26 HP 19

Pandemonium was the only word I could explain what was happening in the prison right now. Following the sudden disappearance of the true jailors of Azkaban, the prisoners were quick on the uptake and attempted a mass breakout. Multiple breakout attempts had to be stopped by me, not because I truly cared about them, but only because the murders, rapists, and political enemies literary stood in my way of finding the two people I came here for.

The guards were running around like headless chickens, casting stunning spells left and right. Screams and shouts could be heard from every corner of the prison block, while the inmates grabbed onto improvised weapons and bashed the heads of their guards. I ignored all those that didn't block my way, but inadvertently sometimes saving a guard, and sometimes killing one, as I walked up the narrow staircase leading to the top floors of the prison.

As I traveled upstairs the escapees decreased, and the crazies increased. These people were mentally broken, chuckling crazily at their own expense. The living conditions dropped with each new floor, up until you reached the top one, where they didn't exist at all. The smell was nauseating, and the prisoners lay on the cold hard ground, covered in filth like they didn't see a bath in years and truthfully, they probably haven't. The only thing in their cells was a 10 cm wide hole in the ground. They had no privacy, as the cells stood across each other, divided by a wide walkway and steel bars, dense enough to not let their arms through, but thin enough to give a clear view of the insides. Those same bars, from the looks of it, were heavily enchanted and directly tied into the prison alarm system.

It was on this floor that I found Bellatrix and Sirius. Uncaring for the fact that my spells would trigger the already blaring alarm, I telekinetically grab onto Bella and slam her against her bars. She screamed bloody murder as my [Mind Arts] probes drilled into her mind, shredded her defenses, and extracted the image of the insides of the Lestrange vault.

She lost her purpose the moment I learned the new teleportation spell, so after giving her still relatively seductive body a good look, telekinesis grabs her neck and with a twirling motion that was accompanied by a wet crunch, it separates her head from the rest of her body.

Blood sprays all over the prison floor, while the rest of the inmates freak out and scream for help, and start begging the gods for mercy. But their prayers are unheard as none are spared.

I walk down the hallway, nearing the cell of the last remaining Black, and as I do so, I probe the memories of the inmate around me. Those I judge to be unworthy, die from a single squeeze. Loud crunches, accompanied by wet pops, echo throughout the prison halls, as their skulls implode from a telekinetic crush. Showering the insides of the cells with a gruesome spectacle, painting the ceiling, and walls in brain matter and crimson blood.

Finally arriving in front of Sirius's cell, telekinesis grabs the door and rips it off its hinges. The moment he's free, he shifts into his animagus form and bolts toward the exit. I just shake my head annoyed at his stupidity, if I wanted him dead he would have died within moments of me spotting him, like every other cellmate on this floor. Telekinetic tether reaches and pulls him back, making him growl at the air, before getting hit with a stunning spell aimed straight at his head. [Mind Arts] reach deep into his mind and find the image of the Black family estate.

Now for the hard part, it wasn't easy to get here, as the ward interfered with the teleportation process, now I wonder how it will react when I try to teleport two people out at the same time. I grab the dog by the scruff of his neck and turn out the whole world. Sound, smell, touch, and everything else ceases to exist, as I focus solely on the image of the Black Family Estate, then command my mana towards specific mana channels. The world shifts and after a thunderous boom, we're dropped in a hallway, accompanied by pieces of the prison itself.

I quickly tap myself over and check if something was lost in the process, but I could only sigh in relief as I find nothing out of the ordinary. My passenger, on the other hand, lost its tail. I was not sure how that translated to ordinary body parts, but I didn't truly care. The quest to save him was complete, so I had nothing else I needed him for.

