[POV back to our boi, Talion]
"That's really irritating to look at."
"You insisted on accompanying me."
"A more romantic wizard would get the hint that I wanted to do something else."
"And why can't it be that I am trying to get you in the mood with this?"
A silence followed. A silence I enjoyed.
"I admit it's working. Still irritating."
"Come on. You asked me to show you what more I am capable of other than conjuring a big ass dragon."
"Don't put words in my mouth. I distinctly remember asking to discuss large area spells with you in preparation for the upcoming task. I did not utter the words 'big ass dragon'. And I did not ask for you to show me your physical limits."
"You did now."
"Talion, could you please stop doing those ridiculous handstand pushups? I am trying to have a conversation here that could seal our life or death."
I flipped upright, smoothed out my work-out clothes, hit myself with a quick freshening charm to deal with perspiration, and then regarded the raven-haired beauty who looked at me with fond, playful annoyance.
"Sorry. Did you solve the puzzle for the second task yet?"
"No. It's just screeches. I have a few ideas I was about to investigate in the library. Are you asking because you're offering to help?"
"Yeah sure," I answered with a shrug before taking a long sip of juice from a waterskin I had lying around.
One of the products we sold through Borough's Gold. A space-extended waterskin that preserved the temperature of beverages you filled into it. The space inside was a decent five times bigger than the actual size of the skin itself. The drink wouldn't spoil or change for up to two weeks.
Anything more would make the thing way too expensive.
There were also stylish hipflasks, though those were a little more expensive because of the design and needed materials. Those things also preserved most potions, kind of like the thing Fake Moody used to store his polyjuice potion.
Those kinds of items were known products, popular with other enchanters, and we sold maybe a dozen of them so far. I just liked our designs better. After all, I decided which one we were going to use.
"Why? We're opponents?" Carina Black asked, her earthen-brown eyes searching my face.
I scoffed a little but my face quickly schooled itself when I saw her brows draw together. "Come on. You've seen the dragon I conjured at the first task. I plan to do something an order of magnitude more impressive for the second task. I got this thing in the bag," I boasted with a playfully-exaggerated dismissive gesture.
She looked at me with dead eyes as if I just told the least funny joke of all time.
Sure, that was a very arrogant thing to say, but it wasn't without basis. So I rolled my eyes and advised with a theatrical sigh, "Take a bath. Take the egg with you. Open it up. Write it down. Read it twice. If you still don't know what the second task is, I'll spell it out for you."
Carina looked annoyed at my tone of voice, but before she could say something insulting to win back some initiative or get a little payback, I flipped a coin to her.
She caught it with a sure hand and studied both sides with her delicate, now scrunched-up brows.
"What is this?"
This was no ordinary coin and certainly no currency known to or accepted by anyone. It made sense she didn't know what it was.
"It's a token I'm testing out for my shop. It changes the way of delivery for our orders. Something unique that will make us stand out from any competitor," I explained.
Searchingly, she inquired in mild confusion, "You have a 'shop'?"
"Yeah, I'm the owner of Borough's Gold," I admitted. I didn't advertise it, but it wasn't some life-or-death secret anymore. "You might have heard of our owl order business or seen the ad I put up in the Daily Prophet."
Carina studied my face again. This time with less annoyance but more scrutiny.
Probably, she considered how large my company or faction was since our list of products was very wide-spread. In any normal shop, that would mean at least a dozen capable employees, each with their own field of expertise. Very few enchanters or potioneers simply offered it all.
"What does this token do?" She eventually asked as she turned the coin over in her hand carefully.
"Think of it as a reverse portkey, kind of. I'm working on a delivery system to the specified location in your order where this token will appear. Once you confirm that you have received the token and your order is ready, it will change places with the parcel containing what you bought. Part of this system will only work with an item we plan to sell early next year. A kind of registered 'receiver'. But I'm hoping it will catch on."
"What kind of receiver?" Carina inquired, fully paying attention to the coin now.
