Harry Potter: The Mage's Path Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. So, you will see the first changes to the system here. However, it will be explained over several chapters, as I mix it in with the story to make it more bearable to read.

July 29th

Harry woke up confused. At some point in the night, he ended up in the Empty Dungeon, which was strange. He hadn't entered the place in over a week, considering he had been working on his fire affinity. It was not something he could grind in the Empty Dungeon, considering it was...well, empty.

He sat up and looked down at himself. He still wore the shorts and t-shirt he used as pyjamas, so he didn't think he was dreaming. Maybe he entered here subconsciously? Just as he was about to leave, he received a notification. His eyes instantly lit up as he had a good idea of what it was about. Even though he was still concerned about the upcoming change to the system, he still couldn't help but feel anticipation welling up within him.

He quickly opened his notification and began to read.

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Greetings, player!

System Version 2.0 is finally here!

First of all, some housekeeping concerning your progress in the last week. Congratulations on finally removing the malnourished detriment!

Vitality + 1; Training Vitality is no longer restricted.

You have learned the Transfiguration skill! It will work differently from what you imagined a week ago.

Due to all your efforts in increasing fire affinity during the last week, it has increased by fifteen per cent! Unfortunately, the perk no longer exists in the same form as before, so you will not receive benefits in the same way.

In return, you have received experience points as compensation for your efforts. This is also true for other skills or perks that may have changed or were removed. So, you will now have more experience to work with than you did a week ago.

Gaia suggests you explore the menu as there are some major changes and additions that affect the player's current understanding of the system. Some functions, quests, skills, spells, perks, items and terminology may have changed or disappeared as a result. To facilitate this, Gaia will give you a new tutorial quest.

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Tutorial Version 2.0

Description: The system has been updated significantly, which has resulted in many changes. If you want to truly understand everything, take the time to explore each menu and see what is new and different.

Current Objective: Complete the tutorial.

Progress: [0/100%]

Time Limit: Two weeks

Rewards: 5000 Exp.

Gaia will now explain the biggest change that has occurred.

Gaia has been watching and noticed one thing about your progress so far and that is that your magic skills are incredibly unfocused. If this continues, you will be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Part of the reason is that the magic in this world is so vast and nebulous that it is difficult to truly define its boundaries.

That is why Gaia is introducing the Class System! What does this mean? Essentially, instead of having one generalised status for all magic, you will now have different classes that focus on different types of magic. Levelling these classes individually will strengthen you in specific areas. Depending on how you use the Class System, you could become stronger with less effort.

I will now show you your updated Status page and explain how it works. Your level has been reset to level one, as well as your AP. However, this is only until you spend experience to level up again.

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Harry Potter

Age: [10] 11 (+26 days; due to the dungeon)

Title: Elite Hunter [4%]

Job: Apprentice Mage: Level 1 [Next: 0/100%]

Experience Pool: (26200)

AP: 0

Job/Player Perks:

Apprentice Mage: + 1 to Magic, Willpower per level; 1 Class can be equipped at a time.

Abyss Walker: + 1 to Vitality per level; Unaffected by the Abyss' mental degradation effects.

Classes currently equipped: Generalist Lv1

Class Specific Perks/Skills: Customisable Slots: 1

Resources

Energy: 200/200 Regen: 10 per hour

Mana: 400/400 Regen: 20 per hour

Attributes

AGI: 14 [12]

VIT: 10

MAG: 20

INT: 20

WIL: 20

PER: 20

CHA: 17

RES: 10

Physical Defence: 10.5

Magical Defence: 10.5

Generalist Class Specifications

Description: The Generalist Class is like your average wizard who knows a bit of everything but specialises in nothing. There are no Attribute/Perk bonuses, or specific spells to learn, so levelling this class up may seem like a waste of time. Despite this, it has one significant feature that makes it worth your time.

Perks:

Customisable Slots - It is possible to add perks, spells and attribute bonuses unlocked from other classes to this class. This allows for highly customisable class builds.

• 1 extra slot is added every five levels.

• Current number of slots available: 1

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So, you may have noticed many changes. Let's break it down step by step.

