A Creation of Their Own
Library, Hogwarts
Interactions: n/a
Mentions: n/a
@Opeila Winters
Was it mad? Potentially. Was it dangerous? Very likely. Was it cool and something the young Ravenclaw would be proud of for succeeding at? Definitely. That was all the motivation Cassius needed when he decided one day to do some ‘light’ research on something that his increasingly adventurous mind had always wanted to learn about: How to create one’s own spell.
Of course, he was not looking to create the next greatest duelling spell or a charm that would quite literally move mountains. He was not looking to create the next unforgivable curse or seek immortality. Maybe those could come later… Truth be told, he did not really know what he was wanting to create but he knew it would be something simple. Utilitarian. Something like a spell or charm that would alert him when his inkwell was beginning to run low or his socks were folded incorrectly. It would certainly not win any awards but it would be his. It would be his achievement and a starting place for more advanced spells in the future. Perhaps something that would help his name be one of those mentioned in school textbooks studied by the students of the future.
Grand plans were nice to think about, but he had not created anything yet. All he had was a pile of old tomes that politely (and sometimes impolitely) explained how this task was a fool’s errand full of dangers; but, there were also examples of how famous witches and wizards of the past had succeeded. Examples like how Felix Summerbee invented the Cheering Charm, or Elliot Smethwyck who invented the Cushioning Charm for brooms in the 19th century. Even solely as an academic pursuit, the topic was fascinating. The successes and failures. The risks. There was risk in everything in life. Those whose names got remembered through history accepted those risks. Cassius would need to as well if he wanted to leave behind a legacy that would last generations.
It was a weekend and the library was packed with students completing their homework assignments. Cassius was lucky to find a relatively secluded table tucked between towering bookshelves. It was cloudy outside, as it often was in Scotland, but the sunlight that managed to illuminate the interior of the library through the tall windows was a welcome addition. Reading in dim light led to fatigue and dozing off. Even had it been dim light Cassius doubted he would fall asleep. It was far too interesting a topic to sleep on and it grabbed his attention entirely.
A Creation of Their Own
@Cassius Eden
Three months after the forest attack, Opeila's wounds had healed, but her mind had not. Using her binding mark had never been as easy as it used to again, the longest she could keep the telepathic communication up before the headaches crept in was a minute.
The more she made use of every minute that she seemed to be doing fine.
It was one of the rare-ish days Opeila managed to focus her mind on tasks for longer than a couple of minutes and the Slytherin had made use of it, spending nearly all of it in the library to study and catch up on homework that was due the following week. Loras had decided to keep her company and nap on a chair next to her, purring quietly.
Staying focused, it did not take the fifth year all day to complete her work, halfway through the afternoon she finally leaned back in her chair and stretched her fingers that had been holding a quill for hours. Her left hand moved over to the chair next to her, scratching her cat's neck, who immediately began to purr. "Good morning, sleepy head." Opeila chuckled and scooped him up into her arms.
Looking around, she noticed the library, that had been rather empty at first, was now pretty full. Most of her classmates had spent the morning outside, enjoying the sunshine they all seemed to be craving after the winter- not that Opeila minded, it meant that the library had been quiet, truly quiet for once, but now the whispering and rustling was back that naturally always filled the library.
Among the students, Opeila spotted a familiar face. Not one she had spoken to a lot, but she remembered him from class. Well- and from the duel she lost last year. The Ravenclaw seemed to have found a more quiet corner to do... whatever he was doing. Whatever was he doing actually? He was surrounded by a pile of books and didn't seem to be doing homework.
For a moment, she hesitated. Should she go over? They hadn't really talked before and after losing the last duel... she was quite hesitant. What if he thought badly of her after that duel? Thought she was no skilled witch? Opeila tried to shake off the embarrassment that kept her in her place. There was always a loser in duels, that didn't make them unskilled. Besides, that duel had been kind of close, right?
She had already crossed the library, her cat still in her arms, when she realized she had no idea what she even wanted to say to him. "... Hi", she started, the noticed one of the titles next to him. "What are you up to? Are you creating a spell?" ... Her curiosity was piqued.