[Quest: [The Prisoner] Completed 350 WP Received]

With a loud pop, a battle-ready House Elf snaps into existence. Krecher, the old Black house House-Elf with his bone-thin frame appears, then aims his arms right at the master of this house. He was ready to defend his master's property and fire off a spell to intercept the intruders. But all he could do is freeze mid-motion, his all of his instincts tell him, that under no circumstance should he attack, they scream at him that the mutt in front of him is his only master. He grimaces and grumbles, but before he could confirm his suspicions, a stunning spell hits him from the side, making him lose consciousness and impact the ground.

[Mind Arts] sifts through his mind, momentarily locating the locket and with a quick teleport I find myself below the house, in a stinky room covered in junk. A swipe of my hand dismissed everything except for my target, and one [Fiendfyre], consumes the locket of Slytherin, and simultaneously the fifth Horcrux and the sixth soul shard. A soul-shaking wail travels through the air, as the black mass of gaseous substance ejects itself from the locket and moments later disperse into the wind.

[Quest Update: [Shade Lurking] 6/7 Completed]

Nodding in satisfaction, I aim to finish this quest just before heading home, so I pull up Bellatrix's memories and the image of the Lestrange vault. The world quiets down, as I force my mana to rip through the fabric of reality, and I could feel the spell tear through multiple layered barriers and open a miniature hole right inside the confines of the vault. The process was a lot easier than the teleportation to the Prison, maybe because the spell had increased in levels, or simply the fact that the bank wasn't as safe as the other place. I didn't have time to think, as the anti-theft system already alerted the guards, and the defensive mechanism of the vault has already turned on.

Galleons, in the millions, started doubling without a stop, wishing to suffocate me for my greed. But none of it matters, because the thing I came here for, sits on a pedestal right next to me. The cup of Helga Hufflepuff, with the ability to increase the potency of potions, is consumed by the cursed flames, and immediately turns into slag. Simultaneously, the last soulshard is ejected from the confines of the item, and accompanied by an ear-piercing shriek disperses in the atmosphere.

*Ding* Resounds the quest completion notification in my mind, I could only smile in satisfaction as I give a glance at my status screen.

[Quest: [Shade Lurking] Completed 2,500 WP Received]

[Dementor x239 slain 88,907 XP Received]

[Human Wizard x25 slain 6,600 XP Received]

Status

[Global LVL: 55 XP: 173,640/188,059]

[Class: Wizard LVL: 34/50 XP: 101,100/ 108,010]

[Titles: [Zombie Slayer] | Race: [Human Wizard] | Tier: 1]

[WP: 7,961] [UC: 2,049.11]

STR: 4

VIT: 10

DEX: 67 > 92

AGI: 29

PER: 34

INT: 65 > 115

WIS: 67 > 117

Skills:

Defence:

[Sneak 16>17] [Muted Steps 18>19] [Dodge 46] [Pain Tolerance 9] [Counter 13] [Acrobatics 3]

Offence:

[Small Blade Mastery 32] [Large Blade Mastery 16] [Gun Mastery 5] [Dual-wielding 7]

Magic:

[Mana Manipulation 44>53] [Charms] [Transfiguration 95>Max] [Mind Arts 78>87] [Alchemy 76] [Runic Language 59] [Enchanting 69] [Spellcode 33>43]

Misc.:

[Deception 39>56] [Drawing 4] [Writing 20>22] [Reading 59>76] [Seduction 37>44] [Acting 53>77] [Cooking 50>52] [Mathematics 35] [Herbology 49] [Teaching 32>45] [Leadership 29>37]

I'm pulled back to reality, by the sound of galleons impacting the ground in masses. A wave of currency was heading my way, while a commotion could clearly be heard outside of the vault door. Knowing I overstayed my welcome I focus on the alley near my apartment and attempt to apparate away. I turn out the whole world and rip a hole in the fabric of reality, only to appear in the alleyway I oh so often use. I transfigurate my outfit and drop my invisibility spell, then walk out of there as if nothing has happened.

