Harry Potter: The Artisan's Path Chapter 47

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. I have finally added my current stories to the collections tab to make it easier to find chapters. The collections tab is at the top of the page.

Chapter 47

After crafting the new bo-staff, Harry took a few practice swings to ensure that he had the right length. He had gone through a growth spurt in the last few months, so his old staff no longer suited him. It was important to find a length that matched his height if he wanted to execute some techniques correctly. He didn’t find any issues with the staff, so he turned his attention to the most important phase—inscribing the arrays onto the bo-staff.

Harry used a clamp to secure the bo-staff in a stable position. He retrieved a paper containing the finished design. Creating it had required significant effort, but now Harry only needed to transfer the design onto the staff. Due to how complex it was, with multiple interconnected arrays, the staff fell into the category of an Intermediate Array. Although it would have been possible to create a design with individual arrays, it was easier to create a chain of interconnected arrays because of the staff’s shape.

He retrieved a runic pen from his inventory. The pen was extremely rigid, featuring a sharp point designed for inscribing onto metal surfaces. It had cost him 10 Shop Points, but it was a necessary expense.

Harry inscribed the first array at one end of the bo-staff. He designed it so the position of the kinetic charge enchantments were at both ends of the staff. They will serve as the release points for delivering devastating attacks.

Completing the first array took him thirty minutes. The process of inscribing on metal required utmost care and precision, prompting him to take his time. Understandably so, for a mistake at this stage would mean having to start over, re-smelting the metal and crafting the staff again. Once he finished the first array, he inscribed the conduit sequence that would link it to the next array.

After a few hours, Harry finally set the runic pen down and wiped his forehead. He had been so absorbed in his task that he lost track of time. The arrays were only halfway complete, meaning he still had a lot of work ahead of him. He snatched a bottle of water from the table and guzzled down half of it. He took several minutes to rest, before resuming his task.

The middle section of the bo staff would contain the array of his most key features. Following extensive research, he designed his own array, combining several important sequences into one configuration that he christened the Foundation Array. Though the name left a lot to be desired, its functionality was the most important factor.

Previously, Harry had to incorporate each of these sequences separately into every single array for them to work properly. Because of the limited number of arrays the bo-staff could hold, it wasn't the most efficient method. These sequences included the Blood Binding Sequence, the Obscuring Sequence, the Trigger Sequence, and the Magic Battery Sequence. The latter supplied the required magic for the enchantments to function. The sequence had a large capacity for storing magic. As the staff had a high magic requirement, he needed something that wouldn't need to be recharged frequently.

After another four hours, Harry added the finishing touches to the last array.  Laying the pen down, he proclaimed it finished, so the Source could give its evaluation. He held his breath, waiting anxiously for the confirmation that he had succeeded. There were many opportunities to make mistakes because of the complex nature of the work involved.

As soon as the symbol on hand warmed up, he retrieved the Source to read the new message.

=============

The host has created his first Artifact!

Enchanted Bo-staff (unnamed)

The Enchanted Bo-staff is an Artifact crafted by a novice Artisan. Drawing inspiration from a comic-book character, he has ingeniously replicated a bo-staff that can produce devastating kinetic charges that could level a house, depending on how much magic he applied. No one else can use the bo-staff, as it was bound to the creator.

============

General Experience: + 5000

Skill Experience: [All Runic languages, Dexterity] + 2500

Elder Futhark Runes has increased to Level 4

Anglo-Saxon Runes has increased to level 3!

Progress to level 11: 17800/76800

Level 11 Unlocks

Feature: Increased range of items in the Magic Emporium.

Item: The Double Tier Array Schematic.

=========

The host has completed a Workshop Task.

Create your first Artifact: 1000 points.

Renown + 150

Current Points: 2300

Workshop Level: 1 Next [5000]

=========

The host’s Workshop renown has surpassed 100 points!

The host has made it onto the Source’s Artisan World Rankings!

The rankings comprise the top thousand Artisans in the world.

The host is in the 999th position.

A rankings page has been added to the Source where the host can view it at his leisure.

Reward: 2000 Workshop points; A rare item has been added to the Magic Emporium.

=======

The host has received a new task.

