Chapter 130: Welcome to Warding
Professor Kosarev's Office, Sept 9th
"Come in."
Pushing the door open, Harry Potter walked briskly into his professor's office, a contemplative look on his face.
"Have a seat, Mr. Potter. Would you care for something to drink before we begin?" Kosarev asked, pleasantly.
"No thank you, sir." Taking a seat in front of his professor, Harry withdrew his wand and waited patiently.
Kosarev nodded. "Very well. First, what do you know about warding?"
"Very little," Harry admitted. "I was rather busy studying the magic you suggested over the summer, and you recommended I not look into warding without discussing it with you first."
"Good," Kosarev said, sounding very pleased. "You will find, Mr. Potter, that most books have their own theories and ideas about what warding is and how to accomplish it. If you have read ahead, I might have to beat the wrong assumptions out of your head, and that would take time we really do not possess."
"Warding is a very intricate – some would say delicate – form of magic. It requires a very keen and patient mind to successfully cast a ward. The opposite, of course, is true for curse or ward breaking. Strength of will and brute force can often be the most efficient means to tear down a ward, provided you can muster the power and intent behind the spell to over-power the intent behind the ward."
"But we are drifting away from the main point of the lesson, aren't we?" Kosarev asked rhetorically. "I suppose the first thing you must learn about wards is what they are and what they do. A ward is simply an enchantment that is placed on an object, building, person, area, etc. They have different effects, to redirect, confuse, befuddle, protect..., you get the point. In all likelihood you've already mastered spells that do similar things. Can you think of any such spells, Mr. Potter?"
"The Protego charm," Harry said. "It protects a person for a brief period of time."
"Excellent," Professor Kosarev said, "Yes, the shield charm is remarkably similar to a protective ward. In fact, it might be best if we use another example so that I don't confuse you. The shield charm shares numerous similarities to protective wards. Tell me, Mr. Potter, what is the difference between say a Notice-Me-Not charm and an aversion ward?"
"The way the spells work?" Harry ventured a guess. "A Notice-Me-Not Charm causes someone to avoid noticing an area while an aversion ward makes someone not want to be there.
Kosarev smiled. "True. However, not quite what I was looking for. The primary difference, Mr. Potter, is in the duration and the adaptability of the aversion ward compared to the Notice-Me-Not Charm. You see, Mr. Potter, a ward is a permanent enchantment that must be broken down to cancel its effect. A simple finite can cancel a Notice-Me-Not charm."
"But the shield charm has to be broken down," Harry said. "Does that mean it's a ward?"
"The shield charm is not technically considered a ward since it is not an enchantment. Should you enchant a basic shield charm onto something, then it would become one of the most basic protective wards; however, you'll find that simple Protego wards are very uncommon."
"Why's that, sir?" Harry asked, curiously.
"There are a series of protective wards that are much more effective, and not much more difficult to cast. The most common shield spell to protect buildings or a group of people is Protego Horribilis. Like the standard shield charm it can be cast by someone as both a charm and a ward; however, it requires a bit more force of will to cast than your standard Protego. "
"Is the wand movement similar to Protego?" Harry asked. A more powerful shield charm or protective ward would be a huge advantage in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
"Itching to try the spell?" Kosarev asked knowingly. "The wand movement is considerably longer, which is why the spell is not used frequently in duels." Demonstrating the wand movement for his student, Professor Kosarev said, "If you wish to practice it, please do so on your own time. We have much more to cover today."
"Yes, sir," Harry said, committing the wand movement to memory before giving his professor his undivided attention.
"While Protego Horribilis can be cast by one person, some wards cannot." Professor Kosarev looked sternly at Harry before saying, "Nor should they be attempted alone. While there are not many of these spells, they require a great deal of combined intent to cast successfully, though there have been a few exceptions to this rule."
"Exceptions?"
