NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32: Spells
James sat quietly in the corner of the library, his fingers tracing the edges of his parchment as he jotted down notes. Stacks of books surrounded him, plucked from the Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts shelves. The dim candlelight flickered above, casting an amber glow over the ink-streaked pages he was scribbling on.
He had a plan—a path to power—and it started here, in this sanctuary of knowledge.
The notes sprawled across his parchment weren't the typical spells found in beginner charms books. No, these were a mix of discoveries, modifications, and outright creations he'd been experimenting with..
1. Friction Surge
Incantation: "Attritum Surge!"
Effect: Manipulates friction on any surface, either increasing or decreasing it.
Uses:
Create a slippery floor to send enemies tumbling.
Amplify traction to climb walls or keep objects from sliding.
Jam moving mechanisms by enhancing friction on gears.
James smirked as he imagined casting this spell silently, scaling walls like Spider-Man. The thought amused him. "I could climb the Astronomy Tower from the outside if I get good enough," he muttered under his breath. The spell was a simple application of physics—manipulating frictional forces—but it had endless possibilities.
2. Kindle Spark
Incantation: "Ignis Primus!"
Effect: Produces a tiny spark of heat to ignite flammable materials.
Uses:
Starting fires in the wilderness.
Lighting fuses or small explosives.
Burning through ropes or other bindings.
This one wasn't flashy, but it was effective. James had found it in a old charms textbook buried in the library archives. The spell felt like a basic tool in a wizard's arsenal—simple, practical, and reliable.
3. Sonic Snap
Incantation: "Clangor Minor!"
Effect: Produces a loud snapping sound by manipulating sound waves.
Uses:
Disorienting enemies with sudden noise.
Mimicking sounds to create confusion.
Sending signals to allies in covert operations.
It was an experimental spell James had created after reading a book on sound waves and vibrations. The spell wasn't particularly destructive, but its applications intrigued him. He could amplify it into something like a sonic scream, akin to some comic book characters.
4. Buoyant Leap
Incantation: "Levare Fluit!"
Effect: Reduces the apparent weight of an object or person in water.
Uses:
Helping someone stay afloat.
Transporting heavy objects across a liquid surface.
Avoiding underwater traps or obstacles.
This one was purely his creation. James had thought of it during his summer swimming lessons. It wasn't flashy, but it could prove invaluable during a mission involving water.
5. Chill Touch
Incantation: "Frigidus Tactum!"
Effect: Lowers the temperature of a small object upon contact.
Uses:
Freezing locks to weaken them.
Cooling food or drinks in non-combat situations.
Numbing small injuries to alleviate pain.
James had come across this spell in a Charms book. It wasn't anything revolutionary, but it made him think of more destructive possibilities—what if he scaled it up? Could he create a spell to freeze entire areas?
Elemental Classics
The more traditional spells he'd found weren't particularly exciting, but they were still worth mastering. Fire, ice, water, air, and electricity seemed to be the wizarding world's bread and butter.
Flame Lash ("Ignis Vinculum!")
Frozen Grasp ("Glacies Prehendo!")
Static Pulse ("Electrica Pulsus!")
Gale Burst ("Ventus Impetus!")
Waterbind ("Aqua Vinculum!")
These spells were versatile and potent in their own right, but James wanted more than what Hogwarts could offer. The elemental basics were, as he saw them, just that—basic. He didn't want to stop at setting things on fire or throwing a bit of wind around.
Momentum
Incantation: "Arresto Momentum!"
Effect: Alters the momentum of a moving object.
Uses:
Stopping projectiles in midair.
Slowing down falling objects or people.
Potentially manipulating the flow of a fight by adjusting speed.
James smirked as he read over his notes. "This one's definitely a product of necessity. Someone must've invented it after getting knocked off a broomstick during Quidditch," he mused. "Necessity really is the mother of invention."
As he reviewed his notes, he thought He wasn't limited to the spells wizards had already created. He had a muggle's understanding of the world—physics, chemistry, biology. Wizards often overlooked the fundamental forces that governed reality, focusing instead on what they could immediately see and feel. James had an advantage: he understood why things happened, not just that they happened.
"I've got magic," he thought to himself, a small smile playing on his lips, "and I've got the understanding of how the world works. If wizards can conjure fire and ice, what's stopping me from bending gravity? Manipulating light? Splitting atoms?"
This should be my path to power .