Nero stood before Rowena, his sharp blue eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight of the chamber. The atmosphere was calm yet charged with an unspoken intensity.
"Nero," Rowena began, folding her hands together, "before we start your training, I need to amend a statement I made earlier."
Nero tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
Each of the other founders had taken their heir aside for individual training.
She exhaled. "We told you all that it was too soon to explore the laws and principles of magic, that your foundations were still lacking. That remains true, for most of you."
Nero frowned. "And I'm the exception?"
Rowena gave him a small, knowing smile. "Yes. Though your understanding of fundamental magic still needs some work, your body is a different matter entirely. Thanks to Melina's sacrifice, you are already attuned to space itself. You may not realize it yet, but your body is practically immune to basic space manipulations."
Nero's eyes widened. "Meaning?"
Rowena's expression turned serious. "Meaning that you are uniquely suited to start learning a spell that most wizards don't attempt until adulthood: Apparition."
He blinked. "Apparition? But… I thought it required precise magical control and carried a high risk of injuring oneself, if learned too early?"
Rowena nodded. "That is exactly why most wizards struggle with it. It's not taught until they reach seventeen, when their magic is more stable and they can handle the risks. But for you, the barriers that hinder others: the risk of Splinching, the difficulty in stabilizing movement through space, are non-existent. Your body can withstand the distortions. You still need to learn the mechanics and refine your control, but you will have a head start. Keep in mind that you should not try to touch another Principle than space at this moment. Your focus should be on mastering basic elements, then advanced ones, and fusing seamlessly their application with transfiguration, or charms for instance."
Nero's mind raced.
Apparition wasn't just a convenient spell, it was an advanced form of magic that directly interacted with space, something he was now told he had a natural attunement to.
If he could master it early, it could open new paths for him, paths toward unraveling the deeper mysteries of space manipulation and, eventually, the very principles of magic itself.
Rowena continued, "As our time is limited, I will only introduce you to the concept now. I strongly encourage you to pursue it further after entering your second year at Hogwarts. Consult your headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, he should know how to best proceed on this."
Nero nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll make sure to learn it properly when I return to Hogwarts."
Rowena smiled approvingly. "Good. Now, as promised, let's focus on three crucial areas: refining your usage of Raven Eyes, devising a way to purify Horcruxes, and expanding your practical magical knowledge so that you can attempt the purification yourself."
The first few weeks of training were intense. Rowena pushed Nero to his limits, forcing him to see beyond the surface of magic.
The Raven Eyes were not just about analysis, they were about comprehension, about understanding the very essence of what magic was and how it flowed.
At first, Nero had only been able to use them in short bursts, analyzing spellwork and detecting weaknesses. But under Rowena's guidance, he began to refine their use.
He learned how to maintain the ability for extended periods, how to filter the overwhelming information into manageable layers.
His vision sharpened. He could now see beyond magical threads, the fine weavings that bound spells together. When Rowena cast a spell, he didn't just see the effect, he saw the structure, the pulse of magic that fueled it.
"It's not enough to observe," Rowena instructed as she conjured a series of floating runes. "You must interact with what you see. Dissect it. Break it down."
Nero focused, his Raven Eyes glowing faintly as he extended his senses. The runes were alive, pulsing with intricate layers of magic. He concentrated on a single rune and willed it apart.
The rune flickered, then unraveled.
Rowena's lips curled into a proud smile. "You are progressing faster than I expected."
Nero exhaled, sweat forming on his brow. The strain was immense, but he was learning. And that was all that mattered.
The second phase of his training was even more critical: Horcrux purification.
"The nature of a Horcrux is corruption," Rowena explained, pacing in front of him. "A fragment of a soul, or multiple souls, is forcefully anchored to an object, defying the natural order. To purify it, we must unravel that corruption."
Nero sat at a table, parchment spread before him, covered in notes and diagrams. "Destroying a Horcrux is one thing," he mused. "But purifying it… that requires separation. Extracting the soul fragment without damaging it."
Rowena nodded. "Exactly. If you attempt to rip it away forcefully, you risk shattering the fragment, dooming it to oblivion, and activating the defenses Voldemort has left."
They spent weeks theorizing, experimenting with minor enchantments and soul-based magics. Nero tested his Raven Eyes against cursed objects, trying to perceive the corruption itself.
One evening, as he stared at the latest diagram, a realization struck him.
"What if," he muttered, "instead of forcing the fragment out, we make it want to leave?"
Rowena raised a brow. "Go on."
Nero's mind raced. "A Horcrux is unnatural. The soul fragment inside is bound, but it isn't meant to be. What if we create a magical environment where the fragment feels its original form again? A ritual that reminds it of what it once was, that makes it long to return to wholeness?"
Rowena's eyes sparkled with interest. "A purification ritual based on restoration, rather than destruction."
Nero nodded, excitement surging through him. "Yes! If we combine it with the principles of Reversal, we might be able to undo the binding without causing harm. If Voldemort's countermeasures are used to prevent destruction, we might be able to bypass it altogether"
Rowena smiled. "Now you're thinking like a true Ravenclaw."
The final weeks were spent refining Nero's understanding of ritual magic, forcing him to apply everything he had learned.
As the last day of summer approached, he stood before Rowena, exhaustion clear on his face but satisfaction burning in his glowing eyes.
Rowena placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have done well, Nero. You have taken steps that most would not attempt for decades. But this is only the beginning."
Nero nodded. "I know. But at least now, I have a clear direction."
She smiled. "Indeed. And remember, knowledge is your greatest weapon. Wield it wisely."
With that, summer came to an end.
As the sun rose over the horizon, Nero, Ember, Lilith, and Alaric gathered together, standing before the founders one last time.
Godric grinned. "Looks like it's time for you lot to head back to Hogwarts."
Salazar smirked. "Try not to get yourselves killed."
Helga wiped a tear from her eye. "I expect great things from all of you."
Rowena simply nodded. "Go. And never stop seeking knowledge."
With one final bow of respect, the heirs turned and walked away.
The second year of their journey was about to begin.
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Hey everyone! This chapter marks the conclusion of Nero's first year!
Thank you all for your incredible support. I truly appreciate every one of you.
To celebrate this milestone, I'll be releasing three chapters today! Enjoy! (1/3)
75 chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin):Chapter 131: The Memory Parcels Experiment