*sob * *sob *
"No, Please. I'm sorry!"
"Let me go. Please"
*sob * *sob *
*sob * *sob *
With the growing sobbing noise I tried to open my eyes. But what the heck is this? Where am I now? Its not the skyworld generally I get myself transported into? Its quite dark and cold in the room but the walls are luminescent with a faint green glow coming from them. Judging from the surrounding most probably I am somewhere underground but from where the sobbing sounds are coming from. After closely looking towards source of sound, a steep downward slope could be seen that otherwise might been missed easily, if not for sound.
Judging from the stone and arc built of the room it can be deduced either I'm in Hogwarts or in one such similar ancient castle. But priority now is to find the sobbing noise coming from somewhere below. Sliding down the slope a well-lit complete white area of marvel stone quarry could be found and the temperature in here is freezing cold. The source of the cold wave could be easily identified as the cave in the far left side of the mining quarry with light bluish white stones.
Sucks as neither my robe from inventory could be assessed in the dreamland nor my wand I have with me here. This leaves me to endure the chilling cold waves from cave. With each step towards the source I could literally feel my teeth cluttering from cold, I wonder if I could get pneumonia in dreamworld.
After gathering last ounce of my strengths I entered the cave with almost crouching down on the floor. Inside of the cave looked like ancient shrine with two similar looking huge runes drawn on the floor and ceiling above it. In the center of the rune two thick black chains coming down with a young girl tied down wearing a white single piece gown. Tears streaming down her beautiful pale face with eyes closed? Above her a black stoned arch gate matching the chains and on the arched part was written "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus''. The Hogwarts school motto, Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus, means "Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon." Before I could think anything else I guess my body has reached its limit and fell down to wake up on couch breathing rapidly. Where was I? I feel like it is somewhere within the castle! Who was the girl tied down like that?
After opening my eyes I found Hermione kneeling near my chair holding my hand, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Uh what happened!?" I asked not understanding the situation.
"You were shivering and your hands were like ice." Sniffling between words she replied.
"Oh sorry about that I guess I might be having some bad dreams. By the way I have ordered some books to be delivered for today would you like to check them out." I tried to shift the conversation knowing Hermione's interest.
Her teary eyes suddenly glowed and looked at me like a puppy before asking me if it is alright to borrow some.
"I can let you borrow my books but under certain conditions as these are high level theoretical works. So only reading will not be beneficial and you need to keep yourself physically in same level as well. Think of it as your body being a vase and knowledge as water so with increasing water you need to upgrade the vase as well."
"Ok I understand but what I have to do to borrow the books."
"Nothing much just you need to join me in morning exercise. Starting today."
"No problem its already morning let's start right away."
Ting! A Wild Hermione Captured! And like that I have gained another talented witch under my training to handle the ominous future prophesied.
I have kept it light schedule for Hermione considering her new to physical regime. Ced also joined in short time asking me various questions about how was my first night at Hogwarts and if anyone bullying me like anyone would dare). Hermione was highly motivated in exercise may be because of books or Ced mentioning the part of increase in MP. Seeing a dozen of Flourish and Blotts owl flying through Gryffindor tower window we returned back to our common room parting with Ced near kitchen. Its still 7:00 in morning only but the room now started feeling with upper classmen. Also in one corner we found the red twins trying frantically to complete the remaining summer home works.
The owls have delivered quite a huge package and many of the students are eying me strangely. Obviously no freshmen ordered so many packages on first day of year. Leaving their homework twins also joined us in the unboxing of the packages. Books are never their thing but the muggle wires and machineries are a thing of interest for them. I explained them these are for some projects which I'll definitely invite them to be part off.
I explained them how I am planning to make smartphone showing two ordered Motorola & IBM new released models. As already CERN activated internet and World Wide Webs are a thing now on muggle world I can easily access by passing their primitive 90s firewall. As for design I am planning for things like Mirror or Pocket Watch which wizards can relate. Electricity or Alternate Current (AC) to be specific doesn't sit well with Magic as I have ordered two large boxes of different sizes batteries along with some industrial chemicals (obviously with fake license). But before building an integrated circuit combined with magic I need to get my proficiency up in arithmancy & runes to address the issue of cellular network requirement. Floo Networks (Head-only) used for communication through the fire so I can look about the connections used for it as well. But it's just for hobby and I am going to take it slow (if I can).
