But For A Stone (A Matou Shinji Series AU)

[Daiki]

[X] Blast Shadow Shinji off the bat with his...special ability, as he will be the most dangerous if he is left alive. From there Shinji will support Natsumi and Amber on their Shadow forms to outnumber/overpower them. Suggest that Natsumi to use her luck potion for the end bosses.

Good thing we voted for teamwork training back then, yeah. Ought to help during the whole challenge. I agree about taking care of his Shadow's first (we don't want to see what happens if it gets triggered when you defeat one of the other shadow first) and then maybe Natsumi's (in case her alter ego has access to mopsus).

[alfheimwanderer]

And final choices of the year...

Whose POV would you like to see the Final Challenge from?

[ ] Shinji
[ ] Natsumi
[ ] Amber
[ ] Quirrell

At the end of the year, Sokaris makes it known to those she considers more than passing acquaintances that she will not be returning for year 2. As such, since the next place she is going has a markedly different curriculum than Hogwarts, she is giving away much of what she purchased for the year in terms of books and supplies.

What would Shinji like? (choose one)

[ ] An annotated set of schoolbooks
[ ] A unique wand of Olive Wood, with a Chimera Scale core
[ ] A pass permitting "the bearer" the right to access the Restricted Section
[ ] A flute of some variety
[ ] An enchanted cloak
[ ] A large, curiously blank piece of parchment

[Daiki]

[x] Quirrell.

Interested in what he thinks of the trio and how well they are performing during the challenge / overall in his class.

[x] A pass permitting "the bearer" the right to access the Restricted Section.

Most of these options are appealing to me but I think this one trumps the others in terms of long term benefit. Having access to advanced knowledge on top of the bonus granted by Occlumency would be really helpful. It would also allow Shinji to keep his top student image which is not a bad thing either. Slughorn and Quirrell would approve.

The other item that is of great appeal would be Sion's personal schoolbooks, which I assume contain must of her adjustment for better efficiency during class. However, I doubt Shinji could grasp beyond a fraction of the wisdom it contains. If he were as good as Natsumi at maths it could be a different story though. Half-knowledge can be detrimental too. A good pick in my opinion, just not ideal.

The Marauders' map sounds like a tool that could get abused by people who are a little too daring (Phelan would likely become your best friend though).

A cloak would serve in a similar fashion to the map (avoiding attention) without the benefit of knowing who is where. Unless it has other enchantments beyond the classic invisibility, I wouldn't consider it personally.

Another wand sounds good (especially that core has my attention) but we are probably better off purchasing another custom made wand for Shinji so we don't have to constantly swap because we keep ruining them. (Also, the wand we have in our vault at the cottage might already be able to sustain that kind of feedback)

As for the flute, I expect it to be a very useful item which we will regret not getting when we had the opportunity six months (or so) down the line. Can't get everything, eh.

[skulkidcachi90]

[ ] Quirrell

[x] A pass permitting "the bearer" the right to access the Restricted Section

[shanagan]

[x] Quirrell

[x] A unique wand of Olive Wood, with a Chimera Scale core

[Skull Leader]

[X] Natsumi

While on Natsumi, I have to say if we do not pick the Marauder map option that one should really go to Nats. After all who else would get so much joy out of saying it password code? I can just see the devious look on Nats face as she swears she is up to no good.

I have a few questions on this current choice. Exactly what is in the restricted section? I know its higher level stuff that Hogwarts deem unsuitable for younger students but there seems to be a lack of exactly what that means in content. It feels weird that they would have this dark magic library accessible to people even if it is restricted.

This enchanted cloak...ah is that the deathly hollows version cloak perchance? Cause I am starting to wonder there. If not what kind of enchantments are we talking?

Now lets go over Daiki's opinions for this choice.

