Chapter 65
Hogwarts had settled back into calm, though undercurrents of tension still lingered in the shadows. None of it touched Gabin Gray, so long as he chose not to engage.
Two weeks had passed since the incident in the Forbidden Forest. Only two weeks remained until the end of the school year.
Quirrell's condition had improved surprisingly. He still stammered when he spoke and his face remained pale, but a spark had returned to his eyes. The old timid, shrinking demeanor was gone.
The trio—Harry, Ron, and Hermione—noticed the change in Professor Quirrell and felt a measure of relief about the Philosopher's Stone. Clearly, Quirrell had found some inner resolve; he no longer seemed afraid of Snape's threats.
Snape, on the other hand, looked worse by the day. He prowled the castle with a thunderous expression, snapping at anyone in his path. When he crossed Harry, he would bark at him to get back to the Gryffindor common room and stop wandering the corridors.
Harry took this as proof that Snape still hadn't found a way past Fluffy and Quirrell's protections. His mood lifted, and he even found himself reciting revision notes with more energy.
After a week under Gray's care, the unicorn's injuries had fully healed. When the last of the dark greenish-black scabs flaked away, it stood radiant once more—a living embodiment of nature's grace. Anyone who looked upon it felt an instant calm, as though moonlight had brushed their worries aside.
After nuzzling Gray affectionately in farewell, the unicorn returned to the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
It was a mature unicorn; safety was not a concern unless it encountered something as monstrous as Voldemort himself. No ordinary creature could harm it.
Life returned to normal. Gray fell back into his routine: classes, meals, and the Room of Requirement.
The Room of Requirement dominated his time, of course.
Inside the vast chamber, Gray stood at the centre. Three books of varying thickness floated around him, open to different pages, orbiting slowly like planets around a star.
With a gentle flick of his wand, 'Fanciful Thoughts on Incendio' drifted forward and turned to the section he had been reading.
He skimmed it briefly before waving it aside and summoning 'Flame: The Origins of Humanity and Wizardkind' in its place.
'Fanciful Thoughts on Incendio' focused mostly on creating dazzling visual effects—ways to shift the colour of the flames or make them burst into elaborate shapes. In short, it was a handbook for crafting magical fireworks. Useful, perhaps, if Gray ever planned to apply for a job as a fireworks wizard for grand events after graduation—but he was only a first-year. That idea held no appeal.
'Flame: The Origins of Humanity and Wizardkind', however, proved more intriguing. It described early humans' fascination with fire and wizards' ancient quest to harness its power. Through meditation in places of molten rock and lands of dragons, the first wizards had unlocked the secret to wielding flame, eventually inventing Incendio.
According to the book, Incendio had been the very first spell mastered by wizards.
All of this was the author's speculation, with no solid proof. At the end, the publisher noted that the author had vanished during a journey to locate those fabled sites of lava and dragons. The book's accuracy was questionable; readers were left to decide for themselves.
Gray cared little about its truthfulness. He simply enjoyed the read—it had the feel of an old traveller's tale. Still, it offered little toward what he was truly seeking.
With a resigned flick, he sent 'Flame: The Origins' aside and called forward 'Tales of Flame'.
'Tales of Flame' was a pure collection of stories—some invented by the author, some heard from others, and a few drawn from the author's own experiences.
Gray had originally borrowed it for light reading, much like 'The Adventures of the Dragonborn' before it, or the later 'Mysteries of the Magical City: True and False Cases' and 'Angels Descending: Wings That Cannot Love'. Sometimes a break from dense magical history was necessary, even if those histories were fascinating in their own right.
To his surprise, it was 'Tales of Flame' that sparked something useful.
The opening story, "Flame Bella," carried weight because it stemmed from the author's own encounter—giving it a degree of authenticity.
Bella was a witch of mixed giant and human heritage, with giant blood running strong in her veins.
This influenced her duelling style: she preferred to close in and fight with raw physical power rather than rely solely on spells.
Yet she was also a highly skilled witch, especially with Incendio.
Records claimed Bella had mastered wandless, non-verbal casting of the spell. She could summon flames to wreath her entire body.
In battle, she would envelop herself in fire and charge like a living inferno, smashing into opponents.
Most wizards feared her sheer strength; their spells were often weakened or deflected by the blazing shield around her. Many fell because of it.
Thus her name—Flame Bella—spread, and travellers recorded her legend in 'Tales of Flame'.
The description painted her vividly: golden hair, with red flames rising from her eyes and dancing among the strands—each thread distinct, untouched by the fire. The interplay of gold and crimson made her look like a goddess of war.
Gray studied the passage, then flicked his wand to set the book aside. He pointed his wand lightly, and a jet of red flame burst from the tip, blooming like a firework.
The flame was small and controlled; he kept his magic output low. Slowly, he extended his left hand toward it.
It stung—sharp heat against skin.
He drew his hand back, cut the flow of magic, and let the flame wink out.
His hand was unharmed. Weeks of eating rock-skin biscuits had toughened him—his body stronger, his skin more resilient than most.
Still, he was only human.
It wasn't giant blood that made the difference, he thought.
The author of 'Tales of Flame' speculated that Bella carried the blood of a fire giant, allowing her flesh to endure the flames cloaking her.
Gray disagreed. Even setting aside fire giants—a branch known only in legend—Bella's true strength lay elsewhere.
Her flames came not from blood, but from mastery of magic. She was a true expert in Incendio, capable of wandless, non-verbal casting.
Her giant heritage no doubt increased her endurance, but the main reason she could wrap herself in fire without harm was her absolute command over the spell. She controlled every aspect of Incendio so precisely that its heat and effects never touched her own body.
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