KingInTheNorth27: Yes, he should… and maybe he'll find it eventually. Unfortunately, our MC doesn't remember everything perfectly, and that book was just a small detail. In this chapter, he actually picked up a spell that Snape invented :D. (Muffliato)
Nudu13: Exactly! That's why he needs to learn all sorts of spells and different kinds of magic. He's only a first-year, and later on there'll be duels and full-on magical battles! We're just getting started :). Thanks for your input — at first, the classes seemed really dull and uneventful. But I do plan to include some class scenes down the line.
EduardBlack: Thanks! You've guessed my inspiration — Agnes DeMille is from Wednesday. She's a possible future partner, yes. But it could honestly be Parkinson too… the readers will decide, and we're really just getting started. No plans for a Patreon yet — maybe next month, maybe never. I really appreciate the support! :)
***
Morning After waking up, I spent only a few seconds on my hygiene routine – at least the manual part. I left my teeth, skin, and hair to magic. If I were to honestly admit which spells I use most often, it would be these domestic and cosmetic trifles. For a whole month now, they've formed the core of my morning. I love the efficiency; they save an incredible amount of time, and the result is always flawless. Though I have to admit, during the first few attempts, I was quite worried I might accidentally blast half my face off.
Yesterday during Occlumency, my thoughts unexpectedly strayed to Hogwarts itself. It truly is a magical place. By chance, I started thinking about secret rooms, specifically the house-elf kitchen. Hmm, could they bake me a pizza or prepare a burger? I'll have to go visit them sometime.
Then there was the Chamber of Secrets, which required Parseltongue to enter. I wasn't a Parselmouth – I'd tested that at the London Zoo. Besides, the room didn't appeal to me much; one mistake and the Basilisk would kill me with a single glance.
I knew of three significant secret rooms at Hogwarts, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember the third one. I only recalled that lost things and precious items were hidden there. I also knew that Dumbledore's Army would later train there, but I didn't know exactly where it was located or how to get inside. "The house-elves might be able to help me with that," I thought to myself.
Groomed and dressed, I entered the common room where Agnes was already waiting for me. I was pleased she arrived on time – I dislike wasting time and waiting for others. After a brief friendly greeting, we headed to our classroom without unnecessary chatter to continue our training.
To start, I showed Agnes Everte Statum. It's a spell similar to Flipendo, but somewhat stronger and more demanding on magical power. As a finishing blow in a duel, it could be very effective.
While Agnes did her practice, I trained Depulso. The principle was simple since it was the opposite of the Accio spell. The beam was yellow and repelled everything away from me. The difference between Flipendo and Depulso was that Flipendo knocked back a single thing or object. Depulso, upon the beam hitting an object, created an area effect – it blew away everything in the vicinity. In combat, it's invaluable; I simply blast away everything flying at me.
Since Agnes already mastered Flipendo and the principle of Everte Statum was the same, it didn't take her much longer than it took me with Depulso. Her orange beam was sufficiently vivid. "Agnes, use it on me," I commanded her. She looked at me as if I'd gone mad. "Don't worry, I'll cast Protego. We need to test if you've learned the spell correctly and what its actual power is," I explained with an encouraging smile, though my stance was firm and ready for the impact.
Eventually, she was persuaded. She slowly aimed her wand, and when I gave a curt nod to signal I was ready, she shouted with determination: "Everte Statum!"
A deep orange beam shot from her wand. I had enough time to cast Protego or simply dodge, but then I wouldn't find out the true power of her spell. Instead of defending, I braced my abdominal muscles to protect my internal organs and let it hit me directly in the stomach. The impact was violent and immediately threw me several meters back. During the flight, I fully focused on the landing – I tensed my neck and kept my head up so as not to risk hitting it against the hard stone floor.
"Patrik!" Agnes screamed, running toward me with fear in her eyes. Immediately after landing, I stood up: "I'm fine, calm down." I hadn't felt physical pain for a long time, but this was nothing extreme. It was simply the feeling of someone slamming you to the ground with a judo throw and landing a "Sparta kick" to your stomach. If I hadn't clenched my muscles, it's quite possible I would have thrown up on the spot... but like this? In reality, it was nothing, and I could continue immediately. And the main thing? I knew her spell had worked perfectly.
"Why did you let yourself get hit?! You said you'd use Protego!" Agnes shouted, sounding hurt.
