Marvel: Trading with Worlds

Hermoine recalled the awe-struck expressions of the Romanian Dragon Reserve keepers when they first saw it. They had even offered to trade three different species of fire dragons for this one. 

The last time Hermione had seen this dragon, it had been about her height. Now, it towered over them, a true giant.

Kain spoke again. "Scamander has been pestering me to let him study my dragon. When I sent him a photo last time, he was so excited he sent me two notebooks as thanks. Harry, you can practice with it. Don't worry—it won't hurt you."

Harry looked at the approaching dragon with wide eyes. Its mouth was so enormous he could imagine it swallowing him whole in one gulp.

"I think... maybe..." he stammered, backing up slightly.

Compared to this beast, the fire dragons he had seen the previous night suddenly didn't seem so terrifying. 

He even thought he might have dared to use a simple Disarming Charm against one of them—but this dragon was on an entirely different level.

Kain chuckled. "If you can handle this one, no other fire dragon will be a challenge. But I understand—it's hard to overcome fear. Let's step out for now."

As the dragon's enormous head lowered toward them, Ron yelped and collapsed onto the ground in fright. 

Harry's legs felt like jelly, and he swore that if the dragon got any closer than three meters, he would drop to the ground right next to Ron.

But Kain didn't give Harry a chance to collapse on the ground. With a swift spell, he sent them all out of the pet pocket. He patted the fire dragon's head affectionately before stepping out himself.

"The fire dragon's weaknesses are straightforward," Kain said. "As long as you overcome the fear in your heart and practice, you'll manage easily in the first task. Fear only comes from a lack of strength. Just practice more when you get back."

Kain offered Harry a brief method: confront and restrain fear, then practice—simple enough.

 Strangely, after seeing the enormous dragon up close, Harry felt his fear of the Romanian dragons diminish considerably.

"Thank you, Professor pent. I think I understand what I need to do next," Harry said, his tone more confident. 

He resolved to focus on practicing ways to exploit the dragon's weaknesses: flames and eyes. He recalled that there were spells to counter flames and disrupt sight.

"Professor, we'll head back now." Harry grabbed Ron, who was still a bit shaky on his feet. The two of them bowed respectfully to Kain before taking their leave.

Kain didn't stop them but turned to Hermione. "Hermione, stay for a moment."

After Harry and Ron closed the office door behind them, Kain looked at Hermione and asked gently, "Have you been staying up late? You don't look well, and it seems like you've caught a bit of a cold. If you're free this afternoon, feel free to rest here. No one will disturb you."

"Maybe I didn't sleep well the past few nights," Hermione admitted. "It's fine, godfather. I've already made myself a cold potion. But... I do need to bother you for a while. Mrs. Pince kicked me out of the library because of Harry and Ron's recklessness."

As she spoke, Hermione instinctively glanced around the room, searching for something. 

Realizing there was no need to, she turned her attention back to Kain. "Godfather, could you make the wall fire burn a bit bigger?"

At her request, the flames in the wall-mounted fireplace flared up, and the room grew warmer almost immediately. 

Satisfied, Hermione sank onto the nearby sofa. Moments later, she felt a blanket drape gently over her.

With Hermione settled, Kain returned to his work, engrossed in the study of strange runes. These peculiar markings, he believed, were linked to the magic of magical creatures. 

After consulting with Scamander, he had confirmed his suspicion: many of these runes originated from the inherent magical power of such beings.

Scamander shared Kain's theory—that magic itself originates from magical creatures, and that by understanding the power in their blood, one could grasp the true essence of magic.

Kain himself was a testament to this. Thanks to the genes of the phoenix and the fire dragon, his mastery over magical power was extraordinary. 

After his discussions with Scamander, he was inspired to consider building runes directly into his body.

However, he realized the runes alone might not be enough. Ancient wizards had initially developed runes by studying the ones used by elves. 

Kain knew he would have to incorporate other ancient runes into his research.

If his hypothesis was correct, and he successfully integrated these ancient runes into his body, he would unlock the true source of magic. 

With such a foundation, he would not only master magic but wield it tenfold more proficiently than he ever had before.

It is not an exaggeration to call him a master of magic.

In a letter, Scamander directly described Kain's idea as bold but not entirely impossible. This was because, when magical creatures use their abilities, they consistently draw magic from a specific part of their body. 

According to Kain's theory, this is what he refers to as the source of magic in magical creatures.

However, Kain's vision for the source of magic went even further. In his view, once the source of magic power was successfully constructed, it would allow the user to wield all forms of magic. 

For Kain, magic would become as natural and instinctive as eating or drinking.