My little excursion didn't last too long, and for once arrived home I just before Olivia did. Happy to surprise my little minx, I start preparing her favorite for dinner. The missing ingredients were quickly remedied by the liberal use of teleportation and invisibility, and the dinner was steadily progressing.

I moved everything aside to let it cook slowly and to make the night a bit more special, I bought candles, and roses rented a sappy romantic movie, and even bought snacks. I tried my hardest to create a romantic atmosphere, just because she deserved it.

As I heard the sound of footsteps approaching, a sense of familiarity washed over me, and I realized that I must have become accustomed to the unique rhythm of her step. She fumbled with her keys, like she always does, then unlocked the door and stepped into the candle-lit apartment with a stunned expression. That was the moment I knew, I have gained a substantial amount of boyfriend points. A wide smile appeared on my face as she squealed in delight and jumped into my embrace. She continued to show her affection by showering me with kisses and squeezing me to death.

A chuckle escapes my lips, and I gave a tight little hug to this wiggling mass of cuteness, then out of nowhere, in a moment of weakness, I blurt out. "I Love You."

It took my mind just a fraction of a second to realize what has just come out of my mouth, but by then it was already too late. Olivia was quicker on the uptake than I was. She paused mid-kiss, squealed, and grasped my head, bringing it up to hers. A blush began to form on her cheeks as she gazed deeply into my eyes and, in a soft, almost whispered voice, she pleaded. "S-say that again."

The pleading look she gave me, made my heart wrench. I left her hanging for too long, awaiting those three simple words to be spoken out aloud. I felt my cheeks heating up in embarrassment, as I wasn't used to her fiery gaze, nervousness like never before assaulted my being, but I took a deep breath and composed myself, then repeated what I just said. "I love you."

The brightest smile I've seen from her, formed on her face, then after a cute shout of victory she hugged me tightly and restarted her kissing furry, but this time saying 'I', 'Love', and 'You' alternatively between each of her smooches.

Serene calmness washed over me, as I momentarily felt closer to her than ever. A ping resounded in my mind and a system notification informed me about something, but I couldn't care less, I shoved it to the side and tightened my hug over the girl I loved and enjoyed our moment of tranquility.

That wasn't the first time I said those words to someone, but this time they felt a lot more substantial and meaningful. The moment they left my mouth, I felt complete, like something I'd been missing for years had finally found its way back to me and clicked in place within my soul. It was strange but a welcome feeling.

After separating from me, she gave me a slurry gaze, but I shook my head and pointed towards the kitchen table, where one of her favorite meals stood already been prepared. To make the situation even more humorous her eyes went wide when her stomach grumbled. A pout formed on her face while a blush of embarrassment colored her cheeks.

"Madmazel." I say after a light chuckle, as I escort her to the table and pull out a chair. She giggled in delight at my attention to detail and sat down, awaiting the five-star service. After I had a little fun playing the waiter, I sat down across from her and we dug in. The [Cooking] enhanced food was heavenly, and it did bring additional bonus boyfriend points to the total sum. The skill was truly amazing and I could only praise it.

After the enjoyable meal, during which I attentively listened to her day at work, I gave her the abridged version of mine, and I showed her the movie I previously rented. We sat on the sofa across from the TV, covered ourselves with a blanket, cuddled up, and with a bow of popcorn in hand started the VHS player.

The movie, how should I say it, was... passable? Not something you would want to watch more than a single occasion, but still had its enjoyable scenes. Olive, to my surprise, liked it so I stayed quiet and tried to power through the one-and-a-half hours of annoying romance movie clichés. However, somewhere halfway through the movie I luckily fell asleep.

When I woke up in the morning, I was in an uncomfortable position. I had no feeling in my right hand, light was streaming through a gap in the shades directed right at my eyes, and my chest was wet for some reason. As I opened my groggy eyes, I quickly realized why my breathing was labored. Olivia was sleeping on my chest, drooling and looking blissful with her bed hair covering her face. I smiled at her cute expression, brushed her hair aside, hugged her tightly, and kissed her head.

