Flourish and Blotts was a bookshop in the North Side of Diagon Alley. Professor McGonagall had first introduced the orphan to this place. Thanks to his activities, the young thief didn't need to rely on the school fund to buy his supplies. Before coming to get Lockhart textbooks, Mikhael paid back Hogwarts tuition fees of his first and second year. One year tuition cost 43'301 pounds which were around 8'783 Galleons. With his current vault containing 18'129 Galleons, Mikhael's account reduced to 563 Galleons. The orphan cursed.
Robbing banks was what gave him the most but it was hard and needed special conditions to succeed. The ministry paid for the student education, however it wasn't a gift. The student would have to reimburse it when they would work, it was a hidden loan for years. If one couldn't, the rest of the family and future generations would be forced to pay instead.
Mikhael had to find another way to get his money. Thievery would become impossible in the long run. Or, maybe he thought in a too restricted view. His thievery had to evolve into something either legal or something not perceivable. 'Gringotts Wizarding Bank' reputed to have the best security system had been breached the previous year. The bank wasn't as imperious as it claimed. The third eye spell, if it was strong enough could help him to find the goblin bank vault hidden in the earth. The soon to be second-year kept the idea in mind.
The book signing event made a crowd in the bookstore. Too many people came for the signature. The lack of place discouraged Mikhael to shop. He would just get handover books of the celebrity. At the second-hand book shop, he found the book without problems. The cover and some pages were damaged but it was a good purchase. Here, no wizard of good standing came for shopping and the shop was almost empty.
Mikhael trunk was good enough for school supplies. Still, a bigger one would give him space to train his potion making in secret. He wouldn't have to hide in empty class, no time wasted for going to the room and making sure no one was following him. If the quality was good enough, he might even use it for his rituals. Still, doing it inside a distorted space wasn't the safest solution. In the end, Mikhael bought a new trunk with room size inside, for sleeping purpose and storing his starting library and properties.
Mikhael finished his shopping with new clothes. He grew up a lot and his old clothes didn't fit anymore. He could have used his magic to extend the fabric, but it wasn't a permanent solution. Green and silver robes for school, the rest of his clothing were half muggle pants and shirt. Still, he needed clothing for the wizard world.
Inside 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions' store, Mikhael recognized a blond house-mate.
" Good day sir, Malfoy. ", the orphan lowered his head by ten degrees. Traditional pure-blood greeted each other with this posture.
" Good day to you, mister Jones. ", Malfoy senior didn't show any respect. He didn't recognize the orphan muggle-born as someone to show proper pure-blood etiquette.
Mikhael noticed it right away. Wearing his expressionless face, he let his magic filled the whole shopping as the leader of light did during his appointment. Customers fell on their ground while the shop owner madam Malkin gasped in surprise. Malfoy felt a pressure on his whole body, forcing him to kneel. Draco and other weaker wizards in the shop had to use their arms to not collapse on the floor.
Since his magic maturation, the quantity of ambient magic Mikhael could influence increase to an height he didn't expect.
" I am happy to see you too, Draco. ", Mikhael released his pressure.
Only the Malfoy understood what happened in this shop. Draco's body trembled, the other Slytherin had grown by an enormous amount since the last school day. Fear and anger passed in Lucius's eyes as he and his son exited the shop. Maybe, he should change his plan and give the diary to another.
Mikhael paid for his new purchase, leaving a tip for the little incident. Madam Malkin thanks him and believed his lie about his appreciation for the shop goods. The young wizard laughed hard when he saw the redhead family fighting Malfoy's father. The poor Malfoy jumped from a problem to another one on the same day. Still, Mikhael cheered on the blond wizard.
The youngest male Weasley child saw him, mocking his father. Mikhael stood still. He waited for Ron furious greeting. As soon as the redhead passed aside his sister cauldron, Mikhael magic kicked in. His telekinesis tripped the Gryffindor without problems. The redhead got up, he tripped down again, the cauldron handle around his ankle. Onlooker whispered about his clumsy behavior. 'What a disgrace for the wizardkind', a mother hid her daughter's eyes from the sight of a tripping redhead.
Draco saw it and noticed his comrade small smirk. Feeling his chance up, the blond wizard didn't hesitate and insult Potter as well as the rest of Weasley's children. He stepped back when the group came to him, menacing. Thankfully, the same effect occurred. The sight was hilarious. The twin, the shameful Ron and Potter couldn't stand as they lost their balance each time.
