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Chapter Text

Chapter 1 : The Hogwarts Acceptance Letter

“Aunt Penelope, I really like the tutor for my finance lessons, and I’ve grasped some of the knowledge. Could you find me a tutor for philosophy as well?”

“Lucian dear, I’m so glad to see you so enthusiastic about learning, especially since you’ll be taking over the Grafton enterprises one day.”

“But you’re still a child. You need proper rest, recreation, and to ensure you grow up healthy.”

“Auntie, The corporate world is a rat race. If you’re not ahead of the curve, you’re falling behind! ”

In the elegantly decorated villa, a beautiful, dignified woman leaned back on the sofa, looking rather helplessly at the handsome young boy before her.

His dark golden hair was neatly combed, and his deep black eyes held a maturity beyond his years.

Lucian Grafton.

Sole heir to the Grafton fortune, a titan of British industry.

His parents had passed away in an accident during a trip, and he had been raised by his aunt, Penelope.

Penelope herself had never married or had children. Lucian was the only bloodline left by her younger brother, and she had always treated him as her own.

Lucian had been clever and bright since childhood, obedient and eager to learn, completely unlike the mischievousness typical of children his age.

Yet sometimes, Penelope felt Lucian was too eager to learn. Not only could he quickly master all the knowledge taught by his tutors, but he would also proactively ask them to assign him large amounts of homework.

Rubbing her temple, Penelope chuckled softly:

“Lucian dear, are you absolutely sure about this? You want to go to that… Hogwarts?”

…………

A decade had passed since Lucian transmigrated into this world. He found himself reborn into an extremely wealthy family.

He was supposed to inherit the fortune, dominate the business world, conquer the financial industry, and become the quintessential British gentleman.

But then, this morning, a snow-white, rather plump bird had flown in through the window, dropped an envelope, and left with flair.

The crest on the envelope featured a large ‘H’ surrounded by a lion, a snake, a badger, and an eagle.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDY

HEADMASTER: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Grafton,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Considering your circumstances, a professor from our school will visit you to address any questions you may have. They will arrive no later than 8 PM this evening.

Hogwarts?

Magic?

It had taken Lucian some effort to accept the fact that he had transmigrated into the world of Harry Potter, scrambling to recall his memories of it.

This world had all sorts of wonderful magic, a self-contained wizarding society, and a rich variety of magical creatures…

For young witches and wizards like Lucian, born to purely Muggle families, a professor would always visit to explain the basics of the wizarding world and magic.

“I wonder which professor will come. Old Dumbles? Or the mature cat-lady, Professor McGonagall? It can’t be that Snape fellow who dislikes washing his hair, right?”

…………

Facing Penelope’s inquiry, Lucian nodded.

“Yes, Auntie. At Hogwarts, I can learn magic – it’s knowledge I know absolutely nothing about…”

Seeing Lucian about to launch into another display of thirst for new knowledge, Penelope waved her hands dismissively.

“Alright, alright, alright. You can go if you want. After all, it’s an extraordinary, mystical power. Who could refuse that?”

As the current head of the Grafton family, Penelope was vaguely aware of the wizarding world’s existence. She just never expected her own nephew would actually awaken magical power.

After chatting with his aunt for a few more moments, Lucian returned to his room.

“System, I’m about to go learn magic. Can you waive this month’s loan repayment?”

[Congratulations, Host, on stepping into a brand new world. Applying for a ‘Magic Loan’ on your behalf…]

Hearing the system’s emotionless voice, Lucian shook his head helplessly.

As standard equipment for a transmigrator, this system had awakened when he was six years old. Its full name was the [Loan Reward System].

Lucian could directly withdraw rewards in advance, and later complete the loan tasks issued by the system.

For instance, the most recent loan Lucian had taken was for “Mastery of Financial Knowledge.”

The moment he signed the loan contract, Lucian directly received a vast amount of financial knowledge.

He then needed to read 50 finance-related books and complete 500 related exercises to repay the loan.

Of course, thanks to the pre-withdrawn reward, Lucian found completing these tasks much easier.

[To celebrate the Host’s imminent embrace of the wonders of magic, have applied for ‘Loki’s Facelessness’ (Year Loan) for the Host.]

Seeing the words “Year Loan,” Lucian’s eyelid twitched.

The system’s loans were divided into Day Loans, Week Loans, Month Loans, and the highest level, Year Loans.

The repayment periods for these four types were one day, one week, one month, and one year, respectively.

The rewards increased with each level, but the difficulty of the loan tasks also skyrocketed accordingly.

[Loan Item: Loki’s Facelessness (Year Loan)]

[Repayment Time Limit: 365 days]

[Loan Content: Obtain the magical aptitude of Loki, the God of Trickery and Change]

[Charms: S]

[Dark Arts: SS+]

[Defence Against the Dark Arts: S+]

[Transfiguration: SSS]

[Potions: A]

[Ancient Runes: A+]

[Magical Power: SS]

[Loan Tasks: Achieve proficiency in Charms, achieve mastery in Transfiguration, achieve mastery in the Dark Arts, cultivate an extraordinary progeny…]

Reading the detailed description of the “Loki’s Facelessness” loan, Lucian’s expression grew increasingly strange.

He knew of Loki, the Norse God of Trickery, especially skilled in change and magic.

But such a magnificent reward also meant hellish difficulty for the loan tasks. Just the sheer number of them made Lucian’s head spin.

No matter how useful Loki’s aptitude was, could he possibly master all that magical knowledge within a year?

And what on earth was this about ‘cultivating an extraordinary progeny’? Was it because in the myths, Loki gave birth to bizarre offspring like a giant wolf, a great serpent, and an eight-legged horse?

Can a human even give birth to such things?

Lucian shook his head.

“System, this is my first time taking out a magic loan. Aren’t there any introductory offers?”

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Chapter Text

[As this is the Host’s first ‘Magic Loan’, minimal interest will be applied.]

[Modifying tasks…]

[Loan Task: Achieve Mastery in Transfiguration]

Seeing the new task, Lucian breathed a sigh of relief. This, at least, seemed achievable.

“System, what’s the standard for ‘Mastery’?”

[Learn and master existing Transfiguration knowledge, achieve proficient application, and pioneer new directions in Transfiguration.]

Hearing the system’s explanation, Lucian fell into thought.

Master all relevant knowledge and achieve proficient application…

But the key part is pioneering new directions…

So it requires me to innovate and create something new.

Transfiguration itself is a crucial part of magic. Truly mastering it would undoubtedly require a massive investment of time and energy.

One year?

A glint flashed in Lucian’s eyes. He believed this loan task wasn’t impossible to complete.

Because the strongest aspect of Loki’s magical aptitude was: Transfiguration (SSS)!

The system’s ranking for magical aptitude was: E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS.

Among these, S-rank signified a genius surpassing the mundane. Possessing aptitude of this level was enough to break new ground in the corresponding field and leave a significant mark on history.

And SSS-rank?

He could scarcely imagine it.

By withdrawing the reward in advance and obtaining such aptitude, Lucian would become peerless in learning Transfiguration.

[Does the Host accept the ‘Loki’s Facelessness’ loan?]

“Accept.”

Lucian didn’t hesitate. If he failed the loan task, the penalty was merely the revocation of the reward anyway.

He was going to learn various magics regardless. If he could possess Loki’s magical aptitude, it would naturally be a tremendous help.

A mask, half-real and half-illusory, abruptly appeared before Lucian.

It was primarily black-green. The hollows for the eyes and mouth constantly shifted position.

The mask’s shape also continuously changed, one moment fitting a human face, the next transforming into a bestial visage…

[Evaluation: A constant form is the limitation of mortals; for Loki, change is the only truth.]

Just as Lucian looked up, “Loki’s Facelessness” already covered his handsome face.

The mask softened into a pool of black-green liquid, covering Lucian’s nose and mouth, then spreading to his hairline, eventually completely enveloping his head.

Yet Lucian felt no sense of suffocation. Waves of intangible fluctuations emanated from within him, reverberating throughout the entire bedroom.

Several minutes of silence passed.

“Bzzz—”

“Squelch, squelch—”

The bed, desks, chairs, and teacups in the room began to tremble. Some wooden items started turning metallic or stony. The surfaces of the original objects sprouted biological features like feathers and scales…

…………

Downstairs, in the drawing-room.

Madam Penelope was enjoying a refined afternoon tea, occasionally turning the pages of the book in her hand.

“Really, influenced by little Lucian. I feel unsettled now if I don’t read a bit every day.”

Just then, a tabby cat walked up to Penelope with elegant steps.

Thinking a stray cat had slipped into the house, Penelope was about to call a servant to shoo it away.

But then she saw the tabby cat ripple and shift.

It transformed into a woman wearing dark green robes and square spectacles.

“Good afternoon. I am Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts.”

“Might I ask where I can find Mr. Lucian Grafton?”

Penelope’s red lips parted slightly, her right hand holding a pastry frozen mid-air.

Had she just seen a cat turn into a woman?

But upon hearing the word ‘Hogwarts’, Penelope immediately composed herself, quickly smoothing her expression and posture.

“Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall. I am Penelope Grafton, Lucian’s aunt. The boy is upstairs…”

Before Penelope could finish, Professor McGonagall’s eyes narrowed sharply. She sensed a distinct anomaly from upstairs.

“My apologies.”

McGonagall interrupted Penelope and, without further explanation, hurried up the stairs.

Seeing the other woman’s urgent action, Penelope thought of Lucian upstairs and rose to follow.

No guidance was needed. Professor McGonagall went straight to the source of the magical disturbance – Lucian’s room.

The original wooden door was now largely covered in patches of iron-black metal. The remaining parts showed textures of grey-white rock and yellow sand.

She tried the doorknob but found the door immovable.

“A Transfiguration Charm?”

McGonagall murmured to herself, simultaneously drawing her wand and pointing it at the door.

“Reparify!”

The metallic and rocky hues rapidly faded, revealing the original wooden door.

Opening the door, the scene inside met the eyes of Professor McGonagall and Penelope. The latter’s face showed unconcealed shock.

The once tidy and elegant room was drastically altered. The soft quilt had become a pile of grass and flowers. Some table and chair legs had grown fur and were happily scampering around the room. Books flapped open and shut, gliding through the air…

Furthermore, creatures resembling wolves and snakes lurked in the corners of the room. Their forms were highly unstable, shifting between different species, completely obscuring their original appearances.

Sensing the movement from the opened door, all the living things turned their eyes towards the two women at the doorway.

Seeing this, Professor McGonagall waved her wand. The Reversion Charm struck each target with precision.

Whether inanimate objects, living creatures, or even those strange half-living, half-dead things, all returned to their original forms after being hit by the charm.

Various pieces of furniture lay scattered about, as if the previous abnormality had been just an illusion.

Lucian floated in the center of the room, eyes closed, the black-green mask on his face already gone.

Seeing the boy unharmed, Professor McGonagall let out a sigh of relief.

Logically, a young witch or wizard who had received a Hogwarts letter should have already experienced their magical outburst.

That was a young wizard’s first awakening of magic, their first contact with the existence of magic. It also reflected, to some extent, the magic they were inclined towards and their corresponding aptitude.

But Lucian here…

Professor McGonagall couldn’t understand why Lucian would still have such a violent magical outburst. But one thing was certain.

It was this young man’s aptitude in Transfiguration!

Having taught at Hogwarts for decades and being a master in the field of Transfiguration, Minerva McGonagall sharply perceived Lucian’s extraordinariness.

Unconsciously, Lucian had managed to achieve transformation of objects, transformation of objects into living creatures, cross-species transfiguration…

Many young wizards, after four or five years of systematic Transfiguration study at Hogwarts, couldn’t master these!

Professor McGonagall’s gaze towards Lucian brightened, as if she had found an unpolished gem that already revealed its brilliance.

“Such aptitude…”

Under the watchful eyes of Professor McGonagall and Madam Penelope, Lucian slowly descended to the floor.

His dark golden hair was slightly disheveled. Lucian opened his eyes. His originally deep black eyes now held a hint of green, giving them an overall dark green hue.

Lucian looked towards the doorway.

He saw the older cat lady looking at him with a gaze full of kindness and expectation.

“Hello, Lucian.”

Facelessness Reference Modeling

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Chapter Text

Professor McGonagall picked up her teacup and took a sip of the black tea.

“Do either of you have any further questions about magic or wizards?”

Lucian and his aunt exchanged a glance and shook their heads in turn.

Both had accepted the existence of magic quite readily.

Lucian, as a transmigrator, needed no explanation; he had known from the moment he received the Hogwarts letter.

As for Penelope, having witnessed Professor McGonagall’s transformation from cat to human, the anomalies in Lucian’s room, and McGonagall’s methods of restoring everything, she was convinced of magic’s existence.

While his aunt chatted with Professor McGonagall, Lucian checked his current status panel:

[Charms: S]

[Dark Arts: SS+]

[Defence Against the Dark Arts: S+]

[Transfiguration: SSS]

[Potions: A]

[Ancient Runes: A+]

[Magical Power: SS] (Locked)

Lucian’s gaze moved to the bottom line, looking at the “(Locked)” next to Magical Power. He began communicating with his system mentally:

“Why is only the Magical Power aptitude still locked?”

[The Host’s current physical constitution is insufficient to support the growth of this level of magical power. Please first find a compatible item to serve as a conduit to channel and unlock the magical power.]

A compatible item? Unlock magical power?

If he had to find something in this magical world…

Lucian suddenly thought of one thing.

It was something every witch and wizard came into contact with. It must be the most compatible with its wielder, and it could also channel magic.

“System, a wand. A wand from this world. Does it meet the conditions?”

[The wand must be highly compatible with the Host. The strength of the wand’s materials must also be considered.]

Hearing the system’s reply, Lucian relaxed slightly.

There was a wand shop called Ollivander’s in Diagon Alley. Who knew how many wands were stored there? Surely, he could find one that suited him?

“Professor McGonagall, when will we go to purchase the necessary magical items?”

“Also, regarding the Transfiguration you mentioned earlier, I’m very interested. Would it be possible to learn some related knowledge in advance?”

Lucian asked sincerely.

He knew the older·McGonagall·cat lady before him was a master in the field of Transfiguration, responsible for teaching the subject at Hogwarts. She was the perfect person to ask about Transfiguration knowledge.

Lucian had to achieve mastery in Transfiguration within a year to repay the “Loki’s Facelessness” loan.

But right now, he didn’t even know the basic concepts of Transfiguration, so he needed to seize every moment.

Hearing Lucian’s question, a smile touched Professor McGonagall’s lips.

It was worth emphasizing the wonders and peculiarities of Transfiguration earlier; the child had indeed become interested.

And even asking to learn in advance? Truly a studious child.

Setting down her teacup, Professor McGonagall said unhurriedly:

“I’m glad you’re interested in Transfiguration. It so happens that I teach the Transfiguration course at Hogwarts.”

“We shall go to Diagon Alley now to purchase your items. You can find everything you need there.”

The three of them rose simultaneously.

Penelope gave an order, and a servant standing by the door hurried in, handing Lucian a suitcase.

During the earlier conversation, Professor McGonagall had reminded Lucian to prepare some Muggle money to exchange for Galleons, the currency used in the wizarding world.

McGonagall placed a hand on Lucian’s shoulder and reminded him softly:

“This might feel a bit unpleasant, but it will be over quickly.”

“Apparate!”

From Madam Penelope’s perspective, Lucian and McGonagall seemed to spin and vanish abruptly, like water down a drain.

After a brief blur of light and shadow, Lucian and Professor McGonagall appeared in a small alleyway.

Glancing sideways at Lucian and finding him looking completely normal, Professor McGonagall felt a slight surprise.

“People trying Apparition for the first time usually feel dizzy or even nauseous. You’ve adapted very quickly.”

Lucian rubbed his temples, his dark green eyes narrowing slightly.

This is probably a physical change brought by ‘Loki’s Facelessness’. I barely finished fusing with it before Professor McGonagall arrived, and haven’t had time to explore the new state yet.

Hmm… Why do I keep having this impulse to turn that passerby into a baboon?

It can’t just be a side effect of the Transfiguration aptitude, can it?

Did ‘Loki’s Facelessness’ influence my personality a bit too? I recall Loki is also called the God of Mischief…

Unaware of Lucian’s thoughts, McGonagall assumed he was coping with the aftereffects of Apparition and waited patiently for him to recover.

“My apologies, Professor, I was a bit distracted.”

Lucian reined in his wandering thoughts.

“That’s quite alright.”

Professor McGonagall shook her head and led Lucian towards what looked like a shabby, grimy pub.

The Leaky Cauldron.

Passing the noisy patrons, the two headed towards the back of the pub, arriving at a dead-end enclosed by three walls.

Only a trash bin stood solitary on the ground.

Professor McGonagall took out her wand, pointing at a slightly sunken brick.

“Remember: three up from the trash bin, two across… and then…”

As she spoke, Professor McGonagall tapped the brick twice with her wand.

A marvelous scene unfolded. Starting from that brick, the surrounding bricks began to recede), protrude, flip, and shift, eventually forming a stone archway.

Through this arch lay a bustling street filled with people.

Shops of all kinds lined the street, selling a bewildering variety of goods.

Lucian looked around at the bubbling cauldrons of potion, the owls occasionally ruffling their wings, the clothes in the shop windows automatically waving their sleeves and greeting passers-by…

Even with prior mental preparation, upon truly setting foot in the magical world, Lucian couldn’t help but feel thrilled and excited.

Seeing Lucian’s reaction, Professor McGonagall smiled.

“Let’s go exchange for Galleons first. You can browse these shops slowly afterwards.”

McGonagall led Lucian to Gringotts to exchange his Muggle money for Galleons.

Lucian suddenly thought of something and asked Professor McGonagall:

“Professor, that trash bin earlier… was it enchanted with an Unmoving Charm or something?”

If some troublemaker or a drunkard moved the bin, how would anyone find that specific brick afterwards? By trying them one by one?

The corners of Professor McGonagall’s mouth quirked upwards slightly.

“You observe keenly. That bin is not only immovable but also immune to other magics like Transfiguration.”

“There have indeed been mischievous young wizards, or drunkards, who tried to move or damage that bin, but all failed.”

As they spoke, they arrived before Gringotts.

Lucian surveyed the imposing decor of Gringotts, feeling its style was rather incongruous with the rest of Diagon Alley.

What can you say? It’s the only bank in the wizarding world, exuding an air of money from top to bottom.

A large number of Goblins moved about inside Gringotts.

They had pointed ears, short stature, and were clever, but greedy.

Thinking that these Goblins controlled the flow of funds in the magical world, Lucian couldn’t help but muse internally.

Wizards actually entrust their assets to Goblins? ‘Different race, different heart’ – aren’t they afraid of having their economic lifeline controlled?

Oh, right. Goblins aren’t allowed to own wands. They’re suppressed by human wizards in terms of power.

Might makes right, as always.

Soon, a Goblin came to attend to them.

“A new student needing to exchange Galleons, I presume?”

The Goblin explained the currency exchange rules in a squeaky voice:

The exchange rate was 5 Pounds to 1 Galleon.

1 Galleon equaled 17 Sickles, which equaled 493 Knuts.

Lucian, having lived in Britain for over a decade, could only resign himself to this bizarre currency system and accept it.

“The annual limit for exchanging Pounds to Galleons is 100 Galleons.”

“Of course, there is no limit if using gold bullion.”

Gold was a hard currency in both the Muggle and magical worlds.

After finishing the explanation, the Goblin looked at Lucian with anticipation, a flicker of greed in his eyes.

In his decades working at Gringotts, he had seen too many clients and could tell at a glance who was rich and who was poor.

This handsome human youth before him clearly came from a wealthy family – the scent of money was unmistakable!

Lucian couldn’t be bothered with small talk and directly handed the suitcase to the Goblin.

Right now, he just wanted to quickly purchase his wand and buy plenty of books on magical knowledge.

The satisfying weight of the suitcase delighted the Goblin. He expertly opened it.

Wow!

Golden Legendary!

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Chapter Text

The goblin employee respectfully saw Lucian and Professor McGonagall out.

His attitude towards Lucian was especially enthusiastic and obsequious.

It couldn’t be helped; the number of Galleons Lucian exchanged using gold directly helped this goblin meet his annual work quota in one go.

The goblin’s smile was as radiant as it could be, the folds of his skin piled up like a blossoming chrysanthemum.

Furthermore, this was only the first transaction. He was confident there would certainly be more big orders to come.

Lucian waved his hand, taking the bag the goblin reverently offered, which contained only 300 Galleons.

The remaining Galleons from the exchange were deposited into a vault at Gringotts.

Professor McGonagall led Lucian towards Ollivander’s wand shop. It was also her first time seeing a young wizard exchange for such a large amount of Galleons.

“You seemed quite knowledgeable about finance just now, communicating with the goblin about currency exchange?”

Lucian nodded.

“Somewhat, Professor. Knowledge knows no bounds; I believe the more one has, regardless of the field, the better.”

“A very reasonable perspective, Lucian. You possess a maturity not typical of your age.”

Professor McGonagall, known in the school for her strict teaching style, particularly liked students who took knowledge seriously and loved learning.

Soon, a shabby, dilapidated shop appeared before Lucian.

Looking up at the dust- and time-worn sign:

“Ollivander”

“Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.”

Truly an antique, over two thousand years old.

Entering the shop, Lucian felt dust particles drifting down onto his head.

From the outside, the shop looked old and worn, but stepping inside…

it looked even more decrepit.

Hmm, it seems the quality of Ollivander’s wands must be truly reliable.

Otherwise, they’d have gone out of business long ago.