The Class System

This Status page is a combination of the Job: Apprentice Mage + the Generalist class.

Your job is the foundation of your strength. You get five AP points every time you increase its level, just like in the old system. Additionally, it may affect some of the classes available to you.

The Generalist class is just one of many classes the player can unlock. Think of classes as modifiers added to the main job that strengthen you in specific areas. You do not need classes to cast spells, but you will not receive bonuses associated with those classes.

You may switch to any unlocked class at any time except during combat. However, there is usually a thirty-second delay. As an Apprentice Mage, you may only equip one class at a time, but that will increase alongside your Mage rank.

Classes come with bonus spells, skills, perks and attribute bonuses that strengthen the class itself. For example, fire affinity is now incorporated into the Fire Mage class, and it is now increased by levelling the class.

You may still learn new skills outside of the classes, but they are now categorised as Non-Class skills and Class skills.

An example of a class skill is Transformation, which is a subcategory of the Transfiguration branch of magic. It can now be found under the Alteration Class and is considered a Class skill.

These are the classes that are currently available to you:

Generalist Lv1; Fire Mage Lv1; Shadow Mage Lv1; Alteration Mage Lv1; Demolition Mage Lv1; Defensive Mage Lv 1; Familiar Mage Lv 1.

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Levelling

You now have an experience pool where all earned experience is stored, and you can now choose when to increase your level.

You now have two separate levels. The Job level and the class level. Your Job is not traditionally levelled, but rather increases automatically by spending experience to level your classes. Your Job determines the overall experience needed for your class level.

Here's an example. You increase your Generalist class level to twenty, and your Job level to twenty as a result. Then you switch to another class. The experience needed to level the new class to level two is the same as the experience needed to level your Job to level twenty-one. Essentially, the more classes you focus on, the harder it is to specialise in one specific class. However, some classes may be levelled in other ways, which is a good way to earn some new abilities without levelling the Job.

Now that you have a better understanding of the Class System, feel free to level up any class as you wish. Be warned that experience points spent on a class cannot be refunded.

Be sure to understand the other changes as well. You may have already noticed the addition of an additional attribute, and some changes to the behaviour of some other attributes, so check them out.

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Harry took a breath after reading the text a few times to make sure he understood it completely. While it certainly made him excited about the possibilities, he couldn't help but feel that the last week had been a waste of effort. At least he was compensated with some experience.

Looking at all the different classes he now had, it was hard not to feel overwhelmed, which is probably not what Gaia wanted when she made the changes. It was supposed to narrow his focus and increase his power overall. The best way forward initially was to focus on one class since he could only equip one at a time for the moment. Since he had been increasing his fire affinity anyways, he was going to focus on his Fire Mage class first.

But then there were other classes that interested him. What was a Familiar Mage? It sounded like something that would benefit Celeste and Hedwig, which he was certainly interested in. However, it may not be the right one to start with if he doesn't first increase his own strength. How did he learn about the different class specifications?

Harry accessed the main menu and saw an additional option: Classes. He opened it and browsed through the options and selected the Fire Mage class.

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Fire Mage Class

Description: The Fire Mage class is for players who enjoy incinerating their enemies. It is a class that focuses on increasing fire magic damage output and causing widespread destruction. This class will unlock more powerful spells as you level up. This class is not effective against opponents with the water element affinity.

Current Status/Bonuses

Willpower + 10

Fire Resist + 10%

Fire Damage +10%

Fire Magic Cost -10%

-50% damage against opponents with the water element.

Weakness to Water Element: +50%

[Item Acquisition Bonus] Fire Grimoire: + 25% to Fire Mage class levelling.

Spells: Fireball Lv10

Level-Up Bonuses: Fire Resist +1%; Fire Damage +1%; Fire Magic Cost -1%

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Harry could already see the benefits of specialising in this one class alone. If he spent all of his experience levelling up Fire Mage, he would already be pretty powerful at casting fire magic. However, if he met an opponent with the water element, or they had some form of fire resistance, he would be in trouble.

He could see how the Generalist class could become a very useful class. If he had enough slots to fill with a class's most powerful spells and perks, he could avoid class weaknesses entirely.

