Dumbledore saw the thoughtful expression on Kai Adler's face and gave a look of quiet approval.
"As a wizard skilled in non-verbal and wandless casting," he said, "you should already know the principles behind spellcasting."
Kai nodded. "The principle for most ordinary wizards is to channel their own magic through a wand, and then use spoken incantations along with wand movements to shape the magic into a spell effect."
Dumbledore nodded.
"Exactly. But the ancient wizards didn't need any of those steps. Each of them was a master of non-verbal and wandless casting. For them, magic didn't require an incantation—just a name was enough."
Non-verbal and wandless casting, as the name implied, meant the wizard did not need a wand as a conduit, nor spoken words to shape the magic. Their soul power—raw and precise—was their wand and incantation both. It was their will that shaped magic directly.
Kai nodded thoughtfully. "No wonder they used to say that even someone with magical potential might never learn a single spell."
It made sense. Even now, most adult wizards could perhaps manage non-verbal casting. But those capable of both non-verbal and wandless magic were exceedingly rare.
"That's why the ancient masters chose to simplify spellcasting—for the growth and survival of magical society," said Dumbledore. "They introduced wands and incantations to lower the bar for magical education."
"Although it weakened the raw power of the spells," he continued, "it also made magic accessible. Even children could begin to learn it."
Kai looked down at the talisman in his hand. "It's a pity most ancient magic has been lost."
Ancient Black Magic had been simpler—more direct. One could imprint a spell on parchment, infuse it with raw power, and the talisman would cast itself.
But to make a talisman function with modern magic? That required a long chain of gestures, vocalizations, and wandwork.
"So… to make a talisman cast modern magic," Kai muttered, "I'd need to add a hand to hold the wand and a throat to speak the spell?"
Dumbledore smiled and shook his head gently.
"You've already added the wand, haven't you?"
Kai's eyes lit up.
The parchment—the spellmark—it was the wand. It channeled the magic.
Which meant…
"All that's left is to make the talisman speak the spell," Kai whispered.
He thought hard.
Spoken incantations were how most wizards conveyed their intent to the magic. Because they lacked the fine control to wield it directly with their soul, they relied on preset "commands"—the spell words.
It was like using a program. The wizard who created the spell was the programmer. Others just used the interface.
So how could a talisman understand the command?
Kai pursed his lips, pulled out another talisman, infused it with Black Magic, and threw it toward the Old Man. At the same time, he opened his mouth and said clearly:
"Expelliarmus."
The talisman lit up and fired. The blue beam vanished harmlessly at Dumbledore's fingertip.
Approval flashed in the old man's eyes.
As expected, speaking the spell aloud activated the talisman.
But Kai frowned.
That still wasn't good enough. It was no different from casting it himself.
Yes, talismans could serve as a backup—say, if a wizard was disarmed. But it still required speaking the incantation.
And speaking… took time.
In a duel, even half a second was the difference between victory and death.
What he wanted was a true talisman. One that activated the moment it was thrown. A tool so simple and fast that even a Muggle could use it.
He wasn't just doing this for Hermione's defense. He was also thinking of the Grangers. Her parents had no magic—but if he could give them real protection…
"That's what you're really aiming for," Dumbledore murmured, as if reading his thoughts. "In that case… have you considered using Vera Verto?"
Kai's head shot up.
"The Transfiguration Charm?"
The Old Man's eyes sparkled. "Professor McGonagall must have taught you the true definition of Vera Verto."
"Of course," Kai replied. "Don't forget—my Transfiguration is among the best in school."
He wasn't wrong to feel proud. Whether it was conjuring a lifelike serpent to entangle the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, or raising walls of stone to shield against Black Magic at Ivor Manor, Kai had demonstrated Transfiguration mastery far beyond his peers.
Dumbledore chuckled softly.
"Yes, your Transfiguration scale is impressive. But you've only scratched the surface."
He leaned closer, eyes gleaming behind his half-moon spectacles.
"You've turned matches into needles and stone into serpents. That's still basic—just macroscopic object transformation. Your strength comes from your talent and raw magical power."
"You're still at the start of the path."
Kai was silent.
He understood now—he had become a little arrogant. Defeating a family of rogue wizards had made him complacent. But overwhelming weaklings wasn't true power.
He looked up humbly.
"Then what is the next stage of Vera Verto?"
Dumbledore looked deeply pleased. He stroked his beard and asked:
"What do you think the Room of Requirement uses?"
Kai frowned, thinking hard.
The Room of Requirement could manifest the thoughts of a wizard into real, tangible objects.
"It must involve powerful Legilimency," he murmured, "to read the wizard's intent. And… perhaps Transfiguration?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"But there was nothing there to transform…" Kai added.
"No," he said suddenly, eyes widening. "There was something!"
He closed his eyes.
With his heightened magical sensitivity, he scanned the environment. Dust. Air. Microscopic particles. The ambient flow of Black Magic itself—like the tide of a deep sea.
It was everywhere.
Time passed silently. Dumbledore waited, saying nothing.
Suddenly, Kai opened his eyes, reached into the air—and a quill pen formed in his hand.
"The dust… the air… everything around us. They're all objects."
His eyes shone.
"The next stage of Transfiguration is micro and macro manipulation. It's transforming raw matter into meaning. It's… creating something from nothing!"
Dumbledore laughed and clapped his hands.
"I knew you'd understand it."
Kai stared at the talisman in his hand.
"If dust and air can be transformed," he whispered, "what about sound? Or even Black Magic itself?"
Sound was just air vibrating at certain frequencies. If he could capture the spell as sound, solidify it with magic, and bind it to the talisman—
He snapped into motion.
Eyes closed, he began speaking the incantation softly, again and again.
"Expelliarmus. Expelliarmus…"
He placed a hand in front of his lips, feeling the faintest shiver of vibration in the air.
Then suddenly, he struck the talisman with his palm. His finger traced a smooth arc over the surface.
Fine ripple-like runes began appearing at the edge of the parchment, surrounding the central incantation like a halo.
They shimmered softly, mystically.
Kai infused it with magic—and threw it.
The talisman surged with power. Both the writing and the ripple-runes flared blue. For a fleeting instant, the sound of the spell echoed faintly in the air.
"Expelliarmus."
A flash. A burst of light. The activation speed had doubled.
Dumbledore dismissed the spell with a wave, but his eyes gleamed with pride.
Kai snapped his fingers and smiled.
"It's done."