• October 10th, Hogwarts •
[Minerva McGonagall]
Walking through the corridor of the third floor with a pep in her step and a small smile on her lips, Minerva couldn't help but think about how fun her life had become.
She was young, she was powerful, and she was practicing her new magic while developing another—all at the same time. It was crazy just how different things were now. In the past, even developing a single spell took weeks of work and calculation just to make sure one didn't blow themselves up. Now, the Archive took care of that…
It was an insanely useful magic to have, and it was starting to show results in how rapidly the students were developing. Sure, the new enchantments and blessings on Hogwarts were helping—a lot—but one couldn't express enough just how helpful the Archive had been.
'I alone am an example of how quickly the Archive became essential to my daily life,' she thought dreamily. 'I bid farewell to almost all the paperwork, be it lesson plans, syllabus monitoring and adjustments, etc…'
She didn't need that many parchments on her desk anymore. Didn't need to use a quill to write things either. For the past week, the only time she used those was when she wrote official documents like student records—and even then she used a self-spelling quill.
'I can't blame myself for that, either,' she mused. 'I may not have to waste time on meaningless paperwork now, but I still don't have that much free time, either.'
She shook her head slightly as she decided to stop by the window and observe the outside, the noise from below gaining her attention.
She leaned in and saw first years doing their morning exercises and combat drills, Albus standing there observing, correcting, and instructing them.
This had been going on for five days now. Everyone within Hogwarts was required to complete a weekly quota of very specific exercises, combat simulations, and pure physical exertion. And she meant everyone.
Even her. A professor.
'It's not all that bad, though,' she confessed to herself. 'Sure, my time is now split between fighting myself in the RoR and practicing my new magic more extensively, but the results are showing. Dramatically, too.'
"Straighten your back when you run, Ms. Granger!"
Albus's voice traveled thanks to his Sonorus spell, his tone firm and commanding.
"If you have time to talk, then you have time to run, Mr. Finnigan!"
"Excellent form, Mr. Longbottom."
"Start doing your push-ups, Ms. Bones."
"That's not the correct form for pull-ups, Mr. Nott. And Mr. Malfoy—"
She stood there by the window, watching Albus in his commander-like persona, a little mesmerized.
She had known Albus for decades. She'd known him as a teacher—firm, playful, and gentle. She'd known him as a friend and colleague—mostly playful, candy-addicted, and whimsical. She'd known him as Headmaster, where he was mostly a headache, but never this serious and commanding—well outside of war, of course…
'I am learning a lot of new things about you, Albus,' she smiled thoughtfully as she continued to observe him, a slight heat shooting through her body.
She was beginning to actually view the man as something other than a powerful mentor, friend, and colleague. And it all started with that date he took her on two days ago.
It was a wonderful date. They went sightseeing in Switzerland—mostly because Albus wanted a new stash of chocolate—but it was still a lovely outing.
They walked, talked, and to her personal embarrassment (and quite possibly the embarrassment of her upbringing), she was quite nervous by the middle of it.
There was a moment where they talked and she asked him to explain more about the divinity thing he'd mentioned. She was not ready for the load of information she got.
That, in her opinion, was when she started to get flustered. She saw the wall that was between them become infinitely bigger. And that's where Albus did that gentlemanly gesture where he took her hand and kissed it.
She still remembered what he said. Word for word.
He said, "Minerva! Snap out of it. You may think that me becoming a god would change things, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I didn't even want to be a god. It was a very fortunate accident, but one that put a lot of things into perspective."
She could still feel the phantom touch of his hands where he held hers tightly, looking into her eyes as he continued, "You see, if I could, I would rather have retired somewhere, probably here, and just continued the rest of my life between research papers and chocolates—but obviously I can't, so that's on me."
It was at that point that she started to wonder why he was talking about this all of a sudden, but the answer came before she could ask.