"Yes," Kosarev's tone grew dark. "The Dark Lord Grindelwald was the first modern wizard able to cast such wards by himself. It was one of the reasons why he remained at large for so long. I remember a story I heard from an old Polish Auror once about a secret mission back in the very early days of Grindelwald's rise. An elite group of Aurors from a half a dozen countries were assembled to take out Grindelwald. They had his location, and they knew he would be alone. What none of them could anticipate was that Grindelwald could cast protection wards effortlessly. When they attacked, he was able to create the wards faster than the Auror team could break them down. Grindelwald then struck out from behind his wards, decimating his attackers."
Shaking his head, Kosarev said, "There are others who have since been able to cast such magic, though they are extremely rare. In ancient history it's said that the great Greek Gods of old, and the first Pharaoh of the united Egypt could also cast such magic, though there's no real historical proof of that."
"But it can be done?" Seeing his professor's stern gaze, Harry quickly added, "I'm not going to attempt it, sir. I promise."
"Good. Yes, it can be done, but let's not focus on these exceptions, Mr. Potter. As I said, this kind of warding is very powerful. Such spells include Protego Maxima, the most powerful shield spell."
"So would a Notice-Me-Not enchantment be considered a ward?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, that would be considered a type of ward, though a reasonably simple one," Kosarev explained. "A more elaborate type of Notice-Me-Not ward would be one that blocks only certain people from noticing what the ward is hiding. These wards can be very simple, such as the Muggle-Repelling Wards, or extremely complex."
Harry frowned "What determines the complexity? The size of the group you're trying to block?"
"It varies. If there is some easily defined characteristic about the group, the ward can be relatively easy to cast; however, if you are trying to key the ward to a diverse group that have few commonalities, it will be much more difficult. In such difficult cases, a key can be used to allow certain people access." Kosarev frowned again. "While it pains me to bring up Grindelwald again, the man was infamous for keying many of his wards. He tied his wards to his mark, which he placed on a few select followers' clothing. He ultimately reversed this approach after a few nations caught on and managed to capture some of his higher ranking lieutenants."
"Why didn't he ensure the mark couldn't be used by someone else?" Harry asked.
"He only keyed a few of his best and most loyal people, and I doubt he thought they'd be captured alive. Perhaps he was working on a permanent fix for the problem, but, fortunately, the war took a shift and his attention was required elsewhere. Thankfully, he stopped his research before figuring out how to fix the problem."
Growing more and more intrigued as his professor spoke, Harry eventually said, "Sir, what are the best spells to start learning wards?"
"I would suggest you begin your focus on areas affecting wards. These are fairly easy spells that simply stop, alert, or protect something from everyone. Do remember to exclude yourself though." Kosarev chuckled. "Otherwise, you might find yourself having to break down your own ward."
"Do you have a book about area affecting wards?"
"No, no, no," Kosarve said, waving his student off. "Write these spells down. They are fairly simple, yet highly effective. The anti-disapparition ward – I want you to learn the enchantment, Mr. Potter, not the jinx. It's quite pathetic how most people simply use the jinx these days. You might as well include the anti-apparition ward as well. As far as protective wards, learn cave inimicum, protego horribilis, protego totalum. It might be difficult for you to tell just how effective some of those wards are, given that Durmstrang is a very protected area, but if you practice far enough away from the castle, you should be alright."
Harry nodded as he wrote the last of the spells down on a piece of parchment. "And when I master those spells?"
Kosarev chuckled. "Come back and I'll give you a few more. Trust me, Harry, there are many different types of wards all with different and varying effects."
"Thank you, sir," Harry said gratefully before pausing. "Sir, I heard you're not going to Hogwarts."
Professor Kosarev frowned. "No, I am not. The Highmaster will be going with an aide while the rest of us teachers remain."
"Sir, if I'm named champion, will you still be able to give me assistance?" Harry asked.
"Mr. Potter, rules were made with exceptions." Kosarev grinned. "While I would be forbidden from helping you with the tournament, should you reach out to me seeking advice regarding a final project, I would be able to assist you."