One thing that confused him was that his other fire spells had disappeared. Did he have to increase his class level to get them back? At least he didn't have to level them up again, as that would have seriously sucked.

Harry looked at the list again and checked out the Familiar Mage class.

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Familiar Mage Class Specifications

Description: The Familiar Mage is a support class for his familiars. It boosts their parameters by a certain amount, increasing their effectiveness in battle. Unlike other Mage classes, it is completely passive, so there is no micromanagement at all. Obviously, the more familiars the player has, the more effective the class will be. Increasing the level will unlock further perks that may have utility outside of battle as well.

Current Status/Bonuses

Charisma + 10

Familiar HP + 10%

Familiar MP +10%

Familiar Attributes + 5%

Familiar Communication Range + 50%

Level-Up Bonuses: Familiar HP + 2%; Familiar MP +2%; Familiar Attributes + 1%

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Even at level one, it seemed like a very useful class. It may help Celeste finish her quest if she gets a significant boost to her parameters. There is no doubt he would look into levelling this class sometime in the future.

Harry looked at his watch. He had about an hour before heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. Straight after that, he needed to go to Gringotts and meet the Dwarf representative. It would be awesome if he could get the materials for the Earth Golem, as it would increase his battle efficiency by a lot. Grinding for experience was more important than ever, considering the major change that had just occurred.

Harry had some time to go over everything and see how things had changed. He retrieved a notebook and pen from his inventory. Taking a look at his Status again, he read through everything and started taking notes. An hour later, he had a comprehensive list, and he was amazed at how many things were different. Firstly, his attributes had fundamentally changed and this had a significant impact on his overall capabilities as a result.

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ATTRIBUTES

Attributes are now more standardised between humans, creatures and monsters, with the exception of Strength, which is exclusive to monsters and some creatures. Also, Harry still has the distinction of having Energy rather than HP.

Agility has replaced Dexterity for humans.

Creatures and monsters now have the Charisma attribute.

Creatures and monsters now have the Vitality attribute, instead of Endurance.

Control has been removed, and will affect some skills, spells and perks the player has learned. Some compensation has been awarded where applicable in the form of experience.

A new attribute, Resistance has been added and replaces all forms of defence against status abnormalities. There are still status conditions to exploit, but they are more nebulous and vary depending on the target. Someone with high resistance has a better chance of defending against status abnormalities.

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Energy (ENE) = Energy serves as a cloak of invincibility that protects his body from all types of harm. Not only does it protect him from damage, but it also shields him from abnormal status effects. This includes magic that alters his body or mind. Certain skills, spells and equipment will enhance the Energy Shield. If it falls, he becomes vulnerable to status effects, injury and death.

Mana Points (MP) = Mana is his resource for casting spells and using skills. Since he was a Mage, he would primarily be using spells, so the more he had of the resource, the better. If he falls below five per cent of his total MP, he may suffer from magical exhaustion. This can be mitigated by increasing the Vitality attribute.

Agility (AGI) = This is the measure of the player's speed and balance which affects their ability to outmanoeuvre opponents and dodge attacks. In addition, it determines their overall dexterity, which includes wand movements, crafting or any other activity that involves the hands in general.

Vitality (VIT) = Vitality is the player's life force. It determines how much Energy he has available and how much he can regenerate per minute. As well as that, it will have an effect on his defence, adding a modifier to any armour that he wears. Lastly, it determines the player's resistance to magical exhaustion from spending too much MP.

1 Vitality = 0.5% defence increase.

1 Vitality = 20 Energy

Magic (MAG) = Magic determined how much Mana he had at his disposal and how potent his spells were. Additionally, it had an impact on his general aptitude for magic and his ability in branches of magic like Defence and Offensive Charms.

1 Magic = 20 MP

Intelligence (INT) = Intelligence affected his overall knowledge and memory. The higher it was, the more effective he was at storing, retrieving and memorising information. A great deal of its influence is felt in certain branches of magic, such as Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions.

Willpower (WILL) = Willpower is his mental fortitude and perseverance that determines his ability to impose his will on magic and other beings. It directly affects his ability to regenerate mana, and his aptitude for some branches of magic like Transfiguration, and Defence.