It can’t be that Ollivander’s is the only wandmaker in all of wizarding Britain, can it?

Lucian comforted himself with this thought.

“Ah, Minerva, we meet again.”

“Fir, nine and a half inches, dragon heartstring.”

An elderly man with white hair and silvery-white eyes emerged from behind the counter.

He greeted Professor McGonagall with a smile, accurately recounting the characteristics of her wand.

As an old man, Ollivander’s memory regarding wands was astonishing; he could remember every wand he had ever sold.

Lucian looked at this old man with unkempt hair, noticing the man was also sizing him up.

Garrick Ollivander was long accustomed to such scenes. Every year, Hogwarts professors brought new young witches and wizards to his shop to select a suitable wand.

“A young wizard in need of a wand. What is your name?”

“Lucian Grafton.”

“Your wand arm?”

“My right hand.”

Ollivander pulled a tape measure from his pocket. It flew automatically to Lucian’s side and began measuring the length of his arms.

Once the tape measure flew back, Ollivard glanced at the markings and went straight to the rows and rows of shelves.

He gently pulled out a box, dusted off the accumulated dust.

“Chestnut, twelve inches, unicorn tail hair.”

Ollivander handed it to Lucian.

Lucian took the wand, feeling the magical power within him become somewhat more active.

He naturally guided this magic to flow into the wand in his hand, releasing it smoothly.

A soft white light emanated from the wand tip, bringing a feeling of warmth and comfort to all three present.

But Lucian felt the process of releasing magic was still obstructed, not smooth enough, as if this wand couldn’t perfectly channel his magic.

A glance at his status panel confirmed it.

The Magical Power aptitude line was indeed still labelled “Locked”.

Before Lucian could actively point it out, Ollivander had already perceived the problem.

He took the wand back, muttering:

“Not to worry, it’s the wand that chooses the wizard! I’m sure I have the perfect wand for you here somewhere!”

“More abundant magical power than your peers… Let me see…”

He pulled out another wand.

“Ebony, fourteen inches, heartstring of a Hungarian Horntail.”

“Resilient, powerful. Give it a try.”

Lucian took it and again channeled his magic.

BOOM!

Dark green flames erupted, shooting straight towards the ceiling.

But Lucian, already wary, immediately restrained the magical power within him.

The green fiery serpent promptly contracted, changed direction, and spiralled into nothingness mid-air.

Ollivander wasn’t angered by his shop nearly being set on fire; instead, he marvelled.

“Excellent control!”

“Perhaps this wand is too impulsive, not suitable for a young wizard like you.”

The cycle repeated: Ollivander searched for a wand, Lucian tried it, it wasn’t quite right, they switched again.

“Dogwood… too playful.”

“Spruce… no, too forceful.”

“Thunderbird feather… a bit too temperamental.”

…

Ollivander went back and forth dozens of times, yet couldn’t find a wand suitable for Lucian.

But he remained patient, even seeming to enjoy it immensely.

Because wizards who had more difficulty finding a wand often had more distinctive characteristics.

Such wizards were often capable of shining brilliantly in one or even several fields, and Ollivander took great pleasure in finding the wand that matched them.

How can you call someone a genius if they aren’t different from the ordinary?

Handing the most suitable wand to each young witch or wizard, opening the first step into their magical world.

This was something Ollivander found deeply rewarding.

Professor McGonagall waited patiently nearby. She was also curious about which wand Lucian would end up with.

Or rather, what kind of wand could possibly match Lucian’s aptitude.

Just as Ollivander was rummaging through boxes and cabinets, busily searching for wands…

From the deepest part of the shop, in a dusty corner of a worn-out cabinet,

a large cloud of dust was suddenly stirred up. A yellowish, ancient-looking box was pushed open.

A shadow shot out from within, flying straight towards Lucian.

The quick-reacting Professor McGonagall raised her wand, about to cast a spell to intercept it.

But she saw the object had already stopped, hovering steadily in front of Lucian’s chest.

It was a wand, silver-black all over.

Though clearly a solid wand, it gave the illusion of constantly flowing and changing.

Startled, Ollivander, who had nearly fallen off his ladder, hurried over, disregarding the dust on his clothes.

His eyes fixed intently on the wand hovering before Lucian.

After scrutinizing it for over ten seconds,the usually exceptionally knowledgeable Ollivander actually showed a trace of bewilderment, muttering somewhat uncertainly:

“Trickster Branch, twelve and a half inches, sphinx spine feather.”

Lucian was also observing this wand that had actively sought him out.

The wand’s surface occasionally revealed semi-transparent,illusory symbols. Some of these symbols coalesced into complex sigils, only to quickly retract back into the wand’s interior.

At this moment, Lucian, being closest to the wand, seemed to hear intermittent… snickering?

It carried a tone of mockery and a condescending air.

Sphinx, also known as the lion-bodied, human-headed creature… I recall it’s from Egyptian mythology.

They love to pester people with riddles.

Does such a magical creature exist in the Harry Potter world?

But what is ‘Trickster Branch’?

“Mr. Ollivander, may I ask what ‘Trickster Branch’ is?”

The next moment, the word Ollivander uttered was both familiar and startling to Lucian.

“Loki Fir.”

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Chapter Text

“Loki Fir?” Professor McGonagall asked.

She was, after all, a witch of considerable experience. She had heard rumors of this type of wood before but never expected to see a wand made from the long-extinct material.

Lucian, however, felt a flicker of unease as a realization struck him:

This is a magical world. Those deities and mythical creatures from various legends… they might have actually existed, right?

Perhaps they were powerful wizards, or a certain species of magical creature…

It’s entirely possible that ancient humans, seeing wizards perform magic, regarded them as gods.

Ollivander began to explain, almost reminiscing:

“Loki Fir, also known as Trickster Branch, or the Illusion Tree.”

“Legend says it was born when Loki was bound in the chasm. His blood and curses dripped onto a fir tree, transforming it into a magical wood possessing the power of change.”

“Wands made from it symbolize infinite transformation.”

Professor McGonagall frowned slightly.

“But I heard this type of wood has been extinct for ages. Its very existence is practically a myth.”

Her implication was clear: was this wand truly made from Loki Fir, or was Ollivander, in his old age, mistaken?

Ollivander gave a wry smile.

“Not only is Loki Fir incredibly rare in the world, but even magical creatures like the Sphinx are on the brink of extinction globally.”

“The Sphinx, originating from Egyptian mythology, is the embodiment of wisdom, the unceasing pursuit of knowledge.”

“The maker of this wand was my grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather…”

Seeing the increasingly strange expressions on Lucian and Professor McGonagall’s faces, Ollivander cleared his throat lightly and stopped reciting his genealogy.

“…Anyway, many generations ago. Over a thousand years. This wand has been in existence for over a millennium.”

“Of course, the wand’s quality is genuine.”

“An Ollivander would never lie about a wand!”

Ollivander unconsciously puffed out his chest, a point of family pride.

Glancing at the suspended silver-black wand, Lucian thought of the “Loki’s Facelessness” he had fused with.

And Loki Fir, even if just a legend, its origin was connected to Loki.

Now that I possess Loki’s magical aptitude, it’s normal for me to attract a wand made from this wood.

As for the Sphinx spine feather? The pursuit of knowledge?

Well, mastering more knowledge is never a bad thing.

Over a thousand years… this wand is an antique too.

“It’s been so long, and it never sold…”

“Er… never found a suitable master for it?”

Facing Lucian’s question, Ollivander instead looked at him with blazing eyes, as if beholding a rare treasure.

“Perhaps it has found one now.”

“My boy, oh no, Mr. Grafton, please try this wand.”

Perhaps having waited too long, the silver-black wand trembled slightly. The illusory runes became more active, and the faint snickering grew more audible.

Lucian reached out his right hand and grasped the hilt.

In an instant, he felt an unprecedented sense of harmony.

The magical power within him surged towards the wand in his hand, yet it didn’t feel savage; the entire process was docile and quiet.

Lucian felt the wand was cheering, rejoicing.

Simultaneously, Lucian felt a burst of newborn magical power erupt within him.

This power didn’t run rampant but concentrated and gathered towards the wand in Lucian’s hand.

As the magic built up, Lucian instinctively pointed the wand at a candle on the counter.

A black-green light shot out.

The candle quivered slightly and instantly transformed into an iron hammer.

The hammer remained still for less than a second before its surface roiled, growing bony armor, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into a black turtle.

The black turtle extended its head, its beady eyes about to look towards Lucian.

Suddenly, those eyes grew larger, their pupils becoming horizontal.

The shell softened, turned slimy, and the black turtle had already become a frog.

Ribbit!

A rather loud croak sounded as the frog hopped a few times on the counter.

Its plump body rapidly elongated, its smooth skin growing scales, transforming into the slender body of a snake.

Feathered wings sprouted from its sides, its head resembling that of a heron.

At the same time, as if adapting to the available space, the peculiar creature’s body continuously swelled, growing five or six times its size in an instant.

POOF!

The still-expanding creature suddenly burst apart, exploding into a puff of smoke and reverting to its original candle form.

Observing this transformation that lasted less than a minute, Ollivander exclaimed in admiration:

“Transfiguration! I’ve never seen such a talent for Transfiguration!”

“I feel as though I’m witnessing the emergence of a future Master of Transfiguration in the magical world.”

“Minerva, congratulations on finding a genius student.”

Ollivander smiled and looked at Professor McGonagall, only to find her gaze shifting constantly between the candle and Lucian, as if she hadn’t heard his congratulations at all.

“The final transformation… was that an Occamy?!”

McGonagall had already anticipated Lucian’s talent in Transfiguration, but seeing him perform magic with a wand only solidified her judgment.

Although it was instinctive casting, unstable and unsustainable, it further highlighted Lucian’s potential.

All Lucian needed now was to learn and train step by step, continuously absorbing knowledge of Transfiguration spells.

Whether it was the transformation of objects, transforming objects into creatures, cross-species transfiguration, or even the most difficult feat – Animagus transformation –

Professor McGonagall believed Lucian could eventually master them all.

But why did it finally turn into an Occamy?

If it were just the appearance, that would be one thing, but that characteristic ability to shrink and expand its body based on the available space was unmistakably that of an Occamy!

How could it be a magical creature? How could it transform into such a being?

Transfiguration performed by wizards could only produce ordinary animals, not magical creatures.

Perhaps it was because the innate magical nature of these creatures fundamentally conflicted with a wizard’s magic.

After decades of studying Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall had never seen anyone successfully transfigure a magical creature, not even partially!

“Is this… an unknown direction for Transfiguration?”

“But how could a child who just touched magic…”

“I should ask Dumbledore when I return.”

McGonagall murmured softly to herself.

Dumbledore was one of the foremost Masters of Transfiguration in the world; perhaps he would know what such a transformation meant.

Composing herself, Professor McGonagall offered Lucian a smile.

“Lucian, you truly have remarkable talent.”

“I greatly look forward to your performance at Hogwarts.”

Lucian put away his wand.

“I also look forward to your instruction, Professor.”

He glanced down at his status panel.

[Magical Power: SS] (Unlocked)

Magical Power was a crucial indicator of a wizard’s strength.

Why did some pure-blood wizards look down upon Muggle-born wizards?

Apart from family resources and generations of inherited magical knowledge, it was also because pure-blood wizards often possessed more abundant magical power.

When two wizards were of similar skill level, the one who could cast more spells and last longer naturally held the advantage.

But now, with his SS-rank Magical Power aptitude unlocked, he had broken free from his previous limitations.

Whether in terms of the rate of magical growth or his eventual total magical reserves, he would leave his contemporaries far behind.

After bidding farewell to Ollivander, they headed to the next shop.

Watching Lucian’s retreating figure, Ollivander sighed silently:

“A legendary wand must have a legendary master.”

“Another day worth remembering, placing a wand in that young man’s hands.”

…………

Purchasing the cauldron for Potions class, the telescope for Astronomy, selecting robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions…

Lucian arrived at the magical pet shop, “The Magical Menagerie.”

Upon entering the shop, a cacophony of various sounds assailed him.

Ribbit—

Meow—

“Might you be looking for a magical pet?”

The shopkeeper, a woman wearing heavy black-rimmed glasses, asked Lucian in a gentle tone.

Lucian nodded and began observing the animals in the shop.

“This one is too ugly.”

“This one smells really strong.”

“Hmm, is this a cat?”

A Persian cat with long ginger hair and a bushy tail sat in a cage, lazily glancing at Lucian.

Its face was remarkably flat, as if it had been slammed against a wall.

Lucian shook his head.

I wonder who would like this peculiarly-looking pet cat.

These pets are all quite ordinary, nothing special.

[Ding. Detecting Host’s requirement. Applying for a loan on Host’s behalf…]

[Congratulations, Host. Loan application successful!]

[Year Loan: Qilin]

Qilin

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Chapter Text

[Loan: Qilin (Annual Loan)]

[Repayment Deadline: 365 days]

[Loan Content: Obtain one Qilin]

[Loan Task: Brew a potion using the Sorcerer’s Stone]

[Evaluation: The Qilin, an auspicious sign from Eastern legend, wards off evil, spits fire, treads on clouds, disrupts space, and nullifies magic.]

[Note: In the current world, the one chosen by the Qilin is regarded as a natural leader.]

A Qilin, a magical beast of the highest order.

Having a pet like that would definitely be better than some puffskein or toad!

The task was to brew a potion using the Sorcerer’s Stone, but it didn’t specify which potion.

Well, in my first year at Hogwarts, there would be a chance to get close to the Sorcerer’s Stone.

As long as I kept an eye on that Harry Potter kid, finding the Stone shouldn’t be a problem.

I remember Dumbledore was fond of prophecies and such; he must have arranged everything so Harry would get the Stone.

Could I find a way to get my hands on it early? After all, I’d need time to research how to use the Stone for brewing anyway.

[Do you wish to accept the loan?]

“Borrow.”

Lucian directly chose to accept.

It was also an annual loan, but he felt this task was considerably simpler than perfectly mastering Transfiguration.

Primarily because he knew how to obtain the Sorcerer’s Stone, which already solved the biggest challenge of the task.

Secondly, the task didn’t require brewing a specific potion.

Meaning, he could even use the Stone to brew a simple Cure for Boils potion and it would count.

Doing that seemed a bit wasteful, though. Hmm, he could start with a simple potion to secure the loan repayment first.

If conditions allowed, he could try brewing more advanced potions later.

The Sorcerer’s Stone could turn metal into gold and grant immortality; he wondered if it could brew potions related to those effects…

Seeing Lucian hesitating for so long without choosing a pet, Professor McGonagall asked, “None that you want?”

Lucian nodded. There really weren’t any pets here that caught his eye, especially now that he had the mythical Qilin coming.

“You don’t have to buy one now. Not every young wizard has a pet in their first year,” Professor McGonagall said. “Let’s go to the last stop now, the one you’ve been looking forward to: Flourish and Blotts.”

Hearing Professor McGonagall’s words, Lucian’s eyes lit up.

Flourish and Blotts was a famous bookstore in the wizarding world, selling a vast number of magical books.

“Alright, Professor.”

…………

Inside Flourish and Blotts.

Lucian moved between the rows of bookshelves, frequently pulling out books and tucking them under his arm.

“A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration? Must have!”

“First Steps in Potion Identification? Useful, buy!”

“The Wizarding World’s Guide to First-Year Spells? No brainer!”

“… Buy, I’ll take them all!”

Watching the stack of books in Lucian’s arms grow rapidly, Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, intending to remind him that first-year students usually didn’t need to buy so many books at once.

Firstly, the amount of foundational magical knowledge was substantial enough to keep young wizards busy for a year or even two.

Secondly, wizards of this age were often more inclined to play; managing to read ten pages diligently was considered perseverance, and purchased books usually just ended up gathering dust.

But then, thinking of Lucian’s extraordinary talent, McGonagall felt he might genuinely be able to digest these books quickly.

“Lucian seems like a good boy who loves studying. He’ll probably read them seriously,” Professor McGonagall thought to herself. She glanced at the bulging money pouch at his waist. “And it’s not like he’s short on funds anyway.”

The stack of books was now so high that Lucian had to tilt his head to see the shelves.

Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures?

Perfect, I need to learn how to care for my Qilin.

Only one copy left. Buy!

Lucian reached out and grabbed the book.

Simultaneously, a small hand gripped the other side of the very same book.

“Ahem, I picked this book first. Could you please let go?” A young, somewhat imperious voice sounded beside Lucian.

Huh. Polite, but only just.

Let’s see who dares to challenge young master Lucian for his book.

Lucian turned his head to look.

The speaker was a girl with pale skin and a bushy mane of brown hair.

She had matching brown eyes, but the most prominent features were her two large front teeth, making her look rather like a rabbit.

She also held a stack of books in her arms, though not as tall as Lucian’s.

“Hello, Miss. May I ask your name?” Lucian offered a polite smile, a mark of his upbringing.

But his hand holding the book didn’t loosen one bit.

Looking at Lucian’s handsome face and his deep, dark green eyes that seemed to pull in one’s soul like deep pools, the girl blushed slightly.

Nonetheless, she lifted her chin, though her tone softened a little.

“Hermione. Hermione Granger.”

Who?

Lucian was taken aback.

Of course, he knew the name Hermione – the boss of the golden trio.

So, he’d already run into someone from the main group? That was fast.

But he remembered Hermione being a delicate, porcelain-doll-like girl in the movies. Who was this rabbit-toothed version?

Maybe this world wasn’t based on the movie setting, but on the original novels?

Or perhaps a mix of both?

Seeing Lucian fall silent, just staring at her blankly, Hermione suddenly pressed her lips together and looked down uncomfortably.

“Ah, my apologies. Seeing you reminded me of a friend. You both have such lovely brown hair,” Lucian said smoothly. “I’m Lucian. Lucian Grafton.”

Hearing his words, Hermione secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

So he wasn’t staring at my teeth? And did he just compliment my hair?

Hermione’s fingers, holding the book, suddenly loosened their grip.

Lucian started to pull the Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures away.

Feeling the book move, Hermione instinctively tightened her hold again.

The two were on the verge of a stalemate.

“Miss Granger, found any books you like?” A short woman wearing a heavily patched hat walked up behind Hermione.

“Ah, Professor Sprout! I, I was just looking,” Hermione stammered.

Sprout?

Lucian looked at the woman. She had flyaway grey hair and was looking at the two young wizards kindly.

“Pomona?” Professor McGonagall, hearing the voice, also came over and saw her colleague, Pomona Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House and Professor of Herbology.

“What a coincidence, Minerva. Is this the young wizard you’re guiding?” Sprout nodded towards Lucian.

“Yes, this is Lucian Grafton. A very talented young wizard.”

Hearing McGonagall’s introduction, Sprout looked surprised.

She knew this colleague of many years had a very serious teaching style and rarely praised a young wizard so directly before they had even started school.

Sprout looked back at Lucian, smiling. “One can tell he’s certainly a good child who loves reading.”

Noting the large pile of books in Lucian’s arms, Sprout kindly added, “First-year students don’t really need to buy quite so many, you know. You should leave some spending money for yourself.”

Hearing this, Lucian showed little reaction – his money pouch was heavy, after all.

Hermione, however, stiffened slightly, and her hand holding the Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures retracted a little.

She had already spent a fair amount of the Galleons she exchanged, and her family wasn’t affluent enough to casually exchange more gold for Galleons.

Seizing the opportunity, Lucian directly pulled the book away and added it to his pile.

When it came to knowledge, what was the point of being polite?

What girl could be more appealing than knowledge?

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Chapter Text

At the checkout counter of Flourish and Blotts, a long line snaked away, mostly comprised of young wizards here to buy their textbooks for the new term.

It was almost Lucian’s turn.

Hermione, standing in line behind him, bit her lip and asked, “Lu-Lucian, with all these books you’re buying… can you really read them all?”

Lucian turned his head slightly and shrugged. “Pretty much. I should be done by the time school starts. I can always go to the Hogwarts library then.”

Hermione’s eyes widened slightly. She had meant if he could read them all within the year. Did he plan to finish them all before term started?

There was only about a month left!

Looking at Lucian’s handsome profile, she thought his expression seemed earnest, not like he was boasting.

Just as Hermione was about to say something else, it was Lucian’s turn to pay.

Lucian directly pulled out a handful of golden Galleons and handed them to the cashier.

Noticing the Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures on top of the pile, he added, “If you want to read it, I can lend it to you after term starts.”

“Ah, thank you,” Hermione nodded repeatedly. As long as she could get to read the book, she didn’t mind.

The cashier quickly counted his change, and Lucian gathered his books and left.

He didn’t wait for Hermione to finish checking out to chat or anything.

Lucian was eager to get home and start absorbing the knowledge from his new books.

Of course, he was even more eager to check on his pet, the mythical Qilin.

………

Grafton Manor.

Lucian stared at the egg on his bed, falling into deep thought.

The egg was about half a meter tall, just small enough for Lucian to wrap his arms around.

“System, what is this?”

“Where’s my Qilin?”

[Host, this is the Qilin… egg]

Lucian’s lip twitched.

“Uh, System, are you sure Qilins are hatched from eggs?”

[…This is more convenient (0v0)]

Ignoring the system’s attempt at cuteness with its robotic voice, Lucian leaned in to examine the Qilin egg.

“How long until it hatches?”

[Three]

…

Lucian waited a few seconds, but the system said nothing more.

Lucian was speechless, and a little reluctant to play along with the system’s gag.

“Two… One?”

Crack—

A fissure appeared on the eggshell’s surface.

Immediately, a network of cracks spread across the shell, accompanied by a soft rustling sound.

