Celestial Ascendancy

Celestial Ascendancy.

Chapter 17: Aftermath and rolls.

Elias Blake.

Hogwarts.

I was utterly stunned by what had just occurred. Out of the corner of my eye, I could still make out the charred outline of Barty Crouch Jr.'s body on the floor. The chair he had been sitting on was utterly gone, obliterated without a trace, not even a speck of ash remaining.

It was baffling. I wasn't a science nerd or anything, but even I knew that for something to burn so thoroughly, the temperature had to be unimaginably high.

Obviously, Incendio was not hot enough for that, nor were the flames Power Through Pain provided at my level. I couldn't replicate something like this with what I had available. The only curse I could think of that could replicate something like this was Fiendfyre, but if something like that were let out inside the classroom, no one, not even Dumbledore, could stop it before we were all incinerated.

Even the crematoriums that some countries used could not do something like this since they left a fine ash for the family. It was baffling, to say the least.

I didn't know precisely how Fiendfyre felt up close, but… this thing that happened was no Dark Magic. I don't know how to explain it, but there was an otherworldly feeling in those purple flames.

I had been present during the battle against the Basilisk, and I vividly remembered the oppressive, sickening aura of the Horcrux. But the feeling from these flames… was the complete opposite. These flames were different; they felt like they belonged entirely to the other side of the spectrum.

I wasn't naive enough to believe that everything had to fit neatly into the categories of dark or light like most of the wizarding world seemed to think. Magic was far more complex than that. However, there was a distinct, unmistakable feeling when one was in the presence of real Dark Magic. It was suffocating, malicious, as if the Air itself sought to weigh down your soul.

In my mind, I often compared Dark Magic to ink. On its own, it didn't immediately taint anyone in its presence. But when someone started using Dark Magic, that action alone tainted the wielder's soul.

It was understandable; Dark Magic was the easiest way to become strong, and that allure was dangerous.

I, myself, almost fell for it.

But I endured, not only because of my willpower but also because of my friends. They grounded me and reminded me of what really mattered.

There was another reason for me not practicing that kind of magic, and it was simple. Thankfully, there was no way for someone like me, a muggle-born orphan, to obtain those kinds of books. Dumbledore and the Ministry were really good at erasing that knowledge inside the school.

These flames, though, didn't feel like that at all. There was a rawness to them, a purity that was neither good nor evil. It was beyond those labels. It felt... impartial.

"What in Merlin's name was that?" Iris demanded, her voice a mix of anger and fear.

She clung tightly to me, her grip almost desperate, the same as Hermione, who was rubbing her bottom from the fall. I hadn't even thought about what I was doing; I'd just pulled them both close and thrown myself back, trying to put as much distance as possible between us and whatever that fire had been.

"Are you both okay?" I asked softly, my voice laced with concern. I turned to Hermione, who had tears in her eyes, and then to Iris, who was seething in place, her anger bubbling just under the surface.

Hermione nodded, though I could tell she forced the movement; her expression was pained. Without thinking, I pulled her tighter into my arms, drawing on my magic and guiding it with my will for her well-being. Healing touch guided me as discreetly as possible, threading through her body to ease the lingering shock from the fall.

I could see her lips part as if to say something; her gratitude was evident in her soft gaze, but she kept silent.

Shaking my head, I just smiled at her, happy she was feeling better.

Turning toward Iris, I noticed her still glaring fiercely at the spot where Crouch Jr. had been, the fire from moments ago disappearing in its entirety.

I gently touched her back, rubbing small circles to calm her. I didn't know exactly why she was so upset, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that I could help her through it. I didn't need to understand everything right now; I just needed to be there for her.

Iris took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling in rhythm, slowly starting to calm. I could feel the tension in her body begin to ease as she let herself breathe through it. I'd learned how to handle her when she got like this when the anger was mixed with fear and frustration. It was something that happened surprisingly often whenever we were at school.

Hermione had picked up on it, too, and after she'd shaken off the last traces of her own panic, she moved to join us, her hand resting gently on Iris's back.

"Everything will be okay, Iris," Hermione said softly, her voice soft enough to lift her spirit. She began rubbing circles on Iris's back like I had been. "We'll find another way to free Sirius, I promise."

Ah. So that was why.

