Chapter 29: Devil Summoning. (I)
Hogwarts.
Elias Blake.
It had been two weeks since I realized I was in way over my head, thinking I was ready for the future. Honestly, after enduring several nightmares and nearly slipping into depression, I began to search for the positives in my situation.
Admittedly, it was a challenging task, but now, a whole new world had opened up for all of us, and it started to excite me a little. I once dreamed of being one of the greats, and learning about the supernatural world almost crushed those dreams. But now, I was starting to see things differently.
With the grimoire, I could live an extraordinary life—if I managed to survive long enough. While hiding away from everything was an option, it wasn't the one I chose. I wanted to live fully—to enjoy my time with the girls, to learn new things, to meet fascinating people, and to uncover the secrets of the world's true history. There was so much I wanted to do, but to achieve it, I needed something specific. And that's what brought us here.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Eli?" Hermione asked, biting her lower lip. Her fear was understandable. She was the only one among us who grew up in a Catholic household. Devils and most supernatural entities were the epitome of evil, according to what her mother had taught her during her childhood.
While the Dursleys were also religious, Iris's strained relationship with them made it easy for her to dismiss their teachings. In my past life, I was a Catholic—not a churchgoer, but I believed in God and all that. So, learning that I was in the Draconis Deus world was shocking, to say the least, even though I now knew the truth about the God of the Abrahamic pantheon.
I sighed at Hermione. She opposed my plan to use the summoning ritual without the other Blacks present. But I didn't want to wait for another opportunity to meet them. The thought of bringing Sirius to my trunk had crossed my mind, but I dismissed it. Even though Sirius allowed us a lot of freedom, he might draw the line at some of my plans, and I didn't want to strain our relationship.
Primarily because of Iris. Sure, we'd learned that Sirius was my uncle, but he was far more invested in Iris since she was James's daughter—and James was a thousand times more family to him than the rest of the Blacks. Sirius was ecstatic about having more family, but I couldn't compare to Iris. Not that I minded, to be honest.
"I'm sure, Mione," I said, trying to reassure her. "We've read everything we could about them, and the Agares family is one of the most respected in the underworld, according to the book. Suppose this were a summoning circle for a family like the original Leviathan or Bael. In that case, I'd hide it where no one could find it. But this is a good opportunity to learn more."
Iris stayed quiet, gently stroking Ash's beak as she watched Hermione and me go back and forth—for what felt like the hundredth time. Ash had grown significantly, and the way Iris absently petted her calmed my irate phoenix.
"Don't you want to learn more about the world, Mione?" I asked with a smirk, noticing her frown waver as a flicker of curiosity and greed shone in her eyes.
She was interested, even if she was afraid of the consequences. It was adorable, really.
Iris smirked from her seat, clearly seeing the same thing I did. We knew Hermione better than she realized.
We were in my trunk, killing time before the Yule Ball tomorrow. Over the past few days, the girls had been whispering among themselves, planning something I couldn't quite figure out. I didn't pry too much, though.
Iris was going to be my date, as decided by the girls themselves, while Hermione was going "alone" and would stay with Luna and Neville while we ate in the champion's table. This was Luna's workaround since she wasn't allowed to attend without an upper-year invite. Understanding that she was in the same boat, Ginny was going with Seamus after winning a bet. I'd heard Ron didn't take it well and had confronted Seamus, but once Seamus explained that Ginny just wanted someone to invite her, Ron backed off.
While I didn't know what the girls were scheming, I wanted to start learning more about the world sooner rather than later. The third task was looming, and I had a chilling realization.
The fire that killed Barty Crouch Jr.—that wasn't Wizarding magic. I remembered vividly how Dumbledore had reacted with fear at that moment. There was a good chance Voldemort had help from the supernatural world, and I wanted to be prepared, just in case. Now that I understood how vast the world was, relying solely on my limited knowledge felt foolish.
"Let it go, Mione," Iris sighed slowly, standing up as she approached the altar I was preparing. She approached Hermione and hugged her from the back, hiding her head in Hermione's hair.
