As Dean's sixth year progressed, he began to delve into forms of magic that went far beyond the curriculum at Hogwarts.
The knowledge came from multiple sources. The Horcruxes he'd absorbed had given him access to Voldemort's dark magic, but Dean was careful not to limit himself to just dark magic. He studied ancient texts on Celtic druidry, on Eastern meditation practices, on pre-Hogwarts magical traditions that had been lost or suppressed.
In the Room of Requirement, Dean began to experiment with combining these different magical systems. He created spells that didn't require incantations, drawing on wandless magic techniques that he'd learned from ancient texts. He developed rituals that could amplify his power exponentially. He learned to manipulate magical theory itself, bending the rules of what was supposed to be possible.
One of his greatest discoveries came from a book he found in the restricted section: a text on runic magic that predated even the founding of Hogwarts.
Runes, Dean learned, were the language of power itself. By carving specific runes and imbuing them with magical energy, he could create permanent enhancements to his abilities. He could create wards that would protect him from Dumbledore's intrusions. He could create artifacts that would amplify his power.
He spent weeks learning to carve runes, starting with simple ones and gradually moving to more complex patterns. His hands became calloused and scarred from the work, but the results were worth it.
By the time he'd finished, his body was covered in runes. Hidden beneath his robes, they formed a network of power that enhanced his magical reserves, his durability, his speed, and his resistance to magical attack.
He was no longer just a wizard. He was becoming something more.
Hermione noticed the changes, of course. She'd always been perceptive, and the more Dean changed, the more she watched him.
"You're not Harry," she said one day, confronting him in an empty corridor. "I don't know who you are, but you're not Harry Potter."
Dean considered lying, but he realized that would be a waste of time. Hermione was too smart to fool for much longer. And he needed to decide what to do about her.
"You're right," he said finally. "I'm not Harry. But I'm not anyone else either. I'm someone new. Someone who was given a second chance."
"What happened to Harry?" Hermione demanded, her wand raised.
"Harry died," Dean said. "In the Tournament. His body was given to me as a vessel. And I've decided to use it to do something he never could: break free from Dumbledore's control."
"That's insane," Hermione said. "Dumbledore's trying to help us. He's fighting Voldemort."
"Dumbledore is manipulating us," Dean said. "He's using us as pieces in his grand game. He's decided what our futures should be, what choices we should make. And I'm done accepting that. I'm going to give people the freedom to choose their own paths."
Hermione's wand hand trembled. "I should turn you in. I should tell Dumbledore everything."
"You could," Dean acknowledged. "But you won't."
"How can you be so sure?" Hermione asked.
"Because deep down, you know I'm right," Dean said. "You've always been frustrated by the rules, by the way authority figures make decisions for you. You want freedom as much as I do. The only difference is, I'm willing to fight for it."
Hermione lowered her wand slightly. "What do you want from me?"
"Nothing," Dean said. "I'm not asking you to help me. I'm just asking you not to stop me. Let me do what I need to do."
After a long moment, Hermione nodded slowly. "If you hurt anyone... if you become like Voldemort..."
"I won't," Dean said. "I've absorbed pieces of his soul, but I'm not him. I have his knowledge, his power, but not his madness. I'm going to use this power to free people, not control them."
Hermione seemed to accept this. And from that day forward, while she didn't actively help Dean, she also didn't stand in his way.
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