"Then, Professor," Aiden said, his voice low, "don't resist."
A cluster of flames ignited at Aiden's fingertips, flashing before Professor Flitwick's eyes. The power of the mind slowly seeped in, and the Charms Master, trusting his student, did not resist. Aiden led him into the dream.
Then, Aiden's own body became ethereal as he prepared to enter Professor Flitwick's island of consciousness. He submerged into the professor's mind, expecting to find a familiar island, but as usual, the unexpected happened. Aiden felt a psychic storm surge toward him. He pushed his ability to its limit, increasing the intensity of his dive.
Finally, after passing through a shimmering membrane, Aiden arrived at a strange and ancient place.
He was floating in midair. Before him, an endless continent stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with countless mountains and vast, lush forests. Looking closely, he could see the small figures of Goblins shuttling through the woods below.
Following Professor Flitwick's aura, Aiden found him surrounded.
"Filius, you traitor!" the leading Goblin shouted, his voice thick with anger. "How could you bring an outsider here?"
"No, Urs, wait!" Flitwick tried desperately to explain, his small frame looking even smaller surrounded by the snarling Goblins. "I'll leave as soon as I find my student!" But they ignored his pleas, closing in with bared teeth.
Seeing the situation, Aiden spread his wings. He transformed into a Dragonman and crashed down from the sky like a silver meteor striking the earth. The violent shockwave dispersed the Goblins, and the dragon who dominated the mind once again set foot on this ancient land.
In the smoke and dust, his heterochromatic eyes lit up with anger. The gaze swept over the surrounding Goblins, forcing them all to take a step back. When the dust settled, a handsome Dragonman stood in their midst.
"A dragon..." someone in the crowd whispered in horror. "A dragon that can travel through consciousness... It's a Prewett! They're here again!"
Aiden glared fiercely at the Goblins, a deep, rumbling growl emanating from his throat—a result of his draconic blood transforming his lungs. He was like a beast, coiled and ready to pounce.
"Get out!"
Aiden unleashed a wave of pure psychic deterrence. His powerful mental force materialized in the dream, outlining the colossal silhouette of a gray-white dragon looming over them. Finally, unable to withstand the immense pressure, the Goblins scattered and fled.
Aiden stepped forward and helped Professor Flitwick to his feet, patting the dust off his robes.
"What's going on, Professor?" Aiden asked, puzzled. "Why is your consciousness connected to this place?"
"Alas," Flitwick sighed, "I didn't expect you to be brought here as well." The two sat down casually on the ground and began to talk.
"Child, you should know that I am a half-blood, of wizard and Goblin," Flitwick began, recalling his past. Aiden's mouth twitched. He knew the words "wizard" and "Goblin" separately, but together they were... complicated. "My half-blood status made me unwelcome on both sides. Oh, but let's get to the point. The Goblin bloodline in me allows my consciousness to enter this Goblin reservation—Avalon." He pointed to the continent under their feet.
"So this is the legendary Avalon?" Aiden asked curiously. "Is the story of King Arthur true, then?"
"Oh no, that was fabricated by the Muggles," Flitwick explained. "But Merlin truly existed. He was a figure during the first war between wizards and magical creatures." The professor's voice seemed to take Aiden back to a distant, war-torn past. "At that time, wizards, having suddenly made great progress in the exploration of the mind, became dissatisfied with their small habitats and launched a war against other creatures."
Aiden touched his chin, a brief thought of the house-elves flashing through his mind before he refocused on the professor's story.
"The wizards of that era possessed a power they did not fully understand. The magical creatures were defeated, step by step. Some were wiped out, some were enslaved, and in the end, only the Goblins remained." Flitwick paused and pointed to the sky above them. "Do you know what lies beyond Avalon?"
"The Collective Unconscious Sea," Aiden answered.
Professor Flitwick, who had clearly wanted to show off, was momentarily speechless. "...Ahem, yes. As the war reached its peak, both sides were fighting inextricably. The Goblins intensified their own exploration of the sea of consciousness until they found and occupied this land."
"So that's why the war didn't completely wipe out the Goblins?" Aiden asked.
Flitwick nodded. "The Goblins occupied this place and deployed... something on it. The wizards feared that forcing them into a corner would lead to a mutually assured destruction, so that chaotic war ended in a muddled, uneasy truce."
"A stalemate born of mutually assured destruction," Aiden mused. "How very human."
"Hehe, isn't that how the Muggles achieved their peace as well?" Flitwick winked. "Alright, I've told you my story. Let's talk about yours." He narrowed his eyes, looking as if he were all ears.
"Haha, Professor, don't you already know?" Aiden chuckled. "The unique ability of the Prewett family. We were the vanguards in the Goblin War back then."
"Indeed," Flitwick said, looking at Aiden's lingering draconic features. "Seeing you now, I have a much better idea of why your family name has been circulating here for so long."
Aiden looked down at himself, realizing he was still in his Dragonman form, and quickly retracted his wings and tail. "Okay, Professor, let me take you out."
"Hmm, you go on ahead," Flitwick said, pulling out his wand and tapping himself lightly. He began to slowly fade away. "I can get out myself."
Seeing this, Aiden also activated his ability and returned to the real world.
Back in his office, Professor Flitwick woke from the dream first. He then watched in amazement as Aiden's ethereal form floated out of his own body and solidified.
"Tsk tsk," he said, shaking his head. "Your family is truly blessed." He had, of course, mistaken the Dream Walker's ability for a Prewett family trait.
"Ahem, yes," Aiden said, following the convenient path Flitwick had laid out. "That's also why I can merge with my Patronus."
"Wait, you mean..." Flitwick's eyes widened in sudden understanding.
"Yes, Professor. The Patronus, after the fusion of Transfiguration, has its own consciousness," Aiden confirmed.
"Well, this is truly an amazing discovery! Do you want to write a paper on it?" Addicted to the topic, Flitwick's eyes lit up, tempting Aiden as if another groundbreaking headline awaited Ravenclaw.
"Um, no thanks, Professor," Aiden said, a headache beginning to form. "This technology was invented by Professor Dumbledore. You can ask him to write it."
"Him? Forget it," Flitwick said, instantly losing all interest.
After a few more pleasantries, Aiden left the professor's office, leaving the Charms Master to contemplate the day's incredible revelations.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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