HP: The Artisan's Path Chapter 100

Hi all, 

Here’s the third chapter for the week. Wow, I can’t believe this is the hundredth chapter. Artisan’s Path will take a break for a few weeks. I have written this story continuously for two years, and I feel like I need a breather to reassess where it’s at and properly plan out the third year. I will replace it with my other stories in the meantime.  

Chapter 100

Harry's heart almost stopped as he watched the deadly curse plummet towards his grandmother. Without conscious thought, he activated the Zephyr Boots and launched himself forward. The world blurred around him as he crossed the battlefield in seconds, his muscles burning with the strain.

He reached his grandmother just as the curse descended. His wand moved in the complex pattern, the parseltongue incantation flowing from his lips. The shield materialised bare moments before impact—a large serpent coiling protectively around them.

The magical energies clashed violently. Harry's arms trembled as he fought to maintain the shield. The curse pressed against his defence relentlessly, trying to break through.

Just when his strength began to falter, the curse dissipated. Harry's legs buckled, but Minerva caught his arm, steadying him.

"Foolish boy," she muttered, though her voice trembled slightly. "What were you thinking?"

Before Harry could respond, Charlus arrived in a blur of motion. His wand cut through the air in savage arcs, dispatching the two Leshy’s that Minerva had been fighting. The wooden creatures collapsed in flames, their inhuman shrieks cut short.

Across the battlefield, Elizabeth's team and the other wizards methodically eliminated the remaining Leshies. The Russian weapons proved devastatingly effective, their modified flames consuming the creatures faster than they could regenerate.

Baba Yaga's screech of fury drew everyone's attention. The deity hurled curse after curse at the barrier, each spell dissipating harmlessly against the ancient wards.

"Curse you!" she shrieked. "You dare interfere with my plans? I will tear the flesh from your bones! I will feed your entrails to my children!"

Her threats ended abruptly as another spell failed to penetrate the barrier. With a final howl of rage, she wheeled her mortar around and soared away across the ocean.

"Shouldn't we pursue her?" Daniel asked, his flamethrower still smoking.

Elizabeth shook her head. "We have no idea what she's truly capable of. Better to let her go than risk confronting a deity directly."

Harry tried to take a step forward, but his legs gave out. The delayed effects of the Fae Restoration Draught hit him like a physical blow, draining what little strength he had left. He collapsed to his knees, his vision swimming.

"Harry!" Minerva knelt beside him, her face creased with worry. His girlfriends rushed over from the Potter Mobile, clustering around him anxiously.

"M'fine," he mumbled, though the words felt thick in his mouth. "Just tired."

James jogged up to them, his expression grim. "We've got a problem. The Thunderbird took heavy damage during the attack. Several key systems are offline—it's going to take time to repair."

"How long?" Elizabeth asked sharply.

"A day, maybe two. And that's if we have all the parts we need."

"What about the support ship?" Charlus asked.

"Returned to Boston for supplies yesterday," James replied. "Won't be back for at least a week."

“What about using the Potter Mobile?” Minerva asked.

“I don’t think it will make it that far,” Charlus replied. “Harry is still working on fixing the damages it sustained.” 

Elizabeth pinched the bridge of her nose. "Then we'll have to stay put. Set up proper defensive positions in case Baba Yaga returns."

The massive silver construct silently retreated into the forest as they were distracted. By the time anyone thought to look for it, Spidey had vanished completely among the trees.

"What was that thing?" Elizabeth demanded, turning to Harry's girlfriends. "Where did it come from?"

"We have no idea," Hermione answered, glancing at the others. "We saw it running through the forest, but don’t know where it came from."

"It helped you fight the Leshys," Daphne added. "That's all we know."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, clearly unsatisfied with their responses. But before she could press further, Minerva interrupted.

"Whatever it was can wait," she said firmly. "Harry needs medical treatment. We should get him to one of the tents."

Harry swayed dangerously, supported between Minerva and Susan. His bones felt like they had been replaced with lead. Every movement required monumental effort.

