Harry Potter: The Mage's Path Chapter 35

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. The school has a meeting with parents to discuss the changes coming to Hogwarts and Harry meets one of my favourite characters in canon.

August 21st

"This is going to be annoying," Harry grumbled, flattening his hair, trying to tame it before their guests arrived at the castle. They were standing in the Entrance Hall with the teachers so they could get the meeting started. It was to inform parents and the public about their plans for the revised curriculum. This was so they could reassure them that it would be an improvement over the old system.

It was Hermione's idea. She said that getting the public on board by being transparent about their plans would go a long way to appeasing the naysayers. It would also help counter any moves the Ministry makes to prevent the changes from taking place. Dumbledore was all for the plan, and the two worked together to put it into action as soon as possible.

To provide compelling evidence that Hogwarts needed to change, she researched magical schools around the world. Specifically, the schools' academic standings compared to Hogwarts. She was dismayed to discover that Hogwarts didn't even make it into the top ten in terms of overall student performance. They were sitting at number twelve, and that was only thanks to teachers like Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. Their students scored well against students from other schools because of their ability and experience.

"Harry, leave it alone," Hermione slapped his hands away. "You're only making it worse."

"How is that possible?" Harry retorted.

"You're like an old married couple," Neville chuckled from beside them.

"Not funny," Hermione scowled. "If I were his wife, you would think he would listen to me more."

"Can we get off the subject of marriage, please?" Harry asked, terrified.

"Boys," Hermione rolled her eyes, and the adults laughed at their antics.

"Please refrain from marrying Miss Granger until she is out of school," McGonagall said, suppressing a smirk. The other adults got in on the fun, and Hermione was starting to go red from all the teasing.

"You all suck," Harry grumbled.

Over the past week, new teachers arrived in droves and settled into their new accommodations. There were so many unfamiliar faces that he had trouble remembering their names. However, it wasn't just some new hires, as Professor Binns was let go. His teaching style was not effective at relaying information to students in a way that kept them engaged. He was welcome to stay in the castle like the other ghosts if he so wished. So far, he was staying, although his daily routine hadn't changed at all from what he could gather. Harry wouldn't be surprised if the ghost continued to show up in class and teach when the upcoming term arrived. Even if it was speaking to an empty classroom.

"I believe our guests have arrived," Dumbledore said.

The doors opened and Hagrid led some people into the Hall. It was made up of three distinct groups. First, there was the Education Board, led by Mrs Marchbanks. She wanted to see for herself what their plans were before taking a side on the matter.

Next, there was a group of half-blood and pure-blood families, led by Augusta Longbottom. Although she was not against the changes, she wanted to ensure their traditions were preserved. The families behind her were mostly Grey or Light families, who weren't against mundane-borns, but they were wary of their way of life disappearing due to the huge numbers coming into their world.

The last group were a number of mundane parents, which included Jane and Darius, Hermione's parents. They were led by a representative from the Prime Minister's office. He was there to ensure fair representation of Her Majesty's subjects.

Since Dumbledore was amenable to introducing non-magical classes, he needed support from the mundane government so that any exams the students undertook would be fully accredited. He went behind Minister Fudge's back and contacted the Prime Minister about getting some help in designing a curriculum that students could learn at Hogwarts. Also, find some teachers who already know about the magical world.

Also present were two reporters from the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler. They would write an article about the meeting so the wider public could be informed. Thankfully, Rita Skeeter was not there, as the woman would have disrupted their efforts to convince the public of the changes. She wrote an article about him and his presence in Diagon Alley a while back. It was a mix of truth, speculation and outright lies that painted him in the worst light. Safe to say, he disliked the woman.

The reporter from the Quibbler was the same man he saw at the Adventurer's Guild opening, and he still appeared odd. It was a relief to see him dressed more conservatively this time, in dark grey robes. Curiously, there was a blonde-haired girl standing beside him that looked like him.

She had straggly, dirty blonde hair and silvery eyes that bulged out, giving her a perpetually surprised look. The girl was looking around with a dreamy expression and when she spotted Harry, she waved at him as if she knew him. Harry returned the gesture, unsure what to make of the girl.