Sure a custom wand for Shinji would be best but here is the rub. Who the heck does Shinji know that can A) make one and B) that he can afford? There is no way we will get a custom wand any time soon with our current state. And frankly Daiki we already have a custom wand, its called the worm wand. So the wand being offered is no small thing. Don't dismiss something solely because you have a dream of something grander, you might find out the grander idea does not pan out.

Why do we always jump on the knowledge stuff people? Seriously? This Shinji is not a god darn Ravenclaw anymore. And frankly you have to spend time studying if you go with the books or the pass. I would like to remind you people that we tend to have all the focus of a kitten and will likely not focus on any new material when we already have more books to read then we can possible handle at this moment. We have currently Curses, Occlumency and the Russian book to study from. Adding more on top of that plus whatever we discover during this summer might be overloading it. A pass is great at all (heck I love that pass myself) but you have to find time to use it. And that will close our paths.

The items like cloak, flute etc might not sound as impressive to you but here's the rub, they are less demanding on Shinji's time. He can use them get a powerup but does not have to spend hours to do so. We already have quite the limited time when you think about all the stuff Shinji is trying to work on. I am not saying I hate the current vote, but I just want you all to realize this major issue, that picks like that have downsides.

The flute is for a different build we could have done. Nothing more.

[Daiki]

I see the library more as a well of references that would help Shinji develop at a steady rate, rather than a new branch to study from. I want him to keep using cross references when he works at school, it simple as that. Houses are unrelated, we picked wisdom and charisma as his main aims.

Each and every option has downsides, mate. Plus, if you think it about it, Shinji isn't the best at taking care of his possessions. How many items or pieces of gear has he lost or destroyed over the course of the two routes? The bonuses these offer are as good as they last, when it comes down to it. Meanwhile, the Hogwarts library isn't something going anywhere. I'm sure Alf will find a way to restrict the visits / limit the opportunities to use it anyway.

tldr; I wand my seaweed core wand, dammit.

[alfheimwanderer]

[ ] A pass permitting "the bearer" the right to access the Restricted Section

Signed by Professor Quirrell. Current policy allows such non-specific passes, though this is subject to the librarian.

Restricted Section does include some dark arts material, though certain more dangerous tomes have been removed and are stored in the Headmaster's office. In general, it's advanced or more dangerous material that could possibly cause permanent harm if you are not careful (e.g. Turn into a cat girl if you use the wrong reagent in polyjuice, potential to curse yourself, etc. Much of the advanced potions stuff is here, as are very expensive and unique books like the Book of Potions and Book of Spells.

[ ] An enchanted cloak

Not the Deathly Hallow. Has enchantments which maintain a comfortable temperature, increase user carrying capacity, provide a low level heal over time and resist the effects of outside prana.

As to the people she is offering things to, the group includes...

Shinji, Miyuki, Natsumi, Ernie, Nigel, Hermione

[Skull Leader]

[X] A unique wand of Olive Wood, with a Chimera Scale core

I would be the first to say we don't need to keep hordeing wands but I suspect this can channel his darker powers a lot better than the holly one. Cause you know she is a vampire so it must be resilient in that department. And I heavily suspect we could earn/find another way to get a pass for the restricted section.

But a Chimera scale wand...priceless.

Really I would consider the annotated books before the pass as it is more valuable since you can't get another set like it from anywhere else vs the pass can be attained by other ways.

[Haunter]

[X] Natsumi
[X] A unique wand of Olive Wood, with a Chimera Scale core

[Nanao-kun]

[X] Natsumi
[X] A unique wand of Olive Wood, with a Chimera Scale core

[alfheimwanderer]

Viewpoints will be Natsumi and Quirrell
Item from Sokaris will be the Wand

So...out of curiosity, how do you think you did compared to the mainline first year? Writing is in progress.

[skulkidcachi90]

6/10

Main route:
8/10

[Daiki]

I was about to claim that this route had the potential to be as good, if not better than the main one but dubious decisions like that one truly hamper my enthusiasm and interest.

