Dear Mum and Dad,
The Hogwarts castle is even more wonderful than I had imagined. I could actually feel the magic pass over me, almost like when you feel the difference in temperature when you step out of an airplane for the first time into a warmer country. I don't remember feeling that way when we visited Diagon Alley in London, so I wonder if it is because of how old and probably how saturated in magic the place is? I'll need to research into that.
Our theory that electronics aren't able to function in magical environments is correct. At least, that's the result of the limited test we performed. The watch stopped working, but I can't say when it stopped as the screen is completely blank. It might have even been in London at the platform 9 3/4. Do you remember if you had any electronics with you when we visited Diagon Alley? I wanted to know if they returned to normal after leaving a magical area. I suspect the magic acts as a sort of sustained EMP.
I was sorted into Gryffindor, named as the house of the determined and courageous, and the same house Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was sorted into. The hat, which is the magical artifact new students wear when they are being sorted, makes its decision through some kind of mind reading and had seriously contemplated putting me in Ravenclaw. I think I would have liked to be sorted into Ravenclaw. My first impressions of Gryffindor aren't very good, most of my housemates don't seem to be very serious about studying at all.
I actually made my first friend today, and he's in Ravenclaw. I first met him, Harry Potter is his name, on the train journey to Hogwarts, but today is when he asked me to be his friend. Harry even complimented me, he said I was amazing. He said he feels the same way about learning as I do, and I think he agrees with me that magic is something we need to learn as much as possible about. I'm meeting him tomorrow in the library and I hope we can discuss it further.
I miss you both already, but I know that being here is an opportunity I can't pass up. I hope you're both doing well. I'm looking forward to seeing you both at the winter break.
Love,
Hermione
"Give me food and I will live, give me water and I will die."
Quest created!
Answer the Ravenclaw riddle correctly to gain access to your common room.
Reward: 10 EXP
Failure: None
Accept [Y / N]
Quests can even come from things like this? Will that mean I get a quest every time I have to enter the common room? How interesting. Maybe I won't need to wait to hand in the homework after all.
As he accepted the quest, Harry stood in front of the Ravenclaw entrance in thoughtful contemplation, considering what the answer could be.
Well, surely everything that lives needs food. Harry thought.
So, that leaves the question of what dies if you give it water. If you give something too much water it will drown and die, but the riddle was simply 'give me water'.
"Ah," Harry grinned as he felt certain he knew the correct answer. "The answer is fire."
In response to his answer, the door swung open, admitting him to the Ravenclaw common room.
Quest completed.
Reward: 10 EXP
Checking his status briefly, Harry noted that he needed only ten more experience points to reach level two.
So close! I wonder if there's a quest in here somewhere?
Harry wandered into the large circular room and spotted his first-year friends at a table with textbooks out, looking to be working on their homework.
"Hey guys," Harry called out as he neared them.
Looking up, Anthony and Terry nodded and smiled in greeting before resuming their work.
Michael, who had apparently just completed his own essay turned to face Harry.
"Hey, Harry. Did you find what you were looking for in the library?" he asked softly, respecting the others' need for relative quiet as they worked.
Harry was confused for a moment, not entirely understanding what he was referring to, but then as he took a seat beside Michael he remembered he had told his friends that he wanted to find a book for some personal research.
"Oh, no, not yet. I'll try again tomorrow."
Harry wanted to slap himself. He had actually forgotten all about looking for books relating to his ability.
"Ah well. What is it you're researching anyway? Maybe I can help you look," Michael offered.
"It's uh…" Harry thought quickly, "it's about my family."
Harry had also wanted to investigate into his family, so he felt that a half-truth was an acceptable answer.
"Your family?" Michael asked. "What about them?"
Harry looked down at his hands in his lap, his fingers playing in unease, unsure how much he wanted to reveal about his home life.
Looking up, Harry met Michael's eyes apprehensively, "Well it's just that I don't really know much about my parents," he finally answered.
"Why not?" Michael looked a little confused.
Anthony and Terry looked up then, seemingly more interested in Harry's response than continuing their work.
"Well, they died when I was a baby," Harry replied slowly.