Even if Iris understood that using Crouch Jr. wasn't a viable option to free Sirius, I could see how deeply it affected her. She had clung to the possibility that this was their chance, her chance, to free the only family she had left outside of the Dursleys. Despite everything, Sirius was the one person who had shown her kindness and understanding, even when the rest of the world seemed to turn its back on her. She was lonely; besides us two, she only had Sirius, which was a recent development.

I could understand that. Sirius had his faults, but he was Iris's only family member, which meant more than most people could comprehend for her.

The Headmaster stood next to McGonagall and Flitwick, who looked shaken by what had just happened. All of them were confused, and it was easy to notice when you knew what to look for.

The fire had been so intense that even the slightest touch had left a searing burn on Flitwick's arm, and though Fawkes' healing tears had helped, the injury remained far from healed.

That was another shock. What the fuck? Since when was there something potent enough to impede healing from phoenix tears.

"Headmaster, do you know what that fire was?" Hermione asked, her voice more calm than before. I was glad that she was back to her analytical self.

Dumbledore turned his gaze to us, his eyes wide with confusion and a hint of disbelief. It was clear that whatever had just happened was beyond even his comprehension.

"No, my dear," he replied slowly, his voice confused and upset. "I do not know what those flames were. Not exactly." He shook his head firmly, though I couldn't help but sense a deep unease beneath it.

"Really, Albus?" McGonagall asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You know more about magic than nearly anyone alive. How could you not know something like this?"

"And I am not infallible," Dumbledore replied after a beat of silence. "I am not all-knowing, dear Minerva, and Voldemort knows more about magic than I do. I try to avoid some areas of magic, as you well know."

"So it was dark magic?" Iris asked, her voice low and edged with barely contained anger. Her eyes narrowed, her posture rigid as she glared at the charred remains of the classroom.

"Of course, it was dark magic, Miss Potter," McGonagall replied firmly. "There is no other type of magic that could reduce someone to nothing like that."

As the conversation escalated, the classroom door opened, and Severus Snape entered. He looked around, surveying the destruction, his eyes lingering on the charred floor before finally settling on Iris. Snape finally sighed in relief seeing that everyone was alive, showing more emotion than usual.

Our relationship with him had shifted over the past year. My theory was that, though Iris had more of James in her than Lily, something about her reminded Snape of his old friend. He wasn't as hostile toward her as he had been in the past, though he still maintained a distance.

Thankfully, Snape didn't follow the typical trope of a creepy teacher. I knew I'd have a hard time holding myself back from taking him down if he had been. But as it was, he was someone who would protect Iris, given the chance.

"Professor," I nodded at him, my lips pressed into a thin line.

"Mister Blake," Snape replied curtly, his usual sneer nowhere to be seen.

"Severus, do you know anything about this?" Dumbledore asked, his voice firm as he locked eyes with Snape, his tone far more serious than I'd ever heard.

"You know I don't, Albus," Snape replied, shaking his head. "And should we be discussing this with students present?"

"I'm afraid they're more involved than I would like," Dumbledore sighed, glancing over at Iris. She stood there, as serious as ever, her face determined. Hermione, though still nervous, was equally resolute. As for me, I wasn't sure what to think, but I was more invested in the situation than anyone might've guessed.

"This wasn't dark magic," I said firmly as I turned back to Iris, who grew increasingly impatient.

"How can you say that, Mister Blake?" Madam Pomfrey asked incredulously, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Crouch was reduced to nothing. There is no light spell capable of doing that."

I rolled my eyes, meeting Dumbledore's tired gaze. It was mostly his fault that most of Wizarding Britain thought like this.

"This is what banning knowledge does to wizards, Headmaster," I said softly, a snort escaping me as I shook my head.

"Professor Snape," I asked, turning to the dark arts expert in the room. "Do you know of any dark spell that doesn't have that oppressive feeling when cast?"

Snape looked at me, his expression skeptical, before turning to Dumbledore. For a moment, there was a flicker of hesitation in his gaze, but he sighed, giving in with a reluctant nod from the Headmaster.

"The Unforgivables don't leave that sickening feeling when cast, Mister Blake," Snape returned to his usual dry, almost bored tone.

I snorted while shaking my head. "You know exactly what I'm asking, Professor. I mean real dark magic."

There was a brief pause in the room as everyone processed my words. The tension seemed to rise, thick with unspoken questions and hidden answers.

