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Chapter 40: Lessons and future meetings.
🕑 Added 2025-03-28 09:23:54 +0000 UTCAuthor’s Note:
Since no one chimed in about my idea in the comments, I decided to go with what felt right, so yeah, instead of jumping straight to the third task with a month-long time skip, we’ll have one or two more chapters where Elias finally meets Rias and the others, plus a surprise guest that ocurred to me in literally the last sentence lol.
He’s strong as hell (as we all know), and probably the only guy who could actually be a bro to Elias in the near future. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter, especially the duel with Dumbledore. I had a blast writing from Dumbles’ POV and finally giving Hermione some well-deserved spotlight too.
Next chapter, we’ll get the Grimoire rolls going and start the summonings!
Celestial Ascendancy
Chapter 40: Lessons and future meetings.
Hogwarts.
Albus Dumbledore.
“Good, good!” I laughed as I watched the true level of my three newest pupils reveal itself. The joy of teaching was something I had nearly forgotten over the years. Being the Headmaster of a school like Hogwarts demanded much of my time. Still, even that paled compared to the responsibilities of the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Both are full-time roles. Both ones I regretted accepting.
Yes, it had been necessary after the war against my dear Gellert. But that didn’t mean I had to like it. Still, few would ever refuse such titles. The power they granted… well, it was considerable. And that was the main reason I worked so hard to keep them. I was not one to blow my own horn, but I had learned how to avoid getting that power to my head irreparably.
I had my problems; I was smart enough to realize that, but I tried to ensure I never crossed a certain line. I failed sometimes, but I was a mortal man. What was important was that I made amends and avoided the same mistakes as in the past.
I had seen too many people twisted by power. I knew the temptation it carried. Even the wand in my hand felt heavier as I observed Miss Potter, Miss Granger, and Mister Black.
At first, I believed Iris Potter would be the future of the Wizarding world. After all, she had survived the killing curse. She had faced Voldemort and lived. That alone marked her for greatness. That wasn’t even counting the Prophecy she was part of.
But seeing the level young Elias had already reached... I couldn’t help but feel baffled. How—and why, in Merlin’s name—did it feel like I was watching a peer when that boy unleashed his magic? He wasn’t quite on my level, not yet, but he was dangerously close. And at such a young age.
It defied reason.
There was simply no way he didn’t carry some kind of supernatural blood in his veins. Not in any recorded case has a person this young reached this level of magical development throughout history. Not even Gellert or I had reached what the Eastern circles might call a “High-Class” tier before our thirties.
At least, if you didn’t believe the most outlandish rumors about Merlin himself.
And it wasn’t just him. That, perhaps, was the most baffling part.
Young Iris was growing rapidly, fueled by the fire Elias had ignited in her. She was already at the peak of what I consider Mid-Class strength. Miss Granger trailed slightly behind, though not by much… and certainly not in raw danger. Iris leaned into power and aggression, but Miss Granger’s mind… her ability to adapt, to manipulate her environment and magic in ways most adults wouldn’t dream of… she was no less of a threat to anyone foolish enough to underestimate her.
Elias had already reached a point where his presence couldn’t be ignored. And that troubled me. His voice would be heard by everyone at such an age.
Most witches and wizards lacked the instinct or training to sense magical strength. But there were a few who still carried that gift, and they would begin to wonder. They would start asking questions I didn’t want answered just yet.
I feared Elias would become a target if it became public knowledge… if the world truly understood what he was becoming.
More than he already was. Ash's presence meant many people would try to get him out of the picture. Besides my past mistakes, Hogwarts was the safest place he could be. If I wasn’t here, I didn’t doubt that a lot of foreign wizards and witches would love to try something.
And it wasn’t just Elias’s strength that concerned me.
Power, by itself, could be managed, contained, and even reshaped if guided early enough. But the true danger lay in the heart behind that power… in the reasons it might be used.
Elias wasn’t the kind of boy who sought domination or fame; I had learned that during his first two years here. No, his ambition ran deeper than his ego. He fought for those he cared about, not for himself. And that was precisely what frightened me.
