Adam opened his system window to check the reward for completing the task. A familiar notification appeared:
Congratulations! You have learned the wand lighting charm, Lumos. Reward: 1000 SP, 200 G.
Bonus: Ten times reward for learning the spell before reaching Hogwarts. You have earned 10,000 SP and 2000 G.
But just as Adam smiled at the success, the usual blue system window began to flash red, accompanied by a harsh, mechanical female voice repeating:
Error. Error. Error.
After a few moments of flashing, a new notification popped up:
External force detected. Rewards have been halved. Ten times reward nullified. User is advised to relearn the spell without external interference. The spell can be removed from the system panel to allow re-learning.
The window showed the adjusted rewards: 500 SP, 100 G.
Below that, a prompt asked: Do you wish to proceed with these rewards or relearn the spell?
Adam furrowed his brows, immediately connecting the dots. It had to be his wand that caused the error. While the option to proceed and accept half the original reward was tempting, he knew it wouldn't be enough for his future development. The ten times reward was too valuable to pass up.
"I can't afford to miss this chance," Adam muttered. After a moment of thought, he selected the option to relearn the spell.
The moment he chose the option, Adam felt as if something had left from his body but he didn't know what. With a deep breath, Adam focused on casting Lumos again, wondering if the wand would behave the same way. To his relief, the wand didn't trigger the unusual phenomenon this time. But he also noticed that he couldn't remember the feeling he had felt when he cast Lumos just now. He could still remember the effect but not the feeling. Then he understood that removing the spell from the panel would also make his body forget that feeling of casting the spell.
Learning of this fact, Adam started trying to cast the spell, it didn't take much time with easy complexity of wand-lighting charm. It took him three or four tries to get the spell right, and when the light finally emitted from his wand's tip, it felt far more ordinary. A simple glow—nothing special. But that was fine. He opened his system window again, holding his breath.
Congratulations! You have learned the wand lighting charm, Lumos. Reward: 1000 SP, 200 G.
Bonus: Ten times reward for learning the spell before reaching Hogwarts. You have earned 10,000 SP and 2000 G.
Adam exhaled in relief. "It's not flashy, but it works," he thought, satisfied with the hefty reward now securely in his system.
Looking at the results in his system, Adam was now certain that his wand held a story he hadn't yet uncovered. The system had clearly stated it was affected by an "external force," but in Adam's understanding, a wand should only channel its wielder's magic.
Adam examined the silvery patterns etched into the wood, their intricate design almost shimmering under the light, and his thoughts wandered back to that strange moment in the dark world where he and Hermione had been trapped.
Back then, when the red lights started flashing around them, Adam had been alarmed but hadn't reacted since Hermione had seemed calm, so he'd forced himself to stay composed. But now, as he replayed the memory in his mind, a new realization struck him: Hermione hadn't been calm at all. She probably hadn't even seen those lights. It was as though they had existed only for him, which made Adam think that the lights were a warning from his system, not just random flashes. After all, there were no tasks at the time for the system to display an error.
Previously, whenever he recalled that moment, for some unknown reason the thought would slip away, buried under the excitement and confusion of the present. But now, Adam couldn't ignore the conclusion forming in his mind—this wand, which he had believed to be a special, extraordinary artifact, was not what he thought it was. And his assumption that he was the "main character" of this world, sharing the spotlight with Harry Potter, now seemed childish in hindsight.
He'd always believed his wand, like himself, was destined to be special. But even the original Harry Potter hadn't experienced such bizarre phenomena when he obtained the Elder Wand, one of the most powerful wands in existence. Well comparing himself to Harry had only clouded his judgment. Harry was new to magic world, but he? He knew nearly everything about the main events that would happen in this world. He was definitely not new to this wizarding world. Many things might've changed completely but he still knew, all special phenomena in this world were hidden dangers.
Realizing all this, Adam made a firm decision. He had to stop thinking of himself as some "main character," with every strange occurrence tied to him being part of a grand plan. These weren't powers or abilities meant for him—they were warnings, dangers, that could affect anyone. He was no exception, and he had no "plot armor" to shield him in this world. This world was real, with real consequences. He had to think himself as a person from this world, he had to identify his role and goal.
