2 days later, after two grueling hours of Herbology studying Chinese Cabbage and its magical properties, Alexander and Daphne found themselves walking through the stone corridors of Hogwarts. The lingering scent of damp soil and crushed leaves still clung to their robes from the greenhouse.
Alexander walked with his usual calm, hands in his pockets, while Artemis, his raven, nestled comfortably in his hood. Daphne, walking beside him, had her usual composed expression, though there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"You seemed particularly bored in Herbology," she remarked, glancing at him.
Alexander let out a quiet sigh. "Plants are useful, but they don't interest me much unless they have direct magical applications. I don't see myself becoming a Herbologist anytime soon."
Daphne raised an eyebrow. "And what do you see yourself becoming?"
He smirked slightly. "Something more... ambitious."
She studied him for a moment, then turned her gaze forward. "You're not like the others," she said after a pause. "Most people talk about their dreams without truly knowing what they want. But you... you already know, don't you?"
Alexander didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked ahead, his mind drifting once more to that unshakable feeling deep within him—that burning desire for something more, something greater.
"I have an idea," he finally said. "And when the time comes, I'll make sure I achieve it."
Daphne didn't press further, but she seemed to understand something unspoken. The two continued walking in silence, the echoes of their footsteps the only sound in the vast corridor.
As they walked through the corridor, they stumbled upon a commotion. Five senior Gryffindor students were surrounding a younger Ravenclaw girl, their aggressive postures and mocking laughter making it clear that this wasn't a friendly interaction. The girl looked cornered, clutching her books tightly against her chest, her face pale with distress.
As Alexander approached, he caught the tail end of the exchange. One of the boys leaned in closer to the Ravenclaw girl, his voice dripping with mock sweetness.
"Come with us, you'll have a good time," he said, his grin anything but friendly.
The girl clutched her books tighter against her chest, her expression full of fear and defiance. "No," she said firmly, though her voice trembled slightly.
That was enough for Alexander. He stepped forward, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
"What do we have here?" he said, his tone laced with cold amusement. "Five senior students harassing a girl? Tell me, didn't your parents teach you any proper manners, or did they forget to raise you altogether?"
The group turned to face him, their expressions shifting from amusement to irritation. The tallest of them, clearly the leader, sneered.
"And what's it to you, Slytherin?" he said, crossing his arms. "This doesn't concern you."
Alexander smirked, his sharp eyes flicking over them with disdain. "Oh, but it does. See, watching a pack of cowards gang up on a single girl offends my sensibilities." His gaze darkened. "And I don't take kindly to people who lack basic human decency."
Daphne, standing beside him, glanced at the scene and then at Alexander. Understanding his silent cue, she nodded and turned to leave, heading to find a professor.
One of the boys stepped forward, smirking with arrogance. "And what exactly can you do?" he sneered. "You're just a first-year snake. Why don't you be a good little Slytherin and run along?"
Alexander chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "I was going to suggest we settle this like gentlemen," he said, adjusting his collar with an air of nonchalance. "But it seems I overestimated your intelligence. You lot have the manners of trolls—brainless ones at that."
His gaze turned to the Ravenclaw girl, who was still clutching her books, her eyes darting between them anxiously. With a small, reassuring nod, Alexander gestured toward the corridor. "Miss, I'd advise you to leave. I need to teach these trolls some proper manners."
She hesitated for only a moment before nodding quickly and dashing away.
A stocky, broad-shouldered boy from the group let out a loud, mocking laugh. "Are you serious? There are five of us, and you're all alone." He grinned, looking to his friends for support. "Not to mention, we're fourth-years. What's a little first-year going to do? Throw Lumos at us?"
The others burst into laughter, clearly enjoying themselves.
Alexander simply smiled—a slow, knowing smirk that sent a shiver down their spines.
The tall boy sneered and waved his hand, signaling the group. "Alright, guys, let's teach this snake a lesson."
The five boys, now emboldened by their numbers, raised their wands in unison, launching a barrage of spells at Alexander.
"Stupefy!" shouted one, a jet of red light shooting toward him.
"Flippendo!" Another cast a spell that sent a burst of force flying his way.
"Expelliarmus!" A third tried to disarm him with a flash of light.
"Petrificus Totalus!" The fourth aimed a full-body bind curse.
"Rictusempra!" The fifth shouted, sending a tickling charm toward him, hoping to throw him off guard.