Snape's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond right away.

Dumbledore's gaze shifted between us, his face unreadable, but something flickered behind his eyes. I was walking a fine line here but was so confused that I needed real answers, not some empty platitudes.

"What do you know about dark magic, Mister Elias?" Dumbledore asked seriously, none of the usual warmth in his gaze.

I couldn't help but snort, meeting his gaze squarely. "Our second year, Headmaster."

The statement hung in the Air as Dumbledore sighed in despair.

He shook his head morosely as he looked at the ceiling momentarily.

"The boy is right, Albus," Moody rasped from the corner of the room, his voice rough as Madam Pomfrey administered potions to his injured form. "Real dark magic feels different. And I'm quite surprised someone as young as him has been in its presence."

Moody coughed dryly before continuing. "I don't know what that spell was, but I can confidently say it wasn't dark magic."

The room became quiet, and I could see Iris's frustration building as she crossed her arms.

"Is it really important?" she asked impatiently, the sharp edge to her voice cutting through the Air.

"I guess you are right, Iris. It doesn't matter what kind of magic this was, just that it happened," I said softly, trying to defuse the growing tension. The last thing I wanted was for us to get stuck in a cycle of wasting our time.

"What's going to happen now, Headmaster?" Hermione asked softly, as always thinking several steps ahead. "Now we know that Voldemort is planning to return this year, and that was the only thing we learned from Crouch. He was at school for a reason, and I don't think we should leave it like this. We need to do something."

"The lass is right, Albus," Moody grunted from his makeshift bed, which had been transfigured by McGonagall to accommodate his injuries. "This whole thing stinks, and you know, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

The sudden shout startled us, making Hermione, Iris, and I jump. The professors around the room either snorted or rolled their eyes in amusement before regaining their composure and turning serious again.

"Miss Granger is correct," McGonagall nodded somberly. "This is part of a grander plan from You-Know-Who, and we must address it before it's too late. We still don't know what they planned on doing."

Dumbledore sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping and his expression defeated but firm. "I will increase the security around the castle, Miss Granger."

"No Dementors, please," I said lightly. I meant it seriously, but the dry humor helped calm the tense Air in the room.

"No Dementors," Snape nodded in agreement, his usual cold demeanor unchanging, but his eyes narrowed with a hint of something else.

Who would have thought I'd have Snape agreeing with me on something? I never imagined the day I'd find myself on the same side of the fence with him. Even if he didn't hate us outright, he rarely interacted with us, and when he did, it was often out of necessity or disdain. Probably to maintain his cover.

Perhaps the Dementors reminded him of bad memories… I couldn't blame him for that.

Dumbledore chuckled softly, shaking his head ruefully. "No Dementors. I will speak with Amelia. I believe that some Aurors could assist in maintaining safety for the students. I will also increase the wards around the castle."

I was still skittish, unsure of what had just transpired. I knew the feeling wouldn't dissipate quickly, but I could do nothing to ease my mind. There were way too many questions without answers.

"Go to your common room, students. We will take care of everything from here," Flitwick said softly. "And, Mister Elias, as you can see, the lessons must wait a bit. I will send some books for you to read before I decide when we will start."

"Thank you, Professor," I nodded with a small smile and genuine gratitude.

Grabbing the girls' hands, I began pulling them toward the classroom's exit, eager to get some time alone with them.

"By the way, Professor, what do we say when asked?" I turned back to face Dumbledore.

Dumbledore paused, and his eyes gained a calculating edge. After a long moment, he replied. "Someone entered the school, and Professor Moody fought him until we arrived. He was injured in the fight, so there won't be any Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons until we find a replacement. Classes are canceled for the rest of the day."

"Good," I nodded at him, understanding the cover story. It was simple, but it would work. "That will work. We'll be going then."

"See that you do, my boy. And thank you for the assistance today, all of you." Dumbledore smiled, but something in his eyes, a tired sorrow, made the gesture feel empty.

"It was our pleasure," Iris chirped, though her face quickly soured. "Even if we couldn't do more."

I waved my hand in the Air dismissively. We'd done what we could. Now, it was time to leave the professors to fix this mess. The professors had enough to deal with without us lingering.

As the door closed behind us, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "That was something."