After parting ways with Hermione we went towards each other's dorms to get freshened up for breakfast. Ron & Harry along with other freshmen still sleeping. Without disturbing anyone I went to great hall for breakfast and found Hermione already waving hands. Not many students are yet on the table even few teachers are yet to show up.
After a breakfast I accompanied Hermione to take tour of Hogwarts to get familiar with the stairs and found if any corridor looked like that I have seen in dreamworld before. There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. Obviously it is not going to be this easy so after a bit of roaming we headed to Classroom 1B for our first class in Magic.
The classroom was big, surrounded by high windows, had four rows of three desks, and still had enough room for several cages and bookshelves and a cat was sitting on the top of desk for the professor. Class is still empty as we are bit early but before Hermione could comment anything I pointed her towards the cat signaling to remain silent. Professor McGonagall wasn't a teacher to cross. Slowly the class getting filled with students chatting and murmuring happily in the absence of professor. Finally our protagonist and his sidekick entered the classroom panting heavily. Assuming they have made it before Professor Ron started blabbering his usual gibberish. Then she surprises them by jumping off the desk and transforming into her human self before their eyes.
Strict and clever, she gave them a talking- the moment they had sat down in her first class. 'Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts,' she said. 'Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned.'
After making a lot of complicated notes, we were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. This level of transfiguration is not that difficult for me although I am still far away from changing the nonliving things into animals. May be my previous world logic in brain has still not accepted the theory of living in magic world. By the end of the lesson, when Professor McGonagall passed by showed the class how Hermione made the matchstick all silver and pointy but soon when she came across mine she gave a rare smile picking my needle as in the long class time I made a spiral structured metal needle to not get bored. Immediately adding 10 points to Gryffindor she has taken the needle saying it'll be a souvenir as she had never seen such an ornamental transfigured needle before.
Then we went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where we learnt how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for. Being most of the plants used for potions I was quiet good at it. Although Neville shined the brightest in this domain.
Easily the most boring lesson was History of Magic, which was the only class taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff-room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Although his teaching is monotonous the information could be grabbed from this lesion is noteworthy but besides Hermione & Me nobody could be seen interested in his class.
Next was Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, he was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first lesson he took the register, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. He taught about the wand movement which was really interesting compared with result a perfect movement can achieve.
The class I have really been looking forward to was Defence Against the Dark Arts, not because of the joke that is Quirrell's lessons are but to finally meet the bald antagonist is something to look forward to. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. A funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went. I wondered is this how a corrupt soul smells like.
We spent most of our first week learning our way around the school and about classes and teachers. But due to most of time Ron, Harry or Hermione sticking to me made it difficult for me to look for room of requirements. Harry and Ron also got into trouble with Filch when they got lost. He assumed they're trying to break into the forbidden third floor corridor ironically which they did although accidentally. They have tried pursuing me to look for the three headed dog at third floor and I don't deny I am somewhat interested in keeping Fluffy in my inventory but still time is not yet.
Finally the day come for Double Potions with the Slytherins. 'Snape is Head of Slytherin house. They say he always favours them – we'll be able to see if it's true.' Ron commented while stuffing a donut. 'Wish McGonagall favoured us,' added Harry. Professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor house, but it hadn't stopped her giving us a huge pile of homework the day before.
I explained Harry a bit about potions majorly focusing on chapters from which Snape going to ask quizzes from. I also explained that Professor Snape disliked him but he does not mean any harm to him. But by the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew I was wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry – he hated him. Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name. 'Ah, yes,' he said softly, 'Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity.'
Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of a man who lost the meaning of living. 'You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,' he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. 'As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. 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.'
More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron looked towards me with raised eyebrows. Hermione was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.
'Potter!' said Snape suddenly. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'
Harry glanced towards me, with my approving look he answered with stutter "Hmm Er Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion!"
Snape's lips curled into frown. "Are you answering me or asking a question Potter? And would you kindly mind answering the name of the potion?"
"Draught of Living Death" said Harry with stealing a nervous glance towards me.
He ignored his answer. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat and to everyone's surprise Ron also raising his Hand but Harry being confident from previous answer replied immediately "A bezoar is a stone-like mass taken from the stomach of a goat. Bezoars are used in the preparation of the Antidote to Common Poisons."
