NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60: A new ally?
Stepping out of the portal back into the Harry Potter universe, I took a quick glance at my surroundings to see where we ended up. Which didn’t take long, as it looked very much like a bar of sorts, with some Magicals drinking and being merry. As I was currently standing on the loft overlooking the rest of the bar below me, I started to make my way to the stairs with a slight smirk on my face.
Neo and Tearwyn were still with me in their tiny forms and had clearly noticed my smirk since Neo asked, “I know that smirk! Eager to put to practise some of the new spells, eh? I get it, shiny new toys and all!”
Chuckling a little while I gave her a nod I said, “Caught me red handed and in 4k~. It was a nice surprise that I could take in that Thing’s magical knowledge so easily and adapt it to my own form of magic. The insights I got from their magic and her understanding of it all was a wonderful boon.”
I felt Tearwyn bounce a bit as she said, “To be expected from my sister! While you may not remember your past life directly, it still influences you in a positive way like that~. Though, I do hope you take big sister Lilith’s warning to heart, Artoria…”
I saw Neo tilt her head cutely to the left with a finger on the side of her lips as she asked, “Oh? Did Mommy Lilith stop by? I missed a chance damn it! Oh well… what did she say to you, sis?”
As I stepped off the stairs I took one last look at all the Magicals around me to see if I could see anyone I knew, but alas I didn’t. So with a shrug I made my way to the large double doors that would lead outside as I answered Neo, “She warned me to not learn Occlumency or Legilimency magic.”
Opening both doors and ignoring a few of the startled gasps, I made my way into the centre of the street. I smiled as I was able to see Hogwarts in the distance, so I must have zoned into Hogsmeade town.
As I lifted off the ground into the air Neo asked, “How come? Shouldn’t both of those be extremely useful to you?”
I glanced at Neo for a second before focusing back to the front as I said, “It’s because of my ‘Wish’ I made. And the actions of Great Red from the DxD universe. He had used some magic to look into the memories of my soul to judge my character. I was pulled along, and was able to see some of my past as Artoria Pendragon. Was awesome by the way, I saw myself subjugate an entire world for some Demon King. Anyway…”
I paused my story as I landed on the ground and sunk into a shadow to bypass the Hogwarts barriers again. Though, as I stepped out near the entrance to the school I facepalmed myself for flying first to begin with.
Shaking my head and sighing, I continued, “As I was saying. Because of his actions, the memories of my past are starting to gently flood back into my mind instead of being locked into the soul. If I started to use Occlumency it would ‘break the dam’ so to speak. Essentially all of my memories from the millions of years would crush my current ego and I would fundamentally change. I would be a new entity, but would heavily lean into my personality as Artoria Pendragon, instead of Artoria Alter.”
Smiling as a few students walked past us while whispering about the disappearance of the pink toad named Dolores, I added, “And I very much like the current me. So, I won’t be touching Occlumency. There was another unexpected side effect of Great Red’s spell actually. While people tend to build a Mind Palace or Forts and things to protect themselves, it seems I instinctually built something due some of the memories that leaked into me.”
Before I could continue though, Tearwyn stood up on my shoulder and leaned on my head as she excitedly said, “It’s really cool, Neo! Her mind is a literal battlefield! A warzone without a beginning or end!”
Neo let out an impressed whistle then said, “Nice~. Bringing ‘nothing but fighting on the mind’ for battle nuts to a new level, eh? And so, what about Legilimency?”
A sly smile crept on my face as I started to make my way through Hogwarts in a random direction while trying to sense either that house elf, or Harry. I soon found Harry’s soul signature, and it was somewhere above me, most likely in the Gryffindor dorms. As I started to climb the ever shifting staircase that was famous, I finally answered Neo, “It’s kind of funny actually. And it deals with the fact that I can’t really control my power output with my mana, as well as my mana type.”
Neo tilted her head as she asked, “Hmm? I can understand the output problem. Might pop their heads like a melon by using too much. But type?”
