I came back and first thing I saw was Hermione waiting by the door with Ron and Harry. All three of them didn't know what to do, when they saw me. After awkward pause, Hermione and Harry together thanked me. They themselves were surprised at such a coincidental synchronization.
"Don't mention it. As long as you safe. Also, does anyone want to eat? I am dying from hunger." I made overexaggerated emotion of hunger and sadness and that made atmosphere lighter.
After that we ate our dinner and had a good conversation while doing so.
Next few days were merry and fun, due to four of us staying together. I and Hermione constantly helped Ron and Harry with their studies. Harry also helped me train (a.k.a. grind) my 'Riding Expertise' by flying on his broomstick from time to time.
I myself did not need to actively study, because I memorized all required knowledge long ago, but studying together with friends was still fun, plus I can slowly improve studying skill. Not much but still better than nothing.
Also, they found out that Snape hurt his leg. He got bit by a guarding dog. This increased suspicion of Harry and the team. I did not try to dissuade them. It is useless for now.
Harry was worrying about upcoming Quidditch match and he was training for it with the team with doubled effort. Play was scheduled for Saturday. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. I wasn't worried about Gryffindor winning one bit, so I talked to Harry during breakfast.
"Do not worry. We trust your abilities, so all you need to do now is to trust them yourself."
"Thanks…"
"Are you sure you don't want to eat?"
"Yeah. I am not hungry."
"You need to eat. At least get yourself a toast." Hermione advised to which I smiled.
"In any case, Harry you have talent for that, so just let it play and Gryffindor will win."
"Why are so sure we will win?" Harry asked.
"Obvious. Because we have the best Seeker. Nothing more, nothing less" I said with absolute confidence.
"… Thank you"
I only smiled.
*During game*
Quidditch match was interesting and dangerous with all those balls flying around and Slytherin playing quite dirty. At some point in time, Harry's broom started doing some weird stuff and went out of control.
"Harry's broom. Something's definitely wrong there!" I said and I knew exactly what.
Hermione seized the binoculars and looked at the crowd.
"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.
"I knew it! Look at Snape."
Ron grabbed the binoculars and then gave them to me. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath. But I also looked around and noticed Quirrell hidden by some people looking at Harry with eyes fixed on him as well. But I couldn't see if he was muttering anything as well. He was sitting, so other people decreased his visibility.
"He's doing something—jinxing the broom." Said Hermione
"What should we do?"
Before Hermione could say a thing, I answered.
"We can either counter-jinx it or interrupt jinx. I will go and interrupt jinx, you sit tight and look at Quirrell. He is acting suspicious as well. He is not breaking eye contact and I think he is muttering a jinx, but I can't be sure."
"Quirrell??" Both Ron and Hermione were surprised.
I got up and went to where teachers were located. After reaching Snape and Quirrell, I went to second one to check him but it was hard to hear if he was jinxing the broom, so I knocked him a little and he broke the eye contact, but that was enough. Soon, counter-jinxing from Snape helped, because original jinxing was interrupted, and Potter got back on his broom. So, I quietly escaped, while nobody noticed me, yet.
The team and me met in the Hagrid's hut.
"Snape was trying to save me? No way!" Harry couldn't believe.
"Snape is a teacher. Of course, he would help you!" Hagrid said.
"There are 2 options here." I said and got the attention of people around me. "It was Quirrell who was jinxing and me interrupting him helped Snape to counter the jinx. Second is that somebody else was jinxing and Snape was able to counter it, without my help."
"Rubbish. Why would Quirrell do that? He is a nice person." Hagrid said
"I agree. Quirrell does not look bad." Ron agreed.
"Ron, looks can be deceiving. He was first to spot troll, if what you and Harry said is true. Don't you think it is a bit suspicious? And I am sure that Snape was counter-jinxing. No doubts here. I had read books about jinxes."
"But then what about him trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. He was trying to steal something." Harry chirped in.
Hagrid dropped the teapot.
"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.
Those two started arguing about Snape and Hagrid spilled the information about the Nicholas Flamel.
After we left the hut, Hermione was more or less convinced that Snape was innocent, but she still didn't think it was Quirrell. As for Harry and Ron, it was hard for them to believe that Snape tried to save Harry. I tried to diffuse tension and set things straight.