"Answer what asked for, no need to show know it all attitude Potter" Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. Ignoring the dagger from Harry's look Snape continued 'What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?'
"Oh they are the same plants Professor" Harry replied proudly. A few people laughed; Harry caught my eyes and winked. Snape, however, was not pleased. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek, Potter."
Snape put us all into pairs and set us to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. I have been paired with Draco much to Ron's annoyance but what can I do as I asked Hermione already to help Neville while Harry & Ron are already formed a pair. Snape was roaming around the classroom checking everyone's cauldron. Mine with Draco is already finished. Snape tested the potion adding few porcupine quills but the colour remained unchanged. "Very well Draco one point to Slytherin." He announced.
"But God Father Cadmus has helped me equally while doing most of calculation himself." Like Draco Malfoy acting like a saint was not enough to surprise the class Snape added without changing his expression "You are the youngest Diggory, Son of Ceyl right!? I have heard about your talent in Potion." Snape nodded adding one point to Gryffindor. Ron looked as if he has seen a ghost and soon Snape awarding point to Gryffindor spread like wild fire across the school.
In Gryffindors common room there was a feast organized by Twins to celebrate me being first ever Lion getting a point from Snape and as well as to Harry's open cheekiness to Snape.
Every morning our exercise team also started forming as before. Ced started coming with the Asian second year Ravenclaw (thank god Harry is too young to start crushing). Ron & Harry also got pulled by me every morning. Hearing MP increasing property of the exercise Neville also polarized by Hermione for joining. Twins also arranged refreshments after exercise by help of their pointy eared friends which they are much happier to oblige (but I asked it to be kept secret from Hermione). After my invitation Draco also joined with two of his cronies much to Ron's annoyance. Even after my many tries for friendship of Harry & Ron with Draco it never happened. They are like Oil & Water although none of them acts up while I was with them.
With weekend coming Harry asked if Ron and I would be interested to visit Hagrid in his hut near the forbidden forest. While I might miss Fang slobbering all over me but I have something important planned for few days. I need to find Room of Requirement today for starting my experimentations on Smartphone/MagicMirror project. With Voldemort freeloading in Hogwarts I don't think opening Chamber of Secrets would be wise which leaves me with only option. Promising the lot I'll let them know afterwards if the experiment I was planning was successful, I also advised Hermione to accompany the dimwits to Hagrid's. I couldn't include them as of because generating properties of Sulphuric acid by methods of alchemy is last thing that could count safe.
On seventh floor after finding few frock wearing trolls and a short man doing some bizarre movements on tapestry I walked past the section of blank wall opposite to it for three times concentrating hard on a lab for alchemy.
But to my surprise crossing the door I found a huge room half equipped with lab equipment's even more advanced from what I handled in MIT and other half filled with a gigantic cauldron with blue colour flame burning on stove below. With the lab a notification opened with melodic beep in my system.
[ROR welcomes host.] [Please confirm for downloading the Ravenclaw Oracle Resource to system Y/N]
After I mentally pressed Yes out of curiosity my console screen popped up a message confirming the database download by a progress bar showing estimated remaining time of 48 hours. Thank god I came on a weekend otherwise I don't think the download option would have allowed me to pause for my classes.
While keeping the data mining on progress I started working on alchemy towards the path of discovering a permanent charged Li-ion battery. For meals I asked few helps from my tiny friends before in kitchen which they are more than happy to serve. 48 hours already passed while I am in the ROR immersed in the research I have made some significant developments but storage case for it still had me in pinch. Again with a beep I found the download is complete and now in status below my name an extra line added.
[Ravenclaw Oracle Resource – Voice Module Active]
Suddenly in my mind a sweet feminine voice could be heard.
[Hello Host, I'm Ravenclaw Oracle Resource Voice Assist welcomes you to the greatest knowledge sanctuary ever prepared by Ms Rowena Ravenclaw to assist for test of her Heritage for the Champion of Hogwarts.]
'Ok Ms Voice Assist can you show me the contents or if any index available for the resource and the specifics of the test of heritage we are talking about!?'
[Being a semi sentinel program I don't have any gender and my voice is based on Ms Ravenclaw herself. So you can address me as ROR. As per Index please check in your inventory I placed a copy although 90% of the resources are locked along with test for Heritage. To unlock it Host requires the key of Ravenclaw.]
