Chapter 83. Learning To Tailor

In the middle of the night I woke up with a start. Flashes of being eaten by that black werewolf still vivid in my mind. I sighed while resting my head in my hands. ‘Most likely something that happens when a Dementor feeds on me, re-inflicting trauma in me.’ It was still too early in the morning for anyone else to be up, but late enough that I felt it best to just stay awake. I took the time to study up on Ekrizdis’ more normal charms. Controlling the weather was something he had devised to force ships into circles, watching in glee as the poor muggles slowly succumbed to insanity. He had created wards to control the waters and winds autonomously, but I was studying it to try and control the weather on my own. Powerful magic that could prove useful sometime.

I then flipped the pages back to his concealing wards, enchantments that made his hideout impossible to notice or see, as well as this Tome itself. I then noticed a small addendum to the bottom, written much more recently than most of the surrounding text. Possible creation. Using similar techniques from this, and materials from making Dementor’s into invisible creatures that even Wizards cannot see. The very idea sent shivers down my spine, but the rare term ‘invisibility cloak’ floated in my mind. Could I make one?

I spent the next week of free-time into finding other dark creatures, similar to Dementor’s as even Nyx did not know what she came from. Finally in the library, I found a particular clue. There was a badly drawn picture that came with a less than thorough description, but it was still altogether promising. Lethifold. A dark creature that can only be expelled with the Patronus charm, and immune to all other spells. They are creatures that seemed to be comprised entirely of their hooded figure, and levitate easily off the ground.

I let the book rest on the desk as I looked upward in thought. ‘Immune to all other spells.’ “Then how did he manage to use it for his experiments?” I muttered in the fallacy of the teachings everyone abided by. ‘There had to have been some way he collected their bodies.’ I took out the Tome from under my robes, and began skimming its text in thought, no other being able to read its contents aside from me.

Later that night, I went to ask Nyx about Lethifold. “I have seen them before, brutish and mindless they are. Relying on instinct similar to small insects rather than anything capable of higher thought. In fact, I believe that if we were made from such a species, then Ekrizdis gave us more intelligence to have us kill muggles slower, for his enjoyment.” She explained, and I frowned in disgust at his sadistic tendencies.

I shook those thoughts away, and refocused myself. “They have no intelligence?” Nyx shook her head at me. “To a certain degree, No. Such beings are more akin to nature itself. Such as a non-magical creature; they have just as much intelligence as a Lethifold.” I took a deep breath, feeling much more at ease with my next order, feeling as if the beings were just like a permanent version of my Avis crows. “Can you get one for me? I need it dead.” “It may take some time, such beings are elusive and take some time to starve… Perhaps a month, but it will be done.” I nodded at her, thankful for her wisdom, and ready to repay her in any way I could.

In the meantime of waiting, I practiced spells that controlled the winds and the currents in the black lake, but stopping for anything more than that. I didn't want to draw Dumbledore's eye of my learning magic from a Dark Arts teacher. I also delved into his teachings of blood runes, learning more of how he used blood as a catalyst for writing his runes. I continued to progress in my studies all the way through to December. I was inside the Gladrags Wizardwear shop in Hogsmeade, Pansy joining along for more clothing to add to her wardrobe. “I think that will look amazing on you.” The woman attendant said with a large smile to Pansy, who quickly snapped a quick glance at me before jumping into the changing room.

Alone with the woman attendant, I was finally free to ask something for myself. “Do you sell dragon hides here?” She glanced at me with a hint of interest, her eyes lowering to my dragonhide jacket and gloves. “We do have more dragonhide jackets if you might be interested in that?” She offered, pointing me to another section, but I shook my head at her. “No, I meant just dragonhide, preferably the toughest you have.” She raised a brow at me, and I immediately took out a large bag full of galleons for her to look at.

She instantly lit up, clapping her hands while leading me to the back of her shop. “Of course! Of course! Are you looking to be a tailor in your future?” I nodded, not wanting to say the real reason I was looking into learning the art of clothes making. “I was thinking that dragonhide would be a good start as it’s something I couldn’t accidentally tear.”

The woman chuckled, shaking her head while bringing out a large sheet of Dragonhide. “Oh deary no, this is much too expensive to be making first attempts on. Here.” She then got a much larger amount of cloth, presenting it to me. “For first timers, it is good to get a feel for things with just good old fashioned cotton.” She also began filling my arms with more sewing kits and even books with helpful charms that assisted in making clothes. “Why are you going so far to help me?” I asked, acknowledging the money, but this was beyond what I had paid her.

The woman smirked at me as I stuffed the myriad of things into my jacket while carrying the raw cloth and hide under my arm. “Well it’s always good to have another interested in my line of work, but… Just call it a good luck gift.” “Hello?” Pansy then yelled out for us, and the woman pushed me out of the back room first, placing me directly in front of Pansy’s gaze. Her new dark green dragon leather jacket matching my own to a surprising degree. “What do you think?” She asked, giving a small twirl, readjusting it a few times to feel if it was tight in any places. I just nodded at her, avoiding the conversation of looking like some sort of matching couple. “It’s high end… A good fit for you.” I murmured, not great at these kinds of things. Both women laughed and chuckled as Pansy went over to the counter to buy it, wearing it on her way out.

After another stop at the sweet shop, we went back to Hogwarts, and refocused on my testing. Using Pansy as a model, I began making notes. “Are you sure?” I asked, avoiding looking at her as much as I could while she stood in as light of clothes as she could, just her untucked dress shirt, and skirt. “You’re doing this for me, this is the least I can do to help.” She moved a bit closer to me, taking my hand with the measuring tape in it. “I’m not privy to all the measurements nor how to do them, so it is up to you.” I bit my lip, knowing she was right, but feeling as if something was inherently wrong with this. I finally shook my head, and carefully began measuring her arms. The room was deathly silent, the only noise was my rapidly beating heart, accompanied by her breath tickling my ear.

“Raise your arms please…” I muttered, trying to sound as professional as possible. I never looked at Pansy, but I could hear a slight scoff coming from a hidden smile, making my face burn at my transparency. She lifted her arms, and I slowly took the tape, wrapping it gently around her back. I held my breath as I moved the tape around to her chest, and internalized the number before almost leaping back to my desk to write it down (Although it was probably a number I would have burned in my memory). “Okay… That was the last one.” I said, placing the tape down on my desk, and looking over my design for a simple long sleeved shirt with a dragon hide vest she could wear as her school uniform.

It was just a starter test for me. What the woman at the store didn’t know was that I was going to be using much, much, more expensive materials for my future protective clothes. Dragon hide was the least expensive and mysterious of the bunch I would be using. Pansy wanted to have the first test be something for her, but perhaps forgot that I needed her measurements for it, only going along for her own pride. No girl would set out with that in mind. “I should have something in a week or two.”