The top half of the eggshell shattered, and a small head poked out.

A pair of large, gold-red eyes looked at Lucian.

Their gaze was clear and bright, as if looking at their closest kin.

The small Qilin was covered in fine, pale golden scales, and the short horn on its head wasn’t fully grown yet.

“Hungry—”

A tender voice sounded directly in Lucian’s mind.

Lucian looked at the little Qilin in surprise.

Telepathy?

Was this the Qilin’s natural ability, or an effect of the system?

“I’m hungry—”

The voice sounded in Lucian’s mind again.

Simultaneously, the little Qilin’s mouth opened and closed slightly.

Lucian asked the system directly:

“What does a Qilin eat?”

[Pure dew, the essence of plants and trees]

Dew was self-explanatory, but it was already night, so Lucian couldn’t gather any.

“What does ‘essence of plants and trees’ include? Ordinary fruits and vegetables? Herbs?”

[All are included. The older and higher the quality of the plant, the more concentrated the essence it contains.]

Lucian immediately left his bedroom and instructed a maid: “Loxia, please bring a selection of fruits and vegetables to my room. Also bring some of the stored herbs from the house.”

After giving the order, Lucian returned to his room. Looking at the small Qilin, he said gently, “Just wait a little longer.”

Hearing Lucian’s reassurance, the little Qilin nodded surprisingly humanly.

Lucian was taken aback.

“You… you can understand me?”

“A little—”

The tender voice echoed in Lucian’s mind once more.

Lucian spent a little while communicating with the little Qilin and found its intelligence was roughly equivalent to a five or six-year-old human child. It could express its basic needs simply, but being newborn, it still lacked knowledge about the world.

In less than ten minutes, the maid Loxia knocked on Lucian’s door.

Lucian went out and took two trays from her.

One held common fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and apples.

The other plate held a few sprigs of herbs.

He brought them before the little Qilin.

The Qilin leaned forward, sniffing each one in turn.

It took a deep inhale, and faint wisps of bluish-green essence drifted up from the produce and herbs, one after another, flowing into the Qilin’s mouth and nose.

While observing the Qilin’s unique way of feeding, Lucian asked the system:

“What abilities does the Qilin have?”

[Can manipulate fire]

[Can ride clouds and mist (flight)]

[Telepathic communication]

[Can sense the goodwill and malice of other living beings]

[Powerful magical resistance; only very few spells can harm a Qilin]

[Qilin blood has curative and life-extending properties, making it an excellent potion ingredient]

[Innate ability to Apparate. Can also immobilize the space within a certain area, rendering Apparition within that range ineffective.]

Lucian rubbed his chin, marveling.

Truly a mythical beast. Its abilities were not only diverse but also immensely powerful.

The ability to sense malice and its strong magical resistance meant the Qilin was naturally equipped to avoid many dangers.

Its innate Apparition ability made escape incredibly convenient.

If used for something like delivering messages, it would surely be much faster than owls or the like.

And after all, the Qilin was a divine beast; its combat prowess once grown likely wouldn’t be lacking.

Coupled with its space-immobilizing ability, in future conflicts, it could directly cut off an enemy’s escape route.

As for the Qilin blood that could cure diseases and extend life, this gave Lucian pause.

From the system’s description, his Qilin seemed quite different from the native Qilins of this world.

He didn’t know if, in the understanding of the wizards here, native Qilin blood had similarly miraculous effects.

If the Qilins in this world did have such properties, then until his own strength grew or the little Qilin matured, he couldn’t casually reveal its existence, lest it attract unwanted covetousness.

“Still need to read, to master more knowledge,” Lucian murmured, rubbing his temples.

He glanced at the pile of books on his desk.

Lucian raised his wand.

Pointing it at the Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures, he incanted:

“Accio Book!”

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Chapter Text

Hogwarts, Headmaster’s Office.

Professor McGonagall sat at the desk, talking at length about Lucian.

Opposite her was an old man with silvery hair and a long beard, wearing half-moon spectacles behind which twinkled bright blue eyes.

Albus Dumbledore.

“…Perhaps he is the most gifted child in Transfiguration I have ever seen.”

“He’s also very studious, completely unlike the playful nature of his peers…”

After listening to Professor McGonagall’s description, Dumbledore chuckled.

“Minerva, from what you say, this Lucian does sound quite talented, especially in Transfiguration.”

“It seems Hogwarts is about to welcome another exceptionally gifted student.”

Dumbledore had been slightly surprised initially, as he rarely saw McGonagall speak at such length about a student, especially one not yet enrolled.

However, Dumbledore had lived for more than a century and taught at Hogwarts for many years, having witnessed far too many so-called prodigy students.

Some shone brilliantly in their respective fields, while others eventually faded into mediocrity.

So, Dumbledore wasn’t overly concerned about this child named Lucian.

Moreover, Harry was due to start school this year, the prophesied ‘Chosen One’. Dumbledore had directed most of his energy and attention towards him.

With a gentle wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured a plate of Cockroach Clusters and two glasses of mead.

McGonagall, feeling a bit thirsty from talking, picked up the glass of mead on the table and took a small sip.

But after just one sip, she frowned and put it down.

Too sweet…

“Also, Albus, when I watched Lucian perform Transfiguration…”

“Beyond the standard transformations, he actually managed to conjure a magical creature at the end. An Occamy.”

McGonagall leaned forward, questioning Dumbledore.

“Have you ever seen Transfiguration like that before?”

Hearing Professor McGonagall’s question, Dumbledore withdrew his hand, which had been reaching for a Cockroach Cluster, and instead adjusted his spectacles.

His gaze suddenly turned grave.

A master in the field of Transfiguration himself, Dumbledore understood perfectly well what McGonagall’s question implied.

Transfiguration involving magical creatures?

Dumbledore had never witnessed such a thing either!

Someone who can quickly master existing knowledge in the early stages and pioneer innovations later can be called a genius.

But what of someone who demonstrates unknown capabilities from the very beginning?

This perhaps fell outside the realm of mere genius.

Dumbledore’s expectations for Lucian shifted; he had to reassess.

“Minerva, I must trouble you to keep a closer eye on Lucian in the future.”

“Students with such prodigious talent require the correct guidance all the more.”

As if reminded of a certain former student, Dumbledore let out a soft sigh.

“Here is what we shall do. First, write to Lucian. Instruct him not to attempt the transfiguration of magical creatures for now. Explain that it is very dangerous.”

McGonagall nodded seriously.

Such a gifted child must not be allowed to fall into the danger of reckless experimentation.

McGonagall was even considering whether she should pay another visit to the Grafton residence to speak with Lucian about the matter in person.

……

Grafton Manor.

Lucian stood in his bedroom, his right hand holding a wand aloft, his left cradling a copy of The Wizarding World’s Guide to First-Year Spells.

He pointed his wand at a pile of ceramic shards on the floor, giving his wrist a slight flick.

“Reparo!”

The shards assembled themselves into a complete teapot, the web of cracks disappearing as if in reverse.

“Hmm, quite simple. Next.”

Lucian flipped through the book in his hand, learning new charms.

After fusing with Loki the Faceless, his white magic talent had also reached S-rank.

Learning simple beginner-level charms like these came naturally to him.

The teapot levitated into the air, was cleansed of surface stains, then summoned to his hand…

Tap. Tap. Tap.—

Lucian turned his head towards the source of the sound.

A snow-white owl was perched outside the window, a letter held in its beak.

Lucian didn’t walk over to open the window, he simply pointed his wand.

“Alohomora!”

The window swung open obediently, and the owl fluttered in.

Lucian glanced down at his wand and chuckled softly.

Magic was so convenient.

A single wand could accomplish so many things.

Taking the letter from the owl, he opened it.

Seeing the signature, Lucian raised an eyebrow.

“Professor McGonagall?”

Dear Lucian Grafton,

I have spoken with Headmaster Dumbledore. We agree that your talent is quite remarkable, Lucian, particularly in the field of Transfiguration.

Having purchased so many books, I believe you have already begun studying magical knowledge.

You have likely attempted some Transfiguration yourself. I must specifically warn you: you must not attempt the transfiguration of magical creatures.

This is extremely dangerous. There is no clear precedent for it in the wizarding world.

If you wish to learn more about Transfiguration, you may seek me out after arriving at Hogwarts.

I had considered visiting you in person to explain this clearly, but there is much preparation required for the new students’ arrival.

However, I believe you are not a reckless child and will not deliberately engage in dangerous experimentation.

The letter wasn’t long; Lucian finished it quickly.

In short: transfiguring magical creatures is dangerous, don’t try it casually.

No clear precedent?

A new direction for Transfiguration?

Lucian frowned. He hadn’t forgotten his debt to ‘Loki the Faceless’ – to perfectly master Transfiguration within a year. Besides learning existing knowledge, this required pioneering new frontiers in the field.

Professor McGonagall said she had discussed it with Dumbledore, meaning even Dumbledore hadn’t seen transfiguration involving magical creatures.

So, this could likely be considered an unknown area of Transfiguration. Mastering it should fulfill the loan requirement.

But that final transformation, resulting in a creature resembling an Occamy, was just my instinctive casting… how could it involve such an advanced aspect?

Lucian had already finished reading the Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures and had gained some understanding of magical beasts. He judged that the creature he had transfigured at the end in Ollivander’s shop closely matched the description and shape-shifting characteristics of an Occamy.

Coupled with Professor McGonagall’s warning now, it pretty much confirmed Lucian’s conjecture.

Raising his wand, Lucian listened to the faint, whispering laughter that seemed to emanate from within it.

Loki?

With the magical talent of Loki, especially the SSS-rank talent in Transfiguration…

So, that instance of transfiguring a magical creature was most likely due to the influence of Loki’s innate ability.

Magical creatures…

Lucian’s thoughts turned to the mythical offspring of Loki in the legends: the great wolf Fenrir, the world serpent Jörmungandr, the eight-legged horse Sleipnir.

Could it be that these offspring were actually creations of Loki, formed through Transfiguration?

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Chapter Text

Lucian put away Professor McGonagall’s letter.

He now had an initial glimpse of the possibility of pioneering a new direction in Transfiguration, giving him a lead on repaying the loan.

He turned his head and noticed the owl was still there, preening its feathers.

Sitting down at the desk, Lucian began writing his reply to Professor McGonagall:

“Professor, thank you for your guidance. I will keep your warning in mind and will not attempt…”

Since Professor McGonagall had seriously emphasized the dangers of magical creature transfiguration, Lucian naturally wouldn’t be stubborn and attempt it immediately.

You eat a meal one bite at a time, you walk a road one step at a time.

Lucian understood clearly that he should first master the foundational knowledge, build a sufficient base, and only then attempt truly advanced and innovative transfiguration.

As long as he could develop a stable method of magical creature transfiguration within a year, he could complete the loan task.

The tip of his quill scratched softly across the parchment.

He finished the reply quickly, placed it in an envelope, and was about to hand it to the owl waiting at the window.

Suddenly, a pale golden figure flew in through the window, heading straight for the plump white bird.

“Hoot! Hoot—” The owl was startled into frantic cries, flapping its wings and darting around the room in a panic.

Seeing this, Lucian could only wave his hand helplessly.

“Giltlight, stop scaring it.”

The golden figure halted, its large gold-red eyes blinking at Lucian.

Lucian looked back at the little Qilin, a smile playing on his lips.

Giltlight – that was the name he had given the little Qilin.

It meant ‘golden light,’ fitting well with its coat of pale golden scales.

Treading on a wisp of auspicious cloud coiled at its feet, Giltlight walked through the air to Lucian’s side, rubbing its forehead, where the short horn had yet to fully grow, affectionately against Lucian’s cheek.

“Go and calm that owl down. I still need its help to deliver the letter.”

Understanding its master’s intention, Giltlight turned its head towards the panicked owl fluttering around the room.

Without any visible action from the little Qilin, the frightened owl gradually slowed its flight and eventually settled back on the windowsill.

“Hoot.” The owl tilted its head.

Giltlight lifted its head towards Lucian as if waiting for praise.

This was the Qilin’s telepathic communication, allowing it to convey meaning directly to other creatures’ minds. Giltlight had transmitted goodwill and calm to the owl.

Coupled with the Qilin’s inherent nature as an auspicious being, friendly towards other creatures, the owl quickly settled down.

Gently rubbing Giltlight’s small head, Lucian smiled. “Well done.”

He handed the envelope to the owl at the window.

The owl, letter secured, flapped its wings and flew off immediately.

…………

September 1st, 10:00 AM

Lucian arrived at King’s Cross Station.

It was a major transport hub in London, teeming with passengers.

Lucian moved through the crowd, heading for the famous Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

He slowed his pace, waiting until he saw someone walk straight into the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

Following suit, Lucian naturally walked towards the solid wall.

He passed straight through, emerging into a new world.

The Hogwarts Express, an old-fashioned steam train.

It sat quietly on the tracks, steam whistle silent for now, as it wasn’t departure time yet.

Lucian wasn’t in a hurry to board. He walked along the platform for a bit, examining the magical train.

Red engine, black carriages – it looked fairly similar to Muggle steam trains.

But Lucian knew well this was an authentic work of alchemy. The Hogwarts Express was perhaps one of the magical creations that interacted most with the Muggle world.

Scanning the platform, he saw it was full of young wizards saying goodbye to their parents.

The older students were fine, having been to Hogwarts several times already.

But the first-years, the new students, mostly wore worried expressions, some even with teary eyes.

It was understandable; these eleven-year-olds were, for many, separating from their parents for the first time, heading to an unfamiliar school to meet new classmates and teachers.

Boarding the train, a smile touched Lucian’s lips.

Hogwarts, here I come.

Moving through the corridors, he found an empty compartment, entered, and stowed his luggage.

He actually only had one suitcase.

It wasn’t an ordinary suitcase. Lucian had made another trip to Diagon Alley to buy one enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.

The actual space inside was large enough to hold all his belongings and books.

Of course, it couldn’t compare to Newt Scamander’s case.

That one was like containing a small world, hiding who knows how many magical creatures inside.

Maybe I can study the Undetectable Extension Charm later, see if I can expand my suitcase further. If I could be like Newt, releasing a horde of magical creatures in a fight… that would probably give my opponent quite a shock.

Thinking this, Lucian opened the suitcase and pulled out a few books.

He had plenty of time for the journey. Leaning against the window, he began reading leisurely.

…

“So the platform is reached by running through a pillar?” Hermione grumbled, dragging her luggage and panting slightly as she walked along the corridor.

She had arrived at King’s Cross early, but spent a long time trying to find the platform.

If she hadn’t spotted a family disappearing magically after walking straight at a barrier between platforms nine and ten, she might have been searching even longer.

In her rush, sweat beaded on her nose, and her already bushy brown hair was even more disheveled.

Passing by several full compartments, she reached one with a closed door. She paused to catch her breath, then raised her hand and knocked gently.

“Hello? Is there room in here?”

“Yes, come in.”

The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but Hermione didn’t think much of it. Right now, she just wanted to stow her luggage and sit down!

She slid the door open and looked inside.

A boy was sitting by the window, a book in his hands.

Sunlight streamed through the window, glinting off his dark gold hair with a faint golden light.

Hearing the door open, those dark green eyes lifted from the page and turned towards Hermione.

“Oh, Miss Granger. What a coincidence.”

Looking at that handsome face, the slight smile in his eyes…

Hermione momentarily forgot to respond.

The compartment remained silent for nearly a full minute.

“Ah, yes, Lucian. Quite a coincidence, quite a coincidence.”

Hermione’s face flushed a little, but fortunately, it was already red from exertion, so it wasn’t too obvious.

She glanced away slightly, murmuring softly, “May I sit here?”

Lucian gestured casually. “Feel free.”

Clearing her throat, Hermione turned to maneuver her luggage.

“Wingardium Leviosa!”

Hearing the incantation, Hermione watched as her pile of luggage levitated smoothly and orderly onto the overhead rack.

“You’ve been learning spells already too?!” The young witch looked at the wand in Lucian’s hand in delighted surprise.

True to her studious nature, Hermione had read many basic magic books over the summer and attempted a few very simple spells.

But that didn’t include the Levitation Charm Lucian had just used. Hermione assumed they’d learn that at Hogwarts from a teacher.

She hadn’t expected Lucian to already know it, and judging by the smooth movement of the luggage, his proficiency with it couldn’t be low!

Is he a so-called Pure-blood wizard? Did family members teach him magic beforehand? He does carry himself like nobility… is he from one of those Pure-blood families mentioned in the books?

But I don’t recall a ‘Grafton’…

“Oh! Thank you for helping with my luggage,” Hermione said, belatedly remembering her manners.

“Just taking an opportunity to practice a spell. No need to thank me,” Lucian replied politely with a smile, then put his wand away and returned to his book.

Seeing Lucian reading again, Hermione sat quietly opposite him, not daring to initiate conversation.

But after just a few minutes, she began to feel restless.

She wanted to follow Lucian’s example and take out a book to read, but that would require getting her suitcase down, which would certainly make noise and disturb him.

She didn’t want to trouble Lucian to use the Levitation Charm for her again either.

“You can help yourself to the books on the table if you’d like to read.”

Lucian didn’t look up, continuing to page through his book.

Hermione was, after all, still a child. Lucian found her hesitant demeanor somewhat amusing, so he simply told her to help herself to a book.

Hearing his permission, Hermione softly said, “Thank you.”

She reached out and took the first book from the stack.

It happened to be:

Guide to the Care of Magical Creatures.

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Chapter Text

“Toot! Toot—”

“Excuse me, is there any room in here?”

Hearing the knocking and the inquiry, both Lucian and Hermione, who were reading, looked up simultaneously.

Before either could respond, the door slid open with a whoosh.

Two young boys stood at the doorway. One had messy black hair and wore round glasses with a noticeable crack on one lens; he was peeking into the compartment with his almond-shaped, emerald green eyes. The other had a head of red hair, a large nose, blue eyes, a face full of freckles, and was just as skinny as the black-haired boy.

The two boys exchanged a glance. Finally, the red-headed one spoke up:

“Ahem, sorry to bother you, but all the other compartments are full.”

“Could we, uh, sit in here?”

His expression was embarrassed, his tone hesitant.

Hearing the question, Hermione didn’t answer directly.

She thought it was quite nice just reading with Lucian and wasn’t keen on having the quiet atmosphere disrupted.

She glanced at the two standing boys. The black-haired, bespectacled one seemed alright, fairly quiet. But the red-headed one… he gave off a loud and excitable vibe.

Even though it was their first meeting, Hermione felt an instant dislike for the red-haired boy.

However, she just turned to look at Lucian, wanting to know his opinion.

But Lucian was currently examining the two boys at the door, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips, not noticing Hermione’s look.

Black hair, round glasses, green eyes… red hair and freckles…

Well, if it isn’t the Boy-Who-Lived and his best bro.

What a coincidence. The trio has gathered after all.

Perfect. I can observe them early. I’ll need to keep an eye on this Harry kid later to find the Sorcerer’s Stone and brew that potion.

To repay the Qilin loan, Lucian needed to brew a potion using the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The easiest way to find the Stone was to follow Harry and push the plot along.

Lucian trusted that old Dumbledore had everything arranged; Harry was guaranteed to get the Stone.

Maybe I can encourage Harry to go after the Stone a bit earlier? That way I can start brewing sooner and repay the loan faster.

Just as Harry was starting to feel uneasy under Lucian’s scrutiny, Lucian looked away, his smile becoming more pronounced but still within polite bounds.

“Please, come in.”

Hearing Lucian’s words, Harry and Ron secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Hermione also stood up and moved to sit on the same side as Lucian.

Harry and Ron quickly stowed their luggage.

“Hello, I’m Ron Weasley,” Ron said, ruffling his untidy red hair as he introduced himself.

Lucian and Hermione returned the greeting and introduced themselves.

Finally, all three pairs of eyes turned to Harry, the seemingly frail and introverted boy who hadn’t spoken yet.

Feeling uncomfortable under their gaze – Harry was used to being ostracized and looked down upon by his aunt, uncle, and those around him – this was his first time meeting so many “people like him.” In theory, they were all like him, able to use that strange power called magic.

Harry adjusted his glasses and mustered his courage.

“Hello, I’m, I’m Harry. Harry Potter.”

Hearing Harry’s name, Lucian simply nodded, having expected it.

But Hermione and Ron’s reactions were much stronger, especially Ron’s.

“You’re Harry Potter!”

“You’re the Boy-Who-Lived?!”

Hermione, coming from a Muggle family, had only read about him in some wizarding books over the summer and knew he was a famous figure.

But Ron was different. He was a Weasley, one of the so-called pure-blood families, however impoverished they might be.

Harry’s fame was truly legendary to Ron.

“Do you… really… have the… scar?” Ron asked, his eyes shining as he looked at Harry.

Harry nodded, brushed aside the hair on his forehead, and revealed the thin, lightning-bolt shaped scar.

This made Ron even more excited. He launched into a torrent of words speech about the rumors surrounding Harry.

Many of them left Harry himself looking baffled, completely unaware of these supposed events.

Listening to Ron’s incessant “lecture,” Hermione pursed her lips. She found it somewhat interesting at first, but the more she heard, the more outrageous it became. She just wanted to read her book in peace.

This red-haired boy really is noisy!

Just as Hermione was about to interrupt Ron, a trolley witch arrived at their compartment door.

“Anything from the trolley, dears?”

Ron stared fixedly at the dazzling array of snacks on the cart, swallowing hard.

But he turned his head away, pulling a lump of unidentifiable food from his pocket.

He muttered softly, “No, thanks. I brought my own.”

