Seven Outstandings in one month?
Sean hauled his suitcase down the corridor, turning that impossible standard over in his mind.
He'd arrived early; most compartments were still empty. In the second carriage, he spotted one with no occupants. He tried to heave his suitcase up onto the rack once and twice but both times it slipped and thudded to the floor.
Sean paused, caught his breath, then flicked his wand.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
[You practice the Levitation Charm at Novice level. Proficiency +3]
With a crisp ding from the panel, the heavy case floated smoothly up onto the rack.
Now that's more like it.
Satisfied, Sean tucked away his wand and slid into the compartment, never noticing the small witch peeking in curiously from the corridor.
Outside the windows, steam from the scarlet engine curled through the bustling crowd. Cats of every color wove between trunks, while owls hooted irritably above the chatter of parents and children.
Sean cracked open Hogwarts: A History, a tome that took up half the tabletop.
Seven core subjects were listed in neat ink:
Transfiguration
Charms
Potions
Herbology
Defense Against the Dark Arts
History of Magic
Astronomy
All compulsory. All judged on a brutal grading curve.
So what exactly did it take to earn an "Outstanding"?
Sean's answer: one Hermione Granger.
If memory served, she had scored nine O's and one E on her O.W.L.s. With her as the benchmark, Sean could judge how high he needed to climb.
Was it difficult? Absolutely.
He had no gift for magic. Outside of history, every subject demanded talent.
But was it impossible?
If I can't make it even with the System on my side, I might as well bang my head on a block of tofu.
He clenched his fists. Just grind. Grind until it works.
Settling onto the velvet-cushioned seat, Sean set Hogwarts: A History aside and pulled out A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.
The brownish-red, gold-trimmed book laid out the foundations: how to channel intent, the laws governing form and function, the importance of wand precision.
The classic beginner's test? Turning a matchstick into a needle.
If he could do that within a month, "Outstanding" was within reach.
[When casting Transfiguration, firm and decisive wandwork is crucial. Do not make unnecessary movements or rotations, or the spell will fail. Visualize clearly what you wish the target to become. Beginners should enunciate clearly, though advanced wizards may cast silently…]
Sean read with meticulous focus. His plan was simple: memorize every word of this 200-page book before attempting a single spell.
Why? Because Hermione had done it. She had memorized all her textbooks before term even began, and her results spoke for themselves.
If copying her gave him even a fraction of her edge, so be it.
Besides, those books had cost him eleven Galleons, his entire fortune. He would squeeze every drop of value out of them. Like attacking a buffet with a vengeance.
Without realizing it, he'd already skimmed through all his purchases once. Now, he was ninety percent through this one too.
Funny. In my last life, I was just average. But poverty really does unlock hidden potential.
Steam blurred the view outside. Sean was so deep in study that he didn't even notice when a young witch slid the door open.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
A brown-haired girl with a bushy mane tilted her chin at him.
"No."
Sean didn't look up, didn't break stride in his reading. Half a year in the orphanage had drilled it into him: focus or get crushed.
If you didn't grow on your own, you were gone with the next gust of wind.
The girl sat. The train roared to life, wheels clattering. Another boy slipped in soon after, but Sean never stirred.
Through the window, the English countryside unfurled like a living painting—silver rivers twisting through fields, golden waves of wheat rippling under the wind, scattered farmhouses and grazing cattle swept away by green hills.
Hermione alternated between gazing out and sneaking glances at the boy across from her.
Fluffy, untamed hair rose on both sides of his head. Long lashes flicked as he read. He radiated an odd calm, almost feline.
"…He really looks like my cat," murmured the dark-haired boy beside her. "I know wizards can't actually be cats, but still—he does."
Hermione's eyes lit up, nodding rapidly. She locked eyes with him, thrilled at being understood.
"Justin, that's exactly right!"
The two began whispering animatedly.
Sean, oblivious, flipped another page.
The train rocked gently, the window a shifting canvas of color. In the compartment, only the hush of their voices and the rustle of turning pages broke the quiet.
Finally, Sean reached the last page. He closed the book, exhaled, and rubbed his tired eyes.
I've got everything I need now.
His wide eyes sparkled as he fished a matchstick from his robe.
He visualized its length, its grain, its texture. Cross-referencing what he remembered of Transfiguration theory with what he'd just memorized, he raised his wand.
"Trans—figura—tion!"
Confidence surged through his chest as he cast.
Nothing happened. The match sat stubbornly in his palm.
But Sean's grin only widened.
[You practice Beginner Transfiguration at Novice level. Proficiency +3]
"What did he just say? And what's he doing?" Justin whispered, baffled.
"It looked like—oh no! That's a Transfiguration spell! The book says it's dangerous! If he mispronounces a word, the consequences could be catastrophic!"
Hermione clutched her robe, panic rising. She was about to stop him when—
[You practice Beginner Transfiguration at Adept level. Proficiency +10][You practice Beginner Transfiguration at Adept level. Proficiency +10]
Sean repeated the attempt, smoother each time. The rhythm of magic came alive under his fingertips.
It felt… natural.
Wait—don't tell me I'm a Transfiguration prodigy?!
[You practice Beginner Transfiguration at Adept level. Proficiency +10][Beginner Transfiguration unlocked][New Transfiguration Title unlocked—check panel for details][New Talent unlocked—check panel for details]
Sean's eyes narrowed in triumph.
Scholarship fragment—secured.
"Stop! You can't just practice dangerous Transfiguration here! You're not in control of it!"
Hermione's voice cut through sharply, indignant and fearful.
But the words barely left her mouth before the match in Sean's palm trembled.
Before her widened eyes, it elongated, silver sheen gleaming, until a sharp steel needle gleamed under the compartment light.
The air froze. Hermione's rebuke died in her throat.
"By Merlin… I read about this in the book. He—he really did it?" Justin muttered, stunned.
Sean finally looked up, meeting Hermione's flushed face and Justin's gawking stare.
"Sorry," he said mildly, blinking. "Could you repeat that? I wasn't listening."
Because truly, he hadn't heard a word. He'd been far too focused.