"Um, well I knew that Harry," Michael replied carefully, "I think most people know about that honestly.
"But shouldn't you have been told about them anyway?" Michael asked.
"Yeah, I should have, but I wasn't. Not the truth anyway," Harry answered and felt the low simmering anger he had been ignoring flare a little at the reminder of his relatives' lies.
"But then, what were you told if it wasn't the truth?" continued Michael.
"If it's alright, can we talk about something else?" Harry asked.
Glancing at the others, Michael shrugged and replied, "Sure Harry."
After a short pause, Michael asked, "So, did you finish your essay already?"
"Yeah, I did it in the library," Harry smiled at the easy question, "and I practiced writing with a quill and parchment. Do you guys know how to do that without making a mess?"
"I was taught by my family when I was younger," Anthony supplied.
"Me too, my mum taught me how" Terry added.
"Same here," Michael confirmed with a nod.
Harry sighed lightly and said, "Well I didn't even know about it until a little bit before coming. To be honest I didn't even know about magic properly until I got my Hogwarts letter and went to Diagon Alley."
Looking to his friends he saw their almost confused looks, "What is it?" Harry asked.
Michael leaned forward to Harry, keeping his voice low. "It's just, you know, well I don't think any of us want to make a big deal about it," he looked at the others who nodded in agreement, "but you're Harry Potter."
Harry frowned in response, and though he suspected he knew what that was supposed to mean, he asked anyway, "I don't get what you mean," Harry replied, "Yes I am Harry Potter, but so what?"
Michael looked a little uncomfortable now and glanced at the other two boys for help.
Anthony coughed slightly and the group turned to face him before he said, "I think what Michael is getting at Harry, is that we kind of expect you to know a lot about magic and the magical world already, since, well speaking frankly, you're a pretty big deal."
Harry rubbed the back of his head idly for a moment before replying, "I think I understand what you mean, but to me, I'm just Harry."
"You did say you hadn't heard anything about the books that are written about you, after all," Terry pointed out.
Harry nodded in agreement, "Right! To be honest, this is all new to me," Harry said before pausing for a moment, "I don't really want to talk about why though."
"OK Harry," Anthony said and smiled as he continued, "We won't ask, but it's normal for Ravenclaws to be curious."
The boys shared a grin at that. They all agreed with that statement.
"I'd still like to help you look for research material," offered Michael.
"Me too," chorused the other two boys.
"Thanks, guys, I really appreciate it. We can look tomorrow if that's alright?" Harry replied.
A round of agreement settled it. Harry decided to go with the flow for now and dedicate the library time tomorrow towards researching his into his parents' lives. Although he had already received an offer to discuss his mother's past with Professor Flitwick, he hadn't really thought of how he might learn more about his father. Perhaps they would find something useful in the library after all.
Harry glanced at his friends and once again felt grateful he was sorted into Ravenclaw. Reminded of what Anthony had said about Ravenclaws being curious, Harry looked towards the said boy and used the observe skill.
Hogwarts Student
LV5 Anthony Goldstein
Unlike Hermione, Anthony didn't appear to have a second line below his title of Hogwarts Student.
Does that mean he has no class? How does it work? I should have tried to figure out if there was anything more to Hermione's Bookworm tag.
Using the observe skill on his other friends revealed similar results. None of his friends displayed anything other than the Hogwarts Student title.
As Harry looked around the common room and used the observe skill on a few more students a new message appeared.
Through persistent use, your Observation skill has increased to level 2!
That must have been due to all the times I used the observe skill on the way back here. Harry realised.
"I'm just going to go to the dorm room, I'll be back soon," Harry said to the other boys.
Harry went to his dorm room to find some privacy. Lying down on his bed, he opened the status screen and pressed a finger to the observe skill.
[Observe](Active) LV2 EXP:0.0%
A skill to find the target's information.
You are able to view the following stats:
Name, Level, Title, Class, Description
Description? But I was already able to see descriptions of objects. Maybe it shows more detailed information than before? What if I use it on a person now?
Harry took out his wand and used the observe skill.
