After dinner, given the current dangers within Hogwarts Castle, Glenn escorted Hermione back to the Gryffindor common room while the corridors were still bustling with students. Then, he made his way to the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor.
"I need a training room for practicing spells," Glenn silently thought as he walked back and forth three times in front of the massive tapestry depicting the troll clubbing Barnabas the Barmy.
Pushing open the door, Glenn entered the familiar training room, ready to begin his session.
"Let's start with half an hour of the Cruciatus Curse to warm up," Glenn thought to himself.
He approached the center of the room, tapped his cane on the floor, and a waist-high stone pillar materialized instantly. On top of it, he placed a peculiar alchemical device.
Flipping his left hand, a small white mouse appeared, squeaking helplessly. Ignoring its protests, Glenn shoved it into a covered container at the back of the device. He then retrieved more white mice from his black ring.
The squeaks of the mice echoed incessantly.
Due to his recent inability to train in the Forbidden Forest, Glenn had devised this "random object launching device" during his spare time. Its purpose was to enhance his reaction speed and precision when casting spells.
The alchemical patterns within the device channeled stored magical energy to randomly activate the trigger points of various launch ports. This caused one or multiple objects stored in the container to be launched at bullet speed.
Glenn refrained from using heightened perception—it would defeat the purpose of the training. Even without consciously sensing the device's movements, his heightened perception was so powerful within a small range that he could intercept objects the moment they left the launch ports.
Instead, he chose to rely solely on his eyesight, blocking out all other senses.
Although Glenn's eyes had been enhanced by the Obscurial and the mysterious power within his wand, granting him exceptional dynamic vision, tracking objects moving at bullet speed remained a significant challenge.
Why use white mice in the random object launcher?
According to records in magical texts, the screams of living creatures hit by the Cruciatus Curse help the caster develop the twisted psychological desire to inflict pain on their target—an essential mindset for mastering the curse.
Glenn wasn't a sadist, but he adhered to this training method despite its minimal impact on his mastery of the Cruciatus Curse.
For other spells, he used alchemically crafted balls or other inanimate objects.
White mice were reserved for testing potions. Even though they reproduced quickly, Glenn preferred to use them sparingly.
Given the volume and variety of his potion research, Glenn required a large number of test subjects. Most of the white mice he bred were used for these experiments.
If not for the risk of adverse reactions from injecting multiple potions into a single subject within a short timeframe, Glenn would have gladly tested all his potions on one mouse simultaneously.
Efficiency was key.
With a determined expression, Glenn removed his blindfold, drew his wand, and turned his back to the device. Channeling his magic, he initiated the training.
For the next half hour, crimson flashes illuminated the Room of Requirement, casting Glenn's shadow as he swung his wand repeatedly.
When the time was up, Glenn stopped casting spells precisely on schedule.
Downing a bottle of magical energy potion in one go, his pale complexion improved slightly. He raised his left hand, forming a sword gesture, and lifted it. A whirlwind formed in the center of the room, gathering the unconscious, twitching mice scattered on the floor.
"Incendio," Glenn muttered expressionlessly, casting a fire-making spell to end their suffering.
Creatures subjected to the Cruciatus Curse inevitably suffered soul damage. Although these mice were technically alive, they were now defective and unusable.
Glenn chose to dispose of them.
Taking a moment to reflect on his emotions and sensations while casting the curse, Glenn committed them to memory before moving on to the next phase of training.
Tapping his cane against the stone pillar, it instantly collapsed and transformed back into a flat floor.
After rearranging the room, Glenn retrieved another alchemical device and placed it at one end of the room.
Inside this device, Glenn had inscribed magical circuits capable of releasing Lumos spells of varying colors based on different levels of magical output. This was part of his training for his enhanced eyesight.
In ancient texts related to Obscurials—or "Magic"—there were techniques specifically designed for the eyes of those afflicted.
One of the defining traits of "Magic" is its ability to devour and corrode normal spiritual energy. This is why Obscurials are so dangerous.
Through trial and error, generations of Obscurials discovered that once they gained preliminary control over the magic within them, they could safely channel its power to cover their eyes. By maintaining a steady output of magic, they could imbue their gaze with its corrosive properties, slowing the flow of spiritual energy in their line of sight or outright nullifying non-corporeal spells.
However, excess magic output could damage the eyes permanently, leading to blindness. Many predecessors recorded in magical texts suffered greatly from this limitation.
Unfortunately, even with magical potions and elixirs, the wizarding world has yet to achieve limb regeneration. Otherwise, Obscurials could theoretically output magic recklessly, destroy their eyes, then regrow them immediately with potions—creating an unrelenting anti-magic field.
Glenn felt deeply regretful about this limitation.
If he could maintain a field where no wizard could cast spells within his line of sight, Glenn believed he could defeat a hundred Voldemorts.
That's without weapons. With firearms, he could take on an entire battalion of Voldemorts.
One of Glenn's ongoing potion research projects was to develop a potion capable of regenerating body parts entirely. Progress was slow, with no breakthroughs yet.
But he was confident he'd complete it before his death.
After all, he had the Elixir of Life.
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