Harry Potter: Prince of Shadows

The night was tranquil, with the bright moon and countless stars overseeing the serene cottage. Gentle moonlight filtered through the half-draped curtains, casting a dappled pattern across the wooden floor, bathing the stillness in a silvery glow, and infusing the air with the faint scent of pine.

Ian sat at his oak desk, possibly older than him, with an air of determined curiosity. In one hand, he held his elder wand, its tip illuminating the forbidden tome that lay before him.

Secrets of Advanced Dark Magic

This ominous "Dark Bible," penned by the infamous sorcerer of an older era, Eolar Bloch, was said to cast its shadow over many significant events in the late 20th century.

The dread that gripped the wizarding world under Voldemort had its roots in this book, where he discovered the power he craved and laid the groundwork for his magical septenary plan.

Many knew only this: Voldemort had unearthed the method to create Horcruxes from this book, dividing his soul into seven parts, granting him the audacity to stand against Dumbledore.

Yet, the book held more than just the secrets of Horcrux creation.

It contained other sophisticated dark spells—knowledge that due to limited narrative focus, had remained largely hidden from the world.

Now, by a twist of fate, this book, likely capable of landing one in Azkaban with a single glance, sat quietly before Ian, piquing his interest.

Of course, the magic within these pages was unquestionably perilous. Dark magic, forbidden as it were, owed its banned status not solely to its potency and potential harm to wizards.

To understand, one needs to realize that many powerful spells exist.

However, magic labeled as dark often inflicts harm beyond its magical effect—acting as a corrosive force against those who dare to master it.

Negligence could lead straight to a descent into irreversible madness.

The Death Eaters' infamy for their lunacy could likely be attributed to dabbling in incomplete dark arts, evidenced by their leader's own extreme transformations.

"Surely Grindelwald wouldn't pass something so terrifyingly dangerous to his descendants, right?" Ian speculated, his knowledge of the first Dark Lord limited to her scant mentions in the original stories.

Perusing his History of Magic textbook hadn't clarified much; it barely alluded to Dumbledore's formidable rival, Grindelwald, with vague snippets.

This historical reluctance to delve into such narratives was evident in the wizarding elite. Yet, within those few records, one truth emerged: Grindelwald wasn't perceived as mad as Voldemort.

He was a dark sorcerer, an ambitious visionary, a Purger, and the chaos-inducing figure of his time.

Yet, even his adversaries couldn't deny his exceptional talent, contrasting Voldemort's depiction as a dangerous lunatic.

Grindelwald was known to be more forgiving to his followers than Voldemort, making Ian believe he wouldn't carelessly endanger his successors with dubious knowledge.

Of course, giving a child just of Hogwarts age access to a book like Secrets of Advanced Dark Magic certainly pushed the bounds of general understanding.

"Knowledge might have its dangers, but it isn't inherently malevolent," Ian assured himself after a long internal debate, deciding to cautiously open the book.

Many dark wizards might strive their entire lives without accessing the casual secrets this book revealed right before him. Few could resist such a temptation; Ian was no exception.

While he lacked interest in soul-splitting magic, he sought to master the three Unforgivable Curses, seeing their potential as a crucial tool for safety in the unpredictable environment of Hogwarts.

Voldemort's return was inevitable. Even if Ian avoided tangled fates with the young savior, merely being at Hogwarts posed inherent risks. He needed reliable means for self-defense.

"With critical thinking, just like the famous tactics of certain leaders, this isn't an acceptance of darkness," Ian mused, echoing what he told himself as comfort.

"Lumos!"

He moved his wand closer to Secrets of Advanced Dark Magic, the light from the Lumos spell providing steady, bright illumination, enhancing not only the visibility but also his habitual proficiency before resting each night.

The wizarding world offered practical lighting devices like the Deluminator, capable of absorbing and producing light.

However, such precious alchemical artifacts were beyond Ian's financial reach.

Besides, could a Deluminator match the skill-enhancing benefits of a Lumos spell?

"I'm only looking. I'm not really learning... well, maybe I'll learn a bit," Ian muttered, his whispered inner conflict still hovering as he moved the light closer to the book's pages, revealing the words in stark clarity.

This book, written in modern times, contained dark arts with traces of ancient spells, yet ultimately fell within the realm of contemporary magic,

making it far less obtuse than ancient runes, and thus, more accessible.

As Ian perused the first chapter, his earlier suspicions were confirmed. The book's initial pages contained handwritten annotations and dire warnings.

Not only that, each page contained inked commentary and reminders—extensively detailed explanations that suggested an understanding deeper than even the original author's.

Clearly, Grindelwald had specially curated this as a training guide for his descendants.

The book held secrets of greater worth than Ian imagined, surpassing its initial renown. The method for creating Horcruxes, although a critical element, was merely a minor section.

Indifferent to Horcruxes, the author showed greater interest in other dark arts that dominated the book's content.

From the first page, Ian realized the book's structure was progressive.

It started simply and grew more complex.

His eye caught a spell marked as "simple and not dangerous," annotated with "best suited for the Elder Wand." Instinctively, Ian began to read closely.

"Skeleton Reanimation..."

Engrossed, Ian inadvertently overlooked the fact he still gripped his wand.

Moreover, he underestimated not only the annotated teaching quality but also his own hidden potential.

[Corpse Control Spell: (Level 1): 2/100]

Unaware of the updates appearing on his status, Ian's senses focused solely on the vivid flow of magic now coursing through him.

Aghast, he watched as the warm, white glow from his wand's tip shifted into a sickly green hue, casting an eerie tone across the entire room.

"Creak... Creak... Creak..."

The old floorboards beneath him began to stir.