The Weasleys were indeed an ancient pure-blood family, but their financial struggles were very real.

Moreover, Ron had five older brothers – three still in school – and a younger sister. The pocket money that trickled down to him was extremely limited.

“I’ll take some,” said Lucian, pulling out several Galleons and Sickles and handing them to the witch.

Ron’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. The casual handful Lucian produced was more than his entire year’s allowance!

“Then, I’ll take some too,” Harry said, also pulling out a few Galleons. This left Ron even more stunned.

Not a single Sickle or Knut? Does he even know the value of a Galleon?

Is the Potter family really that rich? Is selling shampoo really that profitable?

Actually, Ron wasn’t wrong. Selling shampoo was profitable, especially since the Potter family’s shampoo was so effective it practically monopolized the wizarding hair care market.

And when you have a monopoly, you can sell anything profitably.

Of course, the main reason was also that Harry was the last of the Potter line; the entire family’s wealth was concentrated in this one boy’s hands.

Lucian and Harry basically bought out the entire trolley’s worth of snacks.

Looking at the mountain of treats piled on the table, Ron swallowed hard again.

He really wanted to eat, but he was also really too embarrassed to ask.

“Help yourselves,” Lucian said, simultaneously giving his wand a slight flick, sending snacks floating towards Harry and the others.

After all, kids are easy to win over. Give them some food, some fun, and you can practically lead them away.

Build a good relationship with the trio now, so when they find clues about the Sorcerer’s Stone, they’ll think to discuss it with me.

I can also keep track of any developments in time.

To Ron’s ears, Lucian’s voice was almost heavenly.

His generosity with the snacks, combined with his handsome face, made him seem like an angel!

So much so that Ron subconsciously overlooked the fact that Lucian had used magic – that a first-year student could use the Levitation Charm so proficiently was a rare thing indeed.

Harry also shared his snacks with Lucian and the others, but he couldn’t use magic and had to hand them out one by one.

Ron accepted Harry’s snacks and thanked him.

Lucian opened a box of Chocolate Frogs.

The frog inside leaped up the moment the lid was opened, seeking freedom.

But Lucian caught it in one hand and promptly ate it!

Chewing on the Chocolate Frog, Lucian turned over the card inside the box.

Each Chocolate Frog came with a collectible card featuring a famous witch or wizard.

He glanced at the picture on the card.

Huh. The old bat.

Severus Snape’s cold, deep eyes peered through his greasy, straight black hair, meeting Lucian’s gaze.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Really should wash that hair.

Lucian’s lips twitched into a smirk, wondering if he could send Snape a bottle of shampoo someday.

He looked at the back of the card, which listed Snape’s achievements: Systematically improved the Veritaserum potion, optimized the Bezoar extraction process…

“Um, excuse me…”

Lucian followed the voice. A round-faced, stout boy stood nervously at the door.

“Have you seen my toad? His name’s Trevor.”

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Chapter Text

Lucian and the others looked towards the chubby boy who had suddenly appeared at the door, exchanging glances with each other.

“Is that your pet? Did you lose it on the train?”

It was Hermione who spoke up.

Although Miss Granger always spoke with a tone of confident arrogance, she was nevertheless helpful and eager to assist.

However, upon hearing Hermione’s question, the plump boy didn’t answer immediately.

He seemed slow to react, taking a few seconds before he said slowly, “I… I’m Neville. Neville Longbottom. Trevor is my pet toad.”

“I remember, I remember…”

Neville tugged distressedly at his blond hair, his round face scrunching up. “I’m sorry, I can’t remember clearly.”

“I think I saw Trevor when I got on the train…”

As he spoke, Neville’s voice grew quieter and quieter, until he finally lowered his head.

His memory was terrible; he was always forgetting things. Now, he couldn’t even keep track of his own pet.

Hearing Neville’s account, Hermione was also at a loss.

Hermione wanted to help, but Neville was being so obtuse, not even remembering when he’d lost his pet.

Ron, opposite them, spread his hands, wanting to indicate that he couldn’t do anything.

Harry was willing to help Neville look for the toad, but he didn’t want to offer outright. He first turned to look at the others, to see what they decided.

Harry saw that Lucian had already pulled out a silver-black wand and was looking down, seemingly deep in thought.

Lucian twirled his wand lightly, his mind racing.

Neville. The future Gryffindor Swordmaster.

His memory really was poor. A lost toad wasn’t a big deal; it would probably come back on its own later.

If we’re looking for a lost item, what methods could we use?

When faced with a problem, regardless of difficulty, Lucian habitually considered solutions.

Keeping his mind active at all times was the foundation of learning.

Lucian’s first thought was the Summoning Charm.

It was incredibly convenient for finding things, especially one’s own lost items.

Given the strong connection between an owner and their belongings, if the spell succeeded, you could basically just wait for the item to fly back.

But…

Lucian glanced at Neville, not believing the boy had already mastered the Summoning Charm.

If he were to cast it, he needed to know the exact appearance of that toad to increase the success rate.

Hmm, with Neville’s memory, could he really tell me what Trevor looked like?

Adopting a ‘nothing to lose by trying’ mindset, Lucian decided to ask:

“Ahem, Neville, can you describe Trevor’s appearance?”

Hearing Lucian’s question, Neville’s eyes lit up. He felt this classmate was going to help him find his toad.

“Trevor… Trevor has very big, round eyes, yellowish-brown skin, and his back is covered in warts.”

Lucian smiled, a relieved smile.

Not an incorrect description, but all toads in the world looked like that!

If he used the Summoning Charm carelessly, he might just summon some other student’s pet toad. That would be awkward.

Well, if appearance won’t work, then when casting the spell, emphasize that it’s the toad belonging specifically to Neville.

Magic in this world was quite subjective, operating on a “if I believe it works, it works” principle.

As long as a wizard’s belief was firm enough and their emotions strong, the power of many spells could increase significantly.

Let’s try it. It’s a chance to practice spells anyway.

He had a hypothesis to test and the ability to put it into practice. Lucian naturally would attempt it.

Practical application yields true knowledge. Without practice, how could one claim to truly master knowledge?

His mind made up, Lucian’s wand moved according to his will.

“Accio Trevor!”

As soon as Lucian’s voice fell, intermittent exclamations came from outside the compartment.

“Merlin’s beard! A flying toad!”

“Ah, a flying toad? Is it a magical creature?”

“…”

“Ribbit!”

Accompanied by a loud croak, a yellowish-brown toad flew straight into the compartment, finally stopping in front of Lucian’s wand.

Glancing at the slowly rotating toad, Lucian asked Neville, “Take a look, is this your Trevor?”

Neville hurried forward, his face almost pressing against the toad’s belly.

“Trevor?”

“Ribbit.”

“Trevor? Trevor?”

“Ribbit. Ribbit.”

Neville’s face was full of excitement as he reached out and cupped the toad in his hands.

“Yes, yes! This is Trevor!”

Witnessing the interaction between Neville and Trevor, Harry and the others were treated to quite a spectacle.

Lucian thought to himself: It even has a voice-activated unlock feature?

Neville, holding Trevor, looked at Lucian with gratitude in his eyes.

“Thank you, thank you for helping me find Trevor.”

“May I ask your name?”

Lucian put away his wand.

“Don’t mention it. Consider it practice for the Summoning Charm.”

“My name is Lucian Grafton.”

Neville nodded repeatedly, his voice excited, “Oh, oh, Lucian. Thank you! I’ll definitely remember you!”

Neville didn’t dare think what would have happened without Lucian’s help. If he hadn’t found Trevor, and his grandmother found out he’d lost his pet… how severely would she have scolded him?

“Oh! And your Summoning Charm is so impressive!”

“My grandmother said using the Summoning Charm on your own things is easy, but summoning unfamiliar items you haven’t seen is very difficult.”

Neville scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. “Grandma taught me the Summoning Charm, but I could never learn it. I had to trouble you, Lucian…”

Lucian waved his hand, stopping Neville from further thanks.

“Don’t worry about it. Just practice the charm more.”

Neville chattered on for a bit longer, and in the end, even bowed to Lucian.

After Neville left, Hermione, Ron, and Harry suddenly fixed their intense gazes on Lucian.

Hermione finally couldn’t hold back her questions:

“Lucian, how did you manage that Summoning Charm just now?”

“And also, did you learn spells like these by reading books yourself?”

Before Lucian could answer, Ron interrupted Hermione:

“Ahem, Granger, it’s very hard to learn spells just by reading books. And self-study wouldn’t reach the level of proficiency Lucian just showed.”

“I’m sure Lucian must have had excellent wizards in his family to teach him.”

Faced with Ron’s rude interruption, Hermione glared at him, her chin lifting slightly.

“Hmph! Who says it’s hard to learn spells from books?”

As she spoke, Hermione pulled out her wand, pointed it at Harry – who was just watching the scene unfold – and gave a light flick.

“Reparo!”

Harry was still bewildered when he saw Hermione cast a spell on him.

“I–” He instinctively tried to dodge, but then found the crack on his glasses had disappeared!

Surprised, Harry took off his glasses and carefully felt them over, confirming they were truly repaired.

Lucian, watching Hermione’s performance from the side, gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Truly the Miss Know-It-All. The academic prodigy persona is solid.

Hermione, coming from a purely Muggle family, had mastered spells through self-study. Her talent and effort were indeed commendable.

Reparo is really useful, huh? Something breaks, just wave your wand, and it’s instantly good as new.

Come to think of it, wizards probably fix all their household items this way. Passing down a cauldron through three generations, the pot outlasting the person.

If things don’t break, you don’t need to buy new ones, no transactions occur.

Ha, no wonder the wizarding world’s economic development is so slow…

——————
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Chapter Text

“It’s my wand’s fault! It’s not in good condition, that’s why the magic failed!”

“Oh really, Mr. Weasley? Then you should go to Ollivander and ask for a refund.”

Faced with Hermione’s sarcasm, Ron’s face and ears turned as red as his hair.

He had just tried to show off some magic himself, claiming he could turn his pet rat, Scabbers, yellow.

Of course, he had failed. The charm his brother Fred taught him was clearly just a prank.

Scabbers was a small, balding rat missing a toe.

He currently had his head buried in a snack wrapper, eating heartily.

He completely failed to notice that someone was observing him with great interest.

Lucian narrowed his jade-green eyes, looking down at the balding rat.

This rat’s true form was that of an Animagus, Peter Pettigrew.

He had been hiding with the Weasleys for over a decade, and had previously been the pet rat of Ron’s other brother, Percy.

Tsk tsk. Haven’t the Weasleys ever wondered how a rat could live this long?

Lucian’s thoughts drifted in another direction.

Animagus. The pinnacle of current Transfiguration.

A wizard can transform themselves into a specific animal while retaining their magical power.

I need to master this knowledge and successfully practice it within a year.

Having a test subject to observe should speed up the progress, right?

There were far too few Animagi nowadays, at least very few registered with the Ministry.

As for Peter Pettigrew and Harry’s father’s group, they were all unregistered, illegal Animagi.

Professor McGonagall was indeed a highly skilled Animagus. Lucian could seek her guidance for practice, but he couldn’t freely observe her to analyze this form of transfiguration.

But Peter Pettigrew, the pet rat Scabbers, was different!

He wasn’t just an illegal Animagus; he was the one who framed Sirius Black and betrayed Harry’s parents.

Even if he were used for some observational experiments, who would he dare ask for help? And who could he even turn to?

Thinking of this, Lucian unconsciously smiled.

He levitated a piece of pumpkin pasty and floated it over to Scabbers.

Scabbers looked at the pumpkin pasty in front of him, then looked up at Lucian.

For some reason, what should have been a kind-looking smile sent a sudden chill down Scabbers’ spine.

He inexplicably didn’t want to eat the food Lucian offered, but felt that a rat refusing food would seem strange.

Scabbers braced himself and began nibbling on the pumpkin pasty.

Harry, who was watching Hermione and Ron argue, suddenly noticed Lucian’s spellcasting and feeding behavior. A look of envy flashed in his eyes.

Although people called him the ‘Boy Who Lived,’ Harry had never been formally exposed to magic before.

He didn’t know a single, simplest spell!

Harry had grown up at Aunt Petunia’s house. Those relatives were Muggles, Muggles who despised wizards and feared magic. No one had ever taught him magic.

As for learning from books?

Harry felt dizzy just looking at those magic books. The books Hagrid bought for him at Flourish and Blotts were still brand new, stuffed in his trunk.

So Harry envied Lucian and the others.

He envied Hermione, who could learn magic by reading books. He envied Ron, born into a wizarding family, exposed to magic since childhood.

He envied Lucian even more, envying his ability to use magic so proficiently.

Harry didn’t understand magic, but he could tell from Neville and the others’ amazement at Lucian’s spellcasting skill just how high Lucian’s magical level was among his peers.

They were all about the same age, but Lucian could already use magic so effortlessly.

“Lucian?”

Harry pushed up his glasses and leaned towards Lucian, asking softly,

“It seems like you’re especially skilled at magic. Do you have wizards in your family who taught you?”

Lucian, who was thinking about how to borrow Scabbers from Ron later, answered casually:

“Oh, no. I come from a Muggle family. I learned all that magic from books.”

Lucian’s offhand reply stunned Harry.

It also made Hermione and Ron, who were still arguing, stop.

“You’re Muggle-born too!?” Hermione looked at Lucian in astonishment.

Lucian’s effortless spellcasting had led Hermione to believe he was from a pure-blood family, or at least a half-blood, with at least one magical relative who had taught him.

But Lucian said he was also from a Muggle family, and that he learned magic by reading books.

That meant Lucian’s situation was similar to hers. But if they both learned from magic books, why was there such a big difference?

When Hermione used the Repairing Charm on Harry’s glasses, she hadn’t been entirely confident. She was just provoked by Ron, and her innate pride made her try.

But beyond the shock, Hermione also felt an additional sense of closeness towards Lucian.

After all, among the four young wizards present, Ron was a pure-blood descendant of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, Harry’s parents were both wizards. Hermione had thought she was the only Muggle-born.

While reading about the wizarding world, she had learned about the discrimination some pure-blood wizards held against Muggle-borns.

But her strong-willed and proud nature wouldn’t allow her to feel inferior, so she had practiced spells from books for a long time, barely mastering the Repairing Charm.

Now, knowing Lucian was like her – Muggle family, self-taught from books – the young witch’s gaze towards Lucian grew brighter, the friendliness and closeness within it more apparent.

Ron was dumbfounded, staring at Lucian with disbelief.

“Self-taught? Magic?”

“That level of proficiency is self-taught?”

Ron, a Weasley, with both parents being pure-blood wizards and five older brothers, had essentially grown up in an environment saturated with magic.

So he understood even more clearly what level Lucian’s Summoning Charm represented.

Successfully using the Summoning Charm on a completely unfamiliar object, at a distance, out of sight.

If Lucian had been taught by magical elders, Ron could understand. But he said he learned it from a book?

Among Ron’s brothers were a dragon tamer, one who worked at Gringotts, a Hogwarts prefect… he had seen what ‘talent’ looked like.

But someone like Lucian…

Compared to Ron’s complicated expression, Harry was much simpler, just looking at Lucian with pure admiration.

After all, Harry didn’t understand wizards or magic well, but he just felt that Lucian mastering magic through self-study was incredible!

Harry even felt an impulse to ask Lucian to teach him magic.

But remembering they had only met a few hours ago, and that they would soon be formally learning magic at Hogwarts, Harry temporarily suppressed the thought.

Faced with the trio’s reactions, Lucian was actually quite satisfied.

Not only did he need to build good relationships with them, but he also needed to establish a reliable image in their eyes.

That way, when the trio later came across news about the Philosopher’s Stone and eventually decided to search for it, they would think of coming to him for help.

Making a plan to get close to the Philosopher’s Stone early was one thing; ensuring I could definitely find it in the end and use it for potion-making was also crucial.

Woooo——

A sharp, loud steam whistle sounded.

“Children, please change into your wizarding robes promptly.”

“You have arrived… at Hogwarts!”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

Getting off the train, Lucian saw an extremely tall, large man with a bushy beard and hair holding a lantern.

He was calling out in a booming voice:

“Firs’ years! This way, this way!”

“Come on now, don’ be shy.”

Seeing this person, Harry stepped forward proactively to greet him.

“Hi, Hagrid.”

Hagrid looked down and smiled at Harry.

“Hello, Harry.”

“Are these yer new friends?”

Hagrid scanned Lucian and the other two standing near Harry, his voice rumbling.

Harry nodded shyly and responded quietly:

“We met on the train just now.”

Hagrid smiled at the young wizards.

“Welcome to Hogwarts.”

“Righ’ then, everyone, follow me!”

Soon, Hagrid led the several dozen first-year students to a dark lake, the Black Lake.

Across the lake, Lucian could already see Hogwarts Castle.

A tall, majestic Gothic castle. As it was evening, lights twinkled like stars from various parts of the castle.

This ancient building, standing for over a thousand years, radiated the mystery and unknown of magic.

Lucian’s heart stirred with excitement.

Hogwarts, I’m here!

“Four to a boat, kids!”

After saying this, Hagrid found a small boat for himself and began leading the young wizards forward.

Lucian naturally led Harry and the other two onto a boat, slowly following behind Hagrid.

Even sitting down, Hagrid looked like a small mountain from behind; the waterline of his boat was deeper than that of the four young wizards combined.

The path they were taking was said to be the route the four founders of Hogwarts took when they arrived.

So every year, the new students had to travel this way, seen as a kind of ritual.

“Hey, which houses do you all want to be in?”

Ron leaned in and whispered to Lucian and the others.

Knowing the others might not know about Hogwarts’ house system, Ron took the initiative to explain.

“There are four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.”

“Every new student gets sorted into a different house. Each house has its own characteristics…”

After finishing, Ron shook his head and spread his hands.

“Don’t know which one you’ll end up in, but I’m basically a sure thing for Gryffindor.”

Weasleys with red hair always went to Gryffindor, no exceptions.

Harry didn’t express an opinion. After hearing Ron’s description, aside from some aversion to Slytherin, he felt the other three houses were fine, and he’d be okay with any of them.

Hermione, while trying to smooth down her bushy brown hair fluffed up by the cold wind, said:

“I think Gryffindor is the best. Dumbledore came from Gryffindor, you know!”

“Then probably Ravenclaw. It sounds like a place very suitable for studying.”

Hearing Hermione’s words, Ron curled his lip.

“My brother says Ravenclaw is full of a bunch of bookworms. Sounds boring.”

Hermione’s lips lifted in a slightly disdainful smile:

“Is that so? Perhaps someone doesn’t even possess the traits suitable for Ravenclaw?”

Ignoring Ron, who was rapidly turning red, Hermione turned to ask Lucian:

“Lucian, which house do you want to be in?”

“Not particularly set on any. You can learn magic anywhere anyway.”

…

Soon, the boats reached the shore. The group of young wizards followed Hagrid and gathered in front of a huge oak door.

With a creak, the door swung open.

A witch wearing emerald green robes stepped out. It was Professor McGonagall.

“Professor McGonagall, the firs’ years are all here,” Hagrid said, pointing behind him.

“Thank you, Hagrid. I’ll take them from here.”

“Children, follow me.”

Professor McGonagall turned and stepped through the doorway first. The young wizards followed closely behind, filing in.

In stark contrast to the dark cold outside, the castle walls were lined with burning torches, and countless candles floated in mid-air, filling the space with brightness and warmth.

Looking up at the ceiling, they saw a illusory starry sky.

Faced with this dreamlike castle scene, many young wizards couldn’t help but gasp in awe, looking around with curiosity.

The Great Hall had several long tables arranged vertically, both sides already filled with older students.

At the far end was a raised platform with a single long table placed horizontally.

There sat the teachers, most of them looking at the new students with gentle eyes.

Stopping before the platform, Professor McGonagall looked at the young wizards, her expression serious.

“I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and Head of Gryffindor House.”

The young wizards fell silent.

“Welcome to Hogwarts. Before the start-of-term banquet, the Sorting Ceremony will take place. You will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be like your family. Outstanding conduct will earn points for your house, while any rule-breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup…”

Just as Professor McGonagall finished speaking, the hat beside her suddenly split open at the brim, and a raspy voice emerged.

“My turn, my turn!”

“You might think I’m not pretty, but don’t judge on what you see…

You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal…”

Listening to a seemingly old, patched, grey-brown hat singing at the top of its… seam, most young wizards looked at it in amazement.

They were all curious why a hat could talk and sing, but no one was really listening to the lyrics, as it was quite… mediocre.

After the Sorting Hat finished its performance, it closed its mouth contentedly.

McGonagall picked it up and pulled out a list of student names.

“When I call your name, you will come forward and sit on the stool.”

“Hannah Abbott!”

Lucian watched from below as this little girl, nicknamed the ‘Iron Crown Princess’ by fans, with her rosy cheeks and two blonde pigtails, was the first to step onto the platform.

On the internet in his hometown, Hannah is known as the ‘Iron Crown Princess.’

This is because, in Harry Potter fan fiction, during the sorting scene, the Sorting Hat always calls her name first.

This makes her name appear in almost all fan fiction works.

McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on Hannah’s head. The hat didn’t hesitate much.

“Hufflepuff!”

The Hufflepuff table of older students immediately burst into applause and cheers. The first student of the year was a Hufflepuff! A good omen. They’d have to eat a bit extra later to celebrate!

What? You’re asking what to do if the first student isn’t a Hufflepuff?

Then just eat a bit extra to comfort yourself!

“…”

“Hermione Granger.”

After taking a few deep breaths, Hermione walked onto the platform.