Because if someone hurt Miss Potter or Miss Granger...
If someone truly wounded them, or worse...
Then, I feared we would see what Elias Black was capable of.
And I suspected no one, not even myself, knew the limits of that rage. Not yet. Magic was a wonderful thing… but in the worst moments of our lives? We grew… exponentially. I knew that by experience.
He would not just retaliate. He would break things. People. The very foundations upon which we have built our fragile society. If he ever acted, people would not stand still. It wouldn’t matter the reasons for his actions; Gellert’s wounds in history were still fresh, and seeing someone with more potential than the worst Dark Lord in recent decades… No, someone would try and stop him.
It wouldn’t be malicious. That was what made it worse. It would be righteous in his mind. Justified. And there would be no stopping him once that conviction took root.
That was why I made my decision.
I would teach him—not only magic, but philosophy, thought, and patience. I would share the burden of the lessons I should have tried to teach Tom and failed. I would not push him, I could not do that anymore. But if I offered him knowledge willingly and honestly, perhaps he would listen.
I learned too late about his strength to try and change the way he grew up. It was only a miracle that he didn’t have the identical fervor as Gellert nor the same malicious heart as Tom Riddle had since he was just a boy.
Perhaps he would trust me long enough for the future to hold.
But time was not on our side. Not anymore.
Because Elias would not remain in the shadows for long. Someone, somewhere, would notice. If not within the Ministry, then beyond it.
And if the supernatural world discovered him… truly discovered him…
Gods help us all.
There are things out there, beings whose names were buried for good reason. Things that watch from beyond the veil of our world. Not devils. Not demons. Those have grown... civil, in a way. But some are worse. Some defy names, reasons, or rules.
And they are drawn to power like moths to flame.
Elias's light will burn bright enough to be seen from every corner of the world.
That must not happen. Not yet.
I will guide him. Not to bind him, the chance for that passed long ago. But if we lose him... if he slips beyond our reach...
Then, I fear we may witness the rise of something far worse than my worst nightmares.
Something no prophecy ever dared name.
It was one of the reasons I’d sought out Sybill these past weeks. I needed to understand whether Elias’s rapid growth meant something more. If fate had changed course. If Voldemort’s return would come with forces beyond what I had feared.
If Iris Potter had someone that powerful at her side, then her story, our story, may not end how I once believed it would.
I shook the thought and turned my attention back to the present.
Young Iris sat before me with bright, eager eyes, practically bouncing in her seat. She wanted me to teach her something “awesome,” as she put it. Miss Granger mirrored that hunger—though hers was quieter, more focused. Her gaze devoured every detail, every motion. If I didn’t know her character, it might have unsettled me.
And Elias...
Elias was calm.
Too calm.
He watched me without nerves, without excitement. Just quiet attentiveness. That, more than anything, unsettled me.
“Young Elias,” I said with a smile that came more cautiously than usual. He returned it, that familiar smirk sitting comfortably on his face. “I believe it’s time to see how you fare against someone stronger than yourself.”
“It will be a pleasure, Headmaster,” he replied evenly. Cool, collected. Not a hint of doubt in his voice.
“We’ll start slow,” I continued. “We’ll raise the tempo as needed. You’ll tell me when you’ve had enough—assuming I don’t end it first. Understood?”
He simply nodded, the edges of his lips curling just slightly.
I didn’t bother to speak the spell. I flicked my wand and cast a standard stunner, fast and clean, more than enough to knock out an adult wizard.
The spell whistled toward his face.
And Elias didn’t even raise his wand.
He tilted his head. Just slightly. The spell missed him by inches. And he was still smiling.
Before I could comment, ice formed behind him. It crystallized into jagged daggers that hovered around his head like a frozen halo. Then they moved. Independent, controlled, and fast.
They shot toward me.
I Apparated out of their path instinctively, but they didn’t strike the floor. They pivoted in midair and continued the chase.
He was holding them back. Guiding them. Each one moved with intent to cut me.
I flicked my wand and cast three Confringos in a single breath. The room shook with each detonation. Shards of ice flew in every direction. The daggers cracked, melted, and hissed away into vapor.
