After lunch, Carnie and the others returned to their dormitory. The next class, Herbology, wasn't until 3 p.m., and their first-year schedule wasn't particularly heavy.
Carnie flopped onto his bed, relishing the easygoing life he was having.
Unlike other reincarnated protagonists who had to deal with deep-seated revenge, mortal enemies, or dramatic engagement breakups leading to vows of revenge, his life was actually peaceful.
He never understood why so many of them, having gotten a second chance at life, still insisted on living in constant struggle. If life was meant to be that exhausting, why not just give up entirely? They always claimed they wanted an ordinary life, yet trained harder than anyone else, pushing themselves to the brink.
Do ordinary people meddle in every crisis? Do ordinary people try to save the world? Do ordinary people look at a life-threatening but potentially rewarding situation and think, If I don't take this risk, I'll regret it for the rest of my life?
Carnie had no interest in being the world's number one or basking in the adoration of the masses.
Living comfortably and free from worries was better than shining in the spotlight. He had no desire to be a hero—at best, he'd be a backup plan for the hero. If Harry couldn't handle Voldemort, or if Voldemort decided to pick a fight with him, then he'd step in and deal with it.
For now, he just wanted to live a fun, fulfilling life. As for Voldemort and the Death Eaters, well, that was a future Carnie problem. No need to treat every possible danger like an immediate threat—otherwise, life would just be one long, paranoid mess.
"Hey, I've got a really important question!" Carnie suddenly sat up, realizing something about his own abilities. "Neville, Harry, Ron, this is really important."
"What is it?" Ron said, patting his chest confidently. "Ask away. If we know the answer, we'll tell you."
They all gathered around.
"Can you feel your magic? I mean, the magic inside your body?" Carnie asked, finally voicing a question that had been bothering him.
Neville and Harry both shook their heads.
"Magic? I've never really felt it," Ron admitted. "But I heard Fred and George mention that there's a class about that."
Wait, there is? Which class? Carnie immediately flipped through his textbooks, scanning the table of contents. Magical Theory?
That sounded about right.
He flipped to the first few pages—nothing useful. Just some vague descriptions of magic being wonderful and mysterious. Skimming further ahead, almost halfway through the book, he finally found something relevant. Apparently, this topic wasn't covered until later in the term.
"Magic is omnipresent…" Skip the fluff … "Magic flows within wizards to varying degrees. It is unseen and intangible, much like blood flowing through the body. When needed, it is drawn upon through a combination of incantations, hand movements, and the use of a wand. When a wizard first receives their wand, there is often a moment of resonance, during which they can distinctly feel their magic for the first time. The stronger the innate talent, the clearer this sensation. When one achieves a state of extreme focus, they may be able to perceive their magic directly."
Carnie read the passage out loud.
"Hey! That reminds me—when I first got my wand, I did feel something!" Harry said, his eyes lighting up. "It was like a cool breeze rushing through my whole body, from my feet to the top of my head. It felt amazing! I don't really know how to describe it, but I know it was there."
A cool breeze from head to toe, cooling him down on a hot day?
"I felt it too when I first held my wand," Neville added. "It was really strange, just like Ollivander said it would be."
"Well, I didn't feel anything," Ron grumbled. "Must've been because my wand was secondhand. My mum kept saying it was still good enough."
"I can buy you a new one," Harry offered generously. "It's no big deal."
"Oh, no way, that's way too expensive!" Ron exclaimed. But then, after a moment, his face turned red. "Actually… maybe you could give it to me as a Christmas present. I tried one in the shop, but Mum wouldn't buy it for me…"
"But I didn't feel anything at all," Carnie cut in, interrupting their conversation.
"That is weird," Ron admitted. "You should ask a professor about it. Maybe they can check it for you."
"Yeah… I'll do that later," Carnie said casually, though he had no intention of doing so.
Could this be because I'm a reincarnator? No way he was going to ask a professor. What if they couldn't explain it? What if it caught Dumbledore's attention? What if Dumbledore got suspicious and decided to use Veritaserum or Legilimency on him?
Better safe than sorry.
Dumbledore was way too good at playing the long game—Harry was already dancing in the palm of his hand, everything planned out meticulously. Carnie would rather stay under the radar than risk being manipulated.
I'll figure it out myself first. If I really can't, then I'll ask for help.
The book wasn't completely useless, though. That last sentence caught his attention: When one achieves a state of extreme focus, they may be able to perceive their magic directly.
Was that… meditation? They probably didn't call it that here, but it sounded similar. He'd give it a shot tonight—maybe try some deep breathing exercises. Who knew? Maybe he'd unlock qi and become a martial arts prodigy.
Now that he thought about it, information about the outside world was limited to whatever was printed in The Daily Prophet. The British wizarding world had vampires and werewolves, but what about China? Were there cultivators out there?
If magic existed, then qi and Taoist techniques should as well, right? Starting tonight, he'd add meditation to his daily routine.
Carnie had unknowingly zoned out while thinking, but the others had already moved on to discussing Hogwarts professors.
"Professor McGonagall is so strict," Ron groaned. "And she talks in a way that's hard to understand."
"Herbology this afternoon should be easy," Harry said. "But we have it with Slytherin. And Malfoy."
"His father was one of the first to follow You-Know-Who," Ron added, his voice dripping with disdain. "Then, after he fell, he claimed he was under the Imperius Curse and bribed the Ministry with a ton of gold to clear his name. But everyone knows what kind of person he is."
Ron had a lot to say about the Malfoy family.
During Herbology class, Professor Sprout introduced them to several common magical plants, explaining their origins, habitats, uses, and cultivation. It was a relatively easy-going class—Neville, in particular, was taking diligent notes.
The only downside? Malfoy.
Malfoy had been glaring at Harry the entire time, clearly still holding a grudge over their previous encounter.
After all, the "high and mighty" Malfoy family had extended an invitation to Harry Potter, and he had rejected them publicly. That was a huge slap to Malfoy's pride. If he didn't regain face, other pureblood families might start looking down on the Malfoys.
"Harry, Malfoy keeps staring at you," Ron whispered. "I bet he's plotting something."
"Why? I just turned him down," Harry said, confused.
"The Malfoys never let things go," Ron explained. "Most old wizarding families avoid getting on their bad side. They've ruined plenty of families in the past—some of their businesses were built on the remains of those they took down. Trust me, if he's fixated on you, it's not a good thing. Right, Carnie?"
"Yeah, you're right," Carnie said absentmindedly. "Maybe he's just a bit too interested in Harry."
"What do you mean?" Harry and Ron both looked puzzled.
"I mean, maybe he likes you. You know, in that way."
"In what way?" Harry frowned.
"As in, a guy who likes guys," Carnie said with a perfectly straight face. "Maybe you've already got a secret admirer, Harry."