John Wick, with genuine concern, inquired, "Professor, will this incident result in a deduction of my points?" His question only served to darken Professor Snape's already grim expression.
"Mr. Wick, your Muggle father has not only illegally breached Hogwarts' defenses but also damaged the exceedingly rare Whomping Willow," Snape said, his voice laced with disbelief and irritation, particularly at the thought of Muggles maneuvering a flying car. He then sarcastically referenced a report from the Evening Prophet, "Furthermore, a group of Muggles witnessed an old car flying over the Post Office. This incident has breached the Statute of Secrecy, and Mr. Watson Wick's unauthorized entry into Hogwarts is a grave violation of our school's regulations."
Upon hearing Snape's words, John's demeanor turned serious, realizing the gravity of the situation. Even Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore were taken aback by the news. Harry and Ron, meanwhile, trembled with fear, and Watson Wick, the man at the center of the controversy, seemed to grasp the extent of his actions and their potential to mislead his son.
"Professor, should there be consequences, let them fall on me. Spare the children any embarrassment," Watson declared, standing tall and earning the admiration of Harry and Ron for his adult responsibility.
Professor McGonagall, wearing a stern expression, entered the room. Harry half-expected her to transform herself in anger, but instead, she simply lit the fireplace with her wand and invited everyone to sit. "Explain yourselves," she demanded, her tone reminiscent of catching them on an unauthorized night excursion the previous year.
Harry and Ron, seizing a glimmer of hope, quickly defended themselves, "Please, don't blame us. The barrier at the station wouldn't let us through." They explained the malfunction at the platform, but McGonagall, unimpressed, retorted sharply, "Why didn't you send an owl? Surely, you have one, don't you?" Harry, realizing the oversight, was at a loss for words.
McGonagall then turned to Watson Wick, who remained silent, understanding that this matter was beyond her jurisdiction and best handled by Dumbledore himself.
Dumbledore, upon his arrival, did not offer his usual smile. "Mr. Wick, it's unfortunate that we meet again under these circumstances," he said, addressing Watson with a tone of regret. Watson, feeling the weight of his actions, admitted, "It's all my fault, Professor Dumbledore. I shouldn't have involved my children in this."
Dumbledore responded, "Mr. Wick, were you a student, I would write to your parents. However, I will simply arrange for your return home and trust you will keep this matter to yourself." This was a relief to Watson, sparing him from a potential Obliviate charm.
Turning to John, Dumbledore assigned him a unique punishment, "John, you are to tend to the Whomping Willow until it has fully recovered." John, though frustrated by the unfairness of bearing the consequences of his father's actions, accepted the task, recognizing Dumbledore's leniency.
Dumbledore then addressed Harry and Ron, who braced themselves for the worst. "We're expelled, aren't we?" Ron asked despairingly. Dumbledore, maintaining a stern demeanor, assured them, "Not today, Mr. Weasley. However, I will inform your families of this incident and warn you that any further misconduct will result in expulsion."
This outcome visibly irritated Professor Snape, who found it unjust that no points were deducted, especially considering that the incident occurred before the term started. Snape's protest highlighted his frustration with what he perceived as favoritism, igniting his eagerness to deduct points in the future. John couldn't possibly blame himself, right? He was the sole Slytherin student there, while Harry and his companion were under the watchful eye of Professor McGonagall from Gryffindor. "Don't rush to send Mr. Wick to the station just yet!" Upon witnessing John's expression, Professor Snape's face darkened, teetering on the edge of fury before settling into a sardonic tone. John, not one to make a mockery of himself, escorted his living father, Watson Wick, to the station with a sense of duty.
At the station, Hagrid was already waiting. He waved eagerly upon spotting John approaching. "Hagrid, please," John implored with genuine relief at seeing the familiar face. "If my father causes any trouble, feel free to knock him out. Thank you." This unusual request from a seemingly dutiful son prompted Watson Wick to voice his protest, to which Hagrid responded with an awkward smile, assuring he wouldn't resort to such measures.