"It's also on me to enjoy the new chance at life I've gotten. A very long and probably very tedious journey, too, but one I would love to have a lot of people accompany me through this time. Friends that are not dark lord maniacs, students that I can actually be proud of, and maybe, just maybe, a family and kids, too."
Minerva felt her heart skip a beat again, much like it did back when this conversation happened.
"That's where you come in. You want a family, and I can't think of anyone I would love to have a family with more than you."
Her cheeks were heating up as if she were a teenager. His blue eyes were looking at her as if he was seeing something only he could see.
"I know you. You've been with me for decades. We've been friends for some time now, but that's where we've always been. Now, to bridge that wall, we need to go through this like adults—befitting of our ages. Slowly, shifting our perspectives from what it was into what we want it to be. So let's go on a few more dates, let's do things we want to do, have fun, and see where this could lead us…."
Minerva took a few steps from the window and started walking again, fanning her face with her hands for a few seconds before reining in her teenage side—that traitorous, fantasizing part of her that she had to keep contained unless in a private setting.
'I am too old to be this excited about a date, especially since it was only one,' she admonished herself, but the body wants what the body wants.
That was exactly it. She was too old not to know herself well enough. She knew that the new sides of Albus were things she found attractive in a man. Physically attractive.
The commanding presence, the gentlemanly demeanor, and the clear vision of a long-term relationship.
'Still, being this young has made me feel physically ready to be active almost all the time,' she noted. 'It's tiring and exciting at the same time.'
She stopped as she reached her destination: Classroom 3-§, the previously abandoned and now RoR-equipped classroom. She pushed the door open, summoned her Archive screen, and stepped in.
'I just hope he does his godly status justice when the time comes… because I will surely take all of this out on him…'
X_
• Hogwarts Grounds, Great Lake •
[Hermione Granger]
Huffff ~ Hufffff~
Hermione stopped by the tree next to the Black Lake, her back leaning against it as she breathed heavily, erratically, and frequently. She was trying her best to get in as much oxygen in one breath as she could, trying to calm herself.
'This is torture,' she whined inwardly as she slid down the tree, her bum resting on the damp ground. She didn't care though—she was exhausted. She could barely feel her legs. The rest of her just hurt.
"Why do we have to go through all this hell?" she complained aloud, mostly to herself—but she got a reply nonetheless.
Said reply came in the form of a panting Harriet Potter…
"Because we are students of Hogwarts. ~Pant~ Future elite of the wizarding world. ~Pant~ And trainees under Albus bloody Dumbledore… ugh…"
Her best friend slid down and sat next to her, catching her breath. Hermione was amazed at how her reply was almost word for word quoted from the Headmaster's speech a few days ago.
"So, you're done with today's body training quota?" she asked Harriet, hoping her friend would say no just so she wouldn't be the last to finish body conditioning today too.
"Yeah, this was my last lap…" Her hopes were dashed by the reply she got.
"Ugh," Hermione groaned. "So I'll still be the last to complete today's training too."
"Looks like it," Harriet turned her head to her, grinning widely.
"Don't be smug," she swatted Harriet on the shoulder. "I'm still better in magic control training…"
"You are not…"
"Am too!"
"Are not!"
"Am too!"
…
They kept that up for a few more rounds before they stopped and started laughing together. It was a fun distraction.
Just then they turned their heads simultaneously as they heard a heaving sound.
Huuuffff~ huuuffffff~
Two boys were running, one after another. Neville and Cassius. Neville looked haggard, his face red as a tomato, but his form was impeccable. Cassius, on the other hand, looked less tired, but his form was slightly hunched.
"Correct your form when running, Cassius!" she blurted out before she could stop herself.
Cassius turned his head toward them, made a face, and continued running, straightening his back.
"Ugh, how can Neville run with such grace while still managing to look like he's suffering the most?"
