Outstanding in all seven subjects. Shawn carried his suitcase through the barrier, his mind already racing through the challenge ahead.
He had arrived early, and the first few carriages weren't full yet. The Hogwarts Express gleamed scarlet in the morning light, steam billowing from its engine in thick white clouds. The platform hummed with excitement—parents embracing their children, owls hooting from their cages, cats weaving between trunks and trolleys.
Shawn found an empty compartment in the second carriage, then tried to heft his suitcase onto the overhead rack. The case was impossibly heavy, packed with every book and supply he owned. After two attempts, it kept slipping from his grip and thudding back to the floor.
Shawn paused, glancing out the window to ensure no one was watching. Then his wand moved with practised precision.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
[You have practised the Levitation Charm once at Entry standard, Proficiency +3.]
As the spell took effect, the heavy suitcase floated upward with graceful ease. Shawn guided it onto the rack with satisfaction, then stowed his wand in his robes.
What he didn't notice was a bushy-haired young witch watching him curiously from the corridor, her own trunk half-lifted in her arms.
Shawn settled into his seat by the window and pulled out Hogwarts: A History—a tome half the size of a desk that made his arms ache just holding it. Flipping through the pages, he found what he was looking for: the seven core subjects at Hogwarts were Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Astronomy. They were also the required courses for all students.
So how could he achieve Outstanding in all seven?
Shawn found a reference standard—Hermione Granger from the famous trio. If he remembered correctly, she had achieved nine Outstanding grades and one Exceeds Expectations in her O.W.L.s. Hermione's performance had always been consistent, so by comparing himself to her achievements, he could judge the level he needed to reach.
Was it difficult? Of course it was. His magical talent was abysmal. Aside from History of Magic—a purely historical subject—every other course demanded natural magical aptitude.
But was it impossible? If he couldn't manage it even with his proficiency system, he might as well give up entirely.
"Just grind through it," Shawn muttered to himself while organising his luggage.
He put away A History of Magic and instead retrieved A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. The brown-red book had gold-trimmed patterns embossed on its cover. It detailed the principles and techniques of Transfiguration and served as the textbook for first and second-year students. The most classic demonstration was turning a match into a needle. If he could reach that level within a month, getting an Outstanding would be manageable.
The text read:
Do not swing or rotate your wand unnecessarily, or the transformation will certainly fail. Before using a Transfiguration spell, clearly visualise what you want the object to become in your mind. Beginners should clearly pronounce the incantation, while advanced wizards need not speak the spell aloud...
Shawn carefully absorbed every sentence in A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. He planned to memorise this two-hundred-page book completely before attempting any practical Transfiguration. His reasoning was simple: when Hermione first started learning magic, she had memorised all her textbooks and achieved excellent grades. The path to success lay before him—why not follow it?
Moreover, his talent was insufficient, so he needed to work twice as hard. There was another reason too: these books had cost him eleven Galleons, and the pain of that expense made Shawn determined to absorb every scrap of knowledge, much like someone determined to get their money's worth at a buffet.
Before he knew it, he had memorised all the books he'd purchased. He had completed over one hundred eighty pages of the current volume. Today he would finish memorising it, then begin practical Transfiguration exercises.
This dedication made Shawn—whose grades had been average in his previous life—reflect wryly on how poverty truly motivated excellence.
Steam hissed and swirled outside the window. Shawn immersed himself in his studies, so focused that he didn't notice when a young witch entered the compartment, followed shortly by a black-haired boy.
"Excuse me, is anyone else sitting here?"
A bushy-haired witch pushed open the compartment door, her chin raised with confident curiosity.
"No."
Shawn continued reading without looking up. His six months at the orphanage had taught him laser focus if nothing else. For children whose survival wasn't guaranteed, learning to concentrate completely was essential—distraction could mean the difference between life and death.
After this simple response, Shawn said nothing more. Even when the train lurched into motion with a great whistle and rumble, and the number of people in the compartment increased from two to three, Shawn showed no reaction. He simply turned another page.
Outside the window, the scenery transformed into something from a pastoral painting. Winding rivers meandered through valleys, wheat fields rolled in golden waves, and farmhouses dotted the landscape with their livestock grazing peacefully. Dark green hills rose and fell, obscuring and revealing the countryside in rhythmic patterns.