Iris snorted, the anger still bubbling beneath the surface but slowly dissipating. "I want to say he got off too easily… But I don't believe his death was painless."

"Not with those screams," Hermione shuddered, her face paling. "That was… that was horrible."

I nodded somberly but wasn't about to let the mood stay that heavy. "Why don't we spend the rest of the day in my Hollow?" I smiled at them, trying to lighten the mood. "In fact, I insist."

Both girls looked at me for a moment before smiling brightly.

They both nodded. "Sure thing, Eli," Iris said, though I could still see some frustration lingering in her eyes.

"Now, let me prepare a little surprise for both of you." I grinned teasingly, getting excited to see their reactions to my idea.

I halted our walk, turning to face them as I reached for my trunk.

Observing that no portraits were within line of sight, I tapped it twice and waited for it to grow to its normal size.

"Why don't you guys tell Ash how everything went?" I chuckled. "I'll join you in a bit. I just need to grab a few things before I come in."

The girls looked at me suspiciously but followed my instructions without protest. They probably needed Ash's presence in their lives after the chaos we'd just survived. It was time to set up something special—a little escape from the madness.

Thirty minutes later

"MMM!" Iris and Hermione moaned in unison as their mouths watered, eyes wide with delight. "Twinkle really stepped up his game today."

In front of us was a spread fit for royalty, courtesy of the house-elves. The food was impressive, far beyond the usual fare in the Great Hall.

Walking toward the kitchens had been easy enough, and convincing the elves to help me surprise the girls was even easier. Most of the elves were absolute fanatics regarding Iris' tales, and once I told them I wanted to surprise her and Hermione with something special, they didn't hesitate. They pulled out all the stops and made this incredible spread.

The food here wasn't usually seen in the school. There were entries, some stuffed mushrooms that smelled delightful, some mini quiches that made my mouth water, and then the main dish, a complete roasted pork with an apple in its mouth. As a side dish, there was some mashed potato and slices of different kinds of cheese, like blue cheese, cheddar, and manchego cheese, my favorite.

"Twinkle, you magnificent elf," I muttered under my breath as I placed a platter of cheese in front of the girls. They'd been through enough for today, and I wanted to help them relax. Spending some time together could also help my racing thoughts.

"Well, Eli," Hermione said, trying to keep her tone dignified but failing miserably. "You certainly know how to impress." Her eyes were glued to the feast before us, and her hands were already reaching for a delicate pastry.

On the other hand, Iris seemed to be in a constant state of disbelief as she poked at the food with a fork.

"This is incredible," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I mean, who knew house elves could be so extravagant? They don't usually cook like this for the rest of the school."

I chuckled softly. "The elves loved the idea of doing a feast for the great Iris Potter."

"Prat," Iris rolled her eyes, knowing I was teasing her.

It was delicious, and before long, the spread was reduced to crumbs, thanks to the girls and my appetite. Today had been hectic, and I suspected the following weeks, probably months, would still carry the aftermath of my meddling.

I hadn't expected this to happen. I was still shocked by the outcome of my bet, and I wasn't sure if I should be happy. Crouch's death didn't bother me at all, to be honest; I didn't care about him, but I wasn't sure how it would affect the future.

Voldemort wasn't known for giving up, so we needed to be ready for anything. At the very least, we had averted Iris's name being drawn from the Goblet. With the Aurors and professors on high alert, I found it hard to believe anyone could sneak in and put her name there. So, at least, that was something to celebrate, even if I couldn't exactly explain my happiness to the girls.

"Did you like it?" I smiled at them both softly, enjoying the closeness with my girls.

The smiles they returned warmed my heart. I really loved them both.

Thanks to my imagination and the trunk, we sat on a lush hill, the Air crisp and welcoming. It was a perfect place to relax and unwind, and Ash's presence helped. She was nestled next to me, chirping continuously with her wonderful and soothing voice. It was funny; when people talked about phoenixes, they mentioned their immortality or healing tears, but for me, the best experience with Ash was her singing.

"It was lovely, Eli," Iris smiled softly as she knelt next to me before pushing me onto my back and cuddling against me. "Thank you. I didn't know how much I needed to unwind."

Iris lifted her head from my shoulder and looked at Hermione with a teasing smile, wriggling her eyebrows. "Come here, Mione. There's space."