"I don't know…" she confessed. "He sucks in magic control and dodging practice and coordination exercises, but excels in combat simulations, sword practice, physical conditioning, and generally anything that requires body strength…"
"So what? He's some sort of brute wizard?" Harriet asked, though she continued to mumble, "Brawn wizard? No, that name doesn't click… Sword wizard? Not that one either…"
"No, I was thinking more of an innate trait of his bloodline," she clarified, completely ignoring the mumbling of her best friend. "You know, like the ones written about in the book Inherited Magicks and Their Secrets."
"Hmm? Oh, that… I haven't read that yet."
"Why?" she asked. "You know it's one of the recommended books for first years, along with Wizarding World and Its Traditions, History of Magical Britain, Etiquette: The Maketh of a Proper Being…"
"Eh, they're boring," Harriet shrugged. "I'll read them when my direct download function starts working again."
"That's not considered reading," she admonished weakly. She knew Harriet wouldn't listen to her on this one.
"Eh, sure it is. You read to get the words into your head—I just skip a few steps. The end result is the same…"
"And that's why you're banned…" Hermione pointed out.
"No, I'm banned because my Mind Magic isn't up to standard and I need to upgrade it to keep using the direct download function…"
"And you wouldn't have been banned if you hadn't kept using it to try and get as many spells, notes on how to cast, and different methods from different sources into your head without proper study…"
They looked at one another, holding eye contact for a few seconds before giggling and leaning back against the tree trunk.
"So what do you have after this?" she asked Harriet.
"Oh, I have a dueling practice against Hufflepuff, magic control exercises, meditation and breathing exercises, and then a self-battle in the RoR. You?"
"Oh, I only have dueling practice and a battle in the RoR…" she replied, a little smugness sneaking into her tone.
"Well, you still have to finish this running session first."
Hermione just shrugged. She knew she couldn't refute that point even if she wanted to. But then again, she wanted a lot of things: she wanted to sit back and continue her quest to acquire all the knowledge in the Archive, she wanted to relax, maybe eat some tea and cookies while reading—but…
"Ugh, let's just get this over with…"
She muttered as she stood up, her legs wobbly and aching, and started to run again.
'It's just one last lap,' she told herself. 'Just one.'
X_
[Harriet Potter]
Harriet snickered, watching her friend run her last lap across the Great Lake. There was just something satisfying and funny about witnessing the suffering of a friend—not in a malicious, cruel way, but in a comedic and hilarious way.
She leaned back slightly and continued to watch her classmates, friends, and other first-year students from different houses run around the lake, all panting, tired, and groaning with each step.
Harriet shook her head slightly and summoned her Archive screen to check her next steps. She'd finished her ten laps, a hundred push-ups, pull-ups, and squats for the day. Now all she had to do was go to the RoR and start her CQC training.
Walking back to the castle with haste, she completely ignored the envious glares of those who had yet to complete their physical conditioning. Now, if it were another day—like yesterday—she would have stopped and enjoyed it, maybe even corrected their forms and commented on how slow they were. But not today.
Today was the day she won against herself in the RoR.
'After I complete my other training requirements,' she reminded herself.
As soon as she stepped into Hogwarts, a soothing feeling washed over her, like being submerged in a hot bath. Warmth flooded her muscles and bones, and not even ten steps in, she felt renewed. All those small stings and after-training exhaustion melted off her as if they had never been there.
'Thank you, Headmaster,' she couldn't help but think, grateful for the new enchantments on the school.
She continued her way through the reception hall, then took a left turn up the marble staircase. She did greet the ghosts and portraits every now and then, and by the time she reached the stone bridge, she was getting annoyed with it.
'If only the secret passageway hadn't disappeared…' she lamented, feeling a slight pain in her heart as she crossed the bridge and headed toward the practice room.
She pushed the door of the practice room open, her Archive screen appearing as she entered.
The room started to shift: the floor becoming a soft, rubbery texture, the walls taking on a smooth, almost metallic sheen, while a boxing bag, an arena, and multiple different tools appeared randomly around the room.
Harriet, already familiar with all of this, headed directly to the arena. 'I swear this gets softer every time I step on it,' she commented inwardly as she stepped into the arena.
