Aurelian's magic pointed toward Flora. His eyes narrowed in concentration, the word Legilimens echoing in the air.
Flora immediately felt pressure, an invisible wave trying to enter her mind. Her breathing quickened, and for a moment, everything she had practiced seemed to vanish. Fleeting images began to stir in her consciousness. A memory of her and Hestia studying together, the shadow of her father speaking sternly to them, a flash of the first time she saw Aurelian in Diagon Alley.
"Stay calm!" Aurelian's voice thundered, sounding inside her own mind. "Focus on the defense you chose. The maze of books, Flora."
She clenched her teeth. The memories began to fade, replaced by endless corridors filled with towering bookshelves. Every time Aurelian's pressure tried to advance, a new corridor stretched out, multiplying until it disappeared from view.
A flash of pride crossed Aurelian's face, without losing his concentration.
"That's it. Don't fight me directly... make me lose myself in what you want to show me."
Flora, sweating slightly, let out a sigh of relief when the pressure dissipated. Aurelian turned off his magic and nodded.
"Very good. Your mind is a labyrinth." He held out a hand to help her up. "Remember, that's exactly what you must achieve."
Hestia, arms crossed, watched him impatiently.
"Well, now I want to try it."
Aurelian smiled defiantly at his.
"Ready?"
"More than ready," she replied confidently.
Again, the word echoed: Legilimens.
Hestia felt the onslaught, like a spear piercing her mind, but she was prepared. Instead of memories, she let an immense garden rise up. The damp grass crunched under Aurelian's feet as he tried to enter, dozens of snakes raised their heads from the undergrowth, hissing in unison.
"Excellent," Aurelian murmured within the vision, surprised by the clarity with which Hestia had shaped her defense.
A giant cobra slithered in front of him, rearing up, baring shiny fangs.
"Dare to advance," the image hissed softly, it was Hestia's own mind speaking to him.
Aurelian immediately stepped back, breaking the spell.
When the connection was severed, Hestia opened her eyes and looked at him with a triumphant smile.
"Well?"
"Your defenses are intimidating, I have to admit," Aurelian acknowledged. "But remember that it's not enough to just scare off intruders; you must be able to remain calm while holding those images. If your fear seeps through, the defenses will become weak."
Hestia nodded, taking in every word.
Both of them were breathing heavily, their cheeks flushed, but their eyes shining with determination.
"I'm proud of you," he finally said, his voice firm. "Not many people our age could resist a single intrusion attempt. I always knew you'd have a talent for this. With practice, you'll be able to close your minds even against a real Legilimens."
They looked at him with a mixture of exhaustion and happiness painted on their faces. Flora was the first to speak.
"Thank you, Aurelian... we will continue to strive."
Hestia nodded with a smile on her face.
Time seemed to dissolve after that training session. Between classes, training, and nights of study in the Chamber of Secrets library, Aurelian's routine took on a new rhythm.
The sessions with Hestia and Flora became an essential part of his life at Hogwarts. Some afternoons, the Room of Requirement was transformed into a battlefield full of illusions for practicing offensive and defensive spells; other times, it was a quiet room where they, with their eyes closed, built increasingly complex walls in their minds, while he tried to attack them without too much force, training them in the art of resistance.
At first, their minds were easy to navigate, full of gaps that a trained Legilimens would have exploited ruthlessly. But little by little, under Aurelian's guidance, they learned to build stronger and more creative defenses. Flora reinforced her labyrinth of books until it became a fortress of infinite pages. Hestia, for her part, improved her garden more and more, even making Aurelian work harder than expected to attack her mental constructions.
Between these training sessions, he continued to perfect his magical theories. His mastery of Parseltongue magic grew rapidly. But what was most surprising was what he noticed in his own body. His magic was different; it was growing faster than he could ever have imagined. He felt it every time he cast a spell: his already vast reserves seemed even deeper, his magical flow more natural.
"I'm finally reaching the limit," he thought silently, as he let his wand expel a silver flash of pure energy. "Soon I will cease to be a Conjurer. I am close... very close to becoming a Summoner."
That prospect filled him with excitement, but also with caution. He knew that his growing power would draw more eyes upon him.
