[Note: Read up to Chapter - 110 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Aris, do you understand the seriousness of what you've done?"
As expected, Aris found himself summoned once again to the headmaster's office.
This time, it felt like he was facing a full-blown inquisition—with Professor Flitwick, Madam Hooch, and Dumbledore himself all present.
"I don't really see the problem…" Aris muttered, eyes lowered, voice tinged with defiance.
"I was just proving a point, that's all."
He looked up slightly, gaze shifting toward Madam Hooch.
"This kind of flying—on a wooden board—is obviously cooler than a broom, yeah? Even the other students think so."
The implication in his tone was clear: this wasn't just his opinion.
Madam Hooch's face darkened.
If she weren't in the headmaster's office, she might've let loose a proper rant. She couldn't remember the last time a student this young was so much trouble—and so unapologetically cheeky about it.
Even now, under scrutiny, the boy had the nerve to stand by what he did!
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I'll shoulder some of the blame for this," Madam Hooch sighed, finally breaking the silence.
"I didn't expect this much audacity from a first-year. He's clever now—frighteningly so. I can't imagine what he'll be like in a few years…"
"There's nothing wrong with a difference in perspective," Dumbledore said gently, steepling his fingers.
"Contrasting views often lead to progress. But Aris… new ideas must come with proper safety precautions. What you did today was risky. I do hope you take that lesson to heart."
"Yes, Headmaster..." Aris mumbled, bowing his head.
Truthfully, he hadn't meant for Madam Hooch to be held responsible.
But some lines couldn't be crossed—not even for the sake of peace.
Compromise too often, and even the brightest spark could be dulled by the crowd.
That was Aris's belief.
And deep down, he also knew something else—Dumbledore wasn't exactly one for following the rules either.
They say talented folk tend to have a bit more character—and in Aris's case, it seemed to hold true.
With the way he carried himself, the old headmaster might very well start keeping a closer eye on him. After all, Harry and his two mates were no strangers to trouble either, yet Dumbledore had always gone out of his way to shield them, never once showing real displeasure.
That said a lot, didn't it? Deep down, Dumbledore clearly had a soft spot for students who didn't always toe the line.
Well… with the exception of Uncle Newt, of course.
Though if you really thought about it, even that peculiar man had his own brand of obsession and stubbornness. He might seem quiet and rule-abiding on the outside, but underneath it all, he was just as unorthodox.
"Professor, thankfully nothing irreversible happened," said Flitwick with a sigh, glancing at Aris with a touch of exasperation.
"So... I suppose we can put this whole thing to bed for now. But mark my words—don't go pulling another stunt like that again!"
"You understand, don't you, Aris?"
Aris looked up at his Head of House and gave a solemn nod.
It was best to leave well enough alone. If they'd offered him a way out, it would be daft not to take it.
"Yes, Professor. I know I was in the wrong," he said quickly, offering an honest reply.
"Good." Dumbledore leaned back, eyes twinkling again. "Professor Flitwick, I believe you've a test to prepare for Mr. Shafiq's learning progress?"
Then he turned to Aris, his tone light but pointed. "This test matters, Mr. Shafiq. Let's hope you do well."
"Understood, Headmaster," Aris nodded earnestly.
Madam Hooch simply shook her head and said no more, clearly deciding she'd had enough excitement for one morning.
Afterwards, they left the headmaster's office together.
In the corridor, once Madam Hooch had gone her separate way, Professor Flitwick led Aris toward the Charms classroom.
"The test will start shortly. Are you certain you're ready?"
"Of course, Professor. I'm always ready," Aris grinned, keeping pace beside him.
As the two made their way briskly down the hall, a group of students appeared up ahead.
Aris spotted Hermione and Harry among them—and judging by their anxious expressions, they'd likely been worried Dumbledore was going to give him a proper telling-off.
That's why the little wizards were all lingering about, eager to hear the latest gossip.
"Shouldn't you lot be in class right now?"
Professor Flitwick's voice carried a faint note of disapproval as he spotted Hermione and the others.
"Professor, we don't have any classes this afternoon," Hermione replied carefully.