Suddenly, on the other side of the arena, another person appeared. Harriet straightened her back and took her boxing stance immediately. Headmaster Dumbledore—projection or not—did not mess around with training.
"Alright, so we have boxing practice today, huh?" the projection said, tilting his head slightly to the left.
"Yes, sir. You said we need to learn all kinds of self-defense practices and try to mix and find our own style…"
"I said that, did I?" The projection stroked his beard. "Well, I'll take your word for it…"
Harriet just shook her head and got ready.
"Well then, let's start," the projection announced grandly—and disappeared from his spot, appearing just a few steps away from her.
She didn't flinch or yelp in surprise this time—as opposed to the last few days—though she did raise her hands to block.
A stupid idea, as she was sent flying with the force of an overpowered Knockback Jinx. Her arms tingled as pain shot through them.
"Mistake number one," the projection stated. "If you see an opponent move faster than you can, always assume him or her to be physically stronger too. That means dodging…"
She nodded as she went back and extended her arms outside the arena, making them glow golden. The pain receded shortly after.
"Alright then, again… This time, dodge."
The same thing happened again—though this time she tried to jump away from the projection, only to catch a red-colored spell to the face.
On her back, on the very soft arena floor, she lay staring at the ceiling, blinking slowly. Once, twice. What happened? How? Why? She really needed to understand what had happened. How come there was a spell in a boxing match…
She stood up, face staring blankly at the projection of her headmaster. The projection looked smug—the I really want to punch that smile kind of smug.
"Why?" she asked.
"Why what?"
"Why the spell?"
"Oh, I thought that was obvious…" the projection stated. "We are wizards. No matter what and how, we should always be prepared for sneaky spells—be it to dodge or cast them…"
She stood there, blinking owlishly at the explanation. It sounded like bullshit. It felt like bullshit. But somewhere in her brain, there was a part that was like, makes sense—and that's what bothered her.
"That explanation doesn't justify why I had to take a Stunner to the face," she argued, her voice indignant.
"Doesn't it?"
"…"
She just shook her head resignedly and took her stance again, this time ready for anything—be it a spell, a kick, or whatever the projection thought of…
She jumped left as soon as the projection of the headmaster appeared in her zone, twisted her body to give herself a spin and gain additional momentum, and…
She blinked again and slowly lifted herself from the ground. Her nose stung a bit. 'What happened now?' she questioned herself. 'I was just about to… Oh, I was knocked out again, huh.'
"Mistake number two," she heard as she stood up quickly and turned to face the projection. "Do not surrender to impulsive moves in a fight unless you have 100% body control—because otherwise, you're just delivering yourself to your opponent on a silver platter…"
"Noted," she murmured, and took her stance again. This time, with the tip of her wand protruding from between her index and middle fingers…
She corrected her stance and looked at her opponent, only to notice a faint look of disappointment in his eyes.
'Why?'
She couldn't even finish her thought as she felt something hit the back of her head.
…
"Mistake number three: do not try to rely on magic unless you have a solid foundation in the body, magic, mundane combat arts, and magical combat arts."
Harriet heard the voice of the projection as soon as she came back to consciousness.
"That means you have to learn how to handle a wand in combat as well as how to cast without one before you try to use magic to fight…"
And now the mystery of why the headmaster looked disappointed was revealed.
'This is going to take a while…' she thought as she stood up again. She couldn't help but wonder, 'Is everyone else also doing the same thing?'
'I'm going to have to ask about this later.'
X_
—--
A/N: how is this for the first of many progress updating chapters?
I am afraid of messing up the time skips, like my previous fanfic, so I will do it slowly, showing how things advance in the wider world through different POVs.
Also, the update scheduled for this fic is three chapters per week so if you want more do me a solid and throw power stones and reviews my way so that this story takes off.
P.S/ this is a bonus chapter, because Jax_nk wrote about the slow updates 😂😂😂😂😂😂