He's taller now, facial features a little sharper, but Jade still wears the same blank expression as he always does. Three years of research, and he's still no closer to achieving his goal. Hogwarts exposes him to new ideas, to old and buried secrets, but not enough.

Three years of fruitless research. He has nothing to show for it except the growing bags under his eyes and a few new scars, caused by his own magic as it lashed back at him.

But it's not a complete loss. He's come to think that part of his answers lay outside of Hogwarts - in particular, in the realm of forgotten rituals and wandless magic. The first he has to research on his own. The second he can learn - and he has a resource at his disposal to do so.

Which is why he's at the door of one of his least favourite professors, staring up at him unblinkingly as the door swings open to let him in. He takes a step forwards, posture straight, head held high.

Professor Rammsteiner gets straight to the point (unlike that detention in his first year), and Jade returns the favour. "I want to learn wandless magic."