I think I'm going to strangle the Genie when I see him next.
Just because I said 'I'll make do with just about anything' doesn't mean I want to be put in a weird situation.
I fume as I focus my awareness through the diary.
Somehow, I've encountered and fused with the piece of Riddle's soul contained in the Diary.
On the one hand, Tom's understanding of magic has already given me several ideas on how to get out of this pridicament.
On the other, fuck you, Genie.
Really, I'm just annoyed. It took me a day or two, but I know I'm still being held in Malfoy Manor, and if I play my cards right, I'm not actually losing out on a chance to learn at Hogwarts.
I continue expanding my focus outwards.
That's it. Follow the music.
I 'watch' as the boy, Draco Malfoy, creeps into his father's study. The music is an illusion, an audio only branch off the confundus charm. Even casting that through the Diary is incredibly taxing. Luckily, I can pay the cost by sacrificing parts of Tom's soul, having already ransacked it for information.
He picks up the diary.
Good. Now write.
He jolts, throwing me back into the drawer and darting out of the room as he hears his father grow near.
A shame, I'd hoped to stretch my legs today.
The rest of the night goes slowly. I wonder, idly, about my gifts. The Forge template is working on all fronts. I can feel the Key, the subconscious switch that would drag my body into the pocket dimension. My body is currently an enchanted diary though, so I'm not sure it's worth trying.
Nanomachines? Seemingly offline. I trust the Genie wouldn't give me a gift only to erase it, which is more proof that he knew I'd target Draco. I have to assume they'll come online the moment I have a proper body.
The next two nights pass much the same. On the third, however, Draco returns.
I sacrifice the last bit of Tom Riddle's soul, focusing a confundus on Draco. All for one effect, to convince him he has to own this diary, and that he needs to bind it to him using a drop of blood.
Two very interesting things happen, one absolutely intentional, the other an unexpected surprise.
First, once Riddle's soul is gone, I feel my own envelop the diary, further solidifying my control over it as a magical focus.
Second, once Draco's blood drips onto the cover of the diary, it activates the runework I've been writing on every page of the diary until now.
A bright crimson glow erupts as my vision shatters, and I feel incredibly disoriented.
I focus, and my awareness centers on myself.. and now on Draco. Rather than leave the Diary, and possessing Draco, I'm somehow inhabiting both.
[Cortana Online]
Welcome back, Nanomachines. I grin.
I put the diary back in Lucius' drawer and go back to Draco's room. My room, now.
'Cortana, can the Nanomachines study Draco's memories, parsing them in a way that doesn't degrade my own personality?' I ask.
[Yes. Analysis Complete.] Her voice is perfect, but it's almost emotionless. Something to worry about later.
The memories come in vividly, but sections are... Bland. Detached. Like watching a movie.
Tom's memories were much harder to sort through, and I'm still not certain some of his ambition didn't rub off on me.
"Lumos." I hold my hand up, concentrating. It still takes three tries to get the light, but when I do, I realize that both my own hand and the diary, still locked in Lucius' office, are glowing.
"Nox." The light goes out of my hand, but not the Diary.
A few more tries and I figure out how to direct which of my 'bodies' casts the magic.
Wandless magic is difficult, often considered more trouble than it's worth, but other Wizards don't have my advantages.
'Lumos.' I concentrate.
'Lumos.' Again.
'Lumos.' A faint light shines on my palm.
A smirk grows on my face.
How many wizards could perform wandless, silent spells at nine?
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Author's Note:
This one didn't even reach the bare minimum of 1000 words to be a 'proper' (for webnovel) chapter.
Still think I might have another chapter or two in this one, we'll see.
OH, and I'm going to make an aux chapter about this as well, but if any of these stories reach 10 chapters, they'll get their own book, with some revisions and hopefully a full arc.