I lowered my wand slightly.
“I think we can step it up, young man,” I said, and my smile was genuine this time.
It had been decades since I felt this kind of thrill. The last time was with Gellert during our final duel. And even then, he had been diminished. The war had worn him down. His power had faltered after... that disaster of his own making.
To this day, I still couldn’t understand what possessed him to attempt such a thing.
A summoning.
He had tried to call forth a being from beyond—one of the forbidden entities whispered about in the oldest magical tomes. He thought that he could bend it to his will with the Elder Wand in hand.
He believed that if the creature was tied to death, perhaps the wand would give him power over it.
He was wrong.
What emerged from that ritual was a being that called itself Pluto.
A dark creature, or something worse.
And he laughed.
He didn’t rage. He didn’t lash out in anger.
He laughed, slow and amused, like a parent finding a child playing with knives. Then he went to work.
What happened in that fortress was never made public. I made sure of that. But the rumors I couldn’t silence, spoke of screams that turned into howling. Of followers who clawed at their own faces. Of Grindelwald himself, curled into a broken heap, babbling in three different tongues.
He lived. Only because Pluto found it amusing.
And Gellert was never the same again.
The following exchange came faster.
Elias raised his wand, finally, and the temperature in the room dropped noticeably. The air grew still. Dense.
I didn’t wait.
A chain of spells flowed from my wand—Petrificus, Incarcerous, Expulso. Quick, efficient, and, most importantly, unpredictable.
But Elias moved like he’d fought a dozen battles already. He ducked low, spun to the side, and conjured a barrier of frost that cracked beneath the force but held long enough to redirect the last spell into the floor.
Then he did something unexpected.
He snapped his fingers, and the remnants of his earlier ice, the leftover from our first clash, started solidifying. They gathered behind me in a wide arc, forming a tall sheet that gleamed like glass.
It was like a mirror.
I raised my wand, but I already knew.
I had to grow serious for our next clash.
A miniature sun burst into being above his head, not the real one, obviously. But it was not less bright. It pulsed with power, humming like a living thing.
I shielded my eyes just as he angled it slightly… toward the mirror of ice.
The beam shot forward at lightning speed, blinding and white-hot.
But instead of hitting me directly like I expected, it reflected off the surface of the ice, splitting into Five angled rays. They ricocheted midair, one grazing my shoulder, another striking the platform at my feet, and the third—very nearly—hit my wand hand.
The last two missed by inches, something I could only be grateful for. I didn’t realize it before, but his light magic had to be unique, more than I already thought.
I had to admit… I was impressed.
He almost managed to disarm me. Ignoring the implication of that, I chuckled before starting my spellwork.
I transfigured a chunk of stone into a reflective obsidian slab and threw it into the path of the final beam. It absorbed the blast, shattering under the force, but it gave me enough time to retaliate.
With a sharp twist of my wrist, I sent a hex that unraveled into a net of light, crackling with containment magic. It expanded toward him like a web, sparking as it moved.
Elias vanished into a shimmer of wind.
Apparition inside Hogwarts? Preposterous.
No… that was pure speed. Just what was he.
He reappeared ten feet behind me, breath controlled, stance perfect.
So I tested him.
I cast a silent Hexaimpulso—a spell that forced pressure against the nervous system, a favorite among older duelists for its ability to disorient.
It struck.
But Elias barely flinched.
Strange.
That spell should have, at the very least, made his knees buckle.
I narrowed my eyes and cast another, a Seizing Jinx designed to freeze the shoulder muscles. It hit cleanly. The magic landed. I felt it.
And yet, his arm still moved freely.
Curious.
I let out a slow breath and ramped up the pace.
My wand became a blur, sending a chain of ten spells in succession, each meant to box him in, restrict his movement, and test his defenses. But Elias met me spell for spell. Not overpowering me, but reading me. Studying. Adapting.
He was, somehow, still improving.
He let one knock him off balance, only to roll and use the fall to launch a spear of ice toward my side. Wandlessly.
I blocked it with a golden shield, but the force cracked it. It was the same shield Bartemius Jr. Used during the small fight, and Elias managed to crack it with a single spell.