"Iriiiis," Hermione whined with a blush, "I can't do that."

"Of course you can!" Iris smirked. "I'm inviting you, and Eli doesn't have a choice, and we can guess what he thinks about it." She laughed out loud.

I made a sound at the back of my throat, half excitement, half nervousness, but I didn't say a word.

"Mioooone," Iris elongated her nickname, her voice dripping with amusement. "You only live once, don't make me beg, please."

Hermione blushed a storm but stood up timidly, approaching us slowly.

"I hate you both," she whined, then sat beside us.

"No, you don't~," Iris sing-songed before grabbing Hermione's shoulder with some effort and pulling her toward my chest.

Hermione squeaked but let Iris take the lead.

"Eli is comfy," Iris mumbled into my chest. "We should do this more often."

After some seconds of wriggling to find a more comfortable position, Hermione whimpered but didn't move anymore. "It's nice, I guess," she said, her face still flushed.

"We should take a nap for a while," I suggested, smiling as I put my arms behind my head. I couldn't erase the smile from my face. This was probably the happiest moment in my life, and I wouldn't change it for anything.

"Nice idea," Iris mumbled sleepily.

-------------

The soft chirping of Ash gradually pulled us from our nap, her song relaxing us even more as I started to wake up.

The warmth of the afternoon sun filtered through the trees, casting a gentle light over us. I could feel the girls' bodies shift slightly against me as they began to stir.

Iris was the first to blink her eyes open, a lazy smile stretching across her face as she snuggled closer.

"Mmm, I could get used to this," she murmured. Her hand reached my chest, resting there as she sighed content.

Still, in the crook of my arm, Hermione shifted and groaned softly as she blinked open her eyes. "Well, this is definitely... cozy," she said, her voice muffled against my shirt as she stretched. A blush tinted her cheeks, and I couldn't help but smirk.

"You look like a Crookshanks after a nice nap," I teased, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Ugh, don't make fun of me, Eli," Hermione grumbled, though a smile tugged at her lips. She finally pushed herself up, sitting cross-legged on the grass. Ash hopped onto her shoulder, chirping happily as she rubbed her cheek to Hermione, who squealed.

Iris stretched dramatically beside me, her limbs extending over her head. The movement drew my gaze, and I couldn't help but look at her in awe. She was so damn beautiful.

She caught me staring and smirked knowingly, her green eyes sparkling excitedly.

"That was the most relaxing nap I've had in ages," she sighed contentedly, letting her arms fall to her sides as she smiled at the fluffy white clouds drifting lazily in the sky.

"Same," Hermione agreed, now sitting up fully and brushing stray grass from her skirt. "I don't think I've felt this at ease in a long time. I didn't realize how much I needed this."

"We should do this more often," I said softly, my tone betraying how much I'd enjoyed the moment. I tried to hide it, but judging by their looks, I failed miserably.

Hermione blushed but smirked, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I suppose I wouldn't mind a repeat. What about you, Iris?"

Iris's grin widened unashamedly. "I think I've just discovered my new favorite pillow."

Before I could react, she pounced on me with an excited laugh, pushing me back into the grass. My protest died on my lips as hers met mine in a warm, lingering kiss. I sighed into it, threading my fingers through her hair as time stopped for us both.

"You mean so much to me, Iris," I murmured when we broke apart, my gaze locking with hers. The intensity in her emerald eyes made my heart skip a beat. "You have no idea how much."

"Mm," she nodded softly and put her forehead in mine. "If you feel even half of what I do, Eli, I think I have a pretty good idea."

"You guys are the worst," Hermione whined, her cheeks flushed a deep red. I only realized Iris had unintentionally pinned her in place during her impromptu leap, leaving Hermione awkwardly stuck with a front-row seat to our display.

"Sorry, Mione," I said sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. "I didn't mean to ignore you. You know I care about you too, right?"

Hermione's chocolate eyes softened, her blush deepening. "Eli," she murmured, her voice filled with emotion as she leaned forward and stole a quick, shy kiss. It was over too soon for me, but she pulled back, looking embarrassed but pleased with herself.

Iris smirked, her grin positively wolfish. "Well, now that that's settled, what's next?"

I returned her smile with one of my own. "Now, it's time for the rolls," I said, pulling the Celestial Grimoire from my soul. The silvery light shone from its depths. "I've got a good...no, a great feeling about today."