I didn't answer and instead pointed out in a playfully admonishing tone of voice, "You won't be able to see the enchantment without breaking the coin apart, ruining the inscription anchoring it. It's on the inside and any attempt to break the coin apart will destroy the spell. And if you somehow figure out the alchemic process I used to achieve that and find a solution, the enchantment is encrypted."
The Black witch looked up, tilting her head, repeating, "Encrypted?"
"It's a muggle term. It means the runes are encoded. Uh, if you read the runes plainly, it's gibberish. Unless you know the 'key' or 'cypher'. Getting that to work with runes that have very specific meaning was a witch to figure out. I presented the theory during my Old Norse Rune master thesis, which was why they granted me the title so quickly."
I also had help from two ancient witches more powerful and knowledgeable than any other after them. They finalized my request on the day of the first task and handed it to me just before Dumbledore found me at the beach. The theory I presented became a fully functional reality.
"Your thesis wasn't about encryption. I read your thesis."
I nodded, explaining, "Encryption is a security feature. If everyone knew what it was, it wouldn't really be safe, would it?"
"You will keep it for yourself?"
I scoffed a little, retorting annoyedly, "Do you know how hard it was to get those blasted ICW runic masters to swear the oath to not abuse my theory or claim it for themselves? Without the help of Professor Cagnazzo from Stati Magia, who helped me become a capable enchanter, I wouldn't have been able to get either. And she was only able to get her foot in the door because her great-great-great-grandparents or whatever were partly responsible for doing the Arithmancy for the worldwide Statute of Secrecy spell."
"Y-you… you have a master thesis in Ancient Runes and you invented a new enchanting method?"
Her voice was suddenly way more quiet than before.
"You're not even 18 yet, Talion," she whispered as her eyes stayed on the coin.
"I also reinvented runic casting, modernizing it and bringing it back to this century," I boasted with a grin.
"You're not being funny," she plainly stated, lost in her thoughts. "How? Why?"
"I have unique gifts. And I hate the stagnation and rot of our society. Muggles spent less than two hundred years going from horse back riding to figuring out cars, air travel and even sending people to the freaking moon. No witch or wizard I ever heard of has been to the moon," I answered with indignation coloring my voice. My grin was gone as I looked genuinely disgusted. And I was, not with her of course. In a scoffed afterthought, I added, "And we can travel from one end of the continent to another by whispering a spell we figured out eight centuries ago."
I looked at her like the matter personally offended me. It did.
"You want to become a magical…, what do the muggles call it… astronaut?"
My disdainful expression completely slid off my face. What a leap in logic.
Or was it?
"That was not part of my plans, actually," I corrected with a shrug. "I would hope my children will inherit a sense of wonder and an adventurous spirit, though. Maybe they can be the first to claim Mars for wizardkind."
"Mars? Why? It's smaller than Earth, no?"
I shook my head with a well-hidden roll of my eyes. "You're focusing on the wrong thing. Yeah, it's smaller than Earth. You also have to consider that anybody stepping on the planet would die immediately exposed to its atmosphere."
"Why would you go to such a place, then?"
"Muggles are running out of space. Their population, as opposed to the population of us wizardkind, is exploding. Fifty years ago, there were less than two and a half billion muggles. Now there's almost six billion. In less than three generations they more than doubled their total numbers. I'm certain another fifty years from now, they'll be close to crossing ten billion."
"So not another doubling?" She asked, looking almost relieved.
"There's a ceiling to their growth. They'll be struggling with feeding and housing that many people. Wars will break out because of resources. They're using so-called fossil fuels for their technological leaps now, but they are finite. I could be way off and they'll cross fifteen billion people by 2045, but I'm no prophet. I made an educated guess."
Some clarity came to her eyes. "You're saying they'll run out of space and resources. Then start wars."
"Wars that will involve wizards eventually. Muggles as a collective are inventive. It just takes one muggleborn fed up with our society who finds a loophole in the Statute of Secrecy and they will be able to show them how to find us. They'll figure out how to break our spells. How to kill us all dead or make us work for them. We'll endure, of course. Some of us are so powerful, so hidden that we will not be found for generations. Generations who lived like cowardly hermits just to survive. Power will concentrate with those who already have it and they will continue to squander it all by crying for tradition."