1 Willpower = 1 MP Regen per hour

Perception (PER) = The Perception Attribute determines his ability to perceive the world around him. It affected his accuracy, his critical hit chances, and the speed at which he reacted. In addition, it helped him notice hidden details and sense the presence of living beings within a certain area.

Charisma (CHA) = Charisma was a combination of his appearance, voice and presence. The higher it is, the more charismatic and refined he becomes. As he interacts with others, he will be able to influence them as well as discern their thoughts and motivations. This attribute also influences the effectiveness of some mind magics.

Resistance (RES) = The Resistance attribute determines the player's ability to resist and recover from debilitating status conditions. As well as that, it will affect his magical defence, adding a modifier to any armour he wears.

1 Resistance = 0.2% less damage from debilitating status attacks.

1 Resistance = 0.5% magical defence increase.

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Harry frowned. The attribute's overall importance increased with the update. One of the most significant changes was how attributes affected the different branches of magic.

He was happy that Control had been removed, as it seriously restrained his Magic attribute. Although, it was poor timing, as he had just gotten a huge boost in Control. At least he gained experience as compensation.

Resistance was interesting. From what he understood, any magic that altered him in some form, physically or mentally, such as Transfiguration, Jinx's, Hexes, or Curses could be considered a status condition. It would not affect him as long as his Energy remained, but it would still cause damage like other magics. If his Energy failed, then he would be just as vulnerable as others.

Harry stored away his notes. There was still more to look at, but that would have to wait. He exited the Empty Dungeon and made his way downstairs to the Great Hall.

Harry stepped out of the huge fireplace at Gringotts bank with Hermione following close behind him. Thankfully, he got used to exiting the floo so he didn't embarrass himself by shooting halfway across the floor. When he announced he was heading to the bank after breakfast, Hermione latched onto his arm and wouldn't let go. She was not about to let the opportunity to learn about another magical race slip by. Fortunately, Gringotts was connected to the floo network or else he may have received more resistance from Dumbledore about leaving the school grounds.

As they approached the counter, Hermione asked excitedly, "What do you think they are like?".

"I don't have a frame of reference," Harry replied. "Besides the Dwarfs in the Lord of the Rings books."

"Do you think Tolkien knew about the magical world? Maybe he was a Squib or something? It would explain how he created such a vivid and imaginative world."

"What is the Lord of the Rings?" Celeste asked from atop his shoulder. "Does it have fairies?"

"I don't think so," Hermione said. "They may have been mentioned briefly in the Hobbit."

"Then it's not worth my time," Celeste sniffed.

Harry was about to reply when someone called him and he turned around. Striding toward him was an odd pairing. There was Andrew Simmons, from the CMDF, who he met at the dungeon in Aberdeen. Walking beside him was The Unspeakable Croaker, who he encountered at the Ministry.

"We meet again, Mr Potter," Andrew reached out and shook his hand.

"Well met, Lord Potter," Croaker dipped his head.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked suspiciously. "You are not planning to disrupt my meeting with the Dwarfs are you?"

"Of course not," Andrew said. "I will wait until you have concluded your business with the Dwarfs before approaching them myself. It's just that either I take advantage of the fact that they are here today, or I have to wait until they agree to a meeting."

"I have the same issue," Croacher groused. "You think I would get more respect, but it seems I think too much of myself."

"A common problem with British wizards," Harry grinned before Hermione nudged him. "I guess I should be polite and make introductions. This is Hermione Granger, a friend who is coming along to meet the Dwarfs. Hermione, this is Andrew Simmons, a member of the Crown's Magical Task Force and Croaker, a-"

"Quiet," Croaker hissed, leaning in to whisper quietly. "You are not supposed to let everyone know my occupation."

"Harry already told me about you," Hermione said. "It was easy to get it out of him."

Harry retorted, "You mean to say that you tortured me with endless questions? I think you would be a very effective interrogator."

Hermione poked her tongue at him.

"Are you a mundane-born, Miss Granger?" Andrew asked with interest.