Once placed on Hermione’s head, the Sorting Hat clearly took longer to think this time.

But it was quiet for less than five minutes.

“Gryffindor!”

Hearing this result, Ron leaned over and muttered to Harry:

“And she mocked me for not having Ravenclaw traits. She didn’t get sorted there either.”

Actually, Ron’s parents and brothers had told him that the Sorting Hat only sorted based on a young wizard’s most obvious and genuine traits. If the Hat hesitated for a long time, it meant the young wizard possessed traits fitting for different houses.

So Ron knew Hermione probably did have Ravenclaw traits, but he just couldn’t resist the jab.

Harry didn’t respond to Ron because Lucian’s name was coming up soon, and he was also very curious about which house Lucian would end up in.

“Lucian Grafton.”

As Lucian walked onto the platform, Professor McGonagall showed a rare smile.

The Sorting Hat was placed on Lucian’s head. The mouth-like slit pursed tightly, and the two indentations that looked like eye sockets seemed to shift in size.

One minute passed.

Three minutes passed.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed…

As time went on, Professor McGonagall’s expression, standing nearby, gradually became peculiar.

When she was sorted, the Sorting Hat had deliberated for a full five minutes, which was considered very long, enough to be called a ‘Hatstall.’

But the time Lucian was taking… was a bit too long!

The professors at the staff table also looked surprised, glancing at each other. This was the longest Hatstall they had ever witnessed.

Dumbledore, sitting in the center, steepled his fingers, a glint of light flashing in his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles.

His interest and attention towards Lucian deepened considerably.

The young wizards who had never had to wait this long before grew restless and began whispering amongst themselves.

“Has that old hat broken?”

“Can it break? It’s a magical object, right?”

“Looks like it might be. Don’t you think that hat is ridiculously old?”

“…”

Harry, who had been staring intently at Lucian, felt his eyes getting dry. He adjusted his glasses and blinked.

Then, his beautiful, emerald-green, almond-shaped eyes widened suddenly.

“P-Professor!”

“The hat… it’s smoking!”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

“The hat is smoking!”

At Harry’s exclamation, the teachers and students in the Great Hall turned their gazes toward the Sorting Hat.

Tendrils of white smoke were indeed rising from the grey-brown hat.

“Oh, Merlin’s beard! Has the Sorting Hat finally broken?!”

“This isn’t fair! Why should future first-years get to avoid wearing this old, dirty hat!”

“…”

The older students were mostly gloating, occasionally letting out cries of “unfair!”

“Who is that junior? He actually made the Sorting Hat crash!”

“Hmm, he looks like a very handsome little junior. I wonder which house he’ll be in?”

The first-years who hadn’t been sorted yet were stunned. If the hat was really broken, which house were they supposed to be sorted into?

Suddenly, a stocky, short young wizard with a crew cut turned pale and muttered, trembling:

“Malfoy… if we can’t get sorted… we won’t be expelled, will we?”

The slender, pale-blond boy standing next to him glanced at him with his grey eyes, his tone mocking:

“Crabbe, how can you ask such a stupid question?”

“Have you forgotten who my father is?”

Draco Malfoy. His father, Lucius, was the current head of the Malfoy family and also a Hogwarts school governor.

The governor’s child unable to attend this school?

Malfoy looked at Lucian standing on the platform, his eyes filled with interest.

He had originally thought that only Harry Potter, the legendary boy, would be worthy of his notice this year, worthy of being friends with Draco Malfoy. He hadn’t expected another such remarkable figure to appear.

Lucian Grafton… Hmm, I should find an opportunity to get to know him.

But… Grafton?

Is there a pure-blood family by that name?…

Professor McGonagall had taught at Hogwarts for decades, but this was the first time she had seen the Sorting Hat behave so abnormally.

She looked back at Dumbledore, wanting to ask how to handle it.

But Dumbledore just stroked his beard, watching Lucian with a smile on his face.

He had lived for over a century, spent most of his life at this school, and had taught and seen countless students.

He had never encountered a young wizard who could stump the Sorting Hat for over ten minutes without a result.

And judging by the Sorting Hat’s performance, it was almost overloaded. This old relic was really working hard.

Initially, after McGonagall’s advance notice, Dumbledore had already gained some understanding of Lucian’s magical talent and was very interested in meeting this “genius.”

But before the two could even have a proper chat, a formal meeting, Dumbledore was witnessing Lucian’s uniqueness.

The Sorting Hat was a hat once used by Godric Gryffindor, infused with the thoughts and intellect of the four founders. It was an ancient and intelligent magical object.

It could directly glimpse a young wizard’s talents and qualities, pick out the most obvious and purest parts, discern which house’s characteristics suited them, and thus decide their placement.

But the length of time and the difficulty Lucian presented also surprised Dumbledore, and brought him joy.

Because it indicated the richness of Lucian’s qualities and the prominence of his talents. His traits were so numerous and so strong that the Sorting Hat couldn’t make a decision quickly.

Only wizards with distinct traits and exceptional talent could climb higher and go further.

Dumbledore considered whether he should ask the Sorting Hat after the ceremony ended: What exactly were the talents and qualities in this boy named Lucian that had caused it such difficulty?

Noticing McGonagall’s questioning look, Dumbledore simply shook his head at her, indicating there was no need to worry.

And the focus of all these gazes, Lucian, was in his mental world, comforting the Sorting Hat.

“Hat, stop struggling. It’s really not a lack of ability on your part. Maybe you’re just not having a good day?”

A slightly illusory version of the Sorting Hat floated around erratically in Lucian’s mental world.

“No!”

“I will never sort a young wizard into the wrong house!”

“Absolutely not!”

Lucian was somewhat speechless and desperately wanted to retort: Does the Sorting Hat really never make mistakes?

Like that Peter Pettigrew? A traitor, a coward, a filthy rat, actually sorted into Gryffindor?

Could it be that betraying a friend also requires great courage?

But Lucian held back, not wanting to stimulate the Hat further, afraid of completely frying its circuits.

“Although Muggle-born, your talent is truly the rarest I’ve seen in my hat-life. And ambition… ambition to master power.”

“Slytherin!”

“No, that’s not quite right. Your ambition is more accurately a thirst for knowledge, a pursuit of learning. In the magical world, knowledge is power.”

“Ravenclaw!”

“No, no, no. You certainly don’t lack the courage to explore the unknown, that quality of steadfast fearlessness.”

“Gryffindor!”

Lucian had stopped responding to the Sorting Hat’s ramblings because…

“There’s still a problem. Your diligent studying, your remarkable patience and hard work…”

“Hufflepuff!”

Right. The Sorting Hat was once again denied itself from just a second ago.

Lucian suspected that if the Sorting Hat could create a few clones, they would probably start fighting each other.

This won’t do. Feels like quite some time has passed. I haven’t finished today’s reading, and there are still a few spells left to practice.

Can’t keep wasting time with this hat.

“Ahem, let’s just go with Ravenclaw.”

After listening to the Sorting Hat’s ramblings for so long, and combined with his memories of the original story, Lucian had a pretty good understanding of the characteristics of all four houses.

Gryffindor was for the brave lions, but it was also a gathering place for hotheads. Who knew how much trouble would come his way there?

Slytherin was for the cold snakes. Although they were a bunch of shrewd individualists, there was no shortage of pure-blood brats who couldn’t stop talking about blood purity.

Lucian could always use his wand to teach them that blood status, in the face of real power, is just a gorgeous but useless accessory.

But similar to Gryffindor, Lucian wanted to avoid trouble as much as possible.

He needed time. Time to study, to delve into magic, especially Transfiguration, which he had to master completely within a year.

So that left two suitable choices.

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were both relatively low-key, leaving the stage to the lions and snakes.

Hufflepuff had the most students, the gentle, unassuming badgers. Most of the students there were kind-hearted, likely providing a stable, peaceful daily environment.

But Lucian leaned more towards Ravenclaw.

Those clever, wise eagles had long built a very competitive eagle’s nest!

And Lucian? He loved competition. Competing with others, and even more, competing with himself.

Pioneers ahead, peers beside, pursuers behind – they all formed a competitive landscape that Lucian found very pleasing.

The Sorting Hat fell silent.

The silence lasted for over ten seconds.

“What you say… makes sense!”

In reality, the Sorting Hat’s mouth-like slit opened and issued its loudest proclamation yet.

“RAVENCLAW!!!”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

“RAVENCLAW!!!”

This time it was the Eagle house’s turn to applaud and cheer. An unprecedented new student who had stumped the Sorting Hat for over ten minutes actually belonged to their house!

Even some students from other houses began to clap and celebrate, having witnessed a piece of history.

Many professors at the staff table turned their gazes towards Lucian, clearly showing interest in this young wizard.

Even Dumbledore, who had previously only clapped politely, now formally joined in the applause, a hint of pleasant surprise and relief visible behind his half-moon spectacles.

To be honest, after learning of Lucian’s astonishing magical talent, Dumbledore had been somewhat concerned he might be sorted into Slytherin.

The Snake house valued talent and ambition above all. It wasn’t that all Slytherins became bad people, but one couldn’t deny that many of those dark wizards and Death Eaters had graduated from Slytherin.

But now that Lucian was going to the Eagle house, it suggested he leaned more towards learning and valued the acquisition of knowledge.

Lucian returned the Sorting Hat to Professor McGonagall and walked towards the Ravenclaw table.

As he approached, the cheers from the little eagles grew even more pronounced.

Ravenclaw was a house with more girls than boys; the proportion of female students was the highest among the four houses.

Many of the senior Ravenclaw girls seated at the long table were already wearing brilliant smiles.

“I said this junior looked very handsome! Seeing him up close, he’s even more good-looking!”

“Haha, could you not smile so creepily? Aren’t you afraid you’ll scare him off?”

“…”

Faced with the enthusiastic welcome from his fellow Ravenclaws, Lucian offered a polite smile and gave them a slight nod.

His dark blond hair seemed to shimmer like molten gold under the lights.

His deep, pond-like jade-green eyes rippled with amusement.

The smile was clean yet dazzling, illuminating his handsome face without reservation.

Seeing Lucian’s smile, some girls froze for a moment, as if forgetting what expression to make, while others quickly looked down to adjust their collars or fiddle with their hair before looking up again to return Lucian’s smile with bright ones of their own.

A girl with golden hair and silver-wire spectacles perched on her nose elbowed the friend beside her.

“Hey, Sally, why don’t you scoot over a bit and make some room?”

Her friend shot her a glance.

“You’re graduating next year. What are you still trying to do?”

“…”

Lucian, walking past, pretended not to hear their conversation and slightly quickened his pace.

He found an empty spot and sat down directly.

To his left was a boy with short, straw-colored hair. To his right was a very pretty Asian girl.

The Asian girl, seeing Lucian sit down, simply gave him a light, slightly shy smile and didn’t initiate conversation.

The short-haired boy, however, was quite familiar, striking up a conversation with Lucian immediately:

“Hi, Lucian! Let me introduce myself. I’m Terry Boot, also a first-year.”

“Hello, Terry. Nice to meet you.”

Terry grinned widely.

“Haha, bro, your performance was absolutely incredible!”

“I just heard the older students talking. They said there’s never been a student in Hogwarts history who stumped the Sorting Hat for so long!”

Lucian chatted idly with Terry while also keeping an eye on the Sorting. Harry and Ron would be up soon.

“Maybe I just have a lot of traits, giving the Sorting Hat a bit of a choice paralysis.”

“Choice paralysis?” Terry scratched his head. He hadn’t heard of that condition before, but it sounded fitting.

“Eh, whatever the other traits are, Lucian, your most prominent one is definitely being clever!” Terry puffed out his chest, seemingly proud to have been sorted into Ravenclaw himself.

Over at the stool, the Sorting Hat was now placed on Harry’s head.

The hall fell quiet again, all eyes focusing on Harry.

Everyone, except Lucian, was curious about which house the Boy Who Lived would be sorted into.

After a moment of silence from the Hat…

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Hearing the result, the Gryffindor table erupted into loud cheers. The little lions were ecstatic.

The Weasley twins almost jumped onto the table, pumping their fists in the air:

“We’ve got Harry!”

“Harry Potter!”

Harry received a warm welcome from the Lion house and was promptly pulled onto a bench by several boys.

When it was Ron’s turn, the Sorting Hat had barely touched his fiery red hair before it called out:

“Oh, another Weasley. I know just where to put you!”

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Ron’s sorting felt almost like a formality.

As he walked towards the Gryffindor table, the Weasley twins, his own brothers, just gave him a perfunctory wave.

It was nothing like the enthusiasm they’d shown Harry. Ron’s mouth turned down at the corners as he slouched over to sit next to Harry.

After all the new students were sorted, Professor McGonagall lightly tapped her glass, the clear sound ringing through the Hall.

Once the Hall settled into silence, Dumbledore rose to his feet.

“Welcome,” he said, “to Hogwarts. Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.”

Hearing this, some of the first-years pulled long faces.

It was already very late, and after the dark, cold trip across the lake, the young wizards were starving.

Dumbledore’s voice boomed as he began his speech.

“Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!”

Then Dumbledore sat down directly. At the same time, the long tables were suddenly laden with piles and piles of food.

Many first-years were bewildered, both by the seemingly nonsensical words from the esteemed Headmaster and by the dazzling array of food that had appeared before them.

The older students, accustomed to this, were already selecting their favorite dishes and digging in.

Among all the first-years, the first to react were, unsurprisingly, the little badgers of Hufflepuff.

Almost as soon as the food appeared, their cheeks were stuffed.

Their pure gazes seemed to say: What are you standing around for? Start eating!

Terry had already stuffed his mouth with chicken pieces, mashed potatoes, and fried fish, mumbling indistinctly:

“Lucian, wha’ d’you think the Headmaster’s words meant?”

Lucian cut his steak methodically, his tone relaxed.

“Who knows? Anyway, it’s the shortest and most agreeable speech from a leader I’ve ever heard.”

In my previous life, I had to listen to who knows how many long-winded, tedious speeches from superiors.

Once, we students were standing on the sports field getting damp, while the principal stood under a canopy talking endlessly…

Terry, his mouth too full to speak, just nodded vigorously in agreement with Lucian’s sentiment.

Over at the Gryffindor table, Hermione was listlessly poking at her food with a fork.

She glanced at Ron, who was wielding two large chicken legs, and Harry, who was shoveling food into his mouth, and couldn’t help but sigh.

“Wha’s wrong? Why the sigh?” Ron asked, looking at Hermione puzzled before taking another bite of his chicken leg.

Seeing Ron’s state, Hermione simply raised a hand to cover her face and heaved another heavy sigh.

“Nothing. Just envious of your good appetites.”

“Oh.” Ron went back to battling his chicken leg.

Hermione occasionally glanced towards the Ravenclaw table, searching for Lucian’s figure.

She also noticed that many of the Ravenclaw girls were stealing glances at Lucian.

Oh no, some weren’t even pretending, just openly admiring Lucian’s good looks.

Sigh. Maybe Ravenclaw is actually better?

The learning atmosphere is better there, and the dormitories have a direct view of the stars…

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

The young wizards enjoyed the feast, chatting happily.

The professors also exchanged a few words over their meals, fostering camaraderie among colleagues.

With the exception, of course, of a certain greasy-haired man.

Snape ate very small mouthfuls of food, spending most of his time gazing towards the Gryffindor table, or more precisely, fixated on Harry.

“Minerva, congratulations, that boy ended up in your Gryffindor,” Professor Sprout said cheerfully to McGonagall.

McGonagall gently set down her knife and fork.

“That child, Harry, it seems the Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Slytherin instead.”

She shook her head and added, seemingly offhandedly,

“But I heard Harry muttering repeatedly, ‘Not Slytherin, not Slytherin…’”

Hearing McGonagall’s whisper, Snape’s face twitched violently. He slowly spoke, his tone slightly icy:

“He wouldn’t have been suitable for Slytherin either.”

Immediately, Snape’s stare at Harry intensified, but Harry never once looked towards the staff table, so Snape never got to see those emerald green eyes.

While Snape brooded beside them, McGonagall had already raised her glass to clink with Professor Flitwick.

“Filius, my congratulations to you too. Ravenclaw has gained an excellent student.”

Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw, Master of Charms.

“Oh, Minerva, are you referring to the child named Lucian?”

McGonagall nodded, taking a sip of red wine.

“Yes, I believe you will like this student.”

“His talent, well, is quite remarkable.”

Speaking of this, McGonagall herself felt a tinge of regret that Lucian hadn’t been sorted into Gryffindor. If he had, perhaps decades later, the wizarding world would have another great wizard who graduated from Gryffindor.

Hearing McGonagall’s assessment, Flitwick was very surprised.

He knew the character of his long-time colleague well. Minerva would praise a student’s diligence and commend their effort, but she rarely praised a student’s talent so directly and plainly. It meant Professor McGonagall not only approved of Lucian’s attitude towards learning but also greatly admired his magical talent.

This piqued Flitwick’s curiosity further.

“Thank you, Minerva. I shall pay more attention to that child.”

Professor Sprout, sitting nearby, suddenly turned her head and asked McGonagall,

“I just remembered, isn’t Lucian the student who bought that large pile of books at Flourish and Blotts the other day?”

“Yes, Pomona.”

“Hehe, loving books is wonderful. Truly worthy of a Ravenclaw student.”

“…”

Ravenclaw Table

Lucian had finished his meal and took a sip of juice.

He looked up just in time to see Hermione glancing his way. He raised his glass in a toast from a distance.

Caught by Lucian, Hermione hurriedly looked down, also raising her juice glass in response.

Then she held the cup to her mouth, hiding her flushed little face.

Though at that distance, Lucian probably couldn’t see it anyway.

The Asian girl to Lucian’s right was suddenly nudged by her roommate, who whispered in her ear,

“Hey, Cho, he’s finished eating. If you don’t talk to him now, I’ll go instead.”

The girl called Cho pushed her roommate away, her pretty face slightly red.

“I know, I know, stop rushing me!”

She shot her roommate a mock glare before turning to face Lucian.

“Hello, Lucian. Let me introduce myself. I’m Cho Chang. I started a year before you.”

As Cho introduced herself, a flicker of surprise passed through Lucian’s eyes.

So this was Cho? Quite different from her portrayal in the movies.

The Cho before him was a beautiful girl with classic Eastern features. A waterfall of black hair contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin. A few faint freckles dotted her nose, not detracting from her beauty but rather adding a touch of playful charm.

“Hello, Cho. Pleased to meet you.”

Lucian offered a perfectly polite smile.

Cho smiled faintly, revealing a glimpse of pearly white teeth.

“You’ve just started. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, you can ask me.”

“Mmm, thank you.”

Cho’s roommate suddenly draped herself over Cho’s back, resting her chin on Cho’s shoulder.

“Hey, hey, junior! Are you interested in Quidditch?”

“Let me tell you, Cho isn’t just a great beauty; she’s also our Seeker!”

“You should think about joining the team. We’re short on players, you know!”

A blush appeared on Cho’s cheeks.

“Marietta!”

“You can’t just recruit someone the moment you meet them! Why don’t you join yourself?”

Marietta, cheek pressed against Cho’s, said matter-of-factly,

“You know how I did in Flying class?”

“Besides, boys are usually better at sports, right, junior?”

As she spoke, Marietta winked at Lucian.

“Quidditch does sound interesting, though I’ve never had the chance to try it before.”

Lucian sidestepped Marietta’s question, but she clearly wasn’t ready to let it go.

“Having interest is the first step! Quidditch is great fun!”

“If you want to learn, you should ask Cho to teach you!”

Marietta even gave Cho a slight push, bringing her a little closer to Lucian.

Lucian, however, leaned back slightly, maintaining a polite distance.

“Hehe, perhaps if the opportunity arises.”

Suddenly, the leftovers on the tables vanished with a whoosh, and the tabletops became spotlessly clean.

Dumbledore’s resonant voice filled the Great Hall:

“Children, the feast is nearly concluded. Let me announce a few start-of-term notices.”

“First, the Forbidden Forest is strictly off-limits to all students.”

“Second…”

Now full and content, the young wizards listened patiently to Dumbledore’s speech, which consisted of the usual familiar rules.

“Now, as a final closing to the feast, let us sing the school song!” Dumbledore declared, using his wand as a conductor’s baton. Illusory, dancing musical notes floated in the air, weaving among the teachers and students.

After the chorus ended, Dumbledore even wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

“This sight always moves me deeply.”

Watching from below, Lucian gave a wry smile.

He’s been alive for a century, and his emotions are still this abundant?

Well, actually, it makes sense. A large part of magical effects in this world depend on the witch or wizard’s emotions.

Dumbledore himself proclaimed that love was the most powerful magic.

As the strongest wizard of the age, it seemed fitting that the old man was so emotionally expressive.

Dumbledore announced the end of the feast. The new students were to follow their respective Prefects to their common rooms.

The Ravenclaw Prefect, a tall boy named Robert Hilliard with blond curly hair and thick black-framed glasses – yet lacking a bookish demeanor, instead seeming cheerful – began introducing things to the first-years:

“Welcome, everyone, to Ravenclaw.”

“Our house emblem is an eagle, soaring high in the heavens.”

“This isn’t an exaggeration, but our house truly boasts the cleverest witches and wizards…”

Amid Robert’s incessant introduction, the new students arrived at the West Tower of Hogwarts.

Ascending the spiral staircase to the very top, they were met by a bronze eagle-shaped knocker.

“If five supremely intelligent wizards obtain 100 Galleons, they must propose a distribution plan in sequence. The first proposes a plan, then all five vote. The plan requires more than half the votes to pass; otherwise, the proposer is thrown into a dragon’s nest.”