"Do you know who she is?" Harry asked Neville.

"That's Luna Lovegood," Neville chuckled. "I have interacted with her on a few occasions. To say that she is an oddity is to put it politely, but she is a nice girl. Her father owns the Quibbler, an independent newspaper that prints articles about conspiracy theories and imaginary creatures. However, they print real articles occasionally. The best thing about the newspaper is that they are not influenced by the Ministry and do their own thing regardless of what people think."

"Albus," Mrs Marchbanks stepped forward and greeted the Headmaster. "I sure hope you are prepared because I have many questions about your new proposal for Hogwarts."

"Hello, Griselda. I eagerly await your questions," Dumbledore said. He turned to the rest of the group. "Let's step into the Great Hall. We will give our proposal over some refreshments, and then we will show you the new classrooms."

Everyone entered the Great Hall and sat down at the two long tables placed in the centre of the room. One for the teachers, and the other for the guests and the kids. There were a number of finger foods and drinks placed on the table, and everyone helped themselves as they got comfortable in their seats. Hermione's parents sat next to them so they could talk amongst themselves.

"How are Ben and Julia doing?" Harry asked. Although he had resented their interference in his life initially, he understood that they were only trying to help him. They went above and beyond what most adults would do in the same situation.

"Great," Jane exclaimed, "now that her leg is fixed, she has a new lease on her life. She is looking to have a baby of her own."

"Thanks to you," Damien said. "If you hadn't suggested Andromeda, she may have lived with the injury for the rest of her life."

"It was nothing," Harry shrugged, embarrassed.

"Harry has a hard time taking compliments," Hermione nodded sagely. "I am trying to break him out of the habit."

"Gee, Hermione, what would I do without you?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"I shudder to imagine," she replied pertly.

"So, have you been having fun?" Jane asked. "Sorry we haven't visited as often, but we have been swamped with work. Also, I still haven't adjusted to the floo. Whoever came up with that travel method is insane."

"It's fine," Hermione said. "I have been keeping myself busy. Did I tell you about Crookshanks?"

"It must have slipped your mind," Damien murmured. "I am sure I would have remembered such a horrendous name."

"It's a beautiful name," Hermione scowled. "Anyway, I will show him to you later. It's kind of a big secret that I cannot talk about here."

On the other side of Harry, was Mrs Marchbanks, who had been listening to their conversation discreetly.

"Have you been studying magic while you have been living here, Lord Potter-Ravenclaw?" Mrs Marchbanks enquired.

"Call me Harry," he corrected. "And yes, I have delved into Transfiguration and Charms. They are my two favourite subjects."

"Can I have a demonstration?" Griselda leaned forward in her seat. "Forgive an old lady's curiosity, but I am interested in seeing what you have learned. How about a Transfiguration spell?"

Harry nodded before changing to his Alteration Class. He pointed his wand at the goblet in front of him.

'Avifors.'

An electric blue light emerged from his wand and struck the goblet. It exploded into a flock of small birds, who chirped as they flew up into the rafters. It was another Transfiguration Spell he learned after working on his Alteration Class. He had gained a few levels in the past week, although that was with the help of extra time spent within the dungeon. Levelling it by casting spells took a long time.

"Well done," Griselda patted his arm. "I appreciate students who take the initiative to learn magic on their own. Within reason of course. Magic can be dangerous."

"Indeed it is," Professor McGonagall said from the other table, who watched Harry perform the spell. "I don't recall teaching you that, Mr Potter. Have you practised on your own?"

"Umm..yes?".

"It was very well done," Professor McGonagall approved. "But as Griselda said, it is dangerous. I trust you will not practice it without supervision in the future?"

"Okay," Harry agreed easily, just to get her off his back. Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious of his easy compliance. Harry displayed his most innocent expression, which amused the witch, and she turned her head to hide her smile.

"Harry, can you teach me that?" Hermione asked.

"Sure," Harry replied.

"Another one who is excited about learning magic," Griselda said. "It gladdens my heart. If you have been an educator as long as I have, you can become very cynical as many students take magic for granted."

