Is the magic contained in the blood really that concentrated? If so, it implies one could determine a wizard's overall potential simply by analyzing a small sample.
Alan's eyes lit up as he processed the data. This discovery was a breakthrough. In the future, he wouldn't need to drive a massive, invasive probe into a subject to measure their reserves. The current instrument required a significant contact surface to yield an accurate reading, which necessitated deep insertion. The new method would be far more elegant.
First, he would need an alchemical tool to detect total blood volume—a simple task for which he already had several designs in mind. Then, by drawing a minute amount of blood and measuring its specific magic content, he could calculate the total using a straightforward formula: (total blood volume ÷ sample volume) × (blood magic value) × 2. The next step would be refining the constants and the scale to ensure absolute precision.
Realizing that this night's work had solved a problem that had plagued him for months, Alan looked at his captives with genuine joy. These men were a treasure trove of information. He needed to maximize every second he had with them.
*He's smiling again!* Karkaroff shivered, watching the boy's expression. *What does this monster take us for? Toys to be dismantled? He stabs us, he drains our blood, and then he looks happy.* Karkaroff began to pray fervently to any dark entity that might be listening, hoping for a swift death over continued "participation."
"Phase One is complete," Alan announced to the room. "Now, we move on to Phase Two." The success of the initial trials had given him immense confidence. Practice, as they say, is the only criterion for truth.
Alan walked back to the workbench and selected a new tool. It was a flexible metal chain that looked like a belt, composed of nine flat, rune-covered rods twisted together with intricate craftsmanship. He placed the chain on the floor and murmured a soft incantation. The metal rippled, transforming into a slender, silver mechanical snake that slithered toward Yaxley.
Alan re-inserted the measuring probe into Yaxley's chest to monitor the live drain. The silver snake coiled itself tightly around the boy's torso. On the dial, the needle began to drop at a visible rate. Yaxley gasped, his skin turning a sickly shade of blue as his body temperature plummeted. He felt as though he had been dropped into an arctic lake.
Alan held a timer, his eyes flicking between the stopwatch and the gauge. This silver snake was the evolution of the debilitation spell he had tested on Travers. He had optimized the runes for maximum efficiency.
"It drains eighteen units per second," Alan noted. "That means each optimized rune is pulling two units. It's four times more effective than the previous iteration. At this rate, it can empty Yaxley's reserves in exactly twenty-three seconds. Combined with the constriction and the hypothermic effect, it's a formidable piece of combat equipment."
While Alan was busy recording the data, Yaxley reached a point where he simply wanted to die. He didn't understand the mechanics of what was happening; he only knew the cold was hollowing him out. He hoped his heart would just stop, providing an escape from the boy with the cold eyes.
However, just as he felt his consciousness fading into the frost, the drain stopped. The silver snake unwound itself, and Alan thoughtfully cast a Warming Charm over him.
*So that's how it is. You won't even let me find peace in death?* Yaxley's face twisted into a hollow, jagged smile. His eyes became glazed and unfocused, his mind finally fracturing under the weight of the physical and psychological trauma. He began to giggle softly, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Alan scratched his head, watching Yaxley's breakdown with a hint of confusion. *Why is he laughing? Did the Warming Charm make him that happy?* He dismissed the reaction and turned his attention to his next subject: Crabbe.
Alan produced another prototype. It consisted of two parts: a metal sphere the size of a baseball connected by a fine chain to a small suction cup. It looked like a miniature meteor hammer. This was a new alchemical tool designed for energy storage. The suction cup was engraved with an experimental version of an Energy Absorption Curse. Alan had seven different suction cups, each with a unique rune structure, and he intended to test them all.
The metal sphere was a highly optimized storage device. It could hold a significant amount of magic, and while the energy would naturally dissipate over time, its retention rate was far superior to anything currently on the market.
He moved with practiced speed, attaching a suction cup to Crabbe and re-positioning the measuring probe.
"Runes one, two, four, and five: zero efficiency. Rune three: absorbs one unit every three seconds, stores zero point six. Rune six: absorbs one unit per second, stores zero point three. Rune seven: absorbs one unit every two seconds, stores zero point eight. Efficiency peak identified in rune seven."