The mother took her group away, in shame. Mikhael's expressionless face watched as the wizard world savior shot him a hateful glare. The orphan redid the scene in his head. He should have disillusioned himself and let Malfoy took the suspicious. It was too late to correct his acts. He was still young and made mistakes. Mikhael pondered a while before going in a dark alley and call Hogwarts house-elf.
School would start again. There he would find other occasions to test his magic. He hoped Defense Against the Dark Arts was going to be instructive this year. The professor was a celebrity who claimed a lot of achievements. Seeing a professional in action would be great. His black eyes noticed a bushy hair girl skimming the book shop. Granger was shopping alone. She and the other Gryffindors weren't so close, even after last year's trial.
Barpy, the kitchen elf apparated.
The Hogwarts Express departed in time. Unlike last time, the orphan knew the tricky entrance and didn't waste time searching for it. Mikhael chose an empty compartment. He wasn't feeling like spending hours with other Slytherin. His mind-scape was slowly entering in fruition. Hours of mediation bore fruit as he easily entered the right mind of state. He needed to upgrade his mind structures, finding a way to store and organize his memory and emotion as well as a defensive mechanism. Fire spheres float around him. This spell could serve as a canvas for his mind defensive schema.
His concentration was disturbed by the entrance of a first-year. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down. No witch was as eccentric as the newcomer.
" Hello, I'm Luna Lovegood. How come there is no Nargle infesting your head ? Strange, isn't it ? ", her unusual reaction to his presence and his floating fire sphere left him speechless. He had his composed face but couldn't answer as he didn't expect anyone to disturb his peace. What was Nargle, he wondered.
She didn't continue her greeting and failed to lift her truck. Mikhael helped her with his wandless telekinesis. Now that he was strong enough to protect himself, he could allow others to see his superiority. Eyes wide opened, she beamed at his act. She thanks him by offering a Quibbler's magazine. It featured Crumple-Horned Snorkack and had upside-down word game in the end.
Mikhael accepted the strange book after saying his name. In order to avoid the same incident, Mikhael cast a locking charm on the door which used his magical signature to open. He also added a layer of Disillusionment Charm on the compartment. He confused the train corridor for people to not notice the longer distance they had to walk past his compartment.
The orphan put away his book on duelist strategies on the table for the new magazine. While training was important, resting took the same standing. The Quibbler published odd articles, including conspiracy theories and discussions of creatures Mikhael never heard about. Crumple-Horned Snorkacks were a complete mystery for him. In order to train his charisma and his social skill, Mikhael engaged Luna in a conversation about those animals. He was quite surprised at her enthusiasm and obscure knowledge.
Magic never failed to astonish him.
The night sky shone with apathy. Mikhael bade farewell to Luna when the Hogwarts Express reached its destination. The second-year wondered if Luna would end up like Hermione and Neville, once she was sorted into her house. Would she became a stranger with him, she wasn't a snake after all. She was too kind for that. If he was the sorting hat, he would put her with Ravenclaw. She had such a passion for exploring and discovering new things.
Mikhael's magic was soothing. The same feeling, the student had when he held his wand. Looking at the beast pulling the carriage, he sensed the thestrals' magic pulsing in tandem with his own. The wandmaker told him, his wand core was from a specimen of those horse-like creatures, hidden to most student sight. Discretion of death, all around us, all the time, only noticed when it was too late.
Magic whispered fate red strings.
This year didn't feel good.
Mikhael had a bad omen.
Sitting among his house-mates, the orphan watched as his premonition came true. The blond first year sat with the Ravenclaws. However, she waved at him after sitting at her table. Feeling happy in the inside, he nodded back in response. The other noteworthy aspect during the ceremony was the lack of two Griffindores members as well as the new professor for defense against the dark arts pompous behavior. Maybe it was a ruse to hide his abilities, maybe it was a scam. Mikhael preferred to wait before making his judgment.
Toward the end of the sorting feast, his house head exiting the Great Hall in hurry. Unhappy, the black robe teacher came back with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Both boys were paler than normal. Mikhael observed the lion table, Hermione was furious but didn't speak with them. She believed they lost house points at the beginning of the year. His twin brother, Jacob was talking with the redhead who wolfed down most of the food around him.
Malfoy, on his right side, picked up the orphan attention with his story about making Hogwards great again. Owls chose this precise moment to deliver their Evening Prophet edition. Animated images showed the illegal flight of a Flying Ford Anglia, driven by Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley across Great Britain. This action violated the Statute of Secrecy, forcing full squads of Ministry Obliviators to intervene.