This vote result truly disappoints me. Giving up on the restricted section for a wand, which was crafted in order to match Sokaris' hand? Can't see how it would be of equivalent benefit to special access to the restricted part of the library. Something that could have benefited Shinji for years to come, thrown away for another spellcasting tool, of which category we can acquire others more adequate to Shinji's usage whenever? Sure, sounds like a great idea. And it's not even the route where Shinji cares enough about Sion to claim one of her personal tools.

Let's be mediocre so we can call dibs on the cool wand, I guess.

[Skull Leader]

Well I was just trying to point out the downsides to the pass. Heck I wanted it as well but I think we can get it some other way. And frankly having it would give no benefit for the upcoming Summer Break. So I am not sure I get the burn here other than its another wand to add to the collection...sigh.

Overall I would say that Main route 1st year was the gold standard to compare all other years to, after all it went really really well and Shinji coasted rather well years later based on the events put forth from that year. 10/10

This year, if you asked me how it was going at October-November of the school year, I would say it was a disaster but I think we did rather well pulling out of the hole created during those days. Honestly it feels like a 7/10 in terms of how we did, maybe an 8. But I also enjoyed this year far more than main route 1st year even with all its ups and downs. Granted if Shinji had not did well in the last few challenges I think it would have rated a 5 at best.

In terms of Shinji in a good position to grow power, BC Shinji beats this Shinji, given that he had gained Sion's support and Touko's support as well as the Stonecutter's benefits. But if you remove the long term support of those two, BfoS Shinji is honestly in the better position with his circle of friends, and his gear to continue developing and improving.

[skulkidcachi90]

I was about to claim that this route had the potential to be as good, if not better than the main one but dubious decisions like that one truly hamper my enthusiasm and interest.

This vote result truly disappoints me. Giving up on the restricted section for a wand, which was crafted in order to match Sokaris' hand? Can't see how it would be of equivalent benefit to special access to the restricted part of the library. Something that could have benefited Shinji for years to come, thrown away for another spellcasting tool, of which category we can acquire others more adequate to Shinji's usage whenever? Sure, sounds like a great idea. And it's not even the route where Shinji cares enough about Sion to claim one of her personal tools.

Let's be mediocre so we can call dibs on the cool wand, I guess.

THIS.

[Malgos]

I haven't really voted here so I apologize if this seems a bit harsh - I don't really mean anything by it and this is mostly about how much I liked this as a story.

Given how not only this version sorta became a future version of what he hates - senpai and all. And how I overall didn't get into this story as much and if Alf wasn't writing it I may have lost interest halfway through, but these latest chapters were really interesting and I feel he has developed somewhat from before so this is a 4-6/10 for me. Granted these latest chapters alone I'd say were a 7/10 so you guys did a great job there as did Alf writing it.

Aside from that I really liked that you guys choose to trust his friends more - the first story had the potential to have a tightly nit group and it probably appeared so for most onlookers as well, but we knew that by choice he always kept all his friends in dark in regards to any of his secrets. I'm struggling to even think if they know anything of substance. So in that regard this story pleases me.

Honestly comparing this to the original is pretty unfair the voters there did extremely well and while they messed up here and there, especially when it came to the challenge which later bit him in the ass that one was a solid 8/10 or so for me, but since he managed to befriend Sion which is really hard and probably the most difficult thing to achieve in the this year it's a 10/10. Not only did that determine his goals, but it also helped his character develop and I feel like we're somewhat seeing his talent shine through as it's stated that he can be very talent at anything he puts his mind to, aside from magecraft.

[alfheimwanderer]

Chapter 44. Conversations

Unlike Selina Moore, the storyteller who enjoyed sharing tidbits from her many adventures, Matou Shinji was a much more private individual. Were it up to him, he wouldn’t be talking about his past to yet another person, but well…he owed Selina some answers, after the events of the scenario.

…in particular, the part where he’d summoned dark lightning to erase a simulacrum of his grandfather from the world, while laughing.