It became clear he wasn’t trying to win. He was using me as a stepping stone.
A frog in the bottom of the well, I chuckled.
And that realization came just in time for me to end it.
I unleashed a wave of Transcendent Binding, an advanced spell that drew from three branches of magic: elemental, spiritual, and kinetic. It was not something taught in schools. In fact, I would be impressed if there was anyone but me in the world capable of casting it. I felt nearly a third of my reserves disappearing in a second.
The room shuddered.
Ribbons of blue-white light coiled around Elias like vines, constricting before he could cast again. His wand was ripped from his fingers. He grunted, eyes wide—not in pain, as it should have happened, but in mirth.
He hadn't seen that spell before.
And that made two of us.
Because two of my spells in that fight didn’t act as they should have.
The Seizing Jinx didn’t take hold.
And the Hexaimpulso reacted like it had struck a construct, not a human nervous system.
I filed that away for later.
The bindings faded as I stepped closer. Elias didn’t look angry or embarrassed.
He looked thoughtful.
“Huh,” he murmured. “I didn’t expect differently, but still, you are amazing, headmaster.”
“You’ll learn,” I said quietly. “You already learn far too quickly.” And wasn’t that the truth. I was filled with expectations for my young charge.
He tilted his head and smiled.
“So I lost?”
“Today,” I replied slowly, shaking my head in wonder. “But I suspect that’ll be the last time you’re caught by that spell.”
He nodded, retrieving his wand with a lazy flick of his fingers.
Then I felt it… a soft pressure against the binding spell still coiled around him.
No incantation. No outward magic. Just his sheer presence, swelling through the room like a tide.
He flexed his body, and the pressure surged.
And then... my spell broke.
Just like that.
It had been a binding strong enough to halt a charging, full-blooded giant mid-stride.
And this boy unraveled it with nothing but his body?
I stared agape, my mind racing.
Just what in Merlin’s name is he?
His only reply to my befuddled state was a slight smirk in my direction before turning to the pair of missiles that threw themselves at him.
Hermione Granger.
Iris reached him first, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she nearly tackled him back down. Something I knew was only possible thanks to him allowing us. He was scarily strong.
“Are you okay? Merlin, that was amazing but also insane…what were you thinking?” Iris asked in rapid fire.
I followed a second later, more calm but no less concerned. My hands reached for his arm, brushing his wand hand, checking for injuries. A silly habit, that I knew, but I still worried.
What he had just done made it easy to see how much he had grown in such a short amount of time. Comparing it to Seekvaira and Alivian didn’t shock me as much as him almost matching the Headmaster.
He was the Dumbledore, after all.
He chuckled lowly, brushing some of Iris’s hair from his face. “I’m fine. Just winded.” His calm tone and sweet smile as he glanced at the both of us always made my heart race. Oh… how much I loved him was not something I could put into words.
Before Hogwarts, I had been a loner, hated for my intelligence… but ever since I met him in that train station... he was always there for me. I vowed ever since to be there for him for whatever he needed. The three of us were one, and I loved it.
I knew that my mum would throw a fit when she found out… but I didn’t care. I was happy… no, beyond happy—because these two were my everything.
But what he said wasn’t true.
His breathing was calm and measured. He hadn’t even broken a sweat.
I looked up past him just in time to see Professor Dumbledore turning toward the exit of the Room of Requirement. The door hadn’t been there a moment ago, but the castle always knew what its Headmaster needed.
He paused briefly at the threshold. And our eyes met.
I nodded respectfully. I suspected that he had some reasons why he decided to teach us three, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t grateful. I didn’t see him with the same amount of reverence I did during my first year, but I knew how busy he usually was, and he was making time for us, which meant a lot to me.
He returned it with a faint smile that showed how confused he was and disappeared through the doorway.
He was leaving us alone. That alone said a lot. He trusted Eli not to harm us.
I turned back to Elias, still processing what I’d just witnessed.
“You... flexed your way out of a binding spell,” I said finally, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. “A binding spell that shocked the Headmaster to leave him muted. Are you sure showing off that much was a good idea?”