As I was going to answer, Tearwyn said, “Oh oh! I’ll tell her! As you know, your Authorities will affect you in a few ways. Beyond just letting you control said Authority. At the early stages as you’re getting used to your Authorities, it’ll ‘colour’ your mana. So, in Artoria’s case, since her connection with the Corruption Authority is her strongest, her mana has taken on that aspect!”
Turning my head to smile at Tearwyn, I also gave her a few gentle head pats while I continued her explanation for her as she enjoyed the attention, “And because of how I use my magic, my mana will also ‘colour’ the spell. Meaning all my spells will subtly corrupt anything they come into contact with. This isn’t normally a big deal, as the effect is very subtle and generally vanishes when the spell is finished being casted.”
Finally turning around a corner and making my way down a hallway with a painting of a rather large woman at the end of it I continued, “The problem though is with how Legilimency functions. It soaks the person's brain with your mana as you pick up on their thoughts. Worse is if I were to try and ‘dive in’ to get what I really want out of them. Because my mana is ‘Corruption’ and not my Black Water, it’s very harmful and random in what it does. It could corrupt their memories by twisting the memory into something new that never happened for example. Or, it could corrupt it like a computer, and just wipe it out.”
Neo nodded her head in understanding as she said, “Ahh, I get it now. Yeah, it’d be pointless to try and get memories and information if it's all randomly corrupted.”
With a small giggle Tearwyn added, “That’s if they survive the amount of mana that would be poured into them~!”
The three of us laughed lightly at her quip before I came to a stop in front of the painting that "protects" the dorms. While I was thinking of how I wanted to get into the dorm rooms, I suddenly felt Harry’s soul vanish and then reappear in another part of the castle.
With a shrug of my shoulders I stepped into the shadow of the window near me, and appeared in Harry’s shadow instantly. The three of us looked up out of his shadow as Harry was pacing back and forth in a hallway while muttering something. He soon stopped however as a door suddenly appeared in the wall.
As Harry opened the door I was able to hear him complain that he still didn’t understand why that House Elf, Vasel, was able to Apparate into the Room of Requirement but no one else could. What greeted us was a rather large room filled with things you wouldn’t exactly expect in a school. If it was a normal school that is, maybe this was par for the course?
As Harry made his way deeper into the room, the three of us were enjoying the sites. Numerous training dummies, scorch marks abound, several potted plants and what looked to be alchemy tables with cauldrons mixing themselves making what I assumed to be potions of some kind. Harry was clearly used to this as he ignored everything and made his way up some stairs and into another room.
As Harry entered the room we heard a female voice, most likely Hermione Granger, talking, “You know Vasel, even now I can’t get over the fact you managed to get muggle technology to work in Hogwarts.”
Harry joined them on the couch they were all sitting on watching TV as the House Elf replied, “It’s a lot easier and not as exciting as you might think, Miss Granger. All I did was ask the room to be created out of Hogwarts influence. So, technically, what we’ve all been training and relaxing in is a pocket dimension. And while it is connected to Hogwarts, it doesn’t fall under its domain for the rules.”
Raising an eyebrow I said, “Ah, so that is why I could no longer sense them when they first teleported. Sneaky. Anyway, I’ll just kill this scout and go back. I am eager to unlock my fourth seal, and I want to know what Mother has in store for me.”
Looking over to the House Elf, I moved to the shadow of the couch behind him and stepped out. He must have wonderful senses as his head started to snap directly to me the second I stepped out of the shadows. Sadly for him, I was much faster and I grabbed him by the neck.
As I lifted him off the couch and applied enough pressure to his throat to silence him I said in a cold voice, “Before you think to teleport away again you disgusting Light Scout, if you do I will murder the three kids here.”
Speaking of the golden trio, after the initial shock of seeing Vasel be lifted in the air by seemingly nothing, they wasted no time drawing their wands and raising their guards. It was pretty impressive to be honest. While they were in the later stages of the movies/timeline they are calm, collected, and ready to help their friend.