She’d agreed not to speak of it to anyone else, in exchange for as full an explanation as he was willing to provide at a later date, and well, after a week or so had gone by and he thought she’d forgotten, he’d received a note from her at breakfast, asking if he’d found some time for them to chat.

‘She’s never going to let it go,’ he’d realized, with it dawning on him that refusing to talk to the person he would be spending the summer with could make things very awkward indeed. Or could even lead to him being…disinvited from their summer trip in favor of something else, something which the boy did not want to see happen. Not because he wanted to go to France, mind you, but because he’d had enough of being passed over, of being set aside, of being replaced.

So he’d written her a note inviting her to a picnic by the lake, figuring that if they were to talk about such weighty matters, it might as well be somewhere where others were unlikely to come by, and that things might go easier if the blonde was disarmed by the promise of good weather and good food to go with the answers she sought.

Thankfully she’d agreed, and so the late morning found them setting up for said picnic by the gnarled tree at the shore, assisted by House Elves laded with buckets of fried chicken, fried potato wedges, and a salad of various boiled greens topped with slices of egg. It was admittedly a good contrast to their last experience with a great body of water, with trolls and other vile creatures popping out of nowhere to ambush them.

Shinji mentioned as such, with Selina chuckling slightly.

"Well, it's not as if we would ever have to fight a troll while at school, right?" the girl commented wryly. "After all, Hogwarts is supposed to be 'the safest place in all of Wizarding Britain,’ since people care about children more than anything else."

"And if you believe that, I have some ancient relics I'd like to sell you," Shinji replied, his voice dry as bone. "Why, I’ll even throw in information on a ritual some…practitioners use to pass their knowledge on. Something about carving the knowledge into yourself and making a circuit…”

"Heh. You know, I wouldn’t put it past some wizards, but…I don’t think you’d have any reason to know about such things." Selina mentioned pointedly.

“…point. I’ve only ever heard of it,” the boy added defensively.

“Right…” Selina grunted, shaking her head. “About the scenario then? There were things you wanted to talk about. Things you didn’t want other people to hear?”

There was a long moment of silence.

"Well, it gave me more respect for Weasley, if that’s what you mean," Shinji joked, remembering how the redheaded boy had somehow managed to escape the dangers of that scenario.

The blonde rolled her eyes.

“You know very well what I mean, Matou,” she retorted, with the boy’s face falling as she did.

“Right. Well…where do I even begin?” he asked, having little idea of what she wanted to hear. There had been so much that had happened – the encounter with the false version of his grandfather, the origin of his odd powers, the fact that he had…issues…

Or how, in the end, he’d been able to turn his hatred of his grandfather and everything the archmagus represented into a terrible weapon…

“Normally, one would begin at the beginning, but before that…”

“Yes…?” the boy inquired.

“Well, first things first – did you invite anyone else to this picnic, or is it just the two of us?" Selina asked with a sultry smile, looking up at the boy through her lashes.

Shinji blinked.

“Uh, well…Natsumi and Amber are on their way,” he responded after a moment. “I…we’ve talked about things like…like this before,” he added, by way of explanation.

There was a beat, with only the sound of the wind and water filling the silence, before…

“You trust them, even with your secrets,” the blonde murmured, something quite unreadable in her voice.

“Some of them,” the boy admitted. “Others…”

“You have more, then?”

Shinji looked pointedly at the self-professed adventuress.

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“…touché.”

---

If asked, Shinji would have said that the reason he invited Natsumi and Amber to join them was because they could fill in details that he glossed over and provide some objectivity to the discussion. He wouldn’t have admitted (or perhaps would only have admitted under extreme duress) that he’d asked them to be here because he didn’t want to talk about his past without some sort of emotional support, and well, he didn’t want to bother senpai, as she was busy with one thing or another.

And to be frank, he needed the support, since speaking about his family – even just his grandfather, not his…sister, was difficult for him.

