Runes Master

The Triwizard Tornament

The next few days, Harry saw signs of unrest in Ron. He knew the only solution to get his point across, but it could break as well as make their friendship.

First Malfoy, now Ron mused Harry. I made an ally from an enemy. I hope not to make an enemy from my best friend.

Harry told Ron to come and see him on Saturday morning in his greenhouse. Has Harry was making his way there, a backpack full on his shoulder, he heard Ron following him from a distance. For whatever reason he didn't seem to want to make the trip withHarry.

'This does not bode well for a good conversation' mused Harry, his head dropping slightly.

He opened the door as Ron was getting right behind him. He let him go first, waving to the far wall inside the greenhouse where his lab was situated. They were alone. Harry warned Neville that he probably wouldn't like the tone he'd have to use. Neville understood. He knew Ron well too and guessed it could very well end up with fists, but it was a private matter. Harry was thankful for enchanted glass. He asked specially for noiseless and fogged glass that would hide any precise forms.

"I'm here as requested, Potter. What is it?"

Th

Harry opened two standards wooden box sets of potion herbs. Ron looked in it but only to see vials. All were full of some colorful stuff. Harry fished one glowing of a soft blue.

"What's this?" asked Ron, his curiosity taking the lead.

"Essence of chestnut. I thought it would be brown. It came out at quite a surprise," explained Harry.

"Essence?"

"Yes. I found a way to extract the pure, magical essence of natural stuff into that liquid like substance that I simply call 'essence'. I use it to make potions. I've rid it of all impurities and they makes perfect potions, without having to care for complex manipulations involved in potion making to achieve the same goal. Give that in small quantity to a plant of the same specie, diluted in water, and it will help it grow at an exponential rate. Neville never saw anything like that. He helped me collect samples for my collection of essences. We're preparing ourselves to work on hybrids of plants. All that thanks to my skill in Ancient Runes," explained Harry calmly, always looking at him in the eye.

Harry barely let him digest all of this. He went to a wooden crate in the corner. The same one he received in the Great Hall. He opened a few drawers. Ron came closer, in a daze and looked at their content.

"Those are metals and crystals samples that the goblins sent at my request. I'm preparing to extract the essence of some of them, but it's way harder. Here are the tools I'll use to smelt raw gold I bought into something I need. I'm learning how to from this goblin written book."

Ron's eyes were wide open by now. As was his mouth and neither seemed ready to close anytime soon.

"Neville is still way ahead of me in Herbology, but I'm a long shot from most other people myself. The books I read right now are about advanced uses of Runes. I can write and carve them like nobody does. Something I did last year, one of the pranks, earned me a passing grade, NEWT level, from professor Babbling. We agreed that I would work, in secret, on a project for my Ancient Rune OWL, one year early."

Ron was looking at him with a blank stare. Just looking.

"I'm not exactly rich, Ron. But I have the lifetime savings of my deceased parents at my disposal. I bought those samples, tools and this greenhouse thanks to it. I still have enough to last like this until well after I graduate."

Harry stood in front of Ron, his arms hanging at his side.

"I'm mentioned in books, Ron. I'm the Boy-who-lived. I'm the target of the worst, strongest and kinda undead Dark Lord known in centuries. I'm the best of this year in Defense. Those spells just come to me. Last year, professor Lupin said my corporal patronus would make most of the adult's one pale. Sirius said I was already more powerful than him, who was an ace back in his time."