Carina Black was shook. With difficulty, she swallowed and thought it all over.
"You've thought about this a lot, huh?"
I nodded in reply.
"All my thoughts so far revolved only around the continuation of my lineage and restoring it to its rightful and proper place in the world," the Black witch muttered, her gaze unfocused.
I answered with a small shrug, "Noble goals."
Carina scoffed a little as she looked at me again. Her gaze was no longer affectionate or friendly. It wasn't unfriendly either, just more distant. "Not compared to yours."
She walked out of the room. Almost robotically and without turning back to me, Carina added, "Thank you for the tip for the second task."
When she was gone, I shook my head.
"I told her too much at once," I whispered to myself with furrowed brows after a long moment of silence.
After one date and one very nice make-out session in my dorm room, I could admit that I did consider her father's request. Namely pursuing his daughter with the intent to marry.
We were far from the 'I-love-you' parts in the relationship. Deeper intimacy was out of the question, too. But I did intend to see where this thing would go.
That would include seeing if we were compatible in the long run.
"I should have stopped after revealing my business and my enchanting method," I scolded myself. "See what her take on those two things are. Maybe see if she is smart and interested enough to weigh in."
I was an idiot.
— — — — —
"Hey, wait a second!"
I turned to see who was calling out to me. I didn't recognize the voice since it belonged to a second year I have never talked to before, having spent last year at a different school.
A habitual check with my Eagle Vision revealed the boy to be friendly since his outline was green in my eyes.
"How may I help?"
"Professor Flitwick suggested I ask you for help with a special problem I'm facing?"
My eyes twitched a little. The man was getting back at me for something. I was sure of it.
"Okay? Explain," I prodded and continued walking, gesturing for him to follow along.
"My late papa left me some notes. I thought it was just charms and spell research. But it turns out he was working on enchanting items with short-term spells. Like making a tea cup dance but the spell is stored."
I nodded along, gesturing for him to continue.
"Well, there's no real enchanting elective at Hogwarts and I asked Professor Flitwick to help me understand my father's notes," the boy replied, his fingers flinching in embarrassed little gestures. "He was hoping you could tutor me?"
I smiled in exasperation. Of course Flitwick would make me tutor someone as payback for whatever I did. Despite his diminutive height, Flitwick never did anything half measure.
"I can give you some pointers," I accepted, slinging my arm over his shoulder to ease the boy's nerves a little. "But first you're gonna tell me your name. I have no clue who you are."
"Oh. Hehe, I'm Shaun, Shaun Hastings," he greeted and pushed up his glasses.
"Well then, Shaun, tell me. What do you know about history?"
"Huh!?"
— — — — —
Waiting in front of the Great Hall to start the Yule Ball with the Champions Dance, I checked my elegant pocketwatch for the time. A more dignified solution compared to casting Tempus, though I could admit I only got the time piece because Lara had loaned it to me for this occasion from her father's collection.
"You look good," a voice got me out of musing and I turned around with a lifted brow.
Instinctively, I patted my chest to smooth the fabric and thanked with a thin smile, "I had this made just for the dance. Last time you'll see me in a bronze three-piece suit."
"The blue shirt and stitching is for Ravenclaw colors then, yes?"
I nodded and looked my date up and down, appreciating what I was seeing. "You're gorgeous. I like your dress, too," I praised with a small nod.
Ekatarina punched me in the ribs as an answer. "You make pity date with me. At least don't show that it is pity date on your face."
Rubbing my side because that punch actually hurt, I shook my head again.
I had the intention to ask Carina Black to be my date. Flitwick and Sprout had greatly encouraged me when I asked for advice just for the sake of asking them. Only for Dumbledore to find some dumbass rule that the champions couldn't be each other's date.
Something to do with the spirit of the competition since there could be no love-triangle in the dance, logistically, and two champions dating would be unfair to the leftover champion.