But Alexander, his face still calm and almost amused, flicked his wand with a practiced ease, his body moving with a fluid grace that made it seem like he was dancing around the spells rather than dodging them.
With a sharp, almost lazy twist, he avoided the Stupefy, the Flippendo missing him by a hair's breadth. The Expelliarmus was met with a quick sidestep, and the Petrificus Totalus hit only empty air. As the Rictusempra shot toward him, he executed a flawless roll, effortlessly avoiding the charm.
The five boys froze in stunned disbelief as they realized their spells had all missed. Alexander stood tall, his wand still raised, his expression unchanged.
"Is that all?" he asked, a smug grin spreading across his face.
The boys looked at each other, clearly rattled, their confidence quickly evaporating.
As the Gryffindor boys exchanged nervous glances, their hesitation quickly turned to frustration. "Don't just stand there, hit him with everything!" the tall one barked.
They raised their wands again, unleashing another flurry of spells—Flipendo, Expelliarmus, Stupefy!
But this time, Alexander didn't dodge. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, he firmly said, "Protego."
A shimmering, translucent barrier formed in front of him, effortlessly deflecting their spells. Stunned silence filled the corridor as the Gryffindors gawked at him, their attacks rendered useless.
The fat boy's face twisted in disbelief. "That's a fourth-year spell! How do you know that?"
Alexander scoffed, lowering his wand slightly. "If you brainless trolls actually understood the importance of magic, you'd learn beyond just passing your subjects. Any sane wizard should know Protego—fourth-year or not."
His cold, cutting words sent a wave of humiliation through the group. They clenched their fists around their wands, but none dared cast another spell.
A chill swept through the corridor as Alexander flicked his wand with a smirk. "Let's do an experiment," he said, his voice eerily calm. "Tell me, have you ever felt the temperature drop below zero?"
Before they could respond, he pointed his wand forward and uttered, "Glacius Maxima."
The moment the words left his lips, an overwhelming wave of icy air burst forth. The temperature plummeted instantly, and frost rapidly spread across the corridor. The stone walls and floor crackled as they were engulfed in a thick layer of ice.
The Gryffindor boys barely had time to gasp before their bodies froze in place, encased in shimmering frost. Their expressions of shock and terror were locked in time, their wands still raised but utterly useless against the raw power of the spell.
A silence heavier than the ice filled the air, the once-chaotic hallway now transformed into a frozen wasteland. Alexander lowered his wand, exhaling as a cold mist escaped his lips. He admired his handiwork with a satisfied nod before stepping forward, his boots crunching against the frozen floor.
Alexander let out a small chuckle as he glanced at the frozen figures before turning to the raven perched on his shoulder. "Arty, that spell really threw a chill," he mused, stroking the bird's feathers.
As he turned to leave, he noticed a small crowd of students that had gathered during the commotion. They were whispering among themselves, eyes darting between the frozen Gryffindors and Alexander.
"Isn't he only a first year? How did he do that?"
"He took on five fourth-years and didn't even break a sweat!"
"That was insane… Did you see how easily he dodged their spells?"
"I heard he's some kind of prodigy, but this is on another level."
With a smirk, Alexander spread his arms slightly in amusement. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the show is over," he said smoothly. The crowd hesitated for a moment before slowly dispersing, still buzzing with disbelief and excitement over what they had just witnessed.
However, as the students faded away, four figures remained.
Standing with an unreadable expression was Professor McGonagall, her sharp eyes scanning the scene. Beside her, Professor Snape stood with his arms crossed, his usual stern demeanor betraying a flicker of intrigue.
Daphne stood nearby, her expression unreadable, but her gaze was locked onto him with what seemed like a mix of curiosity and something else—perhaps admiration.
And lastly, the Ravenclaw girl, still clutching her books, looked between Alexander and the frozen Gryffindors, her eyes filled with uncertainty and gratitude.
Professor McGonagall took a step forward, her lips pressed into a thin line as she prepared to speak, but before she could utter a word, a high-pitched voice rang through the corridor.
"Fabulous! Extraordinary!"
Professor Flitwick came rushing toward them, nearly tripping over his own robes in his excitement. "Merely two days since I gave you those books, and you're already modifying spells!" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
He skidded to a stop, peering up at Alexander with an eager expression. "What did you do? How did you name it? I only caught a glimpse from my window, but it was unlike any Glacius I've seen before!"
