"…I'm starting to think teaching you magic might need a bit of a rethink," Elena said softly, breaking the heavy silence in the small cabin.
She glanced at Ariana with a hint of pity, their faces mirroring the same helpless expression.
"Why? Are you worried I can't take on Dumbledore?" Adam asked, his tone as innocent as a well-behaved child, but the words carried a chill that felt like the depths of winter.
"When facing an opponent of that caliber, I think we need to approach it from another angle—make lots of friends, keep enemies to a minimum. I've heard he's got a sworn enemy, the Dark Lord. We could start by tarnishing his reputation, then team up with someone on the inside at Hogwarts to make our move."
"Of course, the simplest plan would be to have Ariana write him a letter convincing him to off himself—though we'd need to make sure he doesn't drag me down with him…"
Elena's striking face darkened with exasperation. She reached out, pinching Adam's cheek, her deep gaze locking onto his.
"I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about the entire wizarding world."
…
A gentle breeze stirred, pushing aside the clouds that veiled half the sky. The rainbow bridge where the sky met the lake grew even more vibrant.
"So, what are you going to teach me?" Adam asked.
The only response was the damp breeze off the lake, rustling through the leaves.
Puzzled, he turned, only to meet a pair of dark, fathomless eyes that seemed to peer straight into his soul.
"You already know, don't you? Ariana doesn't want to meet her brother here," Elena said.
Adam sighed, spreading his small hands in a helpless gesture. "Of course I know. But that's the only plan I've got a real shot at. If we go with the other method you're hinting at—guiding souls from the afterlife, from death to life—that's the kind of power only a god could wield, isn't it?"
Elena's lips curved into a faint smile as she mused, "It seems you've been through a lot these past six months…"
"But how do you know there aren't gods living on this mysterious land?"
"Gods can die?" Adam's brow furrowed.
"Everything in this world has an end, even the gods above. They might escape death for a time, but they can't outrun fate."
The woman in the plain robe raised her hand lightly, and in an instant, it was as if a miracle from mythology unfolded, like Moses parting the sea.
A deafening roar erupted, the ground beneath them trembling. It was the clash between nature and a wizard's will. The fierce gusts from the impact sent garden flowers toppling to the ground.
The lake churned under the influence of invisible magic, black waves surging and crashing, only to be split in two the next moment. Before such immense power, even the mightiest ocean would yield.
The tide reflected the rainbow in the sky, unveiling a glimpse of ancient mythology. A grand, breathtaking scene unfolded before Adam's eyes.
Countless tiny figures appeared across the vast landscape. Colossal dragons roared through the skies, dominating the heavens, while ferocious, strange creatures roamed the earth.
Then, an eternal sun blazed overhead. Many creatures fell, never to rise again. Endless rain gathered into a cataclysmic flood, submerging the land entirely.
A lone figure wielding a sword stood atop a mountain, rallying the survivors. On the scarred earth, they built a grand, unyielding city, leading the remnants to stand against gods and natural disasters.
Until his final breath, that figure stood firm, an iron wall against the gods' majesty and nature's fury.
Adam could almost feel the gaze of that figure, standing on the city walls, looking out into the distance.
As he strained to see the figure's face, a searing pain tore through his mind.
Only then did Adam realize his magic was utterly depleted. A mysterious spell surfaced in his heart: Soul-Sealing Charm.
Elena's gentle voice sounded in his ear, pulling him back from the awe of witnessing a mythic epic.
"You've learned well. This is a spell to keep your soul clear and pure. Many wizards who dabble in forbidden arts rely on it to maintain clarity of mind and soul when casting spells, shielding themselves from magic's influence."
"Only by mastering this spell can you wield all forms of magic freely, even bypassing the need for intense emotions to cast certain spells."
"A wizard skilled in this magic can not only protect their own mind from magical influence but also affect others' hearts—potentially even controlling them."
Adam snapped back to reality, finding himself bathed in soft moonlight. The world around him was silent, save for the faint ripples caused by a bird skimming the lake's surface.
"I think you need a rest, little Adam," Elena said, her deep eyes twinkling like they held the moon and stars.