The others exchanged worried glances as they helped Harry towards the camp. None of them noticed the metallic glint among the trees as Spidey watched them from afar. Within moments, the construct had vanished completely, leaving no trace of its existence beyond the deep gouges its legs had left in the earth.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The girls walked along the beach, taking in the devastation to distract themselves from worrying about Harry. According to the Healer, Harry was mostly fine but he collapsed from exhaustion. She thought it must be magical exhaustion, but couldn’t get more accurate results until he woke up. 

One of the Leshy’s remains caught Daphne’s interest. She had overheard some of the wizards discussing the unusual creature. They used to be normal trees, but Baba Yaga’s magic had transformed them into something unholy.    

Daphne knelt beside the Leshy's remains. Despite it being dead, it hadn’t transformed back into a tree, sparking her curiosity. 

She put on her dragon-hide gloves before carefully peeling back a layer of bark. Behind her, the other girls watched her, wondering what she was looking for.  

"Harry's going to be out for a while," Susan said quietly, glancing back towards the medical tent where their boyfriend lay recovering. “What do you think really happened to him?”

“You don’t think it's magical exhaustion?” Gabrielle asked

“He can explain himself when he wakes up,” Hermione replied. “I’m more interested in knowing that spider-thing he discovered.” 

“It would be nice if I could add it to my menagerie,” Gabrielle sighed. 

Daphne snorted. “It’s not a real creature, bird-brain. Someone must have created it.”

“Who says it has to be real?” Gabrielle glared at her. “It would be a perfect guardian for my creatures.”    

Daphne shook her head before resuming her examination. 

"Look at this.” Daphne pointed to where a layer of dark energy pulsed beneath the Leshy's outer layer, moving like oil through water. "The magic hasn't dissipated."

Hermione crouched beside her. "That's incredible. How long do you think it can sustain itself?”

"Who knows?” Daphne said. “Baba Yaga is a deity. We cannot even pretend to understand how her magic works. Can it even be compared to our own? Maybe it will linger until she dies."

“I find that unlikely,” Susan said. “Why don't you take some samples?”

Daphne nodded. She carefully extracted a sliver of wood.  "There are so many bodies here, we can ask if we can take one for ourselves.”

Gabrielle shuddered. "Her magic feels wrong. I say we leave it be."

"We should study this," Daphne insisted, holding up the wood sample. "Understanding her magic might help us understand deities better, and even help find Baba Yaga’s weakness."

"She's right," Hermione added. "Even deities aren’t omnipotent. The wards managed to keep her out for the most part."

Gabrielle crossed her arms. "Or we could make things worse by tampering with power we don't understand."

"That's exactly why we need to study it," Hermione argued. "We can't defend against something we don't understand."

"Better to research it in a controlled environment than wait until she attacks again," Daphne said.

Elizabeth's voice interrupted their debate. "I agree with Daphne and Hermione."

The girls turned to find Elizabeth watching them with interest.

"You can take three of the corpses," she continued. "Just share any findings with us."

Daphne felt like Elizabeth was humouring her but chose to ignore it. "Thank you. Gabrielle, could you fetch your expanded suitcase? We'll need somewhere to store them."

Gabrielle sighed but nodded, heading towards the tents.

Elizabeth drew her wand and conjured several large containers. She cast a series of protection charms over them. "Basic containment charms. They won't last long, but they'll do for now."

They spent the next hour cutting the Leshy's bodies and carefully transferring the remains into the containers. The dark energy continued to pulse beneath the wooden flesh, a constant reminder of the power they were dealing with. 

As they worked, Elizabeth probed them with carefully worded questions about the silver construct, but they continued to feign ignorance. The group had silently agreed to follow Harry's lead on what information to share with the Americans. 

"That's the last one," Susan announced, sealing the final container.

"Good," Gabrielle said. "The sooner we get these stored away, the better I'll feel."

“Maybe Baba Yaga’s magic is incompatible with birds?” Daphne suggested. 

“Shut it.”  

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=

Harry woke to hushed voices and a weight on his chest. His entire body ached, each muscle protesting at the slightest movement. Cracking his eyes open, he found the Demiguises sprawled across him, their silvery fur rising and falling with each breath.

His grandparents stood near the tent entrance, their conversation cutting off as they noticed his stirring. Minerva reached him first, her hand cool against his forehead.

"I'll get the Healer," Charlus said, ducking out of the tent.

