Wednesday, February 20, 1924
"A little pep in your step, please," Julia called over her shoulder to her small group of assistants that trudged along behind her. There was no real rush this evening, but all the same, the woman was in no mood for sluggish feet or attitudes that weren't ideal for what she had in store. Leading her assistants through the gates of the Restricted Section, she summoned them through, watching one by one as they entered, before closing it behind them again.
"Touch nothing," she warned the younger students, her gaze pointed especially on a curious Mister Hale, before she brushed past all of them again, leading them deeper through the aisle, towards the back of the section that few ever navigated. "I'd hate for one of you to have your fingers eaten before we've even gotten to the interesting part of this evening's activity."
Bookshelves gave way to an empty space, seemingly bare and uninteresting, a cold stone wall facing the group that came to a stop before it. Julia turned to face her students, her expression growing serious and void of amusement. What came next was a privilege - one she rarely offered to even the most magically-inclined professors. "What you will witness now remains confidential within this group. You will not speak of the place I show you, nor will you venture to see it again after this night. When we ascend into the Athenaeum, you will remain close by." She paused a moment, ensuring each of her students understood, her gaze lingering on Morgan for a moment, before she continued.
"The Athenaeum was created by The Keepers during the Tudor era for the purposes of intense magical study. Within it, lies several chambers, all housing dangerous magical artifacts that are considered too volatile or powerful to reside within the outside world. Touching any of them without knowledge of how to handle them can result in disaster, including the deaths of your fellow assistants." She perked an eyebrow at them. "I expect none of you desire to be the youngest of Azkaban prisoners?" A small smile curled at the corner of her lips.
She turned back to the wall, a quick flourish of her wand, followed by a soft push of her hand against the open space. An arch appeared in the brick, containing a blue shimmery mist. "Keep close now," she said softly, and led her students through the portal and down the stone stairs just beyond it.
"This shard," Julia said, holding up a piece of brilliant blue glass, "is known as the Víðbláinn Lens." Her students had gathered within one of the far chambers, surrounding the stone platform the lens had been displayed upon. Calling it a lens was perhaps generous. It had none of the careful craftsmanship of a looking glass, nor even the smooth circular shape one might expect from something intended to be looked through. It was a jagged piece of translucent blue crystal, no larger than Julia's palm, its edges rough and uneven as though it had once belonged to something considerably larger. When she turned it between her fingers, the light of the chamber caught deep within it, revealing thin silver runes buried beneath the surface.
"The exact age of the artifact is unknown, though the earliest reliable records place it somewhere in Scandinavia several centuries before the founding of Hogwarts." Julia tilted the shard slightly, studying it herself before lowering it again. "Its name comes from Víðbláinn, a place described in old Nordic writings as existing beyond the world as we understand it."
It was, perhaps the simplest explanation for the exceptional piece of history the lens was, but tonight, simple would do, when Julia was offering her students an academic reward for their efforts so far this term. "Many scholars and historians believe its use was for Divination. Others believe it was a window into Víðbláinn itself." Her own studies had led Julia to believe neither.
"Five reactions have been reliably documented." She placed the lens back onto its pedestal and moved amongst the students, ensuring each of them were paying close attention. "A reflection, capable of mimicking the viewer's magic. Enchanted bindings that multiply when broken. A shadow that separates from the viewer and feeds upon light. A door with no discernable way to open it."
She paused. "And finally, a magically-infused storm that strengthens when attacked."
Julia had spent the better part of the evening preparing the chamber for precisely those possibilities. Protective wards covered the walls, floor and ceiling, ensuring whatever the Lens produced would remain contained.
"Brute force will not serve you particularly well tonight."
Each phenomenon was different, but the principle behind the artifact appeared to remain the same. The Lens presented a magical obstacle and responded to the choices made by the person facing it. Ancient writings had assigned considerably more dramatic significance to that distinction. Some claimed Víðbláinn exposed weakness. Others believed the trials reflected temperament, fear, or some hidden quality of the soul. Julia considered most of those interpretations academically interesting and scientifically useless.
No surviving record had ever demonstrated why one wizard received the shadow while another encountered the door.
Perhaps tonight would provide more useful evidence. She lifted the lens again, holding it carefully by its roughened edges.
The rules were simple enough. Each assistant would look through it once. Whatever trial manifested would remain contained within the chamber by the wards Julia had placed earlier that evening. The magic could frighten, inconvenience and undoubtedly embarrass them, but it would not be permitted to cause serious harm.
How they dealt with it was another matter.
They were free to use any spell they genuinely knew. Charms, summoning, defensive magic, transfiguration or something considerably simpler were all equally acceptable. There was no prescribed incantation hiding behind any of the trials, nor was Julia especially interested in watching them demonstrate how many spells they had memorized.
She wanted to see how they thought. How they reasoned. How they reacted in the face of something disturbing or perhaps challenging. "We're not looking for success, only adaptation. Those who manage well will see their shifts relieved for the next week." A little prize for them, and more data for Julia in her study of the artifact.
The woman had never claimed that there wasn't something in this for her.
*OOC:
Welcome to this term's Library Assistant One-Shot!
Julia has procured a special lens that reacts to each witch or wizard in one of five specific ways. It is up to you as the writer which reaction your character receives when looking through the lens. It doesn't matter if someone else already had the same reaction. You are free to choose whichever feels right - or the most fun - for you.
Choose a reaction and write your post with your character holding the lens up to their eye. You'll write out the reaction they receive and how the room changes/moves. Others will be able to see what your character receives and how they navigate it.
You are free to use any spells within your character's Willow arsenal, and you may choose success or failure. Please be realistic in regards to your character's abilities. We're not necessarily looking for exact success here, as Julia mentioned, only how your character adapts to being challenged. If you decide your character fails, keep in mind the wards and protection Julia had placed. No serious injuries, no psychological trauma.
If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on Discord (@.ambers.). This one-shot must be completed no later than November 19, 2026 in order to receive a pass for Library Assistant - no exceptions.
If you have not yet signed up for LA but want to participate, feel free to jump in at any time and track your progress on a tracker listed in this forum. Happy Writing!
Choose one of the following manifestations for your character:
THE REFLECTION — A magical duplicate appears and mirrors your character's movements and spells. Your goal is to prevent it from continuing to copy you.
THE BOUND HANDS — Magical threads bind your character and nearby objects. Destroying them causes more to appear. Your goal is to undo or release the original binding.
THE HUNGRY SHADOW — Your character's shadow separates from them. Light-based magic makes it grow. Your goal is to reconnect it to your character.
THE FAR-BLUE DOOR — A door appears with three magical runes: one moves when struck by magic, one duplicates when touched by magic, and one disappears when looked at directly. Your goal is to open the door.
THE UNQUIET STORM — A small magical storm forms around your character. Attacking it directly makes it stronger. Your goal is to stabilize your surroundings until the storm collapses.
Your character must use at least one spell or magical ability while attempting their trial. There is no required spell or single correct solution, and your character does not have to succeed for credit. Use only magic your character would reasonably know.
you'll adore me
Before The Night Is Over
