FicWad

Disclaimer: Ha. Yeah right. Me, own Harry Potter? That’s absurd. You ought to be locked up in an asylum for even considering the possibility!

Author’s Note: I’d like to address the issue of Dumbledore’s Character. Frankly, I could never make Dumbledore completely evil, after sobbing at his death in Half-Blood Prince. However, he will remain slightly misguided and perhaps a bit more sinister until a particular situation comes to light—and that’s all I’m saying about him. He’s not exactly evil, but he’s not exactly good either. How’s that for cryptic? So all you Manipulative Dumbledore lovers will get your fill, but all you Dumbledore (the good sort) lovers can also be assured that he isn’t completely evil or manipulative. I don’t think I could do that to him…

Anyways, enjoy this chapter! I quite like it myself—it was fun to write!

Alchemical Reactions

Chapter Four
Mastering Magic for Beginners


Despite Harry’s natural inclination to distrust the intentions of the Flamels, he quickly learned that this was not in his best interests. His eyes had been acting up and only Perenelle Flamel’s pain-killing potions and a few lessons in magical control taught him how to manage the input from his magically altered eyes. It took him two weeks to learn how to dim the sight of magic to a point where he could only see a flicker or two, both weeks spent in a muggle hotel, as the Flamel’s home had initially overwhelmed him.

Magic was real. That was the fact that Harry had so much trouble adjusting to. It just didn’t make sense; it didn’t go with the laws of the universe. Light appearing from nowhere, flying, changing the form of objects with a word…it just didn’t add up with Harry’s basic knowledge of physics and the laws that governed his world. It meant that those laws didn’t apply, which in turn meant that anything was possible. Anything.

It was absolutely mind boggling. To give a select group of human beings the power to do whatever they wanted…he was surprised that most weren’t completely corrupt. He had been taught history, of course, but it hadn’t been enough for him at the time and he had furthered his own knowledge by borrowing a wide variety of history books from the library. It had been absolutely fascinating, but Harry had noticed the rather obvious pattern that most that were put in power tended to abuse it. Giving humans supernatural abilities…well, he could see why the witch hunts had occurred. Though those had been religious fanatics…

Lost in his thoughts, Harry barely noticed Nicholas Flamel approaching. He and Harry had come to an agreement, a truce, per say. Harry’s thirst for knowledge and curiosity had caused him to break the barrier of rebellious silence that he had maintained before he had woken up in St. Mungo’s. Now, there was so much to learn, so much to do, and many, many questions. Nicholas couldn’t help but find Harry’s sudden willingness to talk to him amusing.

“Harry?” he said, letting his student know that he was in the library with him. Harry had already begun learning, though it had only been two months since the incident, and he was going at quite a fast pace. Nicholas had completely skipped the theoretical aspects to see how Harry would do without them, and found that without the restrictions that the theory placed on its learners, Harry could do quite a bit more than the average wizard. Or perhaps that was just because he was Harry Potter; Nicholas wasn’t one hundred percent sure.

“Yes, Mr. Flamel?” Harry asked politely, restraining his natural impulse to call the man an old interfering geezer and be done with it. The urge had been less common than usual, but he had been enjoying his book.

“I’ve decided that we’re holding our lesson in here for today,” said Nicholas, as Harry nodded. He pulled up a chair across from the table that Harry sat at, surrounded by a stack of books. He scanned the titles, raising his eyebrows in surprise as he saw that his charge was reading books such as Historically Inaccurate, Magic from a Muggle’s View, Physics versus Magic: Which One Controls the Other?, /and /The Nature of Magic. Harry closed the book which he had been reading, /Mastering Magic for Beginners, /and turned his attention towards his teacher.

Instead of beginning the lesson, Nicholas said, “You’ve been quite busy here, Harry. Found anything interesting?”

“Plenty of it’s interesting, sir,” he said noncommittally.

