Chapter 9
Ice, water and cold. This is a topic we often think about when we practice using the spells Aguamenti and Glacius . If you think about it, even though we want to learn ice magic and, perhaps, we can still single out cold spells separately, what we use is not them. Aguamenti is a spell of water, which we ultimately freeze. Glacius is a wind spell, which simply has a low temperature and we, frankly speaking, cannot honestly recognize it as a cold spell.
Why? Because cold magic is essentially magic that takes heat from the environment and purely theoretically such magic should be able, although not immediately, but to cool the substance to absolute zero, completely stopping the oscillation of atoms and molecules. You could say, taking away energy. And who knows, maybe if time has its own particles, then it can be frozen too.
However, despite all the charm of cold magic, we first of all want to know at least ice, which in many works and games is used as just a part of water magic, what came from it. But is this really the right approach? Why is it that most people are used to thinking this way in their minds? The answer is quite simple. In the climatic conditions of our planet, we see water. However, where did the water come from on earth, from which, according to the theories of scientists, all life was born? From space. The vast space in which there is no temperature, a vacuum in which there is nothing to transmit temperature and yet everything radiates heat. For the same reason, we receive heat from the sun and for the same reason, the received heat is not accumulated by our planet to insane temperatures, but is radiated into space. And there in space, the well-known H 2 O is in the form of ice, in this same form, even before the appearance of the atmosphere, H 2 O got to the earth, where, under the influence of the environment, it became water. It turns out that to say that ice is only a derivative of water or, as happens in some works, a combination of the elements of water and wind, is still not entirely correct. And we would like to say that water is a derivative of ice, but this would obviously be wrong. After all, both water and ice are only a state of aggregation...
And at this point we begin to confuse ourselves more and more, beginning to doubt whether we can really be called smart, and then we simply return to improving control over the two spells we have chosen, as well as trying to achieve an even greater decrease in temperature from Glacius .
- Phew , I'm tired. - We were brought out of our thoughts by a heavy sigh from a tired Hermione, who was now hobbling to the sofa in the relaxation corner.
- Are you tired? - we asked involuntarily, looking in surprise at the girl who had been practicing cosmetic charms for the last few hours. - But you were just casting a spell, weren't you?
Our surprise was quite justified, because since childhood, when we first managed to use a spell, we sometimes practiced for days on end and never once felt tired from it.
With a drop of confusion quickly turning into curiosity, we walked over and sat down on the sofa opposite her.
- What are you tired of? - we asked the girl, who was clearly feeling very weak.
- I was continuously casting spells, standing on my feet for several hours, what do you think could have made me tired? - she answered our question, which seemed stupid to her, with slight irritation.
- Are you tired of standing and waving your stick? - we suggested, after all, if you hold your arm outstretched for a long time, it is quite natural that your arm will get tired.
- That too, but first of all, I can no longer cast spells.
- You can't cast spells anymore? What do you mean?
- It's just... No one can cast spells forever, right? - the girl answered a little uncertainly.
"We never felt tired of magic," we answered, shrugging our shoulders at the same time.
- But that's not logical! Something has to be spent on spells, and I feel when I reach the limit and can't cast spells anymore, as if I've exhausted something inside.
- Hmm, that's interesting. - We've never really thought about that. How do magicians cast spells at all, and probably the first thing that would come to mind would be mana. A special energy that magicians use in most works. In the Harry Potter world, there was no hint that there was some kind of reserve or mana. In both the books and the films, wizards endlessly used spells without any hint that there was a limit, so we never thought about why we never reached that limit.
- If we were a little more stupid, we would ask you to force yourself to try the spell to see if you really couldn't use it, but it would be better to go to Madam Pomfrey and find out whose situation is unusual, ours or yours.
"Okay," Hermione nodded and with a clearly visible tiredness in her movements she rose from the sofa, after which we all went together to the hospital wing.
In the end, we weren't told anything supernatural; rather, it was so obvious that it simply didn't need to be mentioned.
Every wizard has his own magical reserve and it is quite natural that it has its limits. And the fact that Hermione was so tired after classes, and then a long spell practice is also normal. The reserve naturally gradually increases, taking in magic from the surrounding world, so naturally those who spend more time in magically saturated places are more developed in this regard, which is also one of the reasons for the existence of the doctrine of blood purity.
Why was our reserve so large? This is a question we did not ask, after all, there are too many options for this, starting from the fusion of souls, which could well have led to the effect not 1 + 1 = 2, but vice versa 1 + 1> 2, because remembering some works from a past life, there was a fairly common idea that each soul has a certain core around which the rest of the shells are already recruited, responsible for the mind, body, magic, etc. and if after the fusion one core was dissolved to improve these shells, then a boost in capabilities is quite logical. True, we do not understand the magic of souls at all, and even more so their structure, so the option with rituals is quite possible, after all, we should not forget what family we were born in. We still do not even know who our mother is and how she died, at least it is extremely doubtful that she survived. What can I say, it would not be surprising if our "dear" grandfather sacrificed the life of our mother for the sake of giving birth to strong heirs, it is certainly not for nothing that we were born exactly like this.
In general, not counting the inheritance and our other peculiarities, we have received another reason to consider ourselves real Mary Sues, all that remains is to finally figure out why we have not been able to freeze water to a temperature below -50 degrees Celsius for more than a week .
"We're not stupid, are we?" - this thought has visited us for the umpteenth time in the past 2 weeks since Hermione opened the Room of Requirement. At least we stopped trying to break through this threshold with just training and decided to devote attention to theory in the library after breakfast today, while simultaneously doing homework.
- Are you supposed to get something sent today? You keep looking at the ceiling. - asked Hermione, who noticed our movements.
