𝐌𝐔𝐆𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐒 ; James S. Potter

39. The Chosen One and the Other One

THE HOUSE THEY WERE IN, JAMES DISCOVERED, WAS MCGONAGALL'S. Located at the edge of Hogsmeade, his improved invastigation skills led him there, after seeing Blackwood's name appear next to Nora's and McGonagall's on the map—and how they suspiciously seemed to be going somewhere together.

      He winced, thinking how he had now broken into his headmistress' office and home. Blackwood's voice, then, to him sounding like a scratch on a blackboard, broke him out of his thoughts.

      "Minerva thought of a plan, and it has been in the works ever since you started with your lessons," she said, looking only at Nora. It was obvious she was too ashamed to face her mum or James' dad.

      McGonagall nodded slowly, pursing her lips. "I have developed a spell of sorts, for you to attempt the obliviation."

      "You invented a spell?" Nora repeated. She stood on the other side of McGonagall's desk—James, Harry and Emelia were all behind her, as if to show that they were only there to support her.

       James stood with his arms crossed, listening with great intent. His head had started hurting over two hours ago, and he didn't know if it was from frowning so damn much, or because of having been hit by a hex.

      "Yes," McGonagall nodded, and it sounded like a 'but' had to follow. It didn't.

      James hated all of this; the headmistress always seemed sure of herself, but now, when she needed to be the most certain she'd ever been... She simply wasn't.

       "It's precise, controlled, and will wipe only the memories related to magic—no more, no less. But... it's not simple. Not even for a witch with such powers as you."

Blackwood then spoke again. "With the help of a special plant, Lumosfera Ignis, we can amplify your magic enough to make this obliviation possible."

James' eyes widened. "Lumosfera Ignis?" he echoed, the name tugging at a memory of his own research. Finally, studying Herbology paid off. "Isn't that plant—"

"It's usually used for spell enhancement, yes," Blackwood interrupted. "But Professor Longbottom has worked on creating a crossbreed, one that amplifies magical abilities without the... dangerous side effects the original has been known to cause."

      "How are you so sure it won't have any side effects?" Emelia Mercer stepped up, staring Blackwood down skeptically, the air around her screaming protection. James was happy she said something, because he also wanted to. "After decades of people using the plant and enduring awful side effects, suddenly a bloody Hogwarts professor manages to create a crossbreed that's the solution to all our problems. How convenient."

      McGonagall pressed her lips together, disliking Emelia's challenging tone. Nonetheless, she nodded. "I, myself, have tried the crossbreed. Lumosfera Ignis X. And it has proven to be successful."

      "I won't believe you until I see it," Emelia stated, crossing her arms. "On you, of course."

      "I understand."

      James began pacing back and forth, his frustration barely contained as the room's tension grew thicker by the second.

     "The spell," McGonagall began, carefully weighing her words, "will take time. You won't be able to perform it immediately, Nora. It requires control, precision, and more than anything—focus. Each day leading up to the event, you'll practice refining your magic with the help of the Lumosfera Ignis X."

     Nora frowned, unable to hide her worry. "So... what does that mean, exactly? How will I even start?"

      "You'll need to strengthen the core of your magical abilities, pushing your power through specific channels to target only the muggles tied to the Project," Blackwood interjected. She had the nerve to look calm, but her eyes betrayed her. "That's why the training is so crucial. We can't afford any mistakes."

     "Control the core of my magic," Nora muttered, unsure what that even meant. She glanced at McGonagall, seeking clarity.

     James tried to slowly comprehend all of what was being said, but it was getting more and more difficult.

      The headmistress sighed, motioning for Nora to sit, her usual briskness softened by the gravity of the situation. "You will learn to channel your magic in waves, sending out a pulse that will sweep across the Muggle World. But it's not just about raw strength—it's about finely tuning your magic so that it can isolate only the memories of people with the intentions of breaching into the Wizarding World."

     "And if I fail?" Nora asked quietly. James was wondering the same thing.

     McGonagall's gaze was steady. "You won't. Not with the time we'll give you to practice. You'll work with me daily, focusing on different stages of the spell. Think of it as a sequence: first, you'll learn to target specific thoughts and emotions related to magic. Then, with the help of the Lumosfera Ignis X, we'll amplify that control, allowing you to project it on a larger scale."

      Nora's face was pale as she tried to absorb the information. "But how can you be sure it will only take the memories of those specific people? How can I stop it from doing more than that?"

     "The plant's properties will help with that," Blackwood said. "It sharpens your intent, makes your focus sharper than ever. But that's where practice comes in. You must practice so that by the time you cast the spell for real, your intent will be clear, and your magic will do exactly as you desire."

     "And how long will this... training take?" Nora asked, voice shaking slightly.

     "As long as it needs to," McGonagall replied. "We don't have an exact timeline, but you'll work with me every day. You'll start small, focusing on just one memory at a time. We'll move to larger groups of memories, eventually working up to casting it on multiple targets at once."

     "So I'll be erasing small memories from muggles?" Nora asked.

      "No," McGonagall shook her head. "You'll be practicing on magical objects, enchanted items—ones imbued with memories or echoes of magic. You won't actually be performing on any humans until we're certain you've perfected the spell."

      James was still pacing, visibly restless. "This sounds like it could very easily go awry. No offence."

      Nora shrugged, while McGonagall shot him a sharp look. "That's why we're taking the time, Mr. Potter. Nora will not be rushed."

      Emelia Mercer folded her arms, looking from Blackwood to McGonagall. "And if this doesn't work? What then? You're placing all of this on my daughter, relying on a plant and a spell no one's ever tried on this scale."

      "We won't let her fail, Emelia," McGonagall said, her tone firm but softened with a rare hint of compassion. "Nora is more than capable of this task."

      Nora sat back, staring blankly at the desk in front of her.

      James' mind, however, suddenly went elsewhere. Looking at Nora, he recalled the same face of worry every time they'd landed themselves into McGonagall's office, waiting to hear their punishment for whatever pranks they'd pulled. It was almost funny, how the two of them had now managed to end up together in all of this.

      He sighed, wishing he knew how to help. But it wasn't just about Nora mastering the spell—it was the responsibility of safeguarding the Wizarding World from exposure, from the chaos that could unfold. She'd been thrust into this role without asking for it, but now she had to rise to the occasion.

      And to think that James, from the start, had only wanted to live up to the family name—to become the hero they needed in this dispute. How humbling it was, to stare at Nora, knowing she was the real answer to the Wizarding World's problems.