"I also think we should do this now," Iris chimed in, peppering Hermione's neck with kisses. Since that day, Iris had become increasingly affectionate with Hermione when we were in private. I didn't ask why, even though I was curious, but it seemed like that night of fooling around had lit a spark in her.
Hermione grumbled, but she melted under Iris's attention. Before long, she sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Fine, do what you want. But if we lose our souls, I'll never forgive you, Eli."
I snorted at her threat. "You've read the books more times than I have," I said, rolling my eyes. "Dealing with souls has been outlawed since their civil war. We're safe."
I glanced at Iris and blew her a kiss, mouthing "thank you" to her. She winked and pulled Hermione closer, giving me the space I needed to work.
Taking a deep breath, I looked around to ensure everything was ready. There were stacks of bags filled with gold leaves, thanks to Dobby, who had been working almost nonstop since we hired him. He was probably the best-paid house-elf in history, but when making gold was as easy as covering something with a rag, I didn't mind that Hermione gave him a couple of leaves a day as payment.
It was a shame the goblins weren't interested in buying gold from Dobby, who was in charge of producing it. So, we ended up with kilograms of gold stored in my trunk, ready whenever needed. If the Agares family was interested, we could negotiate a deal that worked for everyone.
Glancing at the girls, Iris nodded at me, and Ash sent her encouragement through our bond. She was our last line of defense. From some of the books Arcturus had, we learned that devils are weak to phoenixes, as their songs and fire were completely harmful to them. I hope it didn't come to that, but having that assurance was nice.
"It's time," I said firmly, and the girls took their wand out to prepare for anything.
I let my perk guide me as an incantation I didn't understand flowed through my mouth without my input. My wand waved through the air as I imitated some of the runes in the parchment in a specific order. I watched in surprise as the runes in the parchment lighted up and absorbed a significant part of my magic. It wasn't that taxing, to be honest, but considering how my reserves had grown, it was clear that the parchment was made for a fully grown wizard to use, not school students.
The girls stepped back instinctively as the light intensified, the circle pulsing with energy. My voice rose, the final words of the incantation echoing like a command. Then, with a sudden burst of light, the room fell silent.
For a moment, nothing happened. I frowned, glancing at the parchment in confusion. "What's going on? I did everything right according to—"
Before I could finish, the air within the circle shimmered, and a figure began to materialize. A tall woman in her late teens stepped through, her presence commanding. Her long, pale green hair cascaded down her back, and her piercing pink eyes scanned the room curiously. She wore a sleek, black dress adorned with intricate silver patterns framed by her house sigil, and her aura radiated power.
A suffocating power… easily as strong as some of the more dangerous professors. This was good information; this alone made this summoning worth it. From what I barely knew, she was comparable to Rias and Sona, so she should be a high-class devil, or at least really close to that level.
Knowing that Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape were at that level was reassuring, even if the two were nearly in their sixties. It was almost amusing how shocked they'd be to see someone under twenty with the same strength as them. And that wasn't even considering any special magic she might have, like Rias's Power of Destruction. I didn't know what her unique ability was, but I had a feeling it was something bullshit.
As I spent a few seconds observing her, she did the same. Her demeanor was cold; there was no other way to describe it. She scanned the room with cold efficiency, her eyes moving from me to the girls, her expression unreadable. Even when she noticed our wands, there was only a flicker of understanding, nothing more.
The only time her composure faltered was when her gaze landed on Ash, who was practically glaring at her. I sent soothing feelings through our familiar bond to calm the phoenix down. Ash had always been feisty, even as a baby, and now that she had grown, she was even more so. Honestly, she was an aspiring pyromaniac.
I blinked, processing everything, and decided it was time to break the ice.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you, miss," I said, offering a smile that I was sure came off as brittle. If I was being honest with myself, I was more nervous than I'd expected.
The woman—because there was no way to call her a girl—raised an eyebrow. "Seekvaira Agares, Heir of the House of Agares."