Flitwick paused for a moment, then nodded in realisation.
Ah, right—several lessons had been postponed to make time for Aris's special assessment. Not just for the first-years, either—some senior students' lessons had been pushed back as well.
At Professor Snape's insistence, the test would be jointly supervised by him and Flitwick—likely because he didn't trust Aris not to cheat.
Truth be told, Snape had never been fond of this whole 'special tutoring' business. He reckoned it only added more work to the professors' already full plates.
Hogwarts may not have a huge student body, but with seven year groups and a packed curriculum, the teaching load was more than enough to keep everyone on their toes.
"Well, if you've got no classes, go on then—do as you please," Flitwick said briskly, preparing to leave with Aris.
"Professor, is Aris getting punished?" little Hermione asked, still fretting.
"Not at all," Flitwick said offhandedly. "And if all's in order, I'd like to get this test started."
Aris turned and gave Hermione a reassuring glance, then followed the professor down the corridor under the curious gazes of Harry and Ron.
"Test? What test?" Hermione asked, frowning. "He's a first-year just like us, isn't he? Why's he being tested already? It doesn't add up."
"Maybe the professors reckon he's smart enough to sit his Ordinary Wizarding Levels already?" Harry suggested with a shrug.
"Yeah," Ron added, "I'm sure they've got their reasons for it."
Hermione, however, wasn't convinced. Her brows furrowed.
"No... I've got to see what on earth they're up to."
Hermione's curiosity was well and truly piqued. The young witch had always had a bit of a thing for exams.
Truth be told, she liked them—probably more than any other student at Hogwarts. To her, they were the truest measure of how much you'd actually learned.
Before long, as the other students trickled off, word began to spread that Aris was about to sit some kind of mysterious test. Naturally, that set off a whole wave of speculation among the four Houses.
Many students had already noticed the sudden cancellation of several classes and suspected it might have something to do with Aris's exam.
And so, the ones who now found themselves at a loose end came flocking to the Charms corridor, eager to see what all the fuss was about.
Before long, a small crowd had gathered outside the Charms classroom. Students milled about in groups, whispering their theories.
"Maybe the professors are testing him to see if he's even fit to stay at Hogwarts. He's been causing quite a stir, hasn't he?"
"Rubbish! Hogwarts has never expelled a student like that, not in living memory."
"I reckon it was Shafiq's idea. Probably thinks he's clever enough to pass his OWLs already."
"Oh, don't be daft! No first-year could possibly pass OWLs—not unless they were Merlin reincarnated!"
"Well then, why else would they be testing him?"
As the chatter grew louder and theories got wilder, the crowd swelled even more. Several students even pressed up against the windows, craning their necks to peek inside the Charms classroom, hoping to catch a glimpse of something—anything—that would confirm what on earth was going on.
By now, the corridor outside Flitwick's classroom was packed, buzzing with anticipation.
In a quiet corner of the corridor, two figures observed the crowd gathered outside the Charms classroom, speaking in hushed tones.
"Albus, perhaps we ought to ask these students to clear off," said Professor McGonagall sternly, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the corridor full of eager onlookers. "This is meant to be a school, not a circus."
"Oh, let them be, Minerva," Dumbledore replied with a faint smile, casually smoothing out the creases in his robe.
"They can't be expected to stay cooped up in classrooms or common rooms all the time, can they?"
He nodded towards the lively crowd. "Besides, look how spirited they all are."
"You spoil them far too much, Albus," McGonagall said with a sigh, though there was the faintest hint of amusement in her voice.
"No sense arguing over it," Dumbledore said, waving the matter aside. His gaze shifted back towards the Charms classroom, eyes thoughtful. "What truly interests me is finding out exactly how far along young Mr. Shafiq has come."
McGonagall folded her arms. "I'd wager he's just finishing the first-year curriculum, if that. It's only been a month since he got his Hogwarts letter, after all. You don't really expect him to have mastered second-year material already, do you?"
"What about that silent spell? And the Transfiguration he pulled off on the pitch earlier?" Dumbledore arched a brow.
