When Sebastian got home Alisha was not back yet. Lately some fancy food critics had been visiting her restaurant keeping her super busy. She had been staying late every night dealing with the pressure.
He tossed off his jacket and stuffed the black hooded sweater deep inside his wardrobe. After a quick shower and a change of clothes Sebastian grabbed a can of cold Coke from the fridge. He plopped down at his desk and started flipping through his notes on healing potions.
His next step to build a connection with Tony Stark was to create a potion that could at least ease the palladium poisoning in Tony's body. He needed to do it before SHIELD got involved. If he waited until SHIELD stepped in it would be too late to make an impression.
Sebastian had a potion in mind but perfecting it would take about six months. With his current skills finishing it faster seemed impossible. He wondered if he could ask for help from Kamar Taj the mystical place he had visited before.
At his desk Sebastian scribbled a to do list in his notebook ranking his priorities.
First up his next step to build a connection with Tony Stark. Second mastering and using the Undetectable Extension Charm.
Lately Sebastian's magical stuff was piling up. Ingredients and experiment notes and more. Hiding it all under his bed was not cutting it anymore. He needed a better storage solution. The Undetectable Extension Charm was perfect. This spell could expand the inside of a container without changing its outside appearance. Any container that could hold stuff like a bag or box would work.
Sebastian had bigger plans for the spell. He dreamed of creating a portable hidden laboratory for his experiments. To store his important magical items. In his past life he had heard about Newt Scamander the guy who wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Newt's briefcase was like a whole mini world inside. Sebastian wanted to build something similar. A secret lab he could carry anywhere to work on his magical projects.
Below the Undetectable Extension Charm Sebastian hesitated before writing the third item. Magic Power.
He used to think he could slowly build his magic strength since he was young. But after facing Stane's Iron Monger yesterday he realized his skills were seriously lacking. Most of the spells he had learned in his past life were designed to target people directly. Like the three Unforgivable Curses. If something like armor blocked the spell it would not work at all.
Transfiguration on the other hand was super useful in fights. It could change objects or people. But it needed a ton of magical energy. Way more than Sebastian had now. Even if he could use Transfiguration it was not a guaranteed win. Some things could not be changed easily. You had to understand exactly what you were transforming and what you were turning it into.
If Transfiguration was that easy wizards in his past life would have just turned their enemies' wands into worms. Their robes into ropes. Or the wizards themselves into rats or toads. No one would have bothered with other spells.
There was another issue. Spells from his past life worked differently in this world. For example the Wingardium Leviosa spell did not just lift things. It let Sebastian leap and move freely in the air. Transfiguration had changed too. It was not quite the same as before.
The tougher or more powerful an object was the harder it was to transform. High energy stuff was especially tricky to change.
So even if Sebastian's magic power was sufficient if he wanted to change the Iron Monger's armor even if it could be changed the magic power consumed was not worth doing at all. Because there were completely lower magic power consumption and better effect magic to deal with the Iron Monger.
In the final analysis it was still a matter of magic power. Those with strong magic power had countless ways to solve the enemy. While those with insufficient magic power were constrained everywhere.
In the magic system of his previous life most magical power was innate. It naturally grew with age. While there were spells and methods that could enhance magical power they were extremely rare. They often had limited effectiveness. The only method he knew of that significantly boosted magical power was Voldemort's creation of Horcruxes.
Horcrux not only allowed Voldemort to divide his soul into almost immortality. But also gave Voldemort more powerful magic.
But the side effects of the Horcrux were also obvious. Becoming arrogant and cruel and bloodthirsty. Originally a dark prince with good strategy and amazing intelligence the result turned out to be a bloodthirsty and crazy magic berserker. Which can be regarded as the power exchanged for intelligence. Sebastian naturally would not do that.
Of course the fact that there was no way to improve magic in the previous life did not mean that there was no related means in this life.
At least Kamar Taj definitely had such a means. At the worst if he could learn the magic that Kamar Taj draws from different dimensions of power it could make up for Sebastian's current lack of magic power.
Just like Tony these things had to be slowly figured out.
There was a sound of the door opening outside. Sebastian immediately put the notes in his hand in the desk. He put his wand in his trouser pocket. Then he walked out of the room.
When he came to the living room Sebastian immediately saw Sharon who came in with Alisha. He glanced at Sharon unexpectedly.
"Mom how are you and Sharon? You came back together?"
Sebastian smiled at Alisha.
"Sharon came to New York City today to deal with some things. Because it was too late she called me and asked if she could come here for a night. So I got off work early to pick up Sharon. She should not stay outside alone."
Alisha explained.
"Oh so that is the case. Then I will boil some water for you to make some hot coffee. So you can drink a little to warm your body."
"Then thank you dear."
When Sharon heard Alisha's words she nodded with a smile.
"Thanks a ton Sebastian."
She said.
Sebastian shrugged.
"No big deal just helping out."
He replied.
He headed to the kitchen and boiled water. He grabbed the ground coffee Alisha kept at home ready to brew a couple of cups for them.
As he prepped the coffee Sebastian could not shake the feeling that Sharon's sudden visit was not just a casual drop by. Even before tonight he had noticed Sharon seemed a bit too close with their family. Alisha was always thrilled to see her. So Sebastian never brought it up. Things had stayed chill. But when Sharon walked in with Alisha earlier something felt off. Making him quietly suspicious.
Carrying the coffee to the living room Sebastian set a cup in front of Alisha and another for Sharon.
"I have got homework to finish."
He said then headed back to his room.
At his desk Sebastian absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the table lost in thought. If he was just imagining things no harm done. But if his gut was right he might need to take action.
With a plan forming Sebastian deliberately pulled out his notebook. He left it open on the desk. He cracked his bedroom door slightly. Then he slipped into the bathroom acting like he would be gone for a bit.