"So, only by cultivating true strength can one truly control their own fate; otherwise, even maintaining basic self-preservation becomes a colossal undertaking," Anduin finished, closing the text with a decisive snap. He offered Hagrid a warm, albeit slightly manufactured, smile. "However, that grim future is still a long way off for us. Let us simply enjoy this Christmas dinner."
"Ah, right, this is my Christmas gift to you, Hagrid." Anduin took out a small, heavy silver coin and placed it in front of the half-giant.
"Ah? What is this, then? Doesn't look like any Galleon or Sickle I've seen," Hagrid said, picking up the coin and examining the cold metal with his massive fingers.
"I've tentatively named it a Communication Coin. Its functionality is still limited, but it's a promising start. The face shows an ancient Eastern longsword, and the reverse features an Ouroboros. It is one of the preliminary alchemical tools I've been developing lately," Anduin explained with quiet pride.
"A communications coin? This little thing can actually send messages?" Hagrid marvelled, turning the artifact over. Sure enough, one side bore the sharp etching of a longsword, the other, the serpent devouring its own tail.
"Precisely. When you perceive immediate danger, channel your magic into the longsword side. I'll instantly receive an alarm and a precise reading of your location, allowing me to come to your aid without delay. If you simply need to find me for a routine chat or assistance, channel your magic into the Ouroboros side. I'll receive the passive message and come back to the hut to find you."
Anduin reflected on the sheer backwardness of the current magical world, which possessed no practical, reliable device for immediately triggering an alarm or locating a friend over distance.
Using the ancient principles outlined in the text Applications of Communication Runes that Sirius had gifted him last year, he had created this simple, semi-real-time alarm tool. Its range was currently limited to the entire Hogwarts grounds, and it lacked the continuous, real-time message transmission of the Floo Network. He had created several copies and, along with Hagrid's, had sent a few to Vivian, Charles, and other trusted allies as Christmas gifts.
"This will certainly make it much easier for me to track you down in the future. You truly are clever, Anduin," Hagrid said, his eyes crinkling in delight as he immediately began experimenting with the device.
Anduin also produced a small, leather-bound booklet, a companion alchemical tool. This booklet was magically linked to all the Communication Coins he had distributed, allowing him to quickly and privately see the nature (longsword for danger, Ouroboros for contact) and the location of any received magical signal.
The two spent the evening chatting, happily testing their new gadgets, sharing a hearty, warm dinner, and even singing a few off-key carols, spending Christmas that year in a rare, comfortable peace.
In the subsequent days, Anduin plunged back into work. He spent his days in his small, guarded room, meticulously studying complex runes and attempting to create various specialized alchemical tools. Owls from the outside world constantly arrived and departed from the lodge.
Most gifts were simple, heartfelt notes from his friends: Charles sent a book on Quidditch plays, and Vivian, knowing his obsession, sent a rare collection of late-17th-century spellbooks. Professor McGonagall sent him a beautifully etched silver compass.
But Professor Borns's gift was perhaps the most generous and telling: 85 grams of high-quality Iser Mithril—a metal of immense magical conductivity and durability—and a professional set of rune-engraving knives. It was clear Professor Borns had a powerful belief in Anduin's rare talent for practical alchemy.
Borns's accompanying letter also contained the expected, yet still shocking, news regarding the Lestranges. The Ministry of Magic, under the direction of Alastor Moody, had immediately dispatched a strike team of Aurors to the Purple River Valley hideout. A fierce, messy battle had erupted.
The Aurors had successfully captured Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange—a monumental success for the beleaguered Ministry. However, the victory was extremely costly: two Aurors were killed, and three more were gravely injured. The Lestranges were now being transferred to Azkaban for trial and incarceration. Professor Borns concluded the letter by reiterating his deep gratitude for Anduin's timely and precise intelligence.
Anduin reread the casualty report, a cold disapproval settling over him.
"Two Aurors dead, three severely injured… to capture three exhausted, cornered Death Eaters," Anduin shook his head silently. The high casualty rate was a profound indictment of the Ministry's operational tactics.
