154: Sentient Silver Wick Sword

154: Sentient Silver Wick Sword

Today was the day to go to Hogsmeade, so Snape put the search on hold for now.

Seeing Snape hurriedly walking through the school, John could guess he was off to catch someone.

Folding up the Marauder's Map, John made his way to the Constellation Society's secret chamber.

Come to think of it, he hadn't been in there all week, and the Firebolt that was originally placed in the Constellation Society was borrowed by Malfoy.

He said that he wanted to use it as a secret weapon, so he did not advertise it.

However, John saw Malfoy returning to the dormitory with injuries several times, probably from falling.

Standing at the round table of the Constellation Society, the ceiling above shone with the light of thirty-six purple stars, casting a star map onto the table.

With a snap of his fingers, the table split open from the center, revealing a hidden entrance.

This was the armory, and a pair of half-finished shoes rested there.

John hadn't had the time to finish them. Several enchanted rings were placed on the counter, and the Silver Wick Sword hung on the wall in the center.

Raising his hand, the Silver Wick Sword trembled briefly before flying into John's grasp.

Taking a bottle of prepared soul potion, John drank it down—he was about to attempt a bold experiment.

He called it "Soul Infusion."

He waited for the effects of the soul potion to take hold.

He took a purified, extracted soul from the cabinet. Raising his right hand, John watched as a silver ring spread over his entire arm like liquid.

His silver, gleaming hand moved slightly, momentarily suppressing the injury on his right hand.

Opening the bottle containing the soul, he placed it on the table. John's mouth moved, and ancient, cryptic syllables filled the air.

The soul responded to his incantation, unraveling strand by strand, gradually entwining around the Silver Wick Sword.

In an instant, the chamber burst into light.

Magic drained rapidly, and John's gaze fixed unwaveringly on the Silver Wick Sword.

The next second, the soul was fully infused into the sword.

The sword's mithril-crafted blade shook violently, and John felt his own soul being tugged apart.

"Ug, Anima, veni."

With the spell cast, John forcefully suppressed the sensation of his soul being pulled away. Inside the Silver Wick Sword, the infused soul was restless.

In that moment, it felt as if an invisible pressure was descending upon him.

Gritting his teeth, John held steady as the soul within the Silver Wick Sword resisted fiercely.

Even when he had once torn souls apart and ingested them, he had never encountered resistance like this.

"Is this the rebellion against touching the forbidden?"

A glint of determination flashed in John's eyes as the Silver Wick Sword flew out of his hand, hovering in mid-air.

He hadn't used a Levitation Charm—this was the sword acting on its own.

With his now-free left hand, he drew his wand. Overhead, the thirty-six magical crystals embedded in the dome erupted with light, shooting beams directly downward.

The concentrated beams transformed into an immense force pressing onto his wand.

Under the strain, his arm lowered bit by bit, absorbing all the energy until the wand shimmered with an intense purple glow, nearly overflowing. His left arm bore thunder-like marks as the energy began to invade, carving patterns into his skin.

He adjusted the wand with forceful control, aiming it at the Silver Wick Sword.

A dazzling white laser burst from the wand's tip, landing on the blade, engraving intricate designs across its surface.

John watched for a moment but didn't linger; he continued on his way.

Soon he ran into Hermione, looking flustered, her hair sticking to her forehead from urgency.

"John."

She halted abruptly upon seeing him.

After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke up, "John, there's something I want to ask you."

Seeing her anxious expression, John paused and asked, "What's up?"

Hermione's clear eyes darted over to the giant troll security statue in the corridor. She bit her lip and said, "Let's go somewhere more private."

John scratched his head and nodded in agreement.

Around the corner, Daphne, who had been about to greet John, stopped in her tracks.

Her expression shifted, the initial joy on her face fading away. The pineapple pizza she'd painstakingly made slipped from her hand onto the floor.

Hermione led the way, with John following behind her.

Every so often, he glanced down at the lightning-like pattern on the back of his hand, thinking to himself that it actually looked pretty cool.

Unlike the scar on Harry's forehead, John's mark was both intimidating and strangely beautiful.

When they reached the covered bridge, Hermione, who had been silent the entire way, finally spoke.

She stared at John for a moment, then asked, hopefully, "John, do you still have the password note I gave you?"

John was taken aback, thinking back to when he'd fought Sirius.

He'd used a fire spell to dry out the swamp, and the note had turned to ash.

So he replied honestly, "It's gone. Burned up."

Burned up?

Hermione hadn't expected that answer; it seemed absurd to her.

After a long pause, she walked away without saying another word.

John, puzzled, rubbed his chin and guessed, "Does she not want me feeding the cat anymore?"

Well, that was fine. He still had to track down Sirius Black, so his time was limited.

Turning away from the bridge, he bumped into Daphne.

From this angle, he could see the bridge clearly and wondered why she was here.

With a victorious smile, clearly in a good mood, Daphne walked over and tugged on his sleeve.

"I've mastered Italian pineapple pizza and Chinese strawberry dumplings!"

She looked very happy.

John took a breath of cold air when he heard the names of these dishes.

P-Pineapple Pizza.. Strawberry Dumplings...

How could anyone come up with this?

Didn't you say last time that you studied cooking for two and a half years? I liked you very much (smiley face)...

Why do you have to pick on fruits? You should be banned from the kitchen!!

_________

Read 12 chapters ahead: