The forest breathed.
That was the first thing I noticed as I stood at the edge of what would one day be called the Forbidden Forest. Ancient trees stretched endlessly, their branches twisting like veins through the sky, thick with magic so old it felt… aware.
Perfect.
I lifted my wand slightly, the air responding instantly to my will. Runes unfolded in midair, complex arrays forming in layers as I began carving out my domain.
"Containment first," I murmured.
Wards sank into the землю—no, deeper than that—into the magic of the land itself. Concealment, protection, repulsion, detection. A network so intricate that even I had to admire it as it completed.
No creature would leave without my permission.No outsider would enter unnoticed.
A sanctuary.
Or, depending on how one looked at it…
A laboratory.
Behind me, several of my clones worked tirelessly. Some planted rare magical herbs into carefully prepared soil, adjusting nutrients with alchemical precision. Others handled cages—temporary ones—for magical creatures I had already acquired.
Mooncalves.Fwoopers.Even a few more dangerous specimens, restrained under layered enchantments.
All of them… resources.
All of them… steps toward something greater.
Back in my lab beneath the castle, the real work continued.
I stood before a long table filled with potions in various stages of completion. Some glowed faintly gold. Others pulsed with deep crimson light. One in particular shimmered with an unnatural, almost ethereal blue.
Lifespan Extension Draft – Version 7
I picked it up, swirling it gently.
"Still unstable…"
The problem wasn't extending life. That part was easy. I had already created multiple potions that could grant decades—centuries, even.
The problem was decay.
The body resisted unnatural extension.The soul strained under imbalance.
Eventually… something would break.
And I refused to accept imperfect immortality.
A ripple of magic signaled someone entering the lab.
I didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Still chasing eternity?" came Salazar's voice, dry as ever.
I smirked slightly, setting the vial down. "And you're not?"
He stepped beside me, his gaze scanning the table. "Of course I am. I'm just not pretending it's as simple as you make it sound."
I let out a quiet laugh. "Simple? Salazar, I've died once already. I think I've earned the right to be cautious."
That made him pause.
Good.
Even he sometimes forgot that little detail.
A moment later, the others arrived.
Godric first—loud presence, as always.Rowena—quiet, observant, already analyzing everything in the room.Helga—gentle, but her eyes sharper than most would expect.
All five of us stood together.
Founders.
Legends in the making.
And now…
Researchers of immortality.
"We've been discussing it," Rowena began, her voice calm but firm. "If we're truly going down this path, we need structure. Direction. Not just scattered experiments."
"Agreed," Helga added softly. "Extending our lives isn't just about us. It's about the future of the school."
Godric crossed his arms. "And making sure we're around to deal with whatever comes next."
Salazar glanced at me. "So? What's your current theory?"
All eyes turned to me.
I smiled faintly.
"Immortality isn't one thing," I said. "It's a system."
I began pacing slowly, thoughts aligning as I spoke.
"Body. Soul. Magic."
I raised a finger for each.
"The body must not decay. The soul must remain stable. And magic must sustain both."
I turned to face them fully.
"Most methods fail because they focus on one aspect and ignore the others."
"Horcruxes," Salazar muttered.
"Exactly," I nodded. "They preserve the soul—but destroy it in the process. It's not immortality. It's… fragmentation."
Godric grimaced slightly. "So what's your solution?"
I hesitated for just a moment.
Then—
"Integration."
I gestured toward a series of notes floating nearby.
"Phoenix bloodlines. Regenerative properties. Soul stabilization through controlled magical reinforcement. Alchemical enhancement of the body."
Rowena's eyes lit up immediately. "You're combining multiple systems…"
"Not combining," I corrected. "Synchronizing."
Silence fell for a moment as they processed that.
Then Helga spoke softly, "That would… remove the weaknesses of each method."
"Exactly."
Salazar let out a low chuckle. "Of course you'd go for the most complicated solution possible."
I smirked. "Complicated… but perfect."
Godric shook his head, though there was a hint of a grin. "You're insane."
"Probably," I admitted.
Rowena crossed her arms thoughtfully. "But she's right. If this works… it wouldn't just extend our lives."
"It would make us effectively immortal," Salazar finished.
I leaned back slightly, my gaze drifting for just a second—toward where I knew Luna was somewhere in the castle.
Then back to the group.
"I'm not rushing this," I said. "We'll test. Refine. Perfect it."
My voice lowered slightly, more serious now.
"I'm not interested in becoming something broken just to live longer."
Silence followed that.
A heavy, understanding silence.
Because all of us knew…
There were worse things than death.
Finally, Godric let out a breath. "Alright. Then we do this properly."
Helga nodded. "Together."
Rowena gave a small, approving smile.
Salazar simply said, "Let's see if your 'perfect system' actually works."
As they began discussing their own approaches, I stepped back slightly, letting them talk.
For a moment, I just watched.
The five of us.
Different. Powerful. Brilliant.
And now walking a path that would shape history itself.
Later that night, back in my lab alone, I picked up the vial again.
The blue liquid shimmered softly.
"Not there yet…" I whispered.
Soul shifted beside me, her presence warm and steady.
You will be, she said calmly.
I smiled faintly.
"…Yeah."
Because with everything I had—
My magic.My knowledge.My will.
—and now…
A reason beyond just myself—
Failure simply wasn't an option anymore.