A Creation of Their Own
Library, Hogwarts
Interactions: n/a
Mentions: n/a
@Opeila Winters
Silence and concentration broken by the sudden sound of a voice, Cassius jumped in his seat and glanced up from from the table looking like a slightly more sane and collected Doc Brown. He squinted, trying to make out the identity of the newcomer in the dim light. It was a cat. No, it was a girl carrying a cat. Was that better or worse? He liked cats. He liked girls. But both? Both could be trouble. Or a good thing. Probably trouble though.
"Hi..." He said, searching the memory banks of his noggin for a name. "...Opeila."
Slytherin. Fifth Year. Duellist. Might hate me for blowing her up with a Cracker Jinx. Am I about to die?
Cassius followed her gaze with suspicion as he glanced at a book beside some parchment on the table. Was she trying to copy his homework? No, she was looking at one of the book titles. Ah, an academic curiosity then. That he could deal with. He was stuck anyways. Another mind would be helpful.
"I am! Want to help? I believe I have an understanding of the theory but I have not yet managed to produce a positive result. Here, you're welcome to join me." From beneath the table, one of the Ravenclaw's legs extended to push back the seat opposite him, created a place for the girl to sit without needing to release the cat. He knew full well he was nerding out in that moment but that was unavoidable. He was a Ravenclaw after all. Why pretend to be anything else?
The books themselves were an assortment of historical tomes detailing the achievements of past witches and wizards who had invented spells. Some dove more into the theory aspect while others focused on the practical. None of them could be considered exciting.
Also on the table were various sketches in a deep black-blue ink. Crudely drawn stick figures made an assortment of wand movements. Underneath each were Pig Latin incantations written with a fine calligraphic hand. Some notable examples included 'Prefectus Bribus', 'Homeworkus Finitus', and 'Danceus Quillus.' The latter was what Cassius was currently working on as he swished his wand at a spare quill and said the incantation in an attempt to make it dance.
Nothing happened.
He sighed, shrugging his shoulders and crossing out the sketch with a large X. "Clearly not that one. Say, if you could create a spell to do anything within reason what would you create?" He asked Opeila, piercing blue eyes glancing up at the girl. "Bonus points for a why as well."
A Creation of Their Own
@Cassius Eden
"Sure!" Opeila took the offer and sat down on the chair Cassius pushed back, relieved that it wasn't so awkward after all. In fact, her classmate seemed to be very much in his natural habitat here, surrounded by different complicated looking books.
The Slytherin leaned across the table to look at some more of the titles. "What have you got so far? Can I see?", she asked, pointing at his notes.
Watching him for a moment, Opeila finally put her cat down on a chair next to her and got up. "Hmm... I'll be right back, give a minute." She walked down the rows of bookshelves until she found the right sections. Languages. She brought back multiple dictionaries to Cassius. "Latin, Greek, German, French, Finnish. We might not need the Finnish one though, I've become quite alright at that one. We could experiment with incantations some more."
What spell would she create? That was an interesting question. Opeila leaned back, thoughtfully running her fingers through her cat's fur again. "Hmm. This might be more of a series of spells, but maybe a vaccination spell or something like that. Imagine you could get immunization for dragon pox and different poisons. We have a lot of cures, but when it comes to immunization, I feel the muggles are very much ahead of us, aren't they?"
The Slytherin fell silent again, thinking some more. "Or maybe a spell that could make your skin more robust. Make it harder to cut or scrape it. That would be an advantage in combat for sure. Or in racing, I find the idea of flying through smoke with daggers in it terrifying. But maybe that spell would work better as a potion...", she added, lost in thought.
A Creation of Their Own
February 10, 2024
Library, Hogwarts
"Omnes bonae notiones!”
Cassius said, looking up briefly from a particularly large tome to his side. “All good ideas.” There was an inspired twinkle to his eye as he spoke. An enthusiasm that an explorer on the brink of a great discovery might have. He had a passion for the unknown. For untrodden paths whether they be through forest or folio.
“It is regrettable that the muggle community is very much ahead of us when it comes to inoculations. Especially through such a barbaric practice. Metal needles into the skin?” He shivered at the thought. “A spell is far more civilized.”
The Ravenclaw fifth year pushed over the notes he had completed thus far. It was mostly combinations of latin words with lines drawn through them that very obviously indicated failures. Despite the disorganized nature of the notes, one thing that might have stood out was the neat penmanship that bordered on calligraphy. “I had not considered Finnish. There is old magic there just waiting to be rediscovered. Perhaps some spells as well…” he admitted, looking thoughtful. He did not know Finnish but had once been read an abridged children’s version of the Kalevala by his mother before he came to Hogwarts. Those stories never quite left his mind.
