"Outstanding in all seven subjects?"
Sean pondered the problem while hauling his suitcase.
He'd arrived early; the first few carriages weren't full yet. In the second carriage he found an empty compartment, then tried to heave the case into the rack. Twice he lifted—and twice the case crashed back to the floor.
Sean paused, then flicked his wand:
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
[You practiced the Levitation Charm once at Novice standard. Proficiency +3]
With the incantation and the panel chime, the brick-heavy suitcase floated up at once.
This thing really was handy.
Satisfied, Sean pocketed his wand and guided the case into the compartment.
He didn't notice the little witch peeking in at him, curious.
Outside the window, the steam engine's smoke curled above the chattering crowd. Cats of every pattern wove between people's feet.
Over the hum of voices and the clatter of baggage, owls hooted and grumbled.
Sean opened Hogwarts: A History—a page as big as half the table—and read that Hogwarts' seven core subjects were:
Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Astronomy.
They were also compulsory…
So how do you reach "Outstanding"?
Sean found a benchmark: Hermione, the trio's resident top student. If he remembered right, she scored nine Os (Outstanding) and one E (Exceeds Expectations) on her O.W.L.s—Ordinary Wizarding Levels.
Hermione's marks were consistent, so by measuring himself against her, he could judge the level he needed to hit.
Hard?
Of course. His magical talent was abysmal; apart from History of Magic, every other class demanded real aptitude.
But impossible?
"Just grind it!"
While stowing his things, Sean thought for a few seconds.
"Let's start with Transfiguration, then…"
He sat on the velvet-padded seat, put away A History, and took out A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration—a brown-red, gold-edged volume detailing laws and techniques, the set text for first- and second-years.
The classic exercise: turn a match into a needle. If he could reach that within a month, he figured an Outstanding would be easy.
[In transfiguration, a firm, decisive wand movement is vital.
Do not flick or rotate the wand unnecessarily, or the transfiguration will fail.
Before casting, form a clear image in your mind of the target form.
Beginners should enunciate the incantation clearly; advanced wizards need not speak aloud…]
Sean read every line with care. He planned to memorize all 200-plus pages before attempting any spellwork.
Why? Simple. When Hermione started learning magic, she memorized all her books and then aced everything. Clearly, memorization worked.
When the road to success is right there, why not copy it?
Besides, with poor talent, he should be working twice as hard.
Another reason: those books had cost him eleven Galleons. Heart aching, he devoured knowledge with a vengeance—like trying to get your money's worth at a buffet.
Unknowingly, he'd skim-memorized all the books he'd bought. The one in his hands was past page 180; he'd finish it today, then begin practical transfiguration.
For a boy whose grades had been average in his last life, the thought made him sigh.
Poverty really does make you omnipotent.
Steam hazed the station. Sean was so deep in the text he didn't notice a little witch enter the compartment.
"Excuse me, is anyone else coming to this seat?"
A brown-haired girl with a halo of curls pushed the door and lifted her chin at him.
"No."
Sean kept reciting. If the orphanage had taught him anything over the last six months, it was focus. They were like blades of grass with no say over life or death; if they couldn't learn to grow on their own, a single gust would blow them away.
After that simple reply, he said nothing more. Even when the train rumbled into motion and the compartment went from two to three people, Sean didn't stir.
The scenery beyond the glass was like a painting: winding rivers, waves of wheat rolling one after another, the odd farmhouse and cattle and sheep—then all swallowed by dark-green hills.
Hermione read, sometimes glancing at the view, sometimes at the absorbed boy opposite. His hair puffed up on both sides, eyelashes long and fluttering, his whole presence quiet—and more importantly…
"He looks just like my cat. I mean, I know wizards can't be cats, but still—he really does…" murmured a black-haired boy, then scratched his head, embarrassed. To his surprise, the girl beside him instantly agreed.
Hermione nodded vigorously. She and the black-haired boy exchanged a look, thrilled to be understood.
"Justin, that's… spot on!"
Justin's eyes lit up, and the two began whispering away.
Sean, buried in his book, had no idea he'd become the topic of conversation.
The train swayed in rhythm. The window was a canvas bearing one graceful, magical scene after another. Aside from Hermione and the black-haired boy Justin's whispers, only the soft rustle of turning pages filled the compartment.
At last Sean finished the final paragraph. He let out a long breath and rubbed his stinging eyes.
"I've got everything I need!"
His eyes brightened. He set the book down, drew a match from his robe pocket, and filled his mind with its shape, structure, properties—cross-checking half-remembered transfiguration principles from his past life against what he'd learned now—
"Trans—figura—tion!"
Riding that wave of confidence, he whispered the spell in one go.
Unfortunately, the match didn't change much.
But Sean's mouth curved.
[You practiced Elementary Transfiguration once at Novice standard. Proficiency +3]
"Did he just say something? And what is he doing?"
Justin whispered to Hermione, a giant question mark practically stamped on his forehead.
"It looked like… Transfiguration—oh no! The book says it's dangerous; mispronounce it and awful things can happen!"
Hermione pinched her hem, brows knitting, about to speak up and stop him.
[You practiced Elementary Transfiguration once at Adept standard. Proficiency +10]
[You practiced Elementary Transfiguration once at Adept standard. Proficiency +10]
…
Sean kept at it, movements surer each time. It was a feeling he'd never had before—magic… felt easy.
Wait—am I a Transfiguration prodigy?!
[You practiced Elementary Transfiguration once at Adept standard. Proficiency +10]
[Elementary Transfiguration unlocked]
[A new title in the Transfiguration domain has been unlocked. Please check]
[A wizarding talent has been unlocked. Please check]
As the panel chimes sounded, Sean's eyes narrowed in satisfaction.
Scholarship fragment, +1!
Just then, a discordant voice cut in:
"You can't do dangerous Transfiguration in here! You can't control it!"
Hermione blurted, loud and stern, anger edging her tone.
She'd barely finished when the match shivered—then, to the little witch's wide-eyed stare, slowly lengthened into a needle, its silvery tip catching the light.
The air froze for a heartbeat. Hermione's closing syllable stuck in her throat.
"Merlin… I've read about this exercise in a book. Did he—did he just succeed?"
Justin's eyes were saucers, his voice barely a murmur.
Sean looked up, meeting Hermione's pink-tipped ears and Justin's close-in gaze.
"Sorry—could you say that again? I didn't catch it."