Harry Potter's Wand
Your wand is eleven inches long, made of holly, and possesses a phoenix feather core. This is described to be an unusual combination of wand core and wood. The feather was donated by Fawkes, Albus Dumbledore's Phoenix. It was revealed by the wand's maker, Garrick Ollivander, that Lord Voldemort's wand core also came from Fawkes, making the two wands "brothers".
Harry was unsure if that had actually provided any further information as he hadn't observed it before.
Deciding to test it on his friends, Harry made his way back to the common room and stood in the entryway as he used the observe skill on Anthony again.
Class: Hogwarts Student
Level: 5
Name: Anthony Goldstein
Description: Anthony is a first-year student at Hogwarts and was sorted into Ravenclaw. Anthony is well mannered and has excellent organisational skills as instructed by his parents throughout his childhood. Anthony aspires to achieve Outstanding scores in his exams.
Reading through the information provided by the skill, Harry almost missed what he considered the most interesting piece. According to this, Anthony's class was Hogwarts Student, not his title. Quickly comparing this to himself, Harry confirmed that his own class was still set as The Gamer whereas his title said Hogwarts Student.
What's the difference? Does that mean Hermione has the class Hogwarts Student but the title Bookworm?
Harry opened his status window and considered the title of Hogwarts Student. Looking around to make sure no one was watching him, he quickly tapped on the words and a new message appeared.
Title: Hogwarts Student
100% increase in skill development speed up to the 3rd level. 50% increase in speed up to 5th level. 10% increase in speed up to 10th level.
OK. If that's real then that's really nice.
Wait, does that mean 100% plus 50% plus 10% up to level three or just 100%? Also, does that mean skills max out at level ten or just that the bonus this title gives only extends so far?
Harry scratched his neck and rubbed his shoulder in contemplation.
Does Hermione have bonuses because she has a title?
Do classes give bonuses too? For that matter, is my title of Hogwarts Student any different to my friends' class of Hogwarts Student?
Harry closed the window and tapped his finger on his class The Gamer.
Class: The Gamer
Cannot be changed. Allows the user to go through life as if it were a game.
Harry nodded slowly.
Classes might not give you a bonus but maybe they allowed you to access certain skills?
Did others having the Hogwarts Student class mean they were able to do something they wouldn't otherwise?
Further investigation was definitely required.
Dismissing the windows, Harry looked to Anthony again and used the observe skill. After the same message from before appeared he stealthily tapped on the class Hogwarts Student.
Class: Hogwarts Student
The user is a student of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. 100% increase in skill development speed up to the 3rd level. 50% increase in speed up to 5th level. 10% increase in speed up to 10th level.
Somehow Harry hadn't expected that. This meant that his title of Hogwarts Student was basically a copy of the class.
Do I have the title because I can't have the class? Apparently, I'm not able to change my class from The Gamer but that probably means others can change their class.
Thinking back, Harry remembered that he had seen his Professors with Hogwarts Professor as what he had thought was their title. It was very likely that Hogwarts Professor was actually their class.
So I have to use titles in a way to replace classes? But then, what does it mean when Hermione has a title and a class? Isn't that unfair to me if her Bookworm title gives even more bonuses?
Harry began making his way slowly to his friends.
Then again, if this is all true, and I can make myself smarter and stronger just by pushing a button then really I'm the one that's unfair.
"Hey guys," Harry greeted his friends as he returned to the table and pulled out a chair.
"Heya Harry," replied Terry with a smile.
Harry smiled back as he sat down and asked, "Finished yet?"
"Almost," replied Terry, who was scribbling at his parchment and had his tongue out to the side in concentration.
"Just finished," Anthony said as he nodded his head to his completed essay.
"Need any help?" Harry asked Terry.
"He won't let anyone help," said Michael as he mock sighed. "He said there's no point if he can't do it himself."
Terry confirmed this statement by nodding silently.
"Actually I think I agree," Harry said with a thoughtful look, "I'll do the same. Unless it's an emergency or I'm really stuck anyway."
"Me too," agreed Anthony.
Michael looked to the others with raised brows and said, "OK then, no helping each other with homework," he stroked his chin thoughtfully before continuing, "at least we can still help each other with wand work and in classes, right?"
