Making food for his friends was not only a way to say that he was remorseful that he wasn't spending more time with them but also a strategy.
He wanted to get his hands on some broken brooms and the Marauder's Maps.
Former, for Merlin's assignment which he gave Orion. Although Orion has the money to purchase himself a cheap broom why when he can get himself one for free?
He gonna broke down the broom anyhow so it doesn't matter if the broom he gets is broken from the start.
Later, because he sneaks around the castle. He needs to trace the movements of some important key figures like Snape, Quirrell, Dumbledore and Nick.
Especially Nick considering that he knew about the Room of Requirement. At this moment, Orion is using the room for various things and he doesn't want to run into Nick.
So Orion, after the dinner was done, approached Professor McGonagall.
"Why you are here Mr Ambrosius ?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Orion knew that he couldn't tell that he was learning Runes. It was a third-year subject and that too only basic forms of Runes.
What he was learning from Merlin was even more complex than the master's level according to wizarding standards.
There are benefits of having the greatest wizard of all time teach him after all.
"Professor, I had a request. I was wondering whether I could get a broom from the school to study. Even a broken one is fine. I wanted to learn how it flies," Orion said with a straight face.
Her answer here decided whether he spend money on a broom (which he might never ride in the future) or not. But the even more important thing is time.
If he had to purchase the broom then he could only do it at Christmas time and then he would have had only a few days at best to test out the broom. He might be able to learn why brooms are the only object wizards use to fly but he can't improve them.
McGonagall looked at Orion with a little suspicion.
She naturally knew that Orion suffered from magic deficiency. If any other student had asked her for this then she would have either directly denied them or would have done her own investigation to find out why exactly the student needs a broom.
After all, why suddenly do students need brooms besides flying around and causing mayhem?
But in the case of Orion. She couldn't tell why.
After thinking some more she decided to give the broom to him.
The reason why the first year are not allowed to have their own brooms is because they are the most prone to get injured.
They, unlike other students, have no formal training in flying. Well at least most of them don't as most wizarding families do teach their young once how to fly.
Orion after hearing McGonagall smiled in delight.
"I expect that you don't cause trouble with this Mr Ambrosius," The professor said and Orion just nodded.
The next target was the Marauder's map. He was not sure where it was exactly.
In the books and movies, it was with the twins but it appear in the third year.
So to find this out, he ended up visiting the twins in their free time, making sure that no adult and Nick were around.
Asking them about any artefact which can help him track someone in the school.
Then just ended up reading their mind.
'My mind reading is broken AF'. Not all Legilliment are good at mind reading so effortlessly but Orion thanks to his insane talent and step-by-step help from Merlin was already a master at it.
But only when he is reading an unprotected mind. He doesn't have the power to break into a protected mind yet.
Unfortunately, he didn't find anything on the twins.
So after thinking about it, Orion thought just why not try to find it in the Room of Requirement?
If the map was created by the Marauders and then got lost. Then it's most likely will be still in the castle and every lost thing in the castle can be summon by the Room Of Requirement.
----
So Orion on that night, with the broom which McGonagall gave him, went to the room of requirement.
"Didn't you ever wonder how come you have such a good vision at night," Merlin asked while Orion was waiting for the moving stairs to come.
'Magic,' Orion just said sagely.
"No idiot, magic can improve the vision to some extent but that doesn't happen on its own. You need to have good control of your magic and knowledge to enhance your body like that," Merlin said rolling his eyes.
'Maybe I am just used to the dark. Living in the forest for this long, anyone can adapt to the darkness and be able to find their way in the dark,' Orion said not thinking too much about it.
"Possible, but I have a better theory. I believe that when you get the power from that Vampire, you also get a few of his traits like smell or being able to see in the dark.
After all, your senses are stronger than before are they not? It's much better than what you had before fighting that vampire.
Because you were weak for some time after beating that Vampire and forming your mana core. You didn't notice this before. And even after that you just chuck it up as a normal thing after having magic or drinking all those potions. Didn't you," Merlin said with a knowing look.
"Uhmm yes, I mean that was the most obvious reason," Orion who never thought about it suddenly fell into contemplation.
He had noticed that his senses were getting better. Great eyeside and smell.
Fast reaction time. His snatching a wand from Malfoy's hands is a good example.
He didn't see any changes in his speed or physical power but that always used to be good after he started practicing Integration.
But there is definitely an improvement in his senses and reaction speed.
" I Believe that this is something which we need to test out in future. You might not realise it but what you have just accomplished is usually only possible by a very complicated ritual.
And all rituals of this nature demand sacrifice of some sort. Unlike you who just walks around in the dark thinking that he can see at night because he lived in the forest for few years. whilst not paying any damn thing in return as a sacrifice," Merlin said but his looks were not normal at all. He strangly looked excited and Orion realized how broken this is.
He swallows and focuses his mind. He makes a mental note to test himself out.
More than the improvements, he was worried about getting bad traits like being hungry for blood like a vampire affecting him.
Or having an animalistic nature.
"I don't think that you need to worry about that. Remember this technique, Integration converts all energy into positive energy for you.
Just like how you don't get any negative energy from the technique.
I doubt that you will get any negative traits from the creatures you absorb either," Merlin said and Orion relaxed a little.
But he still gonna test out anyway for his mental peace.
It's better that he knows, there is a possibility that he can turn into a homicidal killer before that really happens.
----
By the time he reached the Room of Requirement, his first order was to get the Marauder's map.
Fortunately, the room really brought the map to him. He looked at the map and found his targets.
Dumbledore was asleep. But it was not the case with Snape and Quirrell. Both were at each other tails.
He also found Nick and couldn't help but double-check it.
He was in front of the girl's washroom.
"That's the bloody chamber of secrets," Orion said out loud.
He also noticed Nick's name disappearing from the map as he entered the chamber.
"I have a very bad feeling about this guy," Orion said.
Merlin on the side also nodded.
xxx
A/N : Tell me who could be Nick. Want to hear your thoughts.
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