The frozen Gryffindors still stood motionless behind Alexander, their bodies encased in thick layers of ice, and yet Flitwick didn't seem the slightest bit concerned about them. His focus was entirely on Alexander and his spell.
McGonagall's stern voice cut through Flitwick's excitement. She stepped forward, her gaze locked on Alexander, her expression a mix of surprise and concern.
"Professor Flitwick's excitement aside," McGonagall began, her tone firm but not unkind, "I am surprised by this spell. You didn't simply modify it—you created something new. But I must ask, why use such a spell on students? Miss Greengrass has informed us that some students were bullying a girl, but this is a severe response. Explain yourself, Mr. Ravenwood."
Her eyes were sharp as she waited for his answer, her voice taking on the sharpness of a professor who both admired his talent and expected a certain level of responsibility.
Alexander stood tall, his voice calm but carrying a touch of sarcasm as he addressed McGonagall.
"Oh, I see," he began, his expression nonchalant, "originally, I was simply trying to resolve the situation. Those Gryffindor students were harassing the girl, but when I intervened, they reacted with violence. I suppose it's not surprising. They seem to have the intelligence of mountain trolls."
He glanced at the frozen students, a smirk forming on his face as he added, "Honestly, I didn't want to escalate things, but it seems some people only understand a bit of force."
He met McGonagall's gaze, his tone more serious as he said, "I didn't intend for things to get this far, but when they're willing to hurt someone, I have no tolerance for it."
Professor Snape's voice cut through the tension in the hall, his tone as cold and sharp as ever. "It seems," he said, with an almost mocking drawl, "that Mr. Ravenwood was in the right in this situation. McGonagall, perhaps you should exercise more control over your Gryffindor students. For years, Gryffindor has been known for bullying others, and it's about time someone stood up to them."
His eyes flicked over the frozen Gryffindor students, his expression impassive, but there was a certain satisfaction in his voice as he added, "Though, I must admit, Mr. Ravenwood's method was… rather effective."
McGonagall, who had been looking to retort, paused at Snape's comment, her lips pressing into a tight line. She gave a curt nod, conceding the point, though her gaze remained fixed on Alexander. "While I understand your frustration, Mr. Ravenwood," she said, "it would have been better if you had not resorted to such an extreme method. Still, it seems you've made your point."
Alexander simply gave a small shrug, his eyes flicking between the professors, unfazed by their remarks. "Sometimes, words don't work, Professor. Some lessons have to be taught with a bit more... clarity."
Professor Snape's eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curling into what could almost be considered a smile, though it was far from friendly. "Fifty points to Slytherin for defending a fellow student and performing a magical feat far beyond your year," he announced, his voice cold but carrying a note of approval.
He looked at Alexander with an almost imperceptible nod, acknowledging the impressive display of magic, before turning his gaze back to the frozen Gryffindor students. "Perhaps this will serve as a lesson to those who think they can bully others without consequence."
McGonagall, though still visibly irritated, couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Fifty points to Slytherin... I'd rather not make a habit of rewarding such extremes." But she said nothing further, knowing well that Snape's words would carry weight with the students present.
Alexander gave a small, almost indifferent nod, though his mind was already far from the situation at hand. With the tension defused, he turned on his heel and made his way toward the exit, Artemis perched proudly on his shoulder.
As Alexander started walking away, Daphne fell into step beside him. The murmurs of the crowd began to die down, but their words lingered in the air.
"Mr. Ravenwood," McGonagall called, her voice firm but carrying a hint of exasperation, "Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this incident." She paused, clearly thinking over her words before adding, "We will discuss your actions further, young man."
Flitwick, who was still recovering from the excitement of the spell, glanced at Alexander with a wide grin and said, "At the end of your class, let's talk. I want to hear all about your modifications to the spell, Mr. Ravenwood. You've certainly caught my attention."
Alexander simply nodded without looking back, his mind already racing with the possibilities of new spells and magical principles. Daphne, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow, glancing at the professors before turning her attention back to him.
"You really have a knack for making things... interesting," she said quietly, almost amused by the turn of events.
Alexander didn't answer immediately. He was used to the stares, the whispers, and the growing tension that seemed to follow him wherever he went. With a quiet sigh, he walked ahead, his mind already preparing for the conversations that awaited him—whether with Dumbledore, Flitwick, or anyone else who might have something to say about his actions.