JACG Chapter 62 ( Prodding) (Patreon)

I glared at the now smug bird apparently, its long wind up for crying was to wait for the geezer. I then let out a sigh and I turned around. I recognized his voice but that was definitely Dumbledore walking up those steps. I was not sure where he was before but he did not look like he rushed here. His robes still had those garish colors but it was clean and neat. 

“It is rather beautiful.” I let out quietly. I may not appreciate the bird all that much but what he was capable of doing really was enchanting. The way it naturally twisted its Mana into intricate patterns was stunning. After experiencing the crude and violent way House Elves operated this was a pleasant experience.

“I must say my boy, I did not expect to see you so soon. Your parting words told a different story after all.” Dumbledore spoke in a jovial tone with a twinkle in his eyes. He was right, I did leave in a rather moody way. The words I said implied that I was going to be hiding away for a long while after all. I simply shrugged, he might be right but that did not mean I had to explain my actions to him.

“I wanted to study magical creatures and a rather rare one happened to be easy to access,” I spoke out blandly. I was planning on going on an expedition to study the magical races. It would relieve the old man slightly, a scholar searching for more research was better than a moody teen that held too much power. Even if both of those statements would be true.

I could hide myself away from prying eyes using the Cloak but I was likely to have Ashley by my side during my journey. So it was bound to get out that I was visiting sanctuaries for those creatures. So I did not mind telling him what I was going to do, it killed two birds with one stone after all.

“Some would say that Hogwarts is not exactly within easy reach my boy,” Dumbledore spoke out again with a jovial tone but the twitch of his face was telling. He was not happy that I could simply leave whenever I wanted from him. Eventually, he would figure out what I was doing. He might already have theories about how I was able to slip past the wards. He was the greatest Wizard that had ever lived according to some people.

I may not use the same crude method as the Elves but it was similar enough. He could design a trap that would hold those House Elves and it might even work on me. For a moment that is, the Alpha Stigma did not allow magical effects to bind me. Not to mention the fact I now had other ways of traveling. He could thank his annoying bird for that little trick. 

I was not going to use that trick for casual travel. The way Fawkes traveled was not nearly as comfortable as popping is. It would make a rather impressive sight to disappear in a flash of fire but it was not needed for my day to day travel.

“Well, most people are not me,” I spoke out in a mocking way with a smile on my face. I would needle and prod this old man as much as I wished. He may be powerful but so was I. He also was on my list so he was fair game.

“No, they are not,” Dumbledore spoke out softly. For a moment I was able to see the same calculating glint in his eyes. For someone who wanted to preach that he was working in my best interest, his eyes were rather telling. The same glint belonged in my plastic friend’s eyes after all, he wanted to use me like everyone else wanted to.

“So you are interested in magical creatures.” Dumbledore shifted the topic to something more friendly. Trying to gauge exactly how far my interest fell. Was I someone who was only interested in what those creatures would teach me or was I someone like Newt. The more he knew about me the faster he would find a kink in my armor. He had already failed at using his killing blow so he was searching for another.

“I think my interest in Potions is rather clear,” I spoke out sarcastically. These creatures were filled with ingredients that could brew a variety of things. The dumb fire bird was filled with ingredients that would be nearly impossible to get somewhere else.

“It is my boy, but you did not want Fawkes’ tears,” Dumbledore spoke out softly. He cut straight to the issue, I may be saying I wanted to collect ingredients but when faced with the opportunity I did not collect one of the most precious magical ingredients. I would applaud him for picking up that little detail so quickly if I felt even remotely positive about him.

“I had a theory about those tears, I wanted to see if I was right,” I spoke out blandly. Dumbledore’s interest in my actions spiked. It was one thing to collect those tears it was another for a Potions master proclaiming a theory about said tears. I was capable of producing those tears at the cost of my own vitality but knowing the magic behind it I could make a potion that did similar things. Another miracle to add to my long list.

“Fascinating, did you manage to prove your theory?” Dumbledore questioned lightly as if he was not that interested in my findings. I snorted at the clear ploy. He may fool thousands with his false persona but he would never be able to fool me. I saw what lay underneath that saintly image after all.

He was willing to bully a young traumatized boy because he was weak and standing against him. He might say that he did what he did to protect the wolf but where was the protection that was owed to me? I nearly died because of an idiot and his pet project but it was all okay because I was just that worthless in his eyes. If I was someone with standing or any real power he would have never even dared to try. A hypocrite who preached about fair treatment when he favored those on his own side.