“Tell me. Were you to discover right here right now a spell that could immunize against any disease, would you freely teach it? Or keep it a closely guarded secret?”
A probing question and perhaps something of a moral test for the unfamiliar witch now sitting with him.
“Or what of this spell to make skin more robust? Would you share this knowledge with others knowing the advantage it would give your house would be lost?”
@Opeila Winters
A Creation of Their Own
@Cassius Eden
"You know Latin?", Opeila asked, a little impressed- and then she remembered that Lysander had been taught Greek and Latin as well. She tried to remember, if she had seen Cassius at any of the pureblood events she had attended... "Do you know more languages?"
His reaction to the idea of muggle vaccines sealed it- her classmate had to be a pureblood. Or little contact to the muggle world at least. "It's not that bad. I got all the recommended vaccinations before I went to Hogwarts. Heh, my dad would probably make GP appointments for me in summer to get them renewed, if I still lived there." She remembered the discussions he had with Lady Margary every time, until she gave up.
Opeila scanned the notes, chuckling at a few of the failed ideas. "You might not have succeeded at creating a spell, but this is by far the neatest sheet of notes I have ever seen.", she joked, then looked up at him again. "Which one of those was your favorite? Maybe we can save it somehow."
She grabbed the Finnish dictionary and started flipping through it. "Finnish has some cool words that one can make incantations out of. We just have to decide what we want to try to do."
“Tell me. Were you to discover right here right now a spell that could immunize against any disease, would you freely teach it? Or keep it a closely guarded secret?”
The grin appeared on her face before she could stop it. "I feel like this question exists in a million shapes and forms, all with the same intention. Yes, I would freely teach it.", she answered without hesitation and raised one finger. "For multiple reasons: For one, in reality 'freely teaching it' means the same as 'making something available' in the muggle world. It is only available to the privileged. Spells and potions are available only to those who can use magic, have the means to learn magic and can afford the tools for it. Yes, maybe there will be some charity organizations giving it out for free, but I mean- the Wizarding World couldn't make it clearer that they don't want to be bothered by those who don't have the means. That's part of why we are keeping our existence as secret as possible, right?"
Opeila raised a second finger. "Again, I come from the muggle world. There are deadly muggle diseases that can be healed with a simple potion, that are pretty much eradicated in wizarding population, because the cure is freely handed out. We, who grew up in the muggle world, can see the result of life saving and prolonging medication being made available to people, so to me, my spell idea only seems like a small extra. Am I making sense?"
About the second question, she thought a little longer. "Hmm. To be honest, I would even include it in the preparations before the games. Cast it on every player to stop them from getting seriously injured, sometimes I really wonder how no one died yet. With spells like the arrow shooting spell and smoke to dagger- it seems like a bit of a miracle sometimes.", she decided. "There are more than enough ways to win without cutting or stabbing your opponents."
A Creation of Their Own
February 10, 2024
Library, Hogwarts
The conversation was certainly becoming more interesting than his research.
"You know Latin? Do you know more languages?"
"I do actually," he said in the affirmative, flipping through yet another tome he had retrieved from beneath the table. It was particularly dusty which was no surprise given the subject of its contents: the problem-solving capabilities of rocks. After 300-ish pages it turned out the answer to that was none.
"I learned Greek as well. French, too, although I would not count it among my strengths. I am quite bad with the pronunciation. I am too English, I think, to properly speak the language."
He grinned. A boyish grin that held innocence in what he thought was a rather funny comment. Perhaps funnier in his mind.
"You might not have succeeded at creating a spell, but this is by far the neatest sheet of notes I have ever seen. Which one of those was your favorite? Maybe we can save it somehow."
Cassius watched her as she scanned through his notes. It was then that he really paid notice to the Slytherin sitting across from him. She was cute, sure, but not really his type. Though... did he even have a type? He had not directed much energy towards relationships nor girls. Not with homework and duelling keeping him occupied most of his days. Who had the time to do all that even with a remembrall? Wouldn't his academics suffer? No... he was a lone wolf who needs no relationship, dammit.