I waited for her to continue, but that was all she said. Her voice was smooth and serious, devoid of any emotion. However, the subtle way she created some distance between herself and Ash told me the books were right about one thing: phoenixes made devils uneasy, and she knew it.
"I didn't expect the family's heir to come," I admitted. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Heir Agares," I continued, keeping my tone formal. I didn't know enough about her to gauge how to act to earn her respect, but proper etiquette couldn't hurt.
She nodded briskly. "Normally, someone of my standing wouldn't respond to a summoning circle. However, this one was crafted by my father hundreds of years ago. I didn't expect to feel its call after he passed it down when I received my Evil Pieces."
I nodded, showing my understanding. Ash and the girls seemed to relax, seeing that the devil acted respectfully.
"Now," she said, a small quirk playing on her lips as she raised an eyebrow, "would you care to introduce yourself and your companions?"
"My apologies," I said, smiling. "My name is Elias Blake, and these lovely ladies are Iris Potter and Hermione Granger." I gestured to each of them, and they waved. Iris wore a confident smile, while Hermione looked nervous. "And this little one here is Ash, my phoenix."
Iris's eyes showed interest when Seekvaira didn't react to her name the way the wizards did. In fact, she didn't react at all. It seemed that wizards were so beneath a devil's notice that they simply didn't care about us.
Seekvaira nodded at the girls, but her eyes widened slightly when I introduced Ash, who softly squeaked.
"A phoenix familiar," she murmured, her tone surprised. "That's quite rare, Mr. Blake." Her eyes sharpened again as she added, "May I ask how you came into possession of this summoning circle? From what my father told me, it was given as payment to the Black family of Britain."
"Ah, my apologies," I said, rubbing the back of my head. "I'm Elias Black, but I only learned about my heritage recently. I still go by Blake since no one outside our group knows the truth."
"That makes more sense," Seekvaira said with a nod. "Now, do you know what favor you intend to ask of my family?"
"Favor?" I asked, genuinely this time. "I'm afraid we don't know much about the history between our houses. Allow me to explain."
She simply nodded, gesturing for me to continue.
"Please, take a seat," I said with a smile. "Would you like anything to drink?"
"Tea would be acceptable," she replied briskly, settling into the seat across from us. Now that I looked more closely, I noticed how impeccably dressed she was—surprisingly posh, even by wizarding standards. And believe me, some of the purebloods dressed like that.
"Dobby," I called out, waiting for the excitable house-elf to appear. He popped into the room, dressed in his new mismatched butler-like outfit, which Iris found amusing. She snorted softly, as she always did whenever she saw Dobby trying to pull off the "Muggle butler" look.
"What can Dobby be doing for Iris Potter's Elias?" he asked, his large eyes shining enthusiastically. My smile twitched at his wording, but at least the little interruption earned a faint, amused smile from Seekvaira.
"Could you bring us the best tea you can make, please? And some pastries, if you have any," I requested, smiling at the eager elf.
"Dobby will be back!" he declared with a firm nod before disappearing with a loud pop.
I turned my attention back to the devil in the room. "As I said, I don't know anything about why the Black family had this in their possession. In fact, the portrait of my great-grandfather had no idea how to use it or even what it was. He admitted that none of the lords before him knew it either."
Seekvaira nodded softly. "That's interesting. But before I explain properly, may I ask a question?"
"Go ahead," I said with a smile.
"If no one knew how to use it or what it was, how could you activate it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
This was a question I'd expected, and the girls had approved of my response beforehand.
"Luck," I laughed. "I have a knack for understanding magical artifacts. I can't explain it, but I'm quite good at figuring things out."
Seekvaira studied me thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. She breathed and continued, "Allow me to explain better, then. About a four hundred years ago, my father's queen suffered from a malediction, a curse that no one in the underworld could cure. My father searched far and wide for a solution because he cared deeply for her."
