The Mystrylian Method.
Based on the magical circuit method and all the magic books Mystryl had read, she created this technique.
In any other magical world, there were ways to increase magical power, mana capacity, and so on. But this world was the odd one out. Whether in Andros era or the present day, wizards had always played the talent game. Learning magic and studying so-called magical theory was really just about making spells easier to control and a little more powerful.
A few of the stronger wizards started dissecting the nature of magic itself and ended up brushing against the rules of the world.
But no one had ever found a clear method that could reliably make a wizard stronger.
Most of the time, how far a wizard could go was settled the day they were born. Bloodline set the ceiling on their magic, talent set how fast they learned, and the rest was just hard work squeezing more out of what they already had. Truly breaking past the limit was almost impossible.
Take Hermione. Her learning speed was undeniably top tier. A few years back, the spells she'd mastered left Harry and Ron, two clueless slackers, completely speechless.
But what good did that do her?
In a real top-level fight, her little bit of magic would get crushed before it ever touched anyone.
The Mystrylian Method, which the goddess of magic had developed and tailored to this world's magic system, could change that.
It could raise spiritual attributes, and the amount of magical power usually tracked with those. So training meant growing your total magic along with them.
For a lot of people, the ceiling was simply fixed. You could polish your theory until it gleamed, and your magic reserves would still be exactly what they were. Then you'd run into a natural-born talent and have nothing to do but stomp your feet. The Mystrylian Method, in Tom's hands, couldn't break a wizard's ceiling either. But it had one excellent quality: it could boost a wizard's spiritual strength and focus.
Powerful magic, a firm will, and abundant emotion. Put all three together and you can cast perfect magic.
That was the first formal lesson Andros ever gave him. To this day, Tom remembered it clearly, and he'd been following that model to keep improving himself.
The Mystrylian Method was like a magical meditation technique. It could make it easier for a wizard to concentrate, which meant a sturdier will, stronger spiritual power, and fuller emotions.
Affecting two out of the three was proof enough of how powerful it was.
Plenty of wizards had never developed their talent to the limit. With the Mystrylian Method, they could push those last two factors as far as they would go, and the magical world's overall strength would get a huge boost.
At the very least, you wouldn't see so many grown wizards who couldn't even cast a proper Shield Charm.
...
"I'm thinking of making the Mystrylian Method technique public. But I've got a problem."
"Knowledge is a one-time thing. Even if I hand it out in stages, it can't keep driving the world forward forever. So I need some way to control how fast wizards progress in their meditation training, and use that to push Astra Abyssum's growth. Any ideas?"
Mystryl finally set down her book and tilted her head, thinking. "I think I get what you mean. You need something wizards want, and keep wanting for a long time. A universal currency, right?"
"Straight to the point, as expected of Mystryl." Tom had no problem laying on a little praise.
Mystryl rested a finger on her cheek and tapped it, one bounce at a time. "Back in my world, there was something called a spell gem. It could store spells up to seventh level."
"Arcanists and mages loved trading in them. The alchemical items you've been making in your world are about the same thing, but they're too valuable to ever circulate among ordinary people."
"Give me some time to think. I don't have a good answer yet."
"No problem. Take your time." Tom didn't push. He exchanged a few words with Crouch Sr and Lady Greengrass, then left the guild.
Bones had been standing off to the side the whole time. She'd opened her mouth several times without managing to join the conversation, and now she watched Tom's back as he left, looking a little lost.
She knew her attitude toward Muggle-born wizards had strained things between her and Tom.
Lately, Fudge's power at the Ministry had been growing fast. Meanwhile she'd become the most unremarkable Head of Magical Law Enforcement imaginable, with far less clout than before.
Scrimgeour was close with Fudge, so the Auror Office had been expanding like crazy.
Deep down, Bones was starting to regret it. She and Tom had gotten along so well, and now they'd drifted apart over this one issue.
...
..
Tom didn't head straight home after leaving Astra Abyssum. Instead, he wandered around the outer city.
With the guild moved in and the outer city's residential area on sale, the place finally didn't feel like the ghost town it had been at first.
Plenty of people were out on the streets now. Some carried shopping bags, some stood at the roadside checking maps.
Other wizards had brought their kids along and were getting to know the neighborhood.
Compared to the houses in the inner city, the outer city's buildings were far simpler, and their defining feature was how orderly they were.
The residential areas were mostly built like Victorian row houses, with only a small amount of land set aside for detached villas and estates.
Right now the outer city could easily house tens of thousands of people, and that wasn't even its limit.
Besides, even though Tom had added a wall around the inner city, the outer city had no wall, and only a small part of it had been built. It didn't even fully ring the inner city.
That's just how houses are. Build too many, and with nobody living in them the place gets creepy. So for now, this was plenty. Once wizards from all over the world came to settle here, there'd be time to expand.
Ollivanders, Flourish and Blotts, the Owl Post Office: all the Diagon Alley shops had opened new branches in the outer city. By now you couldn't really say which was the main shop and which was the branch.
Ollivander was a good example. The old man had come in person, and there was still a line out his door, wizards waiting to buy wands or get theirs maintained.
Don't think a wizard's wand really lasts a lifetime.
Plenty of people damaged their wands when a spell went wrong or failed. Some could be repaired, and the ones that couldn't had to be replaced.
And when an adult wizard buys a wand, it doesn't come as cheap as a first-year's. It's at least a few dozen Galleons, and if the materials involve something rare like dragon or phoenix, you're easily into three digits.
Tom made a full circuit, decided the city was developing nicely, and headed home satisfied.
But America was anything but calm right now. An unprecedented storm was about to sweep across the entire world.
.
.
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