Indeed, as he spoke, a dark haze was visible around his body, almost making his image shimmer or perhaps sparkle in the afternoon sun. What he shared – it wasn't everything, wasn’t even close to everything, but it was enough for Selina to get an idea of the darkness within Matou Shinji's heart of hearts.

“Yeah, I’m afraid, but I told myself that if I have to be afraid, I might as well turn fear into power,” he muttered, with Natsumi reaching out and squeezing his hand supportively. “Fear, anger, hate – for so long, these things tormented me because I was…” His voice hitched, and he swallowed. “…because I was powerless, compared to people like th—like my grandfather. Well, no more. No more. No more.”

For a long moment, silence reigned, with none of those present knowing just what to say. Eventually though, Selina broke the silence.

"I had no idea that was how you became a warlock," the bespectacled blonde murmured softly. "To make the darkness into your power…you are stronger than you let on."

"...even if I am, I'm not yet strong enough," Shinji replied, shaking his head. "Even if I can erase constructs, can unmake things made with witchcraft...it's not enough.” He sighed heavily, swallowing. “It’s not enough,” he repeated. “I need…I need to do more, to become more."

"’More’ you say?" Amber asked quietly.

“That’s right. More,” the boy said. “Until it’s finally enough.”

“…and what would be enough?" she pressed.

The boy’s expression was almost sad as he heard the question, his lips twisting in an odd way, as if the very notion of something being enough was almost absurd. Yet, if that was what he thought, he didn’t speak such words aloud.

"When I possess a power that can twist the laws of cause and effect, reverse black and white, overturn the order of the World," the boy stated, his eyes intent and intense with a fervor bordering on madness. "A power that can remake what has been unmade, can unmake things set in stone. A power that comes from reaching the root of all creation…" He smiled a brittle smile.
"Something like that.”

“…that…that doesn’t sound like something a person can actually do,” Amber tried to point out, but Shinji shook his head.
“Some have managed it,” he disagreed. “You’ve even met one of them – one of the five who remain in the modern age.”

"The five...?" Natsumi echoed, brows furrowed in concentration. "Who…?"

"Well, Miss Blue, for one," the boy pointed out. "The Master of the Fifth Magic."

"...the woman from the museum?"

"Yes."

"...she didn't look that scary," Selina murmured thoughtfully, glancing between the Japanese boy and his two female friends. “But I suppose power doesn’t have to be immediately obvious.”

“Even if she’s a monster, she’s still human,” Shinji muttered, shaking his head. “It’s not like she’s a Dead Apostle or something.”

“A…what?” Amber echoed. “Did you say Dead Apostle?”

“Eh, like a vampire, but even more deadly,” the boy explained. “It’s not important – you wouldn’t run into one around Hogwarts.” Then he paused, as something about that statement seemed to ring false to him, though he wasn’t sure what. “At least, probably not. One would have no reason to be here.”

“You called Miss Blue a monster…as if you were terrified of her,” the blonde said, trying to return the conversation to its original flow. “Why?"

"Because she is one of the five most terrifying beings in the world, unbound by any rules other than those she chooses to follow," the boy replied, shaking his head. "No practitioner – no army in the modern age – could stand against her if she desired their end. Someone like me – she could have erased me with a thought, and made the world forget I existed in the next.”

“I—I wouldn’t forget!” Natsumi spoke up, puffing out her cheeks indignantly. “Even if Miss Blue wanted me to!”

Shinji, startled by the brunette’s outburst, glanced over at here, finding that his chest felt…warm as he drank in the feelings behind her words, even if she said was impossible. Opposing a Magician…it couldn’t really be done unless one either was a magician or something far beyond human.

“I…it would be nice if that were true,” the boy whispered, a look of profound loneliness writ across his features. “If you could defy her like that. But you can’t…”

"...she's that powerful?" Natsumi questioned, her eyebrows rising in shock from the revelation.