I remember of certain diadem of Rowena's siting in the Room of Hidden Things. So what's better time than now to destroy a horocrux and test if it's the key or not! 'ROR if you assisting me means I have full access to Room of Requirements Right!?'
[Off course, to the last extent of ROR's capabilities ROR will always be there for assistance.]
'So take me to the room of hidden things ROR' and with my words Room became the size of a large cathedral, with high windows. It looked like "a city with towering walls", full of objects hidden by generations of Hogwarts inhabitants.
'ROR could you please list out all the junks here on ascending value of importance?"
[Sure Host it'll be available as Hidden Things Content File in your inventory.]
In-between all the junks and scraps listed in the content file my eyes stayed at a wooden cabinet far in the wall. On top of the cabinet was a dusty weary rusting silver diadem. I immediately levitated the cursed diadem giving an eerie feeling and put it in the inventory.
A shrill ran through me as if the creatures sharing space in inventory showing me their discomfort but suddenly my wand also started giving a strange fragrance calming creatures and me alike. 'Ping!'
[Cursed Item Detected: Diadem of Rowena.]
[Ravenclaw Key Confirmed. Key is contaminated needs purification to access Ravenclaw Oracle Resource.]
Oh great, so I need to destroy the horocrux now without damaging the Diadem like it was not already difficult enough to destroy a horocrux 'ROR I get about this Knowledge Resource part but can you please explain what this Heritage and Test stuff about.'
[Sure. ROR is created for the purpose of assisting Host in all odds.]
[The heritage was created far before the founder's time, ever since Hogwarts stood its ground it was there. Why it was created nobody knew of? Slytherins who owned the castle being aristocrats back in ages inherited it as a part of 'Noblesse oblige'. The notion of noblesse oblige was part of the ethic of the being the wizard. Maybe because the wizards then seemed to think themselves as of a higher beings than muggles for which they protected them and muggles used to worship them as heroes.]
[Then comes Anglo-Saxon period of England, the barbarians started raiding and inducing plagues in the British soil but that was not sufficient to overthrow the age old culture. The champions being protector of British soil the wizards started opposing and the famous blackwater war started. For outsiders it was not easy to defeat the champion so they started spreading false religious propagandas under the name of church. The wizards and witches who were once revered by the muggles started being hunted down. At that time Salazar's elder brother Elijah Slytherin was last champion of Hogwarts. He was betrayed by his fiancé who was a muggleborn witch by mixing poison in his wine. Soon the last battle camp was taken over by the barbarians and the head of the Champion was displayed by muggles on spike in Public Square. ]
[The war that started in England spread around the globe and the remaining wizarding community has to go into hiding. The hunt that started as means to conquer British turned into a 500 years of continuous hunt of wizarding people. The four founders were the some of the last remaining aristocrats who started the school on the castle of Hogwarts to safeguard the future of magical community. But the heritage of champion was locked by them. Each founder created a test to evaluate future generations to prepare for the age of heroes. In these many years many of such have stumbled upon me but none has ever inherited the will of Hogwarts. Host you are the first person in last 10 centuries who came closest to the inheritance. I hope and I will assist you to realize the dream of founders and bring forward the Age of Heroes.]
"ROR although I understand the story now it raises another question. Why you chose me? I have not achieved anything yet or proven my worthiness. Mr. Sorting Hat also said about me being someone he knows. So can you please tell what made you accept me as your host?" They couldn't have been possibly knowing about my transmigration or about system so why choose me!?
[Sorting Hat as myself is also Semi-sentinel being created by the founders but unlike me it has travelled through jillions of minds which makes it quite capable to know about host. As for me I have been assigned to choose someone who wakes me from slumber. The supposed person might be selected upon the fate to lead wizards into age of heroes.]
"Fine lets discuss more about these on later days for now show me how can I access the resources?"
Suddenly an archive full of books opened with an index on pop up. And this was only 10% of the complete resource package. I should focus more on cursed items section for now as I need the key to gain access to complete resource.
"Can I access these outside this room?" I asked browsing through the volumes.
[Yes you can access resources from wherever you want but I would not be able to assist as my binding is limited to the room only.]
"Ok Thank You ROR see you soon." Saying goodbye to my new acquired AI I went towards Gryffindor common room as I need to complete the weekend homework and have to get up for morning exercise as well.