Nicholas nodded, as if waiting for Harry to carry on. When he didn’t, Nicholas continued. “I’ve decided that now that you know the basics of magic, we’ll be having one lesson three times a week in which we study anything that catches your interest.” In fact, Harry now knew enough to pass the practical aspects of many of the first year classes at Hogwarts, and likely pass the theoretical aspects simply through all the questions he had been asking—though several key points had been omitted, most had been covered by Harry’s inquisitive mind.

“Anything?” Harry asked. “Anything at all?”

“Yes, Harry,” replied Mr. Flamel.

“Alright then. Could I learn how to cast magic without a wand?” Harry had been contemplating this for a while now. While he performed his magic in his lessons with his wand, he had come to the conclusion that it was unnecessary. After all, he had been doing magic on purpose for years now, so why should having a wand change the fact that he could do it without one?

“And what makes you think it possible?” Nicholas asked, instead of responding to Harry’s question. He wanted the boy to think. He wasn’t at all surprised about Harry’s choice. After all, the boy had a natural inclination towards using his magic outside the box.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Well, it’s kind of obvious that you can use magic without a wand. One, I’ve see you doing it all the time.” Nicholas just inclined his head, indicating for Harry to continue. “Two, I’ve been doing it accidentally and sometimes on purpose my whole life. True, it hasn’t done exactly what I wanted to like what happens when I use a wand, but the fact that I can indeed do stuff without a wand implies that I can control it to a degree. And considering the fact that you yourself don’t use a wand, it means it’s possible.”

“Then I shall teach you,” Nicholas responded. “First, though, could you please detail all the times that you can remember using magic—whether on purpose or not?”

“Well there was the incident two months ago. That was on purpose. Before that… I didn’t do it so much at the orphanage. I didn’t want to get sent to the Mental Hospital or anything. They would take any excuse with proof to do that, considering how full the orphanage was. Before that…I used magic at some of my foster homes. I wanted the stubborn ones to get rid of me faster. I occasionally used it at school when bullies decided that they didn’t like the new kid—I was always switching schools. I think last year was the only full year I spent at one school. Until you adopted me, that is. When I was growing up with Cameron…I don’t quite recall much. I have a vague memory of a stuffed toy floating towards me, though.”

“So you more or less used your magic when you really wanted something?” Nicholas inquired, attempting to see what drove Harry’s usage of accidental magic.

“Well…I think frustration and anger were a large part of it too. I mean, when I used it at foster homes in the beginning, I didn’t realize that my magic was getting me sent back…so when I really wanted something, I got it. After I realized that it was something funny that I was doing…I stopped doing it for a while, unless I was desperate to get out of their home. So I suppose desperation also drove me. At school it was definitely anger, and the need to be left alone. It sometimes got out of control at the orphanage, at the beginning. The older kids tried to pick on me, so I suppose that was self-defence. Oh, and I talked to a snake once, but that wasn’t really fuelled by anything,” Harry said pensively.

“Snake?” Nicholas asked alarmed. “You conversed with a snake? Did the snake reply?”

“Well, of course it did,” Harry said, puzzled at the sudden attention being drawn to the incident. “Why?”

“It doesn’t matter right now. We’ll deal with it later,” Nicholas dismissed the topic as quickly as he had brought it up. Harry narrowed his eyes in suspicion. /What’s the old man keeping from me? /“Were there any other incidents? Or just those?” Nicholas continued, as if they hadn’t been interrupted by Harry’s feat.

“Well, others, but it’s hard to be specific. So, for the most part, that’s a general summary.”

“Good,” Nicholas said. “It wasn’t all anger. If your only base for your accidental magic had been your anger, this would be a lot more difficult. It also appears that you do have some level of control, or you know exactly which emotions to trigger to cause your magic to react. I’d like you to attempt to cause some accidental—though I suppose it won’t be so accidental anymore, now—in here.”

“Here, sir? But what about all your books, the tables?”

“I’ve spelled the books so that they can’t be taken off the shelves by anything but hands,” Nicholas said. Harry raised his eyebrow at such an odd spell, and Nicholas smiled. “Several centuries ago a witch with quite a strong summoning spell was in the area, looking for a specific book. She used the Accio Charm on it, and it sped right out of the library into her arms. It took me months to even notice it was missing, let alone find her afterwards to get that damn book back.”