This incident was enough to expel them according to the blond Slytherin. Mikhael welcomed the Dungeon bedroom. He felt at home here, home sweet home.
The sun wasn't in the sky when students left their bedroom in the Dungeon. At morning breakfast, Mikhael didn't visit the kitchen. He had to make some small talk with his house-mate, maintaining his low popularity, not dropping it by being absent too much. The orphan would salute the working elves at lunch. Mikhael also wanted to see if the headmaster was going to expel his precious savior or show, once again favoritism.
The Slytherin wasn't upset with the spectacle. A first-year Giffindor, Colin Creevey started taking photos of Harry after Dumbledore announced the punishment for Ron and Harry. A simple detention for a week, it was just a tap on the wrist. Using feelings of remorse and accusing youth stupidity, the old wizard found them a way out of expulsion. Such an act, Dumbledore was a real manipulator, a master at deception. Mikhael had so much to learn from this man.
Mikhael's analysis was perturbed by Malfoy promoting Potter's signature photo event. The other castle celebrity didn't miss the chance and posed with Potter for another photo shooting. The orphan controlled himself to not set everyone on fire. In the forest, there was nobody to disturb his thoughts and concentration. It was difficult to relearn, how to be around a mass of student wizards. Creevey's camera let a smoke exiting its interior. Somehow it had burned inside. Draco declared that Potter's ugly scar destroyed the camera.
Mikhael noticed the owls entering the great hall. A red-letter came for the redhead.
" Ron ? Is that your owl ? ", his neighbor Dean Thomas pointed his finger at the bird coming. The Weasley owl, Errol was flying towards the Gryffindor table with a letter. The bird crashed into a bowl of crisps, knocking them all over the table. Mikhael along Slytherins laugh as Ron nervously picked up the letter and Errol flew off.
" That bloody bird's a menace. Oh, no, no, no ! It can't be... ", the redhead watched the red envelop.
" Look, everyone ! Weasley's got himself a Howler ! ", Ron house-mate wasn't reliable at all.
" Go on, Ron. I ignored one from my gran once... It was horrible ! ", Neville looked uneasy.
Ron nervously opened the Howler and Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed around the hall.
" RONALD WEASLEY !!!!! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR ?!?!? I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED !!!!! YOUR FATHER'S NOW FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT !!!!! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME !!!!! ", the Howler formed itself into a ranting mouth.
" Oh, and Ginny, dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud. ", the Howler turned to Ginny, who was eating her breakfast. Its voice changed to a now a quiet and loving one.
Ginny, sitting a bit apart from the others, looks up shyly, then returned to the small black book she was scribbling in while eating. The Howler turned back to Ron and blew a raspberry at him, then tore itself to pieces. The redhead Gryffindor's face was as red as his hair. Ron endured howls of laughter from the other house tables. Colin Creevey couldn't snap more photos with his broken camera. Harry looked sympathetically at Ron.
Gilderoy Lockhart paced before the class. Hermione and the girls hanged on his every word, while Mikhael eyed the large, covered cage-rattling on the teacher's desk. Professor Lockhart gave his second-year class a little quiz, filled with questions concerning his autobiography, 'Magical Me... Gilderoy Lockhart'.
" Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark ArtsTeacher. Me. Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award, but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her ! ", Lockhart awaited waves of laughter. A few students smiled weakly.
" I see you've all bought a complete set of my books. Well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about. Just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in... ", Lockhart began to circulate papers.
The questions started with :
'What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color ?'
'What is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date ?'
'When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday and what would his ideal gift be ?'
" You have thirty minutes. Start now ! ", hearing the professor assignment the students began writing all they could.
Mikhael had read the book before, but this quiz only focused on the teacher's personal details. As quills began to dart across pages, the orphan chose to only respond to the third question, 'Lockhart greatest gift would be to get the Order of Merlin, First Class'. Ten minutes passed before Lockhart rifled through the completed exams.
" Tut, tut. Hardly any of you remembered my favorite color is lilac. Close enough mister Jones knew I always wanted Order of Merlin, First Class, one point for your house. But Miss Hermione Granger knew that my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair care potions. Good girl, take ten points. ", the new teacher looked at Hermione beaming face.
Lockhart's expression darkened, " Now... be warned ! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind ! You may find yourself facing your own worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here... ", with a showman's flair, Lockhart turned slowly to the cage. " I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them. ", Lockhart stared at each student. Letting the tension build, he whipped off the cover. Inside the cage were several electric blue creatures. Eight inches tall, with pointed faces and wings, they rattled the bars and pulled bizarre faces at the students.