"Hmm..." He mumbled thoughtfully. "I am quite partial to Tuckus Infernus. Who knows when setting someone's posterior aflame would come in handy? Assuming of course nobody named Tuckus was around. That might be a smidge more concerning. For Tuckus, at least. Are there any there that stand out to you? Any of your own you would like to make or propose?"
Casting aside the rock book, Cassius lifted yet another tome from beneath the table and began scanning. Multi-tasking was the game of the day and though he was scanning the text, his attention was now primarily focused on Opeila.
"So you are an altruist." He commented, neither approval nor disapproval in his tone. Simply scholarly recognition. "Do you want to be a healer when you graduate? That would seem a fitting career for someone concerned about the welfare of others. Or perhaps a teacher?" He perked a curious brow in her direction. She seemed willing to answer some of these deeper questions and that interested him more than any idle small-talk.
"Tell me," Cassius began, considering another hypothetical situation. "Do you think the Wizarding World has an obligation to protect the muggle world? After all, we have the power to heal many of the worst diseases and potentially prevent the worst of wars. Or for our own protection is it better to remain unknown? Unknown bystanders as the free will of humanity plays out."
Deep questions indeed.
@Opeila Winters
A Creation of Their Own
@Cassius Eden
It seemed Opeila was slowly moving from being of help to being a distraction, but she did not feel guilty about it at all.
"That's impressive", she commented on Cassius' list of languages. "I had half a year of French class in muggle school, but can't tell you much more than Je m'appelle Opeila now.", she added with a grin. Muggle school. It really felt like a lifetime ago. For a long time, Opeila had clung to her old life at home, wanting it back, missing it in the summers, but now... The older she got, the more she felt like it was her muggle childhood that had robbed her of a life among her own. Had things gone different, she would have grown up in her grandfather's estate in Kent, received the same education as her pureblood peers and...
Opeila banished the thought. It was a pointless rabbithole to go down.
She took a closer look at the spell Cassius mentioned. "Poor Tuckus", she chuckled, "To be honest though, that spell sounds like it might not end well for anyone it is cast at, named Tuckus or not..." With one hand, she pulled one of the dictionaries over and flipped through it. "Let's stay with setting something on fire, after all, this is Hogwarts. Now what might someone want to burn down..." Spiders. Opeila never said her first thought out loud, feeling that it sounded childish. She was past the age of being afraid of bugs. If she was again attacked by spiders, Opeila would know better how to defend herself, right?
"Umbra Inflamarae?" Opeila leaned back in her chair, trying to wrap her head around the idea. "Do you think a shadow burning charm would work?" Opeila had been attacked by a shadow in her first year, and she heard more stories since, certainly that spell would be a great weapon against the bodiless threat. But what would it do if cast on a human's shadow? Create a Peter Pan scenario without a shadow to be sewn back on? "Hmmm actually, I think that one would be a mess. What if people no longer had a shadow? Or would their shadow just be on fire forever? Would they just drag a trail of fire after them wherever they go?" Horrific.
"So you are an altruist. Do you want to be a healer when you graduate? That would seem a fitting career for someone concerned about the welfare of others. Or perhaps a teacher?"
"I don't believe so. A teacher maybe, one day, but not a healer. I've been a hospital wing intern for long enough to know that it is not for me." Opeila had thought about her future after Hogwarts before, but not reached a clear decision so far. "Maybe will be a duellist one day." The moment she said it, she wished she could take it back. She was talking to the person who had beat her in her last duel, surely that had to seem silly to him. "After some more years of training I guess", she added. "What about you? Do you want to do something with spell creation? Or law maybe?"
"Tell me, do you think the Wizarding World has an obligation to protect the muggle world? After all, we have the power to heal many of the worst diseases and potentially prevent the worst of wars. Or for our own protection is it better to remain unknown? Unknown bystanders as the free will of humanity plays out."
Another challenge of morality. After a few moments, Opeila shook her head. "I don't think there is an obligation. I mean, look at us, we can hardly fix our own world and now we're to take on the muggle world as well? I don't think that is a possibility. The occasional kindness, when lots of deaths can be directly prevented, is the right thing, I believe, like when we distributed the cure to Covid, but that was also organized here, the ministry stayed out of that entirely.