“I see,” said Harry in acknowledgement. “And the tables?”

“Similar spell. Magic can’t move them—I was doing some building by hand and was out of wood. I ended up dragging half the furniture in the house to me by accident, using that accursed Accio Charm again. So go ahead—there’s not much harm to be done in this room.”

“Alright then,” Harry said in acceptance, and he closed his eyes to begin his attempt.

What had fuelled him last time? Desperation, certainly, but he wasn’t desperate now. Nor was he angry, frustrated, or really feeling any strong emotions. He just wanted to get back to his book…that was it! His book. He wanted his book. Well, what he really wanted was to get Nicholas out of the room so that he could read his book, despite having asked him for lessons in magic without a wand. It was far too fascinating…

The sound of a door slamming jerked his eyes open in an instant. The library door had slammed shut and Nicholas…Nicholas was no longer sitting beside Harry. Harry grinned, grabbed his book and resumed reading. He could hear furious pounding on the library door, but it didn’t budge for whoever was behind it—and Harry strongly suspected it was Nicholas. Harry supposed he could have simply levitated the book over to him, but that would be far too mundane.

It was only a few minutes later when a brief pop was heard by Harrt, and Teppy appeared beside him. Harry had been introduced to the elf properly after discovering magic, and Teppy had taken an odd liking to him.

“Master Potter, sir!” Teppy exclaimed. “Master Flamel is not being too happy with youse. He is telling Teppy to be telling you to let him into the library or he be taking you to see Mistress Flamel,” Teppy tugged on his ears, obviously distraught. Perenelle Flamel was the one that took care of punishments now, and she always found the most disgusting things for Harry to do. He had spent a whole day last week mucking out the stables that had magically appeared for using a switching spell on Nicholas’s coffee, turning it to soured milk.

“Alright,” Harry sighed. He closed the book once more. “Thanks, Teppy.”

“No problem, Master Harry, sir!” Teppy replied, before popping away. Harry walked over to the door and yanked it open, revealing an angry and slightly bemused Nicholas Flamel.

“Amused?” he asked, glaring at the insolent child.

“Quite,” replied Harry, grinning obscenely. Nicholas scowled, before grabbing his arm and dragging him back to his chair by the desk.

“I see you enjoyed that little act of magic,” Nicholas said, disgruntled. “You couldn’t have simply levitated the book?”

“I didn’t mean to,” Harry said, his eyes innocently wide. Nicholas snorted with derision. “Honest. I just wanted to have a little peace and quiet, that’s all.”

“So I guess you don’t want me teaching you then?” Nicholas asked nonchalantly, rising to his feet.

“Don’t be obtuse,” Harry snapped. “Of course I want to learn. It was simply a very good book.”

Nicholas sat once more, peering closely at the nine-year-old in front of him. For the most part, Harry acted a lot older than he was, likely a combination of how he’d grown up and his thirst for learning and reading. Despite his maturity, Harry was still very much a child and Nicholas didn’t want to spoil that. He immediately let go of his anger—no matter how mild it had been—about what Harry had done.

“Well, that was quite a successful piece of magic you accomplished,” Nicholas said after a momentary pause. “Definitely a step in the right direction. But let’s try something a bit more…/purposeful/. How about levitating that book?”

“You said I can’t use magic on the books,” Harry pointed out.

“No, no,” Nicholas said, shaking his head. “Only to remove them from the shelves.”

“Oh, alright then,” Harry replied. He focused upon the book he had been reading only moments earlier. It was an old book, quite battered looking. The spine had been bent in several places and it was obvious that the cover had seen better days. Many of the pages were dog-eared, and Harry grinned at that. He now had a more challenging goal than simply levitating the book.