"Not the mundane-borns," the representative said from a couple of seats down the table. "We don't live in the magical world, so everything is new to us when we first enter and see everything for the first time. I kind of feel sorry for the magic raised as they miss out on that sense of wonder."

The other mundane parents nodded at that, agreeing with what he said after witnessing their own children go through the same thing.

"That is a fair point," Griselda conceded before a grin appeared on her face. "Maybe we should send the magical raised to primary school in the mundane world. That would sort out some of the entitled brats."

"Please don't," the representative shuddered. "There will be anarchy."

After some more conversation, Dumbledore rose from his seat to start his presentation. Professor McGonagall started handing out parchments to all the guests with bulleted points summarising what he was about to discuss.

"Thank you for coming here today," Dumbledore began. "The purpose of this meeting is to inform you how we are changing things that will result in Hogwarts returning to one of the premier magical schools like it was in the past."

"What nonsense. Hogwarts is the best magical school in the world," one of Griselda's group members argued.

"Be quiet, Vivian," Griselda snapped. "Only speak if you have something productive to add to the discussion."

"If you look at the top of the page," Dumbledore said as if there had been no interruption. "You will see an outline of the topics we will cover in our presentation. Changes made to the curriculum, the House points system and discipline, to extracurricular activities, and potential new subjects."

"You have a lot to prove to us before we agree on these changes," a traditional wizard from Madam Longbottom's group sniffed.

"I think you are misunderstanding something," Dumbledore said with an amused expression. "We don't need your approval to make these changes. Now that Lord Potter has control of Hogwarts, the School Governors can no longer interfere with the running of the school. We can try and convince you that these changes are for the better, but if you decide to take your children elsewhere, that is your prerogative.

"Now, you can see that we have listed the top fifteen magical schools in the world in order of their scholastic achievements. I must thank Miss Granger for her excellent research."

"Hogwarts is twelfth," Madam Longbottom said with disappointment. "I knew there were some problems, but I didn't think we had fallen this far."

"Can we really trust research done by a Mudbl.." Vivian began, only to be silenced when she felt magic emanating from Dumbledore, and her face whitened in fear as she felt its weight press down on her.

"Do you want to finish that?" Darius asked angrily, rising from his seat.

"Your prejudice isn't welcome in the castle," Harry said, patting Hermione's shoulder, who looked upset at what she almost said. "Now would be a good time to leave."

"Who do you think you are?" Marian screeched, her face reddening in outrage.

"Lord Potter-Ravenclaw," Harry snarked. "Did you miss the memo? I will ask you to leave one last time before you are thrown out."

"You're embarrassing, Vivian," Griselda said. "Go back and report to Umbridge that you didn't get any information out of this meeting because of your own stupidity."

The woman got up and stormed out of the room in a huff. The occupants almost cheered now that the foul woman had left.

"Well, now that unpleasantness has been taken care of," Dumbledore said. "Let's continue. As I said, Hogwarts is twelfth on that list. Now it would be easy to blame it on the School Governors alone, but the truth is that I have failed as a Headmaster as well. I let other responsibilities distract me from my duties here. I have resigned as Chief Mugwump so I can concentrate more on being Headmaster and not swamping my Deputy Headmistress with work."

"Thank goodness," McGonagall exclaimed.

"Okay, let's start with the curriculum," Griselda stated. Considering it was her job, it was the most important issue for her.

"Of course. First of all, Divination has been removed from the curriculum," Dumbledore said. "Only those with the Sight may gain some benefits from the class, and even that is questionable. The only reason that it was kept around for so long is that it was an easy qualification for some pureblood families who did not want to put effort into their education. Furthermore, the class has forever been tainted by Trelawney's actions."

"Good riddance," someone muttered, and the sentiment was echoed by everyone else.

"What if a student arrives here with the ability?" Xenophilius Lovegood enquired.

"We will deal with the situation if it comes to pass," McGonagall answered for the Headmaster. "There is nothing stopping us from catering to a student's individual needs if we need to."

