Chapter 274: The Soul Relic
"Professor, is it that stone?"
Sean seemed to be asking, yet his tone carried the certainty of someone who had already pieced it together.
The information had come from Professor Terra's earlier explanation: students granted admission to Uagadou were contacted by the Dream Messenger, who delivered a message from the headmaster of the time while they slept.
And the Dream Messenger would leave behind a token of Uagadou—a small stone inscribed with runes.
"Genius intuition—"
Professor Terra looked profoundly pleased.
"The Philosopher's Stone—also known as the Blank Rune—is said in legend to be that very blank runic tablet from myth, containing the deepest essence of wisdom and the mysteries of the self.
But I prefer to think of it as a powerful alchemical creation, much like the Deathly Hallows from The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
Its powers are not as omnipotent as the legends claim, yet they are sufficient to allow a witch or wizard to step into a truly unique realm. This is why Uagadou witches and wizards excel so profoundly in self-transfiguration.
Originally, no Sacred Stone was permitted to leave Uagadou—but exceptions have always existed.
Be patient until the next term begins, my dear apprentice."
Professor Terra gazed into the distance. Between the clouds, a paper aeroplane wobbled gently through the air.
…
Professor Terra's mention of the Deathly Hallows had prompted Sean to visit the library. He remembered that *The Tales of Beedle the Bard* was kept on a special shelf.
Compared to term-time, when nearly every seat was occupied, the summer library stood almost deserted. Magical lanterns cast soft light across the shelves before him. He saw many familiar titles:
The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle: this comic book chronicled the escapades of the "mad" Muggle Martin Miggs. Ron was a devoted reader; a tall stack of the comics rested on his favourite seat in the Gryffindor common room.
On the same shelf, Sean spotted Magical Tales, The Christmas Owl's Voyage, and others—all bound in thick red covers with gleaming gold titles.
Soon he located *The Tales of Beedle the Bard*—its distinctive blue cover stood out immediately.
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard? Oh dear, I had quite forgotten you were still such a young child."
Madam Pince had appeared without warning, feather duster in hand, smiling faintly.
"It reminds me of that dreadful play… A production that prompted more than one set of parents to demand the book be removed from the Hogwarts library forever…"
Sean had originally intended to reread the tale of the Deathly Hallows carefully. Madam Pince's words, however, sparked fresh curiosity.
"Could I possibly know…?"
"Of course you may—" she replied at once. "I remember it was during the time when the Herbology professor was still Professor Herbert Beery.
He was an extremely enthusiastic amateur dramatist. He proposed adapting one of the children's favourite stories from the book—The Fountain of Fair Fortune—into a Christmas pantomime for the school to enjoy.
Unfortunately, certain… personal complications utterly ruined the performance. Professor Beery, as director, failed entirely to notice the romantic entanglements unfolding right under his nose. The stage became positively dangerous.
The actresses playing the leading lady 'Amata' and the supporting role 'Asha' became embroiled in a love triangle with the actor cast as the unlucky knight. On the very eve of opening night, the knight transferred his affections elsewhere.
The moment the curtain rose, everything spiralled out of control. 'Amata' and 'Asha' turned on each other in a ferocious duel, and Professor Beery was dragged into the fray.
The battle grew ever more ferocious. One of the performance pyrotechnic Ashwinder serpents escaped and started a fire. The hospital wing overflowed with patients. It took months for the acrid smell of charred wood to fade from the Great Hall.
Headmaster Armando Dippet decreed that pantomimes were henceforth banned entirely. The tradition has been upheld at Hogwarts ever since."
Madam Pince recounted the tale with evident relish. Then she reached up, drew another volume from the shelf, and handed it to Sean.
"You're on holiday—relax a little.The Tales of Beedle the Bard* is excellent, but you might also enjoy this one: Dream Stories."
Sean accepted the book. He had not realised Hogwarts possessed quite so many enchanting volumes of tales.
He reflected that although the school had never witnessed the play, the real-life farce had likely been far more entertaining than any scripted performance.
Once Madam Pince had moved away, he settled down to read the story of the Deathly Hallows in earnest. By chance, he opened Dream Stories—and one particular phrase caught his eye and refused to let go:
—Soul Relic.
Without hesitation, Sean set The Tales of Beedle the Bard* aside and immersed himself in Dream Stories.
It told of a wizard who, through the use of a Soul Relic, travelled into a realm "beyond the veil."
At first he transformed into various animals there, embarking on wondrous adventures. Later he discovered that stargazing in that place allowed him to foresee the future. In the end he even encountered other deceased witches and wizards—and could briefly "pull out" those who lingered, unwilling to become ghosts yet unwilling to move on.
Truly remarkable…
By the time he closed the book, the sky beyond the windows had turned pitch black.
Just before the curfew bell rang, Sean approached the counter to check out the volume. Madam Pince looked astonished.
"You're finally willing to rest for a moment—? What are you waiting for? Come here, I'll sign it out for you."
…
The days spent at Hogwarts over the summer passed in peaceful, productive routine.
Most of the time Sean alternated between his cat and human forms. Each sufficiently long transformation granted a small increase in his proficiency with Soul Transfiguration.
For instance, right now:
[You have practised Soul Transfiguration once to the standard of an apprentice in the Master domain. Master-level proficiency +1]
After returning to his human body, Sean turned to practising Magical Transfiguration—the greatest asset he possessed for ultimately defeating the Basilisk.
And for reasons best left unspoken, Professor Snape had grown even more exacting in his demands for Dark Arts training. Each day, his proficiency in the Dark Arts advanced at a startling pace.
In the early mornings, Sean had other appointments—such as slipping away to the Forbidden Forest to meet a certain large black dog.
After a full week of busyness, an owl delivered a rather special letter to Sean.
"Please board the Hogwarts Express from King's Cross Station on the first of September as usual."
Hm… What if I'm already at Hogwarts?
He glanced up at the towering spires. The owl was already winging its way back toward the Headmaster's office.
It seemed the letters had been sent out en masse—yet Dumbledore had chosen to deliver his in person, face to face.
Sean continued reading:
"Second-year students will require: The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 2) by Miranda Goshawk; Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart; Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart; Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart; Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart; Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart; Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart; Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart."
The long string of Lockhart titles made Sean's eyes glaze over slightly.
(End of Chapter)
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