Hermione—for that was the bushy-haired witch's name—read her own book, occasionally glancing at the scenery and at the intensely focused boy across from her. His dark hair was slightly dishevelled and fluffy on both sides, and his long eyelashes fluttered as he read. His entire demeanour radiated calm concentration, and more importantly...
"He really looks like a cat," the black-haired boy beside Hermione whispered, scratching his head awkwardly. "I know wizards can't be cats, but he really does look like one, doesn't he?"
Unexpectedly, this observation quickly gained agreement.
Hermione nodded vigorously, her eyes lighting up with the excitement of being understood. "Justin, that description is so... apt!"
Justin's face brightened, and the two immediately began whispering together about the cat-like qualities of their silent compartment companion—the focused intensity, the stillness, and the occasional twitch when turning pages.
Shawn remained immersed in his book, completely unaware he had become the subject of their whispered conversation.
The train swayed rhythmically along the tracks. The windows framed an ever-changing landscape of beauty and fantasy—the mundane world giving way gradually to something that felt more magical with each passing mile.
In the compartment, aside from Hermione's and Justin's occasional whispers, only the soft rustling of turning pages broke the silence.
Shawn finally finished memorising the last passage. He exhaled slowly and looked up, rubbing his tired eyes. His vision swam slightly from the hours of concentration.
"I have everything I need now."
Shawn's eyes sparked with determination. He set down the book and retrieved a match from his robes. The shape, structure, and properties of the match filled his mind—wood grain, phosphorus tip, cylindrical form. He cross-referenced his memories of Transfiguration theory with his current understanding of magical principles.
"Trans—figura—tion!"
Riding this wave of confidence, Shawn spoke the incantation in one breath, his voice low and controlled.
The match trembled but didn't change.
Yet Shawn's lips curved upward in satisfaction.
[You have practiced Low-level Transfiguration once at Entry standard, Proficiency +3.]
"Did he just say something? What's he doing?" Justin asked Hermione in a low voice, practically radiating confusion.
"It looks like... Transfiguration. Oh no! The book says that's dangerous magic. If cast incorrectly, terrible consequences could occur!"
Hermione clutched her robes, her brows knitting together with concern. She leaned forward, preparing to interrupt Shawn's attempts.
[You have practiced Low-level Transfiguration once at Proficient standard, Proficiency +10.]
[You have practiced Low-level Transfiguration once at Proficient standard, Proficiency +10.]
Shawn kept practising, his movements becoming increasingly fluid and confident. This was a sensation he'd never experienced before. Magic seemed to be responding to him, becoming easier with each attempt. The resistance he'd always felt was melting away.
Could he actually have a talent for Transfiguration?
[You have practiced Low-level Transfiguration once at Proficient standard, Proficiency +10.]
[Elementary Transfiguration has been unlocked.]
[A new Transfiguration domain title has been unlocked; please check.]
[A wizard talent has been unlocked; please check.]
When the notification appeared, Shawn's eyes gleamed with triumph. Another piece of the scholarship puzzle had fallen into place.
Just then, a sharp voice cut through his concentration.
"You can't use dangerous Transfiguration here! You're not skilled enough yet!"
Hermione spoke loudly, her tone both angry and genuinely concerned for everyone's safety.
As soon as she finished speaking, the match trembled. Under the young witch's widening gaze, it slowly transformed into a needle—perfectly shaped, with a silvery tip that caught the light streaming through the window.
The air in the compartment seemed to freeze. Hermione's final syllables died in her throat, her mouth still half-open in shock.
"Blimey... I've seen this demonstration in books. Did he actually... succeed?" Justin murmured incredulously, leaning forward to examine the needle more closely.
Shawn looked up, blinking as he returned to awareness of his surroundings. He met Hermione's wide eyes—the tips of her ears now tinged with pink from embarrassment—and Justin's expression of amazed curiosity.
"I'm sorry, could you please repeat that? I didn't hear what you said."
Shawn had been so deeply focused that he genuinely hadn't registered a single word of their exchange. He simply looked at them with polite confusion, waiting for clarification.