200 CP awarded. Total: 1,000 CP.

I let out a low whistle. "Damn. I didn't realize earlier with the kind of day we were having, but I've officially hit a thousand points for the first time."

"That's strange," Hermione said, her brow furrowing as she sat up straighter. "It doesn't follow logic. Some days, you barely get any points, but now, you get this? It's like the Grimoire is reacting to something specific."

Iris tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe you get more points when something important happens? Like today with… well, everything."

I shrugged, honestly having no idea. "Your guess is as good as mine. But it's a solid theory. Let's keep an eye on it and see if the pattern holds the next time something big goes down."

"So, what are you waiting for? Let's spend those points, Eli! Who knows what awesome things you might get?" Iris didn't care much and said with enthusiasm.

"I can't help but get nervous," I smiled. "Let's see if I get something good."

The good rag-Grimms' Fairy Tales (200 CP)

A rag that turns every inanimate thing covered with it into gold.

Bought 800 CP remaining.

It was short and to the point. Even then, I couldn't help but get excited. This fixed a glaring problem for our future. I had to be careful not to attract attention, but I got half the philosopher's stone. It wasn't the most famous part, but you know...money.

"Huh, that's going to be useful," I marveled at the rag in my hand.

Hermione and Iris inched closer but deadpanned when they saw the simple rag. It was unassuming and dirty, but I preferred it this way. For such a potent artifact, it was easy to miss.

"How much was that?" Hermione asked in a monotone.

"200 points," I grinned, expectant to see how she reacted.

"You were scammed!" Hermione said loud enough to hurt my ears. Ash chirped in protest in her perch, which helped calm her down.

"You don't even know what it does, Mione," I rolled my eyes.

"ITS A RAG, WHAT CAN IT DO? CLEAN?" she said almost hysterically.

"Mione, take deep breaths," I laughed. "Please, calm down. What have I said about criticizing something you don't know about?"

"That I shouldn't do it," Hermione lowered her head shamefully, "Sorry, Eli. I'll be silent."

Sighing, I rubbed her wild mane, "Mione, Luv, I'm not mad. Just wait until I explain the next time, yeah?"

"Um," she nodded, and I wiped a lone tear from her eye as I pulled her into my embrace. Hermione was soft and had low self-esteem even though we had tried to help her for multiple years. I knew she could grow from it, but it was a work in progress.

"This is called the good rag," I smiled at Iris, who looked at us with love in her eyes. Hermione was still ashamed of how she had acted but listened closely. "It's from something called Grimm Fairytales."

When the word "Grimm" left my mouth, Hermione had the rag in her hands, looking at it like it was the holy grail.

"By Merlin," she whispered, awestruck.

"Mione?" I asked softly, looking at my best friend doing a surprisingly good impression of Gollum.

Iris looked at her with shock; she didn't say a word.

"The brothers Grimm are my favorite writers after Shakespeare!" Hermione squealed, "What does it do, Eli?"

Smiling softly at her enthusiasm, I replied, "It converts everything inanimate to gold. Forever."

Iris gasped, and Hermione looked even more excited.

"I should continue," I snorted softly to Iris. She nodded and rolled her eyes at Hermione, who was in her own world.

Rolling once more, I felt as the Grimoire reached wherever it did to pull for something, hopping for something useful.

Clover Honey -Neverland: The RPG(150 CP)

A small jar of clover honey that protects whoever consumes it against the effects of eating Fairy food. Also protects against enchantments, poisons, and other effects from foods and drinks you consume. Jar refills a day after being used up.

Bought 650 CP remaining

Whistling, I looked at the unassuming jar in the mantle where we were sitting.

"I don't know how much use this will be since we aren't even sure if the Fae exist," I chuckled. "But... if they do, this will be really useful."

I didn't know much about the folklore of the Fae, but they were in a surprising number of worlds from my first life, and their existence here was just a legend. However, I knew how much the Ministry loved to hide the truth, so I wasn't sure.

"It's called Clover Honey," I told the girls, who were looking at the jar perplexedly. "It protects the person who ate it against the effects of fairy food. Does any of you have any idea what that means?"

Iris shook her head and shrugged, "You know how the Dursleys are, Eli."

The comment upset me, but I tried to hide it behind an understanding nod: " Don't worry, Iris. What about you, Mione?"