"Next," Dumbledore continued. "We will discuss how the classes are doing to operate. Instead of having a class schedule, and separating students by school year, they will all share one location. The professors have been busy setting up the new rooms in order to make them practical and safe. They are similar to common rooms, where students can work together under a professor's supervision."

"So it's one big classroom like a university?" One of the mundane parents asked. "How are our kids supposed to learn if the professor's attention is divided among so many?"

"That is the beauty of it," Dumbledore declared. "The students will also help each other as well. The older students will provide assistance to the younger students, which will help them recall information they learned from previous lessons to assist them with their own exams. Additionally, some classes will have two professors, to help with the more demanding subjects like Transfiguration."

"How will we determine our kids' progress if they are not divided by school years?" A pureblood witch asked.

"Every two weeks, the professors will meet with the students individually and test them on their progress," McGonagall said. "There will be tests at the end of every semester that will give us a more granular view of the student's skill levels as well."

"You have to understand," Flitwick said. "That magical education by its very nature is very unstructured, especially for wanded subjects like Charms, Transfiguration and Defence. They are primarily practical lessons, and the level of the student's competency can vary wildly, depending on their talent and the work they put into it. Teaching them all together in a structured class is actually detrimental to their own education."

"How will the OWLS and NEWTs work? For example, when will they take their Ordinary Wizarding Levels if they do not take them at the end of the fifth year?" Griselda asked.

"The students will learn the same content as before for the most part," Dumbledore said. "Once they have reached the equivalent of fifth-year study, we will allow them to complete their OWLs if they so desire. However, they can choose when to take them, when they are confident they can do so. There is also the benefit that they will not have to take all of their OWLS together at once, but individually. This will ease the pressure off them and help them increase their performance."

"You are forgetting something important," Gibson, the Daily Reporter said. "Do you realise how much conflict this will cause between the students? Many students will envy others who are ahead of them in their studies. How will you enforce that?"

"That leads us neatly to the next topic," Dumbledore said calmly. "We will return to the curriculum in further detail when we show you the new classrooms. Now, for the longest time, the House System has been flawed, and discipline has been incredibly ineffective. It breeds an environment that is disruptive to the student's education as well as makes them feel unsafe. It fosters unnecessary hostility between the four Houses.

"Our proposed changes are as follows. House points will not be rewarded by the professors anymore, nor will there be any points taken away as a punishment. The points will be rewarded based on a set of criteria based on education and extracurricular achievements and I will be responsible for adding them up at the end of each school day. There is no room for professors to be biased towards their own houses, and for students to manipulate the system for more points.

"Students who break the rules will face individual punishments that may lead to suspension or expulsion, depending on the severity of their transgressions. We have written an updated Code of Conduct that must be followed by both professors and students, and it will be enforced. There will be handbooks given out to everyone so there will be no excuses if someone pleads ignorance."

"How will this affect the House Cup?" A wizard asked.

"That will also change. It will be separated into the House Cup and the Student Cup. During the year, only the latter will be in effect, and points will be awarded for it. At the end of the year, the top ten students will receive a small reward and an individual trophy for their efforts. It will also influence the Head of Houses' decision on who will be prefects if they have received one."

Harry could almost feel Hermione vibrating in excitement beside him. He knew how competitive she could be, so he imagined she would be gunning for the top spot. Hopefully, she would not drive herself insane trying to learn everything at once. Imagine if she had the ability to use the dungeons to gain more time. He would hardly ever see her.

Dumbledore continued. "The House Cup will be determined at the end of the school year, with a number of tasks that reward points for their House. The Inter-House Quidditch Cup results will also add to the final total. Whichever House wins will get some sort of privilege for their own common rooms, but that has yet to be decided on."

A general discussion broke out among the attendees. Harry listened to them, and it seemed that most were in favour of the changes. It was a more balanced and fair system, although Ravenclaw may have an advantage, considering its House was made up of students interested in pursuing knowledge.

"I argued with Dumbledore that Quidditch shouldn't be part of the House Cup, but it's its own thing," Hermione complained. "Not everyone likes the sport."

"It's fine," Harry said. "The points rewarded have been reduced, so it won't affect the final outcome that much. Are you aiming to win the House Cup as well? That's really ambitious. Maybe you will be in Slytherin?"