- You'll see soon. - We grinned, not even bothering to speak separately, because now the Owls finally arrived, 6 of which stood out especially, circling over the Gryffindor table with long packages, inside of which was obviously a broom. And another owl with a small bag headed towards our dean.
- What did you do? - the girl asked us in a whisper for some reason, when the first two packages with letters fell in front of the Weasley twins and they quickly began to open the envelope.
- We decided to show off one of the best superpowers in the world a little bit, - we answered, our mouths spreading into a smile.
- Dreadlocks .
- Forge .
"Do you see it too?" the twins asked at the same time.
- What's in there? Open it quickly? - Lee Jordan urged them. After all, just recently a similar scene with a package had already happened, when Potter was sent Nibus 2000.
- It can't be! - Angelina Jordan, the dark-skinned Gryffindor huntress, squealed with delight. - Nimbus ! They sent me a Nimbus !
- What do you say this superpower is called? - Hermione looked at us strangely.
- Money.
- …Did you really buy the whole team nibuses ?
- Not only that, we also sent Professor McGonagall 20 Comet-260 brooms for a flying lesson, instead of that dangerous junk.
- But it's expensive!
- Only 2760 galleons, - we said calmly, as if it was nothing. But this led to everyone sitting around us instantly falling silent.
- 2760 galleons, - Ron Weasley wheezed in shock.
- My parents together earn less in a year, - one of the senior students, whose parents work in the Ministry of Magic, followed him.
- Sir.
- Madam.
The Weasley twins came up behind us.
- What would you like?
- Massage ? - one of them began to jokingly massage Regulus' shoulders .
- A little breeze? - turning the spoon into a fan, the other one began to fan Andromeda.
- Or maybe something special? - they suggested at the same time.
- Your service is beyond praise, - Regulus began , and although we don't know which of the twins did the massage, he did it surprisingly well.
"But we would prefer to discuss the third option without outsiders," Andromeda continued with a smile.
- As you command, gentlemen. - saluting playfully, they grabbed the recently received brooms and rushed out of the great hall together with their friends, obviously intending to try out the new brooms.
One by one, the team members came up to thank us before heading off after the twins. And perhaps it was really nice to receive gratitude and looks of admiration with a little envy instead of a little wariness and mistrust because of the last name. Until suddenly we heard something that made our smiles fade.
McGonagall approached us and, perhaps, the only thing that calmed us down was that this stern woman could not hold back a smile full of anticipation, because probably no one is more a fan of the Gryffindor team than she is. - Come on, children, I will show you around.
Even though we hadn't done anything wrong, we couldn't help but feel nervous as we followed the dean, because even though we were very skeptical about the theory about Dambigad , we didn't completely deny it, and what if we had just backed ourselves into a corner in our carelessness? We wouldn't even be able to defend ourselves if anything happened!
We tormented ourselves with thoughts about what the director wanted from us, until finally we found ourselves in front of a stone gargoyle that guarded the passage to the spiral staircase leading to the Director's office. When we approached, even without a password, she immediately jumped back, letting us through, and soon we found ourselves in the office itself. It was a round, spacious room, full of barely audible strange sounds. Many mysterious silver devices stood on rotating tables - they buzzed, releasing small clouds of smoke. The walls were hung with portraits of former directors and headmistresses, who were peacefully dozing in beautiful frames. In the center was a huge desk on clawed paws, and behind it on a shelf was a shabby, patched-over Magic Hat, and to the side stood a gray-haired old man with his back to us, looking out the window, who turned around with our arrival.
- I brought them, Albus .
- Thank you Minerva, you may go, - Dumbledore answered her, and before we could catch ourselves and ask her to stay, the door had already slammed behind us, and this slam echoed in our agitated minds like the sound of a slammed coffin, our coffin, and we mentally managed to curse a thousand times how overconfident and careless we had been.
- Please sit down, - he pointed to two chairs that were opposite his throne with a table.
Naturally, despite how scared we were now, we did not try to do something funny and obediently sat down in the offered seats.
- A lemon drop? - the director, who had taken his seat, offered us, to which we only silently shook our heads in denial.
- No? Well, I think I'll treat myself to something. - Having said this, he threw a lemon-shaped marmalade into his mouth.
- Well, I won't keep you talking about the weather and will immediately move on to the topic for which I called you, - Dumbledore began and we involuntarily relaxed a little.
- Firstly, on behalf of the school, I would like to thank you for your donation. I have been trying to get the board of governors to fund new brooms for a long time, and thanks to you, this problem has now been solved. In conjunction with your rescue of the Longbottom heir , it has been decided to award you a medal for services to the school. - He handed us a gold medal in the shape of a shield with the name "Vega Black" engraved on it, along with the year it was received. - A duplicate will be kept in the trophy room.
"Thank you," we said, accepting the award.
"You deserve it," the director nodded with a smile before his tone changed slightly. "However, I also need to talk to you like an adult."
- I understand that you are orphans and that you have suddenly inherited something, but please be sensible and think about the future. As an outsider, I have no right to tell you what to do, but I can still give you advice. Don't throw money around, everything tends to run out. Especially money. And I hope you will listen.
- Thank you for the instruction, Professor. - We accepted his words calmly, having already completely cast aside our anxiety. - Can we go?
- Yes, but I would like to ask you something else. - Dumbledore looked us in the eyes.
- What? - we asked through Andromeda, slightly nervous, remembering how Ollivander had similarly revealed our secret.
"I am a researcher by nature and I am curious," he began, stopping to look us in the eye with a slight smile, and we swallowed nervously.
- What is it like to control two bodies?