Time witchcraft

16

By the time he put the phone down, Eli could still feel an unknown fire burning quietly in his heart.

The fire was not violent, the temperature was not searing, it did not burn through his usual calm and steady, but somehow it did not go out. Even though he didn't really know what it was burning for, he could feel that he didn't reject it.

After he hung up the phone, he felt some embarrassment in hindsight -- his sanity seemed to come back with the end of the communication, and he now realized that the headmaster had been a little deliberate in listening to the song with his eyes closed.

"Sorry, Professor, I've taken up a little more time." He apologized earnestly, adjusted the receiver carefully, and, after a moment's recollection, concluded, "The signal is fine, and it does exactly what a telephone needs to do to communicate... Professor?"

He shouted twice more, and Dumbledore, as though recovering from his musical immersion, stopped playing his own harp beside him. His blue eyes looked at him through half-moon lenses, genial as ever, and it seemed as if nothing had really happened, leaving Eli somewhat embarrassed and wondering why on earth he felt it.

"Oh, I suppose so, of course." "Said Dumbledore, smiling." With your clever idea, and Arthur's ingenious refit, it will certainly work as intended, I have no doubt of that."

To be honest, Eli himself was skeptical. This was his first time working with someone like this, and he had no experience to draw from. But it was clear that the affirmation from the headmaster was a powerful encouragement, and although he knew there must be an element of exaggeration in it, he was inevitably pleased by it.

"Do you think the magic telephone will go well, Professor?" Eli looked inquiringly at Dumbledore, a little apprehensive in anticipation.

"I don't think that's important." "Said Dumbledore slowly, winking at him." As we all know, every change is meaningful, no matter how small or large its impact is at the moment -- do you think that if this magic telephone advance does not go as well as you had hoped, you will be so frustrated that you will accept your fate and not continue doing what you want to do, Eli?"

"What? Of course not." "It doesn't matter whether I succeed or fail this time. If I want to do something, it means I think it's worth doing. It may not be easy, and it may not be wise, but I will do my best before I stop."

Dumbledore smiled at him as Fawkes made a soft cry from a shelf nearby and fluttered toward him -- though he had seen the Phoenix for months, he had marveled at its beauty and sanctity every few times.

The Phoenix laid its powerful claws gently on his shoulder and gently pecked at his earlobe, enveloping him from head to toe with a warm feeling. A feather fell slowly in front of him -- Eli caught it just in time, glancing slightly quizzically from the beautiful, muscular phoenix to the relaxed Dumbledore.

"Has Fawkes come to the time for molting?" "He asked hesitantly." I read that phoenixes don't usually start shedding their hair until they're close to nirvana..."

"I think what you read in the books is exactly right, Eli. Then it will be obvious that this feather came from Fawkes." "Said Dumbledore, beaming as Eli looked surprised." The Phoenix possesses powerful magic. Its feathers are used as the cores of wands, are highly active materials, and are choosier in choosing their owners. I remember that the core of your wand was a phoenix feather, and you must have some sense of that."

"Yes, you do." Eli nodded in surprise, staring at the feather. "Fawkes gave it to me? Thank you very much... But what does it expect me to do with this feather? I can't get another wand ordered."