"Don't even joke about that," Hermione shuddered.

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Jane asked her daughter.

"They are not very tolerant towards mundane-born," Hermione explained. "I don't think there has been one in the house for a long time."

"Not after Voldemort's time," Griselda murmured.

"Slytherin is not the appropriate house for you," someone said, and they turned to see Luna Lovegood standing there.

"Hi, Luna," Neville greeted her. "Why is that?"

"Slytherin House has a huge Nargle infestation," Luna said with a vacant stare. "I believe it was because of the proximity to a Greasy Wing Flapper."

"A what?" Hermione asked faintly, looking bewildered. Neville grinned, already used to Luna's eccentricity.

Harry tried to decipher what she said and laughed when he figured it out. "Greasy wing flapper? Are you referring to Snape? Is he supposed to be a bat? I suppose I can see that."

Luna cocked her head in contemplation. "They are magical animals that have a great aversion to pottery, or so I have heard. Is Snape an Animagus? Does he turn into one?"

Harry was convinced that the girl was taking the piss. He understood the context of what she was saying, and it was quite amusing. But why would she pretend to be this addle-brained girl that believes in imaginary things?

"Do you want to sit with us?" Harry made some space for the girl, and she sat down next to him.

"Thank you. This is almost like having friends," Luna said.

All of the people sitting nearby seemed to be experiencing a mixture of awkwardness and amusement at the same time. The girl sure knew how to make people uncomfortable.

"Well, the day is still young," Harry grinned. "Maybe by the end of today, we will be friends."

"That would be lovely," Luna said, humming a tune.

Hermione shot him a look to ask if he was crazy, but he ignored her. He had a sense that Luna was going to add some much-needed levity to their group, as it was in need of some. When Harry felt someone watching him, he turned around to see Mr Lovegood staring at him intently. The unfocused look had disappeared and the man looked like he would commit violence to anyone who hurt his daughter. After a brief nod, the man returned to his usual spacy self. Harry shook his head. The Lovegoods were not as simple as they portrayed.

The meeting continued, and they moved on to extracurricular activities. It was brief, as Dumbledore only mentioned there would be more freedom for students to form clubs for their particular interests. This could be more things like art, music or sports. As long as the activities were safe, and an adult was overseeing them, they had complete freedom.

Hogwarts already offered some, taught by professors or Ministry members, but they weren't very consistent. They were only available if demand existed, which varied a lot. For example, there were Apparation classes. It was surprising how little interest there was in the discipline, although the students may be taught elsewhere. It will be held every year from now on for anyone older than sixteen.

"Finally, there is the topic of adding new subjects to the curriculum," Dumbledore said. "First off, there will now be some mandatory introductory lessons for new students that they have to complete before they can learn anything else. These are Wizarding Customs; Introduction to the Mundane World and lessons around studying, such as learning to use a quill and some essay writing."

"Why do we have to learn about the Muggle World?" A witch asked.

"Because it is necessary for the safety of The Statute of Secrecy, Mrs Brown" Charity Burbage said in response. "Do I have to state how many mundane people's memories had to be wiped because a witch or wizard couldn't handle a simple interaction with them? It creates unnecessary work for the Obliviators, and there may be a point where we miss someone and the secret gets out. The Crown would not be happy if the general public knew about the existence of magic."

"Mr Hall, the mundane representative is here today for a specific reason," Dumbledore said. "We are considering adding mundane subjects like Maths and Science to the curriculum. It is not mandatory, but an option for students who wish to continue their studies while attending Hogwarts. Obviously, we will not be able to add them before the start of the term, but they can be added at a later date. I will now have Mr Hall stand up and offer some thoughts on the matter."

There were several ideas proposed about new topics that could be added to the curriculum. Everyone who was able to come up with a valid idea was asked to put together a proposal that they could use to determine whether their idea was viable. After they were done with that, Dumbledore and the teachers led the guests away to see the new classes. Because they had already seen what they looked like, the teenagers stayed behind.

"What are we going to do now?" Harry asked.