“You are the first wizard. How should you distribute the Galleons to obtain the most for yourself?”

As if sensing their presence, a mysterious, hollow voice suddenly emanated from the knocker.

Robert stepped forward and patted the knocker.

“Everyone, behind this door is the Ravenclaw common room.”

“But to enter, you must answer the question it poses.”

“So, would anyone like to give it a try?”

A murmur ran through the group of young wizards.

“Is it always this troublesome to get into the Ravenclaw common room?”

“What if we can’t answer? Do we have to sleep outside?”

“No matter what plan the first person proposes, won’t the others just reject it, and then he gets fed to a dragon?”

“Merlin’s socks! Is it too late to change houses?”

“…”

One young wizard timidly suggested,

“What if I don’t take any Galleons and give them all to the others? Would that work?”

The hollow voice from the knocker responded:

“Incorrect.”

The young wizard looked embarrassed and stepped back.

Another young wizard with a crew cut stepped forward, a disdainful look on his face.

“Isn’t it simple? Just four Reducto Curses, and all the Galleons are mine!”

Silence. Absolute silence for a few seconds.

A voice came from the knocker again:

“Azkaban.”

Instantly, a clear space formed around the crew-cut boy.

Lucian also looked the crew-cut brother up and down.

This one’s clearly Gryffindor or Slytherin material. How did he end up here?

The Sorting Hat really is unreliable.

Robert shook his head with a laugh, smoothing things over.

“Haha, sometimes force is the most direct way to solve a problem.”

“In the wizarding world, knowledge and power are often equivalent.”

Robert also thought the riddle was a bit difficult for today, certainly not something most eleven-year-olds could solve easily.

So he turned, preparing to answer the knocker himself – he at least needed to get the first-years inside.

Just as Robert was about to speak, a boy’s voice sounded behind him.

“Give the fifth wizard 2 Galleons. Give the third wizard 1 Galleon.”

“The remaining 97 Galleons…”

“…all belong to me.”

Hearing this answer, Robert was astonished and turned to see which junior had spoken.

But the common room door was already swinging slowly open.

The hollow voice came from the knocker:

“May your wisdom shine like the stars!”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

Robert stood before the open door.

Peering through his black-framed glasses, he scanned the young wizards and asked calmly,

“May I ask which junior answered just now?”

“It… it was Lucian!”

Terry said excitedly, raising his hand as if he had been the one to answer correctly.

His shout instantly drew everyone’s attention to Lucian.

Being stared at by a group of people with curiosity and surprise didn’t make Lucian uncomfortable; he remained completely composed.

Robert adjusted his glasses and suddenly gave Lucian a thumbs-up.

“Impressive. Truly impressive.”

“That question just now… I reckon some third or fourth-years might not have been able to answer it. To think…”

“The Sorting Hat placing you in Ravenclaw was absolutely the right decision!”

“Just as I said earlier, the Eagle house has the cleverest wizards!”

As he spoke, Robert proudly raised his head, making his blond curls tremble.

“Alright, let’s enter the Ravenclaw common room. This will be your home for the next seven years.”

Following Robert inside, Lucian’s eyes were met with a scene of brightness and wonder. Light from the stars streamed in through the surrounding windows, a map of shifting constellations adorned the ceiling, and even the carpet seemed sprinkled with stars.

It was a large, circular room, hung with blue and bronze silks – Ravenclaw’s colours.

Some older students gathered in corners or on sofas, discussing coursework, some even practicing spells.

Lucian approached an arched window and discovered it overlooked the Black Lake, the Forbidden Forest, the greenhouses, and the Quidditch pitch.

Typical Eagle house, choosing the top of a tower for their common room.

The view was expansive, and it was very quiet – truly well-suited for studying.

Hmm, coming to Ravenclaw was definitely the right choice!

“Everyone, please look at this statue.”

Robert raised his arm, directing the young wizards’ attention to the white marble statue in the centre of the room.

It was of a beautiful woman who also looked somewhat severe.

Even though it was just a statue, Lucian found her eyes remarkably lifelike.

As if they were scrutinizing, yet also encouraging, the students before her.

“This is our house’s founder, Rowena Ravenclaw.”

While everyone was admiring the statue and listening to Robert’s introduction of her life, Terry sidled up to Lucian and whispered sneakily,

“Hey, hey, Lucian, how did you solve that riddle just now?”

Lucian turned his head slightly towards Terry and murmured a hint:

“The premise is that all five wizards are supremely intelligent. Also, you could try working backwards. Start reasoning from the position of the fifth wizard and move forward.”

Hearing Lucian’s hint, Terry lowered his head in thought.

Children sorted into Ravenclaw all loved learning and craved knowledge.

Terry was no exception; he wanted to try and crack the puzzle using Lucian’s clue.

“That concludes today’s introduction. Here are your room assignments, please take them.”

“If you have any questions, you can come find me directly in room 108.”

Robert waved his wand, and dozens of slips of paper flew out from his pocket, soaring towards the young wizards.

Watching Robert’s effortless non-verbal spellcasting, Lucian raised an eyebrow.

Those who become Ravenclaw Prefects definitely have some skill.

“Lucian, which dorm are you in?”

“I’m in 226.”

Terry even held his slip out for Lucian to see.

“Mmm, quite a coincidence. I’m in 226 as well.”

“That’s great! What a coincidence, hahaha!”

Lucian and Terry went up a flight of stairs to their dormitory.

They found their respective trunks already placed beside the beds.

Being located in a tower, the Ravenclaw common room was the smallest of the four houses, and also the only one using bunk beds.

The beds came with dark blue curtains. If you wanted your own private space, you just had to draw them.

Terry wandered around the dorm room curiously.

“Hey Lucian, our dorm is a double. It’s just a bit small.”

Lucian nodded.

Indeed, a double room, relatively small in size, but fewer people meant more quiet.

“Lucian, you choose first. Top bunk or bottom bunk?”

“Top bunk.”

“Done, no problem! I prefer the bottom bunk anyway; it’s more convenient.”

As he spoke, Terry threw himself onto the lower bunk, testing the mattress’s softness directly.

Terry, resting his head on his hands, looked up at the bed board above:

“Probably our house just has too many girls and too few boys, that’s why they put us in this smaller dorm.”

“Ugh, feels like having lots of girls is troublesome. I can’t really play with them at all. What am I gonna do for the next few years?”

Hearing Terry’s typical little-boy complaint, Lucian glanced at him.

Hehe, just wait a few years. You might be kissing the Sorting Hat out of gratitude for placing you in the house full of girls.

It would be quite amusing if a magical artifact recorded this statement and played it back for him later.

Unfortunately, it seemed Hogwarts was affected by ancient magic; Muggle electronic devices didn’t work here.

Lucian examined the bunk beds. They couldn’t compare to the large bed at home, but he was used to it.

After all, before transmigrating, he had also lived in six-person and eight-person dorms with bunk beds…

Well, this is the magical world. Just a bed, a minor issue.

Later, I can learn the Undetectable Extension Charm, start by simply expanding the space within the bed.

Maybe I can ask Professor Flitwick for guidance. He’s one of the foremost Charms masters in the world, and he’s my Head of House. He definitely wouldn’t refuse.

After unpacking their trunks and washing up, Terry had already changed into his pajamas and gotten into bed.

“Lucian, aren’t you going to sleep yet? I think we have classes tomorrow morning.”

Lucian sat by the window, reading a copy of Common Potions Encyclopedia by the light of the lamp and the stars.

“I’ll sleep after reading a bit more.”

Seeing Lucian’s studious demeanor, Terry sighed softly.

“You’re so diligent! To be honest, just thinking about learning magic tomorrow has me so excited I can’t sleep, let alone read a book!”

Lucian shook his head.

“It’s fine. Reading is a habit for me. It helps me relax.”

“Oh right, Lucian, that Galleon distribution problem… I still haven’t figured it out. Can you explain it to me?”

Lucian, still reading his book, began to explain:

“Start by considering the fifth wizard’s position. No matter what the fourth wizard proposes, the fifth will reject it, hoping to keep all the Galleons for himself. Therefore, from the fourth wizard’s perspective, considering the third…”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

“This is actually a problem of game theory. If you’re interested, you can read some related Muggle books on the subject.”

However, no response came from Terry, only the sound of soft breathing.

Terry had already fallen asleep. After a whole day of excitement and activity, a child his age could sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Or perhaps, was he lulled to sleep by knowledge?

Lucian closed his book and turned to look out the window. This room had a view of the Forbidden Forest.

The Forbidden Forest, right next to Hogwarts, was home to a vast number of magical creatures.

There were Thestrals, visible only to those who had witnessed death; enormous Acromantula; unicorns, Tom Riddle-brand blood tonics; centaurs skilled in divination…

Since I plan to specialize in Magical Creature Transfiguration in the future, observing these magical beings will be essential. The Forbidden Forest is a good place for that.

After all, that is Dumbledore’s carefully selected must-visit list for Hogwarts.

But I must ensure my own safety first. Charms are one aspect; relevant potions also need to be prepared. And travel between the castle and the forest…

He turned to glance at Terry in bed, confirming he was deep in sleep.

Lucian turned back and continued looking towards the Forbidden Forest.

“Giltlight.”

A faint golden figure materialized directly in front of Lucian.

The little Qilin hopped joyfully in the air; it had been quite pent up all day.

Lucian had kept it in the system’s pet space all day. Although the system claimed the space had mountains and water, Giltlight was the only living creature there, so it was bound to get bored and restless.

Gently stroking Giltlight’s head, Lucian pondered.

Qilins are naturally able to Apparate. They’re practically the perfect “transport” for quick getaways or moving around.

But I’m not entirely sure… Is Apparition restricted within Hogwarts Castle?

Thinking this, Lucian directly sent a thought to the little Qilin:

“Try and see if you can still Apparate.”

The innate talent for mental communication allowed Giltlight to instantly understand its master’s meaning.

In a flash, the little Qilin’s figure vanished from before Lucian’s eyes.

Before Lucian could even blink, it reappeared.

“Master, success!” A child-like voice sounded directly in Lucian’s mind.

Lucian smiled, a glint of delight in his eyes.

“Excellent!”

“By the way, where did you go just now?”

Another child-like voice echoed in Lucian’s mind:

“Home!”

Lucian nodded and rubbed the little Qilin’s head in praise.

Hmm, there are most likely restrictions within the castle. Otherwise, a school nurturing the seeds of Britain’s wizarding future would be vulnerable to anyone Apparating in or out at will.

Lucian believed the four founders of the school, legendary wizards of their era, couldn’t possibly have overlooked such a security concern.

It must be that the Qilin’s innate magic is fundamentally different from wizard magic.

After all, the magical world had countless magical creatures, each with their own racial talents that wizards still hadn’t fully deciphered.

Moreover, Giltlight wasn’t the local variety of Qilin; it belonged to the category of a true Divine Beast.

It makes sense that it wouldn’t be bound by Hogwarts’ restrictions and has its own mystical peculiarities.

Lucian recalled the little Qilin’s posture when it Apparated. It seemed completely unlike the toilet-flush-like disappearance of wizards using Apparition.

The little Qilin seemed to simply merge into space; the whole process was very natural and swift.

Indeed, it’s quite different. Wizard magic and magical creature magic.

He looked down at the little Qilin. Its large golden-red eyes were fixed on him. A short horn hadn’t yet grown on its forehead, only two slightly raised bumps.

Giltlight is still too young. Even as a Divine Beast, its self-preservation ability during its juvenile period…

I’m a bit worried about letting it roam the Forbidden Forest just like that.

Thinking this, Lucian directly communicated with the system using his mind:

“System, is there a way to strengthen the little Qilin’s abilities?”

[Yes, Host, yes! I have nine methods for this OvO]

“…”

Somehow, it feels like this system has become more lively since coming into contact with the magical world?

“Just tell me the most practical one.”

[Okay! The system recommends for you: Pet Growth Loan]

[This loan has two types: Rapid Growth to Adolescence Stage (Monthly Loan); Rapid Growth to Maturity Stage (Yearly Loan)]

[Note: Pets in the Adolescence Stage initially awaken all racial talents; the Maturity Stage signifies complete mastery of talents and the awakening of unique individual innate abilities.]

Lucian stroked his chin and glanced at the little Qilin.

“What level would Giltlight be at roughly in the Adolescence Stage? Does this forced rapid growth have any side effects for the pet? What are the tasks for the monthly and yearly loans?”

Facing Lucian’s triple question, the system quickly replied:

[A Qilin just entering the Adolescence Stage is equivalent to a skilled Auror among wizards, but far surpasses wizards of the same level in the realm of innate magical talents.]

[No side effects. It only requires the pet to sleep within the space for one week.]

[After all, it’s a product of our system~~(●’◡’●)]

[Monthly Loan: Observe and record the abilities, characteristics, and habits of 5 types of magical creatures. Time limit: 30 days.]

[Yearly Loan: Observe and record the abilities, characteristics, and habits of all magical creatures (including known and unknown species). Time limit: 365 days.]

Ignoring the system’s interspersed cuteness, Lucian frowned and asked:

“A Divine Beast just entering the Adolescence Stage is only equivalent to a skilled Auror?”

Even though the system mentioned surpassing ordinary wizards in innate magic, it still felt lower than Lucian’s initial expectations.

[The Adolescence Stage is the period of the most significant and rapid change in a Divine Beast’s power. The difference between the initial and final phases is enormous.]

[A Divine Beast approaching the Maturity Stage is infinitely close to the level of a legendary human wizard.]

Hearing the system’s explanation, Lucian’s frown gradually eased and he nodded.

That sounds more acceptable. An adolescent Qilin would have self-preservation capabilities. As long as it doesn’t stubbornly confront the most dangerous creatures in the forest, it should be able to protect itself.

Recording 5 types of magical creatures within a month is manageable. There’s no specific requirement on which species, so I can prioritize finding less dangerous, easier-to-approach ones in the Forbidden Forest.

As for the yearly loan that could push Giltlight directly into maturity, Lucian glanced at it and dismissed it.

The yearly loan required recording information on all magical creatures, which was completely impossible with his current strength.

Moreover, unlike perfectly mastering Transfiguration or brewing a potion with the Philosopher’s Stone, which he could potentially manage within Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest didn’t house all magical creatures.

Furthermore, it specifically included known and unknown species. To repay that loan, he’d have to travel the entire world.

Hah, ‘Become a Magical Creature Expert Upon Entering Hogwarts’?

It also requires Giltlight to sleep for a week first. Hmm, I can use that time to practice practical spells and prepare more potions as backups.

“System, I want to take out the Pet Growth Monthly Loan.”

[OK, hope the Host repays happily (•ᴗ•)ﾉ♡]

[Loan: Pet Rapid Growth (Monthly Loan)]

[Repayment Time Limit: 30 days]

[Loan Content: Allow pet to initially reach Adolescence Stage]

[Loan Task: Observe and record the abilities, characteristics, and habits of 5 types of magical creatures.]

[Evaluation: Go for it! This is your first step towards surpassing Newt Scamander!]

Seeing the system’s evaluation, Lucian smiled wryly.

He looked up at the starlight outside the window, feeling it was time to rest.

Lucian patted the little Qilin’s head.

“Good night.”

…

Late night, Hogwarts Headmaster’s Office.

Dumbledore walked up to the shelf where the Sorting Hat was placed.

“Old friend, care to have a chat? About that young man, Lucian?”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

“Old friend, care to have a chat? About that young man, Lucian?” Dumbledore asked the Sorting Hat with a chuckle.

The Sorting Hat shifted the hollows resembling eye sockets, glanced at the long-bearded old man, and its rip of a mouth twisted.

“No.”

This blunt, straightforward refusal caused Dumbledore’s smile to freeze instantly.

It took a moment before the old wizard shook his head awkwardly.

“Er, I just wanted to understand, what particular qualities about the child, Lucian, caused you such… deliberation?”

Faced with Dumbledore’s question, the Sorting Hat wiggled its tip.

“Boy, how many years have you been Headmaster of Hogwarts now?”

Seeing the Hat toss back an unrelated question, Dumbledore wasn’t angry, but instead seemed to ponder reminiscently.

“I took over as Headmaster in 1956… that makes it exactly 35 years this year.”

“Oh.”

The Sorting Hat just said “Oh” and fell silent. Dumbledore truly couldn’t understand why the Hat was in such a strange mood today.

Could it really have been affected by the issue of Lucian’s sorting?

“In these 35 years, why…”

“…have you never once cleaned me!?”

The Sorting Hat’s sudden “accusation” left Dumbledore somewhat stunned.

“Eh? Ah?”

Sensing the old man’s bewilderment, the Sorting Hat seemed to grow even angrier, its mouth chattering incessantly:

“Oh, Merlin’s hat! I can’t even remember the last time I was properly cleaned!”

“All of you Headmasters and Professors only remember me during the start-of-term feast each year! Use me and then toss me back on the shelf!”

“I can always read the young wizards’ thoughts about how dirty I am!”

“I am the cleverest hat in the world! How can I be treated like this!”

“…”

The more Dumbledore listened to the Hat’s complaints, the more puzzled he became.

Before, the Sorting Hat would usually remain silent in its corner of the shelf, only occasionally humming a few lines of the song for the upcoming ceremony.

Why, after this sorting ceremony, did the Hat’s consciousness seem so much more… active?

What was different this year?

Well, there was Lucian’s over-ten-minute-long sorting, which set a new record…

Dumbledore couldn’t help but tug his beard, his gaze towards the Sorting Hat growing increasingly peculiar.

It hasn’t actually broken, has it?

“Boy, what are you looking at!”

“If you want to ask me about Lucian…”

“Give me a full cleaning first!!!”

…

Over ten minutes later.

Dumbledore sat by the table, holding a small brush, meticulously cleaning the Sorting Hat.

“Mmm, yes, right there, a bit more pressure!”

“Dip it in warm water, that’s not how you scrub off stains.”

“And you’re over a hundred years old, can’t even clean a hat properly?”

The Sorting Hat enjoyed being personally tended to by the greatest wizard of the century, while simultaneously looking down on his technique.

And Dumbledore, surprisingly, didn’t seem annoyed, instead smiling warmly.

The Hat had insisted that magic couldn’t be used to perfunctorily do the job; it had to be done by hand with a brush.

But in Dumbledore’s view, it was a novel experience anyway, so trying it out was fine.

“Alright, old friend, can we talk about Lucian now?”

The Sorting Hat, squinting as it enjoyed the cleaning, replied nonchalantly:

“Fine. He was very suitable for Ravenclaw.”

“That much was evident. Anything else?”

“He was also suitable for Slytherin.”

Hearing this, Dumbledore couldn’t help but want to sigh.

Again? Exceptional talent paired with hidden ambition?

“Oh, and he was suitable for Hufflepuff too?”

“Mhmm. Mhmm?”

The sigh Dumbledore wanted to release, he held back.

“You’re certain?”

The Sorting Hat tilted its tip upwards.

“Of course. How could I sort wrongly? Also, he would have been fine in Gryffindor, actually.”

Dumbledore’s brushing hand paused. He once again suspected that this hat might truly be faulty from age and lack of maintenance.

“Why did you stop?”

“Alright, truth be told, it’s the first time I’ve encountered a young wizard like this, possessing so many qualities that align with all four houses.”

Dumbledore resumed his cleaning motions and asked further:

“Then why Ravenclaw in the end?”

The Sorting Hat shrugged its brim, its tone light:

“Because he felt…”

“Oh, no, I felt that the pursuit of wisdom, the thirst for knowledge, is Lucian’s essential nature.”

“It’s just that in the wizarding world, knowledge equates to power. And in his quest for knowledge, the diligence, effort, courage, and determination he displays are all very clear and impossible to ignore.”

Dumbledore nodded, the pressure from his hand increasing slightly, but he felt somewhat relieved inside.

“Thank you. It seems Lucian will be a good student.”

“By the way, did you happen to see in which areas Lucian might have particular talent?”

However, before the Sorting Hat could answer, a portrait in the Headmaster’s office interrupted:

“Listening to you two natter on for so long, you’ve disturbed my sleep!”

“Since he didn’t end up in Slytherin in the end, I think this Lucian you’re talking about can’t be that talented.”

The voice was sharp and arrogant, very unpleasant to hear.

The reputation of this headmaster while leading Hogwarts was not very good.

Dumbledore only remembered that at that time, a fifth-year transfer student at Hogwarts had killed a dragon.

Dumbledore massaged his forehead; he had little desire to engage with this former Headmaster who was an extreme advocate for pure-blood supremacy.

But it was fine, someone else responded for him.

Another portrait, depicting a stern, burly man, stirred and emitted a rough, loud voice:

“Phineas, I’d like to stuff that disgusting mouth of yours! ‘Your Slytherin’? Have some shame!”

“Hmph, Morgan, I can’t be bothered conversing with a brutish lion like you,” Phineas said, tweaking his small mustache disdainfully.

“When I was Headmaster, I disliked Ravenclaw students the most. Always chasing their own ‘knowledge,’ always thinking they were right about everything.”

“Phineas, do you need a reminder of the ‘weight’ of knowledge again?”

A portrait of a beautiful, elegant lady also came to life. She wore silver-framed glasses and had a scholarly, quiet demeanor.

But she was now holding a heavy-looking tome in her hands – the kind that would equate to a Stunning Spell if it hit the back of someone’s head.

Dumbledore listened to the portraits of past Headmasters bickering back and forth and helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose.

Phineas Black, holder of the title “Most Unpopular Headmaster in Hogwarts History.”

“Black boy, stop your noise.”

“Compared to Lucian, your talent is like a troll’s brain – you’d need a magnifying glass to spot it.”

