Harry Potter and the Rogue Mage

Chapter 6 - Terms and Conditions

'I think that went rather well, don't you?' Dumbledore smiled cheerfully at Rowan as they closed the door to the staffroom behind them. Rowan nodded slowly, a stunned half-smile still on his face.

'I've got to admit,' He said with a smile, 'you're one smart wizard.'

'Thank you Rowan.' Dumbledore replied graciously. They turned and headed off towards the center of the castle, Rowan hopping slightly with each step as the soles of his feet burned. Dumbledore cast him a curious glance.

'Is there anything I can do to alleviate your discomfort?' Dumbledore asked, concerned, as Rowan hissed in pain. 'You look truly uncomfortable.' 

'I don't think so, but thanks.' Rowan reassured him, skipping forwards and backwards on the tips of his feet. 'There's a lot of magic in these stones. I'll work out something to do in the long term, but for now, don't worry about it.'  Dumbledore nodded, and they kept walking. 

Before long, they reached a large stone gargoyle, which appeared to be dozing slightly on its ornate pedestal. Dumbledore turned to Rowan, speaking in a low voice so as not to wake it. 

'My office.' He told the mage, pointing to the gargoyle. 'Speak the password "sherbet lemon," and the guardian will allow you entry.' Rowan nodded in acknowledgement, and they moved on, walking quickly and quietly through the castle, the paintings on either side of them all dozing softly in their frames.

'Sir,' Rowan spoke up as they passed a deserted classroom, 'I know I've already accepted the job, but is there anything else you want me to do, other than test for affinity?' Dumbledore shrugged.

'Well, if you feel the need to further invest, I'm sure I can come up with more tasks to keep you occupied.' The wizard smiled at Rowan, who grinned back. 'But no, for the moment, test the students, keep an eye on them, and then report back to me.'

'I feel like I should mention,' Rowan confessed as they rounded a corner, 'aptitude for magecraft is rare, and normally limited to those who have had little contact with magic throughout their lives. I can't guarantee that I will be able to find anyone, but-' 

'Do not worry, Rowan.' Dumbledore interrupted. 'Should none of my students present the aptitude, I will bear you no ill will or malice. It is highly likely that they have already been conditioned by the wizarding world, but nevertheless, please test them anyway.'

'Of course, I wasn't-'

'My main goal,' Dumbledore interrupted him again, 'is that I wish for my students to be made aware that there are other disciplines of magic that exist in the world. If it truly does come to war with Lord Voldemort's followers, and what you say of your kin's intents is true, then a broader magical knowledge will undoubtedly serve them in their favor.' Rowan hummed for a moment, considering this. 

'You know,' he began, 'if none of them are able to perform magecraft, I'll be limited in what I can teach them. I should be able to revise their main perception of magic, and maybe give them a few tricks of the trade to keep up their sleeves, but other than that, I don't know.'

'Well then, you must do what you are able.' Dumbledore said simply, with a soft smile. They reached the end of the corridor, passing through a large, stone archway to stand at the edge of a large, open space, filled with stone staircases. As Rowan watched, one of the staircases above him broke away from the wall with a loud rumbling creak, and swung across the open space to connect to another platform high above them, halting suddenly, and growing silent. 

'Wow.' Rowan murmured to himself appreciatively. Wizard magic was most certainly unlike magecraft. He turned to look at Dumbledore, who was watching the staircases also, and waited until the headmaster's gaze fell upon him.