"Let's go and see what Hagrid is up to," Luna said. "I am interested in meeting the Thestral herd in the Forbidden Forest."

"Is that another imaginary creature?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"Hermione," Harry said. "Enough of that. You shouldn't belittle others for their beliefs."

"Sorry, Luna," Hemione said, lowering her head in shame.

"It is fine," Luna said lightly.

"Thestrals are real," Neville said. "The school carriages are pulled by them."

"Oh," Hermione blushed. "Now I feel really stupid."

"It's okay," Harry smiled at her. "You can't know everything."

"Not yet," Hermione replied.

"Arrogant witch," Harry teased. "How is the language translation coming along?"

"It's a lot more difficult than I imagined," Hermione admitted. "It may take some time to unravel."

"That's okay," Harry assured her. "There's no rush."

"You should hand it over to someone with more expertise."

"I need someone I can trust to do it. Are you lacking confidence?"

"Brat," Hermione scowled.

<====({owo})====>

Later that afternoon, Harry travelled to the Peverell Dungeon so he could pick up his familiars. Over the past week, they grinded like crazy in an effort to catch up to him. They still had a way to go, but if Harry weren't careful, they would surpass his level.

"How was it?" Harry asked the two. "Were there any issues?"

"How could there be?" Celeste asked with a fist raised. "With me as a leader, nothing could go wrong."

"Right," Harry said sceptically. "Hedwig, we won't get a straight answer from this menace. How did it turn out?"

'Uneventful. The third floor is becoming too easy. We will be moving to the fourth floor soon.'

"Well, you seem to be working well as a team," Harry said. "Once I obtain the Novice Job, we can conquer the Nuckelavee Dungeon together."

"Yes!" Celeste cheered. "More loot."

'We have come a long way.' Hedwig acknowledged.

"How was the meeting?" Celeste asked as she settled onto his shoulder, and Hedwig landed on his outstretched arm. "Was it as boring as I imagined?"

"It was fine," Harry shrugged. "A necessary evil."

Harry used ID Escape, and they returned to his room inside the Ravenclaw Tower. After hanging out with his friends for some time, he returned here so he could continue working on his classes. He wanted to get the Novice Job and level up before Hogwarts started. There was no specific reason, just a goal he set for himself. It's not like he couldn't continue to explore the dungeons, albeit with less time.

There was a knock on the door, and Harry crossed the room and opened it. Dumbledore and Amelia Bones were standing there.

"What happened?" Harry asked, sensing that they were delivering bad news.

"Harry, Sirius was attacked in Azkaban," Dumbledore said gravely. "He survived but suffered serious injuries. He is in St Mungo's with an Auror escort until he recovers."

"Who did it?" Harry demanded.

"One of the prisoners," Amelia answered. "As far as we know, the wizard had no grievances with Sirius. We believe that he was Imperiused, but we cannot prove it. The man killed himself after the attack failed. He was a thief and hadn't shown any previous violent behaviour."

"Who has the most to gain from Sirius dying?" Harry asked rhetorically.

"Lucius Malfoy," Dumbledore answered anyway. "Although, we will have a hard time proving it."

"What happened to your investigation of the Warden and the guards?"

"Still ongoing," Amelia sighed. "But I can see where you are going with this. One of them must have cast the Imperious curse on the prisoner."

"I want to see my godfather," Harry said firmly.

"I will take you," Dumbledore said. "Don't worry too much about it. We may be able to use this to push for an earlier trial since Sirius' life is in danger."

"With Fudge taking bribes from Malfoy? I doubt it," Harry snorted in disbelief.

They didn't reply, but he could see they were concerned.

Harry followed them out of his room. As he walked, he considered what he was going to do next. He had no doubt that Sirius would be in serious danger if sent back to Azkaban after he recovered. If Lucius Malfoy was responsible for the attack, he doubted the man would fail again.

Maybe it was time for a radical solution to ensure his godfather's life.

<====({owo})====>

Harry Potter's and Familiar's Progress Update

15th > 21st August

Harry Potter

Classes

Alteration Mage: Level 8 ➝ 14

• Switching Skill was unlocked at level 10.

