"All right, this topic ends here." Alphard raised a hand to stop him at once, as if afraid one more word would summon a Dementor. "Let's get back to the Bone-Splitting Cruci—ah, no, the Shadow Deflection Charm."
With that, he pressed his notebook onto the table and opened it to a page.
"An ordinary Shield Charm can block spells coming from the front, but it's useless against invisible shadow curses or a Dementor's soul-sucking. The Shadow Deflection Charm can refract that kind of dark energy back or transform it into a defensive barrier of your own. It's a secret art the Black Family used to protect themselves through the long, dark ages."
"I've set something up in the shadows by the fireplace. Try to sense it."
Following his grandfather's instructions, Yulian closed his eyes and tried to feel the energy around him. Sure enough, beyond the warmth of the crackling fire, he sensed a thread of cold, flowing darkness hidden in the shadows—like a snake lying in wait, silent and unseen.
"I can feel it. What is it?"
"That's a Shadow Trap. I'll teach you how to use it later." Alphard's expression turned serious. "Those caught in it often feel as if they're sinking into a swamp, unable to move. Then their bodies gradually rot, and their lives may even be in danger."
Alphard rose and drew a crooked half-moon in the air with his Yew Wand. His movements were slow and precise. A faint, dark glow gathered at the tip, like ripples of ink under moonlight.
"When you say the incantation, speak slowly and put the emphasis on the final syllable: Obscurum Flecto!"
As he spoke, he swung his wand at the shadow by the fireplace. "Remember: first a sweep, then a flick."
The snake-like shadow suddenly seemed to come alive, flowing and deflecting like water. It struck the wall with a soft thud, then vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Yulian gaped. His grandfather's movements were graceful and crisp. This was shadow magic at its finest!
"Come on, give it a try."
Yulian took a deep breath and raised his wand, copying his grandfather's movements. But he was so nervous that his wand traced a crooked path, like a drunken firefly dancing.
"Obscurum~ Flecto!" he said, his voice trembling.
The black snake in the shadows only wavered slightly. Instead, the wisp of dark smoke drifted lazily toward him like a mischievous puff of smoke, then circled his nose.
"Steady! Don't be nervous!" Alphard hurried over and held his wand in front of Yulian. With a light tap, he made the wisp of smoke vanish with a soft poof.
"You have plenty of magical power, far more than most children." The old man sighed. "But you're too impatient. The Black Family's spells are best used with a calm mind. Try again. Imagine the wand in your hand as a bridge connecting you to the shadows, not a weapon."
Yulian nodded and closed his eyes to steady his breathing. This time, he didn't think about "defeating the darkness." Instead, he tried to touch that cold energy the way he felt the wind in the vineyard, the earth after rain, or the soft rustle of Hermione turning pages.
He slowly swung his wand, tracing a perfect half-moon, and clearly spoke the incantation. "Obscurum Flecto!"
This time, a faint dark glow lit at the tip of his wand. The shadows before him seemed to be pushed aside by an invisible force, neatly parting to form a transparent barrier of energy.
Faint black lines rippled across the barrier, like a spiderweb or a star chart.
"Excellent!" Alphard's eyes shone with approval. "You're very talented, child."
Yulian was feeling pleased with himself when a lazy cat's meow suddenly sounded in his mind.
"Tsk, tsk. Your tail's already in the air after one successful try? You haven't even finished putting the books on the shelf. Want me to add a chapter up front—A Record of My First Failed Spellcasting: Why Darkness Always Likes to Rub Against Your Nose?"
Yulian's old face flushed almost imperceptibly, and he quickly cut off his connection to the mental space.
"Still..." He turned to his grandfather, puzzled. "How can this spell be Dark Magic? Isn't this just Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Alphard immediately grew serious again. "Remember, this spell is only for protecting yourself. If you use it to attack someone, it becomes true Dark Magic. Its effects will be like a Shadow Trap, only more aggressive."
He paused, his voice dropping lower. "Someone in the Black Family once abused spells like these to attack others, causing them to suffer a burning and tearing sensation in both body and soul. It was no less painful than the Cruciatus Curse."
Yulian's heart tightened. Wasn't that like a warlock's Shadowburn plus a priest's Suppression of Pain combo in Warcraft? No wonder the Ministry of Magic regulated it.
"Throughout our family's history, some wizards tried to gather more dark energy, only for it to turn on them and drag them into the abyss," Alphard stressed, raising his voice. "That lesson was written in blood."
"I'll be careful, Grandpa," Yulian said solemnly.
Still not reassured, Alphard drew Yulian to his side and pointed to a line of ancient writing on the wall. It was inscribed in ancient Runes, and translated, it read:
"What makes a person is not bloodline, but choice."
"This isn't just something we say to others. It's something we say to ourselves, too." The old man's gaze was profound. "I'm teaching you these things so you can protect yourself in the darkness, not become part of it."
Yulian nodded firmly, resolving to etch his grandfather's words into his heart.
Back in his room, he couldn't wait to "step into" the library. Murphy was dozing atop a pile of new books. At the sound of footsteps, he lazily opened his eyes.
"So? Do you feel like you can take on Voldemort by yourself now?" he sneered.
"Not at all!" Yulian insisted. "I just think... this ability is pretty cool."
Murphy rolled over, exposing his belly. "Cool? Just wait until you accidentally draw the dark smoke into your dreams one day and spend the middle of the night running from your own nightmares. Then you'll know how to spell 'cool.'"
He suddenly sat upright, his amber eyes fixed on Yulian. "Still... your performance today does deserve a reward."
With that, he hooked a book out from deep in the shelves with his tail. It was a thin booklet, and the cover read: An Initial Exploration of Shadow Affinity: The Secrets of the Black Bloodline.
"What's this?" Yulian asked in surprise.
"A hidden chapter the library unlocked based on your spellcasting data today." Murphy spoke in a mysterious tone. "It seems that what flows through your veins isn't only Black blood, but something... even older. But don't read it yet. Your magic isn't strong enough."
He put the book back on the shelf and patted it with his paw. "Go to sleep for now. You still have to practice the Transfiguration Spell tomorrow—and don't forget, the frog you turned from a teacup last week still had a handle."
"Can I at least read this Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration first?"
"Too much too soon won't do you any good." Murphy sauntered off with a catlike gait.
Yulian gave a helpless smile and turned to leave the mental space.
Outside the window, moonlight fell over the towers of Hogwarts, quiet and gentle. And deep in the unseen recesses of the library, the bronze door wrapped in chains seemed to tremble ever so slightly.
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