Nevermind that we had four champions this year. Three men, though, so all my arguments were met with plain refusal.
I wanted to ask Lara next, but she was not at Hogwarts for the ball, choosing to go home for Christmas. Hence the pocket watch as an apology.
Harry already asked Hermione, who said yes. Mandy had a date. Isobel had a date, too. She might have ditched her date to go with me but I didn't try.
Luna somehow managed to squirrel away from my notice every time I meant to ask her.
So I turned to Fleur. Who laughed in my face. Rolling my eyes, I threatened I would go to Ekatarina, the witch who licked my face on the day the two guest schools arrived. Fleur told me I wouldn't dare.
So I dared.
Back in the entrance hall, the Durmstrang witch looped her arm through mine and casually adjusted my bow tie a little with her other hand. Her sweet little gesture contrasted sharply with her punch from before. But that was her personality, I supposed. Her small movement purposefully pressed my arm into her firm, enticingly framed cleavage.
I dared to be stupid.
"You smell nice," I mumbled but didn't look at the witch acting all clingy.
Her blonde hair was done in an elaborate braid that drew my eyes to her delicate neck. Her dark blue dress had a deep neckline and hinted at her fair back being made almost entirely of sheer lace. The combination was almost unfair.
How was teenage me not supposed to stare at that?
"I ask elf for favorite smell of you," Ekatarina explained her change in perfume with a happy grin. "Whole room smells like peaches and vanilla now for later."
I didn't answer the implication and only widened my eyes.
I really did dare to be an idiot.
"You coordinated your colors," someone commented from behind the two of us.
I turned and almost flinched. Carina arrived in a gorgeous full-bodied black ball dress with silver lace detailing. Her black lipstick and eyeshadow with faint silver glitter looked like her smile was part of a beautiful night sky. Only her hands and face showed her pale skin and yet the dress framed her just so it wouldn't look too staid.
Breathtaking. Just as breathtaking as Ekatarina, but completely different.
"We did not," Ekatarina countered and I noticed her arm tightening on mine so I wouldn't run away from his conversation. She took out her wand from her cleavage and tapped her dress. It became a deep blood red color like a concentrated drop of ink fell into clear water where her wand touched the dress, the red flowing into the fabric in the time it took for a single breath. "My mother say men are too stupid for fashion. She make me dress to match anything my date will wear."
Carina's eyes twitched. My eyes twitched. Harry's eyes twitched from the other end of the hallway. Vlad Krum's eyes twitched. His date's eyes twitched. Only Hermione didn't really listen to her.
But I also breathed out a defeated, "Fair. It did not occur to me to ask you what color your dress will be."
The Durmstrang witch gave me a smile fit for a mother indulging her toddler who didn't know any better, tipped her wand to her dress once more to change it back to the blue of my shirt, and said sweetly, "It is issue with women in your life. You should have been told."
I nodded along. Blaming the seamstresses from Goldsborough who made my suit was a great deflection. I remember asking them last week if I should keep anything in mind when they gave me dancing lessons.
The color of our outfits did not come up.
To be fair to them, though, they were mostly human-trafficked as prostitutes before they got the chance to officially graduate and attend social gatherings as adults. I will not bring up 'their' flaws in educating me. I'd rather throw myself off of the Astronomy tower than start that conversation as an accusation.
"Your mother is wise," Carina eventually remarked and looked toward the doors in annoyance. Her date was late.
"Vaniye women are all wise," my blonde date muttered with a haughty smirk. She leaned closer to me and whispered into my ear, "She also tell me how to take care of my man."
Her free hand that tucked her wand back into her cleavage adjusted my arm and brought it to the lace on her back as we waited for our queue to enter.
Seeing me freeze again, Ekatarina gained a pleased smile.
"Loosen up a little," I heard Hermione whisper at Harry. "The dance will be over before you know it."
Gaining a confident smile, hoping to distract from my own discomfort, I turned and told my old roommate, "Yeah. You performed in front of crowds before. Now you just have to enjoy your date and not step on her toes too much. Compared to a dragon, this'll be easy."