'I could get used to this.' I say internally, while a blinking notification reminded me about something I ignored yesterday. So with a sigh, I open the notification not expecting anything substantial, and freeze in place.

[Skill: [Soul Resonance] unlocked.]

[Soul Resonance LVL: N/A]

- Establishes a permanent soul-bond between two individuals, increasing each other's mental and spiritual stability.

- Provides a defense against soul corruption, preventing external forces from corrupting or manipulating the bonded souls.

- Provides a limited empathic ability between bonded individuals, allowing them to sense each other's emotions to a small degree.

- While in physical contact, the bonded individuals experience a resonance, heightening their sense of calmness and a reduction in stress levels.

- Requires a strong bond and mutual trust between the individuals to use effectively.

- The soul-bond is unbreakable and persists even after death.

A new skill formed out of the blue, right at the moment I laid my feeling bare before Olive, and she reciprocated them. This skill, however, was strange in multiple ways, not only did it not have levels, but also talked about two individuals instead of a single user. I had no idea how all of that spiritual bullshit worked, but I did somehow feel connected to Olivia on a more meaningful and deeper level.

So I made a decision, I hoped I wouldn't regret.

(Olivia's POV)

As I wake from one of the best sleep of my life, straight away notice that my mattress feels weird, yet at the same time oddly familiar. It had a sweet comforting scent and it was radiating warmth that warmed even the depths of my once-lonely soul.

"Morning sleepyhead." The mattress stirs and plants a kiss on my head, and it takes my still out-of-order brain to comprehend what just happened. The revelation makes me chuckle, and I sink deeper into the mattress's embrace and kiss its cheek.

"Moooorning." I greet my comfy mattress while yawning. "Has anyone told you that you'd make a perfect mattress? I think I never slept more comfortably in my life" I add cheekily; to which he grumbles and sticks out his tongue in a playful manner, then crosses his arms acting all hurt.

I roll my eyes at his act, but that's when my chosen one's poky stick decides to announce its presence. I look downward at his bulging pants, poking my midriff, then up to his clearly shy expression. I flash my man a wolfish smile, as I remember that I didn't reward him for his thoughtful gestures yesterday, then as a good girlfriend I slowly slide myself downward, brushing along his body, and as I yank down his pants I come face to face with a one-eyed breast.

While normally soft and squishy, this curious creature can become quite dangerous when hunting its prey by hardening and extending its body to multiples of its length. This was the biggest specimen I've ever seen, although I may not be the best judge of that. Apart from this one, I've only seen one other - although I'm not even sure if that really counts since it was just while changing my cousin's diapers.

I'm pretty sure he noticed how inexperienced I was at the start of our relationship, but I should probably tell him that he was my first. Whenever I remember our first time I can't help but feel butterflies in my stomach. I was so nervous at that time, I feared the pain and the experience altogether, but thankfully, he was a gentle gentleman. As if he knew it from the start, he went slow and careful focusing more on my enjoyment than on his own. Even if he doesn't want to admit it that time we didn't have sex, no, we made love.

Today, something felt strange. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but there was an unfamiliar sensation that I couldn't quite name. It wasn't bad, on the contrary, it felt warm and gave out the same feeling as being close to Andrew did, but it was something new. Something I couldn't explain.

Just as I was to administer first aid for my hubby – 'Ahh I love calling him that' – he grabbed my chin and looked deep into my eyes.

'I love those chestnut-colored eyes of his... Oh, I wasn't paying attention.' I shake my head and ask him to repeat his words. "Could you repeat that?"

"Olive we need to talk." I gulp, as those words could mean a thousand things, I start panicking and my mind goes into overdrive trying to figure out what I did wrong. 'He wants to break up with you Olive! What did you do!' Tears start to form in my eyes and I'm about to burst out crying, but his next sentence, makes my mind go numb.

"I'm an alien."