"Yes," Hermione nodded. She did not seem intimidated by meeting adults in powerful positions anymore, or subservient to them. Perhaps his complete disregard for respecting adults has rubbed off on her.

"Well, I am always looking for talented recruits," Andrew said as he presented his card to her. "If you ever tire of the stuffy prejudice in the magical world, give me a call."

"You're not getting your greedy mitts on her," Harry pointed at him. "Hermione doesn't have to worry about anyone disrespecting her with me around."

"Harry," Hermione hugged him, before turning back to the two men who looked like they wanted to laugh at the two kids. "Harry intends to make changes at Hogwarts so the mundane-born are better represented. I don't think I have anything to worry about."

"Really?" Andrew asked. "What exactly-"

"We are going to be late," Harry said, taking Hermione's hand and heading for an unoccupied Goblin.

"I have a meeting with Account Manager Grimmjow," Harry said.

"Very well," the goblin said. "Will the other three be joining you?"

"Yes."

The Goblin turned and summoned another to escort them to Grim's office. Harry wanted to point out that he already knew the way but suspected they didn't trust humans to not wander off somewhere else.

They were led to Grim's office. Harry entered with the three behind him and spotted Grim standing with another individual. It was immediately obvious that this was the Dwarf he was here to meet.

The Dwarf was slightly taller than Grim, about four feet high, with a wide, stocky body. His beard was a fiery red colour and was so large that it put Dumbledores to shame. He was dressed in exquisite dark steel armour that looked like it weighed a tonne. The Dwarf turned to face him and did not look burdened by the weight at all. Was it because of their natural strength or was there something special about their armour?

"I was told I was only meant to meet one human," the Dwarf spoke in a deep gravelly voice.

"I would like to know as well, Harry. This is Dhodraelin Fieryhood, the Dwarf representative sent to discuss a trade."

"Well met, Dhodraelin," Harry said as he walked forward and clasped his forearm with the Dwarf as Grim had instructed him to do. He felt the thickly corded muscles pressed against his arm, realising that Dhodraelin probably could snap him like a twig if he so desired. "My friend Hermione here wanted to meet a Dwarf, so I saw no harm in accommodating her request. As for the other two, they have their own business with the Dwarfs, and ambushed me outside so they could talk to you."

Dhodraelin harrumphed. "Alright, then let's get down to business. You have weapons to show me?"

The people settled down in chairs and Harry reached for his Mokeskin pouch. He pulled out the Oathbreaker sword, followed by the Shadow Aspen Spear. Harry placed them on the table and Dhodraelin examined them closely, running his hands over them and muttering under his breath.

After five minutes of thoroughly inspecting them, he straightened and turned to Harry. "I have no interest in the spear. It is merely wood saturated with the Shadow element. The sword, however, is of more interest to me. It is not a very high-quality sword, but it uses a smithing method I have not seen before. What do you want to trade in return?

"I actually wanted to give it to you as a sign of cooperation," Harry replied. "There are a few things I need, but I will pay for them with gold."

"What do you want?" Dhodraelin asked.

Harry took out a list of materials he needed to make the Earth Golem and handed them to him. "I would like these items if you have them. In addition, I would like to hire one of your blacksmiths to build some equipment for my familiar and I."

"That would be me?" Celeste raised her hand.

Dhodraelin looked at her briefly before perusing the list, his bushy eyebrows rising in surprise. "What you are asking for is no small thing. It will not be cheap."

"That will not be an issue," Harry said firmly."In addition, I would like to visit your home and discuss how we can better help each other. Given the direction the world is heading in, I believe we will need allies in the future."

"Maybe," Dhodraelin said gruffly, "but let's wait until we have built a stronger friendship before we think about that. My kind is not known for trusting humans easily. In the meantime, I will send the materials to Grim and he can take the funds from your account. I will set up another meeting so we can discuss the equipment you need."

"Okay," Harry said, sitting back and watching as Hermione bombarded Dhodraelin with questions. Thankfully, he didn't seem bothered, merely amused. There were some questions he refused to answer, however. The two men waited patiently, knowing they were interlopers and not willing to offend the Dwarf.