At Hogwarts, the days seemed to pass calmly. After the initial commotion surrounding Harry Potter's arrival, the rumors and whispers had died down. Now the corridors were back to the same school routines as every other year, with minor pranks and Quidditch matches dominating most people's conversations.
However, Aurelian was not fooled. Behind that apparent calm, darkness was stirring. His father was there, preparing his next move. Voldemort had surely already set his sights on the Philosopher's Stone.
Within Slytherin, his position was unquestionable. His name was spoken with increasing respect. Many who had previously viewed him with suspicion and curiosity stopped doing so after he had proven what he was capable of, and no one dared to doubt him anymore. He was the direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin, the only student capable of speaking Parseltongue, and he had won an international dueling tournament.
When he walked through the corridors, the other students instinctively moved aside to let him pass. Some greeted him with respect, others looked at him with a certain admiration. Even the older students recognized him as someone they should not mess with or underestimate. He understood the value of that influence. In the not too distant future, the respect others felt for him could turn him into something more.
Of course. Hestia and Flora were always by his side, inseparable, further reinforcing the image of power and mystery that accompanied him. No one dared to question their 'relationship' anymore.
From his table, he watched with interest another new spectacle unfold: the beginning of a friendship that had become legendary. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were slowly coming together, amid arguments, adventures, and shared moments.
Aurelian watched them from a distance, observing a play whose script he already knew.
"The golden trio..." he thought with amusement. "To what extent will what I know be repeated? And at what point will everything begin to change even more?"
Winter was getting stronger, heralding the arrival of the Christmas holidays.
The atmosphere in the castle changed with the approach of Christmas. The walls were filled with green wreaths and magical lights that floated above the corridors, casting warm glows everywhere. Most of the students were looking forward to going home, but Aurelian had decided to stay at Hogwarts. He felt he needed that time to move forward, and besides... he wanted to see if anything related to the Philosopher's Stone would happen.
"So you're not staying this year?" Aurelian asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Flora looked down for a moment, as if she found it difficult to tear herself away from him, before replying.
"Our parents want to talk to us... about important things. Family matters, you know."
"Yes," added Hestia, her tone softer. "We need to be home for Christmas."
Aurelian looked at them both. He could sense that they were hiding something from him, or at least that they didn't want to give him too many details. He didn't press the issue. He knew their character well; if they had decided to leave, he couldn't change their minds.
Calmly, he took a step toward them and smiled.
"I hope you have a happy holiday. Don't worry about me... I'll be fine here."
The twins threw themselves into his arms. They hugged him tightly before looking up at him. He kissed them tenderly on the lips.
"We love you," they said at the same time.
Aurelian stroked both their heads.
"I love them too," he replied softly.
They finally parted, not without some difficulty. Then, with one last kiss, they picked up their bags and hurried toward the train.
A little while later, as the students said their goodbyes at Hogsmeade station, Aurelian stood to one side, his hands in his pockets and a thoughtful look on his face.
"Aurelian..." a shy voice broke the silence.
Neville Longbottom stood in front of him, clutching the strap of his backpack tightly. His eyes reflected both nervousness and determination.
"I've been thinking about what you said," he said, looking him in the eye. "I've made up my mind. I want to train. I want to be stronger. I want to be like you."
Aurelian looked at him silently for a few seconds, then smiled slightly.
"I'm glad to hear it. But remember something: I will keep my word... as long as you try your best. If you give up at the first hurdle or if you don't take what I'm going to teach you seriously, I'll stop wasting my time. Understood?"
Neville swallowed hard, but didn't back down.
"Understood, sir."
"Good," said Aurelian, his eyes sparkling at being called sir. "Get ready, then. We'll start after the holidays."
The Gryffindor nodded gratefully, then hurried onto the train just as the whistle announced its departure.
Aurelian remained on the platform, watching as the windows filled with faces waving goodbye. Among them, he spotted Hestia and Flora, who glanced at him from a distance. He raised his hand in farewell.
The train began to move slowly. The smoke from the train dispersed in the cold air until the long locomotive disappeared on its way to London.
Silence returned to the station.
Aurelian remained there for a moment longer, snow accumulating on his shoulders.
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