Hermione couldn't contain herself any longer and raised her hand as if in the middle of a class. Thankfully, Seekvaira found the gesture amusing and nodded for her to speak.
"What do you mean by 'queen'?" Hermione asked, her lips pursed in curiosity.
"You really know nothing, do you?" Seekvaira directed the question at me, and I chuckled.
"No, we don't know much. That's one of the reasons I used the circle," I admitted.
The beautiful devil nodded, an approving look in her eyes. "Knowledge is power. As for your question, Miss Granger, a queen, is the second-in-command of a peerage."
When she saw the blank looks on Hermione's and Iris's faces, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I think I'll explain this later. Let me finish the connection between our families first."
I chuckled at Hermione's expression but gestured for Seekvaira to continue. Before she could, Dobby reappeared with the tea and pastries, serving everyone silently before disappearing with a soft pop.
"That is a good servant," Seekvaira remarked approvingly.
"An eccentric one, but yes, he's quite good," I smiled, earning a light laugh from the devil.
"As I was saying," she continued, "my father is very close to his queen, so he went to great lengths to find a cure, even if it meant testing the ancient pact with the wizards. He learned about the Black family, who, at the time, had one of the best healers in the wizarding world. The family head's wife was a skilled healer who used something called Parseltongue to cure my father's queen. In gratitude, my father promised the Black family his aid if they were ever in danger."
"That's fascinating," I said, my mind racing with the possibilities of such a favor before I reined it in. I shouldn't waste it on something as simple as information. "Thank you for explaining the situation, Miss Agares. I'll share this with my uncle and Arcturus when I see them."
Seekvaira nodded and sipped her tea. I assumed it met her standards since she didn't say anything negative.
"Now," I began, smiling, "let me explain why we summoned you. We have reason to believe the wizarding world is hiding the truth about the rest of the supernatural world. We only learned about it two weeks ago when I found this circle in the family library. After Arcturus explained what little he knew, we were honestly shocked. But the truth is, we know far too little about devils and the other beings hidden from us. We've read in some books that your kind enjoy making deals. What would it take to arrange something like that?"
Seekvaira hummed, pursing her lips in thought. "Let's make a deal, then. I admit I'm quite curious about wizards and witches, but thanks to the pact, we can't interact with them unless someone summons us from within their world. Otherwise, we risk incurring the wrath of multiple beings no one sane should ever cross. But since you've summoned me, I can communicate with you. As for the deal, we'll ask questions, and the other will answer to the best of their knowledge."
"No hidden clauses or anything like that?" I raised an eyebrow playfully, earning a huff from the devil.
Chuckling at her reaction, I nodded and shook her hand. When our hands touched, I felt a small portion of my magic leave my body.
"That was interesting. What was that?" I asked, confused.
Seekvaira smiled. "That was the seal of our pact, nothing more. Since you summoned me, you can ask the first question."
"Thank you," I said, smiling as I made myself comfortable on the sofa. The girls had been silent, but I could see their curiosity and eagerness shining in their eyes. I reached out, grabbed their hands, and pulled them closer to me.
"First question," I began seriously. "You mentioned a pact that makes communicating with wizards difficult for beings outside the wizarding world. What do you know about it?"
Seekvaira hummed, tapping her finger on the table. "I don't know everything. No one in the underworld cares enough about wizards to investigate thoroughly, and my faction wasn't part of the group that created the pact," she admitted. "But I can tell you this: no one sane would break it. From what little I know, multiple factions were present when the pact was signed, and a lot of… scary beings want the wizards left alone for some reason."
"But what if someone doesn't care about breaking the pact?" Hermione interjected seriously. "Is there any punishment to prevent that?"
Seekvaira nodded in approval at the question. "That's the thing… there's no formal punishment. If someone is caught breaking the pact, things could get ugly, but no one cares enough about the wizards to keep tabs on them—especially in this day and age."
Hermione frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but Seekvaira raised a hand, cutting her off with a smile. "I believe it's my turn now."