She sat elegantly nearby, a set of ornate Victorian-style tea things beside her. A teacup, delicately etched with floral patterns, floated to Adam.
"What were those things I just saw?" he asked, taking the cup and sitting down, absently sipping the tea.
In an instant, his dark pupils contracted. The tearing pain in his mind vanished, and his magic surged again, like moonlight filling the night.
[Received an unknown gift: slight increase in magical power, soul nourished, with ongoing minor enhancements.]
Without a word, Adam grabbed the teapot and poured himself three more full cups.
"That was a glimpse of the history of wizard origins from my time," Elena said. "The fact that you saw it nearly to the end is remarkable. None of my other students ever reached that part."
She didn't mind Adam's antics and even pushed a plate of pastries closer to him.
"What part did you see?" Adam asked.
"Hmm?" Elena raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, I know a few spells that seem similar to this one you're teaching," Adam said quickly, pretending to choke on a pastry. He smoothly brought up Legilimency and Occlumency.
Legilimency allowed a wizard to read emotions or even memories from another's mind with just a glance. Occlumency, on the other hand, was a spell to shield the mind from magical intrusion or influence. Advanced practitioners could hide specific emotions or memories, feeding false information to a Legilimens.
In the original story, Harry used Occlumency to block Voldemort's probing, and Dumbledore was a master of both spells. Though Adam had only seen a few movies and fanfics in his past life, this detail stuck with him.
"Those are likely later wizards' attempts to break down the Soul-Sealing Charm into smaller parts," Elena said thoughtfully. "Part of the reason was probably because learning this spell is so dangerous, so they…"
"Dangerous?" Adam's hand trembled, spilling tea onto the ground. "You mean the spell you just taught me?"
"Of course it's dangerous. It's magic that affects the heart and soul, especially for beginners."
"Learning any soul-level magic risks damaging your soul. You could end up dazed, confused, or worse. Recovery could take a long time."
"How long is 'a long time'?" Adam asked.
"Oh, about ten years or so," Elena replied, her lips curving into a slight smile.
Adam's heart sank. He remembered how shy and kind Ariana was when they first met. Clearly, Elena's influence had changed her. Not that he'd admit he had anything to do with it.
Grumbling, Adam took out his frustration on the tea and pastries in front of him.
Elena didn't mind. She leaned on her chair, her flawless profile catching the light, her eyes softening as she studied her apprentice.
"Someone's looking for you. It's time to go," she said suddenly.
"What?" Adam mumbled, his mouth stuffed with pastries, looking like a chipmunk.
Before he could finish, the world seemed to fracture. Everything blurred, and a dizzying sense of disorientation washed over him.
He set down his tea, locking eyes with the witch before him.
"Professor Elena, that's what I should call you, right? That's not your real name, is it?"
The woman froze for a moment, then her lips curved into a warm smile. "You can try to uncover the traces I've left behind. If you figure it out by our next meeting, I'll teach you a new spell. Until then, my little apprentice."
Adam rolled his eyes, his small face turning serious. "Even if gods walked the earth, I still think taking down Dumbledore is the simplest option…"
For some reason, he thought he saw Elena's smile widen.
The garden under the starry sky began to blur, the world shattering like fragile glass. Space itself seemed to collapse, the boundaries between sky and earth fading as a deep sense of weightlessness pulled him under, like falling into an abyss.
Her parting words echoed faintly: "Taking down Dumbledore is…"
"Taking down… Dumbledore…"
"Dumbledore…"
As dawn's soft light rose and a breeze rustled the oak trees outside, Adam slowly opened his eyes, shaken from the weightless sensation of crossing the boundary between life and death.
The door to the cramped cabin creaked open, the rusty hinges squealing painfully.
Adam's pupils shrank, his heart skipping a beat before pounding wildly. A faint buzz of shock rang in his ears.
"Child, I thought I heard you calling my name," said the old man at the door. His silver hair and long beard were slightly dulled, his purple robe dusted with faint traces of grime, as if he'd brushed against a dusty wall in some distracted moment.
Their eyes met, and beneath the calm, deep gaze of both, a turbulent undercurrent stirred.