Harry Potter: The Legend of Nero Ravenclaw-Chapter 121: Embers from Afar

Nero decided to start by reading Ember's letter.

He could already imagine her handwriting: bold, confident, with an impatient slant as if the ink itself had been forced onto the parchment in her hurry.

He broke the seal and unfolded the letter, his eyes immediately scanning the first lines.

Oi, Nero!

I figured it was about time I wrote you a proper letter since, knowing you, you're probably off doing something insane. 

Don't try to deny it, I know you too well by now. 

Anyway, surprise! I decided to study abroad too! Bet you didn't see that coming.

I'm writing to you from Koldovstoretz, and let me tell you, this place is something else. 

You think Hogwarts is wild? Try a school where the students think riding bears is an actual sport. 

No joke, first day here, and I see some lunatic first-years casting levitation charms on themselves just so they could wrestle a bear midair. 

I thought Gryffindors were reckless, but these guys? 

They make Gryffindors look like scholars in a library.

Anyway, it's been a hell of an adjustment. 

The magic here feels... different. I don't mean just the spells but the way people treat magic. 

At Hogwarts, it's all about wands and incantations, right? 

Here, they forge magic into objects. And in return, those objects respond. 

They channel magic, change with it, even evolve alongside the caster.

I knew this place was famous for its magical smithing, but I didn't realize just how deep it runs in their culture.

Nero smirked. He could practically hear Ember's voice, brimming with excitement, as if she had thrown the letter together in one burst of energy.

He continued reading.

I got roped into learning Magical Smithing almost immediately. 

You'd love it, there's fire, explosions, and very angry old men yelling at me in Russian.

Apparently, they don't think foreigners should learn their craft so easily. 

Guess what? I proved them wrong.

They start by making us attune to metal before we even think about enchanting anything. 

At first, I thought it was a load of nonsense, but then I felt it, the pulse, the resonance. 

Magic in metal isn't just imbued, it's born. 

If you don't listen to the material, it rejects you. 

The first time I tried forging an enchanted blade their way, it cracked straight down the middle.

The smith overseeing me just grunted and threw another chunk of metal at my head. I like him.

The real kicker? Enchanted weapons here aren't just enchanted, they're alive. 

Koldovstoretz specializes in Living Enchantments, weapons and tools that don't just obey, but evolve based on their wielder's intent. 

The stronger the bond between the mage and their weapon, the more powerful it becomes.

I got my hands on an old dagger someone abandoned in the archives. 

It was half-rusted, but I felt something in it.  freeweɓnøvel.com

After working on it for a week, reforging and feeding it magic, the thing actually started to hum in my hands. And then? It changed. 

The blade extended, the grip adjusted to fit my hand better, like it was responding to me.

Nero's eyes flickered with intrigue. He had read about sentient magical artifacts before, but the idea of forging a weapon that could grow and adapt to its user was something else entirely.

I can't wait to start applying their technique with my Forgeheart!

Speaking of weapons, did I mention Combat Transmutation? It's absolutely insane. 

The idea is that a weapon doesn't have to stay the same shape. Need reach? 

Extend it into a spear. Need defense? Turn it into a shield. 

The best part? It's all about intent, no need for complicated spells or charms. 

If you're attuned to your weapon, it just knows what you need in a fight.

I'm still struggling with it, though. My blade reacts, but the shift isn't smooth yet. 

The Russian students make it look effortless, like flipping a coin. 

One girl turned a throwing knife into a war axe mid-air before it even hit the target. 

If I master this, I swear I'll be unstoppable.

Oh, and Runic Overloading? It's as dangerous as it sounds. 

You take a weapon's enchantment and push it beyond its limits, flooding it with magic for a short burst of ridiculous power. 

The downside? It could literally explode in your hands if you do it wrong. 

Naturally, I tried it immediately. Naturally, I blew a hole in the training yard.

The instructors were not pleased.

Nero chuckled, shaking his head.

He could already picture Ember standing in the middle of a smoking crater, covered in soot, grinning like a maniac while a bunch of Russian wizards yelled at her.

You're probably wondering if I made any friends. 

Well, kind of? The thing is, Koldovstoretz is... different from Hogwarts. 

There aren't "houses" like Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. 

Instead, there's this unspoken hierarchy, and the strongest earn their place.

On my first day, some sixth-year idiot tried to haze me, thinking I was just a weak foreigner. 

Long story short? He's still in the infirmary. 

Turns out, they respect strength more than anything, so I've already got a reputation. 

Some people avoid me, others want to test me. 

It's exhausting, but at least no one underestimates me anymore.

There's one guy, though, Viktor Ivanov. 

He's been watching me like a hawk ever since I arrived. 

Top student in magical smithing, rumored to be the next great enchanter of Russia, and get this, he hates my guts. 

I think he sees me as an outsider ruining their sacred traditions. I plan to prove him wrong.

Nero's grin widened. Ember never did things the easy way.

If someone stood in her way, she'd knock them down or burn through them.

Enough about me, what the hell are you up to? 

You never do things normally, so I assume you're either training under some crazy master or getting involved in something ridiculous. 

Your letter was too normal to be the full story! Tell me everything.

Also, if you don't reply, I'm coming to Japan and dragging your sorry ass to Russia for a sparring match.

Stay alive, nerd.

Ember

Nero folded the letter, a smirk still playing on his lips.

"She really doesn't change," he muttered.

Mio, who had been quietly watching him read, raised an eyebrow as she read the bottom of the letter. "Ember?"

He nodded, glancing at her. "Yeah. She's my friend, she is at Koldovstoretz, in Russia, learning magical smithing."

Mio's eyes widened slightly. "She left Hogwarts too?"

"Looks like it." Nero tapped the letter against his palm.

"And from the sound of it, she's already making waves over there."

Mio chuckled. "If your friend is anything like you, that doesn't surprise me in the least."

Nero leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.

The thought of Ember training in a different part of the world made him restless, yet happy.

She was growing, like him.

He reached out to take the next letter.

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