"Why didn't they organize a proper perimeter and launch coordinated, gradual attacks? Why do the common troops always fight like unskilled children, charging in headlong like fools?" Anduin thought with cold impatience. The Ministry's methods were too slow, too rigid, and far too dependent on brute-force frontal assaults. It only reinforced his certainty that he could never rely on them for his own protection or goals.
As the Christmas break drew to its inevitable close, a large, heavy package finally arrived at the hut.
"It's finally here," Anduin murmured, his eyes lighting up.
He ripped open the parcel and revealed a brand-new pair of robust, high-laced leather boots. If Hagrid were present, he would immediately recognize the texture: they were made from the Chimera hide he had gifted Anduin.
These custom boots had been crafted by Anduin at a specialized tailor in Diagon Alley for a hefty price of five Galleons. The finished product was of superb, durable quality. Anduin's next step was to transform them into a specialized magical weapon.
"The moment has come to develop the specialized tactical weapons tailored for all terrains," Anduin declared with a satisfied, almost hungry, smile.
He had conceptualized an ambitious suite of combat equipment he called the All-Terrain Tactical Armament (ATTA), designed to give him complete mastery over any environment or foe. The ATTA was composed of five main modules: 'Detection,' 'Jamming,' 'Mobility,' 'Protection,' and 'Kill.'
These leather boots represented the first completed piece of the 'Mobility' module. Anduin planned to carve five powerful runes into them: 'Shock Absorption,' 'Silence,' 'Absorption' (of kinetic energy), 'Enhancement' (of muscle speed/strength), and 'Change' (of texture/traction).
This combination would make the wearer virtually undetectable for stealth, allow for flawless terrain traversal, provide explosive short-range bursts of speed, and enable rapid long-range repositioning. Since his own flight skills were still unstable and relying on a broomstick made him an obvious target, superior ground movement was the only viable way to gain a decisive advantage in battle.
Thanks to his tireless, obsessive study and practice throughout the holiday, Anduin had completely mastered the complex interplay of these runes. Now, it was time to put his knowledge to the test.
It took Anduin two full days of intense, focused work to meticulously carve the five interwoven runes into the chemically treated animal hide of the boots. He then utilized his prized tool, the Invincible Hammer (formerly the Avenger Hammer), to magically enhance the boots, setting the runes into the material and making the enchantments permanently linked to his magical signature.
By midday of the final day of the holidays, all the young wizards were returning to Hogwarts, preparing for classes to resume the next morning—the same day Anduin was due to return to the Slytherin dormitory.
Anduin named his new creation the Phase Boots. He laced them up, the stiff leather conforming perfectly to his feet. He clicked his heels together—a deliberate, testing action—and faint, light-colored magical runes immediately illuminated the surface of the leather before quickly fading into the Chimera hide.
Taking a deep breath, he tested the 'Enhancement' rune. Lifting his right leg and pushing off the ground with a powerful surge of contained magic, Anduin was instantly hurled forward like a rushing wind, the air beside him displaced with a sharp whooshing sound that was almost immediately cut short by the 'Silence' rune.
He turned back, observing the distance he had covered in a single burst, and nodded to himself. "Twenty meters in just over a second. That translates to a hundred meters in just over six seconds—a speed far exceeding the current Muggle Olympic champions. That is certainly adequate for immediate tactical egress and engagement. Now, let's test the terrain traversal and stamina consumption."
With this thought, he began to run wildly along the rugged path leading deeper into the Forbidden Forest. He quickly reached a circular cluster of ancient, moss-covered stone pillars. He jumped with unnatural force, clearing a gap of more than two meters, landing perfectly on the edge of a slippery stone column. Utilizing the 'Change' and 'Absorption' runes, he then climbed straight up the vertical face of the column, defying gravity, his boots gaining instant traction on the damp stone.
After reaching a height of more than ten meters, he executed a clean, precise backflip, falling deliberately from the stone pillar, landing firmly on the ground with his arms outstretched—the 'Shock Absorption' rune silently neutralizing the entire impact, just like a seasoned gymnast executing a flawless landing. His breathing was steady, the stamina cost minimal. The Phase Boots were a success.