Nicholas watched in astonishment as the book raised mere moments after Harry had spoken. It had taken him hours of practicing to do something so simple and controlled…perhaps it was due to Harry’s constant usage from a young age? Nicholas felt the burning curiosity about his charge’s abilities that signified the need to do another research project. Nicholas’s amazement grew as he watched the book’s pages turn seemingly of its own accord, turning to a specific dog-eared page. Harry had barely broken out into a sweat. He even floated the book over to himself and began reading.

”Alright, Harry,” Nicholas said. “I get it. You want to go back to reading.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry replied, levitating the book lower so that he could look at his teacher.

“I do have a question for you, before I dismiss you,” Nicholas stated, ignoring the fact that it was mostly Harry dismissing him.

“I have a question for you too,” Harry replied. “But you go first. You’re the teacher after all.” /Someone’s got a sword for a tongue, /Nicholas thought to himself. /Another defensive mechanism, I suppose. But he just had to point it out that he’s in control. Little brat, /he thought fondly.

“Why, in Merlin’s name, did you ask me to teach you magic without a wand when you already know it?”

“I don’t, sir,” Harry replied.

“Yet, you showed me a near mastery of the skill, both in large scale magic when you Banished me from the room, and in your control floating the book and turning its pages. You don’t need me to teach you anything.”

“I was just trying to see if I could do it,” Harry said, shrugging. “I had no idea I’d get it on the first try or anything. And simply levitating the book was so unfulfilling. What I did to you was accidental though. I just wanted to be alone,” he shrugged, then grinned. “I quite liked the result of that.”

“Yes, I’m sure you did,” Nicholas mumbled. At least Harry had calmed down from what he had been two months earlier and was down to harmless pranks and meaningless jibes. He sat up straighter. “I suppose that instead of teaching you magic without a wand, I shall supervise. I’d appreciate it if you avoided using it as much as possible when you’re in a situation where you can be easily distracted. You saw the chaos caused by lack of control. After you don’t need to concentrate nearly as much to perform magic in this manner, I don’t mind you using it safely and productively, as you would if you were carrying a wand.”

“Thank you, sir,” Harry said. Nicholas began to rise from his chair, when Harry stopped him. “What about /my /question?”

“Right,” Nicholas said, sitting down again. He hadn’t allowed himself to forget—he just didn’t want to discuss it with the boy.

“What was the trouble earlier with me speaking to snakes?” Harry asked, looking Nicholas straight in the eyes.

Nicholas sighed. He had thought that Harry would ask him something else, yet he had been spared for the moment. “It’s a talent called Parseltongue, Harry. It’s not generally seen as a good thing in the Wizarding World and it proves one of my theories to be correct.”

“Well, from what I’ve read the Wizarding population tends to be quite bigoted,” Harry said, annoyed. He had spent a whole week researching magical creatures and had been astounded and angered by the Ministry’s ideas of ‘dangerous creature’ and actions against werewolves, centaurs, and other such intelligent magical beings (not creatures). Nicholas inclined his head in agreement to Harry’s statement. “What was your theory?”

“That the night Voldemort cast the Killing Curse at you, a small fragment of what he was entered you, giving you some of his abilities. He was a Parseltongue too, you know. Probably why it’s seen as such a Dark Art.”

“I see,” Harry said neutrally. “And does this mean that I’m likely to become evil and become mad with power or something?”

“No!” Nicholas exclaimed. “Not at all. Everyone has a choice. Or they usually do, unless they’ve been placed under a strong enchantment,” he wasn’t about to discuss the Imperius Curse right now. “You have a choice. You can be good, evil, neutral, whatever the hell you want, Harry. But you need to remember that the world isn’t all black and white, that sometimes ‘good’ can act wrongly, and ‘evil’ can be momentarily moral. It’s not a simple choice—it never really is.”

Harry simply nodded, and raised the book which had remained floating throughout this discussion higher, so that he was no longer facing Nicholas. Flamel sighed inwardly, before leaving the nine-year-old to his reading, and contemplated beginning a research project on his charge, as soon as possible. It wouldn’t be published without consent, obviously, but he enjoyed a good puzzle and the Boy-Who-Lived provided him with quite the intriguing one.