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"So… how did it feel the first time you cast the Patronus Charm?"
Lucien didn't hesitate. He laid out everything that had happened last night—from the moment the incantation left his lips and his magic suddenly flared to life, to the way it had poured out completely beyond his control, to the flood of voices that had drowned out his thoughts, until he finally woke up the next morning.
Dumbledore pushed his half-moon spectacles up his nose and stayed quiet for a long moment.
This was new to him.
Normally, a witch or wizard's first attempt at the Patronus Charm produced nothing at all—maybe a few wisps of silvery vapor from the wand tip if they had real talent.
Why had Lucien's magic been drained to the last drop?
And ordinary spells didn't behave like that. Only certain dangerous Dark Arts could yank that much power out in an instant.
This was one of the most light-aligned spells in existence. How could it act like Dark Magic?
"Take your time," Dumbledore said gently. "The charm is quite advanced. For now, don't try it alone again."
Privately, he was curious what form Lucien's Patronus would take.
Wizards with exceptional talent often produced rare or even legendary creatures—magical beasts, sometimes long-extinct species.
Dumbledore was certain Lucien belonged in that category. Even without a fully formed Patronus, the mist he'd released already carried unusual properties.
Lucien asked, "That silver phoenix that delivered your message this morning—was that your Patronus?"
Dumbledore nodded. "A fully corporeal one. The messaging technique is an extra trick I came up with. Quite handy, actually."
He stroked his beard, tone casual. "If you'd like to learn it, I can teach you once you've mastered the basic charm—"
He stopped mid-sentence and chuckled.
"Though with that SwiftSpeak of yours, you probably won't need such an old-fashioned method."
Before SwiftSpeak, long-distance wizard communication meant owls and weeks of waiting. Patronus messaging was a useful shortcut for those who could manage it.
But very few witches and wizards could even cast a Patronus, and fewer still could make it corporeal. The technique would never become widespread.
SwiftSpeak, on the other hand, was something every young witch or wizard could learn. It could reach everyone's hands and actually tighten the connections across the entire wizarding world.
Dumbledore didn't even need to ask about it—Nicolas had already bragged nonstop about his star pupil's creation.
Lucien grinned. "Can't hurt to know more, right? Never hurts to have extra tools."
A spark of amusement lit Dumbledore's eyes. "Interesting way to put it—'never hurts to have extra tools.'"
After a few more exchanges, Lucien shifted the topic to Nagini.
"I've made some progress on her curse, but…"
Dumbledore had tried to treat Nagini himself years ago. He knew exactly how tangled and stubborn the blood malediction was after decades of fusion.
"Newt entrusted her to you because he trusts you," Dumbledore said. "I'm quite busy right now, and it looks like I'll only get busier. I won't have time to help with Nagini…"
He paused, a touch of wry humor in his voice. "Besides, young minds tend to work faster than this old one anyway."
He knew that on truly difficult problems, raw genius often supplied the final missing piece.
And he was well aware of Lucien's unusual talent in the Dark Arts.
"What are your thoughts on her curse so far?" Dumbledore asked.
Lucien considered his words. "The hardest part is separating the curse from her soul. The more I learn about curses in general, the better my chances."
Dumbledore nodded. "Keep studying curses, then. I'll ask a few true experts on your behalf."
True experts?
Dumbledore himself was among the very best living authorities on Dark Magic.
Someone who knew even more than Dumbledore…
Oh. The old man was planning another prison visit.
"Oh, right." Dumbledore's tone brightened. "About learning the Patronus Charm—I've already found you a tutoring teacher."
Lucien blinked.
A tutoring teacher? For the Patronus Charm?
His first thought was the memory of Harry learning it from Lupin in the original books. Remus Lupin—James Potter's old friend, excellent at Defense Against the Dark Arts. He was supposed to arrive at Hogwarts next year…
Dumbledore picked up his teacup, then set it down again. A rare flicker of hesitation crossed his face.
"However… it may require you to cover the fee yourself."