The past month in the secluded courtyard of the Leaky Cauldron had been a relentless, solitary crucible. Anduin had subjected himself to a self-designed training regimen focused almost exclusively on the Barrier Charm, practicing casting and manipulation thousands of times until the fatigue in his magical core was almost constant.
The results were undeniable:
Defensively: Anduin could deploy multiple, hardened, invisible walls (Protego Totalum) with reflexive speed, anticipating kinetic trajectories with the precision of a master duelist. He had also perfected the low-intensity version—the Slowing Barrier—which acted as a near-invisible field of magical molasses, perfect for crippling an opponent's movement.
The Barrier Shield: His most promising innovation was the Continuous Barrier Shield. It manifested as a perfectly transparent, meter-diameter dome centered on the tip of his Ebony Wand. It offered substantial defense while allowing full mobility, capable of being activated and dismissed instantly with a mere shift in magical intent, without waiting for the natural spell decay.
Anduin wiped a layer of sweat from his brow, his breathing even despite the exertion. His magical core felt stretched but resilient.
"That's enough for today," he murmured to himself, watching the residual distortion of a collapsing barrier fade from the air. "The Protego family of spells is nearing full mastery. I can feel the next logical step—the ability to cast this charm without the wand—is imminent."
He began the habitual process of tidying his secluded training area—restoring the scorched stone and mending the shattered targets with a non-verbal Reparo—when the high brick wall of the courtyard suddenly groaned as a concealed door swung inward.
Stepping into the courtyard was a figure of truly magnificent proportions. The man was easily ten feet tall, massively built, with a wild, shoulder-length mane of dark hair and a dense, shaggy gray coat. He moved with a lumbering gait, radiating an immense, almost overwhelming sense of raw physical pressure, like a gentle giant.
Anduin recognized him instantly from his brief, casual encounters with the Leaky Cauldron patrons.
"Mr. Hagrid, good evening," Anduin greeted him, placing his wand back into its custom sleeve. "What brings you out of Diagon Alley so late? Usually, you're only passing through."
The giant, Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, seemed genuinely pleased to see a friendly face.
"Ah, young Mr. Wilson! Still haunting this quiet little yard, are ye? Well, I've just finished me work for the day. Came down early this mornin' to escort a new Muggle-born, but turns out he wasn't quite Muggle-born—his da was a Squib, so they knew the ropes already. Nothing for me to do, really." Hagrid chuckled, a booming, gentle sound that shook the dust from the window ledges.
Anduin blinked, absorbing the casual overshare. He didn't answer why he left, only what he did when he arrived. "You mean you've been in Diagon Alley all day, simply waiting to go home?"
"Aye! Just pokin' around Knockturn Alley, seein' what deals I could find. Didn't even stop for lunch! Figured I'd grab a bite and a butterbeer at Tom's before heading home," Hagrid replied, completely unfazed by the question.
Anduin quickly cataloged Hagrid's personality: Extremely loyal, deeply simple, and prone to oversharing intimate details. A useful acquaintance, but clearly lacking in tactical finesse.
As they began walking toward the pub's back entrance, Anduin noticed a large, roughly wrapped bundle tucked under Hagrid's arm.
"You've certainly done some shopping, Hagrid. That package looks substantial. Find anything interesting on your wanderings?"
Hagrid's eyes lit up with the proprietary glee of a bargain hunter.
"Oh, you'll never believe it, young fella! This is what kept me! I found a vendor in Knockturn Alley desperate to offload some stock. This here is dragon liver! Managed to haggle a phenomenal price, dirt cheap, the best price you'll find anywhere, I reckon!"
Anduin's curiosity was piqued by the exotic ingredient. "Dragon liver? I've never seen magical offal. Can I take a look?"
Hagrid, beaming with pride over his cheap score, readily complied, unwrapping the coarse cloth. The contents were startling: a massive, dark purple slab of raw tissue. Despite Hagrid claiming the vendor had been trying to get rid of it for ages, the liver was still remarkably bright and fresh-looking.
