News of Harry's abilities with wandless magic quickly spread through the school, people in his class telling everyone they knew, and those people spun even more elaborate tales. By the time Afternoon came around rumours of Harry defeating Professor Flitwick in a duel with only wandless magic had become the norm...
When he finally arrived at the hall for lunch he paused in the doorway as everyone, including the school faculty, stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. The Ravenclaws were all leaning towards his direction, wanting to question where he learned his magic. The Hufflepuffs wanted to clarify if any of the rumours were true.
Worst of all, the Slytherins and Gryffindors both thought a new dark lord was rising, though, both Houses had different expectations in response to this... Most of the lions were sending him scathing glares, while many snakes were looking at him differently, as if he represented something they hadn't thought of prior.
Harry's eye twitches as someone sends a light probe to try and gain access to his thoughts, surprisingly it wasn't Dumbledore or Snape, but he couldn't nail down who it was exactly, only that it was a teacher...
He shakes his head, spinning on his heel and leaving as Nanthisk hisses at the hall over his shoulder. He'd find an empty classroom and have his Imps send him lunch, Kali had already left the castle with the strange stone as neither wanted to risk Dumbeldore potentially tracking it via the Hogwarts wards.
Still, his mind was fixed on the image he'd seen in the mirror... Could he really become something so great...? Honestly, he doubted it, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try his damndest to achieve it... As for what his alternate self was doing with Kali...
"Masster? Iss ssomething wrong...? Your heart isss beating fassst..." Nanthisk questions.
He stifles the blush threatening to stain his cheeks and looks away, "N-nothing! Just thinking about-, my next class! Defence Against the Dark Arts..." he hurriedly states.
"Sssusspiciousss..."
"Shut up!"
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Voldemort watches his newest 'old' quarry through Quirinus Quirrell's eyes. Or was he? With the way the boy had been acting ever since his introduction to Hogwarts, it wouldn't be difficult to bring him over to his own side.
The boy's antagonism with Dumbledore and indeed, much of the school matched his own early years. The boy was a Parseltongue too, displaying at least some forgotten blood relation that was apparently particularly strong in him.
From what he'd seen, the boy was lonely, spurned by his classmates due to his talents and 'ill-suited' house. Perhaps persuasion on familial ties would convince him? Turn the prophecy on its head and have Dumbledore's secret weapon bring him to his knees.
It was a delightfully ironic thought...
As if to maximise their similarities, the boy was even a natural Occlumency, the opposite of Voldemort's natural talents with Legilimency. Not to mention the rumours of his wandless capabilities... "Quirinus, befriend the boy." he mentally commands.
"Y-yes my lord!" the quivering whelp responds, the twitch in his expression almost giving away his fear to the students.
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Dumbledore lets out a sigh and habitually cleans his glasses before focusing on the people gathered in his office... Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape silently waited on his word, the former wondering why he'd been called at all.
"Professor Flitwick, I've called you here to verify some rumours that have made the rounds of the school... Ones pertaining to Mr Potter's magical talents..."
The half-goblin perks up with an eager grin, "Oh yes! He's marvellous! I never knew it was possible for someone to have such an affinity with magic! To use it so easily without a focus! Give it another year and I might find myself here again to try and apprentice him under me!"
"An apprenticeship... The boy...?" Snape scoffs.
"What? Do you not think such talent should be cultivated?" Flitwick inquiries.
"More like coddled, the boy's head is already big enough, any more and he will be strutting around like royalty." he retorts.
"Now now, Filius, just what did Mr Potter do in your class?" Dumbeldore questions.
"Why, he lifted his table with me atop it! I was attempting to teach them the levitation charm, but he completely blew my expectations away!" he pauses, "Oh my, I forget myself! Twenty points to Slytherin!" he chirps.
...
"Was there... Anything else...?" Dumbledore probes, wishing to know if the boy did anything else. Even for someone like him, wandless magic was incredibly difficult, limiting to simple tricks like lighting candles or small scales levitation... Nothing like lifting a large, hardwood desk with a half-goblin atop it...
Flitwick looks to the side in thought for a couple seconds before shaking his head, "No. I allowed him to excuse himself from class as he'd already completed the day's assignment. I do have some comments on other students however, if you'd like to hear them?" he offers, thinking specifically of Seamus Finnigan who'd destroyed more equipment and furniture than most students have in their entire tenure. Something must've been severely wrong with either him or his wand to produce such explosive effects!
Dumbeldore waves him off, "No, that can wait until the end of month meeting. That's all I wished to know for now, Fillius, thank you for your time." he gestures for the door and the little man nods, making his way out and allowing Dumbledore to slump into his desk.
"The boy is dangerous, as I have already said." Snape states, folding his legs in an 'I-Told-You-So' posture.
"Dangerous, but not yet malicious. Continue keeping an eye on him, I suspect he will either prove himself innocent soon, or slip up and reveal his true intentions." he steeples his fingers, "Perhaps obtain the assistance of his roommate? Surely he would know the boy better than most."
Snape nods and departs, leaving the Headmaster stewing in self-doubt.