A student recognized the Cornish pixies and laughed up. " Laugh if you will, Mr. Finnegan, but pixies can be devilishly tricky little blighter. Let's see what you make of them now ! ", Lockhart flung open the cage.
Instantly, the pixies rocketed about, spraying the students with ink bottles, breaking beakers and shredding books. Two seized Neville by the ears, lifting him into the air, and began to circle the ceiling. " Come on now, round them up, round them up. They're only pixies. Peskipiski Pesternomi! ", Lockhart brandished his wand with no effect. A particularly obnoxious pixie made a face, seized Lockhart's wand and tossed it out the window. Lockhart joined the stampede to the door.
The lesson turned into a joke. Mikhael lost all his hope with this teacher's class. How did the headmaster recruit his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, taking anyone willing for the job. No Cornish pixies had touched his properties. Any of those foolish creatures coming inside his comfort zone was reduced to ash. Mikhael had enough of the class. The young wizard concentrated for a second before all the pixies in the room incinerated in blue flames.
Mikhael hurried outside the classroom.
The third floor was different. No obstacles were present anymore. The empty room with a trapdoor greeted the orphan. The ritual adept gritted his teeth. His beast was nowhere. He should have thought of this possibility. He was too arrogant. The world was not to please him. Things had their own goals. He lost a hundred of potential magical ingredients.
Upset, the second year went down to the kitchen.
Barpy and the other house-elves were happy to see their 'friend' again. Mikhael saluted the crowd before catching Barpy to train his mind art. The elf followed the boy into the come and go room. Among trashed and broken furniture, the second-year student concentrated his magic into the creature's mind. Legilimency was the act of magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpreting one's findings. It wasn't mind reading but a guessing work with the victim's mind's memories.
Barpy mindscape didn't exist. Images about its daily work flew inside the different mind. Mikhael saw how the elf used its magic to prepare the school food. Interested, the young wizard tested one hypothesis, summoning fire spheres around him and the elf. The elf mind reacted as he expected. Images of the fire magic appeared in the creature's mind. The new memory covered the elf mind with another mental layer.
Mikhael felt strange with no corporeal body while navigating inside Barpy's mind. He couldn't rely on his normal sense to move, only his will and magic. The further the wizard went, the more he spent his mental concentration. The elf was fine at the start, but its health deteriorated with time as Mikhael forceful advanced into older memory. The boy stopped his training when he noticed the pain the elf underwent.
Excusing himself for the elf pain, Mikhael concluded that he needed more elves to train his Legilimency. One alone could break and the consequence wouldn't be good for him. Barpy was overjoyed that a wizard was worried about its well being. The creature couldn't stop jumping in the air. This was a great day for Barpy, his duty was respected by a wizard. The elf didn't hesitate and agreed to call other elves to help this little master with his magical training.
The young wizard's progress with mind art skyrocketed. With a great number of willing subjects, he got multiple callbacks to better understand his ability. Their personal inputs were important to him, each elf reacted differently to mind invasion. The wizard tried to be the most elusive while scanning their minds. The creatures would tell him when they noticed his prob and how, what actions he did in their mind that was seen directly. The longer he spent with them, the stealthier his approach became.
Mikhael felt proud when for the first time an elf didn't notice his mind attack.
Exhausted, the second year wonder how long it would take him to master his Legilimency. The second part of training the mind art was when the elves were told to hide a certain memory under layers and layers of other memories. Their defensive mechanism wasn't about hurting the intruder but rather making it impossible for him to get what he wanted. It was with difficulty that Mikhael traveled through their useless memories, chasing after his target which ran deeper in the elves' mind layers.
Having a small percentage of success wasn't enough. The orphan would come back and train more to master this difficult art. He had to be faster to catch the objective memory. The defense level was great, still, Mikhael couldn't train to break mind shield with them. He would have to get a wizard pro-efficient with the defensive mind art and 'make' him agree to help him.
Because of the elves nature to serve the wizard without hurting them, Mikhael couldn't use this method to train his Occlumency. The wizard could only rely on himself for his defense, he also had too many secrets he didn't want to share. Continuing his meditation and crafting his mindscape was the normal procedure according to the book on the mind art. However, the second-year student's shields couldn't be tested alone. Until then, he had his magic he could use to block attacks, making an external barrier around his mind.
Stopping the mind art training, Mikhael sighted.
He would continue further throughout the year.