Hogwarts: The Greatest Wizard

Chapter 92– The Truth of That Night

"James Potter cast a protective spell on the Dark Lord. That was only part of it. Later, when Lily was dying, she cast a more powerful protective spell on her child. This is the theory you inferred—a magic that can defy death."

Pandora continued,

"Then the Dark Lord released the Killing Curse on the infant Harry Potter. What followed was an even more bizarre phenomenon."

Phineas nodded, picking up the thread of her thoughts,

"I suspect there was a blood pact magic between James and Lily Potter, anchored by the runes of the purple robe and the rune of love."

Pandora nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. Almost no one in the magical world knows the full scope of the contract magic they used. But I happened to witness it—Lily once demonstrated the spell for me."

Phineas gave his final conclusion,

"I believe Lily also cast a second spell just before her death—or perhaps an incomplete one—using the rune for joy. That rune likely harmonized with the Killing Curse and diminished its lethal force, ensuring their preparations weren't in vain."

Pandora shook her head slightly,

"I'm not certain. But no matter how I calculate it, that rune must be involved. It not only represents joy, but also kinship and bloodline. Only then can we explain why Harry's protection endured so long."

Phineas frowned, sensing something amiss, though he couldn't immediately grasp what it was. After a moment, he pushed on,

"So, in the instant the Dark Lord struck at Harry, the protective spells James cast on him, and Lily's spell on Harry, were combined through the blood pact connecting them?"

Pandora nodded,

"Precisely. This created a magical effect where, metaphorically speaking, James acted against Lily. Of course, this was only through magical linkage. As a result, the Killing Curse wasn't nullified, but its effect was altered. The protection on Harry became far stronger than the one on the Dark Lord. Under the influence of the blood pact, the curse rebounded, and the weaker protective magic rebounded onto Harry."

Phineas clapped his hands in realization,

"This created an unprecedented magical configuration. The outermost layer was James's weaker protective charm, and the inner one was Lily's stronger magic. Joined by blood and love, they fused seamlessly."

"This gave rise to a brilliant effect. Even if someone were to breach the outer protection, they couldn't overcome the inner one. And under the blood pact, the second layer would replenish the first, while familial love would constantly renew the second."

Pandora nodded approvingly,

"Exactly. That's the strength of this magic. As long as Harry continues to stay periodically with family, that protection will never vanish."

Phineas sighed in awe,

"This is the true power of ancient magic. Because magical runes can persist indefinitely, any spell built on them can also endure indefinitely—so long as its magic is replenished. I suppose this is also the kind of magic that sustains Hogwarts itself."

Pandora added,

"The same principles apply in alchemy. When you 'kill' a substance, you destroy its properties. To 'resurrect' it, you imbue it with specific traits through magical runes. If the protection Lily cast used this principle, and could absorb magic on its own, then the result is what we call a permanent alchemical construct."

Phineas asked, confused,

"But I thought no alchemical item on the market today is truly permanent?"

Pandora smiled,

"That's because those are low-grade items. What I'm referring to are high-level alchemical works. And above even that is the pinnacle of alchemy—what all alchemists seek: the Philosopher's Stone."

Phineas raised an eyebrow,

"You mean Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone?"

Pandora shook her head,

"Flamel is indeed one of the greatest alchemists, and likely the most accomplished living one. But the stone he possesses isn't the true Philosopher's Stone. In alchemical theory, the Philosopher's Stone—also called the Fifth Element or the Omnipotent Substance—can do more than create the Elixir of Life or turn lead to gold. It can substitute any material, break the principle of equivalent exchange, and even generate magic on its own. Many believe it defies the fundamental laws of magic."

"And Flamel's stone only grants longevity and the Midas touch. Rumor has it even his Elixir is flawed—it doesn't grant immortality, only extends life. In fact, some say Flamel is now so old he can no longer care for himself."

Pandora sighed and added,

"Unfortunately, neither I, nor Lily, nor our mentor specialized in alchemy. Our talents lie in interpreting and restoring ancient magic through runes. So while I can give you the basics, I won't be able to teach you advanced alchemy."

She looked at Phineas and said seriously,

"I think you already know—both Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel were heirs of Ravenclaw. They are both exceptional alchemists. If you wish to pursue this path further, you should seek them out."

Phineas nodded, understanding. He had never intended to focus solely on alchemy during his time with Pandora. The use of ancient magical runes was not something available at Hogwarts or extractable through his system, so self-study was essential. Luckily, once he learned them, he could add them to his system panel and extract them freely. In truth, his real purpose in coming to Pandora was to lay the foundation—to light up the skills in his system.