Task #10 - Climb to the 750th position in the rankings.

Objective: Continue to create Artifacts to increase the player's renown and rise in the World Rankings.

Reward: 5000 Workshop points; Additional rare items added to the Magic Emporium.

==========

The moment he read the opening line, he couldn't help but exclaim with delight. Standing up, he did an impromptu dance, not caring if he looked like an idiot. After months of work, he had finally finished his first Artifact.

As soon as Harry had gotten it out of his system, he sat down to catch his breath and continued reading through the message. Having finished reading, he took a moment to consider the implications.

The Source had finally revealed the purpose of the renowned statistic. While he had been aware of it previously, he hadn’t understood its relevance.

Harry put the Source away for now as he could explore the new things he had gained at a later time. He picked up the bo-staff and hurried outside to put its capabilities to the test. Standing outside his workshop, Harry infused magic into his bo-staff. While he could not fill it up to capacity, it would be more than adequate for what he needed.

After draining half his magic, Harry held the bo-staff at one end. It was possible for him to release too much kinetic energy at once here, so he had to be careful. In theory, the Trigger Sequence he had added allowed him to control how much magic he activated at once, but he could only test it by doing it.

Taking a deep breath, Harry lifted the bo-staff above his head and slammed it to the ground with a loud thud. At the last moment, he activated the enchantment, causing a shroud of blue energy to envelop the end of the staff.

The ground exploded in front of him. Harry instinctively closed his eyes as a rain of dirt fell on and around him. Once it stopped, he opened his eyes, only to have his jaw drop in astonishment. In front of him lay a small crater in the ground, created by the impact of his bo-staff. Despite the ground being soft, he hadn't expected such a level of destruction, considering he had only utilised a fraction of its total power.

“Wow!” Harry grinned, wiping some dirt off his face.

He examined the bo-staff for any problems, but apart from being dirty, it remained in perfect condition. After he activated the reduction enchantment, the bo-staff retracted down to three inches.

Minerva rushed out of the house after witnessing the commotion from the window. "Harry, are you alright?"

“Never been better,”

“What happened?”

"I created my first Artifact," Harry told his grandmother, eager for her approval.

His grandmother gave him a hug. “Congratulations. I know how hard you have worked to arrive at this point.”

Harry grinned. The approval of his grandmother mattered more to him than making the Artifact.

“I need to go to the guild before heading back to Hogwarts,” Harry reminded her after she released him. “I need to take the assessment and become an official Artisan.”

“Just a moment.”

With a wave of her wand, she caused the displaced dirt, including the dirt that covered him, to return to the ground and to fill the hole. There was only a patch of dirt left to show that something had disturbed the ground.

“Go inside and take a shower, then I'll take you to the guild,” Minerva said.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry and his grandmother arrived at the Artisan's Guild and walked into the reception area. Alphonso stood at the front desk, engaged in conversation with an elderly gentleman.

"Harry, what a delightful surprise," Alphonso said, rushing over to shake the boy's hand. “It is a pleasure to see you as well, Madam Potter.”

Minerva raised an eyebrow at the man. "How many times do I need to remind you to address me as Minerva?"

"My apologies, Minerva," Alphonso winced. "Now, Harry, what can I do for you?"

He pulled out the shrunken staff from his pocket. “I have created my first Artifact. It needs to be assessed."

Alphonso's eyes widened. "You've already completed it! When you brought me the appraisal scroll, I had high expectations for you, but I never expected you to create an Artifact so soon. You're a genius! "

Harry rubbed his nose. "It's not that impressive."

The gentleman who had been talking to Alphonso approached them. “Who might this be, Alphonso, that you would so rudely abandon me in the middle of a conversation?”

Harry cocked his head curiously. The man had an American accent. In contrast to Alphonso, he dressed himself in a suit and tie, which was uncommon attire for wizards in the UK.

Alphonso waved his hand dismissively. "Don't speak nonsense, Henry. This is the boy I mentioned earlier, the one who created the appraisal scroll.”

"Oh, how interesting," Henry said, tweaking his moustache while observing Harry. "It seems like the younger generation is more impressive with every generation and leaving us old-timers in the dust."

