Another week slipped by before Loren even noticed.
Life at Hogwarts suited him well. On the weekend he checked on his food reserves and sent a letter home, letting them know how he and Hermione were doing.
Classes across the school had changed in noticeable ways, especially for the upper years. The reason was simple: Loren's earlier chat with Professor McGonagall. He'd described China's exams and the relentless grind of practice tests. McGonagall had taken his words seriously, discussed with the other heads of house, and by the week's end, the new system was in place.
The fifth years were the first victims. Their O.W\.L.s loomed, covering twelve subjects: the seven core courses—Astronomy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, Transfiguration—and five electives—Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Muggle Studies.
Grades ranged from O to T. The top three were passes, the bottom three failures. With futures riding on these exams, life for the fifth years was already harsh. With Loren's "contribution," it became hell.
Endless written tests, relentless practical drills. Even when exhaustion crushed them, they forced down Invigoration Draughts and went on. The castle grew eerily empty of fifth years, as if they'd vanished.
Lower years fared only a little better. Every subject but History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts had adopted stricter methods: goals set each lesson, extra credit for exceeding them, reduced or canceled homework for meeting them, and punishment by extra assignments for falling short.
The result: Hogwarts was caught in a frenzy.
But Loren remained untouched. He had already mastered material from first through seventh year. He could have walked into the O.W\.L.s or even the N.E.W\.T.s and aced them without effort.
He stayed at Hogwarts for two reasons. First: the books and the professors. A single sentence from a true master could be worth more than shelves of theory. Second: this was the stage of Harry Potter's story. As a fan, Loren wanted to watch the "movie" play out in person—especially one where he was quietly rewriting the script.
His days followed a strict rhythm. Attend classes, guide classmates, rack up points for Gryffindor. In free hours, study with Hermione in the library, train, or work on alchemy. At night, bed.
This week, he even pulled off a personal stunt: brewing hotpot broth in Potions class. Snape had nearly exploded, but Loren quoted the professor's own last lecture back at him and presented his "potion" for inspection. After long scrutiny, Snape grudgingly admitted that the result matched his own level. He left Loren alone after that.
The Gryffindors only adored him more. The "Lion King" title stuck fast now: top student, helper of peers, point-winner in class, and the boy who had held his own against the Slytherin "Serpent King."
Hermione thrived as well. With Loren's guidance, she met or exceeded classroom targets and earned Gryffindor more points. She never turned away classmates seeking homework help, patiently coaching them through. She'd become the "Queen" alongside his "King."
Harry spent most of his free time with Ron and Neville. Really, Ron dragged him along. Ron had decided Neville was his rival. Anything Neville did, Ron tried to do better.
But Neville was no longer the fumbling boy others whispered about. Under Loren's help, his memory sharpened, his control of magic grew, his body strengthened. The change was obvious.
Ron's pride pushed him to improve too. He still lagged in some ways, but his progress was clear—Harry could see how his friend now spent far less time fooling around and more time on study.
Harry, caught between them, worked harder as well. Otherwise, he'd be left behind.
…
Two weeks of formal training left Loren's abilities significantly advanced.
**System Panel**
Name: Loren Angus
Class: Wizard Apprentice
**Skills:**
1. Mana Control (Advanced) – Wandless, wordless casting with no loss of power.
2. Mana Release (Advanced) – Reinforce body or catalyze potions directly.
3. Alchemy (Advanced) – "Find the key, open the door, glimpse the world of gods."
4. Charms (Advanced) – Perfect execution, beginning root-level study.
5. Mana Detection (Advanced) – Extend magic outward to probe, or condense into eyes for magical sight.
6. Mana Tempering (Intermediate) – Strengthen body and resistance through magical infusion.
7. Herbology (Intermediate) – Broad knowledge of documented magical plants.
8. Potions (Advanced) – Direct manipulation of reactions for flawless brews. Limited in new potion creation.
9. Transfiguration (Advanced) – Clear grasp of its essence, near-perfect execution.
**Talents:**
(strange knowledge, chaotic thinking, language mastery, world feedback, discipline, first-generation wizard's gift, reader, body modification, aura concealment…)
**System Evaluation:**
*Hard power: top ten in the wizarding world. Soft power: lagging behind.*
Loren was satisfied. His foundation was still shallow compared to veteran scholars, but his direction was clear. This year he would focus on Potions and Transfiguration, with Charms and Alchemy as secondary goals.
To perfect Potions, he needed not only flawless brewing but the creation of new ones—an endeavor of patience and accumulation. He had hints of a path. Either master every known method and innovate beyond them, or forge a new demand that drove invention. In the end, he envisioned Potions merging with Alchemy—especially if he could study the Philosopher's Stone and unlock material transformation. Then he could brew anything at will, free of ingredients, as long as he knew its makeup.
Transfiguration, too, would fold back into Charms. It had split off only because of its danger and complexity. His next challenge: gaseous transfiguration. Wizards dismissed it as impossible, believing "air" to be intangible. But Loren knew better—air was matter, a mixture of gases. With greater control and sensitivity, he could attempt what no wizard had done: conjure "something from nothing."
Charms, though… that was still a mountain. True mastery might approach prophecy, or even shaping reality by will alone. For now, he settled on learning more spells. Practical, reliable.
…
He had grown comfortable in this steady rhythm. But that weekend, something disrupted it.
When he and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room before curfew, they found the first-years buzzing. All eyes were on a notice.
Flying lessons would begin Thursday. Gryffindor and Slytherin together.
Loren froze. A new arc of the story was about to unfold.
With Neville's memory improved and his notes in order, the infamous Remembrall incident might not happen. If so, would Harry still make the Quidditch team? Would the midnight duel still occur?
It didn't matter much. What bothered Loren most was simpler: Thursday afternoons were his regular slot with McGonagall to discuss Transfiguration. Now, that routine was broken.
And broken routines always left him unsettled.
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