Greater than Good (Grindeldore 1899)

Chapter 7. Gellert's Library

Albus followed Gellert up the stairs to Mrs Bagshot's library room. When Albus had just started Hogwarts and a few years following, he spent many hours here. The room felt closer to the warmth of the Hogwarts library, the place where the mind was one's most important feature, and being there, he felt more eager to fill his. Compared to that, his home felt like a ray of a distant spring sun after rain, relieving but colder than you'd like.

When they entered a room, Albus noticed the changes immediately. The shelves covering the walls seemed untouched, though it would've been difficult to do otherwise. They were fully stocked. However, the two tables in the middle of the room were crammed with books. Piles of them burdened the table and cast a shadow from the window directly across the door. Albus began to browse the spines with his eyes. He saw titles in English, German, Ancient Runes, Italian, French, Russian, and even Gobblegegook, which Albus didn't consider as a language that would be of use or provide any helpful information. Subjects span from herbology to psychology to divination to the most advanced of alchemy. Albus flipped through quite a few of them, reading a paragraph here, a page there. He wanted to get a taste of them all. One of them he opened hoping to find some information that could potentially be used for his idea of a sleeping spell, but its contents gave form to new thoughts in Albus's mind. As he was examining the books, Gellert went across the room to the desk by the window which, and Albus only noticed it now as the piles of books were obstructing his view, was covered in open books. A quill sat on a roll of parchment, ready for an idea to be written down.

Gellert took a couple of books from the desk, turned around, and looked at the book Albus was reading  " 'Transfiguration of the Mind'?" He asked, not because he didn't know the title. He seemed to recognise the book Albus was holding with one glance at its cover. Albus nodded. Gellert continued, "Interesting theories on magical illnesses of the mind, however lacking in empirical evidence for my liking. I'm much more interested in the practical side.''

Magical illnesses of the mind. Albus knew of one. What if there's a way to fix it? He craved to feel like he had the whole world in front of him again. He coveted to have no responsibility for anyone other than himself. If he could make Ariana's illness disappear, if he could leave her alone just for a moment, an afternoon, a day or two.  If he could see her off at King's Cross and not have to care for her for 9 good months like all the other children her age.

"This one theory I've found more substantial." Gellert continued. "I've been researching to see its true power and potential. I assume you've heard of it."

He held up one of the books. It read: "Mind to Matter, Matter to Mind. The Unearthed Potential of Transformation Magic." Albus read the short introduction.

"The volume presently cradled within the grasp of the discerning reader is not intended for the casual gaze. It is meant for the eager to pursue the clandestine aspects of the science magic. My purpose herein is to illumine a tiny fragment of its contents, a fragment that I find profoundly curious. As the title implies, we concern ourselves with transformation magic or, more precisely, its potentialities. In the preceding period, our understanding has been confined to meager branches of transfiguration: object to object, animal to object, human to animal. Having it thus arranged, the domains yet unexplored in the science of transmutative magic become evident - vast expanses awaiting scholarly exploration. [...]"

"Yes, I've heard of this but only as a theory. And it's an interesting one, but I didn't think it was physically possible or even attempted. Giving mind to things that didn't possess it and playing with the minds that do. I don't assume it to be answered by a transfiguration school textbook."

"Well, what's good of a theory if there's no way to apply it? A theory is mere words - the experiment - that is what's of importance. That is the core of magic!"

Albus smiled, seeing how passionate Gellert was about this. "I suppose." Though inside, it made him think if he wanted to try it out himself. "What's the purpose of it, though? Why seek hidden knowledge? Isn't what's out in the daylight enough?" Albus knew what he'd answer, but he wanted to hear what his new friend thought.

"There will be no progress if we don't stray away from what we are taught. The greatest magic is found through the experiment."

Though Albus himself believed there's still plenty to be discovered in the seemingly obvious and explored, Gellert's answer intrigued him. He was curious to hear and see more. Gellert was prooving himself more and more enticing to Albus. And so when the next sentence came out of Gellert's mouth, the answer was obvious.

"Would you be up for joining next time I conduct an experiment?"

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Author's note:

i feel like it would be immoral for me not to mention that a tiny part of this chapter had been enhanced by AI. I think I mentioned it before that I feel like I can't do the character's justice because I can't write smart enough (because I'm not a native English speaker, etc). So when I wrote a rough draft of the book excerpt part, I realised that I, by myself, am not capable of invoking that old-timey feel that I wanted that part to have. So I put it into ChatGPT and asked to make it sound "like it was written in the late 19th century." What you've read is not what I was given by ChatGPT but an edited version to make it sound more like what I could've come up with after spending more time on the thesaurus page lol.
TLDR: ChatGPT rephrased a single paragraph I've written to make it sound more old-timey and sophisticated, since I'm not that smart on my own, and I feel kinda weird about it (using AI in my writing).

Anyway. I don't really know how I want to structure the next chunk of the story. Now that Gellert and Albus know each other and are getting closer, but before shit starts to hit the fan. I think I'll need to take a break to plot this whole thing and research about the wizarding world more. Turns out there's some stuff in Deathly Hallows that messes up my timeline, and idk what to do with it yet.

This author's note is almost as long as the chapter itself, sorry ://
Have a great day. Bye