Alphonso made the introductions, before saying, "Henry is an old friend of mine from the Artisan Guild branch in New York. He's currently visiting for business related to your appraisal scrolls, Harry."

"Really?" Harry asked, intrigued. "What on earth could you want with my scroll?"

"Unlike the more relaxed standards in Magical Europe," Henry said. “We perform tests on all magical items imported into our country. One of the guild’s primary duties is to subject any magical items introduced to our market to rigorous product testing.”

“Huh. So, my appraisal scroll hasn’t cracked the American market yet?”

"Don't worry, it will happen soon," Henry reassured him. "I have already approved the product. Now, we just need to determine the best way to launch it in the market."

"We will need to hire individuals from America to produce their supply of appraisal scrolls," Alphonso explained. "Relations between our magical governments and theirs is not good, which reduces the likelihood of successful sales of any products manufactured here."

“It is the same with the guilds from both countries,” Henry added.

“Why is that?” Harry asked.

"It's mainly a difference in design philosophies," Henry replied. "In America, we're not afraid to merge technology and magic in order to innovate and better our lives."

Harry nodded in agreement. America had emerged as a leading force in Magic-Tech, a relatively new field that had gained prominence in the past two decades. He sometimes wished he lived in America, where he couldn’t be held back by the more conservative European mindset.

If he wanted to pursue the field of Magic-Tech, he needed a solid foundation in a mundane education, with the goal of getting a Bachelor in Engineering. Although, would that even be necessary when he could get technical skills so easily from the Source? Something to think about in the future.

“Can Harry get assessed now?” Minerva asked. "We need to return to Hogwarts soon."

"Of course," Alphonso said. I don't know if you're aware, but two Expert Artisans must oversee the assessment of a potential new Artisan. It's a good thing Henry and I are both Masters, so we won't have any problems."

"I was not aware of this requirement," Harry said. "I came at the right time."

“What type of Artifact is it?”

"It is an offensive weapon that harnesses kinetic energy to deal a lot of damage."

"We will need the testing room."

Alphonso guided them through the door behind the front desk, and into a corridor. They arrived at a door halfway down and he ushered them inside. The room they walked into measured approximately twenty feet square. There was an enclosed space along one wall that was protected by a thick pane of glass.

Alphonso pulled a parchment and quill out of his robes. "Please provide me with details of the Artifact’s functions before we proceed with the testing."

Harry provided the information, while Alphonso diligently recorded it on the parchment. "Alright, Harry," he said. "We're going to move back into the bunker, and I need you to strike the floor with the staff. Don't worry, I built this room to withstand a lot of damage."

Harry extended the bo-staff back to its original size and struck the ground. This time, he significantly increased the power, nearly depleting all the magic it contained. The room trembled as the staff struck the floor, yet there was no visible damage.

The others stepped out of the bunker.

“Amazing,” Alphonso said. “To make the room shift in this way, the staff must be packing a lot of power. Is that the maximum amount of kinetic energy it can release at once?”

“No,” Harry replied. "I haven't completely charged it with magic, so I estimate I exerted around forty percent of its maximum power in that last strike."

Henry stroked his moustache. "That is one dangerous Artifact you have created. Don't hit anyone with that unless you want them to die."

"Indeed," Minerva replied, biting her lip. "Fortunately, you are the only one who can use it. I hope you understand the responsibility of handling such power. If I discover that you have misused it, I will have no choice but to confiscate it from you."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I will only use it in an emergency."

"I don't need to see anymore," Alphonso said. “The staff is on the level of an Artifact. Henry, what are your thoughts?”

"I agree," Henry said, smiling at Harry. "There is no denying its power."

“With that said, I now certify you as an Apprentice Artisan,” Alphonso said, patting Harry on the shoulder. "I'll get you a badge and send your official registration to the main office. You can now take on level one commissions posted on the board."

“Congratulations, Mr Potter,” Henry said. “I'm not sure if I've ever heard of someone becoming an Artisan at your age.”

Harry smiled. “This is only the beginning.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

They travelled back to Hogwarts in time for dinner. Harry strode into the room with a bronze badge displayed prominently on his chest. It wasn’t like he was trying to show off or anything. He greeted his friends as he sat down at the table.