Minerva pulled Harry into a careful hug. "Thank you for saving me, though it was incredibly foolish to exhaust yourself magically like that."

Harry didn't correct her assumption. It was better if she blamed it on magical exhaustion than learning about the draught he'd consumed. 

"How long have I been asleep?"

"An entire day."

Harry's eyes widened. "Have the Americans found anything in the forest?"

Minerva raised an eyebrow. "Like the giant hatch you flew out of?"

Harry winced. "Yeah, that thing."

"They searched the forest but found nothing—no sign of the metallic spider or the hatch. They only found the churned-up ground where the Leshy attacked you."

Harry's brows furrowed as he studied the now-concealed hatch. Questions raced through his mind—the mechanism of its closure, Spidey's whereabouts, and the extent of the construct's capabilities. The ability to operate the hatch independently aligned with its expanded directive to protect the entire island rather than just the gate room. The construct was proving more sophisticated than he'd initially assumed.

"Did you tell Elizabeth what you saw?" Harry asked.

Minerva shook her head. "No, and neither did your girlfriends. Is there a reason you're keeping it secret from her?"

"I haven't decided if I will tell her or not. What I found down there is unbelievable."

"What is down there?"

Before Harry could respond, Charlus returned with the Healer, who began examining him.

"How bad is his magical exhaustion?" Minerva asked. "Will he be incapacitated for long?"

"Well, the good news is that Harry isn't magically exhausted," the Healer replied, frowning slightly. "But he's presenting with some of the symptoms, particularly physical weakness. I can't say exactly how long he'll be bedridden, but it shouldn't be too long."

"Does Harry have some illness?" Charlus asked. "Should he get a full check-up?"

"I don't think that's necessary. While I can't identify what caused this, I see nothing wrong besides the physical weakness. If I had to guess, he came into contact with some toxin that has already worked itself out of his system."

"Thank you," Minerva said, dismissing the Healer.

Once they were alone, Charlus fixed Harry with a suspicious stare. "Alright, what did you take?"

Harry glanced away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Seeking to change the subject, he asked, "So, what else is happening? Did Baba Yaga come back?"

"No," Charlus replied. His expression suggested the conversation about Harry's condition wasn't over. "But Elizabeth is calling in reinforcements, just in case she returns."

"Smart," Harry murmured, absently stroking the Demiguise's fur. “Baba Yaga was terrifying. Do you think we are going to start seeing more deities?”

“I hope not,” Charlus replied. “One is bad enough.”

“She wasn't as strong as I imagined a deity would be,” Harry said. “She only managed to pierce the barrier once.”   

Minerva's lips thinned. “Are you forgetting all the Leshy’s she conjured?”

Harry shrugged. “Even still, something still seems off. Maybe she loses power when she leaves the fae realm. Grandfather, how does she compare to Modor?”

Charlus grunted. “Nowhere near as terrifying. You may be right about the fae realm. Don’t forget that it’s the source of our magic, which the deities appear to have the ability to tap into. But there isn’t enough information on the fae realm to know for certain.”

Harry shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position. His muscles protested every movement, leaving him frustrated at his weakness. The Demiguise grumbled at being disturbed but didn't wake.

"How long until the Thunderbird's repaired?" Harry asked.

"James says another day at least," Charlus answered. "The damage was worse than they initially thought.”

Harry nodded, his mind already turning to the underground gate room. 

The Americans would find them eventually—it was only a matter of time. He needed to decide whether to tell Elizabeth about Galahad's gate before they stumbled across it themselves. Spidey would likely turn hostile if they intruded upon its domain. Harry was no different. He only managed to escape with his life after convincing the construct to leave him alone by proving his association with Galahad.     

The choice weighed heavily on him. But did he even have a choice? They needed to understand what they were protecting, as Baba Yaga wouldn’t give up on the gate so easily. Harry shuddered to imagine what she could do if she got her hands on it.  

His thoughts were interrupted by his grandmother's hand on his shoulder. 

"You should rest more," she said firmly. "Whatever decisions need to be made can wait."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry jerked awake, instinctively feeling something was wrong. He raised his head and saw that it was evening. A lamp hung from the tent’s entrance, providing a dim source of illumination. 