“She is,” Shinji stated solemnly. “Powerful enough that opposing her would be ruinous, unless you were as powerful as she.”

“Then I’ll become that powerful,” the brunette replied, just as solemnly. “One day, you and I will both gain that sort of power, and through power, we will gain victory. Maybe not over her, but over our fears, over the things we tell ourselves. And through victory…our chains will be broken.”

Shinji was taken aback by this declaration, but nodded.

“…well, we can certainly try. It depends on if we can, you know.”

“No, it doesn’t. It’s not a matter of can or can’t,” Natsumi pressed. “Some things in life, you just do.”

“…just like that?”

“Well, no, but you’re a Hufflepuff. You can’t be afraid of hard work,” the Japanese girl quipped, with the boy smiling weakly at that.

“You’ve got me there,” Shinji conceded.

“So, about Miss Blue,” Selina chimed in, "How is it we don't learn about people like her?"

To this, the Hufflepuff boy shrugged.

"Maybe the Ministry doesn't know. Maybe its terrified. Maybe it just thinks there's no point – I don't know, and I don't really want to find out."

---

The other odd conversation that Shinji found himself involved came unexpectedly, with the boy being sent a missive at breakfast directing him to head to a specific room in the Castle at dinner time. Said room was on the seventh floor of Hogwarts, across from a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to train trolls in ballet, and when he arrived, he found Miyuki-senpai gesturing for him to enter, closing the door behind him once he did.

His eyes glanced about the room, finding it to be a near-perfect replica of the Headmaster’s office, with magical looking instruments scattered all over the shelves, a pile of books on the desk, and a small round table around which the others who had been invited for the evening were seated.

Hermione Granger and Nigel Wroxton from Ravenclaw.

Natsumi and Ernie from Hufflepuff.

“Did you…ask us all to come here tonight, Senpai?” the boy asked after he took a seat, turning to the older girl who’d sat down next to him with a touch of concern. Could it be…that she had called them together to let them know she was leaving? But no…if that were so, there would be no reason to invite Granger, and Amber would be present, so…

“No, such was my doing,” a voice spoke from behind him, with Shinji (and the others) turning just in time to see a familiar looking face appear out of thin air, with the rest of Sialim Sokaris quickly following suit. Unlike her guests, who were dressed in black Hogwarts robes, the dusky-skinned girl was dressed in a flowing white gown, with her arms bare, save for a pair of golden armlets. “It is good that you have all come.”

“What’s going on, Sokaris?” Nigel spoke up, the grey-haired boy seeming torn between worry and curiosity. “Why call us all here tonight?”

“Of those at Hogwarts, you have been more than passing acquaintances,” the purple-haired girl replied solemnly. “As such, it is…appropriate that you are informed I will not be returning the following year.”

“Wha—” Hermione Granger nearly fell out of her seat in shock, saved from a nasty crash by the intervention of Natsumi, who absently gestured with her hand, setting the Ravenclaw girl back in her place. “Why?” she whispered hollowly, her features pale. “Why won’t you be coming back?”

“I have been offered a position at another institution,” Sialim Sokaris responded, her expression not changing a hint in the face of Hermione’s distress. “One more suited to the study of Alchemy.”

“Ah.”

There was little that Hermione – or anyone in the room – could say when confronted with that, as it was obvious to all of them that Hogwarts was perhaps not the best school for such, especially now that its Headmaster – a former pupil of Nicholas Flamel – had been missing for months, with no sign that he would ever return.

“Where will you go?” Shinji found himself asking.

“I doubt a British practitioner of witchcraft would recognize the name,” Sokaris replied quietly, “as it is located on another continent.”

“I see,” Nigel said, after a moment of silence. “Why...like this?”

“It was the most efficient way.”

The nature of the response stopped most of the first years cold.

“…tell them the rest, Sokaris,” the voice of Miyuki Tsuji broke in, with the dusky-skinned girl nodding.

“It was the most efficient way, as you may discuss which of my possessions you desire.”