He blinked at me innocently. “Did I?”
I stared at him. “Yes, Elias. You did.”
He shrugged as if I’d pointed out something minor… the idiot.
“I was a bit uncomfortable,” he said, and that damn smirk returned.
Iris let out an incredulous laugh. “You’re the worst.”
But even she was looking at him differently now.
He’d fought the Headmaster of Hogwarts. The Supreme Mugwump. The greatest living wizard of the age.
And he held his ground.
Logically, I knew that might not mean much compared to the wonders lurking in the supernatural world, but still—he did it.
Elias faced the most powerful wizard alive and didn’t flinch.
I swallowed the twist of jealousy rising in my chest. I’d always known I would never be as strong as Iris or Elias. That wasn’t news. But watching him... seeing how far ahead he’d pulled, I couldn’t help the ache that followed.
A quiet, sharp thought whispered in my mind: What if they leave you behind? What if I’m just... not enough?
“Hey. None of that.”
Elias’s soft voice cut through my spiral.
He reached out and gently tilted my chin, giving me more than enough time to move away. I didn’t. I just closed my eyes.
His lips brushed mine, warm and possessive, and I shivered. That heat in my belly was something only he could awaken, and it grew stronger with every passing second.
“I’ll always love you, Mione,” he whispered.
And I believed him. I always had.
I'd loved him even before the Grimoire changed him, even before his body changed. But now? Now he felt... impossible. Magnetic. Like trying to look away from a comet before wishing for something dear.
The first time I saw him after that change, I couldn’t speak.
If Iris hadn’t stepped in with one of her rare moments of sternness, I probably would have jumped him. Right there. Right then. And I wouldn’t have walked properly for days after I had my way with him.
“I love you too, idiot,” I murmured, burying my face in his chest as the tears slipped free. “Promise me you’ll always be there?”
His arms tightened around me.
“No one will take you from me,” he said, his voice dark and confident. “I’d turn the earth to dust before I let anyone hurt a single hair on your head. You’re mine.”
That growl—Merlin.
I clenched my thighs instinctively, heat rushing through me.
Iris squealed beside us, clearly unable to resist the moment. She darted in, stealing a kiss from me before pulling back just enough to rest her forehead against mine.
“We’re one, Mione,” she whispered. “And we always will be.”
Everything inside me relaxed all at once. The tension, the fear, the doubt. I let it all melt away into their bodies.
They were the best things that had ever happened to me.
“I love you both,” I whispered. Then I grinned. “But seriously, Eli. Stop acting humble. It doesn’t suit you.”
He smirked. “Alright, alright. You caught me. Damn, it felt good.”
He leaned back a little, looking thoughtful. “Now we know where I stand in the world. If the Headmaster really pushed himself, he’d still win. Unless I caught him off guard. But honestly? That might be harder than beating him in a straight duel.”
“It’s good that you’re aware,” I bopped his head softly, “We need to be careful, Eli. I don’t wish to lose you.”
He nodded seriously before perking up.
He kissed us both before he retreated a bit and took his phone out. He smiled at the screen before pressing a green icon.
“Hello, Seekvaira. I didn’t expect to hear so soon about you,” he grinned before going serious. "Did something happen?”
“Wait, I’ll put you on speaker,” he continued in the same breath, “I’m with the girls right now.”
Eli winked before pressing the screen once more. It always confused me how he learned to use a smartphone so quickly, but considering all his enhancements, maybe it shouldn’t surprise me.
“You’re on,” he finished.
“Hello, Iris, Hermione. " The devil's almost neutral tone came from the speakers. “I was calling for two reasons, but first, how are you?”
“Everything is good, Seekvaira,” Iris grinned as she waved her hand even if the devil couldn’t see her.
Eli snorted, and I stifled a giggle. Making her pout.
“Yeah, what she said,” I replied, “What about you, Seekvaira?”
“I’ve been busy,” the sigh was clear to all of us. "I presented the products to my father, and he was interested in the agreement between our families. He approved after reading my copy and promised to help me set up the business with his contacts so I could start earning profit earlier.”