Testing his limbs, he found most of the physical weakness had dissipated. He sat up in bed and it was only then he noticed a familiar warmth emanating from the symbol on his hand. Was this what had awakened him? Come to think of it, he still hadn’t gotten confirmation that he had completed the task from earlier.

He retrieved the Source and read the waiting message, confirming his completion of the task and the award of one hundred thousand experience points. However, a new task had appeared, which sent adrenaline coursing through his system.

==========

The host has received a new task!

Task #22 - Prevent the gate's activation to stop an invasive force coming through from the fae realm within the next hour.

Reward: 300,000 general experience. 

==========

A chill ran down his spine as he processed the implications. The task left little room for interpretation. Why was this happening now? Did he somehow cause this by messing around in the wardroom? 

Rising quickly from his bed, Harry noticed his girlfriends sleeping peacefully on mattresses nearby, their faces illuminated by the lamp's soft magical lighting.

Harry dressed silently, pulling on his boots and securing his wand holster. He crept towards the tent entrance, careful to avoid waking his girlfriends. A soft rustle behind him made him freeze mid-step.

"Harry?" Gabrielle's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to wake the others. 

He motioned frantically for quiet as they began bombarding him with questions.

"The island's in danger," he explained in hushed tones. "I need to stop something from happening. Alert my grandparents and tell them to be ready to leave at any moment."

"But you've barely recovered," Daphne protested.

"No time to argue," Harry said. "Do any of you have your two-way mirrors?"

Hermione rummaged in the bag beside her bed and retrieved her two-way mirror. As she handed it over, her fingers lingered on his. "Promise you'll be careful."

"I promise," Harry reassured her, tucking the mirror into his pocket. "I'll give you a call once I know whether we need to evacuate or not."

Harry peered outside through a gap in the tent flaps. The camp was quiet except for the sentries on patrol. Near the Thunderbird, James and Marcus were still working on repairs, their tools scattered around the aircraft's hull.

He transformed into his Demiguise form and vanished from sight. 

The journey to the hatch felt far too long with time against him. When he arrived, he resumed his human form. He pulled out his wand and cast Lumos, the spell illuminating the area where he'd escaped from the underground. The entrance had been concealed, its surface indistinguishable from the surrounding ground.

How was he supposed to get down there? Thinking for a moment, Harry got an idea.

Pulling out his bo-staff, he channelled magic through it and struck the ground. The kinetic blast tore a furrow in the earth, kicking up a spray of dirt.

He put his staff away and waited. Moments later, the hatch opened and Spidey emerged. It looked poised to attack until it saw Harry standing there, whereupon its aggressive stance relaxed slightly.

"Someone's trying to come through from the fae realm," Harry explained urgently. "We need to deactivate the gate."

The construct considered Harry's words, its liquid metal form rippling with what seemed like contemplation. Without warning, a metallic limb wrapped firmly around Harry's waist, lifting him with surprising gentleness. Harry grabbed hold instinctively as Spidey positioned him onto its back. The construct wasted no time, descending rapidly into the underground chamber.

At the gate, Spidey extended one of its limbs towards the rightmost pillar. A previously invisible seam appeared in the stone, and a section slid aside to reveal a primitive console. 

Harry's fingers flew across the unfamiliar interface, trying every combination he could think of. Despite his efforts, the controls remained stubbornly incomprehensible. The symbols shifted before his eyes, refusing to resolve into any recognisable pattern. He couldn't find any obvious way to shut down the gate.

"Bloody hell," he cursed under his breath, abandoning the console. 

He sprinted towards the staircase leading to the rift room, taking the steps two at a time. His muscles protested the sudden exertion after his earlier ordeals, but adrenaline drove him forward.

Halfway down the stairs, a massive surge of magical energy hit him like a physical wave, nearly knocking him off his feet. The familiar tingling sensation he associated with the rift had intensified to an almost painful degree. 

Harry's heart pounded against his ribs as he pushed himself faster. Something was wrong with the rift—he could feel it in his bones. 

He burst into the rift room and immediately saw his fears confirmed. The massive tear fluctuated wildly, looking like it would break apart at any moment. 

Without hesitation, Harry bolted into the ward room, scanning the crystalline console for anything that might help him deactivate the gate. 