After Hermione finished her questions, they left the two men to discuss their business with the men. However, before they left, Dhodraelin asked to speak privately with Celeste. She flew over and discussed something briefly with him. Afterwards, she returned to his shoulder, excitement visible on her face.

"Harry, there is a fairy grove at Dhodraelin's home and my foster mother may be there. Apparently, some fairies took shelter there when their old grove was destroyed," Celeste exclaimed.

"Really? That's great to hear. I hope we can visit them soon."

Celeste nodded in agreement.

'It's amazing to see cooperation between magical creatures,' Hermione beamed.

"Actually, it's more practical than that," Celeste giggled. "The fairies are experts at growing crops, and Dwarfs need a lot to make their beer considering how much they consume. So, why wouldn't they shelter the fairies?"

They left the office and returned to the service area. As they were about to return to Hogwarts, Remus stopped them.

"Harry, there is something I need to show you at one of your properties," Remus said.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

He had not seen the man in the past week. Remus had been checking all of his properties to see how they were currently operating. After being neglected for so long, some probably needed repairs. Additionally, some tenants decided not to pay rent as there was no one to enforce it. So they either had to pay back all the money they owed or be evicted from the property. Although there may be some with special circumstances, and so it was decided on a case-by-case basis. Harry did not want to chase every penny and look like a douchebag landlord for people who genuinely couldn't make their rental payments. Other solutions could be found.

"Why ruin the surprise?" Remus smiled. "I have the portkey here. Interested in checking it out?"

"Why not?" Harry shrugged, before turning to Hermione. "Are you coming?"

"Of course," Hermione said. "Where is the property located?"

Remus took a small golden hoop out of his robe. "It is in Wales, northwest of Swansea. Grab the hoop and don't let go."

Harry grasped the hoop and felt a hook pull on his navel and was pulled forward, before disappearing. He felt like he was tumbling through a washing machine. Thankfully, it only lasted a few seconds before he hit the ground. Hermione fell on top of him, while Remus stayed on his feet and looked down at them with a smirk.

"Don't you dare say anything," Harry groaned, waiting for Hermione to get off him.

Feeling nauseous, Harry got up and looked around to get his bearings. In front of him was a tall iron gate and a high hedge, which continued into the distance for a few kilometres at least. The property must be quite extensive. There was a country road behind him and a vast expanse of gently sloping hills beyond it.

"This place is pretty isolated," Remus said. "Your nearest neighbour is twelve kilometres away."

Remus took out a set of keys and approached the gate. In the centre was a symbol of a Griever, the magical animal that represented the Potter family. "You could open the gate yourself by touching it, but I have to use something more mundane. This property is heavily protected, and these are the only two methods to get inside without triggering some nasty enchantments."

The gate swung open and they followed him inside. Ahead of them was a long driveway bordered by a line of statues, all of Grievers in some shape or form. Harry sensed a recurring theme here. At the end of the driveway was a small country house. It wasn't large enough to be called a mansion, but it certainly looked stately enough.

Hermione looked at the house with interest and said, "This seems quite old. It looks like it is a Tudor-style house from the fifteenth century."

The house certainly had a distinctive style, with a thatched roof and exposed timber frames. This building seemed to have been built primarily with functionality in mind, and not symmetry, as the design appeared to be a little haphazard. No embellishments could be found on the building, such as a front porch, decorative windows, elaborate carvings or statues, for example. It was a solidly constructed, functional home, and Harry liked it immediately.

"You are correct," Remus smiled at Hermione. "But this is not what we came to see. Follow me."

Remus led them around the back and across the expansive field. In the distance, they saw a medium-sized hill. As they got closer, they heard a roar that stopped the kids in their tracks. It was a primal sound that sent a shiver down Harry's spine, tempting him to turn around and run away.

"What was that?" Hermione squeaked, grabbing Harry's arm.

"That was the sound of your family's legacy, Harry," Remus said. "It seems that the Grievers' so-called extinction was greatly exaggerated. Do you want to meet them?"

So, what do you think? I will not update the post with Harry's status until I have explained the system in its entirety, as it would be too much hassle. There will be a bonus chapter coming this weekend.

Thanks for reading.