"You did it," Daphne gasped. "You've successfully created your Artifact!"

"Let me have a look," Susan grinned, turning Harry to examine the badge on his chest. "Wow, that's incredible.”

Hermione, Tracy, and Neville echoed their sentiments. The news spread from table to table, filling the entire hall with conversation. Harry could feel the students' eyes watching him, with some even standing up to get a better look. He did his best to ignore the looks. Everyone congratulated him at the Gryffindor table, and his friends from the other houses came over to congratulate him as well.

“You can’t go one day without stealing the limelight, can you Potter?” Blaise asked.

Harry bowed his head. “Please accept my humble apologies for upstaging you once again. Perhaps you will have better luck tomorrow."

A snort escaped Blaise's lips as he sat down at the table. "I doubt it."

Harry smirked. He felt a sense of relief now that they had restored their friendship. Blaise had a tough couple of months trying to cope with the guilt he felt after attacking Harry. Although Merlin manipulated Blaise, if he hadn’t sneaked out to investigate the Enchanted Wall, then it wouldn’t have happened. Harry had to convince him it wasn't his fault by telling him he had done the same thing. What he didn’t say is that he also touched the wall, and without the Source, he too would have been manipulated as well.

The ordeal had only ultimately strengthened their friendship. It helped that Blaise knew a lot of what happened, as he had been there for the climatic event. Harry had to explain about the events leading up to that day. Blaise had to promise Charlus that he wouldn’t say anything to anyone.

Later that night, Harry sat in the privacy of his bed. He finally could examine the newly unlocked features resulting from creating his Artifact.

Taking out the Source, he opened it and searched for the new entry displaying the Artisan World rankings. Among the thousand names listed there, his was the second to last.

Curious, he examined the list and found a familiar name towards the top of the rankings.

Rank 157th: Alphonso Lamont: Guild master for the England division.

The guild master was a Master Artisan, so his high ranking wasn't a surprise.

There was no one else from his guild on the list, including Tonks. Did that mean his Artifact was superior to hers? It may be because hers had a specific function that her and a few others could only use. As soon as she made her next Artifact, he expected her to be in the rankings.

He looked at the Artisan in the first position.

Rank 1st: Galahad:??????

Harry’s eyes widened. He recognised the name. He had two of the man’s Artifacts in his possession. Galahad was Lancelot's apprentice and had been alive for millennia, according to this list.

Wait, a minute. Did the rankings include Artisans who had already passed away? When he browsed the list, he couldn't find the name of the Master Artisan who died at Hogwarts on Halloween. If he were alive today, he would definitely be on the list, so the Artisans had to be alive to place in the rankings.

From that realisation, another thought arose. He searched the rankings for Master Karlsson, but he didn't find him. So, he was definitely dead. Although it had been unlikely that the man would survive, he hoped that somehow he would.

Harry bowed his head. Despite not knowing Master Karlsson very well, he liked the man. He took a moment to grieve for the man, who fell victim to some evil wizards.

He pulled his thoughts back to Galahad. This man was a mystery, and it's hard to believe he's still alive. Did he use necromancy similarly to Salazer, or did he use a different method? How many Artifacts had man created during all those centuries? Could he even knock him off the number one position?

Maybe he could find some clues about the man after he found the third watch. He now had two watches after his grandfather purchased one from the reporter. The Artifacts were useless on their own, so he would have to be patient and set them aside for the time being.

Harry flipped to the page that held the Magic Emporium. He browsed the list until he came across the rare item that had been added this morning. As soon as he selected it, the description appeared on the adjacent page.

=========

Communication Stone (Fae Realm) - 300 Shop Points

The device allows the host to communicate with someone from the fae realm. The person is selected at random, so there is a high risk and a high reward. You may connect with someone who is benevolent, or you will attract the attention of a deity...

=========

Harry furrowed his brow. What was the Source thinking by offering him such a useless item? Would he ever consider buying it, even if it were much cheaper? It might have been worth it if it hadn't been so random, as he didn’t want to risk drawing the attention of deities like Modor.