Seekvaira leaned forward, her slitted pink eyes gleaming with curiosity. "There must be something interesting if those beings wanted to keep the wizards away. Could you demonstrate something for me? Something… impressive?"
I thought for a moment, recalling what little I knew about Seekvaira. She was fascinated with mechas and the like, the only thing I knew for sure about her. Piquing her curiosity with Transfiguration may work for us to be friends. In fact, it was a perfect opportunity.
"How about transfiguration?" I suggested. "It's the art of transforming one object into another. It's one of the most complex and visually striking branches of magic."
Seekvaira's eyes lit up, and she immediately pulled out her phone, scrolling through it with surprising enthusiasm for someone who had been so composed moments ago. She turned the screen toward me, showing a picture of a sleek, futuristic mecha. "Can you make something like this?"
Hermione looked at the phone in wonder. And I understood her shock; I had no idea why, but technology often fails when people are around magic-filled places or wizards.
"Uh, that's… impressively designed. But let's see." I turned to Iris, who was already grinning. "Iris, you're the best at Transfiguration. Want to give it a shot?"
Iris smirked and stood up, pulling out her wand. "Watch and learn," she said, her voice smug. She focused on the image of the mecha, her brow furrowing in concentration as she waved her wand through the air. After some seconds, a nearby chair shifted and morphed, its wooden frame expanding and reshaping into a towering, metallic mecha. The transformation was seamless, and within moments, a perfect replica of the mecha from Seekvaira's phone stood before us.
Iris was scary in Transfiguration. She was fast but delicate at the same time. I could do the same thing, but I had to focus on either the form or the material. I could not do both at my level and even less at the speed at which Iris worked.
Seekvaira's eyes widened, and for the first time, her cold, composed demeanor cracked. "That's… incredible!" she exclaimed, examining the mecha more closely. She ran her hand over its surface, her voice filled with genuine awe. "The detail, the precision—this is amazing! I've never seen anything like it!"
Iris crossed her arms, looking smug. "Told you I was the best."
Seekvaira was practically gushing now. "Do you know how much this would revolutionize engineering in the human world? Or even in the underworld? The applications are endless! Can you really make anything?"
After a moment, she seemed to realize she was losing her composure. She straightened up, cleared her throat, and smoothed her dress, her expression shifting back to its usual seriousness. "Ahem. That was… impressive. Thank you for the demonstration."
I couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden shift. "Glad you liked it. Now, I believe it's my turn."
Seekvaira nodded, sitting back down and folding her hands neatly in her lap. "Go ahead."
"What do you think are the differences between the magic we use and the magic others use? Or is everyone's magic the same? Given how you reacted to Transfiguration, I find it hard to believe they're identical," I asked, more for the girls' benefit than mine.
Seekvaira paused, mulling over her answer for a moment before speaking. "I don't know the exact mechanics of your magic, but you could say that devil magic focuses on controlling phenomena. Our power is rooted in the sheer strength of elements—explosions, destruction, and the like. We can't; believe me, it's been tried to create things the way you just showed me. Devil energy isn't suited for that kind of delicate work."
"I don't understand," Hermione frowned. "Would it be too much to ask for a demonstration?"
Seekvaira hesitated, her expression thoughtful, but eventually nodded. "Very well. Is there somewhere I can safely demonstrate our magic?"
"Oh, I have the perfect place," I said with a smirk.
I focused on my trunk, willing it to reshape itself. The space inside expanded, forming a vast expanse of land as far as the eye could see. Mountains rose in the distance, and the ground beneath us turned into a flat, barren field of dirt—perfect for a demonstration.
"Let's head outside," I said, smiling at the girls. Ash chirped excitedly and flew to my shoulder, perching there as if she were ready to watch a show.
The devil and my girls followed me out. Iris and Hermione looked eager, their eyes sparkling with anticipation. Honestly, I was just as excited.