"If I had told you beforehand that I'd let myself be hit, you would never have put real power into the spell, Agnes," I explained with icy calm.
I saw her taking a breath for another useless protest, and since I had no patience for her sentiments at the moment, I interrupted her immediately: "Agnes, understand one thing. Whether it's Muggle combat or magical – pain is a part of it. Always. We must be used to hits; otherwise, the first serious fight will break us. Remember: train hard, fight easy. And besides... now we both know that your Everte Statum works exactly as it should."
"You didn't have to lie to me! I'll happily hit you again, just don't lie to me!" she blurted out angrily.
I could see her blood was boiling. Paradoxically, it pleased me – she wasn't angry because she hurt me, but because I didn't trust her enough to be honest with her. I had underestimated her.
"Agnes the Dragon," I thought with unconcealed amusement.
"I'm sorry, I underestimated you. You can hit me again then," I told her with a smirk and beckoned with my hand.
"Everte Statum!" she shouted again, and a significantly more vivid beam burst from her wand than before.
"This would hurt a lot more," I thought, but this time I reacted lightning-fast: "Protego!" With a firm thought of protection, her spell shattered harmlessly against my invisible shield.
"Why are you defending now?!" she yelled defiantly.
"We already know the spell works. And surely you don't think I'll let myself be hit just for the sake of it?" I asked amusedly with a wide grin. She truly entertained me.
In the end, I let her attack me until she was completely exhausted, alternating between Flipendo and Everte Statum. I nimbly dodged most spells to practice my reflexes, but those aimed accurately I deflected using Protego.
"I need to study how to deflect spells back at the attacker," I commanded myself mentally.
"We're done, Agnes. You're exhausted, and there are family visits on the schedule today," I announced and lowered my wand.
"Okay... could I introduce you to my father?" Agnes asked in a friendly way, hope shining in her eyes.
I immediately refused: "No, thank you. He might get the wrong idea about us."
"The wrong idea? What wrong idea?" she asked with genuine puzzlement.
"You'll understand that when you're older..." I avoided the answer, and together we headed back to the common room.
***
After training, I took a shower. Agnes and I had agreed on lunch together in the Great Hall and subsequent relaxation in the common room until the visitors started arriving. Honestly? I was a little tense. I had absolutely no idea what to expect from Aunt Vespera, but I hoped she wouldn't be some embittered old hag. However, my expectations were mostly positive. In Slytherin, I hadn't met anyone so far who boasted about being the "heir of the house" or anything like that at every introduction. Sure, they were arrogant, no doubt about it, but they didn't show off their pure-blood heritage every second sentence. Even Draco Malfoy, from whom one would expect the most pompous manners based on the books, behaved normally within reason... well, if I ignore his constant talk about what he'll tell his father.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," I thought amusedly when I spotted Draco approaching. He was walking toward our sofa alone, without the company of Crabbe and Goyle, which was unusual for him.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" "Dragon" Agnes snapped at him aggressively, clearly not having switched to a calm mode after the morning training.
"Nothing with you, DeMille," Draco snapped back coldly without even looking at her. His eyes were fixed directly on me. "I came to see my cousin."
"Oh?" I prompted with interest for him to continue. Since the beginning of the year, he had been throwing curious glances my way, but until now, he hadn't made any concrete move toward an introduction.
"We're family. We shouldn't ignore each other," Draco declared in a tone that allowed no discussion.
"Why did you only come now, then?" I asked curiously. In my past life, I hadn't had a close relationship with cousins, but here it was clearly taken much more seriously.
"No one knew of your existence. Your arrival at Hogwarts was a huge surprise. We had no idea who you were or where you came from. And since you didn't make a move either... I honestly doubted if we were even family," Draco explained with unusual sincerity.
"Why did you only come now, then?" I repeated the question impatiently. I wanted to know what the turning point was.
"Aunt Vespera told our family more about where you were and what happened to you. It's understandable that you didn't know we were cousins. I'm sorry I didn't come to you right at the start," he added, and for a moment, that typical arrogance vanished from his voice.
"Where were you exactly, Patrik?" Agnes asked, pure curiosity in her eyes.
I liked that Draco hadn't blurted this information out to everyone, even though he obviously knew I grew up in an orphanage. For a brat like he usually was, he acted surprisingly tactful.