Clearly, he wasn't convinced by McGonagall's modest assessment. It seemed he suspected Aris still had more surprises up his sleeve.
"So, you think he's already at second-year level?" McGonagall frowned. "Perhaps he's just poured more energy into silent casting. With enough talent, it's not impossible for a student to manage that by second year."
Dumbledore gave another slow shake of his head.
"I still think you're underestimating him."
"You can't possibly believe he's operating at third-year level already," she said, a little incredulous.
"You know as well as I do—talent aside, proper understanding comes from time and study. There's no shortcut to genuine depth."
McGonagall looked both surprised and slightly sceptical.
She clearly didn't understand why Dumbledore held such high expectations for Aris.
"Well," the old headmaster said calmly, "once the boy finishes his test, perhaps we'll finally have our answer."
Just then, a sudden commotion broke out further down the corridor.
The crowd of students stirred excitedly, their voices rising as they pressed closer to the classroom.
"It's starting! The professor's giving Aris the test!"
Dumbledore's gaze swept over the group and quickly landed on a familiar face.
Spotting little Harry among the crowd, he smiled to himself and gave a soft chuckle.
"Ah, youth," he murmured, "always so eager, always full of curiosity… wouldn't you say, Minerva? Especially those plucky little Gryffindors."
Professor McGonagall followed his gaze, her expression tightening slightly as she, too, noticed Harry and his friends.
"Curiosity is well and good," she said with a sigh, "but too much of it tends to lead to trouble."
Dumbledore gave a faint nod, his eyes still twinkling.
"Perhaps. But from a different angle, isn't curiosity the very thing that drives them to learn and grow?"
Hearing this, Professor McGonagall fell silent.
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Inside the Charms Classroom
Aris stared down at the stack of papers in his hands—five in total, thick enough to pass for a small book when piled together.
He didn't begin immediately. Instead, he looked up at Professor Flitwick and asked,
"Excuse me, Professor, is there a time limit for this?"
"No," Flitwick replied with a shake of his head, "but don't waste time on questions you're unsure about."
"There's no strict passing mark for this test—just give it your best shot."
"Understood, Professor," Aris nodded politely.
From the side, Snape cast a cold glance at the boy and said,
"Frankly, I doubt you'll even get through a single paper. But for a first-year, that's hardly anything to be ashamed of."
"In truth, I still think this whole test is a farce."
Aris didn't respond to the jab. Instead, he offered Snape a calm, composed smile.
Oddly enough, that smile unsettled Snape more than any retort might have.
For some reason, it left him with a peculiar sense of frustration—like he'd lost without even realising how.
"Well then," said Aris, "I'll begin."
He dipped his quill, cast a casual glance over the first paper—basic first-year content, covering all subjects with fair breadth—and got to work.
It didn't take much effort.
To Aris, it felt like answering a primary school worksheet—light work.
Line after line flowed from his quill, smooth and steady, as the minutes ticked by.
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Ten minutes later, he set his quill down.
Professor Flitwick, eyebrows raised, stepped forward with a mix of surprise and curiosity to see for himself.
"So quick? You've already finished?"
Professor Flitwick peered down at the densely filled parchment, clearly taken aback.
Aris said nothing, simply picked up the second test paper.
As before, he gave it a cursory glance before diving in.
This one covered content from all second-year subjects—everything straight out of the standard textbooks.
Fifteen minutes later, he'd finished that one too.
"What? That's impossible..."
Even Snape's normally unreadable expression flickered with disbelief.
This was second-year material—most of it not yet taught to Aris's class. Yet the boy had answered every question confidently, without a single pause.
That could only mean one thing: he'd already studied and memorised it all.
Was his talent truly that staggering?
With both Flitwick and Snape now watching intently, Aris reached for the third test paper.
He still wore that calm, self-assured expression—but this time, he paused a bit longer to look through the questions.
Roughly two minutes passed.
Then, quill in hand, he began writing again.
The room grew noticeably quieter. Both professors now stood rooted in place, their faces tense.
They were no longer just surprised—now, they were taking him very seriously.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 110 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]