Hermione was looking at the jar in shock, and she dropped the rag as she grabbed the jar.

"Eli... If the Fae exist, this is something priceless and dangerous." Hermione said in shock, "From what I read in the muggle library, when someone eats something from the Fae, they get stuck in their realm and cannot leave. Another tale is that the perception of time gets jumbled, and people pass decades or centuries in there without realizing it. This can avoid any of that, and I'm sure the Fae would love to destroy this jar just for the connotations."

"Huh," I shook my head, "Well, I guess it could be useful."

Hermione shook the jar in frustration. "Eli, you don't understand. Have any of you read about mythology?"

"In elementary school, what does this have to do with the Fae?" I asked confusedly.

"Think about it like this: In Greek mythology, Hades gave Persephone some food, and her soul requires that she spend some time in the underworld to live, or something like that. This jar would allow you to avoid that, and from what I read, the Fae realm is probably worse than even hell."

"Let's hope we never have to do anything with the Fae if they exist," Iris chuckled.

Facepalming, I looked at her with a deadpan.

"Iris... you just tempted Murphy," I groaned.

"Don't tell me you believe that, Eli," Iris rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, whatever. If they exist and we get into trouble with them, I'm blaming you." I shook my head defeatedly, "I'll roll again."

Cryomancer-MORTAL KOMBAT 9-10 (600 CP)

You are a descendant of the Cryomancers, humans native to Outworld who can manipulate ice. Both Sub-Zeros and the younger Sub-Zero's apprentice, Frost, are the only known Lin Kuei to carry the Cryomancers' blood, though there are likely a few more. Your bloodline allow you to flash freeze your surroundings to create barriers or patches of ice- including the Air around your opponents to temporarily disable them- and can even allow you to quickly create icy weapons or freezing beams of cold. You can use your abilities to create an ice statue of yourself that freezes those who make contact with it, or to create icy armor that wards off minor blows. You are immune to typical cold and your own abilities and highly resistant to magical cold, including other cryomancers' abilities. If you wish, your powers can influence your body, giving you things like light blue skin or frozen hair.

As soon as the roll was completed, I could feel the Air in my surroundings drop in temperature quickly. Standing up fast, I ran away from Ash and the girls to avoid harming them.

"This is a big perk, I need some space!" I shouted as the girls stood up in alarm.

Getting some distance from them, I stopped suppressing the power that was now surging through my veins.

As soon as I relaxed my meager control, a faint exhale showed that my breath was coming as condensation, and I let go. Frost began flowing from my body as it coated me completely, and I could see it moving in a radius of 20 feet away from me.

"Haha," I couldn't help but laugh at the freezing temperature, which did nothing for me. I didn't feel cold at all, but I noticed the girls shivering 50 feet away.

"This is awesome," I murmured softly, lifting my arm and pushing the ice outside my body. A clear stream of energy flowed outside at neck-breaking speed. The stream collided with the hill and started freezing it without my input.

Moving my hand, I saw a wall of ice grow bigger and bigger without feeling any strain.

Smiling wildly, I controlled myself. I didn't want to push myself right now when I was spending some free time with the girls, so I stopped the flow and calmed down. It was an amazing roll. I never played this game in my first life, but I knew about it, and I remember that Sub-Zero could do some surprising things with his abilities, which now were mine.

It was an excellent power, and I couldn't wait to learn how to use it.

"What do you guys think?" I asked with a broad smile, "Awesome, right?"

Iris nodded with bright eyes, "That's so cool! Can you teach me?"

I shook my head sadly, "I don't think so, Iris. It's not magic; it's a bloodline. The perk is called Cryomancer, and it gives me power over ice. I can't wait to learn more about it."

Iris and Hermione pouted in unison, but they were smiling, happy for me despite that.

"This will be my secret weapon against Voldemort," I grinned wickedly. I didn't need to use my wand for my ice, and compared to power through pain, it was more versatile since the ice had a physical component, unlike fire. With my ice, I could block spells, specifically the killing curse, and it was fast enough to make a wall to protect us before the spell could reach us.

"I promise that he will not harm any of you," I promised softly, hugging the girls who had reached me.

"We know," Hermione nodded, her head on my shoulder. "And we are counting on you."

"Always." I smiled.

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