This concept was undeniably ambitious, but Kain believed he could achieve it due to his unique physiology enhanced by the Extremis Virus.

After some thought, Kain sent another letter to Scamander, informing him of his intent to resume the unicorn hunt from the previous year.

As the first task of the Triwizard Tournament arrived, the four champions were tasked with facing a fire dragon each.

Kain opted not to attend the event. His presence would have unnaturally affected the dragons—this was something he had observed during his time in Romania. 

Wherever Kain went, dragons became unusually docile. Even solitary dragons, which typically exhibited aggressive tendencies, displayed a surprising lack of hostility toward him.

This phenomenon was nothing short of miraculous. Fire dragons and phoenixes, for example, would normally engage in territorial combat if they crossed paths. 

Yet in Kain's case, the dragons seemed drawn to him, displaying an inexplicable sense of closeness.

While the tournament proceeded, Kain took the opportunity to venture into the Forbidden Forest.

He summoned fifty Shadow Clones with a rapid series of booms. Each clone appeared at the edge of the forest, and with the aid of the Flying Spell, they began a coordinated sweep through the dense woodland.

Kain's plan was a meticulous one: employ a carpet search method using the clones. With their combined efforts, it was only a matter of time before the unicorn he sought was located.

Not long after, a wave of chakra and fragmented memories surged back to Kain as one of his clones dispersed. A sly smile spread across his face.

"Ah, the centaurs," he mused. "Let's see how far you can run this time."

Without hesitation, Kain cast the Flying Spell and sped toward the location of his fallen clone. 

The clones were dispatched in pairs to ensure that any discovered unicorns would be tracked while the main body was alerted.

Through the memories of his dispersed clone, Kain had learned that the unicorns were being protected by centaurs, who were attempting to help them migrate. 

Additionally, some centaurs were attacking his clones with bows and arrows.

The Flying Spell grew faster as Kain channeled more magic into it. At his full speed, not even a Firebolt 2000 could match him.

In no time, Kain reached the site where his clone had dissipated. The commotion was unmistakable. 

A loud clamor resounded in the distance, where a group of centaurs was throwing javelins at his clones, while another group harassed them with arrows, constantly shifting positions.

Then, in a flash of black mist, Kain appeared in the sky above them. A moment later, the centaurs heard a terrifying sound: "Blazing flame!"

In an instant, flames erupted around a dozen centaurs. The fire rapidly consumed their bodies, starting from their backs and spreading downward.

"Help us!"

The centaurs' cries echoed as they writhed in pain, rolling on the ground in desperate attempts to extinguish the flames. But their efforts were futile.

"To the river!" one centaur suddenly shouted. "The river we passed earlier—go now!"

Kain refrained from using Fiendfyre, mindful of the fact that this was the Forbidden Forest. However, for the centaurs, the outcome was clear—they were doomed.

After dealing with the centaurs, Kain paid them no further attention. Using his incredible speed, he caught up with the migrating unicorns. 

Without hesitation, he cast a powerful Confinement Spell on one unicorn, immobilizing it in place.

"A truly spiritual creature," Kain murmured as he landed beside the unicorn. Seeing its wary and expectant gaze, he reassured it, "Don't be afraid. I only need to take some materials from you."

Despite his words, the unicorn remained tense. Kain, however, had no intention of harming the creature unnecessarily. 

The centaurs, on the other hand, had been a persistent nuisance, delaying his efforts. Without their interference, he would have secured the unicorn's materials much sooner.

Before proceeding, Kain used detection magic to assess the unicorn's magical properties.

 His findings confirmed a strong magical reaction centered in its lungs. Based on his conversations with Scamander, this was likely the unicorn's source of magic.

Satisfied, Kain carefully extracted what he needed: a small portion of flesh, some tail hair, and half of the unicorn's silver-white horn. 

Once done, he used healing magic to restore the unicorn, ensuring its other injuries were fully mended. While the horn and tail hair would take time to regrow, the unicorn's body was otherwise as good as new.

As the unicorn broke free of the Confinement Spell, it let out a series of angry howls, its frustration and pain evident. The human had gone too far—cutting off part of its precious horn. 

Without looking back, the unicorn disappeared into the forest, unlikely to approach Hogwarts again anytime soon.

Kain, on the other hand, returned to Hogwarts, thoroughly pleased with the results of his expedition. The fate of the centaurs, however, was of no concern to him.

Their relentless attacks and blatant hostility toward him had sealed their own fate. Even if they perished in the Blazing Curse, it was entirely their doing. Had they not attacked him, none of this would have happened.

…

patreon.com/Vks_sh