John, however, had a trump card up his sleeve. With a calm demeanor, he simply stated, "I'll write to my mother." This threat effectively silenced Watson. Upon his return home, Mrs. Wick, having received the letter, was there to greet him. It was rumored that Watson took a week off work, citing illness, too apprehensive to face his colleagues after the incident.
---
[Ding, the second phase of the Hogwarts task begins: Complete the second school year as a magic apprentice. Reward: +1 to magical bloodline, +3 to any attribute.]
[Ding, a new task has been triggered: Nurture the Whomping Willow back to health and receive the Botanist blessing.]
[Botanist: Increases the success rate of cultivating plants.]
[Ding, a challenge task has been triggered: Maintain the highest grades in your year until the end of the semester and receive +1 to any attribute, along with the Diligent and Studious blessing.]
[Diligent and Studious: Studying for more than two hours continuously grants an additional hour of enhanced efficiency.]
"Activating the system now, are you testing to see if I'll be expelled?" John mused after his father's departure, as the second phase at Hogwarts commenced. He had his suspicions that the system's timing was a test, pondering if his earlier actions might have led to his expulsion. Thankfully, everything was still on track. Dumbledore was not like Principal Phineas Nigellus Black, who was notoriously the most disliked principal in Hogwarts history. If he were, John speculated that three students might have been sent packing that day.
Having missed dinner, John decided to visit the kitchen to see if he could secure a meal. It was considered a great honor among the Hogwarts house-elves to serve a wizard. After obtaining his dinner, John opted not to return to his dormitory but instead headed to the Room of Requirement. After pacing back and forth in front of the large tapestry three times, he entered the training room, which he hadn't visited in a while and found covered in a new layer of dust.
With a flick of his wand, John cleared the dust, sending it out the window. He then retrieved the Ironwick sword from his bag. Simultaneously, he donned a pair of flying boots, which adjusted to fit his feet perfectly. The boots, initially too large, now felt as comfortable as if he were barefoot. "The feather of a rune horse is lighter than a spider's silk and enchanted with a levitation spell," John noted as he tapped his heel, causing two wings to extend from the sides of the boots. With a single leap, he soared three meters into the air, the small wings fluttering to keep him aloft.
Gripping the Ironwick sword, John uttered a spell, imbuing the blade with magic. "I am a fire dragon," he declared. As the incantation was completed, the sword's spell ignited a red glow, and flames danced along the blade. A dozen large, humanoid targets appeared in the training area, suspended in mid-air. With the flaming sword in hand, John slashed through them, each target neatly bisected, flames erupting from the cuts.
Without the need for a wand, John effortlessly destroyed all the targets. Amidst the flames, he landed on the ground, surveying the destruction he had wrought. He then called out to the training ground, "Hard mode."
The training ground offered four levels of difficulty: training, entry, intermediate, and master. John was ready to challenge himself further, pushing his limits in this magical and demanding environment. John stood in the training room, his gaze fixed on the stationary training dummy before him. It was designed solely for testing purposes, offering no movement or resistance. However, the real challenge lay ahead, as the training session was about to escalate. At the outset, participants were faced with a target that merely dodged, providing a basic level of difficulty. But as the stakes were raised, an attacking automaton, eerily reminiscent of a puppet, would emerge to confront them. This was the hard mode, a level John had previously attempted but failed to conquer, primarily due to the inadequacy of his sword.
Now, armed with a new weapon, a sense of determination washed over John. He was eager to test his mettle against the formidable challenge that had bested him before. With a decisive command, the humanoid target that had been the focus of his attention was swiftly retracted, making way for a more daunting trial.
From the depths of the fireplace, five figures emerged, each bearing a striking resemblance to a wizard. These were no ordinary targets; they were the attacking puppets designed to simulate a real combat scenario. As soon as they appeared, they wasted no time in launching their assault on John.
The air in the training room grew tense as John readied himself, his grip tightening around the hilt of his new sword. The puppets advanced, their movements eerily lifelike, as they closed in on him. John knew that this was his moment to prove that he could overcome the challenge that had once defeated him. With a deep breath, he stepped forward to meet his adversaries, his resolve as sharp as the blade in his hand.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge