Just as Maurise was calculating the temporal threshold to terminate his expedition and return to Hogwarts, a distinct anomaly finally broke the monotony of the endless, foggy wasteland.
A foreign object had suddenly appeared in the distance.
It was small, currently registering as merely a speck in his peripheral vision, standing isolated amidst the vast, gray emptiness.
Maurise accelerated his pace, his academic curiosity burning.
As the physical distance decreased, the obscure speck resolved into a distinct, recognizable shape.
It was a rudimentary, mundane wooden signpost. It looked like the cheap, hastily constructed directional markers one might encounter alongside a rural dirt road in the living world.
It was planted into the dry, cracked earth at an awkward, tilted angle. The wood was heavily weathered and splintered, and several characters had been roughly carved into its surface.
Maurise halted in front of the crude signpost and lowered his gaze to inspect the carving.
The carved characters were legible and straightforward.
"I was here."
It was an isolated, ambiguous phrase lacking any additional context.
Maurise felt a profound sense of exasperation.
'If you are going to go through the logistical effort of planting a physical marker in an alternate dimension, at least have the common courtesy to carve your actual name!'
'Furthermore, what idiotic psychological impulse compels an individual to plant a "Kilroy was here" signpost in the middle of the literal realm of the dead?'
Maurise crouched down, meticulously inspecting the wooden post for several minutes, searching for complex hidden runic arrays or temporal anchors. He discovered zero anomalies.
The wood possessed zero residual magical signatures. It was mundane.
Ultimately, he stood back up with a heavy sigh.
At the very least, the physical existence of this wooden marker definitively proved a significant hypothesis: Other sentient entities had successfully navigated to this dimension. The Void was not an exclusive domain accessible only by himself and Gellert Grindelwald.
He sensed the volatile magical energy powering his spatial portal approaching critical depletion.
Maurise pondered for a brief second, drew his wand, and utilized a precise severing charm to carve a second line beneath the original inscription:
"I was also here."
'If a future dimensional traveler happens to stumble upon this signpost, they will undoubtedly be confused by the lack of context.'
Having completed his petty vandalism, he stepped back to admire his handiwork.
'Perfect.'
In the next fraction of a second, his visual perception warped violently. He was yanked back across the dimensional threshold, seamlessly rematerializing in the center of his Ravenclaw dormitory.
Maurise looked down at the glowing runic matrix etched into the floorboards as it slowly powered down.
'The operational duration is still far too short.'
'I must continue to optimize the energy efficiency of the matrix.'
He climbed heavily into his four-poster bed and let out a massive, exhausted yawn.
Then, a blinding ray of bright sunlight struck him in the face.
'It was morning.'
'How long had I been wandering through the Void?'
Maurise rubbed his eyes tiredly and forced himself into a sitting position.
'Given the current reality, I suppose I should head down to the Great Hall and consume breakfast.'
The Great Hall was already densely populated with energetic students.
Maurise navigated to his usual, secluded spot at the Ravenclaw table. The golden platters were already piled high with various breakfast foods.
He casually slid a small, decorated slice of rich cream cake onto his plate.
He had previously issued a standing order to the Hogwarts house-elves to ensure this culinary item was available.
After all, a standard, nutritional British breakfast typically did not include high-calorie pastries.
Maurise picked up a silver fork, fully intending to replenish his depleted blood sugar levels.
Out of his peripheral vision, he noticed Cho Chang sitting diagonally across from him. She appeared anxious, distracted, and was absentmindedly pushing her scrambled eggs around her plate. He casually asked, "Is there an issue?"
Cho didn't react in the slightest, seemingly deaf to his inquiry.
Her friend, Marietta Edgecombe, sitting beside her, leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "The first Quidditch match of the term is scheduled for tomorrow."
"Ah. I see."
Maurise offered a perfunctory nod.
'That perfectly explains why a significant portion of the student body was loudly arguing regarding Quidditch statistics when I entered the Hall.'
Calculating the standard athletic schedule, it was indeed time for the inter-house matches to resume.
Marietta pointed a dramatic finger at Cho. "Are you still unaware of the significant roster change? Cho has been officially appointed as our new Seeker!"
"Oh," Maurise offered a warm, polite smile. "Congratulations on your athletic achievement."
Cho finally snapped back to reality, though she still looked nervous. "Thank you."
"If you ask for my expert analytical opinion, Ravenclaw possesses zero reason to fear the Slytherin team," Marietta stated confidently, leaning toward Maurise. "Their current Seeker is incompetent. Rather than worrying about them, we should be analyzing Gryffindor's new tactical capabilities. Credible rumors suggest that Harry Potter has recently acquired a brand-new, top-of-the-line racing broom. A Firebolt."
"A Firebolt?" Maurise raised an eyebrow.
He typically paid zero attention to commercialized sporting equipment, harboring virtually no interest in the subject.