"I grew up in an orphanage. No one knew about me," I explained quietly with a slight smile so no one unauthorized would hear us.
Draco's eyes widened. It was clear he was shocked by the ease with which I shared this information. To him, it was a family secret to be hidden, but to me? It wasn't something that defined me, and certainly not a weakness. I had no problem with it. However, Agnes?
She looked like she might collapse at any moment.
"What? But your magic!" Agnes blurted out so loudly that several students at the table turned with interest to see what our group was discussing.
"What about it? Everyone had some random magical incidents in childhood. It was unusual, but I quickly understood what was happening and how to control it," I explained with complete calm.
"Was it so terrible there that you had to learn to defend yourself with magic?" she asked softly, her voice vibrating with unconcealed pity.
It honestly made me laugh. Why did she immediately expect something bad? However, I felt her growing unease and fear, so I decided to peek into her mind without warning.
A sharp image immediately emerged in her mind. I saw a tall redhead woman in an expensive white fur coat, looming threateningly over Agnes and screaming: "If you don't listen, you're going to a Muggle orphanage! They'll set you straight with a cane there and you'll go hungry! At least you'll learn to obey and be quiet when visitors come! Children are meant to be quiet and stay out of sight!"
Her mother was obviously a real bitch; someone like that didn't even deserve children.
"The orphanage was honestly fine to live in. The people who cared for the orphans were pleasant and kind. They did it out of conviction, not for money. There was always plenty of food and physical punishment didn't exist there," I reassured her in a calm voice. The incident with Bates, I naturally kept to myself. I saw that it calmed her at least a little.
Draco, meanwhile, listened with obvious interest, but after a moment, he took the floor again: "Hmm, in the magical world, family and blood are key. Especially when we are this closely related. Your great-aunt Druella Rosier Black is my grandmother," Draco explained with a gravity as if he were handing me a treasure map.
"I see," I managed. Honestly, I didn't know what to say to that. It was nice of him to take it so seriously, but I didn't really care. Fortunately, it was high time to go to the meeting, so I didn't have to further discuss complex family relations.
***
Most of us left the common room toward the Great Hall. We weren't the only ones; I saw students from all houses, and there were truly many of us. There was clearly a huge number of children from wizarding families at Hogwarts.
I spotted her right at the entrance. A witch was standing there in a dark green silk robe that hugged her waist slightly and flowed to the ground in rich folds. Her hair was styled in a simple but noble updos, and a freezing, calm self-assurance reflected in her eyes. She appeared elegant, attractive, and at the same time quite unapproachable — exactly like someone fully aware of her value and status. I didn't have to guess who she was. The silver brooch with our family crest, pinned to her chest, clearly told me I was standing face to face with my aunt. I went straight to her.
"Good day. Vespera Rosier, I presume?" I asked confidently. As I got closer, I had the chance to look at her in more detail. She had exactly the same shade of dark brown hair as me. Even the shape of her eyes was identical to mine... except for their color. Her eyes were blue and cold, but the moment she looked at me, they visibly softened. "Yes, Patrik, good day. I am immensely happy to finally see you," she replied, real emotion audible in her voice. I saw genuine joy in her, but from the inside, I felt absolutely nothing. It threw me off; I had become too accustomed to my passive Legilimency, which always revealed the intentions of others. As a member of the house, however, she clearly had the same talent for mind magic as I did.
"Let's go sit down so we can talk in peace," she added, took my hand, and led me to a bench far enough from other families so no one would disturb us.
As soon as we sat down, she pulled out her wand and quietly uttered: "Muffliato." I immediately felt the hum of magic and a buzzing sounded in my ears as if flies were swarming around us.
Vespera must have noticed me listening with interest to that strange sound, because she immediately moved to explain. "It's a spell that ensures no unauthorized person can hear us. People nearby will only catch a gentle hum if they get too close to us. Muffliato is a clever and undemanding spell, but while it's active, it drains a tiny amount of your own magic," she explained calmly.
She looked at me silently and sadly for a moment, but after a while, her gaze changed to one of determination. "It pains me incredibly that you grew up in a Muggle orphanage. I'm sorry I wasn't a part of your life... I didn't know you even existed. That doesn't excuse me, though," she said, bitterness in her voice.
"However, I can assure you that you will never return to the Muggle world. You will live with me in our manor – exactly as you were meant to grow up."