He knew the Source originated from the fae realm. Could it be it was trying to get him involved with its affairs by giving him items related to it? He could ignore it if he wanted, since it was optional. Seeing as he didn't have enough points anyway, it wasn't something he needed to worry about right now. Having finished with the Source for today, he put it away.

Harry crossed his legs and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing as he took deep, even breaths. For the past two months, he dedicated an hour every night before bed to practicing Occlumency. Currently, he was stuck on stage two of Occlumens Level 2, a situation that was driving him insane. The task wasn't particularly difficult, but it was time-consuming.

In the second stage, he had to transform his deep subconscious from nothingness into something tangible. He had also done the same thing with his surface mind, which allowed him to create an actual space and shields within it. His subconscious appeared vast and seemingly boundless, akin to an unfathomable black hole. The only thing he found inside was his Magic Conduit.

When he first attempted to shape a small portion of his subconscious into a tangible structure, he faced an unexpected resistance that hindered its formation. It was as if he were trying to construct a building out of sand. He only discovered what he had been doing wrong after consulting the Occlumency book. It was impossible for him to transform one part of his subconscious at a time, but he had to do it all at once. Similar to the Big Bang, where everything happened almost instantaneously.

This required a lot of mental acrobatics, as he had only to understand the dimensions of his subconscious but shape it all simultaneously. He had been working on it for a while now and was steadily making progress, although he still had a bit more to go before reaching his goal.

Harry lay down to sleep after completing his Occlumency training. Tomorrow was Sunday, but he had no time to relax. He had to meet Master Footshredder for their last lesson and show, through a trial of combat, everything he had learned in the past two months.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

March 14th

The following morning, Harry stood on the stage in the Duelling Garden alongside his master. There was a small audience, consisting of his friends, the headmaster, and his grandparents. They were curious to observe his performance, considering his secrecy regarding his training over the past two months.

Harry performed some stretches to prepare himself for his upcoming duel with Master Footshredder. Now that was free of that dreadful suit, he was ready to put what he had learned into practice. After two months of hard work, he had not only become proficient in the movement technique but had also achieved mastery of the fifth level of his Velocier skill. Because of his consistent workouts, his physique has become even more defined, showcasing a sculpted six-pack and toned muscular arms.

He checked the Velocier mechanism in his mind and calculated how much time he could safely stay at the fifth level.

4010

As a result of all the spells that his grandparents had been teaching him, his magical reserves continued to increase over the last two months. However, he noticed a sharp decline in improvement over the last two weeks, so he assumed he was reaching his limits for his age. According to his grandfather, his magical reserves were comparable to those of an average sixth-year student.

He had a nice range of spells now, and his transfiguration had improved a lot. As he was not yet proficient in using it in combat, he had no choice but to rely on charms and his spell cards. He had developed his skill in casting spells with his left hand, allowing him to keep his right hand free for throwing spell cards.

“Since you have reached this point,” Master Footshredder said. “I believe it is time to reveal the name of my technique. It is called Sanguinis Furor.”

Harry tilted his head. “Translation?”

“Blood Frenzy.”

“Are you sure that's the right name for it?”

"I specifically created it to eliminate my enemies with ruthless efficiency." Footshredder pursed his lips. "I believe it's a good name."

He didn’t want to argue with the goblin’s logic. Sanguinis Furor was not just about explosive movements and acrobatic feats; it went beyond that. The technique changed how the Velocier skill worked to enhance the user's speed and agility even further. As a result, it made them incredibly difficult to hit, but this also had a downside as it affected accuracy. Although that didn’t matter with goblins, as they primarily used weapons.

“Are you ready?” Footshredder asked as he stood opposite Harry. “Show me everything you have learned over the past two months. Be warned, that I will not be holding back.”

His master held a wooden stick in his hand that he would use to strike Harry. It looked like it could do some serious damage, so he needed to be careful.

Harry took a deep breath before dialing up his Velocier skill to level five. Next, he reinforced his legs with magic, enhancing the skill further.

Footshredder exploded into action. Leaping forward with incredible speed, he performed an overhead strike, bringing the stick down upon Harry.