We reached the door of the house, and as I opened it, I nodded to myself. The scene before us was exactly what I'd envisioned. Stretching out in front of the house was a vast, open field of dirt, with a towering mountain in the distance. Nothing else was around, just the perfect blank canvas for Seekvaira to demonstrate her magic.
Seekvaira stepped forward, her posture confident as she walked a few paces ahead. The air around her seemed to grow heavier. She raised her hand, and a faint, glowing magic circle began to form in front of her.
"Before you start," I called out, "can you ensure the backlash doesn't destroy the house or harm us? I'd rather not have my house destroyed."
Seekvaira glanced over her shoulder, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Consider it done." She waved her hand, and another magic circle appeared, forming a translucent barrier between us and her. It shimmered faintly, like a wall of light, but it felt solid when I touched it.
"Well, let's test this," I said, turning to the girls. "Anyone want to punch it?"
Iris grinned and stepped forward first. She balled her fist and gave the barrier a solid punch.
Well, it was solid for her, but she had normal human strength, and the barrier did not budge an inch.
Hermione approached next. She pressed her palm against the barrier, then knocked on it gently. "It's like hitting a brick wall," she murmured. "It feels different than protego, more solid."
I gave it a try myself, throwing a harder punch this time. My fist bounced off without leaving so much as a dent. "Alright, I'm convinced. Go ahead, Miss Seekvaira."
Considering my strength had increased ever since I became a cryomancer, it was surprising how the barrier ignored it. We had already tried using Protego, and I knew I could break it if someone other than Iris level of power cast the spell.
The devil nodded, her expression focused as she returned to the open field. The magic circle in front of her grew larger, the symbols spinning faster and glowing brighter. I could feel the ground beneath us vibrating faintly. Ash let out a low chirp, her feathers ruffling as she shifted nervously on my shoulder.
"Stay close," I said to the girls, though my eyes were fixed on Seekvaira. "This is going to be worse than I expected."
I was already noticing some differences between our magic. Mine had changed due to the various perks from the Grimoire, so I wasn't the norm. But compared to Iris or Hermione, Seekvaira's magic felt denser, and by a large margin. If I had to make a comparison, wizard magic was like air, while devil magic was like glycerin. Even if she had a comparable reserve of magic to Snape, I was a hundred percent sure she could destroy things on a scale completely beyond what our professor was capable of.
With a final incantation, Seekvaira thrust her hand forward, and the magic circle erupted. A beam of concentrated energy shot out, streaking across the field like a comet. It traveled impossibly fast, disappearing into the distance before slamming into the base of the far-off mountain.
The explosion was deafening. A blinding flash of light illuminated the entire field, followed by a shockwave that rattled the ground beneath us. The barrier held firm, shielding us from the worst of it, but the sheer force of the blast still made the girls stumble back. Hermione let out a small yelp while Iris grabbed my arm to steady herself.
When the light faded, we all stared in stunned silence. The mountain—or what was left of it—was now a smoldering crater. The top half had been completely obliterated, leaving behind a jagged stump and a cloud of dust and debris that slowly drifted into the sky.
"Merlin's beard…" Hermione whispered, her voice trembling. "That's… that's…"
"Incredible," Iris finished, her eyes wide with awe. "You just… vaporized a mountain."
I let out a low whistle, trying to hide how impressed and scared I was. "Yeah, we can't do anything close to that. Not by a long shot."
Seekvaira turned to us, her expression calm and composed once more, though there was a hint of pride in her eyes. "As you can see, devil magic excels in raw power and destruction. Precision and creation, however, are not our forte."
Hermione was still staring at the crater, her mind clearly racing. "But… the energy output alone… it's unbelievable."
On the other hand, Iris was grinning like a kid on Christmas. "That was awesome. Can you teach me how to do that?"
Seekvaira raised an eyebrow, amused. "I don't believe you can replicate something like this right now. Human magicians might be able to, but they use magic differently than you three."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Let's not blow up any more mountains today."
Seekvaira nodded, the magic circles fading as she lowered her hand. "Indeed. Now, I believe it's your turn to answer my questions."
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