I also don't think we should forget that magic is power and using it to help muggles is only a step away from holding it over them to control them. We may have come a long way since 1998, but looking at some pureblood families nowadays, I still think some would take advantage if the rules were different. The statute of secrecy exists for the safety of both worlds."
A smile appeared on her face. "My turn: How do you feel about muggle relatives of students her learning about magic? And should they be able to choose which world to live in? Should the wizarding world make more space for muggles choosing to live among wizards? Muggles who have even more muggle friends and relatives of their own, who will surely have questions?"
A Creation of Their Own
February 10, 2024
Library, Hogwarts
Cassius was indeed distracted now but was not upset by this fact one bit. His unexpected research partner was more engaging than any dusty old tome from some long forgotten medieval researcher. Particularly as those old researchers tended not to reply back when asked a question. He closed the book in front of him with a soft thud and gave his attention to the girl.
"I had half a year of French class in muggle school, but can't tell you much more than Je m'appelle Opeila now."
Cassius grinned. "That is probably all you need to know. French people are mean. Even if you try to speak to them in French they will insist you use English less you 'sully their perfect language'. Pfft. Go eat a baguette, Frenchie, I say!"
If disparaging the French was an elective, Cassius would pass that class with flying colors. Rule Britannia!
"Poor Tuckus. To be honest though, that spell sounds like it might not end well for anyone it is cast at, named Tuckus or not... Let's stay with setting something on fire, after all, this is Hogwarts. Now what might someone want to burn down... Umbra Inflamarae? Do you think a shadow burning charm would work? Hmmm actually, I think that one would be a mess. What if people no longer had a shadow? Or would their shadow just be on fire forever? Would they just drag a trail of fire after them wherever they go?"
Fine questions with no easy answers! But fun to contemplate nevertheless.
"I suppose they would need to survive in a place with no shadows. A cave in pure darkness... but then the fire would create shadows... Miss, I think you have created one of the most cruel spells I have ever heard of. Flames create perpetual shadows which in turn create perpetual flames. Poor Tuckus indeed!" He laughed, scribbling down the incantation on a piece of parchment as he continued to listen to the girl.
"I agree. The hospital seems an acquired taste. Duelling sounds more fun. I think you would be a great duellist," he admitted despite the results of their most recent duel against each other. "You will not find me on the professional duelling circuit, however. I want to explore! To travel the world and discover the things yet to be discovered. It would beat a job sitting at a desk all day kowtowing to some puffed up clerk."
He shook his head, clearly imagining such a depressing fate within his overstimulated mind. Thankfully, the girl's next response redirected his mental energy.
"We may have come a long way since 1998, but looking at some pureblood families nowadays, I still think some would take advantage if the rules were different. The statute of secrecy exists for the safety of both worlds."
"Who is to say some are not already taking advantage?" Cassius countered, looking bemused. "That is not an admission, by the way. You can tell the auror hiding behind the bookshelves that they will have to try harder to get me next time!"
For dramatic effect, he pointed at the bookshelves, even though there was nobody there.
"But the question stands: If we do not use our magic to help those who could use it because of fear of taking advantage of them, but advantage is already being taken, are we not causing more harm than good? Hmm... it is difficult, yes? Perhaps not an obligation but a moral imperative perhaps?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
Cassius was glad to see he had not bored his classmate, as had happened other times he had tried to talk to girls. Rather, she beamed and smile and seemed to be enjoying the back and forth.
"My turn: How do you feel about muggle relatives of students her learning about magic? And should they be able to choose which world to live in? Should the wizarding world make more space for muggles choosing to live among wizards? Muggles who have even more muggle friends and relatives of their own, who will surely have questions?"
"Ooh, a good one! I suppose there is the ideal situation where the muggle relatives know nothing about the magical world, but realistically that would be impossible to enforce. Think of the cost and manpower that would be required just to do memory charms every time someone leaked information about the wizarding world! Astronomical." Though Cassius did not pay taxes yet, the thought of having to do so was already in his mind. Because yes.
"Better, I think, to educate them so they in turn do not say something stupid to the wrong person. However, if they choose to live in the wizarding world they should realize they would not be treated the same. That's just a fact. Think of how squibs are already treated. If I was a muggle, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near this world. Better the inequality you know, to the one you do not. At least in the muggle world, they have a fighting chance. What do you think?"
@Opeila Winters