“I did.” I gave him a smile filled with teeth. I may be stepping into his ploy but what did it matter? He could not drag this knowledge out of me. I might as well be slapping him in the face with the confirmation.

There was a tense silence that filled the air between us. I could see him tensing, the same tense stance he took when I was blatantly threatening him. He was preparing to take action. The knowledge that I had in my head became even more valuable. Then he relaxed his stance.

The old man knew that he was not capable of holding me here. He would need more time to study what I was doing to stop me. Attacking me would only further alienate me from him. So he would have to backtrack for now. 

“That's wonderful my boy, I’m sure if you bring your findings to Professor Slughorn he would fast track your way to earning your mastery,” Dumbledore spoke out kindly with a soft smile on his face. His eyes blasted that twinkle as bright as he could. I once more snorted at his audacity. 

Sure if I did bring my findings to Slughorn he would have the Potion’s committee begging to give me my mastery. That would mean making my findings public. Sure no one could sell my potions without giving me a kick back but they could still make it. Even if I just shared my findings with Slughorn but refused to make my findings public Dumbledore would win. He would be able to pluck that knowledge out of Slughorn’s head without any real effort.

He was using the one mentor figure I had in my life to pry that knowledge out of me. He might be shooting at the wrong targets but he certainly was fast on his feet.

“I’m not in a hurry to get my mastery. That knowledge is far too valuable.” I spoke out blandly with a bland smile on my face. Again Dumbledore tensed but relaxed quickly. The expression on his face nearly fell at my declaration. Which only brightened my smile.

“Think about all the good such knowledge could bring, my boy,” Dumbledore spoke out urgently. I rolled my eyes at the route he chose to pick. I did not really care all that much about the magical world to give them something like that. The world never really cared about me so why should I care about it?

To be fair I did not really need to hide this knowledge away. I could release a potion recipe that would replicate Phoneix tears and it would not really threaten me that much. They would have no way of knowing how I did my ‘Research’. Nor would they be able to use the potion to hurt me all that much.

It would lead to more risky rituals and risky spell crafting but it should be manageable. The magical community was not filled with those who wanted to push their limits. If it was they would not be held back by the notion that death lay on the other end of their experiments. True ambition could not be held back but the threat of death. Innovation is created by the mad and reckless, one look at Fortuna could tell you that.

I risked everything to make her, I held no safety net in those final crazed moments. If I faltered for even a second in fear of what would happen I might as well be signing my death warrant. If my people could pursue a field with the same reckless madness we would have long since proclaimed ourselves gods. Wait, my people have already taken a wack at that. So beyond gods?

“I’m not an altruistic fool.” I spat out at the old man trying to change me. He looked sad at the declaration but what did I care about his sadness? He did not treat my feelings with any real weight why would his be any different?

“I must ask you to reconsider, death comes for everyone and that potion could save lives,” Dumbledore spoke out sadly and I could even believe that he was truly sad. There was a weight behind his words that spoke of a more personal pain. He was a rather old man after all, he must have gone through his own painful moments.

Releasing that potion could very well mean families got to smile for another day. That when things seemed dire and hopeless I could change it. Death would still claim those that it must but I was capable of stealing that moment away from it. It would bring about endless goodwill but it would also paint a target on my back. That potion would be the be all end all of healing. There was money involved in potions and I would be eliminating hundreds of competitors with this move. It would not have the rich and wealthy happy with me.

What did that matter? I was not exactly happy with them to start with. If I was going to make that choice I would not allow anyone else to hold back my choice. I killed that train of thought where it stood.

I was adamant about not releasing the potion and one talk with this old man had me considering going through with it. Was I really that easy to convince? No, it was not his words that convinced me but my own words that changed my opinion. The need to be recognized and the hate for those holding me down changed my mind. Still, as I looked at those damn twinkling eyes I wanted to hold back if only for spite.

I was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he might have changed my mind. I blurred into motion as I snapped the neck of the damn bird. I did have one thing I wanted to see after all, the process might happen on a schedule but it could be started at a fatal blow.

As the life faded from it the bird started to turn into ashes in front of me. The energy created from that combustion fueling the rebirth cycle. Good, I was able to see the final piece from this damn bird. 

Dumbledore was already blurring into motion with a spell already traveling towards me. I gave him another mocking smile as his eyes flashed with anger. I then popped away. 

As soon as I got away from him the smile dropped. I had some thinking to do.

-----

Almost done with my cold.