"Everyone, I honestly don't know what intentions are behind Snape or Quirrell. All I want is for you to keep your eyes open and look at the whole picture. I know for sure 2 things. Snape was counter-jinxing and Harry's broom got under control when Quirrell was knocked forward by me. It is not a definitive prove, so we need to dig in direction of that Flamel guy."
"Yeah. If we find out what dog guards, we will know why someone would want to steal it." Harry agreed with that.
"Agreed then. I will start looking for information in library. Come join me when you can. Also, Harry congratulations on winning the game! I knew you would bring victory to the team."
"Oh…" He got red in cheeks and smiled happily "Thank you."
*Close to Christmas*
People started leaving Hogwarts for vacation and I was considering if I should too. I honestly had nowhere to go and I did not know anything about apparition to travel in this world. In the end I decided to stay and did not regret it.
Our team continued research on Flamel guy, but unsuccessful. I knew who he was, but it was dangerous to reveal it now, because I wouldn't be able to explain, where I got information from. But soon Hermione left for vacation, so our research kind of stagnated.
I myself never stopped grinding, but I changed focus of grinding.
I started carving with "Severing Charm" and then using concentrated "Fire-Making Spell" I could make engravings on items I carved. At first it was very hard, but very rewarding. 'Magic Channeling' was growing with insane speed. Even chanting and gesturing were increasing in level, but much slower. It also gave me a new skill 'Crafting'.
Moreover, resources needed were all around me. I just exited school, severed as many tree trunks or parts as I need and put them to inventory. After some practice I started taking big stones and used them for such practice. Most of the carving I had to do outside the school to avoid damaging the school property.
After months of such grinding my concentration in channeling magic increased tremendously. I even learned how to use "Levitation Charm" without a wand, which helped me a lot. Thanks to that I was able to train double casting from hand and wand. While levitating something via hand, I would work on it with wand.
Difficulty has increased tremendously, but so did rewards. My skills were improving with doubled speed and so did my knowledge, thanks to grinding in library, trying to find the mention of Flamel in any of the books.
Also, I was playing chess with Ron from time to time and that gave me a new skill 'Playing Games'. I wanted to grind it as well but couldn't. Literally, had no time and resources. This wizard chess or what-not was breaking from game to game. I couldn't afford it. Decided to ignore it for now.
Christmas decoration started appearing around the school and halls were mostly empty.
I made some simple personal trinkets from wood for Harry and Ron with their names on them and placed it in their piles of gifts on Christmas. I also made trinket from stone for Hermione and sent it via owl to be delivered on Christmas.
Thanks to the breather from lessons, I got more free time and this vacation with its possibility to go home gave me a thought.
'What am I going to do after this year? How will I buy books and where do I get money? I need to make some!'
I needed work and I needed it fast. Thanks to Hermione I knew that I can exchange muggle currency for magic currency. So, I need some magic to get huge amount of money. Otherwise, there is no plausible way for me to make money in this age.
I can hunt down people with bounties using magic and that will make a good source of money, but that will also pin target on me. Plus, I will then need to practice much more wandless spells. This is to make some armor from underage ministry control.
After all, ministry can only see if spell was done, not by who. And even if I was there at that moment and if by that time, I would not be long gone they can't check because only wands can be checked for last cast spells. Not hands. Moreover, I am not protagonist, so nobody will try to set me up.
I can go to another country to do some jobs with magic, where tracking will be harder, but getting there is very hard. I don't have any documents, so I will need to somehow fool everyone in the airport, where there are cameras and many other devices and humans who will make this task harder than any "Mission Impossible".
Plus, I will need money for food, home and many other things. Damn, this is so hard. This will become a problem in the future to which I need to find solution now, because depending on the solution I will need to find and learn corresponding spells.
On the Christmas Day, thanks to Weasley brothers we had fun playing outdoor games and throwing snowballs. It was fun and increased skill 'Playing Games' by one which was a tipping point that allowed the level up. I decided not to rush with leveling and postponed it until the very evening.
*Evening, personal room*
I used my last free save slot to save.
'I really need to delete 3 or 4 saves, to have some free space. I don't want system overwriting something important. Save progress.'
〖Save ⟳〗
'Skills progress'
〖Skills〗