“That is, the curriculum at her new institution is quite different from Hogwarts, and so she is giving away most of what she purchased for her time here,” the raven-haired Hufflepuff supplied. “Six objects, enough for each one of us to have one.”

One by one, the girl in question placed items were placed on the table.

A set of first through fifth year schoolbooks, each annotated by the eccentric Ravenclaw.

A pass permitting “the bearer” access to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library, home to some of the more expensive – and dangerous – tomes stored at the school, signed by Professor Quirrell himself.

A large, curiously blank piece of parchment.

A flute wrought of what seemed like glass, with intricate patterns etched along the interior which seemed almost like runes.

The enchanted cloak she’d worn to conceal her presence when they’d all arrived.

And last, but not least…

“No…you’re…you’re giving up your wand?” Hermione whispered, the finality of her friend’s imminent departure underlined by the fact that she was offering them the instrument through which she wielded magic – a wand wrought of wood from an ancient olive tree, with a chimera scale – one of the rarest materials in the magical world – as a core. “But…why?”

“I have no further need of it,” Sokaris replied evenly, with Hermione reeling as if struck.

“B-but wands choose witches, don’t they?” the Ravenclaw brunette asked plaintively. “And you would just…you would just abandon it?”

“I have no particular attachment to this wand, nor does it have any particular attachment to me,” the purple-haired girl stated bluntly. “It is an old and finely made instrument, but another Code may be better suited for what I am now.”

Shinji blinked.

‘…Code…?’ he echoed in his mind, his thoughts working furiously. ‘As in…a Mystic Code…?’ But why…would she know that term? It wasn’t a term anyone who wasn’t a magus – or who knew of them – would readily use, after all, so… ‘Who are you…?’

Admittedly, he’d wondered that about the girl for quite a while now, ever since his demon form had recoiled from the mere thought of attacking her, but it was also a question he was careful not to give too much thought to, lest he find the answers he sought and be destroyed by them.

After all, either she was like him, a scion of a family of magi who was had little power of her own…or she wasn’t.

And if she wasn’t…

…well, there were reasons the boy carefully tried not to think about things too much.

“Do none of you desire this wand?” Sokaris inquired, looking from one guest to the next as her fingers stroked the wooden instrument in question. Most looked down, unwilling to give an answer – except for Shinji, who found himself nodding when her eyes met his.

“I-I’ll take it,” the boy spoke up, with the purple-haired girl nodding as she handed the implement to him.

“Then it is yours,” she said simply.

“…what are the magical properties of a wand made with chimera scale?” Nigel voiced, perhaps seconds too late. “Or olive wood, for that matter. I don’t know much of wands or wandlore, but I do know that Ollivander doesn’t use such materials in his wands.”

“Such materials are not available to him,” Sokaris replied. “Olive trees do not grow in Britain. Chimerae are extinct within the domain of man.”

“And their properties?”

“Power enough to match any modern wand, and resilience against the most destructive energies of our Craft,” the dusky-skinned girl remarked, something that made Shinji sit up straighter. After the holly and phoenix feather wand he’d wielded alongside his wand of cherry and worm, had been destroyed due to him channeling the darkness inside him, he’d thought that he might not be able to use such an ability again – or that at least, it would be very expensive and impractical to do so. But if this wand could survive even his most destructive abilities… ‘This has possibilities.’

“I-I see,” the boy replied, bowing low in his seat. “Thank you for this, Sokaris!”

In the wake of Shinji’s decision to accept the most significance-laden of the objects, the others turned to dividing up the rest of Sokaris’ possessions, immediately hitting a snag over the disposition of her books, as Nigel, Natsumi, and Hermione all wanted them – and had, at least in their minds, fairly compelling reasons for their claim.

Nigel, of course, had been Sokaris’ close companion over the last year, desired the books because he thought they would encourage him when she wasn’t around, in addition to whatever he could learn from them.