"Indeed," Marietta let out an envious sigh. "It is officially classified as the fastest, most advanced broomstick currently available on the global market. Retail price is exactly five hundred solid gold Galleons. However, the exorbitant price is logically justified. The broom incorporates classified, complex Goblin metalwork and enchantments. Human wizards simply cannot replicate Goblin craftsmanship."
"That is undeniably a steep price point," Maurise rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He had to admit, Harry Potter was undeniably wealthy if he could afford such an expensive piece of sporting equipment.
If Maurise possessed that sum, he would undoubtedly reallocate the capital toward procuring restricted, rare potion ingredients.
However, returning to the subject of broomsticks... Would engineering and mass-producing advanced racing brooms be a viable, lucrative commercial venture?
Having successfully engineered and constructed the complex Ship in a Bottle from scratch, he now possessed extensive practical experience in vehicular enchantment and structural design. Combined with his mastery of advanced runic matrices, he was confident he could match, if not surpass, classified Goblin craftsmanship.
The more he mathematically calculated the potential profit margins, the more viable the business strategy appeared.
He suddenly asked, "Where can one purchase a Firebolt?"
Marietta paused, looking confused. "You intend to purchase one? I was under the distinct impression you actively disliked Quidditch."
"I do not actively dislike it; I merely find it tedious to watch. However, I am interested in acquiring a Firebolt for academic purposes," Maurise answered smoothly.
He intended to purchase a physical unit to conduct a rigorous, destructive reverse-engineering process.
After all, when launching a competitive commercial product, the most efficient development strategy was often reverse-engineering and heavily optimizing the current market leader.
Marietta looked him up and down, a subtle, skeptical look flashing in her eyes.
"I doubt you can afford the retail price," she stated with brutal honesty. "Five hundred Galleons is an astronomical sum for a student."
"However, if you wish to attempt a purchase, Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley is the exclusive licensed retailer. The primary logistical issue, however, is product availability. The Goblin engineers frequently initiate massive labor strikes, resulting in erratic, constrained production yields."
Maurise nodded thoughtfully.
It was universally acknowledged that Goblins possessed volatile, disagreeable temperaments.
One merely needed to interact with the tellers at Gringotts for exactly five minutes to verify that fact.
"Ah, I must depart immediately."
Cho suddenly stood up, addressing Marietta. "Our first lecture is Potions. We cannot afford to be tardy."
"Best of luck with your athletic endeavor," Maurise offered politely.
---
Following breakfast, Maurise made a pragmatic, executive decision to completely skip his first lecture and return directly to his dormitory.
He drafted an urgent missive to Frick, instructing the antique dealer to utilize his extensive black-market network to secure a Firebolt, regardless of the markup price.
Once Cinder had departed with the letter, Maurise collapsed heavily onto his bed, intending to catch up on his disrupted sleep schedule.
However, mere seconds before his eyes closed, he reflexively summoned his Book of the Magi to conduct a routine status check.
To his shock, he discovered that the ancient grimoire, which had remained dormant for months, had generated a new entry.
It was an advanced spell: Mana Link.
Maurise scanned the technical spell description. All traces of physical exhaustion vanished, replaced by intense academic excitement.
To summarize the complex theoretical mechanics simply: this spell granted him the capability to remotely siphon and utilize the innate magical reserves housed within any of his bound necromantic constructs.
It was a straightforward, broken tactical advantage.
Maurise vaulted out of bed and walked over to the corner of the room, firmly grabbing the scruff of his undead cat, Tin, who had been peacefully resting.
Tin let out a confused, bewildered meow, unsure what was happening.
Maurise gently patted the cat's cold head. "This might sting slightly. Please endure it."
"?"
Maurise did not release his grip. He kept his hand firmly planted on top of Tin's skull.
Naturally, the loyal cat offered zero physical resistance against its master.
"This will be concluded momentarily."
Maurise closed his eyes and meticulously followed the complex mental exercises and precise magical channeling techniques described in the grimoire, actively attempting to establish the Mana Link.
It was a bizarre, unique sensory experience.
It felt as if his own mental consciousness had physically manifested into a cluster of sensitive, invisible tendrils, extending outward from his palm and slowly sinking into Tin's core magical matrix.
Tin merely experienced a fleeting sensation of mild dizziness.
Three minutes later, Maurise successfully withdrew his hand.
At this moment, he could distinctly perceive a microscopic, invisible thread of pure mental energy permanently tethering his consciousness to Tin.
This thread served as the secure, bidirectional conduit for magical energy transfer.
As long as the construct remained within a viable radius, he possessed the capability to instantaneously siphon and utilize its internal magical reserve.
Tin merely tilted its skull, staring up at its master with a bewildered expression.
It had failed to detect any structural or magical anomalies.
Maurise stood up, his eyes practically glowing with intense academic excitement. "Let us conduct a rigorous, practical stress test, Tin."
His previous desire for sleep had been obliterated.
He was currently energized.