Although the Golden Finger only appeared after I was thrown into prison, it's still better than having nothing at all.
That said, I still don't know what this "Merlin's Beard" is actually good for.
Eat it?
That's disgusting.
Shove it into my chin and pretend it's mine?
Pooh, pooh, pooh! What's wrong with me? I've just gotten my Golden Finger, and I'm already losing it?
As I spiraled into these ridiculous thoughts, I suddenly felt a surge of magic flowing from the beard into my palm.
It spread through my body—my magic power had at least doubled.
Now that's good news.
So, I can pluck Merlin's beard to strengthen my magic?
That's… actually pretty great.
Stuffing the dry, hard, and smelly black bread into my stomach, I huddled in the corner and began muttering to myself:
"Merlin's beard!"
"Merlin's beard?"
Nothing. No response.
Maybe I should try something else of Merlin's?
"Merlin's spellbook?"
"Merlin's wand?"
"Merlin's dentures?"
"Merlin's hair?"
"Merlin's stockings?"
"Merlin's…"
But the Golden Finger stayed silent.
From the opposite cell, Sirius Black just shook his head.
This poor kid—only half a day in, and he's already gone mad.
I wasn't being stubborn. I kept guessing "Merlin's XXX" simply because there was nothing else to do. Until I was so drowsy I could barely keep my eyes open—
"Merlin's shower cap?"
"Merlin's… mouse…"
"Mer…lin's… triangle… under…pants…"
Suddenly, that familiar alien sensation filled my palm.
Startled awake, I looked down.
No briefs.
But a piece of parchment had appeared—old, fragile, and ancient-looking.
Fresh writing glowed on the surface.
I squinted, trying to read by the moonlight shining through the tiny ventilation hole."Merlin doesn't have briefs."...
I was speechless.
After reading so many fanfics, I really thought Merlin's wardrobe had everything.
Judging by the moon's position, it was past midnight—this taught me something important: I can only summon one of Merlin's items per day. And it has to be something Merlin actually owned. Otherwise, I waste the chance.
The parchment had no magic—totally useless.
Still, as long as the Golden Finger wasn't a one-time thing, I could work with this. I took a deep breath, dragged my thoughts back to the grim prison life ahead, and forced myself not to feel joy. I needed to stay calm. Don't get too happy. This mindset would help me survive.
And so, I drifted into an uneasy sleep, disturbed by constant efforts to avoid joy. Even in dreams, I was suppressing emotions.
The fear of Dementors kept waking me up.
At last, I made it to dawn.
When I opened my eyes, my whole body was sore and stiff. Even with a Golden Finger, Azkaban's cold floor showed no mercy.
"Caliens corporis!"
I tried to cast a warming charm—but still failed.
"Child, are you okay?"
Sirius Black's voice carried over, surprisingly gentle.
"I'm fine," I answered weakly. "Didn't freeze to death yet."
Sirius went quiet.
He wasn't making conversation—he had simply wanted to check if I was still alive.
Honestly, he didn't think I would last long.
Most adult wizards break down quickly in Azkaban—some go mad, others just give up.
I spent the entire day repeating the warming charm.
I had to master it soon. If I caught a cold here, death wasn't far behind.
That night, as the cold seeped deep into my bones, I watched the moon and counted down to midnight.
Then, I began chanting again.
"Merlin's beard. Merlin's beard. Merlin's beard."
I was stable and methodical—I already knew the beard worked. It had strengthened my magic. Everything else was untested and risky.
I couldn't afford to gamble.
Each wasted summoning meant slower progress toward wandless casting. If I guessed wrong, I might not survive the night.
So, I kept calling.
By the time I reached the 178th repetition—
Pop!
Merlin's beard appeared in my palm again.
Another power boost.
— — —
This was my fifth day in Azkaban.
Every day felt colder than the last.
My hands and feet were numb, and my body fat reserves were depleted.
"Caliens corporis!!"
Sirius Black quietly watched me from across the cell.
He couldn't help but admire my perseverance.
If this child had studied this hard at Hogwarts, he'd surely have gone far, he thought.
But the other prisoners were growing annoyed.
Even Sirius's presence couldn't fully shield me.
"Stupid brat, shut up!"
"You're not gonna learn it! Stop wasting energy!"
"Sleep while it's warm—you'll freeze to death tonight!"
Turns out, survival here required small wisdoms.
Sleep during the warmer daytime.
Stay awake at night.
Many had died sleeping through the cold.
But I ignored their shouting.
I kept practicing.
"Caliens corporis!"
Over and over again.
It had to work.
I didn't want to be a transmigrator who died from cold in Azkaban.
"Caliens corporis!"
Suddenly, a faint red light glowed at my fingertips.
A thin magical film spread across my body.
Warmth rose from my feet, rushing upward.
I did it!
The spell had succeeded.
Sirius Black stood up in shock.
He thought he was dreaming.
How did this child master wandless warming magic in just a few days?
A magical genius?
I moved my fingers and toes. My stiff muscles began to loosen, warmth returning to every part of me.
But I couldn't smile.
I couldn't cheer.
Dementors would notice.
I suppressed the happiness bursting in my chest.
"Mr. Black," I whispered, "can you teach me more spells?"
Sirius hesitated—but just briefly.
He liked this kid.
And teaching me would give him something to do in this hopeless place.
— — —
Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months.
I kept learning from Sirius, and my power kept growing with each piece of Merlin's beard I summoned.
In the blink of an eye, four years passed.
I turned eleven.
That night, after everyone had fallen asleep, I repeated the usual phrase—
"Merlin's beard."
But this time, nothing appeared.
Instead, a piece of parchment materialized in my palm.
It read:"Merlin doesn't have a beard."I was stunned.
I turned to the corner of the cell, where I had carefully stored every strand over the years.
Sure enough, there was a massive pile.
I had done it.
After four long, cold, relentless years in Azkaban—
I had successfully plucked all of Merlin's beard.
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