“That’s awesome,” Iris grinned, “What did he think of the chess set?”
“Ufufufu,” the tittering laugh was melodious, and I saw Iris shiver, making me roll my eyes. She was such a horny little thing, not that I blamed her, but still. “He loved it and asked me to tell you about making one in solid gold, if possible. We can provide the materials.”
Eli's eyes light up. “Oh, don’t worry. I have an idea. Besides, think of it as a bribe from us to get him to like us more. Just wait a couple of weeks for it to be ready. I’ll make sure it is luxurious enough for a Duke of hell.”
Seekvaira laughed, “I’ll be waiting, then. I just hope he doesn’t get the wrong idea.”
Iris smirked, and I sighed. I could see how approving of that idea both of my dumb lovers were, not that I wasn’t curious, but someone had to be the serious one in this trio.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Iris grinned, “What was the other thing?”
Seekvaira’s voice shifted, growing more serious. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what we discussed during our last meeting. The purple fire.”
“Walburga?” I asked quickly, my interest peaking. We still weren’t sure if it was her, but the possibility was dangerous enough to take seriously.
“Even if we can’t confirm she’s involved,” Seekvaira continued, “you should start training as if someone on her level is your enemy.”
“But aren’t you training with us?” Eli asked, raising one of his sculpted eyebrows at her. My breath caught, and he’d heard that. Somehow. And, of course, he shot me a smirk.
“Yes, but I’m not as strong as her. While I am a high class, some of my peers are ahead of me in certain areas, including firepower,” Seekvaira replied softly. “And considering we’re allies now, it would be a shame if any of you died because you weren’t ready. Which is why... I asked around and found something that might help.”
“Oh?” I asked, curious.
“Mm-hm.” I could hear the smirk in her voice, even without seeing her face. “Some of my peers have unique traits similar to what Walburga is said to possess. I called in a few favors. Three of them gave me their summoning pamphlets if you're interested.”
Eli’s eyes lit up, and a grin spread across his face. I had no idea what was going through his mind, but he was clearly excited.
“Who are they? And are they trustworthy?” Iris asked seriously before Eli could jump in with a thousand questions.
“All of them are trustworthy,” Seekvaira said firmly. “I’d stake my life on it. But two of them can be... a bit eccentric.”
Eli leaned forward slightly, barely containing his anticipation. “Who are they?”
Seekvaira didn’t miss a beat.
“The normal one, I suppose, is Sona Sitri, the heir of the Sitri clan,” she said evenly. “As for the eccentric ones? Sairaorg Bael... and Rias Gremory.”
Comments
Aleksey A E
Sairaorg has no problem with magic. So he can help with that. People confuse the lack of ancestral power of destruction with the lack of magic.
Lictor Magnus
Saiaorg for sure, plus his peerage is more experienced and could probably help on the magic side just as much as Sona or Rias.
Kevin
While Sairaorg might not be able to help magic wise, he will be AMAZING for the physical side. Honestly, I think he needs all three. Sai for physical stuff, Bias for shear destruction and danger, and finally Sona for real magic use.
InfinityReads99
Best male character of the story by far for me lol.
InfinityReads99
Yeah, I literally thought about him while writing the last sentence and realized his potential to become a good male friend which Elias needs. And he is strong as hell like I said, a good sparing partner and to see the difference in a tier. And yeah, Iris and Rias are pretty similar. Akeno will get alright with her too. I plan to make Iris a bit… wild. Not a sadist by any means but… a little up there. So yeah, akeno will love her lol And walburga fire could be similar to the PoD in potency, so that’s a really nice plus. Sona would be more about tactics and less focused right now, but she will be part of the story.
Hae-Hyuk Shin
I'm surprised I didn't even consider Sairaorg while reading this. He really could become a good friend to Elias, and probably the male friend he'll need with all of these girls lmao Besides that Rias and Iris will probably get on like a house on fire, and Sona and Hermione will probably find great companions in one another as well. Could easily see all of them sparring with those respectively to increase their strengths.
Mylael
Sairaorg, please he's a bro. T4TC