Terry grunted his agreement while he continued his writing while Harry and Anthony nodded.
"And we need to do better than the girls," Michael said as he thumbed over his shoulder to where the Ravenclaw first year girls sat, working on their own essays it seemed.
"Agreed," came the chorused response.
Harry spent the rest of the evening looking through the textbooks for the following day's classes. Potions looked especially interesting and actually seemed somewhat like cooking, something Harry had previous experience with.
As Harry went to bed, saying goodnight to his dorm mates, he felt a bubble of happiness as he thought of what the future might hold.
Stood outside the potions classroom with the rest of the first year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students, Harry thought back to the moment he had met eyes with Professor Snape after he was sorted.
There had been a message of some sort from the game, but Harry was struggling to remember the words exactly.
Something to do with being hostile?
Harry worried that Snape wouldn't like him, but he couldn't think of a reason why that might be.
Just as he was about to respond to Terry, who had asked him if he had read ahead on the first year's potions material, the subject of his recent thoughts suddenly appeared.
The Hogwarts Professor, named Severus Snape as Harry saw above his head (level unknown), had all but slammed the heavy wooden dungeon door inwards as he entered the classroom.
Harry was impressed by how eye-catching the Professor's billowing cape was and, like the rest of the students, hadn't moved as he simply watched as the man swiftly made his way toward the teacher's desk at the opposite end of the room.
Turning to face the class, Severus Snape saw that instead of filing in and taking their seats they were huddled at the entrance, staring in at him through the doorway.
"Well? What are you waiting for? Enter the classroom and take a seat," commanded Professor Snape. "Quickly now, I don't have all day."
Seemingly startled into motion, the students did as they were told, with Harry taking a seat at the front beside Anthony.
As the last student sat, the dungeon door flew shut, causing the class to jump and even a few shocked squeaks.
This man has a talent for drama. Harry realised and tried not to smile at the thought.
"There will be no foolish wand waving or incantations in this class." The professor began in barely more than a whisper, looking to each student as he spoke. "I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Harry felt his curiosity burn. Those few words had lit a fire in him. Harry absolutely wanted to learn from this teacher who clearly had a passion for his subject.
"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood."
Quest accepted!
Answer Professor Snape's question correctly.
Reward: 10 EXP, increased relationship with Professor Snape.
Failure: Decreased relationship with Professor Snape.
Harry felt shocked at being singled out so suddenly as well as the sudden appearance of the quest notification. Had it automatically accepted? He tried to think back to what he had read so far in the potions textbook.
"Sorry sir, I don't think I've read that far yet," said Harry frowning.
Quest failed.
Failure: Decreased relationship with Professor Snape.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer.
"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."
Harry felt annoyed, not only had he missed out on the opportunity to level up, he was being belittled for something he had no control over. Glancing at Anthony he saw that the other boy also held a frown.
"Sorry sir," said Harry slowly, "but what do you mean? I didn't even know about magic until just before coming here."
Snape opened his mouth to reply but said nothing, instead he frowned then raised an eyebrow.
"Let's try again then Potter," Snape said after a pause. "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar."
Quest accepted!
Answer Professor Snape's question correctly.
Reward: 10 EXP, increased relationship with Professor Snape.
Failure: Decreased relationship with Professor Snape.
Harry thought again with a frown and remembered seeing the word bezoar being mentioned when he had briefly read the antidote section of his textbook.
"I think…" Harry began, "from the stomach of a goat?"
Quest completed.
Reward: 10 EXP, increased relationship with Professor Snape.
A new message followed immediately.
Level up!
A twitch of his eyebrows was all Snape displayed of his surprise that Harry had answered correctly.
As if dismissing Harry entirely, he turned to the rest of the class, "As Mr. Potter correctly stated, a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons."
Harry took a moment to read the messages from the game he had until then been ignoring. Somehow he had answered that question correctly, which meant he had actually earned enough experience and leveled up.
Excitedly Harry opened his status window and saw that it showed he was now level two and had five points. Beside each of his stats was a plus icon, which Harry assumed was how he would be able to allocate the points.