A tremendous tremor shook the chamber. Harry stumbled but kept his footing, bracing himself against the console. The symbol on his hand suddenly burned with unprecedented intensity, sending a spike of anxiety through his chest.

With trembling fingers, Harry pulled out the Source and read the message that appeared on its pages. The words confirmed his worst fears...

=========

Task #22: The host has failed the task.

=========

His stomach dropped as another tremor rocked the underground complex. He failed to prevent whatever was coming through the gate.

Before he could close the book, another message appeared.

==========  

The host has received a new task!

Task #23: Escape the island before the invaders gain control of it.

Reward: 100,000 general experience. 

==========  

“Give me a break,” Harry muttered.

Harry stored the book away and sprinted back to the gate room. He burst into the chamber just as a shimmering portal materialised between the gate's pillars. The air rippled like heat waves as figures emerged from the dimensional tear. 

He counted over two dozen people, all of them wearing white robes and carrying staffs in their hands. Each wore an identical animal mask—some resembling wolves, others deer, a few with the sharp beaks of hawks or eagles. The masks were intricately carved, their surfaces etched with runic patterns.

Spidey reacted instantly, its silver limbs lashing out with lethal intent. The first invader barely managed to raise their staff in time. A blast of concentrated fire erupted from the crystal, forcing the construct back. More elemental magic followed—lightning, ice, and raw force that left scorched craters in the stone walls.

The construct's liquid metal surface began to bubble and warp under the assault. Though Spidey fought valiantly, the sheer power of the invader's magic quickly overwhelmed it. Harry knew he had to act fast.

Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed every Blackout spell card he possessed. He hurled them at the invaders. The cards detonated simultaneously, plunging the gate and the surrounding area into absolute darkness. 

"Spidey!" Harry shouted, running forward. "We need to leave now!"

Spidey didn’t argue and lifted Harry onto its back. It scaled the walls with impossible speed, climbing towards the open hatch. Just as they reached the exit, the construct tapped the edge with one leg. The heavy stone began sliding shut.

A bolt of lightning shot up through the darkness, blindingly bright. It struck Spidey's rear leg, severing it completely. The construct didn't pause, hauling them both clear as the hatch sealed with a resounding boom.

"Head for the beach," Harry said, knowing the underground wouldn't hold the invaders long. 

He pulled out his two-way mirror while Spidey ran, its remaining legs compensating smoothly for the lost limb.

"Daphne!" he called into the mirror. Before she could answer, Charlus' face appeared instead.

"What's happening?" his grandfather demanded.

"Invaders from the Fae Realm," Harry replied grimly. "They're too much for us to handle. I'm heading back now. Get everyone out of there."

Charlus didn't waste time arguing. The mirror went dark as Harry pocketed it. Spidey's incredible speed ate up the distance to the beach, where chaos reigned. 

Elizabeth shouted orders as people scrambled to evacuate, stuffing equipment into the Thunderbird. The jet's engines hummed alongside the Potter Mobile's, both vehicles ready for immediate departure.

Harry spotted his grandparents and girlfriends already aboard his vehicle. The Thunderbird was packed beyond capacity, but many more remained stranded. Several quick-thinking wizards began conjuring boats at the waterline, gesturing frantically for others to board.

Spidey deposited Harry beside the Potter Mobile. He'd barely climbed into the back seat when a massive fireball erupted from the forest. The magical projectile struck the beach, detonating with tremendous force. A geyser of sand exploded skyward.

"Floor it!" Harry shouted.

The Potter Mobile shot forward, temporarily blinded by the sand cloud. They burst through into clear air, climbing rapidly. The Thunderbird appeared beside them moments later, matching their speed as they put distance between themselves and the island.

When they'd reached a safe distance, both vehicles slowed to a hover. They turned back, watching anxiously for signs of other evacuees. The Thunderbird's powerful searchlights swept the dark waters below.

"Explain," Charlus said tersely.

Harry described the gate he'd discovered—Galahad's attempt to create a permanent connection between realms. 

"I thought it was dormant," he finished. "But something activated it tonight from the other side. I woke up earlier with a terrible premonition that something was going to happen.”  

“Good thing you did,” Susan said. “Otherwise we would have been caught off-guard.”