The Sorting Hat’s sarcasm instantly halted the argument among the portraits.

“Pfft— BWAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“A troll’s brain! Is the Sorting Hat always this witty? I never noticed back in my day!”

“Phineas, say something now you’ve heard it!”

The Headmaster portraits laughed. Those from Gryffindor laughed the loudest.

Even the portraits from Slytherin were laughing. Truth be told, they also found Phineas rather outrageous. As Headmaster, he showed little concern for the students’ education, and no one really knew what he did care about.

His only achievement might be using his ‘personal charm’ to unite the students of the four houses.

Dumbledore merely refrained from laughing out loud, and his great white beard did an excellent job of hiding his upturned corners of the mouth.

The Sorting Hat noticed Dumbledore’s brushing hand had stopped again, and its rip of a mouth opened wide:

“And what are you laughing at? Lucian’s talent far surpasses yours as well!”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

When the Sorting Hat stated outright that Lucian’s talent even surpassed Dumbledore’s, the Headmaster portraits stopped their laughter, their expressions turning grave and serious.

Every wizard who became Headmaster of Hogwarts was an outstanding figure of their era, inevitably possessing brilliant achievements in certain fields.

Therefore, they understood even more clearly the immense strength of the current Headmaster, this seemingly easy-going, long-bearded old man, Albus Dumbledore.

But now the Sorting Hat openly admitted that Lucian’s talent was even greater!

What did that signify?

Even Phineas dropped his haughty demeanor, staring at the Sorting Hat without a word.

It was Dumbledore who broke the silence first, asking with a chuckle:

“In which areas of talent do you mean?”

“Want to know? Then you need to prepare a glass display case for me. Hmm, and put it in the most prominent spot in the room.”

Faced with the Hat’s demand, Dumbledore agreed without the slightest hesitation.

“No problem.”

The Sorting Hat shook its tip contentedly.

“Transfiguration. He’s much better than you in that.”

Dumbledore nodded, having expected this. He had already learned about it from McGonagall.

He wasn’t particularly surprised that Lucian’s talent in Transfiguration exceeded his own.

Seemingly pleased with having its demands met consecutively, the Sorting Hat was in a rather good mood and offered some extra answers:

“Mmm, at least in the field of Transfiguration, Lucian’s innate aptitude is the best I’ve ever seen. Bar none.”

Silence. The Headmaster’s office fell into absolute silence.

Dumbledore also sobered his expression, digesting the meaning behind the Hat’s evaluation.

Although no one was engaging with it, the Sorting Hat continued:

“You all know I’ve been around for over a thousand years. I’ve seen who knows how many wizards.”

“One like Lucian is a first for me as well.”

“Hey, Albus, remember to train him well. Make Hogwarts great again!”

“…”

“Why isn’t anyone speaking? You don’t think Lucian is only good at Transfiguration, do you?”

“His talent for Light Magic is about the same as yours, Albus. Well, perhaps yours is slightly stronger, but not by much.”

Having collected himself, Dumbledore asked, seemingly offhandedly:

“And Dark Magic?”

“Oh, significantly stronger than you.”

Dumbledore’s eyes instantly grew shadowed and unreadable.

The world revered him as the strongest wizard of the century, even bestowing upon him the more awe-inspiring title of “The White Lord.”

But Dumbledore also possessed remarkable talent in the field of Dark Magic.

Without a transcendent understanding of Dark Magic, how could he have defeated the first Dark Lord and intimidated the second?

“Dark Magic…”

“Ah…”

Dumbledore let out a long sigh.

For a moment there, a powerful sense of wariness had indeed arisen within him.

But perhaps it was precisely this kind of wariness that led to the world losing a student named Tom and gaining a Dark Wizard called Voldemort!

He could not let himself be wary of a child again simply because of talent in Dark Magic.

Moreover, Lucian had ultimately been sorted into Ravenclaw; ambition wasn’t the core driver of his nature.

Somewhat resolved, Dumbledore stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the sparse, fading starlight.

Genius needs guidance, not suppression.

“I should have a talk with Lucian.”

…………

The faint light of dawn filtered into the dormitory.

Lucian was already up. While washing up, he opened the system panel.

[Light Magic: S]

[Dark Magic: SS+]

[Defence Against the Dark Arts: S+]

[Transfiguration: SSS]

[Potions: A]

[Alchemy: A+]

[Magical Power: SS]

[Outstanding Loans: Loki’s Faceless (335 days), Qilin (335 days), Pet Growth (29 days)]

[Tasks: Perfectly Master Transfiguration; Brew a Potion using the Philosopher’s Stone; Record 5 Magical Creatures]

Brushing his teeth, Lucian contemplated his near-term goals.

Transfiguration study needs to be ongoing. The school curriculum pace definitely won’t be enough.

I’ll go to the library to find some advanced books first, and I can also ask Professor McGonagall for guidance.

The Sorcerer’s Stone is definitely out of reach short-term, but I can practice potion-making ahead of time.

Hmm, when I go into the Forbidden Forest to look for magical creatures, I’ll probably need some potions for assistance too.

Things like bait to attract specific creatures, Calming Draughts, potions to mask my scent…

When I go to the library today, besides books on Transfiguration and Potions, I’ll also look for any that record the terrain and species distribution within the Forbidden Forest.

Having sorted out his tasks, Lucian finished his washing up.

He noticed Terry was still sleeping soundly. Glancing at the time and seeing it was still early, he didn’t wake him immediately.

Gathering the textbooks needed for Charms class, Lucian prepared to go to the Great Hall for breakfast first.

He casually picked up the magical alarm clock provided by the school and placed it on Terry’s bedside table.

Taking another look at Terry’s very peaceful sleeping posture…

Lucian pulled out his wand, pointed it at the alarm clock, and cast a simple Sonorus Charm on it.

Done. That should definitely wake him up!

Leaving the dormitory, he had just entered the common room when a clear voice called out to him:

“Lucian? You’re up this early?”

Turning his head, he saw Cho, who was also an early riser.

She was holding a broomstick, and her previously loose black hair was tied into a high ponytail.

“Morning, Cho.”

“What’s this?” Lucian asked, gesturing towards the broom.

“This? I don’t have classes today. I’m going to the house team’s Quidditch practice.”

Cho waved the broom in her hand, causing her ponytail to sway along.

The girl who usually seemed quite studious now radiated athletic energy and youthful vitality.

“I was just heading to the Great Hall. Shall we go together?”

Lucian nodded, as it was on the way anyway.

Cho picked up her broom and quickly walked to Lucian’s side.

The two left the common room together, descending the stairs of the tower.

Glancing at the books Lucian was carrying, Cho asked:

“Lucian, do you have Charms class this morning?”

“Yes.”

“That’s great! Starting the term with our Head of House’s class. Professor Flitwick is incredibly knowledgeable and really nice!”

“…”

Chatting as they walked, they soon arrived before a staircase that shifted intermittently.

Cho kindly reminded him:

“Oh, right, Lucian, you probably saw this yesterday too.”

“Some staircases in the castle change position. It’s hard for first-years to figure out the pattern at first, but you can ask the portraits nearby; they’re always happy to give directions.”

As she spoke, Cho waved to a portrait beside the staircase, who responded enthusiastically.

Lucian looked at these moving staircases and the interactive portraits.

He couldn’t help but marvel at the wonder of Hogwarts Castle.

A magical ancient castle with a thousand years of history – just how many interesting secrets were hidden within?

The things on the surface were already enough for young wizards to explore for a long time, let alone the numerous secret chambers and passageways.

Probably not even successive Headmasters fully understood this castle.

“Thanks for the reminder, Cho.”

Hearing Lucian’s thanks, Cho felt a small flicker of happiness.

“You’re welcome. If there’s anything else you’re unsure about in the future, you can ask me too.”

Soon, the two reached the Great Hall. After breakfast, they went their separate ways.

Following directions from portraits and ghosts along the way, Lucian smoothly found the Charms classroom.

The classroom was empty at this hour. Lucian found a seat in the middle, near the aisle, and sat down.

He pulled out a copy of Common Charms Explained and began reading quietly.

He waited patiently for his first lesson at Hogwarts.

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

Inside the Charms classroom.

As the start of class approached, more and more students filed into the room.

However, Ravenclaw was, after all, the house most fond of learning. Most of the little eagles waited quietly, some previewing the textbook content in advance. Those who spoke did so in hushed tones, exchanging whispers.

This class was shared with Hufflepuff house. Seeing everyone else maintaining quiet, the little badgers didn’t make a racket either, sitting obediently in their seats with expressions of anticipation for the Charms lesson.

At Hogwarts, a single subject was usually taught to two houses together.

The four houses were randomly paired. Students only found out which house they were sharing each lesson with the day before or on the day itself, via their schedules.

According to the school’s official stance, this was to promote interaction between the four houses and encourage students to mingle more.

Lucian, however, couldn’t agree with this.

Each house had its own distinct characteristics, and some houses were just prone to clashing.

Yes, I’m talking about the Lion and Snake houses.

Their ‘interaction’ often involved verbal sparring, physical scuffles, with the most civilized form being drawing wands for a thoroughly satisfying duel!

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were much better; one loved knowledge, the other loved peace. The atmosphere was quite stable, and their relations with the other houses were generally amicable.

Huff—puff—

Accompanied by slightly hurried panting, Terry plopped down on the seat next to Lucian.

Lucian glanced at the clock; there were only ten minutes left until class started.

Before he could even ask, Terry proactively lowered his voice and started talking:

“Lucian, the staircases in this school are just too bizarre!”

“Some move at fixed time intervals, some require you to stand on them and jump three times before they’ll budge, some…”

“And another thing, aren’t the school’s alarm clocks way too loud?”

“When mine went off, I literally shot right up!”

Hearing Terry’s complaints, Lucian turned his head away.

“Perhaps the school is just worried about students being late for class.”

Terry scratched his head:

“Really? So the school actually cares that much?”

Ding-dong-ding-dong—

The class bell rang.

Professor Flitwick also arrived right on the dot.

The professor was quite short, needing to stand on a pile of books just to reach the top of the lectern.

He pulled out the roll and began calling names in his squeaky voice.

After the roll call, Flitwick began his introduction:

“Many of you may already know me. I am Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw house, and also your first-year Charms teacher.”

“Charms is one of the most fundamental branches of magic.”

“Our course will primarily teach common, practical spells.”

“Such as the Levitation Charm.”

Saying this, Flitwick flicked his wand, and the entire lectern rose into the air, holding so steady that the items on it didn’t even wobble.

“Or a simple Colour-Changing Charm.”

The lectern instantly transformed from its natural wood grain to a golden, gleaming colour, immediately capturing the young wizards’ attention.

“Alright, everyone, please have your wands ready. Today, we will be learning the Wand-Lighting Charm. It’s quite simple. The incantation is ‘Lumos’.”

Lucian softly recited the incantation:

“Lumos.”

A soft, steady ball of light appeared at the tip of his wand.

It was one of the simplest spells; Lucian had mastered it long ago, finding no difficulty whatsoever.

With a thought, Lucian slightly adjusted the flow of his magic.

The light ball shifted from white to blue. Then, it even detached from his wand tip and circled once around his head.

“Excellent work, Mr. Grafton!”

Noticing Lucian’s spell-casting, Professor Flitwick hurried over.

“That’s a variant application of the Wand-Lighting Charm! Three points to Ravenclaw!”

Seeing Lucian’s success, many of the young wizards redoubled their efforts.

Terry beside him kept swishing his wand, incessantly muttering the incantation.

Lucian saw the tip of his wand emit a bright white light, but it flashed and died each time.

The Wand-Lighting Charm was indeed simple and basic, but by controlling the magical output, it could serve other purposes.

For instance, instantly increasing the brightness to dazzle an opponent’s eyes.

If one could make the emitted light orb more durable and bright, and increase the number, it could interfere the opponent’s vision, allowing one to cast another spell—a viable tactic worth trying.

Lucian habitually let his thoughts diverge. In his view, simple, fundamental things often had more potential for development and extension.

Noticing that the light orb Terry produced was bright enough but still lacked stability, Lucian gently reminded him:

“Try imagining a candle flame. Keep the wand movement within about half a palm’s distance. The force should be like gently lifting an egg.”

“You don’t need to say the incantation too fast; just pronounce it at a normal speed.”

Following Lucian’s suggestions, Terry carefully tried again.

“I did it!”

Terry’s light orb no longer flickered. In fact, compared to other young wizards who had succeeded, his orb was brighter and more stable.

“Thanks, Lucian! Your instructions were spot on!”

Terry exclaimed excitedly, happily waving his wand around until he accidentally flashed the light towards Professor Flitwick, then sheepishly put his wand away.

Seeing Terry successfully perform the charm, the young wizards around them also tried the method Lucian had just described, one after another producing their own light orbs.

Suddenly, their corner became the brightest spot in the classroom.

Professor Flitwick, standing not far away, watched this scene with gratification.

His previous conversation with Professor McGonagall had already made Flitwick pay attention to Lucian, this particularly talented young wizard.

When Lucian used the variant lighting charm, it was still within Flitwick’s expectations.

But hearing Lucian’s specific and detailed guidance to his classmate, genuine surprise flashed in Flitwick’s eyes.

A good way to tell if someone has truly grasped knowledge is to see if they can explain it clearly to others.

And Lucian clearly managed it, and explained it very well indeed!

Flitwick had seen many students who could be called geniuses, but most of them shared a common flaw:

They could master a spell themselves very quickly, but were utterly unable to explain how they did it.

Perhaps for most wizards, being able to successfully cast the spell themselves was enough.

But Flitwick was a teacher, a master in the field of Charms. He firmly believed that every spell, simple or complex, had reproducible details in its execution.

Being able to break down a skill into its most basic components and impart them to students—that was the mark of a qualified teacher.

Lucian could not only master spells himself but also analyse them meticulously and patiently instruct his peers.

In Flitwick’s view, this was the sign of a truly gifted student.

He couldn’t help but muse:

“Perhaps Lucian would also be quite suited to being a teacher?”

In the end, the first Charms lesson concluded successfully.

Of course, Professor Flitwick didn’t forget to award Ravenclaw another two points, citing Lucian’s help towards his fellow students.

As the other young wizards streamed out of the classroom, Lucian approached the lectern:

“Professor Flitwick, I have some questions regarding charms. Might I be able to ask for your advice?”

Flitwick beamed.

“Oh, but of course! Do you have another class immediately?”

“No, Professor.”

Flitwick hopped down from his pile of books and beckoned to Lucian.

“Then let’s talk in my office.”

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

Professor Flitwick’s office was right next to the Charms classroom.

In fact, many classrooms and offices at Hogwarts were arranged this way, a convenience for the teachers, allowing them to reach their classrooms quickly without navigating the multitude of shifting staircases.

Lucian and Professor Flitwick walked just a few steps before arriving at the office, settling on opposite sides of the desk.

A teapot lifted itself automatically, pouring black tea into the cups before them.

Lucian picked up his cup, blew on the steam, and took a small sip.

Ah, authentic Fortnum & Mason black tea. The taste was truly authentic.

Professor Flitwick waved his hand, and a desk drawer opened by itself.

Petite, exquisitely made petit fours flew out of a tin, hopping and landing one by one on a cake stand.

Witnessing this display, Lucian recalled Cho’s assessment: Professor Flitwick was exceptionally kind.

According to that senior, if a young wizard came to see their Head of House feeling down, he would even make these little cakes dance a cowboy dance to cheer them up.

No wonder Professor Flitwick’s reputation among the students was so stellar.

A teacher who was knowledgeable, highly skilled in pedagogy, and genuinely cared for his students – who wouldn’t like him?

“Mr. Grafton, what was it you wished to ask?”

Lucian’s eyes held a look of earnest inquiry as he asked very seriously:

“Professor, please, just call me Lucian.”

“It’s regarding the Undetectable Extension Charm. I have some doubts I was hoping you could clarify.”

Lucian’s question made Flitwick’s eyebrows rise slightly; he hadn’t expected such an advanced spell to be the topic right away.

But Flitwick replied gently nonetheless:

“Are you interested in this spell and wish to attempt learning it?”

To his surprise, Lucian shook his head.

“Not exactly, Professor. I’ve already grasped the Undetectable Extension Charm preliminarily.”

“What I wanted to ask is, how does one attach other spells to an object already enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm? Spells like the Warming Charm, Fire-Repelling or Water-Repelling Charms, the Dust-Cleaning Charm – practical, everyday spells like that.”

“And how can one make an Extended container capable of holding living creatures?”

Not wanting to waste time and to convince Professor Flitwick that he truly had learned the charm,

Lucian, while explaining, reached for an empty teacup.

He drew his wand with a flick of his wrist.

“Spatium Extendere!”

Complex patterns instantly appeared on the inner wall of the teacup, extending and intertwining before rapidly fading away.

Lucian set the cup down and, using the Levitation Charm, guided the teapot to pour water into it.

Professor Flitwick stared unblinkingly at the teacup. The stream of tea continued to pour, yet not a single drop overflowed from the rim.

Only when the last drop fell from the spout, creating a ripple on the surface,

did Flitwick snap out of it, looking up at Lucian in astonishment.

The Undetectable Extension Charm was a spell typically encountered by senior students preparing for their N.E.W.T.s, and even then, many never truly mastered it.

But now, a first-year student, who had just attended his first day – no, his first lesson – had successfully cast it?

Who did he learn it from?

Admittedly, in Flitwick’s view, Lucian’s application of the Extension Charm wasn’t perfectly refined; there was room for improvement.

But he had actually done it! Right before him, the Charms Master, he had legitimately cast it successfully!

Seeing Professor Flitwick remain silent for a long moment, Lucian tentatively asked:

“Professor, is what I’m envisioning impossible? Or would doing so violate regulations?”

“If this makes you uncomfortable, we can skip this question.”

Lucian’s words snapped Flitwick back to reality. He picked up his cup of tea, attempting to calm the turmoil inside.

But the hand holding the cup trembled slightly.

“Oh no, your idea is entirely feasible.”

“Ah, regulations…”

“No, learning magic at school isn’t against the rules.”

Flitwick drained the tea in his cup, moistening his suddenly dry mouth and throat.

Thinking to pour another, he remembered the pot was completely empty.

He waved his hand somewhat awkwardly, and fresh tea leaves and hot water flew into the pot anew.

“Ahem, Lucian, your idea is excellent.”

“Your talent is also… very good.”

Flitwick wanted to praise Lucian further, but found the usual compliments felt insufficient, barely scratching the surface, and finally settled on a simple “good.”

“Let’s first discuss attaching other spells to an Extended object.”

Pulling out his wand, Flitwick cast the Undetectable Extension Charm on another empty cup.

“Unlike stacking other spells, because the Extension Charm involves spatial expansion…”

“While casting, you must adjust the precise points and layers where the additional charm takes effect…”

As Professor Flitwick provided careful guidance, Lucian listened and practiced along.

And the more Flitwick taught, the more astounded he became.

Lucian’s progress was astonishing. He seemed to have already mastered many common spells thoroughly.

As for spells he hadn’t learned before, Lucian often needed only to see them demonstrated once, sometimes without overly detailed explanation, and could successfully cast them after one or two attempts.

With each successful cast, his proficiency with these charms increased rapidly.

From Lucian’s perspective, his system interface was constantly updating:

[ Loan: Water-Fire Repelling Charm Proficiency (Daily Loan) ]

[ Task: Cast Water-Fire Repelling Charm five times. ]

[ Loan Completed. ]

[ Loan: Dust-Cleaning Charm Proficiency (Daily Loan) ]

[ Task: Cast Dust-Cleaning Charm five times. ]

[ Loan Completed. ]

[ … ]

[ Loan Completed. ]

Daily Loans had the lowest interest among the magical loans. The rewards were generally modest, just helping Lucian quickly gain a basic grasp of various spells, but the required tasks were also simple, usually just repetitive practice.

The key was that Lucian could actively customize the items for his Daily Loans, specifying exactly which spell or skill he wanted.

This was unlike Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly Loans, which, while trying to fit his needs, couldn’t always guarantee perfect specificity.

Having quickly completed the foundational preparations, Professor Flitwick began explaining the specific techniques and precautions for attaching charms.

At this stage, Lucian’s pace finally began to slow somewhat.

Midway, Lucian asked the system if there were any relevant Weekly or Monthly Loans available for this knowledge.

But a glance showed they were either too broad and general or only touched on the subject lightly.

Alright, the system isn’t omnipotent, Lucian conceded.

Relying on his own reading, practice, and knowledge acquisition was still something he couldn’t afford to neglect.

He reaffirmed his decision to go to the library today and borrow more advanced books.

As the teaching and learning continued between this teacher and student, Lucian eventually managed to attach a simple combination of charms.

On the demonstration teacup, enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm, he successfully added a Temperature-Control Charm, a Heating Charm, and the Water-Fire Repelling Charm.

What was once an ordinary teacup now automatically regulated the tea’s temperature, keeping it pleasantly warm, ideal for drinking, while also insulating the cup’s exterior so it wouldn’t feel hot to the touch.

For Lucian, in the era he came from, such functionality could easily be found in various tech products.

But the special effects of this teacup were all created by Lucian’s own hand.

It was akin to someone from that previous era, relying purely on themselves, starting completely from scratch, and manually crafting a piece of sophisticated technology.

This was an experience only magic could provide, a tangible manifestation of ‘knowledge is power.’

This small teacup was just the beginning.

In this magical world, I will learn more, master more, create more…

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

By the desk in Professor Flitwick’s office.

The air was filled with the warm aroma of black tea and the sweet scent of pastries.

