An Ordinary Weekend

Although he had not witnessed it firsthand, the Boggart and the Soul Stone had indeed undergone an indescribably wondrous transformation under Loren's observation. He studied them for a long while before coming back to himself and taking the stone from the wooden trunk for inspection.

Loren had a preliminary guess about the whale engraving on it.

Three years ago, on the Hogwarts Express, the Dementor that had broken into the compartment was devoured by his Patronus. Before it vanished and became a Soul Stone, the whale-shaped Patronus had become the deepest fear in its heart.

And the Boggart had sensed that fear...

His fingers touched the stone's surface. The engraved pattern felt somewhat rough, and coolness seeped into his fingertips and palm, but it remained only on the surface of his skin, never penetrating deeper into his flesh or bones. Loren could clearly feel that the lingering chill had disappeared.

Crystal-blue light flickered in Loren's eyes. Through Magic Sight, he could clearly see that the Magic Power clinging to the stone had changed.

The Soul Stone's faint Magic Power had originally appeared dull black, while the Boggart's Magic Power was murky gray. After fusing, the engraved stone gave off a pale grayish-white Magic Power that lingered over its surface and only drifted away when guided, like the bluish smoke rising from the damp firewood Hagrid burned.

"It didn't become a completely new life form. Instead, it fused into a new kind of Magic Power..."

Loren examined it carefully. This Magic Power did not try to probe his fears, nor did it draw on vivid, happy emotions. Apart from the pale grayish-white magical mist surrounding the stone's surface, it was like an ordinary rock.

"Sectumsempra."

"Fire Charm."

"Gemino."

"..."

Loren flicked his wand and cast more than a dozen common spells