Explosion Mage: Level 7 ➝ 14

• Explosion Trap Charm was learned at level 10.

Skills/Spells

Running: Level 16 ➝ 21

Occlumeny: Level 22 ➝ 28

Observation: Level 20 ➝ 23

Transformation: Level 8 ➝ 19

Exploding Charm: Level 14 ➝ 20 [Max]

Reductor Curse: Level 6 ➝ 13

Switching Spell: Level 1 ➝ 5

Explosion Trap Charm: Level 1 ➝ 3

New Skills/Spells

Switching Spell | Active | Level: 5| Next: 5% | Class: Alteration Mage | Cost: 3 MP/1 ORN per minute

Description: Switching is a subcategory of Transfiguration and a form of Transformation. This is the art of magically transferring physical characteristics between two targets. The incantation is Restituo and requires a lot of focus to succeed. At higher levels, the player will learn how to perform Cross Species Switches.

• Highest Switching achievable: [16 ORN] [INT/Visualisation Modifier]

• Cost: (3 MP per ORN per minute).

• Switching Speed: +18% [WILL Modifier]

=====

Exploding Trap Charm | Active | Level: 3 | Next: 46% | Class: Explosion Mage | Cost: 20 MP per hour.

Description: The Exploding Trap Charm is a spell that can be used to catch targets in an explosion by setting one on a surface such as the ground or a wall. It will trigger when they get close enough, and they take considerable damage from it. The spell is invisible to anyone other than the caster but can be revealed with detection charms. The higher the level, the harder it is to detect, and the more damage it causes.

• Minimum Damage: 63 - 71 [Modification: Spell Level + Magic + Potent Magic modifier].

• +3% Critical Hit Chance

• Area of Effect: 3.7mᒾ [Skill + Potent Magic Modifier]

=====

Celeste

Level 7 ➝ Level 17

• Enfeeblement was learned at level 10

• Scourge Whip was learned at level 15

50 Ap earned.

Skills

Shadow Spike: Level 5 ➝ 17

Silence: Level 2 ➝ 9

Enfeeblement: Level 1 ➝ 5

Scourge Whip: Level 1 ➝ 7

New Skills/Spells

Enfeeblement | Active | Level: 5 | Next: 46% | Cost: 25 MP

Description: It is a spell that lowers the target's parameters by a certain percentage by placing a mark on their body. The user must touch the target to apply the spell, and it lasts for a limited time. The higher the skill level, the more effect it has and the longer it lasts before it expires. Only can be placed once per enemy per battle

• Effect: Lowers targets parameters by 5% within five levels of the user.

• Duration: 15 seconds

=====

Scourge Whip | Active | Level: 7 | Next: 12% | Cost: 12 MP

Description: Releases an energy whip that lacerates the target. Besides inflicting shadow damage, it also increases the target's sensitivity to pain, which may incapacitate the target. The higher the skill level, the more damage it causes, and the more pain inflicted.

• Minimum Damage: 17-20 [Skill + Magic Modifier]

• +5% Critical Hit Chance

• May incapacitate the target.

=====

Hedwig

Level 10 ➝ Level 15

• Cyclone was learned

25 AP earned.

Skills

Air Cutter: Level 8 ➝ 19

Zephyr Shield: Level 4 - 11

Cyclone: Level 1 ➝ 7

New Skills/Spells

Cyclone | Active | Level: 7 | Next: 43% | Cost: 16 MP

Description: It traps the target in a vortex of wind, and causes wind element damage to them. The spell is dependent on the target's weight. If it is light enough, it may lift the target in the air and make them vulnerable to further attack. A heavier target may not be affected at all and may still be able to move freely.

• Minimum Damage: 18-23 [Skill + Magic Modifier]

• Area of Effect: 4.8mᒾ [Skill + Magic Modifier]

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I added the character progression update at the end of the chapter so it wouldn't disrupt the story. The chapter ballooned out to over 5.7k words, but it was necessary to keep abreast of their progress. Tell me what you think of adding it at the end. Is it better? Worse? It is primarily for when I do time skips and not all the time.

Thanks for reading.