Do I really want to spend it on strength after all? If it actually does change things then wouldn't that be a waste? Do wizards actually need to be strong? How would I be able to tell if it works otherwise though?
Harry's attention was brought back to Professor Snape who had revealed instructions on the board at the front of the class for an apparently simple potion to cure boils.
Working with Anthony, Harry found that he did enjoy the actual potion making aspect of the class, but soon became tired of the ever-looming presence of their teacher. Professor Snape seemed to feel that the best way to teach was to criticise instead of instruct. More often than not he would take a glance and a sniff at a student's attempt and simply vanish it from the cauldron, telling them to try again without doing it wrong this time.
By some miracle, Harry and Anthony's potion was left alone. Professor Snape passed their desk often in his circuit around the class but seemed to deem it acceptable enough.
Just as Harry poured the completed potion into a vial a new message appeared in front of him.
A skill has been created through a special act! Through thoughtful and careful attention, the skill "Potioncraft" has been created.
At first a bit surprised that he had a new skill specifically for one class, Harry realised that this was essentially the non-wand equivalent to his Spellcasting skill.
I wonder what bonuses this skill provides. I wish I didn't have to actually press on the window for it to show more information.
At the end of the lesson, Snape dismissed the class, "You may leave."
All except one. "Potter, a word."
Harry shared a look with Anthony and shrugged as his friend left the room with the rest of the students.
As Snape waited for the rest of the students to leave, he stood next to Harry's desk.
"Potter," Snape began, once they were alone. "What did you mean when you said you didn't know about magic before coming to Hogwarts?"
"Um, well I knew about it a little before I got the Hogwarts letter," Harry said, "but not as magic. Just that sometimes strange things happened around me."
"Strange things?" prompted Snape.
"Things that I know are magical now, but once I was running away from my cousin I ended up on the school roof."
"You were up to some mischief, no doubt." Snape accused with a sneer.
Harry's eyes widened slightly at the accusation, "No sir, actually I was running away from my cousin and his friends when they were playing their usual game of 'Harry Hunting'."
Snape raised an eyebrow at this.
Harry realised he had said more than he would normally as he had attempted to justify himself and shut his mouth tight.
"Are you trying to make me believe that you were bullied, Potter?" Snape stared into Harry's eyes.
Harry looked back and frowned. "It doesn't matter anymore because I'm here now Professor."
"What do you mean?" asked Snape.
"Hogwarts, and magic. Ever since I learned about it, about others being strange like me, I mean magical, things have gotten better."
Snape looked at Harry queerly, as if recognising something or someone he hadn't seen in a long time.
"You say you only just learned about Hogwarts and magic just recently. Did Headmaster Dumbledore not visit you and explain when you were younger?" Snape asked.
"No sir, but why would he?" Harry replied with a confused look.
Snape turned sharply around, his dark cloak billowing behind him as he walked to the teacher's desk.
"Your potion was adequate today, Potter, however, I expect you to produce better results in future," Snape said with his back still to Harry.
Harry managed a "yes Professor. I will."
"You may leave."
Harry wasted no time in exiting the classroom and catching up with his friends who had been waiting outside for him.
"What was that all about?" asked Terry as Harry approached.
"Uh, not really sure," Harry replied, "but I think he meant that I did well today."
"Weird. He definitely had it out for you at the start of class," said Michael.
"Yeah that was weird," agreed Anthony.
Harry agreed, something was very odd about Professor Snape. He had seemed very interested in Harry and had even been somewhat hostile in his questioning at the beginning of the class.
Was that message about hostility from Snape after all? But then, that message didn't reappear, even when he was glaring at me.
"And he kept vanishing our potion!" cried Terry.
"Yeah, and I swear we were following the instructions exactly," said Michael.
"He left ours alone," replied Anthony.
"He said ours was adequate," Harry said.
"Adequate? I wonder if that's his own way of saying excellent?" asked Michael with a grin.
The boys sniggered at that.
"I reckon he never praises anyone," said Terry.
Harry nodded, but still felt like he had somehow received a compliment from the professor and realised he actually looked forward to their next potions class.