Harry Potter: Prince of Shadows

[Name: Ian Prince

Occupation: Bloodline Sorcerer

Magic Level: 7 (in the midst of an explosive leap)

Skills:

Gift of Wisdom (This skill cannot be upgraded)

Potion Making Mastery (Level 2) 23/200

Sectumsempra (Level 1): 5/100

Fear Descent Curse (Level 1): 18/100]

Corpse Control Curse (Level 1): 2/100

Rune Mastery (Level 1): 14/100

Killing Curse (Level 1): 7/100

Ilumination Charm (Level 2): 3/400

…]

The information displayed on the panel was as straightforward and concise as ever.

Aside from the long list of spells Ian had learned either on his own or under someone's tutelage, two notable changes appeared on the panel. The first and most striking was his magic level.

"My magic level actually rose by three whole tiers!"

Ian fully grasped what people refer to in legend as sheer, raw power: the Golden Apple.

Mentioned in ancient Greek myths as well as in certain fairy tales, this marvelous fruit evidently possesses the formidable ability to directly enhance a wizard's magic level!

Now he was at Level 7—a leap of three entire ranks!

And it still might not be the Golden Apple's limit!

"In the midst of an explosive leap…"

No matter how Ian looked at it, that note on his system panel suggested the Golden Apple's effect could continue raising his magic level even higher. Whether that meant another full level or two remained to be seen. Whatever the case, it was undeniably an unimaginable benefit.

One must understand that, for most young wizards, once they experience their first magical outburst, their magic level only grows gradually with age. Apart from what most consider mere legend—like that elusive Elder Wand, known only to a very few—no one in the wizarding world had ever heard of anything that could directly enhance a wizard's magic.

Even the powerful and mysterious Philosopher's Stone cannot boost its user's raw magic. Essentially, a wizard's innate magic capacity almost always determines that wizard's future potential.

Against that backdrop, Ian never could have predicted that something known as a Golden Apple would possess the rare power to alter what most believe to be "destiny set in stone."

"No wonder the Golden Apple can serve as a primary ingredient for potions capable of reversing life and death!"

He now understood why the Golden Apple had gone extinct. Even if Professor Mara hadn't chopped down the last Golden Apple tree, such a treasure would surely have vanished in the course of history—by extinction or by some other means.

"Pandero truly gave me an incredible gift. Next time I return to the Mysterious Realm, I ought to prepare a token of gratitude that he might like."

Ian felt genuine appreciation for his friend from that distant domain. He picked up the wand lying by his bedside and could sense his own magical flow more clearly than ever before.

"Fire…"

He almost cast a spell right then and there, curious to see just how powerful his magic had become—only to remember he was in a wooden cabin, on a wooden bed. It was highly doubtful that wizards around here used fireproof varnish.

"That was close!"

Ever since he swallowed the Golden Apple, his thoughts had become exceptionally clear—a benefit that seemed linked to the [Gift of Wisdom] skill.

This was the only skill Ian had ever encountered that could not be upgraded, another boon from the Golden Apple. It provided him with a constant state of lucidity and composure.

In other words, it didn't grant him superhuman intelligence, but it did allow him to use every bit of his existing intellect more efficiently—staying free from most negative emotions and greatly improving his capacity to learn. One could think of it as a "lower-tier version of Ravenclaw's diadem." But even so, as a passive ability bestowed by the Golden Apple, it was utterly awe-inspiring.

"Lumos!"

Ian opted for the most commonly used spell. In the next instant, as if a surging tidal wave of magic poured in, a dazzling glow burst from the tip of his wand. The edges of that radiance silently expanded outward, and in a flash, the entire wooden hut was lit up brilliantly.

The luminous splendor was far brighter than the light he could muster before—previously, he could illuminate only a single room.

"This isn't enough! I need to try out something with actual combat power."

Euphoria flooded him at this newfound potency. In the middle of the night, wearing only shorts, Ian hopped off the bed, slid on his makeshift flip-flops, and dashed outside his humble hut.

It was dark beneath the night sky; the stars glistened overhead and all was deathly still. Ian gripped his wand, aiming at an empty patch of ground.

"Incendio!"

This was the only combat-oriented spell Ian currently knew that was considered "legal." When the magical circuit formed under the incantation, a burst of flame roared from the tip of his wand like a tidal wave.

"Still not enough!"

Even unleashing that flame felt effortless now. He channeled more magic into the spell's matrix, and the tongues of flame grew into a blazing dragon, rampaging through the night. Firelight danced against Ian's face, a mix of excitement and fervor shining in his eyes.

"The magical framework limits its output. But maybe if I tweak the structure of the incantation's circuit… add a few more pathways for magic to flow…"

Buoyed by his dramatic surge in power, and his current state of crystal-clear thinking, Ian began carefully experimenting with ways to add additional magic pathways to [Incendio].

"I can't let the framework collapse for even a second, or the magic will just fizzle out."

He attempted multiple times, only to see mere spurts of flame sputter from his wand, reminiscent of someone vomiting embers.

He had an inkling:

"Any new pathway inevitably disrupts the spell's existing structure. Seems unsolvable…"

Another attempt produced the same paltry cough of flames—though they could pass as fireworks, Ian knew this wasn't the effect he truly wanted.

"Maybe…"

He gripped his wand again, his mind racing.

"I shouldn't add any pathways to Incendio's initial incantation. Perhaps the instant the spell is nearly complete is the stable yet fleeting moment I need!"

That insight flashed through his mind, and Ian raised his wand once more.

"Incendio!"

The magical circuit formed, steady and whole under the guidance of the incantation. As soon as the magic coalesced—

"Now!"

Ian seized the fleeting opportunity.

"Hsst!"

What had been just a stream of flame suddenly exploded as if doused in gasoline. The flames erupted in a surge from the tip of his Elder Wand.

"BOOM!"

It was practically an explosion. The inferno shot into the sky, illuminating the fields around him and sweeping in all directions like a raging tidal wave of flame.

A scorching heat flooded outward, threatening to devour everything in its path—fences, trees, and even the little wooden hut that Snape had arranged for Ian seemed in peril of burning to ash in mere moments.

"Oh no!"

Ian never expected such terrifying power. He was overwhelmed, his mind blanking for a split second.

The fiery wave rolled on, blazing and roaring. The fences, the trees, and even the small cabin looked doomed.

"I'm done for!"

In that split second, Ian's mind raced frantically; all he could think of was summoning corpses to carry water and quell the blaze.

Right then, a voice—ancient and filled with wonder—echoed through the darkness:

"Brilliant, quite brilliant. What a splendid display…"

An elderly wizard in white robes strolled up along a path paved with smooth pebbles. In his hand was an archaic wand.

"…a masterpiece of creative magic."

He lifted the ancient wand lightly.

And just like that—as if someone had pressed Pause on reality—the unbearable heat, the raging flames, the scorched earth, and the burning cabin—everything came to a sudden halt.

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