Ekatarina smiled brightly hearing my words for Harry, the other Hogwarts champion.
"So you're going to enjoy your date?" Carina asked me directly with a lifted eyebrow.
I should have just shut my damn mouth. But I was already in too deep anyway.
Sighing and with a wry smile for the witch who went on two dates with me since that picnic on the flying rug, I answered, "That is only fair to Miss Vaniye."
"Da. Only fair I get chance now," Ekatarina added unhelpfully. The two witches looked at each other with barely hidden violent intent.
Just then, I saw a fourth guy run toward our little gathering.
Roger Davies.
Seeing him zero in on Carina, I deadpanned immediately.
Carina looked at me with an innocent smile as she turned toward her date and lost that smile.
"I hope I did not keep you waiting," Roger boastfully greeted her as he walked over with long strides. He did indeed keep her waiting. He also held up a pink lily, offering, "I brought you this. A corsage for my beautiful flower."
Carina looked at the flower with a stiff ghost of a smile. It was hideous to me. And I knew she had no love for the color pink.
"Thank you," the Black witch calmly replied, offering her hand. Roger helped her slip the adornment on her delicate wrist.
My former Quidditch captain gained an unearned and wide smile, entirely full of himself. He didn't even notice that Carina gave me an unamused look when I smiled at her with schadenfreude. She wordlessly tapped the flower with her wand and colored it black so it would fade against her long-sleeve.
"So, everyone excited?" Roger asked obliviously and looked around. He had the general mannerisms of a clueless creep. Vlad Krum, the younger brother of Viktor and champion of Durmstrang even stepped in front of his date with a deep frown.
Some seventh year Slytherin I couldn't quite remember the name of. She looked nice but I didn't remember her name. At least I had no impression of her sneering in my general direction. That put her leagues ahead of most of them.
Nobody answered Roger. I didn't because I didn't like the man. Harry didn't because he was going paler by the minute. Hermione didn't because she was mentally checking if she knew a spell to make puke disappear, probably. She likely knew a few and was already weighing the efficiency. Vlad and his date didn't answer because it looked like they didn't like Roger.
And Ekatarina noticed Carina's colour changing spell for the gifted flower and looked at Roger as though he was a fool.
She was correct, admittedly.
"You know how to dance?" Carina merely asked in return and stood closer to Roger. Not close enough to invite more physical contact. Just not too far away to make it awkward. Roger was still her date. And Carina still deeply cared about her image.
"I'm the best," the overly confident Ravenclaw chaser boasted with a silly smile. "My grandma had me dancing with her on, like, dozens of ministry balls."
Carina politely nodded and asked no further questions.
"Three Ravenclaws. This is a little lopsided, no?"
First, I heard Professor Flitwick. Then I saw him walk over with a wide smirk as he accompanied Professor McGonagall toward us.
"You have two more minutes," the transfiguration professor announced after briefly peering into a pocketwatch and ignoring the fellow head of house walking with her. She studied us, our outfits and then our expressions. "I made sure you can dance, Harry. No need for that look."
The boy stiffly nodded. Hermione took that chance to loop an arm through his to get him out of his grim fixations even more. They shared a brief smile that bled a lot of tension.
McGonagall's eyes rested on Ekatarina's bold dress for a while but in the end she didn't say anything. It was still somewhat modest in nature and would not have invited more scrutiny without the lace.
"Talion, nice suit," Flitwick complimented with a wide smile. It was in the colors of our house, after all. I gave the professor a shallow bow to acknowledge him.
With gestures, Professor McGonagall made us stand in an orderly line. Carina and Vlad, as guests, would walk in before Harry and I. Witches on the left, wizards on the right.
Flitwick winked at us and walked into the Great Hall with a pep in his step.
Suddenly, the music stopped. Dumbledore's voice echoed in the cavernous, stony hall. And then Catarina and her date walked in first to exaggerated applause.
I breathed out calmly. I meant what I said to Harry before. This was nothing compared to the other public appearances and events I attended as the center of attention.