Stealing Magic: A Darker Hogwarts

Sean stood, his dorm room bathed in the dim flicker of enchanted torches, their light dancing across the Slytherin-green curtains. He gently lifted Kurkan from his shoulders, the snake-like creature giving a soft hiss as he placed it on the bed, its scales shimmering like a moonlit lake. Stepping to the center of the stone floor, Sean took a steady breath, his heart thrumming with anticipation. It was time to test his new talent: Blessing of the Cornish Pixie·Flying LV1. He focused, activating the ability, feeling a faint tingle, like a charm sparking to life.

Slowly, his feet left the ground. His body rose, hovering a few inches above the floor, wobbling slightly as he adjusted. Under his mental nudge, he drifted toward the other side of the room, gliding past his desk and bed. The speed matched his usual walking pace—steady, deliberate, but hardly thrilling. Flying? Sean thought, a wry grin tugging at his lips. This is more like floating, like a Puffskein caught in a breeze.

He chuckled, shaking his head. I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. The Cornish pixies, with their frantic buzzing wings, could dart and weave like tiny Quidditch players. But on him, a second-year Slytherin, their "flight" was reduced to a sluggish hover. Hovering ability, more like, he mused, drifting back toward his desk. Not just floating, though—it's moving forward, at least. That's something, right?

Frustration crept in. Are you kidding me? After all the chaos of Lockhart's pixie-filled lesson, this was his reward? He considered dismissing the talent entirely—Prankster Trick LV4 was useless enough, and now this?

But a spark of Slytherin cunning stopped him. What if he could boost it? Wizards could fly without brooms; Voldemort himself soared through the air, a dark specter defying gravity.

If the system's talent was too slow, maybe a spell could amplify it. A Locomotion Charm, perhaps, to propel him faster?

Sean's eyes lit up. He drew his wand, whispering, "Locomotor," aiming the charm at himself while channeling the flying talent. The effect was instantaneous—and catastrophic. His body shot forward like a Bludger, careening across the room. BANG! He slammed into the wooden cabinet by the wall, the crash echoing. The cabinet toppled, spilling books, potion vials, and a spare quill onto the floor. Sean hit the ground, his robes torn at the sleeve, his hair a mess, but a wild grin spread across his face. That was fast.

Across the hall, Jason Mir jolted awake, his heart pounding. He'd swapped rooms at the semester's start to stay close to Sean. The loud crash from Sean's room snapped him to action. Barefoot in his pajamas, wand in hand, he sprinted to Sean's door, banging on it. "Sean, Sean, are you okay?"

Footsteps shuffled inside, and the door swung open. Jason's eyes widened at the sight: Sean, disheveled, his robes torn, stood in the doorway, the room behind him a wreck. The cabinet lay on its side, its contents strewn across the floor. Sean, though, looked unharmed, his face alight with uncontainable excitement.

"Sean, what's wrong with you?" Jason asked, gripping his wand.

Sean shook his head, his grin infectious. "I'm fine. Just testing something and… well, I crashed into the cabinet. Sorry for waking you."

"I'm fine, but are you really okay?" Jason pressed, scanning Sean for injuries.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Sean said, brushing off his torn sleeve. "You know my Strength—a little crash won't hurt me."

Jason hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, someone's coming. You should get to bed. I'm heading back."

"Good night," Sean called, but as Jason turned, he added, "Oh, Jason, you don't have to shadow me at Hogwarts. It's safe here, and our schedules don't match. You've got electives, I've got my classes—don't waste your time trailing me. It's pointless."

Jason frowned, his sense of duty clashing with Sean's words. "But my duty is…"

"No duty," Sean cut in, smirking. "Besides, you can't beat me in a duel, right?"

Jason sighed, caught off guard by Sean's blunt truth. "Fine," he said, his tone reluctant. "I'll focus on my own stuff, but if you need me, contact me, and I'll be there."

"Sure, sure," Sean said, waving him off. "What could go wrong in Hogwarts?"

Jason paused, catching a fleeting edge in Sean's tone—sarcasm, or something deeper? Sean often spoke with a cryptic accent.

Jason shrugged it off, used to Sean's quirks, and headed back to his room, the torchlight flickering as he went.

Sean closed the door, his grin returning full force. He couldn't suppress it now. Combining Locomotion Charm with Blessing of the Cornish Pixie·Flying LV1 had worked—better than he'd dared hope. That burst of speed, even restrained, was exhilarating.

What a brilliant surprise! he thought, waving his wand.

"Reparo," he cast, righting the cabinet and mending its scattered contents.

A second flick repaired his torn robes, the fabric stitching itself seamlessly. He scooped up Kurkan, who gave a grumpy hiss at the earlier chaos, and stroked its head, soothing its irritation.