The more he thought about it, the more he wondered how he had been so blinded. With all the knowledge he possessed from his past life, why hadn't he come to this realization sooner? Maybe it was his excitement, or his subconscious belief that being reborn meant he was special, but Adam knew now that it was time to change his perspective. This moment Adam even wondered if this wand was a hocrux of some ancient unknown wizard, but he knew that was definitely not the case. Hocrux being one of the darkest magic, he would've definitely understood it after interacting with it for so long. And if his system gives off such warnings then it would probably not even let Adam touch it casually.
One thing that Adam was now sure about was that his system definitely wouldn't be silent when he faced some hidden danger. From map to flashing lights and error, system always seemed to prioritize his safety. But ofcourse, he still wanted to check it in the future to be double sure.
Later that noon, Hermione arrived at the Leaky Cauldron with her father. Upon entering, her father immediately noticed Adam studying diligently at a small desk by the window. The sight put his mind at ease, as did the spacious, clean room, with no suspicious characters in sight and the corridors mostly empty.
Hermione's father sat with the two children for a while, observing their focused reading. One of them was immersed in the wonders of this new magical world, while the other was urgently combing through its history, trying to understand how things had changed since his rebirth. The atmosphere was peaceful, and he found himself feeling comfortable.
As the morning turned to afternoon, George returned with two tiffins, a familiar smile on his face. Today, he was free from work and had come back with lunch for both Adam and Hermione. Knowing Hermione would be visiting, George had asked Olivia to pack an extra tiffin for her.
Despite the food being ready, Hermione and Adam were too engrossed in their books to stop for lunch right away. Hermione, with her natural curiosity, was captivated by the magical world, while Adam felt the pressing need to learn everything he could about the changes in this world. Meanwhile, George and Hermione's father struck up a conversation. It started casually, but soon their laughter filled the room, and the two seemed to be getting along like old friends. Adam smiled to himself, happy to see his father, who was often a loner, finally connecting with someone.
As evening approached, the group said their goodbyes, and Adam and Hermione headed back to their homes. But Adam's thirst for knowledge didn't stop there—at home, he continued reading and practicing his magic. His elemental magic was something he could practice, even in the confines of his room.
This routine became their schedule for the next couple of weeks. Adam and Hermione would spend hours reading, practicing magic, and teaching each other what they learned. In their free time, they wandered through Diagon Alley, discovering new shops and buying anything they found intriguing. Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour quickly became a favorite stop for both of them—they never missed a chance to grab a treat there.
During one of their walks, they noticed something strange: Ollivander's shop had been closed ever since they got their wands. A notice posted outside stated that he would be returning on the 26th of August, which just happened to be tomorrow. Adam couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the unusual wands he and Hermione had received. So they decided to visit Ollivander the next day before they left for Hogwarts, eager to speak with him once more.
During the last few days before going to Hogwarts, Adam and Hermione both didn't plan to return to Diagon Alley, so they could spend leisurely time with their parents.
The next day, Adam found himself tangled up with his aunt, who had come to visit. He was stuck at home, unable to make it to the Leaky Cauldron on time. Meanwhile, Hermione arrived at the tavern and spent a while there, waiting for Adam. After some time had passed and Adam still hadn't shown up, she decided to head out for an ice-cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. Before she left, she made sure to inform Tom so he could pass the message to Adam if he arrived while she was gone.
Hermione enjoyed a peaceful time at the ice-cream parlour, savoring the treat as she wondered what to do next. Since Adam hadn't yet arrived, she decided to head back, thinking maybe she would find something else to occupy her time. But as she walked back down the street, something caught her eye—Ollivander's shop was open.
A rush of excitement swept through her as she thought it would be the perfect way to pass some time. She hurried toward the shop, eager to see what was inside and perhaps meet Mr. Ollivander again. Just as she was about to reach the door, it swung open, and a boy with platinum blonde hair stepped out. His pale, pointed features were sharply defined, with sharp blue eyes that seemed to scrutinize everything in his path. He wore a crisp, high-collared robe that screamed of wealth and status, with the subtle crest of a pure-blood family embroidered on the sleeve.
Hermione froze. As soon as her eyes met his, she felt a wave of unease wash over her. His confident, almost arrogant stance was enough to make anyone uneasy, and there was something cold in his gaze that made her second-guess whether she should stay or leave. Despite the tension, she hesitated. She wanted to turn around and leave, especially after everything she'd read about pure-blood families and the subtle tensions that surrounded them. But before she could make a move, the boy spotted her.
"Isn't that the Muggle girl from the book store?" he asked, his voice smooth and condescending, tinged with an air of superiority.