"I thought the champion was excused from submitting a final project?"
"They are optional, Mr. Potter," Kosarev seemed to wink slightly before saying, "and I'm certain that a dedicated student, such as yourself, would not let some silly little tournament get in the way of a final project. Now, whether you have the time to complete said project or not, well that's another matter entirely. You could simply under-estimate the amount of free time you'd have to work on it. In all likelihood, you might not know if you can complete the project until... well right until the start of the final task."
His eyes lighting up in understanding, Harry stood up and said, "Thank you, sir."
"Before you go," Professor Kosarev said, causing Harry to drop back into his seat, "I never did find out how far you progressed over the summer with the list I gave you."
Harry frowned slightly. "I think I did fairly well, sir. I've managed most of the illusions you gave me, and I practiced several of the more advanced area-affecting spells, though I found the weather spells somewhat difficult to manage."
"Yes, weather spells are notoriously finicky, even for the most skilled wizards." Kosarev agreed. "Did you try any of the higher level charms?"
"Aqua Eructo."
Kosarev seemed to brighten considerably. "Really? And how did you manage it?"
"Not well," Harry said, a little bitterly. "I practiced it a bit before deciding to focus on enchantments for the rest of the summer. I nearly drowned myself the first time I cast the spell."
"Yes, that can happen," Kosarev said dismissively. "Did you see any improvement? Aqua Eructo is among the most difficult Charms you will learn here at Durmstrang. I assure you, there might only be one or two seventh years that are capable of casting it properly."
"I improved a bit, I could force water to stop coming from my wand at will, but the best I was ever able to do was hold the water back and cancel the charm," Harry scowled slightly. "I wasn't able to control it. Just hold my ground, maintain it, and end the spell."
"That is still a very impressive feat, Mr. Potter." Kosarev seemed to consider Harry a bit. "I'll be honest, Mr. Potter, you've just scraped the surface of what Aqua Eructo is capable of. It is a truly formidable charm in the hands of a skilled wizard, and while some intermediate warding would be a good final project, control of Aqua Eructo would be equally impressive. I suggest you continue to practice both extensively."
"I plan on it, sir," Harry replied.
Professor Kosarev looked very pleased. "I'm glad to hear that, Harry. Tell me, have you given much thought to what you wish to do after you graduate?"
"Honestly, no, sir. I haven't really considered it."
"Perhaps you should begin thinking about it, Mr. Potter," Kosarev said seriously. "While career advice is typically given during one's fifth year, given your abilities, I have no doubt that several Ministries and private groups will vie for your service. If you don't mind me asking, how are your family's finances?"
"I-I don't really know, sir," Harry admitted. "I mean, my mum and dad have always been able to give my brother and I whatever we need. Our Gringotts account isn't huge, but I think we're okay. I know mum works in Potions research because she likes it, not because we need the money."
"Then, perhaps you might consider an alternate path. I do believe we spoke long ago about how wizards used to travel extensively after graduating. Would you ever consider traveling abroad after graduation?"
Harry brightened considerably. "I remember, sir. Though didn't you say it has a rather dark reputation?"
"Only from the narrow-minded and overly possessive ministries." Kosarev scowled. "I assure you, Harry, the academic community would hardly judge you. Besides, given your family's name and reputation, perhaps you might be able to correct that stigma. A few extra years to explore magic might do you some good, especially if you are uncertain what you want to do. I would hate to see such potential locked into a career you dislike simply because you signed a binding contract with the Goblins or a Ministry."
Harry found himself nodding, easily agreeing with what his professor said. "I'll think about it, sir. Thank you for your advice."
"You're most welcome, Mr. Potter. Have a good day, and keep me up-to-date with your progress on those wards."
As he left Professor Kosarev's office, Harry couldn't help but admit the thought of traveling after he graduated sounded very interesting.
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