Dumbledore smiled kindly, his eyes twinkling. "They prefer to remain anonymous. But rest assured, they think highly of you. This gift was given with sincere goodwill."
Alex stayed silent, taking in the kindness and meaning behind the gift. Holding both the silver medal and the potion, he felt a mix of pride and growing curiosity. He sensed that the mystery of this friend might never be solved, yet the thought of it warmed his mind.
"Thank you, Professor, and please thank this mysterious friend for me," he said, nodding with gratitude.
Dumbledore smiled, pleased that Alex accepted the gift without hesitation. "I'll pass on your thanks. By the way, the Potters and Sirius were asking about you recently. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to stay in my office as much as I'd like, with all the letters, meetings, and work against the Dark Lord. Is there anything you'd like me to tell them?"
Alex thought for a moment, realizing it had been a while since he'd spoken with his friends. "Could you remind Sirius to keep that room I organized neat and tidy? And tell the Potters I'm doing well and grateful for the gifts they sent. And… if you could, remind them to stay careful. I worry the Death Eaters may still target them."
In the back of his mind, Alex wondered if his presence had changed the timeline. He knew that, originally, the Potters had met a tragic fate, but he hoped Dumbledore's help would protect them this time.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. "What makes you think the Potters might be a target?"
Alex replied, "During the Christmas attack, some Death Eaters ignored the main battle to focus on Lily and Alice. One even took a Madness Potion to increase their aggression. If their only goal was to win the fight, they'd have used the potion on the main battlefield. I think they were specifically after Lily or Alice."
Dumbledore nodded, impressed by Alex's insight. "You've thought this through well. Rest assured, I'll do everything I can to keep them safe."
Hearing Dumbledore's promise, Alex felt his worry ease a bit. He said goodbye and left the office, heading back to the cozy hut by the Forbidden Forest.
After he left, a portrait on the wall spoke up. "Quite a clever young wizard, Albus. And a Slytherin, no less."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, Phineas. But, interestingly, this Slytherin is Muggle-born."
Phineas scowled from his frame. "Impossible! Slytherin would never accept a Muggle-born. There must be noble blood somewhere in his family line."
Another portrait joined in, chuckling with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Oh, Phineas, I remember a Muggle-born Slytherin from my own time. Rare, yes, but not entirely unheard of."
"Silence, Dexter! Don't tarnish Slytherin's reputation," Phineas snapped, glaring sharply at his neighbor. He seemed genuinely ruffled, his painted features pulling into a frown as he crossed his arms.
Dumbledore, watching the lively exchange, leaned back in his chair with a quiet smile. He reached into a nearby bowl, popping a candy into his mouth, savoring the moment. The sounds of the portraits' playful bickering filled the room—a refreshing, rare burst of humor amid the usual stress and seriousness of his office. The other portraits leaned in to listen, adding their own murmurs and nods, as the office buzzed with a familiar, comforting energy that softened the troubles lurking outside its walls.
As winter turned to spring, Hogwarts was buzzing with excitement. Alex's days were filled not only with studies and spells but also with helping Hagrid in the vegetable garden by their hut. Alex had encouraged Hagrid to get a variety of seedlings, and together, they turned the small plot into a thriving garden.
With Easter break coming up, Alex wrote to Sirius and Lily, hoping to spend time with them during the holiday. However, no letters came back from the Potters. It seemed the owls couldn't find their address, and Alex himself couldn't clearly remember where they lived—a strange detail that made him suspicious.
Luckily, Sirius replied, although he mentioned he'd be busy over Easter. He warned Alex that his old home was no longer safe, suggesting Alex stay at Hogwarts instead.
When Alex asked about Lily, Sirius assured him the Potters were safely hidden somewhere no one could find. It dawned on Alex that Dumbledore may have used strong protective magic, maybe even the Fidelius Charm, to hide the Potters, causing both their address and his own memory of it to blur.
Deciding to stay at Hogwarts for the break, Alex began planning his time. "I'll have a good stretch of uninterrupted days," he thought. "I'm getting close to mastering Occlumency. With more time, I can fine-tune the spells I've been working on and maybe even make progress on the Spell Club research topics."
In recent club meetings, he'd been watching Senior Quirrell's work on the Amplifying Spell. Quirrell had made big strides, creating a spell that increased sound projection. The spell could even direct sound to a specific spot—a remarkable feat.
But, as Alex expected, the incantation was so long that it was nearly impossible to say in one breath, making it hard to use practically.
With so much to work on, Alex felt his time at Hogwarts would be well spent. As he prepared for the break, he felt that each day brought him closer to unlocking his hidden potential and to uncovering the mysteries of the wizarding world around him.
As new spells are developed, simplifying them for everyday use can take years, sometimes even generations. For a spell to become widely used, it often needs to go through adjustments to make it accessible to more wizards.
Vanessa, a skilled student, made progress on an extraction spell. She created a technique that improves spell accuracy, which Alex calls "precision control." This skill requires a strong sense of magic and is usually only achievable by senior students in the spell club.
Alex saw its value, thinking it could improve other spells. His mastery of this skill helped him level up his floating spell, allowing him to reach the Transcendent Domain. He chose this research topic on magic spells: "Development ideas and uses for sound-based magic spells."