PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

11

Buzz dies down about me after the board of governors shows up. They decide not to get the Department of Magical Law Enforcement involved. As it happens, the time mechanism of the omnioculars was leaking gas into the air, which is why it was broken. If I hadn't interfered, there could have been a pressurized explosion which would have and slowed all of Hogwarts for weeks, even months. Plans are already made to send the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to the shop where I bought the omnioculars. In that condition, they never should have been sold.

They also confiscate the omnioculars.

When they leave, it is just Professor Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick, and me in the headmaster's office. Professor McGonagall saw the board out of the castle. I've been sitting this whole time, trying to make myself as small as possible. Professor Dumbledore has been moving across the floor, nearly gliding. For such an elderly man, he is quite nimble.

"It seems you are interested in time, Miss Turner" Professor Dumbledore's voice is whispy in a way.

"Miss Turner is very gifted with charms," Professor Flitwick seems to straighten beside me.

I feel myself shift in my chair. The room feels so cool, now that there are fewer bodies inside it, "I am better at theory than application, I suppose."

"Nonsense," Professor Flitwick moves behind me, toward Professor Dumbledore, "she is in the five highest achievers in her year, across disciplines, and consistently a top performer in charms."

My eyes dart over behind me. Professor Dumbledore is picking up an instrument in front of him. It should have occurred to me that I was clever. There are only forty students in our grade. Still, being in the top five means I am succeeding quite substantially. I suppose that my efforts this year have paid off.

"Well, I ought to say I'm not particularly interested in time," I point out. Both wizards turn to peer at me. "At least, no more than any other discipline. I am interested in the more complex theoretical divisions of magic. Studying them, employing them. The discipline of thought is just as interesting to me."

Professor Dumbledore nods. He puts down an instrument and picks up another. All of them are silver, and they are difficult to tell apart, honestly. This instrument is unassuming. Sitting on a circular metal base is a rod, as tall as my forearm but much thinner. Floating next to it is a metal sphere.

"Perhaps then, we focus your interests there," Professor Dumbledore offers, examining the device. "Do you know what it is?"

One of the paintings around his desk huffs. While Professor Dumbledore doesn't move, Professor Flitwick turns his head. The ball moves as well.

Perhaps it is wrong, but I stand. Professor Dumbledore holds out the instrument toward me, the ball turning to point to me as well. The ball isn't floating independently, I realize. There is a thin metal chain attached to it. So thin I've had thinner necklaces. The chain is taut, holding the sphere back. Floating would be too idle of a way to describe the ball. There are quite a few runes etched into the metal base. There is a caduceus on it, the symbol of Hermes. The Ancient Egyptian runes are hard to consider since they are usually a collection. I recognize these as the symbols of Seshat, the feminine Egyptian counterpart to the male counterpart to the Greek Hermes. Strange to have them both, I think. On the metal ball itself, there is a symbol I don't recognize. A sort of triangle, aflame.

My finger touches the symbol. They are hard to make out, being so small, "this one is you, isn't it?"

We've learned in Ancient Runes that some wizards, though few and far between, create their own runes. Just as I speak, the ball moves toward him.