Shrouded by darkness, beneath the castle, in a room veiled from all but myself. My mind raced through a maze, as I gazed into the eyes of a human shell.

I could feel my eyes perk up as I found the crux of his thoughts, like a predator hunting prey, I isolated his mind, my influence creeping closer towards the center. I could see it in his eyes, the pain jolting through his body.

I felt a certain weight in his mind, trying to resist me, but it was futile. Strangling his very conscience, like ripping through skin and bone, I made swift work of his defense. Crippling him in a matter of seconds. This was natural to me, a power I had completely completely made mine.

As an eased sigh escaped my lips, I felt a shadow appear next to me.

"Excellent, your talent is astounding, the results speak for themselves." Ivan chuckled giving a slow clap.

In a matter of days, I had mastered the basics of Legilimancy. In fact, I could even argue that it was perhaps less. I had never thought something to feel so natural. It was my second nature. The moment my attacks interconnected to his mind, I felt at home.

I understood why Ivan said it was better suited towards me. Indeed, the day I started this practice, I unknowingly strengthened my own defenses. It might seem counter productive. However, think of it like evolution.

My instincts leaned towards invading minds. Subsequently, the more obstacles I encountered, the better my own comprehension of negating attacks. To put it simply, I learned by challenging my own instincts.

"However, it seems that our friend here can go no longer, a pity." Ivan mused, stepping closer towards the body.

His hands caressed the mans face, and he pushed aside the eyelids, observing the pupils like a doctor.

After a few seconds, he clicked his tongue in disappointment, clearly not happy about the body's condition.

It seems that the potions would no longer work, as we had stretched the lifespan of the body, far beyond its normal limits. Put it into perspective, he had gone without any food or drink for weeks or months, his only nourishment was potions. Those that slightly stimulated his body, preventing it from decaying.

Of course, my own trials had likely played a part in this. Repeatedly crushing his mind, I had likely pushed him beyond the edge of insanity.

"No matter, he has served his purpose." Ivan remarked calmly, and reached for his wand.

I knew what he would do next, but perhaps I was curious to see how it would play out.

Ivan pinched his wand from the end, and lazily flicked it towards the body, a slight chant slipped from his lips.

~Avada Kedavra

A green energy struck the body, and I could see it with my own two eyes. The killing curse's real effect. The moment it landed, the eyes of the victim shined faintly, for just one instant. The curse took away the very soul of its recipients. Then the body would go limp, losing its anchor to the mortal world.

Ivan nonchalantly shoved the corpse out the chair, and sat down in its place. We sat in silence, simply staring at each other for a few moments. Until he pulled a looped wooden pipe, from within his jacket.

Taking a few puffs, fidgeting with the chamber of the pipe, as a small residue of smoke pumped through the end. Breathing in a long whiff, Ivan leisurely sat across me and I pondered his next words.

"Regrettably, our lessons together must come to an end" he pulled out a weathered letter from his pockets, and it levitated between us.

I immediately frowned, having made great progress under Ivan's teachings, I was reluctant to see him go.

"I thought you were going to finish teaching me occlumency?" I inquired, slightly annoyed with the arrangement.

"You have learned enough under me, the rest, you must figure out on your own." He replied still puffing his pipe.

He had taught me the basics, and right now it seemed that there were more pressing matters to attend to. The letter he brought out, well I couldn't read it, but surely it was a summons back.

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"We won't be seeing each other for a while. Don't get complacent, we shall meet in two years time."

Ivan's expression hardened.

The situation must be quite serious for him to say two years. 1971, the tensions were high on both sides.

Ivan drew the letter closer, using the blunt of his pipe to poke the paper. Instantly burning it to ashes.

Having done this, he stood up, intending to leave. There's wasn't much else to be said. I would possibly have to work alone once more.

But just as Ivan stepped towards the stairs, he looked back at me.

"I've sent you a few books to keep you company during this time. The rest, well I am sure you know what to do." He showed a sly smile nodding his head in farewell, and before I could say a word.

I saw him shift through space, and apparate away quietly.

I breathed a long sigh and made my way outside the dungeon. I could see Ephyl awaiting my presence at the top of the stairs.

Before I left, I stole a glance towards the corpse littered on the basement floor. Lifting it with a thought, I seated the body back on the chair. There wasn't a particular reason, I wasn't feeling pity, but a slight sense of disgust did flush through me as I saw the body.