Natsumi, who had worked closely with Sokaris, learning the craft of calculations and the arts of the mind from her, desired the books so that she might continue learning from the purple-haired girl once she was gone.

Hermione stated that Sokaris had been her first friend, and what while it was true she might not have understood her fellow Ravenclaw too well, believed that obtaining – and studying – the books, was the first step towards remedying that.

Shinji didn’t know what to do in a situation like this, since it was obvious that none of the three were willing to budge or listen to someone else’s arguments, and he didn’t feel it was his place to step in.

Ernie, however, didn’t seem to share his reluctance, clearing his throat and, when the others looked to him, producing a six-sided die.

“Why don’t you roll for the prize?” the blond Hufflepuff asked, with Hermione blinking at the suggestion.

“What?”

“I said, why don’t you roll for it?” the boy repeated. “Since you all have a claim, let’s let chance or fate decide who gets the books? It’s the fairest way, isn’t it? Each of you roll the dice, and we’ll see how things turn out.”

Hermione looked reluctant, but Nigel seemed to think it a good idea.

“Well, why not? Only I suggest a small change,” the grey-haired boy spoke up.

“Oh?”

“Each of us will roll for one of our rivals. I will roll for Natsumi, Natsumi will roll for Hermione, and Hermione will roll for me,” Nigel explained. “That way, we eliminate any temptation for untoward play, since we wouldn’t be rolling for ourselves.”

“I…suppose that’s fair,” Natsumi grumbled, holding out her hand. “I’ll roll first, but for Nigel.”

Ernie handed over the die, and the brunette Hufflepuff did as she said she would, with the number 5 visible on top.

“Hm, not bad,” the grey-haired boy noted, reaching over and picking up the die. “I’ll roll next then, for Hermione.”

Sadly for the brunette Ravenclaw, fortune did not seem to be in her favor, as Nigel rolled a 1 on her behalf.

Luck was not with Natsumi either, as Hermione rolled a 3 for her.

“In that case, the books will go to Nigel then,” Ernie declared, smiling slightly. “I assume none of you have complaints?”

Hermione looked as if she had something to say but swallowed her words as she shook her head.

“He won the roll,” Natsumi conceded, “so let him have the books. In that case, I’ll take the parchment, if no one has any objections?”

This time, there were none to be heard, meaning that only the cloak, the restricted section pass, and the flute were left.

Ernie laid claim to the cloak. As a budding adventurer, a fine cloak – especially an invisibility cloak – was always a useful tool, with this one in particular having some useful features, such as helping the wearer maintain a comfortable temperature and increased their carrying capacity.

Hermione, who had never been politically musical, chose the pass to the Restricted Section, leaving Miyuki with the flute, though the Japanese girl didn’t seem unsatisfied, as she said it would have been first choice in any case.

With all of that settled, the group settled in for a meal – a last supper for their mutual friend, wishing her well, wherever she might go.

---

A/N: Next Chapter is the last one for the year!

[Skull Leader]

Amber seems distant in this chapter like there was a rep lost with her due to Shinji's semi-crazed talk. She seems off balance with this Shinji's behavior. It just contrasts heavily with her normal teasing self that she shows Shinji. It is like she does not know what to do with this Shinji so just says semi-silent for now taking it in.

Nats on the other hand seems ready to declare life partnership with Shinji on their road towards Sith powers. Thought she seems to not get the message that Broken Chains is a different book for a different path, but gosh darn it she wants it to be broken chains badly.

Ernie seems to realize that if he gets the adventurer's cloak that he can carry all the valuable loot to the point that we can no longer risk his life needlessly or fear the potential lost of the loot. How smart of him. [jk]

Ah so the pass that lets the bearer go off and read high level books that the person might not be ready for goes to Hermione. Yeah I am sure she would never exceed her grasp and try something beyond her to get bitten in the ass. Neko-Hermione confirmed.

[skulkidcachi90]

Great chapter.
I want to see the final balance of the year.