry shrugged and Penny shook her head at his lackadaisical attitude about this."Well, at least this time it was something positive." Penny smiled, that smile then turned mischievous as she looked at Harry. "We could pull a little prank on Tonks with this, you know?""Pranks Penny? Really?" Harry had a fake shocked look on his face. "What happened to our rule abiding Prefect? The future Head Girl shouldn't be involved in such shenanigans!""So you don't want to play a little prank on Tonks?" Penny questioned sarcastically."Well now I didn't say that." Harry smiled mischievously himself. "What did you have in mind?" The two friends spent the next while going over their idea to prank the final member of their little trio.
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