Perhaps, internally I hadn't quite gotten used to this feeling yet. Not something I cared about, time would eventually erase this naivety.

Ignoring my disgust, I trekked towards Ephyl, still waiting patiently.

Once I reached, he greeted me and led me back to my room.

I stepped inside the room, and surely. Ephyl had stacked all the books from Ivan on my bed.

I could see piles and piles of books, each for their own distinct subjects. Books I didn't even think existed. Advanced spells, hexes, jinxes, curses, charms, transfiguration. You name it, I had them.

I was simply stunned for words. This was all I had really dreamed of. Knowledge to quench my curiosity and boost my talent.

Till now, I had only studied certain basic spells, that didn't really classify as either magic, they were just elementary spells anyone could perform. But now magic would go on to be divided between certain boundaries.

There were a few primary subjects. Charms, Transfiguration and of course the Dark Arts, which was often a term used to combine curses, jinxes and hexes.

I was quite interested in transfiguration, it was perhaps the most useful subject within the few. One had to realize that transfiguration could be used on your surroundings and your enemies. Of course, many could defend against it, but it was useful in most situations.

Unfortunately, transfiguration was also perhaps the hardest division of magic between these few. I found myself quite competent in charms and curses, but transfiguration was not something I had ever tried.

Needless to say, my impatience took the best of me. I skimmed through the transfiguration books, and then immediately I could see the complexity shine through. It was far deeper than the movies had shown. What I had seen were simple transformations of living beings to objects.

Yet, in the basic book I could see many detailed sketches of what seemed to be molecules and how they shift through the application of magic. If I had to compare it to something similar, it would exactly be like physics. Transfiguration was an intangible force, one that bent things to its will through the flow of magic.

There was naturally a limit to its effectiveness. Determined by the caliber of the wizard, and his own expertise in the field.

Furthermore, I was quite intrigued by one more form of transfiguration. An advanced derivative I might add. Animagus.

A form of transformation, that you could use to turn yourself into an animal. Although you couldn't choose what animal that would be, it was still an insanely useful skill.

I was interested in this magic, though I wasn't prepared to become one. Right now, I lacked the dedication and the resources. However, in the future it was definitely something I would do.

My thoughts continued to spring out of proportions, but soon I came to my senses and began practicing transfiguration. I started small, as I had always done.

I sneakily plucked a few strings from my clothes, something Ephyl would consider sacrilegious, as he had hand picked my outfits every single day. However, a few strings wouldn't hurt.....

Lining the strings in front of me, I began to imagine the simplest spell. To transform a thin object to a steel needle.

It was a spell requiring precise control and well defined limitations. The process couldn't be too fast, the needle had to be sharp, the shape couldn't be deformed, the tip had to be pointy.

Slight details that overall made for it to be a challenging first spell.

But who do you think I am? The guy who failed occlumency for a week straight?

Absolutely not, I was a changed man. Learning from my own failures, and past experiences.

It didn't take me long to nail the spell.

In fact, just about a few hours later, I had come up with a deadly combo. Floating the strings above my palm, they were unnoticeable.

However, the instant I flexed my hands, every single piece turned to a sharp needle. Yet this whole process was done quietly with no indication whatsoever. A devious piece of information to keep in mind.

If I could effectively utilize transfiguration. The possibilities were endless. To truly understand the horror I could inflict.

Imagine a simple water droplet, dropping on you in the rain. Theoretically, I could change every single drop to a sharp needle, thereby skewering one to death.

It wasn't a practical solution, due to the scale of its application. But it was rather one I wish I would never experience.

If I could transform string to needle, then the opposite was also true. Blocking attacks by simply transforming away the obstacles. It was a shrewd strategy that only competent magicians would use.

Transfiguration allowed one to completely dominate his or her surroundings. It was quite a fearsome study if you really though about it. From my perspective anyway..

I didn't waste any time with writing down more absurd and painful combinations I could try on unsuspecting enemies. From showering them with glass to bathing them in rocks. There really wasn't a limit to my fascinating day dreams.

The rest of the evening had passed with me fussing about my newest collection of books. While I still lamented at the loss of a mentor, I rejoiced at the chance to leap towards growth.

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