"Remarkable preservation," Anduin observed, poking the surface with a finger. "It feels warm. What are your plans for such a potent ingredient, Hagrid? A specialized potion, perhaps?"
Hagrid laughed heartily. "Potion? Nah! I was thinkin' of taking it back to Hogwarts and making a good, thick dragon liver gravy for me suppers! I've eaten dragon meat before, you know, though it's harder to find these days."
Anduin felt a distinct wave of culinary horror. Dragon liver gravy was a profound waste of unique material. He was reminded of his own life: simple materials, elevated by precise technique.
"Hagrid, with all due respect, simply turning that into gravy would be a tragedy. A waste of texture and flavor," Anduin said, his professional chef's instinct kicking in. "It's clearly very fresh. I'm thinking it should be treated similarly to high-quality lamb or pork liver. I can show you how to properly prepare it. I'd love to try a taste myself. I could sauté it quickly with onions and herbs—a simple, powerful preparation."
Hagrid looked skeptical but intrigued. "Cookin', eh? A little fella like you?"
"Anduin's cooking is truly something magical, Hagrid," Tom chimed in from behind the bar, having overheard the conversation. He had developed a genuine appreciation for Anduin's meals over the last two weeks, having happily forgone the pub's regular fare. "I'd pay good money for him to write a proper cookbook. It'd sell better than half the potion books out there!"
Anduin grinned. He had already noted the potential for Magical Cuisine. He had briefly reviewed some of the magical cookbooks Tom possessed, which relied heavily on Charming spells (Mixing Charm, Chopping Charm, Timer Charm) to execute recipes that were often technically simple but tasted universally bland. True culinary art, he realized, still required finesse and flavor theory, not just automated spell work.
"Since it was a bargain buy, you can't lose much, Hagrid. Give me an hour," Anduin challenged.
Hagrid, persuaded by Tom's endorsement and Anduin's confidence, agreed with a dismissive wave. "Go on, then, lad. Have a go. Just don't burn me dragon liver."
Anduin retreated to the kitchen. The dragon liver, though appearing fresh, was indeed strangely warm to the touch and possessed a robust, earthy odor—fishy, yet metallic.
He quickly diced the slab, carefully slicing some of his own home-grown spring onions from the pot he'd brought from the orphanage. He marinated the liver in a quick, pungent mix of Muggle essentials: dark soy sauce, cooking wine, crushed ginger, and fresh onion. He then executed a rapid, high-heat stir-fry, aiming for a perfectly seared exterior and a smooth, tender interior.
He plated the dish with care—a mound of glistening, dark liver strips interspersed with bright green onions—and added a few complementary side dishes he whipped up for the giant's massive appetite.
When Anduin brought the food out, the aromas of rich marinade and intense searing immediately overpowered the smell of stale beer in the Leaky Cauldron.
Hagrid and Tom, drawn by the smell, stared at the plate with the awe usually reserved for a pile of gold Galleons.
Hagrid scooped up a massive bite. His eyes went wide. "By the beard of Merlin, Anduin! This is… this is glorious!"
Anduin tried a small piece. The flavor was a surprisingly refined blend of gamey lamb and metallic beef liver, but the texture was unlike anything he had tasted—silky smooth yet with an unexpected, delicate crunch as it was chewed.
The pub owner and the giant were soon in high spirits. Tom, deeply impressed, brought out a gigantic bottle of his prized Redcurrant Rum to share with Hagrid. The conversation devolved into booming laughter and slurred compliments on Anduin's cooking, confirming his status as an essential figure in the Leaky Cauldron's ecosystem. His presence here was now fully cemented.
Anduin has achieved near-mastery of his Barrier-based spells and has cemented his relationship with Tom and Hagrid. The next logical step, based on the previous prompt, is to use his skills in a high-pressure situation.