Harry leapt backwards. The stick hit the floor where he had just been, causing cracks to appear from the force of the impact. Harry summoned a Fireball card and hurled it at his opponent. He cast Stupefy from his wand a second later, aiming to the right of the goblin in anticipation of the goblin’s next move.

Footshredder leapt to the right to avoid the Fireball, then swatted the Stupefy, causing it to be redirected back at Harry. Eyes widening, Harry swiftly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the spell that was redirected back at him. He dodged again immediately as Footshredder swiped the air with a cutting strike.

“Ventus,” he said as he pointed his wand at the goblin, quickly performing the wand movement. A powerful gust of wind shot forward from his wand.

Too slow. Footshredder evaded the attack by vaulting over it, then countered by launching a kick to Harry's head.

Harry swiftly infused his arm with magic, enhancing its speed. He slapped the leg away but had to duck as the Footshredder spun around in the air and kicked out with his other leg.

Quickly summoning another fireball, he threw it into the air before rolling forward. A low roar sounded behind him as something hit the stage.

He needed to remain at a distance as he was at a disadvantage at close range. Easier said than done. A sense of unease washed over Harry, causing the hairs on his neck to prickle. Reacting swiftly, he summoned another spell card—an Interceptor. He threw it backwards, and a small shield materialised in mid-air, right in the goblin's path.

Footshredder reacted swiftly, kicking off the shield and dropping to the ground. The delay allowed Harry to gain some distance. He threw several Scythe cards at his opponent to slow him down, all the while thinking furiously about his next move.

After casting a single spell, it quickly became apparent that using his wand was a slow process, as he had to perform the wand movement. Due to Footshredder's exceptional speed, it would be extremely difficult to hit him with his wand unless he surprised the goblin. So, he could only rely on his spell cards. Fortunately, he had created a bunch of them, so he wouldn’t run out anytime soon.

The lightning-fast speed of the duel captivated the spectators watching the fight on stage. The movements of Harry and Footshredder were so quick that only a short time had elapsed since the beginning of the duel.

Harry infused magic into his right arm this time to enhance his throwing speed. In rapid succession, he summoned ten Fireball cards and launched them one after the other. He tried to predict Footshredder’s movements, to make it difficult for the goblin to evade.

Footshredder executed a series of graceful leaps, effortlessly evading spells with such fluidity that he seemed to defy gravity. Harry clenched his teeth in frustration but maintained his composure. He summoned several Blackout cards and threw them to different parts of the stage until impenetrable darkness shrouded most of it.

“Let’s see if you can dodge them now,” Harry grinned as his opponent fell back onto the stage into the darkness. He summoned several more Fireballs and threw them out. Because of the darkness, Footshredder would have less time to react to them.

A blur obscured his vision. Harry gasped, as he felt the tip of the stick pressing into his throat.

Footshredder grinned, revealing his fangs. “Do you concede defeat?”

“I concede,” Harry grumbled, and the goblin drew back the stick from his throat.

A burst of applause came from the onlookers, and Harry waved sheepishly.

“Do you realise the mistake you made?” Footshredder asked.

Harry gave the matter some thought. “I tried to blind you, but I ended up blinding myself, because I couldn’t react when you emerged from the darkness. I cast too many spells and as a result, my field of vision ahead of me was impaired.”

“That is correct,” Footshredder stated. “You still haven’t mastered Velocier, and you still lack experience in battle, but you are on the right path.”

“I am curious,” Harry said. "Is there any wizard who can defeat you when you are moving at such incredible speed?"

“Speed is only one factor. Let’s take your grandfather for example. If I were to give him in a duel, eight times out of ten, I would lose. Your grandfather wouldn't need to move at all in order to accomplish this.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “Are you for real? How is that possible?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Footshredder replied. “I consider this duel to be the end of your apprenticeship. You'll have to learn the rest on your own."

“Thank you for everything, Master,” Harry bowed in respect.

The duel had been incredibly exhilarating. He had already decided to develop his own fighting style, building upon the foundation of Sanguinis Furor. Once he learned bojutsu, perhaps he would incorporate it into it.

The possibilities were limitless.

So, what do you think? Writing battle scenes is hard, and I am not very good at it, but I am trying to improve.

Thanks for reading.