Harry Potter: Archmage of Another World

In the blink of an eye, a week had passed since the first gathering. Today marked the agreed-upon meeting time.

The sky was overcast with gray clouds. By the afternoon, a torrential rainstorm swept across the castle. After hastily finishing their classes, Augustus informed Harry, Hermione, and Ron of the approximate location of the Room of Requirement, leaving it to them to notify the others of the evening meeting spot.

In truth, Loki had some reservations about the upcoming gathering. In his view, power should only reside in the hands of a select few who were loyal to Mr. Augustus. He had little interest in sharing true magic with these so-called "lucky ones," who had done nothing to earn it.

As for Thor, he was quite straightforward in his enthusiasm. Having always been slightly overshadowed by Loki, Thor relished the prospect of facing formidable opponents in the future. With so many individuals about to inherit various elemental magics, he could only imagine the exhilaration of battling those with exceptional talent once they had matured.

At 7:30 p.m., as agreed, those who had attended the previous gathering at the Hog's Head Pub made their way to the eighth-floor corridor. Augustus and his group had already been waiting for some time. The eighth floor, usually a place for storing miscellaneous items and experimental tools, was rarely visited. The growing crowd went unnoticed.

By around 8:00 p.m., nearly everyone had arrived. Many were visibly intrigued by this new, seemingly permanent training ground. However, the area where Augustus and his group stood was unremarkable—apart from a large tapestry depicting the silly attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet, there was only a blank white wall.

"Mr. Augustus, everyone from the last meeting is here," Hermione said after a quick headcount, turning to address him. "Where do we train? Is it in a classroom on this floor?"

Augustus pointed to the blank wall beside the tapestry. "This spot will be our gathering place moving forward. You're welcome to come here and train on your own if you have free time."

The crowd turned their gaze to Augustus, puzzled. A plain white wall didn't seem like a suitable meeting spot.

"Of course," Augustus paused, and suddenly, a brass door appeared on the wall. He unlocked it and explained, "This room is called the Room of Requirement. To enter, all you need to do is stand before this wall and focus on what you need."

One by one, the group followed Augustus into the room. It was a spacious chamber illuminated by flickering torches that bathed the room in a warm, yellow glow. At the center of the room lay a sprawling, intricate magical array that took up a quarter of the space. Around it stood ancient black stone tablets arranged in a circle.

In one corner of the room was a row of wooden bookshelves, and while there were no chairs, there were large satin cushions on the floor. On the opposite side, shelves held various instruments like Secrecy Sensors and other magical devices, including a cracked foe glass.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the magical array and the glowing stone tablets. Though the complex runes on the floor and the pulsating magical energy emanating from the tablets were unfamiliar, the inherent allure of unknown magic captivated the wizards and witches.

"These cushions will come in handy for practicing stunning spells," Ron said excitedly, nudging one with his foot.

"I'd bet anything," Dean said, staring at the magical array in the center of the room, "that this thing is far more magical than the Goblet of Fire."

Loki let out a faint, mocking chuckle.

Augustus nodded to the group, his tall figure standing quietly. "This will be your meeting and training ground from now on. What do you all think?"

"It's brilliant!" Cho said, with most of the group voicing their agreement.

"Strange," Fred said, furrowing his brow as he scanned the room. "George, remember when we hid here from Filch? Back then, it was just a broom closet."

Thor smiled. "You must not have been paying attention earlier. As Mr. Augustus explained, this is the Room of Requirement. It transforms into whatever you need."

A few people let out exclamations of realization, and Fred politely smiled back at Thor.

Harry, meanwhile, was focused on the shelves at the back of the room. Parvati pointed at the Secrecy Sensor and the cracked foe glass and asked, "Mr. Augustus, what are these?"

Augustus remained silent, but Harry spoke up as he approached the items. "Dark detectors. They're used to detect dark wizards or nearby enemies, but don't rely on them too much—they can be deceived."

Curious, Parvati leaned closer to peer into the cracked foe glass. Shadowy figures flickered in the reflection, but none were clear.

Augustus beckoned everyone to gather around him. "Before we begin, are there any questions or important matters you'd like to raise? You have ten minutes to address them. Training will last two hours."

From the corner of his eye, Augustus noticed a hand raised in the crowd.

"Speak," Augustus said, glancing coolly at Hermione.

"I think we should elect a leader," Hermione said with a sly smile.

Everyone turned to Hermione in surprise. Loki's expression grew colder, and even Thor's handsome face showed a trace of displeasure.

Lilianne, her deep red eyes glinting with amusement, crossed her arms and looked at Hermione. "So, who do you think should lead us?"

"Mr. Augustus is, of course, the leader of this organization. That goes without saying," Cho replied immediately.

"True, but I think we should make it official," Hermione said calmly, a faint smile on her lips. "It will make the group seem more fair and transparent. So, who agrees that Mr. Augustus should be our leader?"

Everyone raised their hands without hesitation.

Augustus gave Hermione a quiet, assessing look. She was indeed clever, using this tactic to cement her unique position within the group. A fine display of political acumen. Of course, politics always bow to power and strength. Without magical talent, she'd merely be another Cornelius Fudge.

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