Harry ran a hand through his hair. “Those invaders were powerful. I don’t know if the power came from them or the staffs they wielded."

"Could they be deities?" Minerva asked, her face pale.

"I don't think know," Harry replied after considering it. "But I didn’t stick around to find out."

They continued to discuss the implications, as they kept an eye out for survivors. They shouldn’t stick around, as there was no guarantee the invaders couldn’t reach them here. But no one voiced that thought. 

Movement on the water drew their attention as Spidey's massive silver form cut through the waves, its metallic surface reflected in the searchlights. The construct had transformed itself into an unlikely rescue vessel—its broad back serving as a makeshift raft for several bedraggled wizards and witches who clung to its smooth surface. 

Behind it, a small flotilla of boats trailed in its wake, secured to the construct by ropes that the survivors had cleverly conjured and affixed to its metallic frame. 

“Spidey must be smarter than I first thought,” Harry mused, petting the Demiguises on his lap. They were extra clingy after the commotion on the island. 

Instead of following its directive foolishly, it recognised when it was outmatched, so it didn’t hang around and sacrifice itself foolishly. The issue they were now facing was how they would hide the construct. While it was unlikely they would run into any ships out here, they needed to solve the problem before they returned to America.  

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

They retreated further from the island, putting enough distance between themselves and any potential pursuit before stopping to assess their situation. Minerva conjured an impressive vessel from the escape boats. The craft stretched nearly ten metres in length, which provided more space and comfort for everyone.

Elizabeth conjured a large table near the stern and began to discuss their next steps.

"What do we do about that?" Marcus asked, pointing towards Spidey. The construct floated quietly beside their vessel. “We cannot leave it in the water, but it’s too big to climb aboard the boat.”

Gabrielle stepped forward. “I think I can help with that." 

She pulled out her expanded trunk, already mentally calculating the space requirements. "It'll be a tight squeeze, but the expansion charms should hold."

Harry approached the construct while the others watched with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. 

"We need to keep you hidden for now," Harry said. “We’ll let you out once we arrive at our destination.”

Elizabeth looked as if she was going to say something but stopped herself.

The construct studied him for a moment before stepping into the trunk and onto the platform. 

“Don’t you dare hurt Thibault,” Gabrielle called after it, as the platform descended to the bottom.  

"Right," Elizabeth said, turning to Harry. "I think it's time you explained exactly what happened down there."

Harry nodded, seeing no reason to maintain secrecy now that events had escalated so dramatically. He described finding the underground chamber, the massive gate, and its apparent purpose as a doorway to the Fae realm. He explained about Galahad's journal and the rift powering the entire system, though he carefully omitted certain details about the wardroom and the modifications he'd made to the wards.

"A permanent gateway to the Fae realm?" Elizabeth's face paled. "No wonder the Russians fought so hard for the island."

Questions flew thick and fast. Did he recognise the invaders? Were they human? How many were there? Could the gate be shut down? Harry answered what he could, but many mysteries remained unsolved.

"We need to get back to Boston," Elizabeth finally declared. "The situation requires immediate attention from our superiors."

They began transferring essential personnel to the Thunderbird. Harry stored the Potter Mobile, knowing the battery couldn't sustain itself in Boston. The remaining survivors would follow in the boat.

"We'll send reinforcements," Elizabeth assured the people saying behind. 

The journey back was tense. Harry's group tried to process the day's events. Gabrielle kept checking her trunk, but Spidey remained quiet within its confines.

They landed in Boston well after midnight. The guild headquarters buzzed with activity despite the late hour, but Elizabeth waved Harry's group toward the residential area.

"Get some rest," she said. "We'll need to debrief properly tomorrow, but for now, you've done enough."

They trudged toward their quarters, exhaustion finally catching up with them. Harry's muscles ached from the day's exertions.

"Shower, then sleep," Daphne declared firmly, heading for her room. The others mumbled their agreement, too tired for further discussion.

The invaders weren't their concern, at least for tonight. They'd survived, escaped, and even managed to save Spidey in the process. Whatever complications tomorrow would bring could wait until after he'd had some sleep.

So, what do you think? The remainder of the summer holidays and the third year are going to be wild, which is the reason I feel the need for a more detailed outline. 

Thanks for reading.