"How is it possible you didn't know about me? And how did I actually end up in the orphanage?" I asked curiously. I was genuinely interested.
"Call me Aunt Vespera; I'm too young for you to address me so formally," she joked a bit, but continued immediately. "I'm younger than Evan. I was at school when the Aurors attacked our manor. Your father wasn't married, and as far as I knew, he didn't even have any serious relationships... My father, your grandfather, died in that attack and they captured Evan. I must admit I didn't have a good relationship with my father, and although Evan and I loved each other, we disagreed on our views of Muggles. I preferred not to even answer my father's messages," she admitted sadly.
"The family was dead, the head of the house in Azkaban, and I was suddenly left all alone... If Evan hadn't been so foolish, our father might still be alive and I wouldn't have to worry about the fate of our house now. I haven't been to see him in Azkaban – I didn't have the strength for it – but the moment I learned of your existence, I applied for permission to visit. The approval process there is endless, though…"
"I see. So grandfather was a Death Eater too? And you know nothing at all about my mother?" I asked, trying to piece together a picture of the family.
"No, father was only a sympathizer. He was angry at Evan for a long time for deciding to follow the Dark Lord. That's what eventually destroyed us," she sighed and ran her fingers over the silver brooch.
"As for your mother... I have a certain suspicion about who it might be, but I don't know for sure. Our house-elf is under a strict ban from Evan not to reveal any of his secrets. I'll have to wait until I manage to get into Azkaban and pry it directly out of him."
"Will you at least tell me your suspicion?" I asked curiously, trying to read something from her expression.
"No, it's a darker family secret that should have been dead long ago, but in the wrong hands, it could still do great damage. I won't burden you with it until I'm sure it's true. You must be patient, Patrik. I believe that by Christmas, I'll know the whole truth."
There was no point in pressing; it wasn't that terribly important, so I just nodded.
"Fine then. And what about the Mulciber family?" I asked. That was a topic that interested me.
Vespera immediately became serious. She looked warily around the hall to see if anyone was trying to eavesdrop, even though the Muffliato spell was still working reliably. When she was sure we were safe, she leaned toward me again.
"Don't worry, Patrik. That's not your concern; I'll handle it," she tried to soothe me. "You just be careful around members of that family and their allies. And above all... find better friends than your father had. Evan was a friend of Alexander Mulciber, and you see – we still have a problem."
"I should know what the problem with the Mulcibers is, Aunt Vespera," I urged her, not taking my eyes off her. "It's much more dangerous not knowing who and why I should avoid."
"No, while you don't know, you are safe. I'll see to it," she replied firmly with a steady gaze.
I didn't like that she wouldn't tell me, but I refused to use Legilimency. Although I was seeing her for the first time, blood is thicker than water, and she would surely notice a mental attack immediately. She saw me as a child and wanted to protect me, so I didn't hold it against her.
"Alexander Mulciber was also at Hogwarts, so I'll get it out of him," I decided mentally.
When Vespera saw that I was no longer pressing, she was visibly relieved. She immediately changed the subject and moved to "safer" and duller matters, like my grades and life at school. The conversation continued in a calm tone; apparently, our entire family shared a deep hatred for Herbology.
At the end of the conversation, I had to promise her that if I needed anything, I'd get in touch immediately. We agreed to stay in contact and that I would spend Christmas with her. I had no problem with that – at least I'd have the opportunity to see our family manor and explore the ancestral library.
I walked her all the way to the castle exit. Vespera hesitated for a moment, but then she hugged me tightly. I felt that she needed that hug much more than I did.
I watched her leave and felt a strange satisfaction – the meeting turned out much better than I had expected. I returned to the common room, where I sat in a secluded corner to think undisturbed about the new information.
The fact that Vespera was genuinely afraid of the Mulciber family didn't please me at all. Although we had only known each other for a short time, she had grown close to my heart very quickly.
I must find out more, even if I have to step over bodies.
***
A pleasant meeting with Aunt Vespera that raised even more questions and was pretty intense. What secrets is Evan keeping in Azkaban, and what's the problem with the Mulciber family? You can guess — it's going to be quite fun :D.
Agnes is a little tough, cheeky dragon, and honestly? I love it.
Draco has shown that blood ties matter, and we'll see how his relationship with our MC develops.
I've set up a Discord server - tgdTNZYVKt - and you're all more than welcome to join!
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