Seeing that Lucian had successfully completed the charm attachments on the Extended object by himself, Professor Flitwick nodded with satisfaction.

“Very well done, Lucian.”

Lucian looked up from the teacup, his expression sincere.

“Professor, thank you for your patient guidance.”

Flitwick chuckled and gestured towards the cake stand.

“Have something to eat first. Take a break.”

Picking up a small pink cake, Lucian took a few polite, small bites.

“Lucian, regarding using an object enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm to contain living creatures, what conditions do you think need to be met?”

Hearing the professor’s question, Lucian, having just swallowed the last bite of cake, thought for a few seconds before replying:

“First, it must ensure a viable living environment – climate, food, water source…”

“Next, the stability of the space itself. There can’t be sudden spatial contractions or collapses…”

“But beyond that, I can’t think of anything else at the moment.”

Professor Flitwick nodded at Lucian’s answer.

“You’ve considered it quite thoroughly. Actually, there’s another issue. If you intend to contain different species…”

“…and their environmental needs vary greatly, you would need to create separate spaces. This involves deeper aspects of spatial folding.”

After Professor Flitwick’s guidance, Lucian fell into thought.

Indeed, compared to attaching charms to an Extended object, creating an item capable of safely containing living beings was a whole different level of difficulty.

The amount of knowledge and magical skill required was currently beyond his reach.

Professor Flitwick added apologetically:

“I’m sorry, but regarding Undetectable Extensions for containing living creatures, I can’t help you further.”

“This kind of technique leans more towards complex magical matrices.”

“In that area, only the Scamander family has delved deeply.”

The family name mentioned by Flitwick immediately made Lucian look up.

“Scamander? You mean the family of Newt Scamander, the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?”

“Yes, precisely the author of that world-famous book.”

Lucian instantly recalled the suitcase from the movies he’d seen in his previous life – Newt’s suitcase, which opened into layered miniature worlds containing vastly different environments housing numerous magical creatures.

It was a pocket universe!

“It’s a great shame. A few years earlier, one might have tried to contact Mr. Scamander, but he’s retired and reclusive now. Very few know where he lives or how to reach him.”

Flitwick spread his hands helplessly, expressing his regret.

“By the way, Lucian, what made you think of trying to use the Undetectable Extension Charm to contain living things?”

Faced with Professor Flitwick’s curiosity, Lucian scratched his head:

“Uh, well, actually, I just thought the bed in my dormitory was a bit small for sleeping, and I wanted to make it bigger.”

Hearing that Lucian just wanted to expand his bed, Flitwick was taken aback for a second, then burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha! You really are an interesting, and remarkably proactive, young wizard.”

Of course, Lucian had an additional thought he couldn’t confess to the professor.

That was to contain some magical creatures for easier observation, preparing for future research into Magical Creature Transfiguration.

Hmm, if I had a case like Newt’s, I could reduce my trips to the Forbidden Forest. It would be much more convenient.

Lucian chatted a while longer with Professor Flitwick about variant applications and advanced techniques for common charms.

He also mixed in questions about spells like the Disillusionment Charm and Tracking Charms – spells that might be useful later when searching for magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest.

As they talked, Lucian noticed the time was approaching noon.

He stood up to take his leave.

“Professor, I won’t disturb you further. Thank you for answering my questions.”

Flitwick waved his hand, looking very pleased.

“Don’t mention it. I’m always happy to see students who love learning.”

Flitwick suddenly recalled his conversation with McGonagall at the Start-of-Term Feast.

Yes, Ravenclaw has truly gained an excellent student!

“Oh, right, Lucian, wait a moment.”

Professor Flitwick gestured, and a piece of paper and a quill floated over from the desk.

The quill scurried across the paper, writing down several book titles, and finally signed Flitwick’s name at the bottom.

Flitwick handed the paper to Lucian, who accepted it with both hands.

“Those are a few advanced books on Charms theory. If you’re interested, you can take this to Madam Pince at the school library. She will help you find them.”

A clear look of delight appeared on Lucian’s face.

“Thank you, Professor.”

He had planned to go to the library tonight anyway; Professor Flitwick’s recommended reading list came at the perfect time.

Lucian left the office with the book list.

…

A few minutes later, Flitwick was still examining the Extended teacup. In his view, there was room for refinement, but for a first-year’s work, it was incredible enough.

Suddenly, a robust, sonorous voice sounded from the doorway.

“Filius, are you in? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Flitwick looked up to see the tall figure of Albus Dumbledore seating himself opposite.

“Oh, freshly brewed tea? And still hot.”

“Your treasure black tea, Filius, is the best in the school.”

Spotting the tea on the table, Dumbledore helped himself to a cup.

He opened the sugar bowl and dropped several sugar cubes into his teacup.

Flitwick’s eyelid twitched slightly.

Dumbledore took a sip, but found it not sweet enough.

Strange, that amount usually sufficed.

A quick glance revealed the peculiarity.

“Ho ho, Filius, what inspired you to cast an Undetectable Extension Charm on a teacup and add so many handy little domestic spells?”

“Though the effect is rather interesting.”

Dumbledore could also see that the combination of charms wasn’t perfectly refined, but he simply assumed it was a little whimsical experiment of Flitwick’s.

“Filius, I came to talk to you about that boy, Lucian Grafton. I assume he’s already had your class?”

Flitwick’s expression turned slightly peculiar as he nodded.

“That makes it easier. What is your view on Lucian’s talent?”

“Purely in terms of Charms, I mean.”

Hearing Dumbledore’s question, Flitwick’s expression grew even more peculiar.

If not for Dumbledore’s serious expression, he would have suspected his old friend was playing one of his jokes and had been eavesdropping outside the door for a while.

Pointing at the teacup in Dumbledore’s hand, Flitwick tried to keep his tone even:

“Ah, Lucian’s talent for Charms…”

“All the spells on that cup you’re holding were applied by him.”

“Mhm. Mhm?”

Seeing the clear surprise on Dumbledore’s face, Flitwick confirmed he hadn’t been eavesdropping earlier.

Flitwick proceeded to recount the entire exchange with Lucian, from his initial questions to the successful charm attachments.

As Flitwick spoke, Dumbledore grew more convinced of the accuracy of the Sorting Hat’s assessment of Lucian.

Once-in-a-millennium talent.

“It’s a pity. The child even wanted to try using an Undetectable Extension to contain living creatures, but I explained that Newt Scamander, who mastered that technique, is retired and in seclusion.”

Newt?

Hearing the name suddenly, Dumbledore felt compelled to mention – he was familiar with him!

Old friends!

It had been a long time since they’d been in touch. He could write a letter to catch up.

Hmm, and perhaps ask about this matter for Lucian while he’s at it.

“Ahem, Filius, thank you for sharing.”

“That was precisely what I wanted to discuss. Lucian’s talent is quite remarkable.”

“But he is, after all, from a Muggle family. His understanding of magic is still limited, and he might accidentally attempt some dangerous magic.”

“Such genius requires proper guidance all the more. You are the Head of Ravenclaw; I hope you will keep a closer eye on Lucian during daily life…”

Flitwick listened and nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Dumbledore’s point.

For students with high talent who advanced quickly, teachers needed to provide correct guidance to prevent them from going astray.

But Flitwick soon caught a particular word.

“Wait, Albus, did you say Lucian is from a Muggle family? No wizarding relatives?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then… where did he learn all the magic he’s already mastered?”

The two old men suddenly looked at each other, seeing identical bewilderment in each other’s eyes.

…

Meanwhile, Lucian was heading to the Great Hall for lunch.

He happened to pass by the Potions classroom.

The crisp bell signaling the end of class rang.

BANG!

The classroom door swung open violently, and a bat-like figure in dark robes swept out.

“Professor Snape, good day.”

Faced with the student’s polite greeting, Snape merely grunted in acknowledgment and strode quickly past Lucian.

Whoa, who’s upset him this time?

Oh, wait. Snape seems to be permanently angry.

Noticing the sour expression on Snape’s face beneath his greasy black hair, Lucian suddenly had a guess.

He glanced towards the open classroom door.

Sure enough, among the students filing out,he saw Harry’s frustrated and resentful face.

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

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Chapter Text

The Hogwarts Great Hall.

Students were scattered along the House tables, eating their lunch.

The air was filled with the smell of fried fish, chips, and steak.

Lucian cut into his fried fish, once again mentally disparaging the culinary wasteland that was Magical Britain.

He missed Chinese food. The taste of home.

At home, he could have the house-elves cook Chinese meals, but here at Hogwarts…

Hmm… House-elves should be able to learn Chinese cooking, right?

He’d find a chance to ask them. It would be a good way to improve everyone’s meals.

Crunch, crunch—

Lucian looked up at the source of the noise. Harry, sitting opposite him, still had a gloomy expression, vigorously cutting the steak on his plate as if it were his mortal enemy.

“Snape is just targeting me!” Harry said indignantly.

“I clearly said I didn’t know the answer! Hermione was right there with her hand up, but Snape just kept questioning me!”

“What did I ever do to him?”

Watching Harry bury his head in his meal, Lucian suddenly thought of something.

“Harry, when Snape was… lecturing you, were you also looking down?”

Hearing Lucian’s question, Harry looked up, chewed the beef in his mouth a few times, and swallowed hard.

“Yeah, Lucian, you didn’t see it!”

Harry suddenly put down his knife and fork, took off his glasses, and widened his emerald green, almond-shaped eyes, putting on a stern face in imitation:

“Oh, P-Potter, tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

“Not sure? Well, where would you look if I told you to find a bezoar?”

Pfft—

“Ahem, ahem, cough, cough…”

Ron, who was drinking his mushroom soup, nearly spat it out hearing Harry’s spot-on imitation of Snape. But remembering they were sitting with Lucian and Hermione, he quickly covered his mouth, choking and coughing.

Seeing Harry’s impression, Lucian’s lips also twitched, unable to suppress a smile.

This kid has a sense of humor.

Harry shrugged helplessly and put his glasses back on.

“Lucian, Snape was practically right in front of me by then! If I didn’t look down, his spit would’ve landed on my face!”

“And that’s not all! He ended up sitting right across from me, just staring straight at me.”

“I could almost smell his hair grease! I really wanted to give him a bottle of shampoo!”

Lucian looked at Harry with some surprise.

Didn’t expect this kid to have a sarcastic streak. Preferring to be beaten to death rather than lose in momentum or wit, is that it?

Ron, having finally recovered, glanced at Harry and muttered gloomily:

“Well, you could give him Potter-brand shampoo. You know, from your family’s line.”

“Then when Snape finishes you off, he might at least make it quick.”

Seeing these two were about to start a comedy routine, Lucian intervened promptly and asked Harry an unrelated question:

“Harry, you wear those glasses because you’re nearsighted, right?”

Harry nodded.

Lucian continued:

“Have you considered taking them off during class? Especially during Potions class?”

This confused not only Harry but also Hermione and Ron, who looked at Lucian, wondering what he was getting at.

“But without my glasses, I really can’t see the writing on the blackboard. Wouldn’t Snape target me even more then?”

Hearing Harry’s question, Lucian couldn’t help but complained internally.

Heh, it’s precisely because you keep wearing those glasses that look so much like your father’s that Snape targets you more.

Lucian snapped his fingers.

“That’s simple. There’s a potion called the Eye-Sight Potion. It can restore vision for two or three hours.”

“It’s part of the first-year Potions curriculum. It shouldn’t be too hard to brew.”

Faced with Lucian’s suggestion, Harry scratched his head:

“Sorry, I’m not very good at brewing potions.”

Lucian gave him a deep look.

“You’ve only just started learning Potions. Why dismiss yourself so easily? And…”

“There’s no need to dislike the knowledge just because you dislike the teacher.”

“Knowledge itself has no bias.”

Harry nodded, somewhat bewildered. He didn’t fully understand Lucian’s meaning, but it sounded reasonable.

“And, after you take off your glasses…”

“If Snape still singles you out for questions or scolds you…”

“Stare right back into his eyes!”

“Even if he makes you cry, you keep staring at him.”

Now Harry was even more confused. Hermione and Ron looked back and forth between the two.

Was Lucian holding some grudge against Harry? Why was he giving him such advice?

This time, it was Ron who voiced the confusion for his best friend:

“Uh, Lucian, will that really work? Won’t it…?”

Lucian waved his hand, speaking with conviction:

“When you haven’t mastered the knowledge the teacher is imparting, you should show even more determination to study hard.”

“And the eyes are the window to the soul. You need to use eye contact to communicate to Snape your resolve: ‘I might be slow now, but I will study seriously!’”

Do you think I would say, ‘Your eyes are very much like your mother’s?’

Lucian’s theory left the trio dumbfounded.

It felt a bit wrong, but they couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

Seeing they were almost finished eating, Lucian picked up his books and prepared to leave.

“You have Defense Against the Dark Arts first period this afternoon too?”

The three nodded repeatedly, expressions of anticipation and excitement on their faces.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was different from the more lifestyle-oriented charms taught in Charms class; this was a subject dedicated to combat magic.

Harry seemed the most excited, having been thoroughly suppressed in the morning’s Potions class. He was eager to get into real magic!

Seeing the longing on the trio’s faces for this class, Lucian showed a slightly pitying expression and shook his head.

“Let’s go. Time for class.”

…

Afternoon.

Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

After the class bell rang, the eagerly awaited Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Quirrell, with his long turban, arrived late.

However, as Quirrell entered the room, a pungent odor entered with him.

Some students couldn’t help but raise their hands to cover their noses.

Lucian simply tapped his wand, casting a Freshening Charm around his nose and mouth to filter out the overwhelming smell of garlic.

“G-g-good after-n-noon. I-I am P-P-Professor Q-Quirrell.”

“Y-your D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts t-teacher.”

Hearing Professor Quirrell’s stuttering self-introduction, the young wizards looked at each other. The classroom immediately filled with the noise of hushed whispers.

“Q-quiet, p-please. N-no t-talking.”

Ron couldn’t help but whisper to the others near him:

“Is this really the Defense professor? He stutters? Could he be a substitute?”

Hermione said hesitantly:

“Maybe… maybe this professor has excellent theoretical knowledge? And is very powerful?”

Even Hermione herself didn’t sound convinced.

“V-very w-well, l-let’s b-begin Ch-chapter One…”

And so, Lucian listened as Quirrell rambled from the significance of Defense Against the Dark Arts, to the forms of defensive magic, to its developmental status, and then extending to future prospects…

Lucian narrowed his eyes, almost hallucinating.

Isn’t this just like that balding professor from my university before I crossed over? The one with decent academic credentials but teaching skills that were absolute rubbish?

Where did I end up?

Is this still Hogwarts?

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.
I

hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253

Chapter Text

After a tedious and monotonous hour.

The bell signaling the end of class finally rang.

Not only did the students listen with relief, but even Quirrell let out a long sigh.

Gathering his things, Quirrell hurried out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

This eagerness to leave, not daring to stay a moment longer, seemed as if he had some master’s task to attend to.

Observing Quirrell’s behavior, Lucian felt utterly speechless.

Quirrell was laying the ‘terrified, incompetent’ act on far too thick.

Someone capable of becoming a Hogwarts professor couldn’t possibly be a complete fool!

Although he could learn some Defense Against the Dark Arts from books, having a teacher’s guidance would undoubtedly allow for faster progress.

Who doesn’t want to improve?

Who’s going to make up for this gap in teaching quality?

Lucian glanced down at the Defense textbook; it was mostly theory.

Real combat duels were decided in an instant.

The decisiveness and tactical skills required couldn’t be fully grasped just by studying books dead.

Thinking about a whole year of Quirrell’s slipshod teaching methods made Lucian complain internally.

If it weren’t for Dumbledore suspecting Quirrell might be up to something and being wary of Voldemort potentially returning to Hogwarts…

…and Dumbledore’s tendency to keep potential problems close where he could watch them, Quirrell would probably have been fired long ago for this performance.

Eh, wait.

Firing a professor?

Thinking of this, a plan suddenly formed in Lucian’s mind.

Since you’re my teacher now, shouldn’t you actually teach me something?

Let’s see if I can get something out of Quirrell.

Hmm, maybe I can even get something out of Tom while I’m at it!

…

After saying goodbye to Harry and the others, Lucian picked up his books and quickly left the classroom.

His classes for the day were over. Time to attend to serious business.

Off to the library!

Upon entering the library, the atmosphere immediately became quiet.

This wasn’t because all the young wizards were so well-behaved and consciously kept silent.

It was because of a thin, elderly woman holding a feather duster, constantly patrolling the library like a lion guarding its territory.

If a student made noise or damaged a book, she would brandish her duster and chase them out.

Lucian scanned the room and quickly spotted her.

“Madam Pince?”

Faced with Lucian’s quiet inquiry, the woman nodded.

Lucian then handed Professor Flitwick’s reading list to Pince.

After quickly scanning the list, Madam Pince frowned.

She looked Lucian up and down and suddenly asked:

“What year are you in?”

“First year.”

Lucian’s answer made Madam Pince’s frown deepen.

The main reason was the titles on the list: Achievements in Charming, Developing Non-Verbal Spells, Applied Combination Charms…

These were books typically borrowed by N.E.W.T.-level students, and even they usually only borrowed one or two at a time for study.

Looking at the list of over ten books, Madam Pince strongly suspected the first-year in front of her was playing some kind of prank.

But it had Professor Flitwick’s handwritten signature, accompanied by a magical seal that was difficult to forge.

Hesitating for a few seconds, Madam Pince said flatly:

“Wait here a moment.”

The woman turned and walked towards the shelves. Without the slightest pause, she moved between the rows of bookshelves, seemingly knowing the exact location of every book without having to think.

Observing Madam Pince searching for each book individually instead of using a Summoning Charm or similar magic, Lucian felt she must cherish the books greatly, choosing to handle them personally rather than summoning them roughly.

As for the possibility of Madam Pince being a Squib who couldn’t use magic, Lucian thought it unlikely after a moment’s consideration.

The Restricted Section held a vast number of precious books; they wouldn’t be entrusted to someone without magical ability to oversee, would they? That would just let students waltz in with magic for a self-service raid.

Madam Pince soon found all the books and handed them to Lucian:

“You must not damage these books! Violators will be punished!”

“The loan period is one month. Come see me to renew if needed.”

Lucian nodded his thanks.

He then found a few additional books on Transfiguration and Potions. After registering them with Madam Pince, Lucian prepared to leave the library.

Just outside the library, as he passed a corner.

Lucian’s view was blocked by the tall stack of books he was carrying, so he didn’t notice the person coming out.

“Oof!”

A startled exclamation sounded.

At the same time, Lucian was jostled off balance, and his books threatened to scatter everywhere.

“Wingardium Leviosa!”

Lucian reacted faster, drawing his wand and casting a swift Levitation Charm.

The falling books hovered steadily in the air and stacked themselves back up.

“Sorry, are you alright?”

Lucian reached out a hand to help the other person up.

“You’re… Lucian!”

Looking at the fair-haired girl sitting on the floor, rubbing her wrist, Lucian was sure he didn’t know her.

However, she had already taken his proffered hand and stood up gracefully.

“I’m Daphne Greengrass.”

“The eldest daughter of the Greengrass family.”

Hearing Daphne’s introduction, Lucian’s eyebrow rose slightly, but he responded politely:

“Hello, I’m Lucian Grafton.”

“Yes, I know your name. You stood out at the Start-of-Term Feast.”

“And weren’t we just in History of Magic together this afternoon?”

He glanced at the house emblem on Daphne’s robes – Slytherin.

Noticing she was still rubbing her wrist, seemingly having strained it during the fall,

Lucian felt partly responsible for the collision. He raised his wand.

“Episkey.”

A strand of white light wrapped around Daphne’s wrist, instantly making the pain disappear.

“A Healing Spell? Thank you!”

Daphne expressed her gratitude elegantly.

She felt her judgment was correct; someone who could use magic so easily right after the start of term was undoubtedly remarkable and worth getting to know.

“You’re welcome.”

Lucian merely gave a quiet acknowledgment and made to leave. He planned to grab a quick dinner from the Great Hall and head straight back to his dorm to start reading.

Finally having access to advanced magical knowledge, no longer limited to the common books easily bought outside, filled Lucian with eager anticipation.

Learning Non-Verbal spells, experimenting with potion brewing… tonight promised to be another fulfilling night!

“Lucian, would you care to join me for dinner?”

Seeing that Lucian was about to leave just like that, Daphne quickly extended an invitation.

As she spoke, a graceful, practiced smile graced her lips, and she tilted her chin up slightly, revealing a slender, pale neck.

As if receiving her invitation was an honor in itself.

Seeing the girl’s demeanor and posture, Lucian found it strangely familiar.

How did she make eating in the school cafeteria sound so formal?

Greengrass… ah, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, a pure-blood family.

No wonder it looks familiar. All the young noble ladies Aunt Penelope introduced at those social functions acted like this.

Hmm, pure-blood family eldest daughter, Slytherin… quite the combination.

Lucian suddenly had an intuition that this girl was probably trouble.

He had so many books to read, so much knowledge waiting for him. No time to spend on her.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m sorry, I have some matters to attend to today.”

With that, Lucian stepped around Daphne and walked away.

The latter’s smile froze, feeling like she hadn’t quite processed what happened.

Had she just been… rejected?

——————

Thanks for Reading

Dear readers,

Thank you for joining me on this literary journey. If you enjoy my novel and wantto keep reading, I invite you to support my work through Patreon. Your contributions will allow me to continue creating and sharing more exciting chapters.

I hope to count on your support and continue bringing you unforgettable stories!

https://www.patreon.com/c/Naughtypanda253