However, while the House Elf didn’t seem like he’ll teleport away, he is still trying to struggle out of my grasp. As he was clawing at my hands, I noticed he was trying desperately to talk so I loosened my grip to give him the chance as I was curious what drivel would come out of his mouth, “Did… did that whore of a bitch ‘LiGhT GoDdEsS’ send you?! Or are you a Champion of the Dark God sent to avenge the other Dark Champion I killed?”
As I slightly tilted my head in confusion with a raised eyebrow, Neo spoke up, “Oh wow. They have a skill called ‘System Absorption: EX.’ I didn’t know the factions would give someone that ability, more so if they have so little corruption like he does…”
Before I could ask more about that skill Tearwyn said, “She. Her soul is very much female. Why would she be placed in a male body… that’s horrible…”
Glancing at Tearwyn I asked, “What do you mean, Tearwyn?”
Tearwyn had a face that looked like she was hurt, and that honestly almost made me crush the insect in my hand for that. The only thing stopping me though was it was not their fault, so I calmed myself down as Tearwyn explained, “Each soul has an affinity for a type of body. And to place a soul that is so very much clearly female into a male body is akin to torture. They would NEVER feel comfortable in their body, and resist merging completely like she has. Her life would be adversely affected as the soul and body warred against each other.”
Tearwyn’s tails and ears drooped as she continued, “It can get to the point where it’ll either affect the soul or body. Even both sometimes is not unheard of. I’ve seen it happen to a few mortals where this happens naturally, and the outcome can be disastrous for the soul. It can leave a scar on the soul, and will affect future reincarnations. Us gods are supposed to help such souls when we come across them. Either by modifying the souls affinity, and/or healing the scar. If left alone, that scar will eventually worsen and lead to soul death. Which would destroy the soul, and send it back to the seat of creation.”
Tearwyn hopped off my shoulder and walked down my arm and sat down in front of the struggling Elf as she said, “For a goddess to do this intentionally to a soul is horrible. Being so close to her, I can see her Fate if she was left alone till the Light’s corruption was complete…”
With a sad sigh, she continued, “Or, more like I should say was nearly completed. Her soul wouldn’t survive, and would be destroyed. It would be an agonising 1500 years of torment she wouldn’t and couldn’t understand as to why she was suffering before her soul would break down. The Light's corruption would push her to accept her new body because it came from a goddess of Light. But corruption doesn’t change one's affinity like that. The pressure put on the soul from the mind trying to force itself to accept its new body would only build and build until the soul literally exploded with the force of a supernova.”
Neo gasped beside me as she hesitantly asked, “What about the boy I-”
Tearwyn shook her head and interrupted Neo, “No, she’s fine. The second you sent her soul into our dimension I modified her affinity. It’s extremely easy for God/dess’s to do. That’s why something like this is horrible. I may be a Dark Goddess, but even for us doing something like this is taboo and frowned upon. A God/dess may punish a mortal by placing them in a body that clashes with their affinity for a single lifetime, but they’ll heal the scar after all is said and done.”
With a sigh and a shake of her head she said, “But for a goddess, of the Light no less, to do this to a soul? They have fallen incredibly far. To think such a goddess like that is targeting me, it scares me…”
Tearwyn then stood up on my arm and walked over to my face and gave me a tight hug with all she had. I felt Neo stand up and move over to Tearwyn and join in the hug as she tried to cheer her up.
Tearwyn had watery eyes as she looked directly into mine as she asked, “Can you save her, Sister Artoria? Instead of killing her?”
Seeing Tearwyn almost in tears nearly ripped my heart apart. I raised my free hand and gave her a few back rubs as I nodded my head. As she hugged me tighter with closed eyes and whispered thank you I said, “Anything for you Tearwyn, you know that.”
Tearwyn quickly settled down, but she joined Neo on my left shoulder and was still hugging her as I turned my attention back to the Elf in my hand. While he… she had a look of confusion about what was going on with me, I loosened my grip even further.
Looking her dead in the eyes I asked, “How would you like to get revenge on the Light goddess that did this to you? How would you like to be put back into a body you actually care for?”
All the struggle left her as she peered into my eyes searching for falsehood or some kind of trap. After a few seconds she said, “I am listening…”
