"Oh my god! What did I just see? Professor Zickrein actually made a planet?"
"Merlin's beard! This is just too unbelievable!"
"I don't think that's a real planet at all. It has to be some kind of trick like a shape-shifting spell!"
As they watched the little star in Gerald's hand, the young wizards all showed shocked and amazed looks. Clearly, this was magic they had never heard of.
"Professor, is this the new kind of magic you talked about?" Hermione's face was full of curiosity as she asked.
"Yes, I call it celestial magic." Gerald pulled his hand back, and the small black planet kept floating next to him. "It mixes the rules of astronomy with the magic power inside your body to create this whole new kind of magic."
"Oh my god, did you come up with this yourself?" A young wizard from Ravenclaw raised his hand and asked.
"No." Gerald smiled and nodded. "I just finished what earlier wizards started. I turned their idea into something real."
"Idea from earlier wizards?" Hermione paused, then said, "But from what I know, the big book of spells lists more than six thousand four hundred magic ideas that no one has ever tried. It doesn't mention anything about celestial magic."
"Of course, that's normal." The corner of Gerald's mouth turned up as he smiled lightly. "The man who came up with this magic idea—his name can't be written down."
"Can't be written down?"
"Why not?"
"Is the guy who made this idea a dark wizard?"
Gerald's words got the young wizards below talking excitedly again. When they mentioned dark wizards, their voices even had a hint of thrill.
Dark wizards are like a forbidden topic in the wizard world. Kids this age are super curious anyway.
So talk about dark wizards gives them that exciting, fresh feeling of breaking a rule.
"You're right, he was a dark wizard." Gerald didn't hide it and confirmed it. "And not just any dark wizard. Four hundred years ago, Gerald Fernandez shook up the whole wizard world. He created this idea."
"Oh my god! It's him!"
"Sorry, I don't know much about him. Who is he?"
"You don't know the famous Gerald? He's the first Dark Lord. The whole European wizard world lived in his shadow back then!"
"My great-grandpa said that four hundred years ago, Gerald ruled the wizard world all by himself! Everywhere he went, people had to kneel and bow!"
"That sounds crazy. He seems even scarier than You-Know-Who!"
"I think You-Know-Who can't even compare. You-Know-Who had Death Eaters to help, but Gerald was always alone."
"Yeah! They say he could wipe out a whole country with one wave of his wand!"
"Merlin's beard! That has to be an exaggeration, right?"
Talk about Gerald got the young wizards chatting hotly again. But this first Dark Lord didn't leave much real proof behind. Most wizard world stories about him are just rumors pieced together.
"Professor Zickrein." Hermione in the front row raised her hand again. She looked worried as she spoke. "Since this magic system comes from the first Dark Lord's idea, doesn't that make it dark magic too?"
"Good question, Hermione." Gerald smiled lightly and replied. "But what do you all think dark magic really is? Cruel, scary stuff that twists people's minds—that's dark magic, right?"
Hermione paused, then nodded a little.
"But the celestial magic I'm teaching you won't do that." As he talked, the black ball around Gerald turned clear and shiny. It was like a tiny moon glowing silver. "Celestial magic is really about using your own magic to copy things in the sky. It's still part of astronomy."
"But it's still an idea from the Dark Lord." Hermione was quiet for a bit, then said hesitantly, "Is that really okay?"
"Gerald Fernandez was a brutal Dark Lord, sure. But when he fought enemies, he didn't use the three Unforgivable Curses that dark wizards love most. He used a petrify spell he improved himself." Gerald paused here. "So, is the petrify spell dark magic?"
"The petrify spell isn't dark magic, but..."
"You need to think more openly, Hermione." Gerald shook his head. "Magic itself isn't good or bad, right or wrong. The person using it decides that. Magic is amazing, but it's just a tool."
Hermione stayed quiet a long time, then nodded like she got it. "I understand, Professor Zickrein."
"Good." Gerald waved for her to sit and said in a kind voice, "Now let's start our first real lesson. First, you need to learn how to link the magic inside you to the stars in the sky."
While this unusual astronomy lesson was going strong, Dumbledore in the headmaster's office let out a long breath. "Magic itself has no right or wrong, good or evil?"
A crystal ball sat on the table in front of him, showing Gerald's class.
"Bull! Dark magic is dark by nature!" Headmaster Black's portrait scoffed. "No doubt about it!"
"But you use Unforgivable Curses too. Does that make you a dark wizard?" Headmaster Armando's portrait shot back.
"I think the kid is spot on. Magic is just a tool." Headmaster Derlis's portrait said gently. "Right and wrong come down to the user."
"I don't know what you're fretting over, Dumbledore." Armando's portrait went on. "But a wizard who says such smart things isn't some terrible villain. You should cut talented young wizards more slack."
Slack?
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes softly. He thought back to when he taught Tom Riddle. Was he not slack enough then?
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