03-19-2016, 07:58 AM
I frowned as the magic I had worked so hard at finally met its limit in holding the weapon aloft. But without more time and resources, improving it further would be short of impossible. Nor did I have any intention wasting more than a pittance of omnilium on it. Not that it mattered. As a tool, it would serve a purpose and against it all problems would be nails to be struck down deep into early graves.
It was odd to feel pride in a device that I had no intention of wielding. The effort had gone into it was an amazing first step, the end result sublime, but ultimately I held no attachment to it. But as building a foundation went, it was a success.
“I’ve already seen to them that they’d have company- but perhaps, Tilly.”
A soft crack echoed in the corner of the room as the House Elf appeared, “Yes Masters Toms?”
I gave the youngest of the Hogwart’s staff a light look over as I framed my thoughts, “See that your charges know that I have business to attend to outside the gates; if Hogwarts is attacked… have the citizens fall back to the castle. Only summon me if they breach the entrance hall or any of the outer walls.”
The young Tilly nodded vigorously and then was gone when no further orders were forthcoming. I had known her from my time as a student, one of the few Hogwarts house elves I had ever met. It was from her that I had begun looking for secrets within the halls, that I had the first hint of where they began. She was a useful creature, loyal to a fault and was over the moon with love for her charges. It made her effective even when they interrupted me the other day.
Nealaphh inclined its head, That will suffice?
“Until I can raise defenses,” I admitted grudgingly as I turned to face one of the burning fireplaces. The licking flames reflected my mood quite well. Desire to burn those who’d turn against me, to spread my dominion. Hunger for something greater, and an ache for the missing pieces of my soul… but most importantly what would happen should I fail.
The images of Nippur were burnt with certain clarity onto my pages, and it was an event I could easily have seen befalling my older less whole self. Voldemort had fallen to an infant, the very one I now claimed my own. And here, now, I was in a universe made of people from a number of sources all renowned for their cunning, villainy, acts of heroism or possibly all three. I refused myself to fall to a cybernetic mouse, much less anyone else.
Tom Riddle was better than Voldemort, better than some king. Here I would be a god. But until my apotheosis I had to tread lightly, very lightly. More than anything I had to follow in Dumbledore’s footsteps. Maintain neutrality. Make Hogwarts, not the whole world my responsibility.
After all an island is only as safe until someone bridges it to the mainland.
And like Dumbledore, despite my dislike for the man, I needed to make a name for myself. Taking down a high tier prime such as Dracula and Volvagia would force people to realize they are contending with an unknown they can’t hope to touch. Either one could be my Gellert Grindelwald, or perhaps both?
So it seems, then you’ve decided to accompany the expedition? Came my partner’s voice at the back of my head.
I gave a smile as my fingers flicked my wand back into existence, “Indeed.”
It was odd to feel pride in a device that I had no intention of wielding. The effort had gone into it was an amazing first step, the end result sublime, but ultimately I held no attachment to it. But as building a foundation went, it was a success.
“I’ve already seen to them that they’d have company- but perhaps, Tilly.”
A soft crack echoed in the corner of the room as the House Elf appeared, “Yes Masters Toms?”
I gave the youngest of the Hogwart’s staff a light look over as I framed my thoughts, “See that your charges know that I have business to attend to outside the gates; if Hogwarts is attacked… have the citizens fall back to the castle. Only summon me if they breach the entrance hall or any of the outer walls.”
The young Tilly nodded vigorously and then was gone when no further orders were forthcoming. I had known her from my time as a student, one of the few Hogwarts house elves I had ever met. It was from her that I had begun looking for secrets within the halls, that I had the first hint of where they began. She was a useful creature, loyal to a fault and was over the moon with love for her charges. It made her effective even when they interrupted me the other day.
Nealaphh inclined its head, That will suffice?
“Until I can raise defenses,” I admitted grudgingly as I turned to face one of the burning fireplaces. The licking flames reflected my mood quite well. Desire to burn those who’d turn against me, to spread my dominion. Hunger for something greater, and an ache for the missing pieces of my soul… but most importantly what would happen should I fail.
The images of Nippur were burnt with certain clarity onto my pages, and it was an event I could easily have seen befalling my older less whole self. Voldemort had fallen to an infant, the very one I now claimed my own. And here, now, I was in a universe made of people from a number of sources all renowned for their cunning, villainy, acts of heroism or possibly all three. I refused myself to fall to a cybernetic mouse, much less anyone else.
Tom Riddle was better than Voldemort, better than some king. Here I would be a god. But until my apotheosis I had to tread lightly, very lightly. More than anything I had to follow in Dumbledore’s footsteps. Maintain neutrality. Make Hogwarts, not the whole world my responsibility.
After all an island is only as safe until someone bridges it to the mainland.
And like Dumbledore, despite my dislike for the man, I needed to make a name for myself. Taking down a high tier prime such as Dracula and Volvagia would force people to realize they are contending with an unknown they can’t hope to touch. Either one could be my Gellert Grindelwald, or perhaps both?
So it seems, then you’ve decided to accompany the expedition? Came my partner’s voice at the back of my head.
I gave a smile as my fingers flicked my wand back into existence, “Indeed.”